asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will consider amendments to the National Insurance Regulations to permit both day and night-shift workers who are on short time to draw unemployment benefit at the rate of one-fifth of the weekly benefit for each day of unemployment.

No.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware of the hardship and inconvenience caused to pensioners who are unable to purchase the small quantities of milk they require daily, and are compelled to take more than they want; and if he will take steps to provide all old age pensioners with a daily free supply of milk.

The question of the size of milk bottles is not for me. But I am in any event sure that it would be a retrograde step to start paying part of the retirement pension in kind rather than in cash.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the total amount of money paid to insured people by the National Assistance Board in 1960 for the aged, sick and injured, and the unemployed, respectively.

In 1960 the approximate total amount of the weekly National Assistance allowances paid as supplements to retirement pension was estimated at £58,000,000, to sickness benefit or industrial injury benefit at £11,000,000, and to unemployment benefit at £3,000,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will give an estimate for the year 1960 of the percentage of dependants' benefits compared with the total benefits paid, such dependants' benefits to include benefits to wives, other adult dependants, children, etc., for National Insurance alone.

About 14 per cent.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what has been the rise in the cost of living from 20th December, 1960, to the present time; by how much it would be necessary to increase the weekly pensions of married couples, National Assistance grants to married couples including average allowances for rent, sickness, coal and window cleaning to take account of this rise; and what is the average paid above the scale rate of 90s. for a married couple, taking rent and all other expenses into account.

To match the increase in prices between December, 1960, and December, 1961, both the standard rate of retirement pension for a married couple and the corresponding National Assistance scale rate would have to be increased by just under 4.4 per cent., or 4s. Both pensions and assistance were increased substantially in April, 1961, and now have a considerably higher real value than before the improvements made in recent years. Additions made to the National Assistance scale rates to provide for rent and. as necessary, for special needs of the kind to which the hon. Member refers are based on actual cost. As regards the last part of the Question, recent information about the average amounts of rent paid by persons receiving assistance is not yet available, and information about discretionary additions for special needs is not available separately for married couples. At the end of 1960, the average rent of couples living alone was 21s. 2d. a week, and discretionary additions for special needs averaging 7s. 6d. a week were being allowed for 62 per cent. of all retirement pensioners receiving assistance.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there is still a long waiting list of tonsilitis cases in West Bromwich; and what action he proposes to take to reduce it.

The waiting list has been reduced by 228 in the last four months. Operating time has been increased and will be increased still further.

asked the Minister of Health what is the number of physiotherapists employed in South Wales hospitals; what is the number for whom vacancies exist; and what steps are being taken to recruit sufficient numbers to meet current needs.

157 are employed. The board aims to recruit about 50 more. The increase in students in the last three years should now begin to help the recruitment position generally.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to improve facilities for hospital treatment of sufferers from rheumatism in South Wales; and to what extent these facilities are handicapped by a shortage of physiotherapists.

Rheumatic conditions are treated in the departments of general medicine in all hospitals; Command Paper 1604 indicates the developments proposed in South Wales. There is no means of making the estimate asked for in the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the concern felt about the inability to recruit chartered physiotherapists in the Pontypridd and Rhondda hospital group which is resulting in decreasing staffs for an increasing number of patients; and if he will take steps to deal with the situation.

Yes. I am aware of the recent drop in physiotherapy staff in this group. The increase in students in the last three years should now begin to help the recruitment position generally.

asked the Minister of Health how much he will spend on new hospital building in the next two years: and what proportion of the proposed 10-year plan for new hospital building this expenditure represents.

For 1962–63 I would ask the hon. Member to await the Estimates. I cannot forecast the precise sum which will be available for 1963–64.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the expenditure proposed for his 10-year plan for new hospitals will be met by a direct grant from the Exchequer; and from what other sources the scheme will be financed.

Advances to hospital authorities on capital account are part of the National Health Service vote and financed from the same sources as the rest.

asked the Minister of Health what is the number of physiotherapists employed in hospitals in Middlesex; and how many vacancies there are.

