asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there are at least five suspensions of penicillin V, with different trade names, but identical in composition, and that many firms market identical preparations of hydrocortisone ointments and creams with differing trade names; and, in view of this, whether he will advise that prescribing on EC 10 forms should be according to the official standards and names as laid down by the British Pharmocopœia and the British Pharmacopœia Codex.

Yes. Doctors have already been asked to prescribe by official titles.

asked the Minister of Health approximately how many of the present number of local practitioners and of hospital medical staff, respectively, are of overseas Commonwealth, British colonial, Irish and foreign origin; how many of these were trained in this country; and how many doctors of British birth have left for overseas service during the past five years.

In March last, 2,505 of the junior medical staff in hospitals in Great Britain were from the Colonies and other Commonwealth countries, 375 from the Irish Republic, and 748 from other countries overseas. 392 of the total had qualified in Great Britain. Information is not available for other hospital staff or general practitioners, nor are the figures requested in the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Health why nearly 10 per cent. of the limited supply of transistor hearing aids to reach the Manchester Hearing Aid Clinic are found unfit for use on arrival; and, whilst endeavouring to eliminate this additional expense, if he will ensure that the supply arrangements takes the damage factor into account.

asked the Minister of Health what is the percentage of transistor hearing aids in the Manchester hospital area being returned as unsuitable, over any recent period convenient for computation.

About 8 per cent. this year. I am looking into this matter and will write to the hon. Members.

asked the Minister of Health when he will be able to initiate supplies of the bone conductor transistor hearing aid to the Manchester Hearing Aid Clinic.

A contract for these instruments is about to be placed but it is unlikely that they will be available in any considerable numbers before next autumn.

asked the Minister of Health why the supply of transistor hearing aids is still being rationed in the Manchester and Liverpool hospital areas; and when an adequate supply will be available.

The exchange of over half a million instruments throughout the country must take a considerable time. It is hoped to complete it by the middle of 1963.

asked the Minister of Health what is the number of applicants for a transistor hearing aid in the Manchester hospital area still awaiting supply.

About 700 applications from persons in the priority categories are outstanding. I have no figures for other applications.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has received from the Prison Officers' Association on security at Broadmoor; which of these he has accepted and which rejected; and why he has done so.

I am sending my hon. Friend copies of the Association's letter and my reply.

asked the Minister of Health what additional security measures he has ordered, and what structural alterations will be made, at Broadmoor, following his inquiries into the escape of John Slater and Brian Smith on 25th October, 1961.

It would not be advisable to publicise these details.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now satisfied that an adequate and satisfactory supply of bone conductor hearing aids is available; and if he will make a statement.

The supply of Medresco valve-type bone conductor hearing aids is satisfactory, but they will be replaced by a lighter transistor model as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now state the results of examinations carried out by his Department for finding ways of overcoming the technical difficulties of producing acceptable pasteurised egg products, including egg whites, on a commercial basis, with a view to making heat treatment compulsory as a means of preventing outbreaks of food poisoning caused by imported frozen egg white.

The examination is not yet complete.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made by the Council of Europe in setting up an international scheme for the repair of the orthopaedic appliances of disabled persons when travelling in member countries or temporarily resident there; and what support Her Majesty's Government has given to proposals directed towards establishing such a scheme.

This scheme is being studied in the Council of Europe with our support.

asked the Minister of Health how many cars and powered tricycles, respectively, were provided for disabled war pensioners by his Department in 1960, and to the latest convenient date in 1961; and whether he is experiencing difficulty in obtaining an adequate supply of such vehicles.

524 cars and 431 tricycles during 1960 and 1,112 cars and 162 tricycles this year to 30th November. The figures include replacements.The answer to the last part of the Question is "No".

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied that the present number of dieticians in hospitals is adequate; and whether those now in training will be sufficient to meet hospital needs five and ten years hence.

Numbers are slowly increasing, but there is still a considerable unsatisfied demand. I cannot forecast the position in future years.

asked the Minister of Health why it is intended to continue, until stocks are exhausted, to use the drugs Distaval, Valgraine, Valgis and Tensival in the hospital service, when the distributing company have asked chemists to return all their stocks of these drugs.

I am not aware of such an intention.

asked the Minister of Labour when he last reviewed the strength of Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate.

