asked the Minister of Education how many grants under the Further Education and Training Scheme have been held at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art; and how many of the grantees are now professionally employed.

Thirteen award holders have completed courses at this institution, and nine are so far known to have taken up professional employment.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that the L.C.C. has up to date rejected 270 of the boarding places in independent schools offered to London children; whether this action is supported by him; and if he will make a statement on Government policy in this respect.

I understand that about 280 boarding places have been offered to the London County Council by the schools for September next. It is not yet possible to state how many of these places will not be taken up since a number of applications from parents have still to be considered and others may be received in the meantime. The number of places taken up is conditioned by the financial provision made by the Council and the number of suitable applications.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what use has been made by exporters of the guarantee facilities administered by the Export Credits Guarantee Department during the three years ended 31st March, 1946, 1947, and 1948, respectively.

Business coming under cover of these guarantees was about £72 million in 1945–46, £138½ million in 1946–47 and £186 million in 1947–48. This compares with an average of £43 million for the three pre-war years. I think my hon. Friend will agree that the substantial increase in the Department's business shows clearly that exporters themselves are finding these guarantee facilities of much assistance to them in the conduct of their export trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to implement part B of the Anglo-Soviet Trading Agreement, Command Paper No. 7297, so as to secure, as soon as possible, a balanced trade on an expanding basis between the United Kingdom and the U.S.S.R.

Both my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply and I have emphasised to industry the desirability of expanding trade with Soviet Russia. I am in touch with the Head of the Soviet Trade Delegation in London on matters arising out of the Agreement and doubtless we shall at the appropriate time discuss the procedure for the negotiations envisaged in part B of the Agreement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the concern among housewives regarding the wide margin in the number of coupons required for household sheets of two different sizes, namely, 14 for 90 in. by 100 in. and eight for 72 in. by 100 in., and if he will consider depointing the larger sizes.

While seven coupons are required to be surrendered for the largest double sheet, the smaller sizes require only six compared with four for a single sheet. Since a double sheet uses more material and normally provides for the needs of two people, I do not think the differential is too large.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total sum paid by His Majesty's Government to the cotton industry since 25th April, 1947, in fulfilment of the promise to contribute 25 per cent. of the cost of such mechanical re-equipment of the mills as is undertaken by the industry itself; and what further sums are falling due for payment under schemes in progress.

Pending the passage of the necessary legislation, no detailed modernisation schemes have been recommended by the Cotton Board to the Board of Trade for approval and no expenditure has yet been incurred by the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what special steps have been taken, since 28th April, 1947, to assist grouped firms in the cotton industry to obtain cotton spinning land preparatory machinery for the carrying out of approved modernisation schemes.

Deliveries of new spinning and preparatory machinery in cotton spinning mills have in general been satisfactory over the past year and no grouped firms in the industry have found it necessary to seek special assistance.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why the average cost per ton of opencast coal is seven times the selling price per ton of quarried limestone, despite the fact that methods of obtaining both are largely similar.

Because about ten times the volume of earth has first to be removed in the case of coal; limestone seams are usually nearly 20 times as thick as coal seams and practically no restoration costs are incurred in limestone quarrying.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what was the total consumption of petrol for all purposes in the United Kingdom for the first three months of this year, and how much less was this than the figure for the corresponding period of 1947; and how much of the saving was due to the abolition of the basic ration.

Petrol consumption in this country has been steadily increasing since 1945, and an estimate of the savings achieved by the measures taken last August cannot be made from a direct comparison of the kind suggested in the Question. Total deliveries into consumption of motor spirit for all purposes in the United Kingdom in the first three months of 1948 were 973,263 tons. This was 967 tons more than in the corresponding period of 1947 whereas it is estimated that the savings achieved in the first quarter of this year by the withdrawal of the basic ration and the other economies were 267,000 tons.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if under the new petrol distribution scheme commercial users will be free to draw uncoloured petrol from single-pump garages in order to avoid hardship arid inconvenience in rural areas.

This matter is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that the proposal to colour commercial petrol will cause hardship to those with small businesses having only one petrol pump; and what steps he proposes to take to compensate them.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale (Mr. Erroll) on 12th April.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are his proposals for demonstrating U.S. methods of full house heating; to what extent fuel economy is achieved by such methods; and whether the necessary equipment is now manufactured in this country.