In whole-time equivalents there are 191 in post. The boards aim at increasing this number by about 50.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give an assurance that deputations who request to see him about the Health Visitors and Social Workers Training Bill before Report stage will be received by himself as well as by the Parliamentary Secretary.

This depends on circumstances in each case, but I am always at my hon. Friend's disposal.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the total savings to the Health Service resulting from price reductions by pharmaceutical manufacturers since the inception of the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme in 1957.

I regret that no useful estimate is possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will introduce legislation to extend the free milk scheme for children to cover the gap between attaining the age of 5 and the beginning of school attendance.

Legislation is not required.

asked the Minister of Health how many students have trained at individual training schools in each year from 1955 to 1961 in the professions supplementary to medicine; and in what areas they have subsequently accepted appointments.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that voters in the impending election in Malta continue to be subjected to improper spiritual pressure, amounting to intimidation, by the hierarchy and some of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church, and that the Malta Labour Party is thus disadvantaged in presenting its case to the electorate; and if, in an endeavour to ensure that this election shall be fair and free, he will at once invite a Parliamentary delegation, including Roman Catholic members from both sides of the House, to fly to Malta to observe it.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Awbery) on 8th February.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement on the recent tour of the Parliamentary Secretary of trunk road schemes in the North Midlands; and what new measures are to be taken to make improvements to existing conditions.

My hon. Friend paid a short visit last month to the Nottingham-Derby-Leicester area in order to inspect some of the major and minor trunk road schemes recently completed, now in the course of construction or due to be started in the near future. He took the opportunity to meet members of the regional Press and to explain to them the amount of effort and money that is going into the provision of better and safer roads in the North Midland area.I hope to be in a position to make a statement about the future trunk road programme for the whole of the country very shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in the light of the experience of its operation on Monday, 5th February, 1962, he will authorise a full trial period of one-way working in Charing Cross Road for south to north traffic between St. Martin's Place and Cambridge Circus, and for north to south traffic via Monmouth Street and St. Martin's Lane.

I am studying the operation of this one-way working last Monday, in consultation with the Commissioner of Police.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the number of accidents on the section of A.20 between the Dutch House and Court Road since the imposition of a 40 m.p.h. speed limit compared with a similar period in the previous year.

During the four months after the imposition of the speed limit there were 5 personal injury accidents, in which 3 people were seriously injured and 5 slightly injured. In the corresponding period of the previous year there were 10 personal injury accidents, in which 4 people were seriously injured and 15 slightly injured.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the nature of the road work which was started on the east side of Portman Square, W.1, several months ago; and when it will be completed.

Part of the wide pavement on the east side of Portman Square is being converted into carriageway in order to improve the traffic flow. The necessary strengthening of the vaults under the pavement is being carried out by the frontager as part of a general reconstruction and should be completed by June.The programming of the road works is now under discussion, but it is hoped the whole scheme will be completed by July.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether members of the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors have visited and studied U.S.S. "Long Beach", the first United States nuclear ship, which has been visiting Europe.

Yes. The U.S.S. "Long Beach" has been visited by the Director General of Ships and also by the Director of Marine Engineering. The propulsion system was not studied.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of workpeople employed in each category of industry in Scotland at the latest convenient date, and for each of the three preceding years.

The following table gives the estimated numbers of employees (employed and unemployed), by industry, in Scotland in 1960 (the latest date for which figures are available) and 1959:

Industry	End-May 1960	End-May 1959
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing	100,970	103,890
Mining and Quarrying	92,150	101,490
Food, Drink and Tobacco	98,570	96,970
Chemicals and Allied Industries	37,390	36,590
Metal Manufacture	58,320	56,500
Engineering and Electrical Goods	156,370	146,830
Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering	68,810	72,920
Vehicles	37,820	41,680
Metal Goods not elsewhere specified	28,070	27,750
Textiles	109,310	105,870
Leather, Leather Goods and Fur	4,390	4,440
Clothing and Footwear	31,520	30,380
Bricks, Pottery, Glass, Cement, etc	22,510	22,210
Timber, Furniture, etc	24,980	25,470
Paper, Printing and Publishing	57,050	55,880
Other Manufacturing Industries	19,140	17,910
Construction	168,370	162,270
Gas, Electricity and Water	29,980	30,080
Transport and Communication	176,090	178,040
Distributive Trades	296,410	292,880
Insurance, Banking and Finance	39,620	38,910
Professional and Scientific Services	209,430	205,720
Miscellaneous Services	173,310	173,190
Public Administration and Defence	112,800	115,420
Ex-Service Personnel not classified by industry	620	1,710
Total	2,154,000	2,145,000

The figures for the two preceding years, which are not comparable because of changes in the Standard Industrial Classification, were as follows:

Industry	End-May 1958	End-May 1957
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing	104,280	105,220
Mining and Quarrying	104,410	103,860
Treatment of Non-Metalliferous Mining Produce other than Coal	23,820	24,810
Chemicals and Allied Trades	38,630	40,270
Metal Manufacture	60,900	62,400
Engineering, Shipbuilding and Electrical Goods	220,130	221,050
Vehicles	71,800	71,540
Metal Goods not elsewhere specified	29,840	29,830
Precision Instruments, Jewellery, etc.	10,460	10,060
Textiles	107,130	117,030
Leather, Leather Goods and Fur	4,330	4,650
Clothing	36,560	36,420
Food, Drink and Tobacco	108,850	108,960
Manufactures of Wood and Cork	27,020	27,770
Paper and Printing	55,430	55,810
Other Manufacturing Industries	17,720	17,500
Building and Contracting	163,740	168,420
Gas, Electricity and Water	29,430	29,520
Transport and Communication	184,860	185,150
Distributive Trades	258,780	258,890
Insurance, Banking and Finance	37,150	36,640
Public Administration and Defence	121,490	122,410
Professional Services	185,020	183,570
Miscellaneous Services	140,440	141,790
Ex-Service Personel not classified by industry	1,780	1,430
Total	2,144,000	2,165,000

asked the Minister of Labour what are the minimum and maximum rates of wages, given separately for men, women and young persons, fixed by wages boards in the United Kingdom for a standard working week; what is the standard working week; what other amounts or benefits are payable or credited under wages board orders; and what was the estimate at some convenient date of the numbers of workers whose pay and conditions would be subject to these Statutory Orders.

There are sixty-two Wages Boards and Councils in Great Britain covering about 4,175,000 workers. The minimum rates of pay, hours of work and other conditions of employment vary. I am sending my hon. Friend the information he requests.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the numbers of unemployed in Scotland in each category of industry at the latest convenient date.

Following is the information required:

NUMBERS UNEMPLOYED AT 15TH JANUARY, 1962, SCOTLAND
Industry	Number
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing	5,360
Mining and Quarrying	1,005
Food, Drink and Tobacco	3,488
Chemicals and Allied Industries	1,158
Metal Manufacture	4,378
Engineering and Electrical Goods	3,382
Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering	3,297
Vehicles	528
Metal Goods not elsewhere specified	860
Textiles	3,607
Leather, Leather Goods and Fur	143
Clothing and Footwear	746
Bricks, Pottery, Glass, Cement, etc.	1,177
Timber, Furniture, etc	1,143
Paper, Printing and Publishing	1,267
Other Manufacturing Industries	701
Construction	15,603
Gas, Electricity and Water	521
Transport and Communication	5,494
Distributive Trades	9,001
Insurance, Banking and Finance	486
Professional and Scientific Services	1,702
Miscellaneous Services	8,475
Public Administration and Defence	3,899
Ex-Service Personnel not Classified by Industry	260
Other Persons not Classified by Industry	7,617
Total	85,298

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish the monthly figures of persons registered as unemployed at each of the employment exchanges in the County of Lanark; and what these figures represent as a percentage of the insurable population of that area.

