asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in order to encourage the increase of our exports of books to the United States, in view of the drive to earn United States dollars, he is considering making representations to the United States Government for the removal of the discriminatory 7½ per cent. duty imposed on books exported from this country which is not imposed similarly on books from other countries.

The United States import duty on books in the English language was reduced from 7½ per cent. to 5 per cent. during the tariff negotiations at Geneva in 1947. We shall seek to obtain a further reduction whenever a suitable opportunity occurs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement regarding action to be taken by the members of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation to admit British goods in greater quantities into their markets.

These countries are currently submitting to the Organisation lists of goods which they have arranged to import more freely, and full particulars are being published, as soon as we have them, in the Board of Trade Journal. But there are also a number of supplementary lists which are subject to discussion and negotiation, and it may therefore be some little time yet before we have a complete picture of the advantages finally accorded to our exports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what number of Japanese looms have, as at the most recent convenient date, been imported into this country; what proportion were paid for in dollars; what was the sum involved; and what is the Government's future policy regarding such importations.

The following looms have been imported into the United Kingdom from Japan since 1946:

• 1947–192 looms, c.i.f., value £22,029.
• 1948–500 looms, c.i.f., value £57,859.
• 1949 (up to 31st August)—98 looms, c.i.f., value £12,736.

Payment for all these looms was made in sterling. Future applications for import licences will be considered in the light of availability of similar looms from other sources, and of the importance and urgency of individual requirements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that several British companies operating in Burma are in urgent need of additional working capital to protect and maintain their property until more settled conditions are restored; and whether, to restore these companies to working order at the earliest possible moment, he will now advance sums to them on account of the ex gratia payment of 10 million which His Majesty's Government will make available to British businesses which suffered loss from the war in Burma.

The Burma War Damage Committee have made considerable progress and expect to be in a position to present an interim report at an early date. In the meantime I do not think that it would be either practicable or desirable to adopt the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many companies were registered, with the nominal capital concerned, in each of the years from 1928 to 1948.

I am sending my hon. Friend a statement giving the information asked for. The particulars are published annually in the Companies General Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the Library.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that in August and September large quantities of foreign produce were on sale on barrows and in shops in London and elsewhere without the word "Foreign" being displayed in accordance with regulations; and what steps are being taken to secure the observation of the said regulation and to safeguard the status of home-grown produce.

I am not aware that the position was as stated in the first part of the Question. As regards the second part of the Question, the enforcement of orders made under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, which require an indication of origin when certain imported foodstuffs are offered for sale, is a matter for the local authority concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the acreage of common land in England and Wales; and if he will appoint a committee to consider the use being made of these commons for food production and the recreation of the public.

The precise acreage of commons in England and Wales is unknown but is estimated at somewhat less than two million. A great deal of this is mountain or heath land and a large part of the better portions has been requisitioned under war-time powers and put in the charge of county agricultural executive committees. A detailed survey is in process of the effect on food production of derequisitioning this and other requisitioned land. Where necessary the existing powers of acquisition will be used. I do not propose to appoint a committee but the whole subject will continue to engage the attention of my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to state, by counties, the number of acres under the control of county agricultural committees at the latest available date.

Following are the figures:

ACREAGE COUNTIES IN ENGLAND AND WALES UNDER THE CONTROL OF OR BEING FARMED BY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES ON 1ST SEPTEMBER, 1949.
ENGLAND
County	Acreage
Bedford	3,498
Berks	2,780
Bucks	5,182
Cambridge	10,160
Cheshire	6,100
Cornwall	5,581
Cumberland	5,098
Derby	2,376
Devon	7,062
Dorset	4,022
Durham	3,161
Essex	35,144
Glos	9,872
Hants.	9,982
Hereford	4,002
Herts	7,152
Hunts. & Soke of Peterborough	7,333
Isle of Ely	1,942
Isle of Wight	317
Kent	16,590
Lancs.	2,833
Leics	5,786
Lincs.-Holland	366
Lincs.-Kesteven	2,977
Lincs.-Lindsey	8,318
Middlesex	3,511
Norfolk	13,327
Northants.	6,013
Northumberland	25,520
Notts.	8,092
Oxford	2,282
Rutland	5,148
Salop	4,004
Somerset	9,133
Staffs.	3,693
Suffolk (East)	9,952
Suffolk (West)	10,380
Surrey	11,015
Sussex (East)	8,357
Sussex (West)	10,504
Warwick	10,607
Westmorland	2,992
Wilts	6,323
Worcs.	4,483
Yorks. (E. Riding)	6,069
Yorks. (N. Riding)	6,271
Yorks. (W. Riding)	5,479