A thorough review of the organisation and establishment of the Inspectorate has been carried out. In order to make the most effective use of Inspectors' services, revised working methods have been introduced, which have involved the provision of extra supporting staff. I am satisfied that some increase in the size of the General Inspectorate is now justified, particularly having regard to the position of the construction industries. I shall also strengthen the specialist section at Headquarters which deals with building and civil engineering. The total effect of these changes will be an addition to the establishment of 34 Inspectors and 60 other staff.

asked the Minister of Labour what consultations he has had with trade unions and employers' associations with a view to the establishment of fresh wage negotiating machinery, in view of difficulties caused by the timing of implementation of wage awards.

I am not sure what the hon. Member has in mind but I would remind him that the machinery for wage negotiation is a matter for the two sides of industry.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the figures issued by his Department as to the numbers of school-leavers entering apprenticeships are corrected to take account of those who start work on probation for apprenticeship but are not finally accepted as apprentices.

No. The statistics are collected at the time when young persons start work and it would not be practicable to adjust them in the light of information obtained at later stages.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to provide young persons, who are on the Disabled Persons' Register, with suitable employment or local training facilities to equip them for new jobs.

Officers of the Youth Employment Service give careers advice to young people on the Disabled Persons' Register, and where necessary, make every effort to find them suitable employment and training opportunities. Y.E.Os. are supplied with medical evidence as to the types of employment for which disabled young people may be suitable and work in close co-operation with Disablement Resettlement Officers. The occupational psychologists at Rehabilitation Units may help in cases where it is particularly difficult to assess a young person's employment potential.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will institute immediate inquiries into the possibilities of providing a suitable training centre to meet the needs of handicapped persons covered by the Ashington, Blyth, and Mid-Northumberland Disabled Advisory Committee.

Such inquiries have just been made at the request of the local Disablement Advisory Committee. My conclusion is that I would not be justified in setting up another Government training centre, because there are adequate facilities already available.

asked the Minister of Labour how many building operations were within the responsibility of the Coventry district Factory Inspectorate at the latest convenient date; and what was the comparable number on 1st January, 1941.

The required information is not available. The number of notifications of building operations expected to last more than six weeks received in the Coventry district in 1960 was 149 and in 1961 to date 141. Comparable figures for 1941 are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the economies to be made in his Department.

In accordance with the Government's policy of restraining increases in public expenditure, I have decided on certain economies in my Department, which can be made without damage to its basic services. I hope that in the result the expenditure of my Department in the next financial year will not rise much above that for the current year. The principal savings are as follows:—(1) As I have announced in reply to another Question, charges are to be made to employers for certain training services.

asked the Minister of Labour what plans he has for making charges to employers for training services provided by his Department.

Yes. I have been advised that I have power to enter into agreements with employers for fees in respect of the provision of these services. I propose to charge such fees in the next financial year for Training Within Industry (T.W.I.) courses and for Instructors' courses at the Ministry staff college at Letchworth.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will institute, as an experiment, a survey and registration of apprentices undergoing apprenticeships in the counties of Glamorgan, Monmouth, Carmarthen and Pembroke with a view to better assessing the adequacy of the number being trained in the skills required for the future of industries in Wales.

No. There are already statistics analysed by region and industry of the recruitment of young people to apprenticeship. Further information will be available when the analysis of the 1961 census returns is completed.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state, as at the most recent date, the number and percentage of men and women, respectively, wholly unemployed at Gateshead employment exchange who have been unemployed for more than eight weeks.

At 13th November, 530 or 57·1 per cent. and 60 or 37·3 per cent. respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the numbers and percentages of school leavers in Scotland in June, 1961, who entered employment in the following categories, namely, apprenticeship to skilled occupations, employment leading to professional qualifications, employment involving other training, and general employment; and how many have been unable to find employment.

Class of Employment	Boys		Girls
	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
1. Apprenticeship or learnership to skilled occupations	5,277	41·3	823	7·0
2. Employment leading to recognised professional qualifications	224	1·8	156	1·3
3. Clerical employment	943	7·4	3,840	33·0
4. Other training lasting at least a year (except that covered in cols. (1) to (3)	644	5·0	1,230	10·2
5. Other employment	5,685	44·5	5,687	48·5

Total number of boys	…	…	…	12,773
Total number of girls	…	…	…	11,736
Grand total	…	…	…	24,509

At 13th November, 215 summer school leavers (0·7 per cent.) were still awaiting employment.The most interesting point emerging from the total is the high proportion of boys getting apprenticeships (41·3 per cent.). The figure for the same period in 1960 was 36 per cent.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what sum has been received from the Egyptian Government by claimants in this country since the Egyptian promise last March to authorise the payment of the first £E1,000 of each application for the transfer of funds.

