asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that fishermen greatly resent his decision that skippers of 10 years' standing and more must now be examined for Second Hand certificates; and whether he will arrange for skippers of 10 years' experience or more to receive such certificates automatically.

I have already met the difficulties of older men, so far as I properly can, by arranging that the examination for those of 40 years of age and over shall be oral only.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many inpatients from the Langholm and Eskdale district have been detained in the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and in the Lochmaben Sanatorium, respectively, since 5th July, 1948; and what is the average length of in-lying in each case.

Twelve persons from the Langholm and Eskdale district have been treated as in-patients in the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary since 5th July, 1948; the average length of stay was three days. Only one patient from the Langholm and Eskdale district has been admitted to the Lochmaben Sanatorium since 5th July, 1948, and this patient is still being treated in the Sanatorium. Three patients who were admitted before 5th July, 1948, have been discharged since that date, having stayed for an average period of six months.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many outpatients from the Langholm and Eskdale district have attended the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and the Lochmaben Sanatorium, respectively, since 5th July, 1948; and what is the total number of daily attendances of out-patients from that district in each case.

Four persons from the Langholm and Eskdale district have attended Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary as out-patients since 5th July, 1948; each of these patients paid only one visit to the Infirmary. One person only from the Langholm and Eskdale district since 5th July, 1948, has attended the Lochmaben Sanatorium as an outpatient and one visit only was made.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what changes have been made within the past five years in the systems of local and central government in Basutoland; and what further changes are contemplated.

The following changes have been made:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations he has received from the Special Committee of the Royal Automobile Club and Automobile Association regarding the parking of motor vehicles without lights; and whether he will make a statement.

The Committee have asked that the powers of chief officers of police to permit vehicles to be parked without lights in authorised parking places should be more widely used, and that early legislation should be introduced to enable regulations to be made permitting vehicles to be left without lights in well-lighted streets. As regards the first point, the Commissioner of Police has recently decided to waive the lighting requirements at a considerable number of additional parking places in the Metropolitan Police District and proposes to keep the position under review. The matter is essentially one for decision in the light of local circumstances and. while I should hesitate to press chief officers of police generally to grant wholesale concessions, I propose to bring this Question and answer to their notice. The Committee's request for legislation is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, to whom a copy of the representations was sent. The proposal is, however, open to objection in view of the undesirability of indiscriminate parking of cars in the streets, and the objections are increased by the possibility of accidents if vehicles are parked without lights in fog or other adverse weather conditions or after the street lighting has been extinguished.

asked the Secretary of State for War what are the present whereabouts of 19100729, Gunner A. P. Hart, who after nearly 12 months' detention as a prisoner of war in Israel was released by the Israeli authorities on 9th January, 1949, and handed over to the British Army authorities, since which date this soldier's parents have had no word or information concerning him.

This soldier was released by the Jewish Forces and transferred to Cyprus on 10th January, 1949. Since then he has been free to write to his parents. I cannot accept the statement made in the last part of the Question, as an official letter was sent to his mother on 25th January informing her that he had been transferred to Cyprus.

asked the Minister of Health what are the sources of the seed strains used for the manufacture of vaccine lymph at the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine which is issued to vaccinators under the provisions of the National Health Service Act and the regulations of his Department.

I am making the necessary inquiries and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.