asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent Anglo-Polish financial discussions.

Discussions designed to establish which creditor claims on Poland would rank for payment were completed at the end of August. The Polish financial delegation has now returned to London to negotiate the amount which Poland will pay in respect of these claims, and talks with the representatives of the various groups of creditors are in progress.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will extend tobacco concessions for old age pensioners to those of old age pension age who do not receive old age pensions.

No. The objections to extension of the scope of the concession have been stated on various previous occasions, and I fear they are still decisive.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how far there will be any reduction in the housing, health and education programmes consequent upon the devaluation of the pound sterling.

I am not at present in a position to add to the statement which I made in debate on 27th September.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what steps he is taking to enable the small bulb grower who uses bulb riddles to secure the same exemption from duty as is granted to the larger growers in respect of bulb-grading machines.

None. Bulb riddles are not machinery and cannot therefore be brought within the scope of Section 10 of the Finance Act, 1932, as is the case with bulb-grading machines.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what proportions savings are made by savings associations, Post Office savings offices, joint stock banks and other sources, respectively.

I assume the Question refers to National Savings. During the six months to the end of September, 1949, gross investments in National Savings amounted to £383 million. This total was made up in the following way—National Savings Certificates, 14½ per cent.; Defence Bonds, 4 per cent.; Post Office Savings Bank, 45½ per cent.; Trustee Savings Banks, 36 per cent. Approximately 40 per cent. of the National Savings Certificates were sold through the joint stock banks. Figures for savings through National Savings Groups for the last half year are not yet available, but in the financial year 1948–49 the gross savings through groups was £68 million, 8½ per cent. of the gross National Savings.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent travel has been included in recent trade talks with France with a view to securing the maximum currency allowance for citizens of both countries to visit each other; and whether, in view of the importance of developing Anglo-French cultural relations, he anticipates it will be possible to make any progress in this matter in the near future.

This matter has been discussed. Our present tourist allowance is higher than that given by almost all other European countries; we also give generous facilities for education abroad and for other cultural activities. I cannot at this stage anticipate what will emerge from future Anglo-French discussions.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the cost of re-issuing the report, "Education in 1948," necessitated by an error in the first edition; what was this error; and how did it occur.

The report was not re-issued. A table which should have appeared on the last page was omitted by a printer's error. A corrigendum slip was prepared at the contractor's expense and issued a few days after publication.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he sponsored the application of Mr. G. C. Chelioti for dollars for his journey to the United States of America on business grounds.

I have been asked to reply. No application on behalf of Mr. Chelioti was sponsored by the Board of Trade. All applications for foreign exchange in order to travel to the United States for business reasons are dealt with by the Bank of England on behalf of His Majesty's Treasury.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when the University Grants Committee decided to raise the salaries of university professors and by how much; and what salaries these professors will now draw.

My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 28th February, for the medical and dental faculties, and on 15th March for other faculties, the basis on which he had agreed, on the recommendation of the University Grants Committee, that salaries should be reviewed, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the statements which he made on those dates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether His Majesty's Government proposes to declare Tuesday, 27th December, 1949, a public holiday.

His Majesty's Government has now decided to request His Majesty to declare by Royal Proclamation that Tuesday, 27th December, 1949, shall be a bank and public holiday.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to what extent the decision to raise the salaries of higher civil servants is being implemented.

As was announced in a Treasury statement issued on 30th September, these increases have been deferred.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that in Lancashire difficulty is being experienced in disposing of waste paper collected by local authorities in view of the reluctance of firms to accept such waste; and whether he will make a statement on the position.

My right hon. Friend explained, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridge (Mr. Symonds) on 30th June last, that he had decided to withdraw the compulsory directions on local authorities to collect waste paper, as the supply of mixed waste was somewhat in excess of demand. I am aware that certain local authorities have now given up collections and that they and some others who are continuing are finding difficulty in disposing of their accumulations. There are signs, however, that supply and demand are now in closer relation and local authorities should keep in touch with their normal selling channels.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total paid out to local authorities to the latest convenient date by way of incentive to collect waste paper; and, in view of the increase in supplies, whether it is the policy of the Board of Trade to continue these payments.

The payments made to local authorities in respect of the waste paper bonus from the date of its commencement, 1st June, 1945, to 1st October, 1949, amount to £233,964. On 1st January, 1949, local authorities were informed that the scheme would be reviewed at the end of 12 months. The need to continue it beyond 31st December next will be considered in view of the circumstances then prevailing. If supplies are still in excess of demand it will obviously be unnecessary to continue to pay an incentive bonus.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the present position regarding the discussions in connection with the extension of the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement of 1947; and if he is satisfied that all possible steps are being taken to conclude this agreement as soon as possible.