The United Arab Republic authorities have informed Her Majesty's Embassy in Cairo that since 12th March, 1961, they have authorised 212 transfers totalling £E134,337. We know of a further 18 transfers of sums up to £E5,000 which were authorised before that date.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is yet in a position to make a statement on the course

The following table gives an analysis according to class of employment entered by new entrants to employment in Scotland during July, August and September. This covers broadly the summer leavers.and result of the international commission of inquiry into the "Red Crusader" incident which was due to begin on 21st November, 1961.

I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal's Written Reply to the hon. and learned Gentleman's Question of 24th November.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what study he has made of the latest proposals of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the banning of nuclear tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

We are still studying the implications of the Soviet plan, though we can see no way of utilising it unless the Soviet Government are willing to accept some form of international verification.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how the United Kingdom delegate at the United Nations voted on the Afro-Asian resolution which sought early implementation of last year's Assembly resolution demanding immediate steps to the achievement of independence for colonial peoples and the appointment of a 17-man commission to supervise the liquidation of colonialism; and how many delegates voted for and against the resolution and how many abstained.

We abstained. The votes cast by others will be found on page 61 of United Nations Document A/PV 1066 in the Library of the House.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government will propose to the Security Council that the Council should ask the International Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on whether it is legal for the Union Minière to pay taxes to Mr. Tshombe instead of to the Government of the Congo which has been recognised by Her Majesty's Government and by the United Nations.

No.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will instruct his representative at the United Nations to propose that the General Assembly or the Security Council should convene a conference in Geneva, to which the main political leaders of the Congo should be invited, with a view to arriving at a political settlement of the Congo problem.

As I informed the right hon. and learned Gentleman on 6th December, Her Majesty's Government would gladly support any such attempt by the United Nations, and the Acting Secretary-General, with our full support, is already considering how best to proceed with conciliation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will propose in the United Nations that a plebiscite should be held in Katanga in order to ascertain the political desires of the people of that people in that territory.

The Katanga is a province of the Republic of the Congo and there is no provision under existing legislation for holding such a plebiscite. Nor is it for the United Nations who have no authority to impose a settlement on the Congo and are not responsible for the present Katanga administration, to set such a procedure in motion.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the Foreign Office have verified the accuracy of the English translation of the Rome Treaty made available to hon. Members; and who was responsible for the translation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my Written Answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton) on 4th December.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why the British representative in the Political Committee of the United Nations General Assembly voted against the Swedish resolution proposing an inquiry into the possibility of forming a non-nuclear club of nations pledged not to manufacture or store nuclear weapons on their territory.

The resolution contained the suggestion that non-nuclear Powers should undertake not to receive on their territory nuclear weapons on behalf of other Powers. This is contrary to basic North Atlantic Treaty Organisation strategy, whereby nuclear weapons are deployed in Europe with the warheads under American control.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the new resolution of the United Nations General Assembly calling for an international agreement under which the nuclear Powers would undertake not to relinquish control of nuclear weapons or give information about their manufacture to others.

This resolution, the text of which is in the Library, was passed unanimously by the Political Committee on 30th November and by the General Assembly in plenary session on 4th December. The British delegate voted for the resolution on both occasions and spoke in its support in the First Committee. A record of his speech is in United Nations Document A/C.1/PV 1209 which is also in the Library.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is now the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the reestablishment of a committee or commission to negotiate a disarmament agreement, and regarding the composition of such a body.

We hope that an acceptable agreement will result from the negotiations between the Americans and Russians unanimously called for on 2nd November by the Political Committee. We are prepared to support the establishment of any suitable forum perhaps by adding to the original Ten-Power Committee representatives of other geographical areas or schools of thought.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the recent applications by the West German Government for an alteration in the 1954 Agreements governing the nature of the weapons which that Government is permitted to manufacture.

The Federal German Republic has made no application since the amendment concerning naval forces agreed by Western European Union on 24th May, 1961, of which the House is already aware.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if the Government of the Republic of South Africa has now replied to the official request for infor- mation regarding the alleged kidnapping by South African police of Mr. Ganyile and two other refugees from Basutoland on 26th August.

No.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what estimate he has made of the effect upon Anglo-Iraqi relations, and on the United Kingdom's export trade to Iraq, of the order of 5th December promulgated by the Iraqi Government governing Iraqi financial control of British firms and agencies.

