asked the Minister of National Insurance (1) if, in view of the number of cases in which maternity grant and attendance allowance is forfeited through not knowing how short is the period in which claims can be lodged, he will ensure that the forfeiture clauses are brought to public attention by individual notices issued when each birth is registered;(2) under what circumstances late claims for maternity grant and attendance allowance are admitted, and how he ensures that the rules are uniformly applied throughout the country.

The circumstances in which a late claim to maternity benefit is admissible are matters for the statutory authorities whose decisions are co-ordinated by the Commissioners appointed under the National Insurance Acts. As the hon. Member was informed in reply to a Question on 25th October, the time limits for claiming this benefit have recently been substantially extended. A leaflet describing the conditions for maternity benefit is given to every woman who applies for an expectant mother's ration book, and leaflets are also available at maternity clinics and my own offices. I do not think that there would be any advantage in also making them available through Registrars.

asked the Minister of National Insurance the total amount being paid in family allowances; and the total number receiving payment to the last available date.

It is estimated that £60¼ million will be paid in family allowances during the current financial year. At 30th September, 1949, there were approximately 2,900,000 families in receipt of allowances in respect of some 4,600,000 children.

asked the Minister of National Insurance what arrangements are made to ensure that the family allowance in respect of a child residing in a children's home is paid to the home and not drawn by a parent who has no financial responsibility for the child.

I have no power to pay a family allowance to a children's home or other institution. If a child enters a children's home it will be excluded from the family for allowance purposes at the end of four weeks unless the parent contributes at least 5s. a week towards its maintenance.

asked the Minister of National-Insurance what is the total number of former members of the Polish Resettlement Corps receiving grants from the National Assistance Board; how many of these are in hostels; and what scale of grants is paid to those in hostels and in private accommodation, respectively.

There are rather less than 1,000 unemployed Polish men former members of the Resettlement Corps in hostels administered by the National Assistance Board. Of these about 300 are disabled. They are provided with maintenance and 5s. a week pocket money by the Board with corresponding allowances for dependants. Poles not living in hostels who are in receipt of assistance are not distinguished from applicants for assistance generally but their number is small. They receive assistance at the ordinary rates approved by Parliament.

asked the Minister of National Insurance the number of persons in receipt of old age pensions four years after the end of World War 1, and the number receiving old age pensions four years after World War 2, together with the total amount in pounds paid out for each period.

In Great Britain, during 1922, there were 870,000 persons in receipt of non-contributory pensions at an annual cost of £22 millions. Contributory old age pensions did not start until 1926. There are now about 4,120,000 persons in receipt of contributory retirement and old age pensions at an estimated cost of £253 millions, and 420,000 persons in receipt of noncontributory old age pensions at an estimated annual cost of £27 millions.

asked the Minister of National Insurance to what extent his regulations permit of the award of death grants on account of stillbirths.

The payment of death grant in respect of a stillbirth depends on the interpretation of the National Insurance Act itself. This is a matter for the statutory authorities.

asked the Minister of National Insurance what is the total number of civil servants at his Department, and, of those, how many are employed in the Blackpool offices; and the numbers of established and non-established civil servants separately.

The total staff employed on 1st October, 1949, was 36,678, made up of 21,518 established and 15,160 unestablished officers. Of 2,221 employed in the Central Pensions Branch at Blackpool, 873 were established and 1,348 unestablished.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to enable the staffs employed at the Carstairs State Institution to defer exercising any options regarding pay and conditions until the Prison Officers' Association, of which many of them are members, have received a reply from the Ministry of Health to certain submissions made to that Department by deputation on 13th September in respect of the conditions of staffs employed at the Broad-moor Institution which are directly related to certain proposed revisions of pay and conditions of the staffs at Carstairs.

All but three of the 19 officers concerned have already indicated their willingness to accept a recent offer of pay and conditions based on those agreed by the appropriate Whitley Council for mental nurses in the Health Service. No time limit has been set for the formal exercise of any option, but circumstances at Carstairs are not parallel to those at Broadmoor and I see no reason for delay on account of the discussions to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will present a return showing the total number of electors on the register now in force in each Parliamentary constituency and in each local government area in Scotland; and the number of women on each register.