I have had over the past few months a number of meetings about Anglo-Soviet trade with Mr. Manzhulo of the Soviet Trade Delegation. A contract for 100,000 standards of softwood from the U.S.S.R. and the Soviet zone of Germany was signed in August and in September a contract for one million tons of coarse grains from the U.S.S.R. came into operation; on 13th September a contract for certain quantities of plywood was signed and it is expected that arrangements can be made for the supply of further commodities from the U.S.S.R. to the United Kingdom. The Soviet authorities are expected to place additional orders in the United Kingdom for engineering goods and other products and to continue to buy raw materials in the sterling area. Though it has not so far been found possible to agree on certain basic conditions for a formal trade agreement, I have informed Mr. Manzhulo of the Soviet Trade Delegation that His Majesty's Government welcome the prospect of these purchases and attach importance to the continuance of trade in the interests of both parties.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what offers have been made in any of the discussions with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Trade representatives for the purchase of merchant shipping from this country.

There has been no reference by the Russians in the discussions which I have had this year with the Soviet Trade Delegation to the question of supplying ships. It is open to the Soviet Trade Delegation to discuss possible orders direct with the shipbuilders.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in what manner is payment to be made for the Russian grain to be imported under the recent agreement; and in particular to what extent His Majesty's Government have promised facilities for the export of any British goods.

The Russian grain contract which entered into force on 1st September was concluded between the Ministry of Food on the one hand and Exportkhleb on the other. Payment is to be made in sterling which the Russians are free to spend in the United Kingdom or in other parts of the sterling area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in the interests of hygiene and cleanliness, he will now make available a supply of paper so that bread may be sold wrapped in future.

So far as I am aware, there are adequate supplies of wrapping paper for use in retail shops. As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food announced on 22nd June in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr. Haire), the restrictions on the machine wrapping of bread will be removed as from 1st November.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of Japanese cloth imported into this country since January, 1946, to the most recent convenient date; of such total, what proportion was paid for in dollars; what was the total dollar sum involved; and what further purchases are contemplated within the next 12 months.

I give below the information asked for in the first part of the Question.All the cloth concerned-220 million square yards—has been re-exported and all of it was paid for in sterling, except a small quantity of cotton cloth which was bought in the early part of 1948. I am not at present able to say how much Japanese cloth traders will be permitted Ito import for re-export during the next 12 months, because it will depend upon the result of the negotiations in Tokyo. I will inform the hon. Member of the arrangements as soon as they have been settled.Following are the figures by quantity and value of Japanese cloth imported into the United Kingdom, from January, 1946, to the end of July, 1949:—

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will lay down special security regulations to cover secret documents, patents and inventions brought before the National Research Development Corporation.

No. Secret documents, patents and inventions are unlikely to be disclosed to the Corporation. Should the need arise for such a disclosure, the existing security arrangements which are normally applied to the disclosure of secret information to persons outside the Government Service, will apply and these should be adequate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the possibility of recapturing an important export market in the United States, he will free from ration art paper for periodicals.

The restrictions on the amount of paper which established periodicals may use in the production of copies for export were removed on 1st July last, but the over-all paper supply position does not yet permit more than a small allocation to new periodicals. It is not practicable to have separate rationing schemes for each type of paper involved.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now permit the import of books without licence from the Dominions and soft currency countries.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend on 29th September about import relaxations. Books were included in the list of commodities for which open general licences have been issued. The open general licences extend to imports from all countries other than those on the list circulated with the statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the Government's policy with regard to exports of manufactured goods from Western Germany to the Colonial Empire where such exports come into competition with British manufactured goods.

There is a strong demand in the Colonies for manufactured goods of many kinds from this country and from Western Germany, and under the present arrangements for trade between Western Germany and the sterling area we have agreed to as high a level of German exports to the Colonial markets as possible without increasing our liability to pay dollars to Western Germany.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps have been taken to purchase timber burnt in the recent fires in the Landes district of France; how much timber has been offered us; what use it is intended to make of it; and how much has actually been purchased during the last year and since the fires.