WALES
Anglesey	…	…	661
Brecon	…	…	295
Caernarvon	…	…	1,663
Cardigan	…	…	4,012
Carmarthen	…	…	8,611
Denbigh	…	…	3,587
Flint	…	…	611
Glamorgan	…	…	1,215
Merioneth	…	…	1,554
Monmouth	…	…	2,045
Montgomery	…	…	3,884
Pembroke	…	…	4,639
Radnor	…	…	1,574
TOTAL ACREAGE	…	…	375,140

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the general policy of the county agricultural executive committees regarding, tilling, threshing and baling, when farmers and contractors have the means and are available to carry out this work themselves.

County agricultural executive committees have been instructed that their agricultural machinery services, including those mentioned, should be confined to work which cannot be done in any other way.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is now in a position to make a further statement on the future of the Plas Dinam Agricultural Training Centre.

This temporary centre has now ceased to be used for agricultural training as the numbers coming forward for institutional training under the Vocational Training Scheme no longer warrant its retention.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that manufacturers of rotary hoes cannot promise delivery to market gardeners in this country even in nine months; and, in view of the necessity of growing more food in the United Kingdom, what steps he is taking to arrange that the necessary tools are made available to the producers.

There are rotary hoes which can be obtained within some two to three months, but I assume that the hon. and gallant Member refers to a particular type which has only recently gone into production. This machine has attracted a great deal of interest, and there is consequently a considerable volume of orders to be met. My Department has given every assistance to the manufacturers, who are arranging to increase production as rapidly as possible. The delivery time should be considerably shortened as production gets into its stride.

asked the Minister of Agriculture in how many cases during the past year the Forestry Commission have used their powers of compulsory purchase; and what acreage they have thus acquired.

During the past year the Forestry Commission has started procedure to purchase, under its compulsory powers, three small areas totalling just under six acres. Two of these areas are for housing and the third is a route for extracting timber. None of these purchases has yet been completed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the devaluation of the pound, what additional amount of sterling will be required to repay the American loan granted in 1946.

£475 million if the present rate of exchange remains unaltered.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the payment will be made of principal and interest on the loan given to Britain in 1946 by the United States of America, the first repayment of which falls due in 1952, the same year as Marshall Aid ends, which amounts to approximately £40 million at the pre-valuation rate of exchange, and is in excess of the indicated exports to the United States of America in 1949.

This, like other payments, can be made only by increasing our dollar earnings and reducing our dollar expenditure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what proportion it is calculated exports to hard currency areas must increase respectively, to yield the same amount of dollars as were obtained prior to the devaluation of the pound; to achieve the dollar earnings aimed at in the targets set in the most recent White Paper, and to close the present dollar gap of £600 million per annum.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade said on 28th September.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the effect of the devaluation of the pound, if it is proposed to maintain the recently announced 25 per cent. cut in dollar imports.

Devaluation in no way alters the decision of the Government to reduce the level of dollar imports.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he proposes to increase the daily business man's allowance when visiting the United States of America to offset the reduction in the present rate caused by the devaluation of the pound sterling.

Yes. The daily business man's allowance for the United States of America has been increased in the light of the new dollar/sterling exchange rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the fall in the value of Government securities, namely, 2½ per cent. Treasury stock issued in October, 1946, at par and now standing around 70 per cent. he proposes to reintroduce the 1939 system of minimum prices for Government securities.

No.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury whether he has now any announcement to make regarding acceptance of a scheme to limit losses occasioned to retail traders where Purchase Tax is reduced or abolished.