It is too early to estimate what effect these measures may have on British exports.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will propose an amendment to the United Nations Charter to provide that members more than six months in arrear with their subscription should be refused the right to vote.

Amendment of the Charter requires the concurrence of all the permanent members of the Security Council and two-thirds of the members of the General Assembly. Since the defaulters include three of the five permanent members of the Security Council and more than two-thirds of the members of the General Assembly, I fear that amendment of the Charter in the sense suggested is not practicable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress there has been in the discussions on the provision of an agricultural college at Aberystwyth as envisaged by the Working Party following the Report of the Seaborne Davies Committee; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. Consultation with the various interests concerned has taken longer than anticipated. Before making a decision my right hon. Friend is awaiting the further views of the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire and the Welsh Joint Education Committee.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how far the allowance for lowered standard of occupation for disabled ex-Service men is affected by the loss of reasonable prospects of advancement in the pre-Service occupation.

Where, because of his war disablement, a pensioner is not able to follow his pre-Service occupation, any reasonably certain prospects of advancement which he had in that occupation have always been taken into account. Where the pensioner has remained in his pre-Service occupation, the allowance is not now payable but the improvement provided by Clause 3 (1) of the Bill now before Parliament is, of course, being introduced in the administration of the War Pensions scheme.

asked the Minister of Power what are the present Government rebates for petrol, fuel oils, derv and light burning oils; and what were the corresponding rebates three years ago.

Government contracts for the supply of petroleum oils are awarded on competitive tender. It is established practice not to disclose details of contract prices on Government contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children aged 16 appeared before the Tottenham Juvenile Court during November, 1961, as a result of proceedings initiated by their own parent or parents alleging that such children were beyond parental control.

One.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what immigration formalities a citizen of the Federal German Republic undergoes on entering Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland;(2) what immigration formalities a citizen of the German Democratic Republic undergoes on entering Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will issue a White Paper on the closure of war damage payments.

A Command Paper on the final settlement of war damage payments is being published today.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science whether he is satisfied that adequate research is being made into the causes and treatment of onchocerciasis and into the destruction of the microfilaria and the control of the vector fly; and if he will make a statement.

Research into the causes and treatment of onchocerciasis and the control of the vector fly is being actively pursued in a number of centres in West Africa and elsewhere and I am advised that there is no reason to believe that shortage of funds is inhibiting research in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of school children in each of the separate Scottish education authority areas was allocated in the 1959–60 session to a four or five years' course.

This information, in the precise form asked for by the hon. Member, is not readily available. The percentage of all pupils in the first year of secondary schools under education authorities who were in the first year of four or five-year courses at 15th January, 1960, is as follows:—

Education Authority			Percentage
Counties
Aberdeen	…	…	45
Angus	…	…	37
Argyll	…	…	22
Ayr	…	…	32
Banff	…	…	35
Berwick	…	…	33
Bute	…	…	31
Caithness	…	…	40
Clackmannan	…	…	21
Dumfries	…	…	25
Dunbarton	…	…	39
East Lothian	…	…	46
Fife	…	…	27
Inverness	…	…	39
Kincardine	…	…	31
Kirkcudbright	…	…	30
Lanark	…	…	32
Midlothian	…	…	29
Moray and Nairn	…	…	37
Orkney	…	…	32
Peebles	…	…	46
Perth and Kinross	…	…	29
Renfrew	…	…	36
Ross and Cromarty	…	…	30
Roxburgh	…	…	35
Selkirk	…	…	41
Stirling	…	…	25
Sutherland	…	…	39
West Lothian	…	…	30
Wigtown	…	…	26
Zetland	…	…	25
Burghs
Aberdeen	…	…	22
Dundee	…	…	27
Edinburgh	…	…	35
Glasgow	…	…	46

asked the Minister of Transport if he will set up an independent study group to consider the problem posed in paragraphs 124 to 126 of the Report of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries on British Railways, and to report their findings on the relativity of costs per passenger-mile and ton-mile as between the rail and road operator.

No. The relativity of track costs for the railways and road operators does not provide a basis for judging whether both forms of transport are treated fairly.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce one-way working in Seymour Place, St. Marylebone, between Upper Berkeley Street and Upper Seymour Street, in view of the narrowness of the thoroughfare which is made still narrower by parked vehicles

This possibility is being examined. I will let my hon. Friend know the result as soon as possible.