asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what arrangements have been made for dispensing with the need for completing Form P.11.D. in respect of those Government-paid individuals to whom it applies.

No such arrangements are required, as Chapter II of Part VI of the Income Tax Act, 1952, does not apply to Government employees.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the manner in which Her Majesty's Customs dispose of animals seized by them.

It is only on rare occasions that Her Majesty's Customs find themselves in possession of animals. But in general sale by tender is the normal rule for the disposal of goods seized by the Customs. Other methods may however be adopted in particular cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the figures of the receipts from the Pool Duty, football pools and greyhound totalisators for the month of December, 1953.

Receipts from Pool Betting Duty during December, 1953, were as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the fact that the existing powers available to local authorities to deal with atmospheric pollution are not sufficient, if he will introduce legislation of a general character to strengthen these powers.

This is one of the questions which the Committee on Air Pollution is examining. My right hon. Friend must await their report.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will appoint a committee to investigate and report upon methods of minimising the effect of very cold weather upon houses in general and their plumbing in particular; and whether he is aware that some new council houses in Glamorgan are insufficiently protected against frost.

My right hon. Friend does not think it necessary to appoint a committee, for he is advised that the recommendations in the existing housing manuals and their technical appendices would provide adequate protection if properly applied. He is aware that some new council houses in Glamorgan havebeen affected, and has asked for a report on these and on a representative cross-section of council houses generally.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses of the two and three bedroom types, respectively, were built in each of the years 1948 to 1953.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Newcastle-on-Tyne, Central (Mr. Short) on 9th February and the hon. Member for Newcastle-on-Tyne, East (Mr. Blenkinsop) on 26th January.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what guidance and financial help he proposes to offer to the councils of boroughs and urban districts in small towns whose sewage disposal system renders them liable to prosecution under the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act, 1950, but which cannot afford to install a proper sewage disposal system, as their rates are already too high and the cost would, for them, be prohibitive.

This would depend on the circumstances of each case. My right hon. Friend's officers are ready to discuss local sewage disposal problems with any authority in need of guidance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how much was paid in the years 1951, 1952 and 1953 in grants for work done under the Rural Water and Sewerage Acts.

The respective amounts are: £2,040,396; £3,331,819; £4,030,634.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will take measures to secure for Mr. E. E. Davy, Fair View, Sun Lane, Bradwell, Suffolk, the full enjoyment of the amenities in respect of his property which have been denied him owing to failure to implement the planning regulations by the local authority, particulars of which have been sent him by the hon. Member for Lowestoft.

Enforcement of planning control is a matter for the local planning authority; and I understand they do not think the circumstances of the case sufficiently serious to warrant their taking action. My right hon. Friend agrees with them.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the total amount of rates paid by the people of this country; what services are given in exchange for this payment; and if he will give the proportion for each of the services of every £ paid.

Total rates for England and Wales for the current year are estimated at £378 millions. Figures in the form requested in the last part of the Question cannot be given; but the back of every rate demand note gives an analysis of the local levy and the annual publication "Local Government Financial Statistics" summarises nationally the expenditure and income specifically attributable to each of the 30 or more principal local government services.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the reason for his delay in designating the Brecon Beacons as a National Park; and whether he will make a statement.

The National Parks Commission have not submitted an order to my right hon. Friend designating the Brecon Beacons. They have discretion in choosing areas for designation as parks and in deciding the order in which they should be taken, and he sees no reason to interfere with it here.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he anticipates that the Brecon Beacons will be designated as a National Park.

:It is for the National Parks Commission to decide whether any area should be designated as a park and to determine the order in which selected areas should be designated. Of course, any designation has to be confirmed by the Minister.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what special action he proposes to take in assisting the Coseley Urban District Council, Staffordshire, to meet the legal costs incurred by this authority in resisting a parliamentary Private Bill proposed by a neighbouring local authority.

My right hon. Friend has no funds at his disposal for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will consult with the appropriate local government associations in devising procedures by which local authorities may be relieved of the substantial costs they incur in connection with the Private Bill procedure of this House.

This is a matter for Parliament and is not, therefore, one on which it would be appropriate for my right hon. Friend to consult local authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what will be the cost during the current financial year of the planning services of his Department, including those of regional offices.

The cost of the planning services to be met out of my Department's Vote during the current financial year is estimated at £783,000 and a further £656,000 for grants to local authorities.

asked the Minister of Works what arrangements were made in Australia for the future supply of uranium to Great Britain.

I understand the hon. Member is referring to the recent visit of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to Australia. The answer is "None."

asked the Minister of Works the cost to date and the estimated total cost of the new house in Colombo for the United Kingdom High Commissioner.

