asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will consult with the Minister of Food with a view to arranging to issue a simple statement explaining the working of the meat marketing scheme as it affects the farmer and the general public.

:As soon as the details of the fatstock marketing arrangements have been settled, a leaflet will be issued explaining the detailed arrangements for the information of both farmers and the general public.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will extend the period for repayment of loans to farmers for providing grain drying and storage facilities, as the short period now required reduces the attractiveness of the scheme.

:The purpose of the Revolving Loan Fund arrangements is to provide short-term credit for industry and agriculture, and the maximum repayment period for loans made from Conditional Aid Funds to farmers for grain drying and storage facilities is laid down in the agreement with the Foreign Operations Administration of the United States (F.O.A.).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to give any information about the result of consideration of the proposal for the enfranchisement of women in the Bahamas.

:The Select Committee of the House of Assembly on the enfranchisement of women did not report at the opening of the present session in November. There have been no further developments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what amount of capital has been invested in British Guiana by American interests over the last five years; and what is the total invested from other sources over the same period.

:I am asking the Governor for the information, and I will publish it in the Official Report when it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the birth rate in Malta; and how long it will take at the present rate for its people to double their population.

:The birth rate for the island of Malta, from 1943 to 1952. is shown below:

Per 1,000 of population
1943	31·6	1948	36·3
1944	40·5	1949	34·3
1945	39·2	1950	33·1
1946	39·2	1951	30·6
1947	38·9	1952	29·7

Assuming future birth and death ratesto be the same as in 1952, and without regard to the possible effects of migration, the population would double in about 37 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of substandard houses in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.

:So far as Edinburgh is concerned, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 26th January to the hon. Member for Leith (Mr. Hoy). I have no similar information for the other cities, but the hon. Member may care to refer to the published data about housing standards derived from the 1951 Census.

asked the President of the Board of Trade by what percentage the production of cotton yarn and cotton piece-goods, respectively, in the fourth quarter of 1953 exceeded the figures for the fourth quarter of 1952; the percentage of the industry s production going for export in the calendar years 1952 and 1953, and the fourth quarter of each of these years.

:Figures made available by the Cotton Board show that 17 per cent. more single cotton yarn (including cotton waste yarn) was spun and 18 per cent. more cotton cloth was woven in the fourth quarter of 1953 than in the corresponding period of 1952. The following table shows exports of cotton yarn and of cotton cloth as a percentage of production during the periods shown.

	1952	1953	Fourth quarter 1952	Fourth quarter 1953
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
Cotton yarn(a)	6·7	6·7	6·2	7·1
Cotton cloth	42·0	38·5	42·4	34·3
>(a) Exports of single and doubled yarn, and of finished thread, as a percentage of single yarn spun.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now made a decision about the quota of British films to be shown by exhibitors during the year beginning 1st October, 1954.

:Yes. After consulting the Cinematograph Films Council, I have decided not to make any Order this year to amend the Cinematograph Films (Quotas) Amendment Order, 1950, but to leave the prescribed quotas at 30 per cent. for first feature films, and 25 per cent for the supporting programme, for the exhibitors' quota year beginning 1st October. 1954.