Particulars as to the number of electors in each Parliamentary constituency and in each local government area in Scotland will be published by the Registrar-General in his annual report. Meanwhile I hope, as an exceptional measure, to publish at an early date figures of the total electorate and of the number of service voters in each Parliamentary constituency. I regret that it is not practicable to give separate figures for women.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the decision of the Western Regional Hospital Board to increase the salaries of certain members of the medical staff and in some cases by more than 100 per cent.; and does he intend taking the necessary action to prevent new scales operating at the present time.

The Western Regional Hospital Board have taken no such decision. They have recently made contracts with the doctors working in their hospitals providing for payment in accordance with the nationally agreed scales. These scales were settled by agreement between the Government and the medical profession last June and are based on the recommendations of the Spens Report which was published and accepted by the Government in principle in June, 1948. All hospital authorities in the National Health Service have to observe these nationally agreed scales and no regional hospital board has any discretion in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the investigations that are being made into a scheme for the provision of pensions to the widows of teachers.

No. The provisions of such a scheme will require to be carefully considered in the light of the actuarial inquiry now being made into the position of the existing Teachers' Superannuation Scheme. The results of this inquiry cannot be expected for some time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide particulars showing the amount of capital expenditure since the end of the war or since acquisition, whichever is appropriate, incurred by the Government in respect of each industry or service now owned and controlled by the nation.

Capital advances from the Exchequer to the socialised industries have amounted (net) to £33,085,000 to the National Coal Board, £30,153,000 to the Raw Cotton Commission, £28,650,000 to the Overseas Food Corporation and £2,610,000 to the Colonial Development Corporation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in view of the importance of the tourist industry, he is prepared to abolish Purchase Tax on furniture and furnishings for use in hotels.

It is not possible to give special privileges to particular users of taxable goods.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if his attention has been called to the fact that funeral-following cars costing over £1,000 have to pay Purchase Tax at the rate of 66⅔ per cent., which has an adverse effect upon the cost of funerals of all types; and whether he will make a special arrangement that funeral-following cars should pay the reduced tax of 33⅓ per cent. where they are used solely for funerals.

As has frequently been stated, it would not be possible to give special privileges to particular users of taxable goods.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether when exemptions from Entertainment Tax are granted to non-profit making theatre companies, any tests are applied as to the merits of the play concerned.

As the then Chancellor of the Exchequer explained when this exemption was introduced, the test is, not the educational merit of a particular play, but whether the body which provides the entertainment is non-profit-making and has educational aims and activities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has sanctioned the transmission to France of funds up to the amount of £50,000 subscribed to enable a French film producer to make a religious film.

Because my right hon. and learned Friend judged on financial grounds that it was in the national interest to do so.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide particulars of the amount of Government aid since the end of the war to date, or to date of acquisition in the case of industries or services placed under national control since the end of the war, granted to each industry or service conducted under private ownership, distinguishing between loans, grants, direct investment and subsidies.

I append to this reply tables giving the relevant figures for aid to privately-owned industries. The first table, for subsidies or grants, brings up to date the table circulated by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary in reply to the hon. Member for Abertillery (Mr. Daggar) on 2nd November, 1948;

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Gurkha officers and other ranks serving in the British Army in Malaya have to pay British Income Tax on their Army pay; and under what authority tax deductions are made from their pay.

These Gurkhas are members of the British Army and, as such, are liable to United Kingdom Income Tax on their Service pay wherever they are serving. Tax is deducted from their pay under the Pay-As-You-Earn system which was extended to the Armed Forces by Section 30 (3), Finance Act, 1946.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action has been taken by His Majesty's Government to stop illegal sterling transactions in Tangier, which cause losses of gold and dollars to this country.

Prior to the recent change in the exchange rate, which has taken much of the profit out of these transactions, Tangier had been excluded from the list of countries among which sterling is freely transferable. All payments of sterling to Tangier from other countries, therefore, require the approval of the United Kingdom Exchange Control and none is allowed except for genuine merchanting trade. In addition a close watch is kept on exports from this country consigned to Tangier.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of gold and hard currency granted to Egypt by His Majesty's Government since the end of the war in Europe to the latest convenient date as a result of releases of Egyptian sterling balances.

