asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why retirement pensions are not paid automatically to those people reaching retirement age; and why it is necessary for claims to be made.

There is no fixed retirement age and pensions are only payable when a person actually retires from work or reaches the age of 70 or 65 in the case of a woman. Claims are needed to identify those entitled to a pension and, where necessary, to establish the fact of retirement.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many immigrants are drawing National Assistance; what amounts are paid in personal and other allowances before National Assistance is drawn; and what limit is set to the period during which National Assistance may be paid before his officials inquire into the circumstances of applicants.

I regret that no information is available as to the number of immigrants drawing assistance, but my hon. Friend can be assured that the National Assistance Board make no payments before inquiring into an applicant's circumstances. I do not know what other allowances he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will take steps to revise the earnings rule

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, when the talks in London are to take place between Her Majesty's Government and the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community; and if he is aware of the desire in Great Britain for the closest possible relations with the Community.

I hope that a date for the visit of representatives of the High Authority will be announced very shortly.The answer to the second part of the Question is, "Yes."

No. To change the period for the calculation of earnings to meet the point raised by the hon. Member would, in the majority of cases, be to the pensioner's disadvantage. It would also complicate the rules which, in the general interest, should be kept as simple as possible.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the value, in terms of 1951 prices, of the old-age pension in October of 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1954, respectively.

The following table gives the available information. The figures have been calculated by reference to the Index of Retail Prices. The Index figure for October, 1954, is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what provision has been made in the London Agreements to prevent the re-creation of German national armed forces and a German General staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further proposals he intends making to prevent the re-creation of German militarism.

The agreements reached at the London Conference and signed in Paris are based on a system of national armed forces with national staffs. The forces of members of the Western European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on the Continent of Europe will be under the authority of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and his integrated headquarters at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe and will be subject to effective controls in respect of size, location, armaments and logistics.Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that German membership of the Western European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and these controls over the armed forces of member Governments provide the best possible basis for associating the Federal Republic with the democratic nations of the West.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what conditions Her Majesty's Government is prepared to resume discussions with the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the subject of the reunification of Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has considered M. Molotov's official statement of 6th October on the subject of proposals for free, all-German elections; and if he will communicate with the Soviet Government on the possibilities of renewed talks on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the fact that the recent Soviet proposals on free all-German elections and disarmament represent an advance towards mutual understanding and meet some of the demands made by the Western Powers on 10th September this year, whether he will now take steps to bring about a resumption of four-Power talks on Germany.

The views of Her Majesty's Government are set out in their Note to the Soviet Government of 10th September.Since these Questions were put down, a reply to that Note has been received from the Soviet Government. It is being studied in consultation with our allies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will insist as a precondition to the formation of an all-German Government following free elections that that new Government shall accept the commitments assumed and undertakings given by the Federal German Government at the London Conference.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how much the German Federal Government paid towards the costs of occupation in the financial year 1953–54; and how much it is expected to pay in the financial years 1954–55, 1955–56 and 1956–57, respectively, as a result of the London Agreement.

Since April, 1952, the Federal Government has made available for occupation costs an average monthly maximum of 600 million marks. The amount of the German contribution for 1954–55 and subsequent years cannot be exactly assessed because it is not known when the Treaties will come into force and when Germany will begin to raise forces of her own.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations were made to the Federal Chancellor which resulted in Dr. Adenauer's declaration that atomic, chemical and bacteriological weapons would not be manufactured in Germany.

None. The declaration was a voluntary act by the German Chancellor which contributed greatly to the success of the negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will publish as a White Paper the official documents and record of official speeches at the recent Manila Conference, as was done after the Berlin and Geneva Conferences.

A White Paper (Command 9282) has already been published embodying the text of the Treaty and the protocol to it.The official verbatim record of the opening and closing sessions will be placed in the Library of the House. The remainder of the speeches were made in closed session, and cannot, therefore, be made public.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what speeches are available as transcriptions from the British Information Services in the United States of America; who are the speakers; and why they were chosen.

The British Information Services make available to the United States Press, and to individuals who have expressed a desire to receive them, the texts of important Parliamentary speeches and of important speeches made in the United States which are likely to be of interest to Americans.The following is a list of speakers concerned within the last 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the United States Administration about the freezing by executive action of the United States Treasury of the United States dollar funds of reputable British companies as a reprisal against those companies for attempting, in accordance with the policy of Her Majesty's Government, to maintain their trading contacts in China;(2) what representations he has made to the United States Government about the action of United States consular authorities in Hong Kong blacklisting reputable British firms who continue legitimate contact with China and in threatening old-established customers of those firms with similar reprisals if they continue to trade with the firms in question and their subsidiaries.