Negotiations have taken place with a special delegation from France and it has been agreed to buy up to two million railway sleepers in place of 350,000 previously agreed with the French authorities. The quantity of wagon bottoms has been increased from 20,000 to 50,000 cubic metres. The French have also offered considerable quantities of timber suitable for case-making. Contracts for 20/25,000 standards are being placed and it is hoped to place further contracts after gaining experience of the quality and manufacture. We shall continue to keep in close touch with the French authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now consider the merging of the Tourist Board in the Travel Association.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an estimate of the economy which would result if the British Tourist and Holidays Board were to be suspended, and the work of developing tourist traffic to this country left entirely to the Travel Association; and whether he will make inquiries as to the desirability of such a course, having regard to the present need for eliminating unnecessary expenditure.

The British Tourist and Holidays Board has a wider sphere of activity than the Travel Association (which at present acts as one of the four divisions and under the general direction of the Board) and undertakes various tasks which could not be performed by the Travel Association. It is not, therefore, the case that economy would result from the suspension of the British Tourist and Holidays Board, since other means would have to be found of carrying on its work. For the same reason, and also because we regard as most valuable the contribution made by the British Tourist and Holidays Board, and its energetic Chairman, Sir Alexander Maxwell, to the important work of increasing our earnings from tourist traffic, we have no intention of merging the Tourist Board in the Travel Association. I believe, however, that there might be notable increases in efficiency of operation, and possibly, some saving in administrative cost, if there were full integration of the two bodies. Discussions on the best way to achieve this end have reached an advanced stage, and, given good will, we hope that agreement will be reached and that we shall be able to make a full announcement shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the shortage of khaki shirts for sale in civilian shops; and whether he can explain the reasons for the shortage.

The production of drill cloth which is used for these garments is at present insufficient to meet the full needs of both the home market and the strong demand for export. An improvement of supply for the home market can only come from increased total production for which we look to Lancashire.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the estimated tonnage of flowers imported and to be imported into the United Kingdom during 1949; and the cost in sterling.

Imports of cut flowers in the eight months ended August, 1949, totalled approximately 820 tons at a sterling value of £480,000. It is estimated that imports for the rest of this year, having regard to the quotas fixed in bilateral trade agreements, will amount to some 320 tons at a value of £165,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the period of time that has elapsed since his Department decided to revise the Weights and Measures (Verification and Stamping Fees) Orders; what is the reason for this delay; and when this revision is likely to take place.

The revision of the various Weights and Measures (Verification and Stamping Fees) Orders has been under examination since June, 1946. Since that date provisional and revised drafts of a proposed Consolidating Order have been circulated to the various interests concerned, including trade associations, and final comments on the revised draft were not received until November, 1948. These comments left a number of difficult points to be settled and agreed. I hope, however, that the new order can be made in the near future.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new factories and extensions have been established in Scotland since 1945; and how many people are employed in these new factories and extensions.

Three hundred and eighty-five new factories and extensions of 5,000 square feet and over have been completed in Scotland since 1945. At the 31st August, 1949 (the latest date for which figures are available) they were employing about 22,300 persons.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will now make a statement on the re-afforestation plans for the Quantock Hills.

Negotiations for a lease to the Forestry Commissioners of some 1,200 acres of plantable land at East Quantoxhead are still proceeding. In the meantime detailed afforestation plans have not been drawn up.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the acreages of tillage, temporary grass, wheat and potatoes, for each of the counties of England and Wales as returned on 4th June, 1945, and 1949.

I am sending the hon. Member a statement giving the desired information.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what action the Government propose to take to implement the findings and recommendations of the Westwood Committee on Mineral Development; and particularly, when they intend to implement the recommendation for the setting up of a mineral development commission.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for North Edinburgh (Mr. Willis) on 25th July, to which at present I have nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning if he will inaugurate a scheme as part of an East Anglian plan to establish the Norfolk Broads and their environs as a National Park for the recreation of the public in perpetuity.

This will be a matter to be considered in connection with the National Parks Bill which is at present before Parliament.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he will look into the case, particulars of which have been supplied to him, in which on land at Chicheley Hill, Sherington, scheduled as an open space, a Nissen hut and a disused railway coach have been erected under Class VI of the First Schedule of the Town and Country Planning (General Development) Order, 1948, which overrides the powers of the district and county council; and whether he will consider amending the order so that due local consideration can be given to preservation of local amenities without detriment to agriculture.