There is nothing to add to the information given to the hon. and gallant Member on 22nd February and 5th April of this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state, following devaluation, the anticipated loss of dollars to the sterling area pool in the present financial year arising from reduced receipts for the sale of raw materials to the United States of America.

These expectations depend on the course of prices and of business activity in the U.S.A., and no useful purpose would be served by attempting to give such estimates to the House.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if, in order to encourage more saving, he will increase the rate of interest on Saving Certificates and Defence Bonds.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to a question by the hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir J. Mellor) on 25th October, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount spent by each Government Department on public poster advertising for the past 12 months.

The following are the amounts spent on public poster advertising by or on behalf of Government Departments during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1949.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases the Capital Issues Committee have approved the issue of bonus shares and such issue has not yet been made; and what amount is involved.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications to the Capital Issues Committee for the issue of bonus shares were awaiting the approval of the Committee when the ban was re-imposed; and what was the amount involved.

Thirty-four, amounting to £9½ million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an assurance that the postponement of the salary increases recommended by the Chorley Committee for the higher Civil Service in no way alters the policy of His Majesty's Government concerning the fixing of Civil Service pay generally by reference to the principles laid down in the report of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service, 1929–31.

Yes.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that ex-Service men and women, including persons disabled as a result of war service, are now being discharged from temporary posts in the Civil Service on grounds of redundancy, whilst other temporary employees without service in the Forces are being retained; and if he will arrange for an alteration to the rules governing discharge on account of redundancy contained in Treasury Circular No. 14/45.

The discharge of redundant temporary staff is governed by National Whitley Council agreements under which special provision is made for ex-Service and severely disabled men and women. I do not think these agreements require revision.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the studies by the Executive Secretary of the Trade Committee of the Economic Commission for Europe, relating to methods of expanding trade between East and West Europe, which were remitted to the Secretary in February of this year, have now been completed and considered by the Trade Committee; and if he will make a statement.

His Majesty's Government have been informed by the Secretariat that these studies have not yet been completed. They are accordingly not yet available for consideration by the Committee on Development of Trade and we are not therefore in a position to make any statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to make a statement on the resumed negotiations between the United Kingdom and Hungary for a trade and financial agreement.

I think the two Governments are nearer a reconciliation of their respective points of view, but it is too early yet to make any statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the result of the request of his Department to those in control of the nationalised industries to place orders for materials and stores required by them with the firms in those areas which are able to meet those requirements.

The nationalised industries received most sympathetically the request to which reference was made in the answer to a Question on the same subject given to my hon. Friend on 27th July. There is every reason to expect that they will do all they can to assist and that, subject to the point that, in all respects contracts must be awarded on a competitive basis, worthwhile results will be achieved.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the effect of the reductions in capital investment on factory construction and expansion in the Development Areas.

I do not anticipate that factory construction which has already started will be affected but it is not practicable to estimate precisely the effect on future applications for factories in Development Areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the persons employed at the Grenfell factory, Aberbargoed, Monmouthshire, have been given notice and the place closed; and what is the reason for this and also the possibilities of its restarting.

Yes. I am aware that production in this factory has unfortunately ceased and most of the persons employed have been given notice. The occupiers have informed me that they have finally taken this decision in view of the leaking of rain through the roof and because they consider the heating boiler equipment to be inadequate. I am in touch with the firm but am not in a position today to comment on the possibilities of the factory restarting.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the results of the inquiries of the Central Price Regulation Committee into the increases in the prices of toys have produced information which will involve a re-imposition of price control by him.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he anticipates that the official inquiry into the price of toys will issue their report before Christmas.

The Central Price Regulation Committee have not yet completed their inquiries, but we expect to receive a report from them on this subject by the middle of November.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer to the Monopolies Commission the activities of the Yarn Spinners' Association in fixing minimum prices since the removal of price control by his Department.

The Yarn Spinners' Association price arrangements appear to be of a kind to which the provisions of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Enquiry and Control) Act, 1948, may apply. We have not received any request that the goods covered by these arrangements should be referred to the Monopolies Commission. The Commission are fully occupied for the time being on the cases already referred to them, and I cannot anticipate the choice of subjects for future references.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the considerable margin that exists between the inclusive cost to the Government of purchase of imported timber and the sale price of this timber to the trade, he will consider a reduction of this margin on condition that the trade passes it on to the consumer.