Under the United States regulations of December, 1950, which froze Chinese accounts in the United States of America, the funds of certain British firms with interests in China were also frozen and certain firms were designated as Chinese nationals for the purposes of the regulations.There are, of course, no grounds for representations against the regulations themselves as this is entirely a matter within the jurisdiction of the United States Government, but representations on behalf of the British interests concerned have been made to the United States Government in cases where there appeared to be reasonable justification for so doing.I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies is writing to inform the right hon. Member that there is no evidence that United States consular officials in Hong Kong are acting in the way suggested by the right hon. Member. There is no reason, therefore, to make any representations about their activities in Hong Kong.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is now in the position to make a statement on an inter-change of parliamentary delegations with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the Soviet Government's invitation for a parliamentary delegation from this country to visit the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

On 27th July, the Lord Chancellor and Mr. Speaker received invitations from the Presidents of the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities of the Soviet Union for a delegation of Members of both Houses to visit the Soviet Union. The invitations were accepted, the visit has taken place, and the delegation returned to the United Kingdom on 17th October.I am informed that they were most hospitably received and had an interesting and successful visit. I hope that we may in due course have an opportunity of welcoming a delegation from the Supreme Soviet to this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he proposes to take to cause the Japanese Government to implement Article 16 of the Peace Treaty made with Japan in 1951, whereby compensation was to be paid to those members of the armed forces of the allied Powers who suffered undue hardship while prisoners of war of Japan; and if he will discuss the matter with the Prime Minister of Japan during his forthcoming visit to this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further steps are now being taken to ensure the implementation by Japan of her commitments under Article 16 of the Japanese Peace Treaty; and how soon the Far Eastern ex-prisoners of war can expect some results from such steps.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the implementation of the provisions about compensation for prisoners of war in the Peace Treaty with Japan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will draw the attention of the Prime Minister of Japan, during his official visit, to the failure of his Government to implement Article 16 of the Peace Treaty affecting allied prisoners of war and seek an assurance of action.

I would refer to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Heston and Isleworth (Mr. R. Harris) on 19th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will increase this country's contribution to the United Nations expanded Technical Assistance Programme from £650,000 to £1 million per annum; and if he will promise to maintain this latter payment for at least three years so that plans presently suspended or postponed for lack of money may be started.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs by what amount Her Majesty's Government intends to increase its grant to the United Nations Technical Assistance Programme.

The size of the United Kingdom contribution to the Technical Assistance Programme for 1955 is still under consideration, but the House will be informed as soon as possible of the amount Her Majesty's Government propose to pledge.As regards the suggestion that a pledge should be given to cover three years, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given on 7th December and 22nd March last to the right hon. Member for Derby. South (Mr. Noel-Baker).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the compensation of over £800,000 awarded by the International Court to Britain against Albania for the murder of British sailors in the Corfu Channel in 1946, has yet been paid; and if he will refuse to support Albania's application for membership of the United Nations until it is paid.

The Albanian Government have not yet paid the compensation which was awarded to Her Majesty's Government by the International Court. Her Majesty's Government will continue to refuse to support Albania's application for membership of the United Nations while the Albanian Government demonstrate their unwillingness to accept the obligations of the United Nations Charter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the steps taken by representatives of Her Majesty's Government to investigate, and to bring before the United Nations, the facts concerning the alleged aggression in Guatemala.

I would refer the hon. Member to the White Paper (Cmd. 9277), dealing with the events in Guatemala earlier this year and with the connected proceedings in the Security Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the British merchant ship "Inchkilda" which was intercepted by Chinese Nationalist warships on 15th October and ordered not to sail into Shanghai harbour, the ship's destination.

The "Inchkilda" reported being ordered to stop by a Chinese Nationalist warship at 15·21 hours on 14th October while bound from Foochow to Shanghai. About an hour and a half later the "Inchkilda" was released by the warship, but was ordered not to proceed to Shanghai. Her Majesty's Government do not recognize that the Chinese Nationalists have any right to interfere with British shipping and Her Majesty's Consul in Tamsui protested to the provincial authorities in Formosa about the "Inchkilda" on 20th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what detailed estimates were before him during the negotiation of the London Treaty, as to what was likely to be the annual cost of the military commitments involved.

