asked the Lord Privy Seal what requests have been made to Her Majesty's Government by the Government of the United States of America that they should take up bonds issued to finance the United Nations Organisation.

None. The matter was, however, discussed in the course of the official talks on the United Nations held recently with the Americans in Washington.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will list those countries who are now in default on their subscriptions to the United Nations and on their payment of the special Congo levy, respectively.

According to our latest information, the following are in arrears with their contributions to:

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the United Nations about the deaths of missionaries in Katanga, having regard to the weakening of the Katanga administration in the affected area as a result of United Nations activities; and whether he will urge the United Nations to enable the Katanga gendarmerie to restore order throughout the province and to this end to support the provision of such foreign officers and advisers as the Katanga Government may wish to employ.

Her Majesty's Consul in Elisabethville has expressed his concern at the situation in North Katanga to the United Nations representative and General Lundula is flying to Kongolo with United Nations investigators.With regard to the second part of the Question, until such time as the Kitona Agreement is approved I see little chance of either side permitting the gendarmerie of the other to operate in the territory it at present controls.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what arms and other British military and naval equipment have been sold and delivered by Britain to Indonesia in the last five years; what contracts have still to be completed; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the supply of armaments to countries hostile to one of Britain's allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

It is not the normal practice of Her Majesty's Government to disclose details of the categories and quantities of arms authorised for export in particular countries.As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made on 23rd January that Her Majesty's Government must suspend the export of arms and military equipment from Britain to Indonesia.As regards the third part of the Question, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, then Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, explained to the House on 21st January, 1959, the principles by which Her Majesty's Government are guided in supplying British arms to foreign Powers. These principles still apply.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the amounts of grants to small farmers in North Staffordshire in each year since the inception of the scheme.

I regret the information is not readily available and could not be produced without very considerable expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Ministry of Agriculture in Northern Ireland about the possibility of enabling the British Sugar Corporation to assist the development of a beet sugar industry in Northern Ireland.

The Ministry of Agriculture in Northern Ireland has recently discussed this matter with my Department. However, the Government's existing commitments to find a market for home-produced and Commonwealth sugar do not allow room for any increase in sugar beet acreage in the United Kingdom, whether in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the deferment of a slaughter policy for swine fever until early 1963, he will introduce compulsory vaccination for all pigs going through the open market.

No. Many parts of the country suffer little from swine fever and the decision on whether to vaccinate is therefore best left to the individual pig producer. In addition a country-wide compulsory scheme would be difficult and expensive to administer. As already announced, the Registered Vaccinated Herds Scheme is being revised from 1st April next to give greater protection to the herds of members of the scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the approximate percentage of fresh meat consumed in the United Kingdom which is inspected by meat inspectors before consumption; and to what extent such inspection includes ante-mortem inspection as well as post-mortem inspection.

In England and Wales over 90 per cent. of fresh meat is inspected. All of this is inspected post-mortem, but ante-mortem inspection is not at present general. I recognise that it must be one of the objectives of future policy to make it so.In Scotland all fresh meat is inspected both ante-mortem and post-mortem, except in a few isolated areas exempted by law.Meat inspection in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Government.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether reciprocal arrangements as regards National Health Service benefits are provided by the Commonwealth countries for visitors from Britain.

New Zealand legislation enables all visitors from this country (except seamen) to obtain the various health benefits provided by that legislation. There also is a limited agreement with Malta under which anyone who is drawing industrial injury benefit from the United Kingdom may receive there any medical treatment the need for which arises from his injury. In addition, our agreement with Australia, by helping people from this country to qualify for an Australian pension, enables them to qualify for the health benefits which are attached to Australian pensions.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the total increase in contributions to the nearest convenient date arising from the increases authorised by the National Health Service Contributions Act, 1961.

About £24 million up to 31st December, 1961.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will use his powers under Section 73 of the Industrial Injuries Act to promote research into occupational deafness.