Discussions have taken place between the Customs and Excise Department on the one hand and the representatives of retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers on the other. These discussions have shown that over the greater part of the field the arrangements necessary for a rebate of tax would be excessively complicated, and would involve an inordinate amount of work for all concerned. Even when the task had been undertaken, the results would bear no precise relation to the circumstances of individual traders, and would give rise to many inequalities and complaints. There is, however, a limited field in which there seems to be a better chance of finding a practical solution. The possibilities, as well as the justification for a rebate, are in my view to be found in this limited field. My right hon. Friend will await the outcome of further discussions before coming to any final decision.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has received a report from the Committee inquiring into Local Government Manpower; and what proposals are being considered.

I understand that the Committee has completed the first stage of its discussions and is now preparing an interim report.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is now the total amount of money in the Post Office Savings Bank, the Trustee Savings Bank and in National Savings Certificates in respect of which the legal owners are unknown; and what it is proposed to do with this money.

The figures are not available and it would require a quite disproportionate amount of work to obtain them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number and aggregate sum, from 1st October, 1948, to date, of capital issues approved under the Borrowing (Control and Guarantees) Act, 1946, of other capital issues and of offers for sale to the public effected within the scope of the Stock Exchange Regulations; and whether he will give particular totals in respect of each of the above categories, showing the number and sums involved for the capital goods industries, consumer goods industries and services excluding the entertainment industries, and the entertainment industries, respectively.

Following is the answer:

CAPITAL ISSUES CONSENTED TO BY THE TREASURY DURING THE 12 MONTHS 1ST OCT., 1948–30TH SEPT., 1949
—	No. of cases	Approximate Totals
		£
Capital goods industries	90	40,226,000
Consumer goods industries and services (excluding entertainments, etc.)	95	49,329,000
Entertainments (film industry, etc.)	20	5,279,000
Other (including Public Utilities, Land and Property, and Miscellaneous)	189	48,646,000
	394	143,480,000

1. Figures are, so far as possible, for issues involving new money.2. The above figures exclude issues by overseas companies and Governments and by local authorities.3. The figures are not available in respect of other capital issues and offers for sale to the public effected within the scope of the Stock Exchange Regulations.

asked the Minister of Health, why a subsistence allowance for food and lodging, similar to that paid by the Ministry of Pensions in the case of a disabled ex-Service man, is not payable under the National Health Service scheme to a person who is required to travel a long distance to Roehampton for the fitting of an artificial limb.

I have no power to pay subsistence allowances, but Roehampton and the other limb-fitting centres can provide accommodation without charge if an overnight stay is necessary.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that some opticians are insisting that every person supplied with a pair of spectacles under the National Health Scheme should take a spectacle case whether he requires one or not; and if he will take steps to end this waste of public funds.

The obligations of opticians taking part in the Supplementary Ophthalmic Service include a condition that spectacle cases are to be supplied only when the optician is satisfied that the person to be supplied with glasses has no other suitable and usable case. If my hon. Friend has any evidence of failure to comply with this condition, I shall be happy to look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements are now in force for recovering the cost of repairs of Medresco hearing aids from patients; and whether he will publish the schedule of charges.

The arrangements are governed by the National Health Service (Charges for Appliances) Regulations and the National Health Service (Functions of Regional Hospital Boards, etc.) Regulations. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No."

asked the Minister of Health if the supply of aids to hearing for Swindon will meet the demand in the near future.

I do not know what the ultimate demands of the country will be, and that necessarily includes Swindon. The rate of distribution of hearing aids is steadily increasing.

asked the Minister of Health what estimate has been made of the financial loss occasioned to the National Health Service by virtue of the wilful abuse of the scheme; and what is the sum involved.

Clearly no such estimate is practicable.

asked the Minister of Health what are the present arrangements for the remuneration of dental radiographers under the National Health Scheme; and whether he is satisfied that these arrangements are adequate to ensure the continued development of this service.

Dental radiographers employed in hospitals are paid according to the national salary scales for radiographers generally. In the general dental services a dentist who accepts a patient normally either takes necessary radiographs himself or arranges for them to be taken by another dentist or doctor; he is paid in accordance with the prescribed scale of fees. I am not aware of any special difficulty in this matter.

asked the Minister of Health why he has refused the assistance of the Medical Defence Union to doctors who are accused before the Medical Services Committee of professional negligence; and whether he will withdraw this prohibition.