The undertaking to maintain certain forces on the Continent was decided upon by Her Majesty's Government after most serious consideration of all the factors concerned, on all of which sufficient information was available.

asked the Minister of Defence the total expenditure, exclusive of the German contribution to occupation costs, incurred on the maintenance of our Forces in Europe during the financial year 1953–54; and by how much he estimates this expenditure will be increased or decreased if the London Agreement is ratified.

The estimated cost of maintaining our Forces in Europe during the financial year 1953–54, exclusive of the German contribution to occupation costs, was between £65 million and £70 million. It is not possible to give a precise figure as our Forces in Europe are not separately accounted for. I will deal with the second part of the right hon. Gentleman's Question in a statement which I hope to make on Wednesday next.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the intentions of the Government regarding ratification of the South-East Asia Collective Defence Treaty.

Her Majesty's Government do not propose to announce their intentions regarding ratification of the South-East Asia Collective Defence Treaty until this Treaty has been before the House for the customary period of 21 days.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been made to the Hungarian Government about the claims of Mr. L. E. Bressey for compensation in respect of expropriation of property, and for reinstatement of his pension; and with what result.

By an exchange of Notes of 19th August the Hungarian Government reaffirmed their intention to settle United Kingdom claims and agreed to start negotiations on or before 1st September, 1955, for a final settlement. Mr. Bressey's claims will be considered during those negotiations.Her Majesty's Legation at Budapest have frequently addressed the Hungarian Government about Mr. Bressey's pension, requesting them to pay the pension, with arrears, in sterling. The Hungarian Government have so far evaded the request.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the impending reduction and eventual termination of the German contribution to our occupation costs, he intends to discuss with the other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation how the additional financial burden, which may thus arise, can be most equitably met; and when such discussions are likely to take place.

The defence burden of each member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is regularly reviewed by the North Atlantic Council during each annual review, in the light of all military, economic, social and financial factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the payment by Egypt of compensation to the families of British soldiers killed in the Canal Zone.

The Agreement signed in Cairo last week provides for a waiver of all Governmental claims, whether United Kingdom or Egyptian, arising out of the presence of British troops in Egypt. This waiver extends to private claims concerning British and Egyptian Government servants who lost their lives or suffered injury as a result of conditions in Egypt after October, 1951.In arriving at the waiver of Governmental claims, due credit was taken by Her Majesty's Government for claims of this kind and they will, therefore, be considered and dealt with by Her Majesty's Government and not by the Egyptian Government. Claims by Egyptian Government servants will similarly be dealt with by their own Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the irritating restrictions which the Spanish Government is placing on British subjects passing across the frontier to and from Gibraltar; and what action he proposes to take.

I am consulting my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies about measures to deal with any consequences of the present Spanish policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government in the last three months to initiate talks with the Greek Government with a view to finding a compromise on the question of Cyprus.

None.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the increase in the price of best quality London domestic coal since 1939.

About 94s. per ton.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the domestic fuel situation in the Rossendale Valley; and what steps he is taking to effect an improvement.

Yes. Rossendale will receive its share of the additional supplies of house coal now being provided.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what total of house coal was distributed during the 12 months to 30th September, 1954; how much was sold by the National Coal Board direct to householders, excluding miners' concessionary coal, and how much by merchants and Co-operative societies to householders; and what price differential he imposes in respect of National Coal Board sales direct to consumers when merchants and Co-operative societies are by-passed.

About 30½ million tons were distributed to consumers. The tonnage retailed by different classes of suppliers is not known but 82 per cent. of consumers are registered with merchants, 15 per cent. with Co-operative Societies and 3 per cent. with the National Coal Board, which is subject to the same retail price Regulations as other merchants.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he is taking to increase the supply of house coal in Swindon and district, where there is a shortage of stocks.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) how much coal has been imported this year to the latest convenient date; how much more has been contracted for to arrive before the end of the year; how much of the imports are house coal and how much otherwise; and how much forms the subject of dollar expenditure and how much otherwise;(2) whether he estimates the supplies of house-coal to be sufficient to honour the domestic allocation for the forthcoming winter.