Yes. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, which is studying occupational deafness from the standpoint of possible prescription under the Industrial Injuries Act, has asked me to initiate research to help it in its further consideration of this matter. The Government have now decided to use their powers under Section 73 of the Industrial Injuries Act to finance a major scheme of research. The work has been planned by and will be carried out jointly by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Medical Research Council. The project is primarily aimed at obtaining reliable information about the effects of industrial noise on hearing, with special reference to those physical features of noise responsible for damage to hearing, but it is also designed to study preventive measures in industry, which are the concern of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will give the categories of ill-health which caused the greatest number of working days lost during 1959, 1960 and 1961.

The following categories of ill-health caused the greatest amounts of incapacity for work recorded among people insured for sickness and injury benefits under the National Insurance Acts in the latest years for which figures are available:

asked the Minister of Power if he is aware of the inability of Newcastle-under-Lyme citizens to comply with the smoke control order in their area because of the lack of smokeless fuel; and what action is being taken by his Department to facilitate the implementation of the Clean Air Act in this respect.

There are ample supplies of Gloco. I understand that in the short time the Order has been in operation the demand for the more expensive premium fuels has been slight but producers could, without undue delay, supply merchants with additional quantities, if needed.

asked the Minister of Power (1) how many collieries have been closed since vesting day 1947 giving figures for respective areas for each year;(2) how many coalminers have been affected by colliery closures since vesting day 1947; and what percentage were transferred to other collieries.

I am obtaining this information from the National Coal Board and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Aviation, what negotiations have taken place with the United States authorities concerning the fitment of navigational equipment to the Vickers Viscount aircraft sold to the People's Republic of China.

asked the Minister of Aviation (1) what is the security classification of the navigational equipment required for the Viscount airliners being supplied to China;(2) what steps he is taking in conjunction with the United States Government to expedite the supply of navigational equipment from the United States of America needed by a British firm in connection with the supply of Viscount airliners to China.

The navigational equipment on order for the six Viscounts sold to China is of British design and is produced in this country. It is not military equipment and is therefore unclassified from a security point of view. I understand that the contract is now in force, and that some anxieties have been expressed in the United States on this matter. Discussions with them are continuing, but I am not in a position to disclose details.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will take steps to enable the Beagle Aircraft Company to take over the factory and airfield at Christchurch sufficiently soon to ensure continuity of employment for all those at present employed by the de Havilland Aircraft Co. Ltd.

I shall ensure that this point is taken fully into account in my Department's negotiations with the Beagle group.

asked the Minister of Aviation what alterations are to be carried out at London Airport to the layout of buildings and piers to deal with aircraft departures and arrivals.

The plans follow the lines proposed by the Millbourn Committee. I should be happy to show my hon. Friend, or anyone else interested, the plans at a convenient opportunity.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will take powers to ensure that accurate statistics about Commonwealth migration by air are available to Her Majesty's Government.

It was announced in December, 1960, that the Government had decided to collect migration and tourist statistics on air routes by voluntary sampling methods. Consideration had been given during 1960 to the possibility of compelling British citizens arriving or departing by air to fill in special forms and provide various pieces of information under the Statistics of Trade Act. The idea was—I believe rightly—dropped in favour of voluntary sampling.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many British turbo-prop Gannet anti-submarine aircraft have been sold to Indonesia; at what price per aircraft they were sold; and on what dates they reached Indonesia.

Eighteen; 12 in 1960, 6 in 1961, for about £4 million.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has confirmed the decision of the Dorset Executive Council in the case of a doctor who took fees of 10s. a week from a widow in receipt of National Assistance.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors are in the National Health Service; what is the average number of patients to each doctor; how many doctors are required to meet the nation's needs; and what steps are being taken to increase the number of students in the medical profession.

About 42,000 in England and Wales in 1960. The ratio of doctors in the Service to the civilian population was 1 to 1,080. In answer to the last two parts of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mrs. Hill) on 29th November last.

asked the Minister of Health what is the present average retail cost of medical prescriptions; what amount of this is paid to the chemist for his services together with the cost of the container; and what steps he is taking to discuss these costs with the drug producers with a view to their reduction.