The cost to date of building the High Commissioner's Resi- dence in Colombo is £48,000; the total cost is expected to be approximately £54,000.

asked the Minister of Works the size of the programme for rebuilding offices in the City of London, and the principles on which he selects projects for inclusion in the programme.

I propose to license sufficient buildings in the City to reach and maintain a balanced output of about £1 million of work a month. On present indications we should achieve this figure towards the end of this year or early in 1955. The programme will be kept at this level by issuing batches of licences from time to time and I hope to give to the developers concerned advance notice of the intention to issue a licence.There are two main classes of applications for licences: those for concerns who are engaged on work of outstanding importance and need new offices, and those where the offices will be built for general letting. The latter can only be satisfactorily selected on planning grounds, and I have asked the City Corporation to suggest priorities to me. I have told the Corporation that I will issue licences by areas if that will help to achieve coherent design and development.

asked the Minister of Works what steps he proposes to take to deal with the litter problem in the Royal Parks in London.

:I have appointed a committee to advise me on ways of encouraging the public to keep the Royal Parks in London tidy and free from litter and to suggest any improvements which might be introduced by my Ministry towards this end. The following have agreed to serve on the committee: Mr. John Rodgers, M.P. (Chairman), The Dowager Marchioness of Reading, Dr. J. Brown, Sir Robert Fraser, Mr. F. C. Hooper, Mr. Michael Stewart, M.P., and two young people to be nominated by the London Federation of Boys' Clubs and the London Union of Mixed Clubs and Girls' Clubs.

asked the Minister of Works the amount of new building

asked the Minister of Labour what fees, expenses or other remuneration are paid to the chairman and independent members of wages councils.

The fees and expenses paid to the chairman and independent members of wages councils are:

The following are the figures:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will provide a Remploy factory in Accrington to cater for the 1,135 registered disabled workers in that town, 43 of whom were unemployed on 18th January.

I do not think this is needed. Remploy factories are intended for those who are so severely disabled as to be in need of sheltered employment. Of the 43 unemployed at Accrington only three are classified as severely disabled, and there is no scope for a factory there.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons in Brentford and Chiswick at the latest convenient date; and the comparable figures for the years 1948 to 1953, inclusive.

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will appoint teachers engaged in further education to the Working Committee which is to consider future salary scales in further education.

No. The Working Party to which the hon. Member refers was set up, not to settle future salary scales for further education teachers, but to enable my officials to discuss with officials and assessors of the National Joint Council certain questions about the basis on which the Council should consider such scales.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department have taken to provide employment for unemployed painters in Edinburgh; and what consultations he has had with the Ministry of Works on the matter.

My Department is in constant touch with both the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Labour on the question of providing more work for painters during winter. In August, 1952, I asked local authorities and regional hospital boards to arrange that, as far as possible, painter work should be carried out in winter, and the number of painters in Edinburgh now unemployed is substantially less than the number a year ago. I hardly think it necessary, therefore, to repeat the request.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are taken to prevent pilfering from parked bicycles belonging to the staff of the Government office buildings at Broomhouse Road, Saughton, Edinburgh.

Shelters are provided for parked bicycles with in the boundary fence at the rear of the building. The shelters are visited at intervals by messengers on doorkeeping duties and are kept under observation by the local police, to whom cases of pilfering that have occurred have been reported. The position is being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to give figures to show the comparative prevalence of sheep stealing in 1938, 1946 and 1953.

I do not have such figures at present, but I am trying to obtain them and will communicate with my hon. and gallant friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet considered representations from the Council of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society urging amendment of the regulations about mouths and jaws of bulls in connection with licensing; and what amendments he is making as a result of these representations.

I have just received these representations and I shall be consulting the Licensing of Bulls Advisory Committee in due course on this matter.

asked the Minister of Supply the amount of pig-iron imported from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1953; and what is the quantity of pig-iron which will be imported under existing contracts in 1954.

No pig-iron was imported from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1953. Pig-iron can be imported freely under open general licence and I am therefore not in a position to give the forecast asked for in the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Supply whether the prohibition on the deliberate creation of supersonic bangs extends to aircraft flying over Bitteswell aerodrome, near Rugby

:Supersonic flight, and the sound waves associated with it, is an essential part of the testing of high-speed modern aircraft, such as those manufactured at Bitteswell. However, within the limits of what is practicable, every effort is made to reduce disturbance to the public to the minimum.

asked the Minister of Education what grants have been made directly from public funds to the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges of Hamilton House, Blooms-bury.