I shall be making a full statement on the situation during the course of the debate this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will make a statement on the results of the National Coal Board's prospecting operations in the Rivelin Valley in Sheffield.

Preliminary pitting and drilling work in the Rivelin Valley has proved the existence of good quality coal, but it is too early to say whether coal is present in sufficient quantities to justify the preparation of working proposals and further drilling will be necessary before this question can be considered.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give a general direction to the central Authority of the British Electricity Authority to abstain from establishing its own central workshops.

No. The Authority must be in a position to provide immediate repair services and overhaul facilities, in particular for its generating plant, and experience shows that costs can be reduced and delays avoided by pro- viding groups of power stations with service from central workshops.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has noticed the big increase in expenditure on publicity by the Gas Council and the British Electricity Authority, as revealed in their accounts for the year ended 31st March, 1954; and what statutory directions he has issued to the Boards concerned to exercise economy under this heading.

Yes. Some increase was to be expected following the removal last year of restrictions on advertising, but my right hon. Friend has continued to keep in close consultation with both industries and he is satisfied that they should themselves continue to have full responsibility in this matter.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will make a statement on the policy now being put into effect for the amalgamation of local fuel offices and the covering of the wider amalgamated area in each case by a single office.

Originally there wore about 1,600 local fuel overseers. In the interests of efficiency and economy in administration my right hon. Friend has been arranging for their work to be concentrated into larger areas and fewer offices where this could be done without undue inconvenience to the public. There are now about 950 local fuel overseers, and the savings effected since 1st May, 1953, have been at the rate of £220,000 per annum. The local authorities concerned have in general willingly co-operated, but in some cases my right hon. Friend has been obliged to secure the necessary amalgamation by a direction.

asked the Minister of Food how much profit was made by his Department on the bacon imported from Denmark during the last 12 months.

I must ask the hon. Member to await the publication of my Department's trading accounts for the financial year 1953–54.

asked the Minister of Food what arrangements have been made for the closing of the London County Council's restaurants.

My predecessor decided that in the exercise of his statutory powers he could not authorise the Council to carry on beyond 28th February, 1955. The detailed arrangements for closing the restaurants are a matter for the Council.

asked the Minister of Food, in view of the fact that he has asked the London County Council to close their restaurants, what the total loss on the restaurants has been.

Since 1st April, 1949, losses on revenue account have amounted to £175,617. This figure includes some adjustments in respect of the period prior to 1st April, 1949. In addition there have been capital losses on realisation of premises and equipment of £98,883.

asked the Minister of Food how many bakers in the United Kingdom are making bread without the use of agene.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Food what reply he has sent to the representations that have been made to him by the Hartlepools Master Bakers' Association, arising from the withdrawal of the additional subsidy which was made to the small man in the industry.

A reply was sent on 12th October, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Minister of Food the domestic price of eggs in July, and for each of the four previous years.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Food whether it has been found possible to confirm, or necessary to modify, any of the provisional figures given in the last column of Table 11, relating to food consumption, in the Economic Survey, 1954; and whether he will publish a table giving corresponding provisional figures for any of the early months of the current year.

The revised figures were published in the Ministry of Food Bulletin on 29th May and I am sending the hon. Member a copy. It would be misleading to publish food consumption figures for periods of less than a complete year.

asked the Minister of Food if he will seek an assurance from the managing company to be set up to manage the Government-owned cold stores that they will continue to operate the modern cold store at Cardiff Docks on a commercial basis.

One of the main purposes of establishing the managing company is to ensure that the best use is made of these stores consistently with the public pledges given to the industry.

asked the Minister of Food the largest and the smallest average number of slaughterhouses licensed in each of the periods 1935 to 1938 and 1943 to 1945, respectively; how many are licensed at the latest known date; how many additional ones he intends to license this year; of each of these totals, how many are in standard satisfactory buildings and how many are still in premises which have previously been condemned; and what action he is taking to meet the concern at this matter.

Separate figures are not available for each of the years 1935 to 1945. In 1938 there were about 12,000 licensed or registered slaughterhouses in England and Wales. During the period of meat control from 1940 to June of this year the average number of private slaughterhouses used by the Ministry of Food was about 400. On 1st August, 1954, there were 4,368 licensed private slaughterhouses and 220 public slaughterhouses.In reply to the remainder of the Question, the responsibility for licensing slaughterhouses rests solely on the local authorities who in considering applications for licences no doubt take into account existing statutory requirements about sanitary conditions.

asked the Minister of Food what progress has been made by the inter-Departmental committee considering the future siting of slaughterhouses; and when their report is expected.