99·5d. in November, 1961, of which 29·9d. was in respect of the chemists' services, and 1·6d. for the container. Negotiations on drug prices are continuously in progress under the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of prescriptions dispensed, and the average cost per item, for the months of September to December, 1961, inclusive.

The information is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health whether, following the outbreak of smallpox in the United Kingdom, he has reviewed the system of health checks on immigrants; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I would refer my noble Friend to my replies on this subject on 23rd January.

asked the Minister of Health what consideration he has given to the memorandum on child psychiatry recently issued by the Association of Undergraduate Teachers of Psychiatry, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will discuss its implications with the Minister of Education with a view to formulating proposals for the future organisation of child guidance.

I see no reason at present to revise the advice on the organisation of the child guidance service given in 1959 by my predecessor and my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Education.

asked the Minister of Health what are the principal notifiable diseases from which immigrants suffer; and from which countries principally the sufferers come.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of leprosy there are in the United Kingdom; how many of the people affected were born in the United Kingdom; how many are immigrants; from where did they come; and how long they were in the United Kingdom before the disease was notified.

At 31st December, 1961, there were 294 cases in Great Britain. I regret that the further information for which my hon. Friend asks is not available.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the demand in Cardiff and similar areas for public vaccination; and when doctors will have sufficient supplies of vaccine to meet the general need.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on this subject to the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. K. Robinson) on 23rd January.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total number of dentists now practising in Wales; and what proportion of the population is covered by each dentist.

The number of dentists providing general dental services in Wales at 31st December, 1961, was 414. This represents one such dentist to 6,353 people.

asked the Minister of Health what plans are in hand to increase the number of dentists in Wales pending completion of the dental school attached to the University Hospital of Wales at Cardiff.

Work is in progress on several schemes to provide additional places for dental students. These should help to increase the supply of dentists in Wales and elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to publish the results of the fluoridation of drinking water in the test areas of Watford, Anglesey and Kilmarnock.

I cannot yet say.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors of British nationality and trained in Great Britain emigrated during each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many went to Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth countries, respectively.

I regret that the figures are not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many more psychiatrists will be required during the next three years to meet the needs of the mental health services; how many psychiatrists entered these services during 1961; and how many are in their final year of training now.

Assessment must await the outcome of the current reviews of medical staffing in hospitals. I will send the hon. Member figures for 1961 as soon as they are available.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the percentage of infants under one year old who were vaccinated against smallpox in each of the last ten years for which figures are available, and the average annual percentage for the last ten years of compulsory vaccination.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 25th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Dr. D. Johnson).

asked the Minister of Health what steps he takes to ensure that confidential information in the possession of executive councils, regarding doctors and dentists whose pay has been withheld for breach of their contracts of service, is not disclosed to the Press without his authority.

I have so requested Executive Councils.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total annual income of the World Health Organisation of the United Nations; what is the contribution of this country toward that amount; and what steps are being taken to make this organisation more effective against the spread of diseases such as smallpox.

$29,798,705 for 1960, to which United Kingdom's direct contribution was £431,500. The Organisation promotes effective action for the eradication of smallpox: cases notified throughout the world fell by seven-eighths in the last ten years.

asked the Minister of Health what special steps are being taken to protect employees at London Airport from the risks of smallpox brought in by immigrants.

This is the responsibility of the local health authority. I understand that all employees likely to come into contact with passengers, baggage, freight or aeroplanes have been offered vaccination.

asked the Minister of Health, how much money has been spent in the current financial year to the nearest convenient date on hospital building in England and Wales.

About £20½ million to the end of 1961, excluding centrally purchased equipment.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Wales has less beds per 1,000 population for the mentally subnormal than any other region; that the proposed hospital plan fails to give parity in the number of such beds with other regions; and if he will take steps to revise the present plan in order to end overcrowding in the Welsh hospitals for the subnormal.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "No"; in answer to the remainder I would refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 18, 49 and 52 of Command Paper 1604.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will so amend the hospital plan which provides for the cutting down of hospital beds in Wales for the mentally sick from 8,739 to 4,590 until a chair and department of psychiatry is established at the Medical College of the University of Wales, and the aftercare service in Wales for the mentally sick is fully manned, to avoid any diminution in the treatment available at present for the mentally sick.

