asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947, medical practitioners are permitted to obtain without restriction medical supplies for their personal use in their practices upon presentation of their own prescriptions; that under the National Health Service (England) Act, 1946, medical practitioners are for this purpose granted only 2s. 6d. per annum per 100 patients; and whether in the public interest he will make the same concession to English practitioners as is made to Scottish practitioners.

:I see no reason to alter the arrangement; which, incidentally, was in force before, under the old National Health Insurance scheme.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements have been made in the West Riding of Yorkshire to consider applications for, and the distribution of, Medresco hearing aids; how many are and will be available; and whether aids may now be issued to persons living outside the city where distribution centres have been established.

Patients can be referred by their general practitioners for testing by otologists at clinics at the following hospitals in the West Riding: the Royal Eye and Ear Hospital, Bradford, the Royal Infirmary, Halifax, the Harrogate and District General Hospital, the Royal Infirmary, Huddersfield, the General Infirmary, Leeds, the St. James Hospital, Leeds, and the Royal Infirmary, Sheffield. Medresco aids are fitted and supplied to patients for whom they are prescribed at these clinics at the Royal Infirmary Sheffield, and the Royal Eye and Ear Hospital, Bradford, to each of which aids are at present being supplied at the rate of 100 a month. This rate will be increased as the production increases. Aids are provided for patients regardless of where they live.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish a table showing the number of dwelling houses and industrial and commercial properties owned by each London State-aided hospital; and the total profit accruing to each hospital for the last 10 years from these properties.

I regret that the information required by the hon. Member is not available, particularly as teaching hospital endowments form no part of the Endowment Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the latest position following the strike of sugar cane workers in British Guiana; what action has been taken to control the spread of sedition throughout the country; and when the Commission of Inquiry is expected to report.

The settlement mentioned in my answer to the hon. Member on 22nd September has been successful and there has been a full return to work. As regards the second part of the Question, I am satisfied that the Government of British Guiana is alive to the necessity of prompt action to deal with any activities which may contravene the laws relating to sedition. The Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry is expected to leave for British Guiana at the beginning of December. Its report will, I hope, be available fairly early in 1949.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the terms of reference of the Commission appointed to inquire into the position of the sugar industry in British Guiana; who are to be members of the Commission; and what are their qualifications for this work.

The terms of reference for the Commission are as follow:

"To inquire into and report on the organisation of the sugar industry in British Guiana, with special reference to means of production, wages and working conditions, and any other relevant matters, and to make recommendations."

The Commission will consist of Dr. J. A. Venn, President of Queen's College, Cambridge, as Chairman, and Mr. Richard Sudell. Dr. Venn has since 1921 been University Lecturer at Cambridge in the History and Economics of Agriculture, and was Vice-Chancellor of the University from 1941 to 1943. He is a member of the Scientific Council of the International Agricultural Institute, Rome, and Chairman of the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Agricultural Wages Board. Mr. Sudell is a trained agriculturist, a trade unionist and an agricultural journalist.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when claims on the liquid balances evacuated by the Palestine custodian are likely to be met; and what is the total sum involved.

It is not practicable to begin the payment of claims until certain questions of policy connected with the various monetary and property agreements have been decided. I hope decisions on these questions will be taken before long. For the reason given in my reply to the hon. Member's Question yesterday relating to the (former) Palestine Custodian's balances I am not in a position to give the total sum involved.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has any statement to make on the financial position of the Refreshment Department as disclosed in the published accounts for the year ended 31st December, 1947.

Yes. The decisions of the House that all the staff of the Refreshment Department (which caters for Members, officers and staff of the House and visitors) should be employed permanently throughout the year, and a contributory Superannuation scheme be instituted, has, as Members will appreciate, added considerably to the overhead costs falling upon the Kitchen Committee. The result has been that, in spite of a substantial advance in the prices charged and a large increase in turnover, the Department is operating at a loss and incurred a deficit of £13,000 during the year ending 31st December last.There can be no question of absolving the Kitchen Committee from the duty of conducting its business on commercial lines. However it is clear that little revenue can accrue to the Committee during the long periods in the year in which the House is not in session, and the Government therefore think it reasonable that there should be a contribution from public funds towards the net cost of the staff of the Committee during these periods.The need for such a contribution would, of course, be subject to review from year to year in the light of the Committee's financial position as a whole. A Supplementary Estimate will be presented in due course to cover contributions in respect of both the current year and the year ended 31st December last.It has also been agreed that the Ministry of Works, which is responsible for cleaning other parts of the premises, should make an annual payment to the Kitchen Committee towards its expenditure on cleaning the premises occupied by the Refreshment Department.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will ensure that Civil Service temporary clerks who are not members of the recognised associations be allowed representation on the National Whitley Council and also on local Whitley committees.

The composition of the Staff Sides of Whitley Councils and Committees in the Civil Service is settled by the staff themselves. I am satisfied that the Staff Side of the National Council is already adequately representative. The representative capacity of the Staff Sides of Departmental Councils and Committees is a matter to be considered by each Department concerned but I have no knowledge of any current dissatisfaction among the Departments.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will take immediate steps to have estimates made of the equipment that would be required by the fighting services in the event of an emergency; whether he will consider what manufacturing facilities would be required for the production of this equipment; and whether he will arrange for the spread of that manufacturing capacity over the entire Commonwealth.

Considerable progress has already been made by the Service and Supply Departments in estimating the requirements of the fighting Services in the event of an emergency, and in planning the industrial facilities which would be required. These estimates and plans are being co-ordinated by my Department. Co-operation with other Commonwealth countries in these matters is always kept in view.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is satisfied that inter-service standardisation of complete equipment, and components which go into that equipment, supplied to the Armed Forces has progressed as far as desirable; and whether he can give an assurance that it is under continual review.

I am satisfied with the progress which is being made in the standardisation of equipment required by the three Services, and with the economies which will result. Adequate inter-Departmental machinery exists for keeping these matters under continuous review.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will set up an inter-Departmental committee to consider the working of the tendering and contracting system for the supply of equipment to the fighting services, with a view to devising new methods which, while safeguarding the public purse, will avoid the inefficiency and waste of material and manpower entailed by the use of the present system.

No. The Contracts Coordinating Committee provides adequate facilities for inter-Departmental discussions on contracting methods and procedure and these matters have been the subject of consultation with industry from time to time, as necessary. I have no evidence that the present system results in inefficiency and waste.

asked the Minister of Defence what is the relationship between the Committee on Defence Research policy and the Government's production policy.

Close contact between defence research and development and the problems of industry is ensured by the fact that the Chairman of the Defence Research Policy Committee (Sir Henry Tizard) is also Chairman of the Committee on Industrial Productivity and of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy.

the Minister of Defence whether he will make available to Members a regular statement on the progress of recruiting.

Returns of recruiting to the Regular and Auxiliary Forces are made available in the Vote Office quarterly; I am sending copies of the most recent to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding the evidence which influenced him in refusing the extradition of Dr. Wladislaw Dering demanded by the Polish Government; and whether he is satisfied that Dr. Dering's character was completely cleared by the evidence submitted at the latest official inquiry.

I have nothing to add to the statement on this matter which I made on 23rd September.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can make any statement about the result of his inquiry into the circumstances leading up to the discharge of P.C. Watson from the Brighton police force.

On 18th September the Chief Constable of Brighton decided to dispense with the services of Police Constable Watson.Regulation 11 of the Police Regulations empowers a chief constable to terminate the service of any constable at any time during his two years' probationary period if he is satisfied that the constable is not likely to become an efficient and well-conducted police officer. From a chief constable's decision to discharge in such circumstances there is no appeal and neither the police authority nor the Home Secretary has any power to interfere. Nevertheless with the concurrence of the Brighton Watch Committee and of the Chief Constable himself, I asked one of. His Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary to visit Brighton to inquire for me into all the circumstances leading up to the discharge of this constable so that I might be able to come to a decision on the question whether it was necessary or desirable to hold a general inquiry into the conduct and efficiency of the Brighton police force. I am satisfied that it is not necessary to hold any such general inquiry.When I announced my intention of asking His Majesty's Inspector to inquire into the circumstances leading up to the constable's discharge, the Chief Constable of Brighton suspended the notice of discharge he had given to Constable Watson, so that the position of the constable would not be prejudiced pending the outcome of the inquiry.The Chief Constable has now informed me that he has reviewed the whole of the circumstances and, of his own volition, has decided to allow Police Constable Watson to continue as a probationer in the Brighton Police Force. I am informed that in coming to this decision, the Chief Constable was influenced by the consideration—not that justice had not been done—but that it might not appear manifestly to have been done, since a widespread suspicion had arisen that more severe action had been taken against the constable because the Mayor of Hove had been arrested than would have been taken if some other member of the public had been involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from the Commissioner of Police in regard to the forthcoming expiry of the ban on political processions in the Metropolitan Police District; and what action he proposes to take.

The Commissioner of Police has represented to me that the powers conferred upon him by Section 3(1) of the Public Order Act would not be sufficient to enable him to prevent serious public disorder if political processions were held in the Metropolitan Police District, and I have consented to the making of an Order continuing the existing Order for a further three months.

asked the Minister of Food how many retailers are authorised to accept registered customers for the sale of canned meats, milk, fish, fruit and dried fruits in the borough of Caernarvon; how many customers are so registered with each retailer; and how many were so registered at the Star Tea Company's establishment at Caernarvon on 26th August, 1948, and on 20th October, 1948.

Consumers are not required to register with retailers for any of the commodities mentioned in the Question. Thirty-seven retailers in Caernarvon who have customers registered for straight rationed foods trade in the canned foods mentioned, and 31 in dried fruits. As regards the last part of the Question, I am not prepared to disclose details of the business of individual traders.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he is aware that a large number of building plots are still being sold at prices which do not allow for a development charge, and that this charge is coming as a surprise to purchasers; and whether he will take steps to see that purchasers are warned.

The Central Land Board and I have taken every opportunity to warn purchasers of land for building that, unless the development charge is to be paid by the seller, they should not pay more than existing use value. The Board have now issued a short pamphlet called "House 1," which contains advice to buyers and sellers of land for building. I have sent my hon. Friend a copy, and I have also arranged for a supply to be placed in the Vote Office and the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for War what casualties have been suffered by British military personnel in Malaya in the last six months.

During the six months ended 31st October the following casualties were suffered by British military forces in Malaya, including the Brigade of Gurkhas and Colonial troops: Killed and died of wounds, 31 all ranks; wounded, 38 all ranks; missing, none.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the shortage of electric power, he will give the date of the completion of the station at Blaehead and the approximate all-in capital cost per kilowatt; and how this capital cost compares with other post-war thermal stations.

When completed the Braehead generating station will contain four 50,000 kilowatt turbo alternators, three of which have been sanctioned under the Electricity (Supply) Acts. I am informed by the British Electricity Authority that the section of the station now under construction, to contain two of these turbo alternators, should begin to operate in 1951. The Authority will doubtless publish further details in due course.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much new electrical generating plant is in store; and how much more under construction is expected to be put in store pending the completion of new generating stations.

I would refer the hon. Member to the remarks I made on this subject in the course of my speech during the Debate on the Address on 3rd November.

asked the Minister of National Insurance the number of insurance agents, other than approved society employees who were wholly or mainly engaged on National Health Insurance work, who have been appointed to his Department, and the Civil Service classes to which they have been assigned.

The total number of such agents who have been appointed to the Ministry is 1,951. Of these, 1,706 received established appointments, 1,662 in the Clerical Class and 44 in the Executive Class. The remainder, 245, received temporary clerical appointments.