The Committee for England and Wales have felt bound to call for further evidence from the various interests concerned in view of the likely effects of decontrol on the arrangements for the marketing of fatstock and the distribution of meat. Consideration of this additional evidence may make it impracticable for the Committee to report by the end of this year, but I hope a report will be made by the early part of next year.

asked the Minister of Food what action has been taken by his Department to obtain increased tea supplies from Ceylon.

Importers are already free to buy as much tea as they require from Ceylon.

asked the Minister of Food why, in view of the substantial production of home-produced pigs, he has recently arranged to purchase pig carcases from Eire at guaranteed prices and to dispose of this pig meat at prices in some instances as low as 1s. a pound; to what extent this transaction involves financial loss; and what consultations he had with the producers of home-grown pigs before making the contract in question.

This pork is imported under the five-year bulk purchase agreement made with the Republic of Ireland on 1st May, 1951, whereby the Ministry of Food undertake to buy at agreed prices not less than 90 per cent. of the Republic's exportable surplus of pigmeat in the form of pigs, bacon or pork. The prices realised have ranged between 1s. 5d. and 1s. 10d. per lb. according to carcase weight, and exceptionally as low as 1s. and as high as 2s. The financial outcome of these transactions cannot yet be assessed.The last part of the Question does not arise as the agreement was made by the previous Government.

asked the Minister of Food what action is contemplated to see that the home-grown sugar industry is placed on a permanent basis.

I cannot add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leicester, North-West (Mr. Janner) on 28th July.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will set up a committee of inquiry composed of businessmen to inquire into and report on the expenditure at Fort Halstead and to recommend the ways in which economies can be effected.

No. My hon. Friend will, however, be interested to know that details are being announced today of a scheme to amalgamate the Armament Research Establishment and the Armament Design Establishment, both of which are located at Fort Halstead.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will make a statement on the development of the jet aircraft designed to rise vertically from the ground on take-off; and whether he will consult with the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation as to the effect its production in quantity will have on future airport requirements in the United Kingdom.

Both here and in the United States a great deal of attention is being paid to the development of techniques for the vertical or near vertical take-oil of winged aircraft. In Britain we are concentrating on techniques designed to enable the aircraft to take-off vertically from a normal horizontal rather than from a vertical position.In particular, the device known as the "flying bedstead" has been built by Rolls Royce under a Ministry of Supply contract as a research machine to examine the basic control problems of this form of vertical take-off. The machine—it can hardly be called an aircraft for it is little more than two aeroengines with the pilot mounted on top—took off for the first time on 3rd August in free flight and remained airborne for 10 minutes, hovering over the ground under the pilot's control. During subsequent flights it has flown at heights of up to 25 feet.Though the machine offers much promise, a great deal of investigation, development and testing will be needed before the principles could be applied to the design of a useful aircraft either for military or civil purposes. Production in quantity of such aircraft must, therefore, be a long way off and cannot, for many years to come, affect airport requirements. I shall of course, keep closely in touch with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation.

asked the Minister of Supply his intentions as to the future use of the Excalibur Camp, Alsager; and whether he is aware that the buildings and equipment there have depreciated substantially in value during the past two years.

This is a hostel built during the war. It consists of central brick buildings, with equipment, and sleeping blocks of temporary construction. These temporary hutments have outlasted their useful life, and when the hostel was closed in 1952 it was decided that the heavy expenditure necessary to preserve them was not justified. The permanent buildings and their equipment are in a reasonable condition. Some repair work was deferred for a time and is now being undertaken.I am anxious that this site should be put to a profitable use and I am now prepared to dispose of it by lease or sale.

asked the Minister of Health the total number of beds available in mental hospitals and mental deficiency institutions in the West Midlands; the number of nursing staff available and the estimated shortage of such staff; and what steps he is taking to remedy the position.

In the area of the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board there were on 30th June last 19,210 of these beds available. The number of nursing staff was 2,948, of whom about one-third were part-time. The shortage of nursing staff is estimated at 1,300. Efforts to obtain more nurses include intensive advertising and recruitment campaigns, the introduction of nursing cadet schemes and liaison with women and youth organisations.

asked the Minister of Health what estimate he makes of the number of institutional and hospital beds available in the West Midlands for the elderly chronic sick; and of the number and shortage of nurses in the institutions concerned.