No.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the cost, he will consider publishing a separate Command Paper giving the preface, and the first 14 pages of Command Paper No. 1604, A Hospital Plan for England and Wales, together with The Hospital Programme for Wales, as contained in Appendix A of the same publication, so that small local authorities and other bodies may buy sufficient copies for distribution to their members.

I am informed that Her Majesty's Stationery Office will quote a price for a specific order for off-prints of Command Paper 1604 omitting all but one or more specified sections of Appendix A.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the shortage of physiotherapists in the hospitals in the Newcastle region; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that salaries and conditions offered in the National Health Service will attract both teachers and trainees to the training school at the Newcastle Royal Infirmary.

Yes. A salary claim is before the Whitley Council.

asked the Minister of Health in view of the Report, A Hospital Plan for England and Wales, Command Paper No. 1604, for the building of 90 new and 134 substantially remodelled hospitals, when he now proposes that the redevelopment of the Central Middlesex and Willesden General Hospitals will start.

Works to the value of about £280,000 at both hospitals are in progress or expected to start shortly. Redevelopment will, as far as can be foreseen, start after 1970–71.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what is the total deficiency of casualty officers in the hospital service; and by how many each regional hospital board is short; (2) what is the total deficiency of radiologists in the hospital service; and by how many each regional hospital board is short; (3) what is the total deficiency of anaesthetists in the hospital service; and by how many each regional hospital board is short.

Assessment must await the outcome of the current reviews of medical staffing in hospitals and (so far as casualty officers are concerned) of casualty and accident services.

asked the Minister of Health what is the number of orthodontic consultants employed full time in the hospital service; and what is their average case load.

Sixteen in England and Wales. I regret that information on average case loads is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases requiring treatment by orthodontic consultants he expects to arise during 1962.

I would refer the hon. Member to page 138 of Command Paper 1550.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the inadequacy of hospital services in the Chesterfield district; and whether he will expedite the erection of a new hospital to satisfy the needs of this growing area.

Yes; provision is made in the hospital programme for a new district general hospital at Chesterfield and for additional geriatric beds.

asked the Minister of Health how many patients are awaiting admission to psychiatric hospitals in the area of the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board; what is the average length of time on the waiting list prior to admission to such hospitals; and what steps the regional board are taking to increase the accommodation in hospitals for sub-normal patients.

Two hundred and fifty-nine sub-normal and severely subnormal patients are awaiting admission. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available. The hospital programme provides for 180 more beds for sub-normal patients at Church Hill House, Bracknell and Normansfield, Teddington.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospital beds per thousand of the population the Newport and East Monmouthshire area will have available on completion of the announced hospital plan; how this compares with each other area in Wales; and whether he will take steps to amend the plan to increase the number of beds available in this area.

No. Comparison of ratios of beds to population is not valid except in relation to larger areas.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make available a table showing in each speciality the reclassification of beds in the Newport and East Monmouthshire area and the North Monmouthshire area, respectively, consequent upon the development of the first phase of the base hospital at the Royal Gwent, Newport, the final phase at the Royal Gwent, Newport, and the base hospital at Abergavenny, such table to compare the beds becoming available in each speciality with the number of beds on the basis of the existing national rate.

Command Paper 1604 indicates the approximate number of beds to be provided by about 1975 in the main specialties. I cannot undertake to give figures for intervening stages.

asked the Minister of Health when, within the 10-year hospital plan, an accident centre will be established at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport.

In the period 1966–67 to 1970–71.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there are no senior medical laboratory technicians at the Pontypool Hospital and the County Hospital, Griffithstown; that there are hazards to health in the employment without adequate supervision of junior technicians in the laboratories; and whether he will implement immediately the award made to medical laboratory technicians in order to attract suitable personnel into the Newport and East Monmouthshire area.