The purpose of Class VI of the First Schedule to the General Development Order is to free farmers from the need to apply for planning permission to put up minor farm buildings. I am satisfied that any curtailment of this provision would hamper agricultural production and I see no need to limit its scope. County planning authorities have adequate powers under Section 26 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, to deal with any occasional abuses. I am writing to the hon. Member about the case of which he sent me details.

asked the Minister of National Insurance to state for the most recent convenient date the number of children in Scotland and Glasgow, respectively, in respect of whom family allowances are paid; and the number and the approximate distribution by size of the families concerned in each case.

On 30th June, 1949, there were approximately 340,000 families in Scotland receiving family allowances in respect of some 590,000 children. The approximate distribution by size of family (including the elder or eldest child) was as follows:

• Two children—56 per cent.
• Three children—25 per cent.
• Four children—11 per cent.
• Five children or more—8 per cent.

asked the Minister of National Insurance how many persons were in receipt of National Assistance in Rawtenstall, Haslingden, Bacup and Ramsbottom respectively, at the latest convenient date; what were the total sums involved per week; and what were the corresponding figures in respect of public assistance or for relief for each of these towns for each year between 1919 and 1939.

On 27th September last there were respectively 3,991 and 2,548 assistance grants being paid through the Board's Bury and Accrington offices, at which applications from the towns mentioned are dealt with, but information which would show the comparisons desired by my hon. Friend is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the lack of available statistics concerning the numbers and categories of non-manual and professional workers, he will make arrangements for the publication of periodical figures showing the classified totals of such workers, under the headings used by the Appointments Department of his Ministry.

Statistics of the numbers of employed persons analysed by occupations are not collected, and I do not feel justified in undertaking the large amount of extra work which would be necessary to obtain such information.

asked the Minister of Labour the total numbers of civilians and ex-Service personnel respectively, who are at present on the Register of Disabled Persons; how many of these are now employed; and what are his plans for ensuring the employment of those who have not yet been offered work.

The number of registered disabled persons on 18th April, 1949, was 914,693, of whom 374,262 were civilians and 540,341 ex-Service personnel. This is the latest date for which this detailed information is available, but on 18th July, 1949, the total number on the register was 919,054. The number of registered disabled persons unemployed on 15th August, 1949, was 61,704, of whom 29,834 were civilians and 31,870 ex-Service personnel. Accordingly, about 850,000 registered disabled persons are at present in employment. The corresponding total of unemployed disabled persons at 16th August, 1948, was 72,268, of whom 33,915 were civilians and 38,353 ex-Service personnel; there was thus a decrease of 10,564 unemployed disabled persons over the year. Continuous efforts are being made both under the Quota Scheme and otherwise to find suitable employment for those needing it.

asked the Minister of Labour what action has been taken on the various recommendations of the Garrett Report on Conditions in Iron Foundries.

I would refer the hon. Member to my previous answers on this subject and particularly those given to the hon. Member for Stirling and Falkirk (Mr. Malcolm MacPherson) on 21st June and to the hon. Member for St. Albans (Mr. Dumpleton) on 31st March of this year, copies of which I am sending him.

asked the Minister of Labour what reductions have been made and are being made in the staff of his Department as a result of a policy of full employment.

There has been a decrease of over 10,000 in the staff of my Department during the past two years, but I am unable to say how much of this is attributable to the policy of full employment. The work of dealing with unemployed persons, which was so heavy in the past, has naturally declined but, on the other hand, the placing and other services of the Department have greatly increased.

asked the Minister of Labour by how many points the cost of living index has risen since the present rates of National Assistance came into operation.

The present rates of National Assistance came into operation on 5th July, 1948. Between mid-June, 1948, and mid-August, 1949 (the latest date for which a figure is available), the interim index of retail prices rose from 110 to 111.

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects to introduce legislation arising from the Gowers Committee Report; and whether the House will have an opportunity of discussing the Report itself before legislation is introduced.

I have been asked to reply. I am not at present in a position to add anything to my reply to the Question by the hon. Member on 30th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of farmers in each county in Scotland who are under the supervision of agricultural committees.

Since 1st November, 1948, when Part II of the Agriculture (Scotland) Act, 1948, came into operation, agricultural executive committees have issued thirty-six warning notices in respect of husbandry, in terms of Section 27 of the Act. The incidence of these notices by counties is as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of experimental farms in Scotland, their location, the staffs employed, the nature of their activities and the number of farmers taking advantage of their services; and what is the total cost.