In the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board's area there were, on 31st December last, 6,089 beds for the chronic sick. The number of nurses in chronic sick hospitals on 30th June last was 889, of whom more than one-third are part-time, but this does not include nurses in chronic sick wards in other hospitals, the numbers of which are not separately ascertainable. For this reason it is not possible to estimate the total additional number of additional nurses required.

asked the Minister of Health what instructions he has given to hospitals for the marking of equipment, including textiles; what steps he has taken to ensure that hospitals have complied with his directions; and how many hospitals have not yet complied with his directions.

In a memorandum issued last May hospital authorities were asked to consider a number of measures, including the marking of linen, designed to prevent losses, in so far as these measures were not already in force. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the memorandum. It is still too early to assess its effect.

asked the Minister of Health what statistics he has in regard to pilferage of equipment and textiles from hospitals; and how many prosecutions have taken place against persons suspected of theft.

I have no separate information about these, articles, but for the year ended 31st March, 1953 (the latest for which figures are available), notified losses of all items of stores and equipment due to fraud, theft or arson amounted to £8,257 in value. Other notified losses including stocktaking discrepancies, amounted to £188,082, but it is not known how much, if any, of this was the result of theft. Figures of the numbers of prosecutions brought are not readily available.

asked the Minister of Health whether his investigations into the desirability of removing tonsils and adenoids, especially in children, have been completed; and whether he will recommend to all doctors and hospitals under his jurisdiction that such operations be avoided wherever possible.

The investigations mentioned in the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 1st July are not yet complete. I would, however, point out that these investigations are designed to clarify the incidence of tonsillectomy on the incidence of a certain form of poliomyelitis and would not carry the implications of the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Health why the report of the Linstead Committee on Hospital Pharmaceutical Services has not been published; and if he will arrange for publication in full at an early date.

No recommendation was made to me for publication of the full Report, but the Central Health Services Council decided to include an extensive summary in their own Annual Report which was published last July. In these circumstances I did not feel that publication of the full Report was called for.

asked the Minister of Health what reason Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve gave for his resignation from the chairmanship of the Board of Governors of St. George's Hospital.

I do not think it would be appropriate for me to publish the reasons given by those who may from time to time decide to resign from voluntary service in hospital management.

asked the Minister of Health what steps have been taken towards securing the establishment of a modern hospital in East Shropshire; and if he will give favourable consideration to the early provision of such hospital to meet the needs of the increased population in this area, which is now meagrely served by up-to-date hospital facilities.

This is primarily a matter for the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board, which will doubtless have regard to this in relation to other claims upon its resources.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that the total compensation payments made by the National Health Service Hospital Authorities from 5th July, 1948, to 31st March, 1953, was £328,916, what disciplinary action has been taken against those concerned; and what steps he is taking to minimise neglect or inefficient medical or nursing treatment among those employed by his Department.

It is for the hospital authorities themselves to determine what, if any, disciplinary action should be taken against members of their staff who are found to have been negligent or inefficient, and to take whatever steps seem best to them in the circumstances of their own hospitals to minimise the risk of such occurrences.

asked the Minister of Health what action has been taken following consideration by his Standing Nursing Advisory Committee of the recommendations in the report of the Nuffield Provincial Hospital Fund that many of the duties performed by nurses in hospitals could be equally well done by hospital orderlies.

I cannot at present add anything to the reply I gave on 27th May to the hon. Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Awbery).

asked the Minister of Health if he will issue tricycles for two persons to disabled persons.

I am not satisfied that the additional cost involved would be justified under present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Health the cause of the shortage of components for repairing disabled persons' electric tricycles; and what steps are being taken to overcome this shortage.

I understand that the delay has been due partly to the manufacturers of component parts and partly to the reorganisation of the maker's own works. It is however now expected that all outstanding orders will be met within three weeks.

asked the Minister of Health when Mr. G. Wild, of 230, Darnall Road, Sheffield, is likely to have his electric tricycle repaired.

I am informed that Mr. Wild's tricycle has now been repaired and it is being returned to him.

asked the Minister of Health the reasons which have prevented him from writing to the authorities giving his decision on the report of the public local inquiry into the incidence of tuberculosis at Talgarth, Breconshire; and whether he will make a statement.