The figures for January are given in the following table:

UNEMPLOYMENT AT 15TH JANUARY, 1962, AT EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE COUNTY OF LANARK
Area		Number Unemployed	Percentage of Insured Employees
Airdrie	…	1,214	6·5
Bellshill	…	693
Blantyre	…	407
Cambuslang	…	456
Carluke	…	127
Coatbridge	…	1,716
East Kilbridge	…	133
Hamilton	…	1,340
Larkhall	…	336
Motherwell	…	1,457
Uddingston	…	462
Wishaw	…	1,380
Lanark	…	317	3·5
Lesmahagow	…	211	6·1
Shotts	…	373	5·4
Total	…	10,622	6·3

It is not the practice to publish in the

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent his officers who enforce statutory wages orders are now working from an up-to-date list of firms affected by these orders; and what steps have been taken to bring it up to date.

The list of establishments is kept under continuous review on the basis of information obtained from employers, local offices of the Ministry, the Factory Inspectorate and checks carried out by wages inspectors in the course of their journeys. I am satisfied in general that the present list is adequate for enforcing Wages Regulation Orders.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of premises affected by wages council orders was inspected by his officers in 1959, 1960 and 1961, respectively; and what percentage of the firms inspected during each of these years were found to be underpaying their workers.

The percentage of establishments known to be affected by Wages Regulation Orders visited by wages inspectors in 1959 was 9·8; in 1960, 9·6; and in 1961, 8·9. The percentages of these establishments where some underpayment was discovered were respectively 15·3, 15·8 and 16·0. Investigations following complaints showed a considerably higher proportion of underpayments than routine visits.

asked the Minister of Labour how many inspectors are now engaged in enforcing wages council orders; how many were employed in 1957; and whether he proposes to in-crease the present number.

In 1957, there were 165, and there are now 152 wages inspectors engaged full-time on visiting employers premises. In addition, 44 officers are now engaged in the regions and at head-quarters on administrative and advisory work on the enforcement of Wages Regulation Orders. I do not propose to appoint more wages inspectors.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will send money or food to assist the Tanganyikan Government to avoid or relieve starvation in certain parts of that country.

In order to assist the Tanganyika Government to meet the recent difficult conditions, Her Majesty's Government have already made available free of charge R.A.F. aircraft for dropping food supplies. Operations have been carried out successfully, and the gesture has been warmly appreciated. The Prime Minister of Tanganyika has sent a personal message of thanks to the British Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a further statement on the scope and organisation of the new children's first-aid centre which is under consideration to serve the Dunfermline area.

If, because of weather or road conditions, delay may occur in transporting a sick child to one of the specialised paediatric units in Kirkcaldy or Edinburgh, or to the infectious diseases unit at Cameron Hospital, the child will be admitted to Milesmark Hospital, Dunfermline.Adequate nursing staff and the usual resuscitation facilities will be provided. Any child admitted will be transferred by ambulance to a specialised unit as soon as it is safe to do so. The hospital will provide a nurse where necessary to accompany the child on the journey.These arrangements were explained in detail to representatives of the board of management, the consultants and the general practitioners concerned at a meeting in Edinburgh on 9th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the

THE NUMBER OF COURSES LEADING TO THE DIPLOMA IN TECHNOLOGY, TOGETHER WITH THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENROLLED UNDER SUBJECTS (JANUARY, 1962)
Subject	Number of courses	Number of students enrolled					Total
		1st year	2nd year	3rd year	4th year	5th year
Aeronautical Engineering	10	96	83	73	80	—	332
Applied Biology	3	45	32	19	12	—	108
Applied Biochemistry*	2	11	9	3	2	—	30
Applied Pharmacology*					5
Applied Chemistry	15	353	210	141	94	—	798
Chemical Technology
Industrial Chemistry
Building	1	22	12	11	9	—	54
Chemical Engineering	5	96	49	44	35	—	224
Civil Engineering	7	152	84	51	17	—	304
Electrical Engineering	18	561	450	319	294	—	1,624
General Textile Technology	1	10	—	—	—	—	10
Instrument and Control Engineering	1	17	13	8	8	—	46
Mathematics	7	131	68	42	27	—	268
Mechanical and Production Engineering	15	521	408	289	223	—	1,441
	6	52	24	66	56	—	198
Metallurgy	4	77	44	32	27	9	189
Naval Architecture	1	—	4	5	—	—	9
Physics	11	208	163	100	87	—	558
Statistics	1	8	—	—	—	—	8
TOTALS	108	2,360	1,653	1,203	976	9	6,201
* The first three years of these courses are common.