There are five experimental farms in Scotland and three hill farm research and experimental stations. Experiments are also being conducted on Glen Etive Estate and on three farms on the Glenlivet Estate, while, by arrangement with the occupiers, demonstration work is carried out on 13 holdings in the Highlands and Islands. I am incorporating the complete information asked for by the hon. Member in a memorandum which I am sending to him.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the amount, by counties, paid in Scotland in grants for hill sheep and cattle subsidies, improvement of hill farms and housing, drainage and water supplies, respectively; and what is the total number of individual farmers accepting such grants.

I am arranging to send this information to the hon. Member as soon as it can be assembled.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school dental officers are employed at the present time in each of the counties of Scotland.

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many water schemes have been completed during the preceding 12 months; how many have been submitted; how many are approved but not commenced; what is the cost of those completed; and the cost of those approved but not commenced.

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if air-raid shelters are subject to assessment where they have been retained in private premises.

Air-raid shelters retained in private premises are not subject to assessment unless used for other purposes in which case they are assessed in accordance with normal valuation practice.

asked the Lord Advocate what information he has regarding irregularities at the recent Stirling County Council election at Airth; if he is aware that one voter attempted to vote twice; if the circumstances were reported to the Procurator Fiscal; and what action has been taken.

The only incident to which my attention has been drawn arose out of a claim by a voter to vote twice by virtue of his name appearing twice on the Register of Voters. When he made application for a second ballot paper he was informed that he was not entitled to a second vote, and no ballot paper was issued to him on that occasion. The circumstances were investigated by the Procurator Fiscal who in turn reported to me, and I decided that, in the circumstances, no criminal prosecution should be taken.

asked the Minister of Works when he intends to remove the war defences, steel scaffolding and teeth from Walberswick Beach, where they are a danger to children, holiday makers and local residents.

The owners of the land have been authorised to arrange for the removal of the steel scaffolding and dragon's teeth, at the public expense, as soon as a satisfactory tender can be obtained.

asked the Minister of Food on what basis the allocation of foodstuffs will be made to agriculturists from the one million tons of grain to be imported from Russia.

Supplies of coarse grains from Russia will form part of the general supply of feedingstuffs from which the Ministry of Food makes releases to manufacturers and distributors of feedingstuffs in such quantities as are required to meet feedingstuffs rations.

asked the Minister of Health how many children's hospitals have been closed, or the number of beds in children's hospitals diminished since the National Health Service came into operation; and what is the present number of children's beds in special hospitals, and in general hospitals respectively.

No children's hospital has been closed since the coming into operation of the National Health Service, although two are no longer used exclusively for children. The total number of children's beds available has increased by 1,278. The number of children's beds available in general hospitals is now 16,449 and in special hospitals, 23,302.

asked the Minister of Health under what sanctions executive councils are subjecting medical practitioners in the National Health Service to a heavy tax upon their payments from the service if they refuse to undertake a large panel as in a case submitted to him.

The regulations governing the remuneration of general practitioners provide for the adjustment of remuneration in the case of a practitioner who is exempted from the liability of having persons assigned to him and is relieved of obligations for emergency night calls in respect of persons not on his list. There is nothing to stop a practitioner limiting his list without applying for these exemptions.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will review his refusal to modify decisions taken by executive councils, since the composition of these bodies is predominantly lay.

I am not sure to what the hon. Member is referring. Any person aggrieved by the decision of an executive council on a case investigated by a service committee has a right of appeal to me under Regulation 7 of the National Health Service (Service Committees and Tribunal) Regulations, 1948 (Statutory Instruments 1948 No. 507). The members of an executive council, excluding the chairman, are half professional and half lay.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the need for avoiding unnecessary capital expenditure at the present juncture, he will cause an estimate to be made of the number of years for which the existing road bridge over the River Ouse at Selby, on the road from London to York, could safely continue to carry traffic without renewal but subject to normal maintenance and repairs, before finally embarking on the substantial expenditure which will be involved in building a new steel bridge at this point.

This is a toll bridge situated on two important trunk routes and as such constitutes a serious obstruction to traffic. It cannot be made safe for the traffic which is likely to result from abolishing the tolls and a new bridge is needed as soon as resources permit. I cannot yet say when that is likely to be.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the qualifications required of the drivers of the Thames water buses.

A person in charge of one of these craft must, under the provisions of the Port of London (Consolidation) Act, 1920, be licensed by the Port of London Authority. He is also required to satisfy my marine surveyors, by practical demonstration and test, that he is capable of handling his vessel in a seamanlike manner.