It has been necessary for me to consult my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Minister of Education before reaching final conclusions. These have now been made known to the local authorities and others concerned, and I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health what proportion of the immigrants from the Republic of Eire who entered this country during the last period of 12 months of which he has a record were medically examined; and how many were found to be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis in the infective and non-infective stages, respectively.

I regret that information in the form asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the provision, under the National Health Service, of hearing aids of the transistor type, in the interests of battery economy and the comfort of the user.

I am already studying the possibilities, but the development of this service is in too early a stage for me to be able to reach any conclusions yet.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if the vacancy which occurred recently in the National Health Service at Brading, Isle of Wight, was advertised in the usual way; how many doctors applied for the post; and what steps were taken to ascertain the wishes of the residents in this locality regarding this appointment before it was made and confirmed;(2) the procedure laid down by his Department to be applied by the National Health Service when a vacancy occurs in that service and a new appointment has to be made.

The local executive council decides whether a vacancy should he declared and, if so, what steps should be taken to fill it. This vacancy (as is normal in the case of small practices) was not generally advertised in the medical Press, but particulars were notified to potential applicants by the Medical Practices Advisory Bureau of the British Medical Association. Two applications were received and were considered by the Medical Practices Committee, responsible for making the final selection, who agreed with the recommendations from a joint committee of the Isle of Wight Executive Council and the local medical committee.

asked the Minister of Health how many applications have now been made by doctors for assistance in establishing or developing group practices; and how many of these applications have been accepted.

Ninety-five applications for loans from the Group Practice Loans Fund have been received. Loans have so far been approved in principle in respect of 30 of these.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement as to progress made in securing reductions in the price of proprietary and non-proprietary drugs and medicines.

I told the House in May that we had not been able to reach agreement on prices with the manufacturers in one group of proprietary preparations. Subsequently agreement for a reduction in prices was reached in the case of two of these preparations and doctors were asked not to prescribe the two others. Since then, at the request of the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry, discussions have been proceeding on the general principles by which the prices of proprietaries should be regulated.Cost investigations of the secondary manufacture and compounding of nonproprietary preparations have not so far suggested that the general level of prices in this field is excessive, but the matter is still under discussion. The investigations into the cost of basic drugs are proceeding.

asked the Minister of Health whether the drug "Algipan" has now been removed from the list of drugs which may be supplied to patients under the National Health Service.

I would refer the hon. Member to the first part of the reply given to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Blenkinsop) on 1st July last.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made in the recruitment of sanitary inspectors since 1st May, 1954.

I am informed that the number of students qualifying as sanitary inspectors has increased from 52 in 1953 to 63 in 1954 (with the results of one examination still to come).

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors and dentists, respectively, have been found guilty of committing offences under the rules of the National Health Service; and why the names of such offenders are not made public.

In England and Wales, between 5th July, 1948, and 30th June, 1954, four doctors and 25 dentists were excluded from practice in the National Health Service and breaches of the terms of service were found in 573 cases involving doctors and 1,622 involving dentists. Full publicity is given where a practitioner is excluded from practice, but in other cases the publication of names would not in my view be in the public interest.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, under the present welfare arrangements, homeless young families are split up and separated while they are waiting for council houses; and if he will send a circular to all local authorities drawing their attention to the need to humanise the system.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied that, as far as the nature and amount of the accommodation they have available allow, local authorities generally already do all they can to avoid splitting up families for whom they provide temporary accommodation in circumstances of emergency. He does not feel that there is any need to issue a circular to them on this point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the inadequacy of the present provisions for the defence of poor prisoners; and what measures he is taking to inquire into or to remedy this matter.

In October, 1953, the fees payable to solicitors and counsel in criminal cases were increased by 50 per cent., and a new provision was introduced for the payment of a daily fee in cases where a trial at assizes or quarter sessions lasts for more than two full days. I have this question under review, but I am not in a position to make any further statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that 10 per cent. of the Jamaicans leaving for England have criminal records; and that, as there are restrictions on the emigration of Britons to Jamaica, he will take powers to restrict by selection or otherwise the immigration of Jamaicans with criminal records to this country, or to send them back if convicted here.