Arrangements are being made for demonstrations of whole house heating by different methods in 48 houses on selected local authority estates. It will not be possible to assess the results until the demonstrations have been in operation for twelve months. All the heating equipment to be employed is being manufactured by firms in this country.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the policy of His Majesty's Government in regard to existing wage agreements in which provision has been made for an automatic increase in wages proportionate to any rise in the cost of living index.

Any existing wage agreement can only be altered by the parties to the agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances European Voluntary Workers in the United Kingdom may obtain naturalisation.

When any such workers qualify under the conditions prescribed in the British Nationality Act—one of the conditions being five years' residence in His Majesty's dominions—they will be able to apply for naturalisation.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the acute housing needs of Eastleigh, Hants; and whether he will make available to the council the redundant huts at Velmore Camp, Chandlers Ford, for housing purposes.

Yes, but I am unable to offer any of the huts at this camp to the local authority for housing purposes as they have been allocated for Government use.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the dissatisfaction experienced by tenants of furnished dwelling houses who desire to bring their cases before a rent tribunal but are deterred by the possibility of being evicted at the end of three months; in how many cases furnished dwelling houses have been requisitioned by local authorities for occupation by the sitting tenant after reference has been made to a tribunal; in what circumstances such requisitioning is permitted; and whether he will consider issuing a statement to assist tenants to ascertain whether they will be eligible for such protection if they refer their cases to a tribunal.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of Circular 198/46 by which I delegated to clerks of local authorities power to requisition occupied premises where tenants were threatened with eviction before the end of the three months' period of security of tenure laid down under the Act. I have no record of the number of requisitions in pursuance of this delegation. As regards eviction threats after the end of the three months, I am prepared to entertain applications from clerks of local authorities for special delegation of requisitioning powers and such powers have been granted in 101 cases to protect 191 families. The granting of such powers depends on the circumstances of the individual case and persons affected should communicate with their local authority.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered an application from the Bermondsey Borough Council for permission to spend the necessary sum of money required to reconstruct and extend Coxon's Place recreation ground; and whether the council may expect to receive early notification that permission has been granted.

I have given the application careful consideration, but I feel bound to ask the council to postpone the scheme in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Health how many standards of timber and how many unskilled workers it is estimated will be used in 1948 in the erection of non-traditional houses, including permanent aluminium houses; and whether he will take immediate steps to enable all this labour and material to be concentrated on the building of permanent brick houses at no cost to the taxpayer.

No accurate estimate can be given. As to the second part, I would refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 8th April.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that a programme of about 100,000 non-traditional houses will consume over 200,000 tons of steel; and whether, in view of the fact that only a small amount of steel is required in brick houses and that some 150,000 standards of timber will be diverted from traditional house building, he will take immediate steps to stop unnecessary wastage of steel which is scarce and concentrate on the building of traditional houses for which ample supplies are available.

Non-traditional houses require varying amounts of steel, some of them little more than the traditional house. No fresh contracts are being placed for those which use larger quantities.

asked the Minister of Health why, despite capital cuts, it is proposed to increase the subsidy on non-traditional houses in 1948 over 1947 by about £8,000,000 while at the same time refusing to issue licences to private builders to build permanent houses at no cost to the taxpayer.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on 8th April.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that brick consumption in 1947 is only 56 per cent. of prewar and that brick manufacturers are now being compelled by Government policy to consider stocking 1,000 million bricks in 1948 in addition to present stocks; and whether he will change his policy so as to allow the maximum of bricks and timber to be used to build permanent houses for our people.

I am aware of the difficulties of the position in regard to bricks, and steps are being taken to place more contracts for traditional building to the fullest extent of local and national resources for their building.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that a number of trained medical specialists in receipt of Government grants will terminate their appointments at hospitals before the appointed day; and what steps does he propose to take to ensure the continuation of these grants until such time as appointments are made under the new Act.

I understand that my hon. Friend is referring to the appointments under the Scheme for Postgraduate Education for doctors released from the Forces, now held by practitioners who before joining the Forces were training to become specialists and desire to continue their training. This scheme will continue under the National Health Service. Some of the practitioners concerned are, on account of their individual circumstances, receiving grants under the Government's Further Education and Training Scheme. These also will continue.

asked the Minister of Health what is the estimated number of repairs and replacements of artificial dentures carried out annually in the United Kingdom; and what is the approximate proportion of this work undertaken by dentists.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the names of the towns in Leicestershire which have announced a reduction in rates.

