asked the Minister of Education the pupil-teacher ratio in secondary modern schools, local education authority maintained grammar schools, direct grant grammar schools and independent schools, respectively.

Provisional figures for January, 1949, the latest date for which figures are available, show that for each full-time teacher there were 23.9 pupils in secondary modern schools; 19.4 pupils in maintained and assisted secondary grammar schools, 19.6 pupils in direct grant grammar schools, and 13.3 pupils in independent primary and secondary schools recognised by me as efficient.

asked the Minister of Education, the number of primary school classes containing between 30 and 40, 40 and 50, 50 and 60, and over 60 children, respectively.

Provisional figures for January, 1949, show that in maintained and assisted primary schools (other than nursery or special schools) there were 42,266 classes with 31 to 40 pupils, 31,328 classes with 41 to 50, 1,640 with 51 to 60, and 37 with over 60.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the conditions at present existing at Red House, Bulcamp, that the sanitation is inadequate, the bathrooms are in a deplorable condition and elderly patients have to sleep in beds which are placed beside outside doors; and what steps he is prepared to take to improve these conditions.

I am aware that accommodation at Red House, Bulcamp, is unsatisfactory. I am examining the Regional Hospital Board's proposal to purchase other accommodation.

asked the Minister of Health whether the funds forming the endowment of the Sanderson-Wells Nurses Prize Fund, Weymouth and District Hospital, still exist as a unit; what is the income from this fund; and what use is being made of the money, in view of the fact that it was given to help nurses to undertake courses which they otherwise could not do.

The Sanderson-Wells Nurses Prize Fund does not still exist as a separate unit. Under the provisions of subsection (4) of Section 7 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, it was transferred free of trust, in common with all other similar funds, to the central Hospital Endowments Fund set up under the Act. In accordance with the provisions of subsection (7) of Section 7 of the Act I have asked hospital authorities to secure so far as is reasonably practicable that in administering payments distributed to them out of the income from this central fund the objects of former endowments shall not be prejudiced and that the memory of the gifts shall be kept alive. In particular, I have asked the West Dorset Hospital Management Committee to have regard to the objects of the Sanderson-Wells Nurses Prize Fund in administering the sums received from time to time from the central fund.

asked the Minister of Health what steps have been taken to add the many good medical teaching films, already in existence, to the Central Film Library, in view of the fact that there is a great demand for these films, which the existing supply in the library is unable to meet.

The Central Office of Information acquires and holds medical films, at the request of my Department, suitable either for the education of the general public or for showing to specialist audiences, including medical graduates and nurses. It is not, however, the policy of my Department that the Central Film Library should hold films prepared primarily for use in undergraduate medical schools. The library now holds 47 films on health subjects suitable for general showing, and 23 films suitable for medical, specialised and nursing audiences. So far during 1949, 12 new films have been acquired, or are in course of acquisition, for the health section of the library.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the present dry period is comparable to that in the year 1921 when water was being carted at Christmas; and what emergency steps he now proposes to prevent a repetition of the likely effects of a Yuletide drought in East Anglia.

I am aware that the rainfall during the Summer months of this year was comparable in many areas to that of 1921, but conditions at Christmas will depend on the rainfall during the next two months. I am prepared to consider any proposals by local authorities for emergency supplies if these should prove necessary. I have, in fact, already approved this year 28 temporary schemes for utilising existing sources in East Anglia at a total cost in excess of a quarter of a million pounds.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the condition of sanitation, housing and water supplies at Henniker Road, Bramford, Suffolk; and if he will take immediate emergency steps to have these conditions improved.

I am aware that conditions in the area referred to leave much to be desired. If the local authorities concerned, which, under the Public Health Acts, are the bodies primarily responsible for water supply and sanitation in their areas, have any emergency proposals to make, they will be given immediate consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when he intends to carry out works in conjunction with the other Departments responsible for the defence of Walberswick against the encroachment of the sea.

The responsibility for maintaining or executing any necessary works to the sea defences of Walberswick rests on the East Suffolk Rivers Catchment Board. My Department have been in touch with the Board on this matter with a view to ensuring that all necessary work is undertaken as early as possible. The cost of such work (apart from the maintenance) would be eligible for substantial grant aid from the Ministry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has now reviewed administrative salaries in the Women's Land Army; and if, in view of the criticisms of these salaries, particularly of those for county organisers, where applicants who must own cars are offered £250 to £300 per annum, he contemplates an early alteration in the salary scale.

I regret that no general increase in the salaries of the administrative staff of the Women's Land Army can be contemplated at present. No full-time member of the staff is receiving less than £300 per annum, and most of the organisers are receiving £350 per annum.

asked the Minister of Agriculture 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.

Under the Defence Regulations possession was taken on grounds of bad husbandry of 374,965 acres of land during the years 1940 to 1948. The precise number of farmers dispossessed is not available but the number of instances in which possession was taken of land (including unoccupied agricultural land and parts of holdings) or the occupier's tenancy was terminated, is given below:

asked the Minister of Food what is the price paid by British manufacturers of sweets for export for their glucose and sugar supplies as compared with the world price for these articles.

For their glucose the British manufacturers pay £57 11s. 8d. a ton ex-duty for general exports and £40 a ton ex-duty at present (as a result of a favourable purchase from a soft currency area) for exports to dollar and similar markets. For sugar they pay the ex-refinery price of £38 13s. 4d. a ton ex-duty. World prices do not exist for these commodities but I am satisfied that exports to hard currency areas are not penalised by these prices, which contain no subsidy element.