:Grants have been made by my Department under the Educational Services and Research Grant Regulations to this Bureau for each of the six years since it was established. I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that grants have also been made by his Department. The amounts are as follows:

asked the Minister of Education whether she will consider the burden of education costs on the rates with a view to making them wholly or in part a national burden.

No. I am not prepared to consider making the cost of the public education service wholly a charge upon the Exchequer. The operation of the present education grant formula is due to be reviewed as part of the general review of the settlement of 1948 when re-valuation has been completed.

asked the Minister of State, Board of Trade, as representing the Minister of Materials, whether, in view of the improved supplies of newsprint, he will remove the control on the size of newspapers.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday on my noble Friend's behalf to a question about newsprint by the hon. and gallant Member for Brixton (Lieut.-Colonel Lipton).

asked the Minister of State, Board of Trade, as representing the Minister of Materials, if he is aware that at the recent sale of Sudan cotton the whole of the cotton offered was bought up by the Egyptian merchants at prices which the Liverpool buyers would not pay; and what action he proposes to take to prevent Egyptian merchants purchasing all Sudan cotton, and so preventing it coming to Lancashire spinners.

asked the Minister of State, Board of Trade, as representing the Minister of Materials, (1) if he is aware of the loss to this country of a substantial quantity of Sudanese cotton as a result of purchases by Egyptian buyers; and what steps he is taking to ensure an adequate supply of Sudanese cotton to meet Lancashire's needs in 1954–55;(2) Whether he is permitting the Raw Cotton Commission at present to buy Sudanese cotton for the needs of the Lancashire cotton industry; and what instructions or guidance he has given to the Commission about such purchases.

I understand that most of the comparatively small quantity of cotton offered at the recent auction in Khartoum was bought by export merchants who are resident in Egypt. Several of these firms are now offering the same cotton for re-sale to importers in Europe, including the United Kingdom. The Raw Cotton Commission and other United Kingdom importers are free to buy Sudanese cotton as they think fit, and my noble Friend is not prepared to advise them on the exercise of their commercial judgment.

asked the Minister of State, Board of Trade, as representing the Minister of Materials, whether he will make a statement in regard to future trading arrangements for jute and jute products, the abolition of jute control, and the reversion of all trading services in respect of these commodities from public to private account.

In accordance with the Government's policy of restoring trade to private channels, it has been decided that the purchase and importation of raw jute by the Jute Control shall cease at an early date following discussion with the industry, which my noble Friend will institute immediately. Public trading in imported jute goods must continue meanwhile until appropriate measures to safeguard the United Kingdom jute manufacturing industry under conditions conducive to efficiency can be worked out and introduced. The Government is giving full consideration to this problem, but cannot promise any early solution.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the estimated numbers of machines and implements used in agriculture in Wales and Monmouthshire for the years 1948, 1950 and 1952.

Because of the large number of figures involved, I am sending the hon. Member statements which set out the full results obtained from the three censuses of agricultural machinery in Wales and Monmouthshire.

asked the Minister of Health for details of the schemes on which the Welsh Regional Hospital Board propose to spend the sum of £419,000 allocated to them for the financial year 1954–55.

I am sending the hon. Member a list of the board's proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to conclude his discussions concerning the Gowers Report with interested organisations; and how far he proposes to introduce legislation to implement the proposals.

I regret that I cannot say when discussions will be concluded. The tentative proposals for legislation are based on the whole of the Gowers Committee's proposals with regard to health, welfare and safety in non-industrial employment, and affect a number of Government Departments.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many potential subscribers to the Westcotes telephone exchange, Leicestershire, have been waiting to be connected for more than three years, more than four years and more than five years; and when he anticipates that the necessary cables will be laid.

Forty-eight applicacations have been waiting for three years, 23 for four years and 44 for five years. We hope to clear all of them next year when new cables have been laid.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many of the new industrial projects, in particular, new factories and extensions exceeding 5,000 square feet, completed in the Clyde Valley area in 1953 are, respectively, in the designated area of the new town of East Kilbride and in the rest of the area of the County of Lanark.

:According to the latest information available to the Board of Trade, the numbers of new factories and extensions (exceeding 5,000 square feet) in Lanarkshire completed in 1953 were as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is in a position to make a further statement about the proposals for compensating staff of the Raw Cotton Commission who lose their employment as a result of the Government's change of policy for the importation of raw cotton.

Yes. My noble Friend the Minister of Materials and I asked the Raw Cotton Commission to reconsider certain points contained in their original compensation proposals. The Commission have now submitted amended proposals. For the convenience of hon. Members, these are set out in full below.