The information will take some time to assemble, but I shall circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Education if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of students in each of the years in the courses for the Diploma in Technology, distinguishing the subjects of their courses.

The National Council for Technological Awards has given me the following information:

asked the Minister of Education how many of the present first-year students in each subject for the Diploma in Technology qualified for entry by the General Certificate of Education and how many by the ordinary National Certificate.

Subject	Total number of First Year students	Qualified by G.C.E.	Qualified by O.N.C.	Qualified by other qualifications
Aeronautical Engineering	96	69	24	3
Applied Biology	45	45	—	—
Applied Biochemistry*	11	11	—	—
Applied Pharmacology*
Applied Chemistry	353	308	41	4
Chemical Technology
Industrial Chemistry
Building	22	13	6	3
Chemical Engineering	96	90	6	—
Civil Engineering	152	112	27	13
Electrical Engineering	561	388	160	13
General Textile Technology	10	9	1	—
Instrument and Control Engineering	17	9	7	1
Mathematics	131	128	2	1
Mechanical and Production Engineering	521	277	216	28
	52	25	27	—
Metallurgy	77	52	24	1
Naval Architecture	—	—	—	—
Physics	208	186	20	2
Statistics.	8	7	—	1
TOTAL	2,360	1,729	561	70
* The first two years of these courses are common.

asked the Minister of Education how many enrolments there were for adult education evening classes during the years 1959, 1960 and 1961, respectively.

The figures of enrolments are as follows:

Academic Year		Evening Institutes	University, W.E.A. and other Classes
1958–59	…	1,000,950	170,690
1959–60	…	1,016,238	180,375
1960–61	…	1,103,007	179,394

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any revisions in the Restrictive Trade Practices

Of the 2,360 first year students, 1,729 qualified by the General Certificate of Education, 561 by the Ordinary National Certificate and the remaining 70 students had other equivalent qualifications.The details are given in the following table:Act are contemplated as a result of the establishment of the National Economic Development Council, with its intention to encourage industrial co-operation in demand forecasting and investment planning.

I think that we had better wait and see how the Council gets on.

asked the Minister of Works, (1) what was the approximate cost to the Exchequer of the upkeep and repair of grace and favour houses in the twelve months to the latest convenient date;(2) what is the approximate area of floor space of grace and favour houses now repaired and decorated at the public expense;(3) how many grace and favour houses now repaired and decorated at the public expense are at present vacant; and how many were vacant in 1944.

The approximate area is 350,000 sq. ft. and the approximate cost was £27,000 in the twelve months to 31st March, 1961. Occupants of these Apartments are responsible for the cost of decorations, tenant's repairs and of heat, light, water and rates during their occupation, but decorations and maintenance are carried out at public expense on change of occupation. Twenty apartments are at present vacant, of which eight are likely to be re-occupied in the near future. Twenty-nine were vacant in 1944.

asked the Minister of Works what is the number of persons at present accommodated in grace and favour houses now repaired and decorated at the public expense.

I understand there are at present grace and favour grants to 125 persons. I have no information about the number of persons in these households.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will state the original estimated cost of developing missiles for which A. V. Roe were the main contractors, along with their estimated cost today.

Blue Steel is the only missile being developed by A. V. Roe and on that I have nothing to add to what is contained in the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General.