There is a senior technician at Pontypool Hospital, and it is intended to appoint one at the County Hospital, Griffithstown, where the junior technicians work under the supervision of a pathologist.As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 27th November last to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mr. Baird).

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there is no provision in the specialities of paediatrics, infectious diseases, diseases of the chest, dermatology, geriatrics, special-care babies and acute psychiatry in the North Monmouthshire area; and, in view of these deficiencies in the hospital service and the public concern that the hospital plan permits the commencement of building of a new hospital at Abergavenny to be delayed until 1965–66, whether he will give assurances that the first phase of the building of this hospital will be commenced this year.

I am aware of the difficulties of this area; I am not yet in a position to announce the starting date of the new hospital at Abergavenny.

asked the Minister of Health how many obstetric beds will be available in the Newport and East Monmouthshire area consequent upon the final development of Royal Gwent Hospital; how many beds are needed to fulfil the recommendations of the Cranbrook report; and, in view of the Monmouthshire infantile mortality rate, what steps he will take to increase the number of intended obstetric beds and to bring forward the date of the Royal Gwent Hospital reconstruction.

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 261 and 262 of Command Paper 1604. The proposals represent the provision of 0·58 beds per 1,000 expected population, which is equal to the national average indicated by the Cranbrook Report.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if in view of the results of the official machine tools census in the metal working industries in this country, he will increase the initial allowances on such equipment.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion but I cannot anticipate my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Minister of Education what has been done during the last twelve months to improve conditions of service for school dentists; and what is now the position of the school dental service in the Hinckley area of Leicestershire.

An increase of 12½ per cent. in the salaries of school dentists was announced in January, 1961, and discussions have taken place with the local authority and professional associations about ways of improving the school dental service. There has been no change in the arrangements at Hinckley.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will publish details of the area of the proposed Central London Education Authority.

An announcement will be made after the necessary consultations with the local authorities have taken place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the growing concern regarding the serious accidents which occur annually around 5th November due to the use of fireworks; if he is satisfied that the present regulations are adequate; and if he will now make a statement.

I am not yet in a position to add to the reply given on 9th November to a Question by the hon. Member for Leeds, South-East (Miss Bacon).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the results of the recruiting campaign for the Civil Defence Corps in the autumn of 1961.

A national publicity and recruiting campaign for the Civil Defence Corps was opened towards the end of September last year and continued for four weeks. Provisional returns show that during October 14,655 men and women volun- teered for service in the Civil Defence Corps, resulting in a net gain of 10,482 in membership of the Corps. The corresponding net gain in October, 1960, when a similar campaign was held, was 3,714.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what ratio he intends to recommend between councillors and electors in the new London boroughs;(2) whether elections in the new London boroughs will be held annually or tri-annually;(3) whether elections in the new London boroughs will be held in October-November or May of each year;(4) what procedure is to be adopted for determining ward boundaries in the new London boroughs;

These are matters on which I would propose to consult the local government bodies concerned before reaching final decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the need to enlist recruits before they are absorbed by industry, what study he has made of the possibility of lowering to 16½ years the age at which recruits can join the Army.

I have considered the possibility of lowering the age at which recruits can join the Army for man's service, but I have concluded that 17½ is the earliest age at which a young man should be allowed to accept the full responsibilities of a soldier. Recruits under 17½ are accepted for boys service and are trained in boys units or schools where they can be properly supervised and accommodated.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he intends to hold a public inquiry into the proposed purchase of the Bexhill Corporation Waterworks by the Eastbourne Waterworks Company.

Yes; the inquiry will be held at Bexhill on 30th January.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what ratio between aldermen and councillors he intends to propose in the new London boroughs.

I intend to consult with the local government bodies concerned before arriving at any conclusions on this subject.

asked the Minister of Transport what action he proposes in the next three years to improve those sections of the North Circular Road, South Circular Road and, from them for a distance of ten miles, radial trunk roads which are substantially overloaded.

The following are the schemes costing over £25,000 which are in progress or have been announced for commitment in the next three years. Further schemes will be added during the period.In addition there will be numerous smaller schemes.