The Regulations permit a party to an investigation by any service committee of an executive council to be assisted in the presentation of his case by some other person, provided that no person shall be entitled, in the capacity of counsel, solicitor or other paid advocate, to conduct the case for any party by addressing the committee or examining witnesses. I see no reason to alter these arrangements.

asked the Minister of Health how many beds in England and Wales are available for tuberculous patients; how this figure compares with the relative figure for 1938; and what is at present the average length of time which patients have to wait before being admitted to a sanatorium.

About 28,000 are now available; the 1938 figure is not known. Waiting time varies so widely according to individual circumstances that no average figure would have any significance.

asked the Minister of Health what is the estimated number of tuberculous diabetics in England and Wales; and how many of them are having sanatorium treatment.

I am afraid there is no useful estimate available, and case-figures would be particularly difficult to get.

asked the Minister of Health how many trained specialists have been dismissed from hospitals during the last year; how many of these are unable to obtain employment; and, in view of the public need of the skill of these specialists, what steps is he taking to secure them proper and useful employment.

Although the re-organisation of services has inevitably involved reduced duties for a few part-time specialists, I am not aware of any dismissals from the service. My officers take up individual cases of this kind with hospital boards to ensure as full employment as possible, and advertisements of appointments appear weekly in the professional journals.

asked the Minister of Health what progress is being made towards the conversion of the huts at Seighford Camp, near Stafford, for temporary housing purposes.

Plans for the conversions have now been agreed and the local authority are about to submit them for my formal approval. They are advertising for tenders for the work.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities have sought an assurance from his Department that they will receive an adjustment of the £8 a year maintenance allowance for prefabricated houses so as to make up for the extra cost caused by faulty workmanship and electrical defects.

No separate record of these applications is kept. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to the financial terms upon which these houses were provided, as set out in Appendix IV to the Memorandum on Temporary Accommodation, of which I am sending him a copy. It will be seen that a local authority would not be entitled to an adjustment merely on the ground that maintenance costs in excess of £8 a house are incurred in any one year.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the conditions under which families are living at Ufford, Suffolk, in temporary hutment accommodation; and if he will take steps to increase the building of houses to supply the serious shortage in this locality.

The hutments have been specially converted into family accommodation by the local authority and I have had no suggestion that the results are unsatisfactory. The rural district council have already built houses at Ufford and the question of further building there is a matter primarily for them.

asked the Minister of Health what local authorities have made provision for the housing and care of young crippled persons who have completed their schooling at Shaftesbury or similar homes.

Residential accommodation for persons in need of care and attention not otherwise available to them is provided under the National Assistance Act by local authorities in homes managed by themselves or by voluntary organisations. I am not aware that any local authority has established a home for cripples. My Advisory Council is considering what guidance might be given to local authorities on the welfare of handicapped persons generally. Meanwhile my regional welfare officers will give what help they can in individual cases.

asked the Minister of Health what was the total number of reported food poisoning cases in each of the years 1945 to 1948 as compared with 1935 to 1938.

I have no information as to the number of persons affected in each of these years. The following figures relate to the number of outbreaks reported: In the years from 1935 to 1938: 137, 82, 94 and 156 respectively, and in 1945 to 1948: 422, 598, 765 and 964.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of poliomyelitis have been reported from London rest centres; how many children have died; and whether he is satisfied that the conditions do not contribute to the spread of this disease.

My information is that there have been six such cases. None has died. Doctors do not yet know what causes the disease.

asked the Minister of Health what is the annual cost of the Ministry of Health Institution at Chailey; and if he will give the number of the staff; their salaries; and the amount of their house and other allowances, respectively.

There are two Ministry of Health institutions at Chailey—(1) Pouchlands Hospital, formerly an East Sussex County Council Public Assistance Institution.Annual net maintenance cost (revised estimate 1949–50)—£34,600. Of which: Salaries and wages, £17,990; Emoluments of staff, £1,900.Number of staff—65.Note: 4,500 of the above total cost is to be recovered from the East Sussex County Council in respect of accommodation provided under the National Assistance Act, 1948.(2) Heritage Craft Schools and Hospitals, Chailey—Annual net maintenance cost (revised estimate 1949–50)—£77,390. Of which: Salaries and wages, £40,160; Emoluments of staff, £4,880.Number of staff—183.These figures relate to the hospitals only and exclude the cost and staffing of the educational services.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now make a statement on the future of Alcester House, Shaftesbury, about which the hon. Member for North Dorset wrote to him on 26th September, and give an assurance that this home for old people will not be closed down.

Alcester House is old and antiquated. Neither the Dorset County Council nor the Regional Hospital Board think it suitable for the accommodation of aged and infirm or sick persons, and I share this opinion. Both are doing their best to meet the convenience of residents or patients and their friends or relatives in moving them elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that although a sewerage system was installed some years ago at Laxfield, Suffolk, hardly any houses are connected to the system; and what steps he proposes to improve the present position.

I understand that 29 houses in the parish are already connected to the public sewer, and that 86 more could be connected if the owners so desired. The local authority have power to require the necessary works to be carried out if they consider the present drainage arrangements unsatisfactory.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement in connection with the Metropolitan Water Board's recent decision on the Enborne Valley Reservoir project, in view of the continuing uncertainty for the local people.

I cannot at present add to the statement which has been issued by the Board.

asked the Minister of Health when the parish of East Hoathly, Sussex, may expect to get a piped water supply, for which they have for some time past been paying the rate.

There are no local sources available for a piped supply to East Hoathly, and the Rural District Council of Hailsham are, therefore, negotiating with other undertakers for supplies to this and other parishes. I hope that schemes for supplying these parishes will soon be submitted to me, but I cannot forecast when they will be completed.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he has considered the details which have been sent to him about Miss Hilda Jeune Bishop, of 78, The Avenue, West Wickham, who complains of the difficulty of obtaining an artificial leg and the ensuing hardship; and if he will make a statement.

I have had inquiries made and have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that many retired teachers find it difficult to live on their pensions which were fixed at a time when the cost of living was so much less than it is today; and whether he will take immediate steps to have pensions paid monthly instead of quarterly so that one unnecessary hardship can be relieved.

Representations on this subject have been made to me from time to time but I regret that I cannot arrange for teachers' pensions to be paid monthly instead of quarterly, as this would involve increases in the use of manpower and the cost of administration which could not be justified in present circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the acreage of farm land of which possession was taken by his Department on grounds of bad husbandry; and the numbers of farmers dispossessed in each year from 1939 onwards.

The acreage of land of which possession was taken under Defence Regulations in the years 1939 to 1948, on the grounds of bad husbandry, was as follows:

Year		Arable and grass	Deer forests and sheep farms	Total
		Acres	Acres	Acres
1939	…	—	—	—
1940	…	5,164	134,678	139,842
1941	…	3,754	19,015	22,769
1942	…	1,659	8,000	9,659
1943	…	2,213	89,100	91,313
1944	…	11,188	—	11,188
1945	…	250	—	250
1946	…	38	—	38
1947	…	270	—	270
1948	…	—	—	—
		24,536	250,793	275,329

The number of farmers dispossessed is given below. (Dispossession took the form of requisition in the case of owner-occupiers, and termination of tenancy in the case of tenant farmers. Figures for both groups are shown separately.)

Year		Dispossession by requisition	Dispossession by termination of tenancy	Total
		No.	No.	No.
1939	…	—	1	1
1940	…	19	20	39
1941	…	31	24	55
1942	…	15	14	29
1943	…	14	7	21
1944	…	10	6	16
1945	…	4	2	6
1946	…	1	4	5
1947	…	1	2	3
1948	…	—	1	1
		95	81	176

asked the Minister of Food whether it is intended that the Sugar Industry Act, 1942, the life of which was prolonged by the Emergency Laws (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1947, to 10th December, 1950, shall lapse at that date and that the provisions of the Sugar Industry (Re-organisation) Act, 1936, should again have full effect as was the case until 1942; and, if not, whether arrangements can be made to set up a committee to survey all questions relating to the future of the sugar industry in Great Britain, so that all relevant considerations may be carefully considered before any changes are made.

My right hon. Friend is not in a position to make any announcement at the present time. I can assure the hon. Member, however, that the consideration he has in mind will not be overlooked.

asked the Minister of Food if he will consider the restriction of the imports of apples and pears from foreign countries, as there is a large crop of these fruits here which are unsaleable owing to imports from outside the United Kingdom.

Imports of apples so far this season have been negligible and can have had no influence whatever on the marketing of the home crop. As regards pears, our own production is by no means sufficient to meet the demand and to restrict imports would be unfair to the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what agreements exist between His Majesty's Government, Canada and the United States of America for the use and development of the atom bomb; when they were made and for what periods.

Co-operation between the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States on atomic energy development is not regulated by formal agreements but by arrangements made from time to time by the Combined Policy Committee, which was set up in 1943 by the three Governments and which meets periodically in Washington.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement regarding information received from the Icelandic Government terminating the Anglo-Danish Convention of 1901.

On 3rd October, the Icelandic Foreign Minister addressed a note to His Majesty's Minister at Reykjavik giving notice of the termination of the Anglo-Danish Fisheries Convention of 1901 in accordance with Article 39. Under the provisions of that Article such notice becomes effective two years from the date on which it is given, and the Icelandic Government have indicated their desire during this period to reach an agreement more in conformity with Icelandic interests. His Majesty's Government for their part hope that a satisfactory arrangement can be arrived at in these next two years.

asked the Minister of Education if he has considered the resolution carried at the annual meeting of the British Dental Association expressing concern at the increase of oral sepsis and suffering amongst school children and the detrimental effect it is having on the general health of school children; and what action he is taking to improve the facilities for dental treatment among school children.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today to the hon. Members for Sutton Cold-field (Sir J. Mellor) and Mile End (Mr. Piratin).

asked the Minister of Education if he will inquire into the case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a graduate teacher of London University who in 1941 was directed by the Ministry of Labour to take a reserved post for the duration in the Ministry of Supply, which prevented her from joining the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, as she applied to do in 1942, and who has now been informed that she will not be eligible for teacher's superannuation since 1941, as her service with the Ministry of Supply is not regarded as war service in the same way that service with the Women's Forces would have been.

As this case is rather complicated I have arranged for the hon. Member to receive a full explanation of it by letter.

asked the Minister of Education how many cases of malnutrition among Lancashire school children were diagnosed during the latest convenient period; and what were the comparable figures for each year between 1919 and 1939.

In 1947, under the broad assessments of nutrition made at routine medical inspections, 3.83 per cent. of the 57,074 children inspected were classified as "Poor," the remainder being "Fair" or "Good." In 1938, under a different classification, the nutrition of 8.3 per cent. of the 35,984 children inspected was classified as "Slightly Subnormal" and of 0.42 per cent. as "Bad." I have no separate figures for Lancashire before 1938.

asked the Minister of Education to what extent the design adopted for the prefabricated school buildings and approved by him follows the pattern furnished by the Ministry of Works.

I am not clear to which prefabricated buildings the hon. Member refers. Except for standard hutting, which is not generally appropriate for permanent school building, no pattern has been furnished by the Ministry of Works.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the latest available unemployment figures shown as a percentage of insured workers in Rawtenstall, Haslingden, Bacup and Ramsbottom respectively; and what were the comparable figures for each of these towns for each year between 1919 and 1939.

The following table gives the information desired, so far as it is available.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will supply the figures of unemployment in Southampton, classified into categories of trades and occupations for the nearest convenient date together with the comparable figures for 1948.

Industry	13th September, 1948			12th September, 1949
	Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Shipbuilding and Ship-Repairing	154	3	157	1,049	5	1,054
Manufacture and Repair of Aircraft	55	15	70	37	7	44
Building and Civil Engineering Contracting	124	1	125	159	3	162
Sea Transport	140	—	140	128	2	130
Distributive Trades	106	40	146	72	72	144
National Government Service	34	5	39	30	12	42
Catering, Hotels, etc.	51	81	132	53	127	180
All other Industries and Services	450	162	612	359	331	690
Total—All Industries and Services	1,114	307	1,421	1,887	559	2,446

The table below gives an industrial analysis of the numbers of persons registered as unemployed at employment exchanges in Southampton at 13th September, 1948 and 12th September, 1949.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in connection with the National Service Hostels Corporation, Limited, he will reconsider the proposals to increase by 5s. a week the present hostel charges, in view of the hardship imposed on a number of residents who make use of the hostels; and if, in view of the losses which have been incurred, he will have an inquiry into the cost of administration with a view to effecting economies and to rendering unnecessary the 5s. increase per week.