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies that he has no information to support the suggestion in the first part of the Question.As regards the second part, many difficult issues are involved and I regret that I am unable to make any statement at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is prepared to consider afresh the desirability of continuing summer time in future years until the third Sunday in October, to meet the convenience of the general public without interfering with farm work.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 21st October to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. E. Wakefield).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the turnover during 1953 on totalisators operated by the Racecourse Betting Control Board; and how this compares with 1951 and 1952.

The total amounts staked in 1951, 1952 and 1953, were: £25,556,496; £24,934,645; and £25,606,951.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what action Her Majesty's Government has taken in respect of the dispute between the Governments of India and Portugal regarding the future of Goa.

Her Majesty's Government have, naturally, been in touch with the Governments of India and Portugal in this matter. There has, of course, been no question of Her Majesty's Government intervening in the merits of the case.The object of our representations to the Government of India in August was to let them know frankly, as between friends, our concern lest the much advertised activities of some unofficial movements in India should lead to violence and bloodshed. The Government of India responded with assurances that they were determined to pursue a peaceful and conciliatory approach.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the difficulties of teachers of the deaf owing to the lack of suitable printed reading books; that the National College of Teachers of the Deaf has been endeavouring to provide suitable books, in co-operation with certain publishing firms, with little success; that the main cause of this inadequacy in supply is due to restricted demand; and whether he will make a grant towards the cost of providing a graduated series of school readers suitable for all grades of deaf children.

My right hon. Friend has no power to make a grant towards the production of text books. One of Her Majesty's inspectors sits as an assessor to the Committee of the National College of Teachers of the Deaf, which has these problems under consideration.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many reservoirs have been constructed, and at what cost, since 1919; and if he will give an assurance that there is an adequate supply of drinking water to carry us through a reasonably dry season.

The total storage capacity of water undertakings in England and Wales increased from about 119,100 million gallons in 1929 to about 304,700 million gallons in 1953. Earlier information is not readily available. Supplies are being steadily increased, but there may still be some local difficulties during dry spells.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the average earnings, the proportion of unemployed, and the cost-of-living figures in Jamaica and other West Indian Colonies two years ago and at the last available date.

Records of earnings in the West Indian Colonies are not complete enough for me to obtain for the hon. and gallant Member figures of average earnings in the several territories, nor in the absence of unemployment registration can I give him the proportion of unemployed, which in any case in most places varies greatly at different seasons of the year.For cost-of-living figures I would refer him to the Digest of Colonial Statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the present selling price of Kenya sisal; and the present rate of African wages on the sisal plantations.

, pursuant to the reply given by Mr. Lyttelton, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, on 24th February [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th February, 1954; Vol. 524, c. 385]: I regret that this reply was not entirely accurate. It should read as follows:The price in London varies between £71 and £100 per ton c.i.f. according to quality. Of this, about £12 is the cost of freight and insurance. The average wage earned by a sisal cutter on a fair day's work is 60s. per month, plus free rations, housing, medical attention and welfare.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the growing practice of motor vehicles being used on the roads with left-hand drives and no signals; and whether he will make it legally obligatory for all three- and four-wheeled mechanically propelled vehicles to be equipped with automatic or electrical indicators.

I have no evidence that the number of motor vehicles with left-hand drives and without signals on the roads is increasing or that they constitute an appreciable source of accidents. I should not feel justified in treating them specially.I am, however, inviting the views of organisations chiefly concerned on whether the fitting of direction indicators should now be made compulsory on motor vehicles generally.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has now received the Report of the Technical Panel concerning the Tamar crossing; whether the Report will be published; and whether he will make a statement about it.

I have received this Report and should like to take this opportunity of thanking the Panel for the thorough and able way in which they have fulfilled their task. I do not think that the considerable expense of printing the Report for general publication would be justified, but I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library and a copy will also be available for inspection by interested persons at the City Engineer's Office, Westwell Street, Plymouth.The Panel summarise their conclusions as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the quantity of potable spirit produced in Great Britain, respectively from malt and from malt and other materials during the year ended 30th September, 1954; and what quantities of these were made in Scotland.

I regret that this information is not yet available. The figures are, however, in course of preparation and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as they are ready.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of pool betting duty was collected from greyhound racecourse managements in England, Wales and Scotland in 1951, 1952 and 1953.

The amounts of pool betting duty collected for the years in question in respect of greyhound racecourse totalisator betting were: