asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has taken note of the terms of the recent trade pact between Denmark and the Argentine by which Denmark supplies milking machinery and the Argentine supplies cattle cake; and what steps he is taking to provide continuing opportunities for British manufacturers to supply milking machinery to the Argentine.

I understand that the commercial agreement recently concluded between Argentina and Denmark includes lists of the goods which each country may acquire from the other. It is true that animal feedingstuffs are mentioned among the various goods for the purchase of which facilities will be afforded to Denmark, and milking machinery is similarly mentioned among the goods for the purchase of which facilities will be afforded to Argentina, though there is no suggestion of the sales being linked together. As to the second part of the Question, the desire of United Kingdom manufacturers to supply milking machinery to the Argentine will certainly be borne in mind in the course of the negotiations shortly to take place with the Argentine Government, as mentioned by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 27th January in reply to a Question by the hon. and gallant Member for the New Forest and Christchurch (Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre).

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions were undertaken at the instance of his Department in the year 1948 or the last convenient 12 months; in how many cases a conviction was obtained; and how many enforcement officers are employed by his Department.

Two thousand seven hundred and eight cases were undertaken during 1948 against 4,563 individual defendants. Three thousand eight hundred and twenty-one convictions were obtained. Two hundred and eighty-two officers are employed on enforcement work.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what amount of coarse grains or other animal feedingstuffs have been imported into the United Kingdom from Poland in the past three years; and what quantity is expected from Poland under the new agreement.

No coarse grains or other animal feedingstuffs have been imported from Poland during the last three years. A minimum quantity of 30,000 tons of feed barley is scheduled to be bought from the 1949 crop, if available at a satisfactory price.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is yet in a position to state in what class of case he will authorise the proposed National Film Finance Corporation to make loans.

I propose, as soon as the Corporation is set up, to authorise the directors to make loans to companies organised to carry out a programme of production of cinematograph films and equipped with the necessary experience in a relevant type of production, provided that there is an adequate amount of private investment ranking behind any money lent by the Corporation. In making loans, the Corporation will not only impose such particular terms and conditions as the directors may think applicable to each company, but will also require to be satisfied on such general points as arrangements for distribution of the films and deferment of certain payments, e.g. producer's remuneration, until other costs have been recovered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his Department are required to provide licences for persons desiring to export shiploads of working horses, bred and owned in the United Kingdom, to Belgian and other Continental ports; and what are the number of such animals leaving British east coast ports each week.

The export of all horses is subject to licence. During the six months ended 31st December, 1948, 62 licences were issued for the export of 2,897 working horses to the Continent, but I cannot say how many of these have been actually exported, since such exports are not separately recorded in the trade returns.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he expects to conclude conversations with the Commercial Travellers' Association in regard to their petrol allocations; and when he expects to be able to announce a decision.

I am glad to say that the discussions which have been taking place with the United Commercial Travellers' Association and the Association of British Chambers of Commerce have now been successfully concluded. While it was not found practicable to adopt the scheme proposed by the Associations, I am satisfied that some adjustments of the maximum allowances which may be granted to commercial travellers are necessary and certain increases have been agreed with the two Associations. The maximum allowances will be increased by approximately 10 per cent. Within the maximum, applications will continue to be assessed on merits. The increased allowances will be available from the beginning of the next period covered by the application of the commercial traveller concerned.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the number of pits in the British coalfields where riding facilities are in operation and the number of pits where no such facilities are provided; and the average time taken for riding the men to the coalface and the time taken by the men in walking to the coalface.

At 30th June, 1948, there were 413 coal mines with, and 1,129 coal mines without, man-riding installa- tions. The 413 mines employed about half the total manpower of the industry. As regards the last part of the Question, I regret the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether charitable bequests, which have been paid in coal and have been discontinued, can be resumed now that the coal supply position has been improved.

It is for the National Coal Board to decide whether, subject to the provisions of the Coal Distribution Order, 1943, coal may be supplied free or at a reduced price for certain charitable purposes.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what developments there have been from the talks between the National Coal Board and the non-nationalised distributing agents with the object of reducing the price of coal to the consumer; and what success has been achieved in eliminating the triple profits of dealers, who are wholesalers, factors and also retail distributors.

The discussions between the National Coal Board and the distributive trade organisations on their future relationships are practically complete and I have no doubt that at an early date the results will be made known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances Clifford Andrew was appointed to the staff of Norton Training School, Kineton, when, within the knowledge of his Department, he had previously been dismissed from a similar appointment at another approved school; and why the headmaster of Norton Training School was not informed of this fact.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Albans (Mr. Dumpleton) on 20th January last. I would point out that Andrew was appointed to Norton on 11th January, 1945, and was not given notice at Chute Forest until 26th January. The reasons for which it was proposed to give this notice were mentioned to the headmaster of Norton by the headmaster of Chute Forest before 11th January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of persons of Polish nationality in this country; the number of those working and maintaining themselves; the number of those who are idle; how many of those who are idle are living near Chester; and why they are not either sent home or compelled to work.

Excluding temporary visitors and children under 16, there are in all about 156,000 persons of Polish nationality in this country. This total includes about 9,000 Poles who are capable of work but are not actually working or training for employment. About 1,800 of the 9,000 are housed in Cheshire. Every effort is being made to place in useful work, either in this country or abroad, those Poles who have not yet been resettled, and any who desire to go back to Poland are encouraged to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the representations from the Brentford and Chiswick Borough Council asking for his sanction to demolish air raid shelters at Alma, Albany and Burford Houses, Ealing Road, Brentford, and St. Paul's House, St. Paul's Road, Brentford, in view of the serious obstruction they offer to the use of these small sites, and the potential danger to children who make a practice of playing on the sloping roofs of the entrances; and whether he will make a statement.

These shelters are structually sound and it would be contrary to the present policy to demolish them. My officers are getting into touch with the council to see how best to overcome the difficulties to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total increase in indebtedness incurred by all local authorities in England and Wales for each county, including county councils, borough councils and district councils, for the year ended 31st March, 1948, showing figures for the County of London and its constituent councils separately.

I regret that these figures will not be available until the end of this year. The latest available figures—those for the year ended March, 1947—are given below:

Variation in Net Outstanding Loan debt of Administrative Counties in England and Wales at 31st March, 1947, compared with the position at 31st March, 1946. Detailed figures in respect of the County of London.
Administrative Counties		Increase (+) or Decrease (-) 1947 compared with 1946
		£
County of London:		+ 2,092,271
London County Council	…	+ 1,685,088
City of London	…	- 337,043
Metropolitan Boroughs:
Battersea	…	- 68,508
Bermondsey	…	- 16,243
Bethnal Green	…	- 17,906
Camberwell	…	- 21,864
Chelsea	…	+ 103,208
Deptford	…	+ 99,765
Finsbury	…	+ 13,688
Fulham	…	+ 374,400
Greenwich	…	+ 107,355
Hackney	…	- 116,476
Hammersmith	…	- 65,192
Hampstead	…	+ 32,952
Holborn	…	- 5,534
Islington	…	+ 23806
Kensington	…	+ 103,180
Lambeth	…	+ 8,415
Lewisham	…	+ 7,179
Paddington	…	- 1,364
Poplar	…	+ 53,419
St. Marylebone	…	- 82,167
St. Pancras	…	+ 4,757
Shoreditch	…	+ 16,883
Southwark	…	+ 85,691
Stepney	…	- 16,714
Stoke Newington	…	+ 68,292
Wandsworth	…	- 63,570
Westminster	…	- 97,350
Woolwich	…	+ 214,124

Administrative Counties	Increase (+) or Decrease (-) 1947 compared with 1946
Administrative Counties outside London:
England	£
Bedford	+ 1,285,833
Berkshire	+ 960,983
Buckingham	+ 1,067,886
Cambridge	+ 296,545
Chester	+ 2,484,762
Cornwall (including Isles of Scilly)	+ 810,376
Cumberland	+ 99,770
Derby	+ 1,683,906
Devon	+ 1,250,802
Dorset	+ 848,033
Durham	+ 3,381,187
Ely, Isle of	+ 278,864
Essex	+ 2,978,466
Gloucester	+ 1,141,550
Hereford	+ 285,479
Hertford	+ 1,567,049
Huntingdon	+ 427,770
Kent	+3,301,359
Lancaster	+4,080,718
Leicester	+1,283,685
Lincoln:—
Parts of Holland	+125,943
Parts of Kesteven	+ 479,224
Parts of Lindsey	+ 603,149
Middlesex	+ 1,434,957
Norfolk	+ 1,204,912
Northampton	+ 1,457,320
Northumberland	+ 1,826,601
Nottingham	1,208,768
Oxford	+ 664,368
Peterborough, Soke of	+ 317,629
Rutland	+ 42,600
Salop	+ 944,127
Somerset	+ 2,021,378
Southampton	+ 2,138,596
Stafford	+ 2,516,741
Suffolk, East	+ 442,442
Suffolk, West	+ 554,702
Surrey	+ 1,781,558
Sussex, East	+ 765,918
Sussex, West	+ 640,738
Warwick	+ 1,319,966
Westmorland	+ 69,236
Wight, Isle of	+ 411,543
Wiltshire	+ 610,481
Worcester	+ 1,413,567
York:—
East Riding	+ 487,882
North Riding	+ 915,763
West Riding	+ 2,973,858
Wales:
Anglesey	+ 167,985
Brecknock	+ 132,958
Caernarvon	+ 60,350
Cardigan	+ 17,641
Carmarthen	+ 438,716
Denbigh	+ 458,037
Flint	+ 555,962
Glamorgan	+ 1,004,484
Merioneth	+ 94,964
Monmouth	+ 545,144
Montgomery	+ 129,168
Pembroke	+ 422,155
Radnor	+ 28,705

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions are given to constables in the Metropolitan Police area in cases of trivial motor car driving offences for the taking of civilians to police stations if they ask to be taken in a motor car or taxi which the civilian offers to provide.

Persons who commit trivial, motoring offences in the Metropolitan Police district are not normally taken to police stations. In more serious cases it is for the officer making an arrest to decide whether any form of transport should be used to take the person who has been arrested to the nearest station.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Whitley Council is still considering salary demands by assistant nurses; and how long that issue has been under consideration.

A claim from the Staff Side was received yesterday and will now be considered by the Whitley Council.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the national morbidity inquiry which he has ordered to be made about all hospital patients.

This inquiry is experimental, is limited to a few hospitals only, and is strictly confidential. Its object is to provide statistical information needed in considering many health problems.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether he will take steps to prevent nurses under 18 years of age being given tours of 12 hours night duty in public hospitals;(2) whether he will take steps to prevent hospital authorities making compulsory the attendance of nurses at lectures during the nurses' off duty period.

Guidance on attendance at lectures and off duty rotas has already been issued to hospital authorities. Guidance on conditions of employment of employees under 18 is in preparation.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the conditions under which weekly leave is granted at isolation hospitals; and whether he will recommend hospital authorities to arrange some rota for the convenience of nurses.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given him today.

asked the Minister of Health under what authority free nylon stockings, uniform of an up-to-date pattern and hotel type accommodation are being offered as recruiting incentives to nurses by nine London hospitals at Bermondsey and Southwark, particulars of which have been sent him; and what is the cost to the taxpayer.

No such authority has been given.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are taken to check the degree of radio activity of material in the River Thames resulting from the discharge of radio-active effluent from Harwell; and at what points on the river these checks are made

Each batch of effluent is tested and certified at Harwell before discharge into the Thames and the total amount of radio-active material discharged is always known at Harwell and in my Department. The amount which can be discharged with safety has been determined on the recommendations of a scientific sub-committee of the Medical Research Council. The amounts so far discharged have been much below that safety limit, and would probably be too small, after dilution with river water, to be detected at all. Tests of the river water would not therefore, at present, be of any value.

asked the Minister of Health if any payments have yet been made to the doctors in the National Health Service for the treatment of temporary residents, visitors, holidaymakers, foreigners and those patients not on a doctor's list; upon what principle are payments made; and how much is still owed to the doctors for this service.

No payments have yet been made for the treatment of temporary residents, visitors, holiday makers and foreigners. The principles on which such payments shall be made are still under discussion with the medical profession. It is contemplated that payments in respect of the period from 5th July, 1948, to 31st December, 1948, will be made at the 31st March, 1949. The amount of these payments is not yet known.

asked the Minister of Health upon what date the plans for the provision of additional out-patient accommodation at the Boston General Hospital were approved by his regional board; and when it is anticipated that the accommodation will be in use.

Plans were approved by the board on 9th August, but satisfactory final proposals are still awaited.

asked the Minister of Health the number of nursing staff employed in hospitals at any convenient date in 1938, 1946 and 1948, and to what extent the hospital service is now restricted through shortage of nursing staff.

September, 1938—96,800 (including 800 part-time); September, 1946—111,600 (including 2,600 part-time); September, 1948—132,000 (including 19,000 part-time). The number of hospital beds unstaffed in September, 1948, was 57,000 or about one-ninth of the total number of beds.

asked the Minister of Health how many people have received EC/Reg. 107. dated 14th January from the National Health Service Birmingham executive council, informing them that they must change their doctor

The executive council's letter of 14th January was sent to 3,196 people. They were all on the list of a single-handed doctor whose total list amounted to 8,279, or over double the number agreed with the medical profession as the maximum which can be properly attended by one doctor. The action was taken in consultation with the doctor concerned and I see no reason to question the executive council's action.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that many people in Birmingham have been instructed by the National Health Service Birmingham executive council that they must leave the doctor who has attended them for many years, and in whom they have confidence; and whether he will immediately have these instructions cancelled.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given him today.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the dissatisfaction caused in the Deganwy district of the Borough of Conway by the absence of a medical practitioner resident in that area under the National Health Service; how many applications have been received from doctors to practise and reside in Deganwy under the service; and how soon it is his intention to provide such medical facilities for the residents of Deganwy.

I understand that three applications have now been received from doctors to practise in Deganwy. The applications are at present under consideration by the medical practices committee.

asked the Minister of Health how many local health authorities are making charges for domestic help provided under their powers of Section 29 of the National Health Service Act, 1946; and whether the Assistance Board are adjusting grants to allow for these payments.

The information asked for in the first part of the Question is being collected and I will send it to the hon. Member. As charges made depend upon ability to pay, no adjustment of any National Assistance Board payments is required

asked the Minister of Health the total value of estimates approved by the Dental Estimates Board in Eastbourne for the month of December, 1948; and how much is estimated to be owing to the dentists at 31st December, 1948.

The total value of the approved estimates included in schedules sent for payment to executive councils during December was £2,765,933. No information is available regarding the last part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Health what fees are payable to persons included in the ophthalmic list for services rendered under the National Health Service; and whether he will make a statement on his negotiations in progress to adjust these amounts.

The fees are:

	£	s.	d.
Ophthalmic medical practitioners, sight testing fee	1	11	6
Ophthalmic opticians, sight-testing fee		15	6
Ophthalmic or dispensing optician, dispensing fee	1	5	0

Any proposals to adjust these amounts are matters for discussion with the professional organisations as regards ophthalmic medical practitioners and with the Optical Whitley Council as regards opticians.

asked the Minister of Health whether a patient occupying a bed in a pay ward is required to undertake, in advance, to vacate the bed if it is needed for an urgent case; and if, in that event, any refund is payable.

I have given no instructions to hospitals to require an undertaking of the kind referred to by the hon. Member. If a patient occupying a private pay bed under Section 5 of the Act agrees to be moved into a general ward bed in order to make room for another patient who requires privacy on medical grounds he will, of course, pay no charges in respect of the remainder of his stay in the hospital.

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many ophthalmic medical practitioners, ophthalmic opticians and dispensing opticians have accepted under the National Health Scheme at the last convenient date;(2) how many registered pharmacists and companies and persons other than registered pharmacists have been accepted for inclusion in the pharmaceutical list under the National Health Service at the last convenient date.

Complete information is not at present available but I have asked executive councils to furnish it in future at monthly intervals.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements he has made under his powers under Section 48 of the National Health Service Act to establish refresher courses; and how much public money has been paid out in respect of these courses at the last convenient date.

I will send the hon. Member a note describing the arrangements. During the period 5th July, 1948-31st January, 1949, payments in respect of refresher courses under Section 48 amounted to £1,335. In the same period payments amounting to £1,982 were made in respect of refresher courses for ex-Service doctors and dentists. There are in addition a large number of residential and other appointments in hospital for ex-Service doctors.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that prior to the commencement of the National Health service, district nurses were permitted to charge the cost of their purchases of petrol to the account of the local nursing association, but, that they now have to pay cash at the time of purchase and subsequently reclaim; that this makes an inroad upon their avail- able money; and whether he will authorise the restoration of the former practice.

I understand that there has been no standard practice in this matter. District nurses working in the National Health Service are employed by local health authorities or voluntary organisations and it is for these bodies to decide (in consultation, where appropriate) what arrangements to adopt. No approval on my part is required. If the hon. and gallant Member has evidence that the arrangements operating in a particular area are causing hardship I will have enquiry made if he will send me particulars.

asked the Minister of Health for what reason the provision of glass eyes is not included among the benefits of the health scheme; and whether he will give instructions that they be so included.

Artificial eyes are supplied where necessary through the Hospital Service.

asked the Minister of Health which other countries afford the benefit of a health service to British visitors.

So far as I know this country is the only one that provides such a service for its visitors at present.

asked the Minister of Health what number of houses it is proposed to build in the parish of Bickleigh, Devon, during 1949; what is the extent of the latest housing programme submitted by the Plympton Rural District Council for the Bickleigh area; whether this programme is considered by him to be satisfactory; or what action he proposes to take.

I understand that the Plympton rural district council's present programme for the parish of Bickleigh is to build eight houses there this year. The distribution of their allocation of houses among the respective parishes is within the discretion of the rural district council.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the 4,429,208 houses which were built between the wars were damaged beyond repair or destroyed during the last war.

The total number of houses in England and Wales which were destroyed or damaged beyond repair is 218,215. It is not, however, possible to distinguish those which had been erected between the wars.

asked the Minister of Health how many towns are still without a single post-war house.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Housing Return, 31st December, 1948.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that local authorities are giving adequate priority to agricultural workers in the allocation of council houses in rural areas.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister what are the arrangements for ensuring that manuscripts and documents of historical and national importance are retained within this country.

The question of permanent measures for the general protection of manuscripts (including restrictions on export) is under consideration by a representative Committee appointed by the Master of the Rolls. As a result of recommendations made by this Committee, a National Register of Archives is being undertaken by the Historical Manuscripts Commission with the aid of committees of voluntary helpers throughout the country, and the work of this organisation has already had the incidental result of important manuscripts accumulations, for instance the Fitz-William Papers, for which the owners no longer have adequate accommodation, being temporarily or permanently placed in approved custody.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that fitters of agricultural machinery are vital to the efficiency of modern mechanised farming; and whether he will take steps to release these men from military service in cases in which their services to farming are proved to be indispensable.

I appreciate the importance of the work of these men but I am afraid that I could not release them from the common liability to perform military service.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to make available to the senior pupils of provided secondary schools details of careers open to young people in the administrative and technical branches of the Colonial Civil Service and in the Overseas Food Corporation and Colonial Development Corporation.

Information about appointments in the Colonial Civil Service is contained in the pamphlet entitled "The Civil Service" in the "Careers for Men and Women" series issued by my Department. Copies of this pamphlet have been made available through the agency of the Youth Employment Service to secondary grammar schools. Information about careers in the two Corporations to which my hon. Friend refers is not included in this pamphlet, but I will consider with my right hon. Friends, the desirability of doing so.

asked the Minister of Labour to state His Majesty's Government's re-employment policy in respect of men dismissed from the service of the nationalised industries.

A man dismissed from employment in a nationalised industry is submitted for any suitable vacancies, whether in the same or in some other industry, for which the employer concerned is prepared to consider him.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will, when recruiting rating and valuation officers under the Local Government Act, 1948, recognise the examinations laid down by the Incorporated Association of Rating and Valuation Officers to ensure that the duties of the rating and valuation department of the Inland Revenue will be carried out by qualified men; and will he give preferences to men who have been engaged on this class of work under the local authorities when recruitment takes place.

All the staff who have been engaged on rating and valuation work with local authorities will be given preference in the recruitment to the new rating service under the Board of Inland Revenue. With regard to the recognition of examinations of the Incorporated Association of Rating and Valuation Officers, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 25th January to the hon. and gallant Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Major Gates).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the quantities of malt whisky or grain whisky, respectively, distilled in Scotland during the year ended 30th September, 1948.

The quantities of malt and grain spirits distilled in Scotland during the year ended 30th September, 1948, were: at distilleries using malt only, 8,287,588 proof gallons; and at distilleries using malt and other materials, 12,565,010 proof gallons.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state, in tons, the allocations of steel to the various industries of the country; and the percentage of the total amount allocated for the rebuilding of war damaged cities.

The reply to the first part of the Question is "No" since it has never been the practice to give details of the allocations of steel made to industries. The amount of steel allocated for 1949 specifically for the rebuilding of war damaged cities, of which particulars were circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 1st February, is a very small percentage of the expected total supplies. But this, of course, represents only a part of the steel being used for reconstruction in those cities, since other work, such as factory-building, for instance, comes out of other allocations. The purpose of the specific allocation for war damage rebuilding is to enable a start to be made on projects which can effectively use only a limited amount of steel in the current year, although requirements are likely to increase substantially thereafter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the unsatisfactory way in which the Exchange Control Advisory Committee are dealing with applications for foreign exchange to permit patients to receive essential treatment abroad, he will consult with the Minister of Health with a view to the revision of the terms of reference to this Committee so that, in future, decisions arrived at are based solely upon the medical evidence submitted.

The Exchange Control Medical Advisory Committee is dealing with applications in a satisfactory way, and I do not think that any revision of its terms of reference is required. Applications are approved wherever treatment abroad is essential to recovery and suitable treatment cannot be obtained elsewhere in the sterling area. The Committee's decisions are taken on purely medical grounds. If the hon. Member has any particular case or cases in mind in which he thinks that the Committee's decision was wrong, I shall be glad to inquire into them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of money owing to this country by Russia at the end of the first world war, when it ceased to be included in the Financial Statement; and if it has been written off as a default.

The Financial Statement of 31st March, 1920, included the sum of £568 million as owing by Russia. This amount, as increased from time to time by interest, was reported in subsequent Financial Statements each year up to and including that for 1939. At the end of the first world war Russia also owed His Majesty's Government on other accounts about £120 million. None of this money has been written off.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has considered the difficulty of using the thicker new cupro-nickel shilling for meters; why this difficulty was not anticipated when the decision to thicken the coin was taken; and what steps he proposes to take.

The difference in maximum thickness between new shillings of the old and the new composition is five thousandths of an inch and is necessitated by the altered specific gravity since the coins have been kept of the same diameter and weight. Difficulties with gas meters have only recently been reported and no difficulty is experienced with other types of slot machines for which shillings are used. Such occasional difficulty as may be experienced is probably due to absolutely new coins with slight burrs which wear off after a very little use. Large users of slot machines were consulted before the change was made and makers have been kept informed.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give the percentage of members of trade unions affiliated to the T.U.C. and operating a political levy who contributed to the political levy in 1948 with comparable figures for 1946.

No official figures for unions affiliated to the T.U.C. are available. The percentage of members of all trade unions having political funds who were liable to contribute to those funds rose from 45 at the end of 1945 to 91 at the end of 1947, the latest figure available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has now given further consideration to making arrangements to provide that old age pensioners who, by reason of disability pensions, are not drawing national insurance, shall nevertheless be entitled to tobacco deduction.

I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser) on 25th November, 1948.

asked the Minister of Education what is the difference between the salaries paid to elementary and grammar school teachers; and what effect has this upon the recruitment of staff in the latter schools.

The basic salaries under the Burnham Report are the same for primary and secondary, including secondary grammar, school teachers. There are, however, special additions for university degrees and posts of special responsibility. I have no means of judging what effect this system may have upon the recruitment of staff in secondary grammar schools.

asked the Minister of Education how many grammar schools are short of science teachers; what is the cause of the shortage; and what steps is he taking to increase the number.

Exact figures are not available, but I am aware that many schools are finding it difficult to fill vacancies for science graduates. This appears to be mainly due to the increased demand for science graduates in professions other than teaching and the increased demands of the schools themselves and the dislocation of University courses during the war. More graduates will be completing their university courses in this and later years, and this should lead to some improvement, but I am keeping the matter under review, and will continue to do so, in consultation with the local education authorities and other bodies concerned.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state for the autumn terms, 1938 and 1948, respectively, the number of grammar school places in grant-aided schools in England and Wales expressed as a percentage of the number of children aged 10 and under 11 on the rolls of the primary schools.

In October, 1938, there were 86,338 thirteen-year-old children on the registers of grant-aided grammar schools, equivalent to 13.5 per cent. of all children of that age in England and Wales. The comparable figures for January, 1948, were 109,304 children and 19.9 per cent., respectively.

asked the Minister of Education what disputes between divisional executives for education, including excepted districts, and local education authorities have been registered with the Minister under the terms of the Education Act, 1944, Schedule 1, Part III (or under Schemes of Divisional Administration; what has been the nature of dispute in each case, the determination given by the Minister and a statement of instances where the dispute has not been determined because the Minister has been advised that he has no jurisdiction.

Twenty-five such disputes have been referred to me. Of these, 19 related to the salary of the divisional education officer, six of which were determined in favour of the local education authority and 13 have not been determined because I have been advised that I have no jurisdiction. One dispute about the construction and maintenance of school buildings is still under consideration. I am sending my hon. Friend details of the remaining five cases.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that the Llandegley Voluntary Primary School, Radnorshire, is only supplied with water once every two weeks by the N.F.S. from Llandrindod Wells; whether some better arrangements can be made for the provision of fresh pure water daily; and what are the difficulties in having water laid on to the school.

I am aware that a large storage tank at Llandegley School is kept supplied with water from Llandrindod Wells by the Fire Service. I understand that the question of obtaining a supply of water from a spring not far from the school has been considered, but that the water is not regarded as satisfactory in quality. The use of other sources of supply, further from the school, would involve very considerable expenditure, and a satisfactory solution of the problem depends on the adoption of a water supply scheme for the area generally.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware of the anxiety and hardship likely to be caused to more than 1,000 ex-Service men and women, studying at Oxford University with the aid of grants, by his Department's notification that the grant is to be reduced by as much as £20 for their final term; why this decision has been communicated to them more than half-way through their final year at the University, when all of them had counted on receiving grants at the higher rate; and if he will reconsider this decision or take other steps to ease this hardship.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Hollis).

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that when Mr. Tyler, 11, Rosebery Street, Pudsey, was accepted under the Emergency Training Scheme for teachers in February, 1947, he was told he would not have to wait more than 18 months; that he is now informed he will not get a vacancy before the end of 1949, which means he will have waited almost three years; and will he reconsider this case and do something to relieve this man of his present hardship.

Mr. Tyler's position is no different from that of a number of other men who are waiting their turn for training, and I cannot favour him at their expense. In any case, it is now likely that he will get a place before the end of 1949. Mr. Tyler will very shortly become eligible for the supplementary grant which is available for waiting men with family responsibilities.

asked the Minister of Education the number of education authorities in Wales who provide gramophone audiometer tests for the primary school children; and whether he has made any recommendations in this regard.

I understand that the only gramophone audiometer used by a Welsh local education authority was damaged during the war. In 1938 the Board of Education endorsed the recommendation of an expert Committee that these instruments should be used for routine group testing. Gramophone audiometers conforming in design and performance with recommendations recently made by the Medical Research Council are now available and I am glad to approve for grant the purchase of suitable instruments by local education authorities.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is satisfied with the provision for the training of deaf children in Wales; and what steps he proposes to take to improve these facilities.

No. Plans for rehousing the Royal Cambrian School for the Deaf are nearly ready and the work is included in this year's building programme. In the new premises the school will, I believe, have sufficient accommodation for the deaf children of Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of hotel licences, public house licences, wine and spirit licences as merchants and licensed grocer licences, respectively, in Scotland at the most recent convenient date.

The number of certificates granted by Licensing Courts in Scotland during the year ended 31st December, 1947, to sell exciseable liquors by retail, subject to the necessary excise licence, were as follow:

Inn and hotel certificates—
*Full	…	…	…	…	1,632
*Partial	…	…	…	…	6
Public House certificates—
*Full	…	…	…	…	4,077
*Partial	…	…	…	…	26
Grocers' certificates—
*Full	…	…	…	…	2,096
*Partial	…	…	…	…	161

I am informed by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise that during the year ended 31st March, 1948, excise licences were issued to the following numbers of wholesale dealers in Scotland:

Spirit dealers	…	…	…	742
Wine dealers	…	…	…	447
Beer dealers	…	…	…	366
* A "full" certificate means one to sell spirits, wines, beers and other exciseable liquor; a "partial" certificate means one to sell one or more of these groups.

asked the Minister of National Insurance how many offices his Department now has in North Staffordshire; and where they are located.

Fully equipped offices are open at Burslem, Hanley, Tunstall, Leek, Stone, Audley and Cheadle. One at Biddulph is to open on 7th February and another at Kidsgrove before the end of March. Premises have been found at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Longton and Chesterton and it is expected that these offices will be opened by May or June. An office is also to be provided at Uttoxeter but so far it has not been possible to find suitable premises. Meanwhile, in the places where fully equipped offices have yet to be opened, small offices have been provided to receive claims and give information and advice.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the postal facilities in the Golders Green area are inadequate, and in particular that the Golders Green post office is quite inadequate in size for the volume of business transacted; and what steps he is taking to improve the situation.

Under existing conditions the standard of postal facilities provided in the Golders Green area generally compares not unfavourably with that in other similar localities in London. I am fully aware, and regret, that the accommodation at the Golders Green branch post office is inadequate. Such improvements as were practicable within the confines of the present premises have already been made. The intention is to provide larger premises or, alternatively, to relieve pressure on the existing accommodation by opening an additional office if suitable premises can be found, and the search is being vigorously prosecuted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the special arrangements for the selection of candidates for the Colonial Service in the British Dominions; and what steps are taken to ascertain that they possess a constructive interest in colonial problems and freedom from colour or other prejudices likely to hinder good relations with the people of the colonies.

The arrangements are as follow:In Canada, Australia and New Zealand there are Liaison Officers and a Selection Committee in each University working to a Central Liaison Officer and a Central Selection Committee for each country as a whole. On receipt of an application the University Liaison Officer obtains reports covering all stages of the candidate's career and then places the application before the University Selection Committee, who interview the candidate, if he is considered from his reports prima facie suitable for appointment. Application papers for recommended candi- dates are forwarded, together with the Committee's recommendation to the Central Liaison Officer for submission to the Central Selection Committee, who again interview the candidate. Non-University candidates apply direct to the Central Liaison Officer, who obtains the reports on the candidate's career and then places the application before the Central Selection Committee.In the Union of South Africa, there is a Central Selection Committee under the Chairmanship of the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in the Union.In all cases the Central Selection Committees forward the papers of recommended candidates to me for final decision.I am satisfied that both University and and Central Selection Committees are fully aware of the necessity for satisfying themselves as to the qualities and outlook of candidates whom they recommend to me for selection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent present rehabilitation grants compensate farmers in the Gold Coast for the loss of income from cocoa trees which are cut out; and what further attempts are being made to secure the co-operation of the farmers.

The grants paid under the present rehabilitation scheme are intended as a measure of compensation for income lost between cutting-out and death. A diseased cocoa tree may bear one, or perhaps two, crops between the times of infection and of death. The estimate of loss must obviously vary according to the stage of disease at which the tree is cut out. The grants are, however, at fixed rates of 2s. for living tree of seven inches or more round the trunk and sixpence for a tree of smaller size if over two years old. A further sixpence is paid for every young tree established to replace a tree cut out. As regards the second part of the Question, I have nothing at present to add to my reply of 26th January to the hon. Member for Swindon (Mr. T. Reid).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the future status and use of the Jamaica Battalion.

The Jamaica Battalion will continue in existence until March, 1950, and a further extension will be considered in October of this year. The Battalion is a local full-time colonial unit for the purposes of internal security in the Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what was the flight plan of the R.A.F. Mosquito aircraft which is missing from a flight in the Eastern Mediterranean area on 20th November, 1948.

It would not be in the public interest to disclose the exact flight plan which would reveal the tactics of high altitude reconnaissance training.