No increase is proposed in the present charges in the industrial hostels run by the National Service Hostels Corporation on behalf of the Ministry of Labour. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of frequent attacks by greyhounds on other animals in public places, he will introduce amending legislation to enable local authorities to make by-laws for the muzzling and control of greyhounds.

On the information before me I have not sufficient evidence to show that the existing law relating to dogs which are dangerous and not kept under proper control is inadequate.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the gross tonnage of all British registered shipping afloat which is 15 years old, 20 years old and over 20 years old; and what was the gross tonnage output of new ships from all British yards for 1946, 1947 and 1948, and the total number of workers employed for each of these years.

At the end of 1948 the United Kingdom tonnage of vessels of 500 gross tons and over amounted to 16.0 million gross tons; of this 1.3 million gross tons was of 15 and under 20 years, and 3.9 million gross tons was 20 years old and over. The gross tonnages of new merchant ships of 100 gross tons and over completed in United Kingdom yards in 1946, 1947 and 1948 and the corresponding number of workers employed on merchant ship construction in June of these three years were as follows:

Year		Gross Tons	Number of Workers
1946	…	986,709	63,300
1947	…	948,847	68,100
1948	…	1,220,884	72,500

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether His Majesty's Government will introduce legislation at an early date to enact that sentence of death, in any case where a jury finds a verdict of guilty of murder, shall be postponed until the Home Secretary has had an opportunity of deciding whether the case is one in which His Majesty should be advised to exercise the prerogative of mercy.

The course suggested by my hon. and learned Friend would give rise to a number of practical difficulties; but in any event I would not feel justified in proposing legislation on a question of this kind until the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment has reported.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has inquired into the circumstances in which about 100 persons assaulted with bottles and other weapons members of the audience at a meeting at the Shore-ditch town hall on 26th September, convened to obtain support for Greek refugees; and, in view of the proximity of the Shoreditch police station to the Shoreditch town hall, how it was that these assaults could take place; and whether he can now make a statement.

No information of any kind was received by the police either from the organisers of the meeting or the town hall authorities that a meeting was going to be held with the result that no police arrangements could be made in advance. I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that complaints of one or two minor incidents—not in the vicinity of the police station—have been received, but that the police have no evidence that assaults took place either inside or outside the town hall on this occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of cases of appendectomy undertaken at the Belize Hospital, British Honduras; and the number of deaths during the 12 months up to the most recent convenient date.

In the year ending 30th September, 1949, 81 cases of appendectomy were undertaken at Belize Hospital. Death occurred in three of these cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements have been made for the African population to vote in the plebiscite to be held in the two Rhodesias and Nyasaland on the question of a Central African Federation.

No proposals arising out of the unofficial conference at Victoria Falls have been submitted to His Majesty's Government in regard to the federation of the Central African territories: in particular, no proposals have been received for an official referendum on the matter to be held. The question does not therefore arise, but I may repeat that, as I stated in the House on 23rd February, His Majesty's Government have a special responsibility to the African communities and full account would have to be taken of African opinion before any constitutional change affecting African interests could be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) when the Chief Commissioner of the Eastern Provinces of Nigeria last visited the headquarters station of each of the six Provinces under his control;(2) when the Chief Commissioner of the Western Provinces of Nigeria last visited the headquarters station of each of the six Provinces under his control.(3) when the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Provinces of Nigeria last visited the headquarters station of each of the 12 Provinces under his control.

I have asked the Governor for the information and will write to the hon. Member when I receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the recent negotiations between His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and the Government of Malta regarding financial assistance to Malta.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 19th October to the hon. and gallant Member for Chelsea (Commander Noble).

asked the Minister of Defence when it is proposed to raise the bounty of the Auxiliary Forces from £12 to £20.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member on 26th January.