Reductions in yearly or half-yearly rates for 1948–49 have been announced in the City of Leicester and the Urban Districts of Coalville, Hinckley, Oadby and Wigston.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement of his proposals regarding the recently published report of the Local Government Boundary Commission; and whether he proposes to introduce legislation to amend the general principles under which the Commission works.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for North St. Pancras (Mr. House) on 8th April.

asked the Minister of Health for what purposes chlorination of the London water supplies is still taking place.

Chlorination has been the standard practice of the Metropolitan Water Board since 1926. It is regarded as an indispensable part of the various processes of treatment and purification that ensure the purity of the water supplies of London.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Wallasey Borough Council last week gave one week's notice to nine members of the ambulance personnel, terminating their appointments; that the notices were handed to the persons concerned by the chief of the fire brigade service; and if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the dismissal of these fully trained ambulance personnel.

Yes, Sir. I am making inquiry into the circumstances.

asked the Minister of Health if he will postpone the transfer to county councils of medical officers of health and their staffs and offices from the new most purposes county boroughs recommended by the Boundary Commission until a decision has been made with regard to implementing this part of their report.

Any transfers of staff and premises essential to transferred functions under present legislation must be made if county councils are to carry out the duties Parliament has given them from the appointed day.

asked the Minister of Health if he will inquire into the case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a nursing sister forced to resign by illness caused by overwork as health visitor, after eight years under a local authority, and who on resuming work at another local authority, resigned on being put back to the starting salary of the Rushcliffe scale; and what action he proposes to take.

This case is the subject of correspondence that is still proceeding between the Nurses' Salaries Committee and the local authority concerned.

asked the Minister of Health why, when granting a dispensation to members of the Northumberland County Council, financially interested in the Co-operative Wholesale Society, permitting those members to vote on the proposal before that council to transfer the council's banking account from Barclays Bank, Limited, to the Co-operative Wholesale Society, he did not grant a similar dispensation to members of that council financially interested in Barclays Bank.

I received no application on behalf of those members.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the representations made on behalf of the civilian staff of the Edinburgh Records Office by various authoritative bodies, that Army Record work of this nature should not be transferred to York, he will take steps to reallocate a fair share of work of this type to Scotland.

As has been explained in reply to previous Questions the General Service Corps Record Office in Edinburgh is necessarily being closed down owing to the disbandment of the General Service Corps. Only a remnant of the work is being transferred to York. As regards the location of Record Offices generally, military requirements and economy of administration must clearly be the paramount considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what number of British settlers in Australia are involved in the estimated expenditure during 1948–49 of £264,275 towards costs of passage, etc.

The sum of £264,275 represents the estimated cost to the United Kingdom Government of passage assistance to migrants under the Australian Assisted Passage scheme. The figure is based on the assumption that, of the accommodation expected to be available on the Australian run during the financial year 1948–49, 8,500 berths will be used by those travelling under this scheme (7,000 adults with 1,500 children).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, in Table 10, Estimates of National Income and Expenditure, of the White Paper, Cmd. 7371, professional earnings are included under Interest and Profits; and what is the total of such earnings.

The classification of income used in the White Paper on National Income and Expenditure, Cmd. 7371, to a large extent follows Inland Revenue practice. This is unavoidable since so many of the estimates given are based on statistics of the total income assessed to tax under the various Income Tax schedules. Assessments under Schedule D cover not only company profits and interest not taxed at source but also the trading profits and professional earnings of individuals. It is not possible at present to give an analysis of the total given under the heading, Profits and Interest, in Cmd. 7371, but it is hoped to provide this at a future date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in Table 10, Estimates of National Income and Expenditure, of the White Paper, Cmd. 7371, amounts received by non-profit making bodies are included under Interest and Profits, as stated on page 20; and what is the total of such amounts.

As stated on page 20 of Cmd. 7371, the income of non-profit making bodies is, in principle, included under Interest and Profits in Table 10. The amount is, however, not accurately known.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will make available facilities for firms, particularly in the textile industry, to purchase in bulk copies of the popular edition of the Economic Survey for 1948 for distribution among their employees.

These facilities are already available at a rate of £2 per 200 copies on application to any Stationery Office sale office.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the value in 1947 of gifts sent by friends abroad to persons in this country for which import licences were refused and which were consequently seized by the Customs and sold.

The information is not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what are the main duties of the Valuation Office; what is the additional work which justifies the estimated increase in staff from 2,520 to 3,570 during 1948–49; and how far this increase is of a temporary character.

The main duties of the Valuation Office are the valuation of land and buildings for taxation purposes and valuation and negotiation in connection with hiring, purchase and disposal of land for various Government Departments and for local authorities. But there will soon be a considerable increase in work. Under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, which comes into force on 1st July, 1948, the Valuation Office will have to value for compensation purposes all land in respect of which claims for loss of development value are made and will advise the Central Land Board on the amounts to be paid as "development charge." It is estimated that the work in connection with loss of development value will last for about five years and that at its peak it will require some 2,000 additional staff. The first instalment of this extra staff is being recruited in 1948–49 and this accounts for the increased numbers. I may add that under the Local Government Act, 1948, the work of valuation for rating purposes is to be transferred to the Valuation Office and when this takes place it will mean a further increase in staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why he proposes making substantial increases in the communications and signals personnel of his Department.

There has been no increase in personnel for 1948–49, despite the numbers shown in Estimates Class II, I. Although provision was made in the 1947–48 Estimates for additional staff no numbers of staff were inserted against the provision as final Treasury approval for the establishments had not been obtained in time for the Estimates. In the case of the Signals Department, the provision for 1948–49 is in fact for a considerably smaller number of staff than in 1947–48.

asked the Minister of Works to what extent the introduction of a payment-by-results system in the building industry has improved the output rate for house building over his previous estimate of fourteen months per man per house.

I regret that there is not yet sufficient evidence on which to assess the effect of the payment-by-results system on the rate of output for house building.

asked the Minister of Works whether, in view of the fact that the volume of brick construction in 1947 only reached 56 per cent. of pre-war capacity, he will appoint a committee of inquiry to consider the short- and long-term effects on the industrial and social economy of the country of the development of non-traditional building.

All possible steps are already being taken to promote the use of bricks at the present time and I do not think it would serve any useful purpose to appoint a committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will encourage, through the Central Office of Information, widespread publicity on the opportunities for rural and urban industrial development in Cyprus, with a view to investment of British capital in that Colony; and if an early report on the economic potential of Cyprus can be made available.

I have been asked to reply. If the hon. Member will let me have any particular suggestions of this nature which he may have in mind, my right hon. Friend will be glad to consider them. With regard to the second part of the Question my right hon. Friend does not at the moment consider it necessary to call for a special report. As the hon. Member no doubt knows, there has already been published a ten-year Development Plan for the Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent any forced labour is used on public works in Nigeria; and what is the minimum wage paid to Africans engaged on this work.

I have been asked to reply. No forced labour is used on public works in Nigeria. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why men have been transferred from the East African Education Services to Sierra Leone; to what extent there is a shortage of trained teachers in Sierra Leone; and what progress is being made in respect of the training of a sufficient number of teachers.

I have been asked to reply. The only officer so transferred during the past 18 months was the most suitable candidate for the particular post. In order to meet the present shortage of teachers in Sierra Leone training institutions are being rapidly expanded with the help of funds provided under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, and 226 student teachers are now being trained as compared with 150 in 1947, and 75 in 1939. When this expansion takes full effect the annual output of trained teachers should be 122 as compared with 82 in the present year, and it is intended to increase this output further.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that supplies of potash ordered by manure merchants in Devonshire and allotted by them to farmers have been diverted; that potash is, as a result, unobtainable; and what steps he will take to make supplies available.

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade that manure merchants in Devonshire have not been less favourably treated in the allocation of potash supplies than merchants elsewhere. Large quantities of potash are still being imported and will be distributed as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers in Devonshire cannot obtain Canadian linseed for seed; and whether, in view of the importance of this crop, he will take steps to make supplies available.

I am not aware of any reason why farmers in Devonshire should not be able to obtain all the Canadian grown linseed they need for sowing. There is sufficient seed available in this country to meet all requirements.