The Government's selling price policy on timber is to make neither profit nor loss over a period of trading; and the margin between our buying and selling prices is no greater than follows from this policy. We have constantly in mind the desirability of reducing timber prices whenever we are satisfied that this can be done without danger of loss to the taxpayer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the considerable demand in the United States of America for high-quality British crockery but that, owing to the long delivery dates, this market is being largely lost; and whether he will take steps to see what can be done to remedy this matter.

I am well aware of the great demand in the United States— and in Canada, too—for high quality British pottery and of the difficulties caused by protracted deliveries. These are due to the impracticability of increasing quickly enough production of the special types of ware which the North American market demands. My right hon. Friend mentioned in a reply which he gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke (Mr. Ellis Smith) on 25th October, some of the steps which are being taken to help manufacturers to increase their production for export. Wherever possible, as in the allocation of scarce resources, preference is given to manufacturers with potentially large dollar exports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent currency restrictions are hampering Oldham textile machinery makers in their efforts to sell their products abroad; and which countries are restricting import licences on British-produced textile machinery.

It is not possible for me to say within the limits of an answer to a Parliamentary Question to what extent currency restrictions are hampering the export of textile machinery from the United Kingdom. With regard to the second part of the Question, although, with certain exceptions listed below, textile machinery may appear to be covered by import controls in the Commonwealth, all European countries, the Middle East and some South American and Far Eastern countries, these controls are not always and everywhere operated restrictively against the United Kingdom, notably in Canada and New Zealand.No import licences are required for this machinery in Australia, the Colonies, the United States, Belgium, Switzerland, Egypt, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, Cuba and a number of other countries, some of which however are unlikely to be buyers of textile machinery.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action the Government proposes to take in accordance with the recommendations of the Report of the Resale Price Maintenance Committee.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Elland (Mr. Cobb) on 2nd June. I said then that I should invite the principal trade organisations to consider the most satisfactory means of ensuring that resale price maintenance by individual producers should not injure the interests of the consumer. I have now discussed the matter with representatives of the Federation of British Industries and of the National Union of Manufacturers. They have told me that the Federation and the National Union feel unable to give any general guidance on this matter to their constituent bodies, on the ground that individual resale price maintenance takes a variety of forms in different trades. I propose therefore to take the matter up directly with individual trade associations.I also said on 2nd June that I hoped in the next few months to see industry itself taking steps to free distribution from the restrictions and controls involved in collective price maintenance arrangements, but I made it clear that the Government intended to ensure that the general public should not suffer from such restrictions. I now propose to ask the various price maintenance associations what they have done or may be about to do to this end, so that the Government can decide its course of action.

asked the Minister of Pensions if any adjustment of the pension rate paid to next-of-kin now resident outside the sterling area is contemplated in view of the devaluation of the pound.

As I informed the House on 18th October in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser), I have no power to adjust the rates of war pension in accordance with variations in exchange rates. I have, however, obtained authority to help war pensioners resident outside the sterling area who are experiencing severe hardship as the result of the recent fall in the value of sterling.

asked the Minister of Pensions what is the time now taken to deliver a new motor-propelled tricycle from the date of approval and order; and what steps are being taken to improve the supply and repair position.

Motor tricycles now being supplied were ordered about 10 months ago. When delivery of the new all-weather model begins the supply position will improve and the time required to meet current orders should be much shorter. As regards repairs, the firms concerned are being pressed to improve the position.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is prepared to contribute towards the travelling expenses of parents or close relatives wishing to attend the funeral in Germany of an officer or other rank who dies on service in that country.

This suggestion has been carefully considered, but I regret that practical and financial difficulties preclude its adoption.

asked the Secretary of State for War why Sapper J. Lambert, 264 Intake, A Squadron, Pinefield Camp, Elgin, Scotland, was refused a compassionate posting nearer home; whether he is aware that this man's mother is a widow without pension and unable to work owing to serious accident, and that her son is her only relation; and whether he will review the case.

Compassionate postings for men in the Army have been abolished. National Service men are called up to the Army for a fixed period of comparatively short duration and to be of real value their service must not be restricted as to availability for posting.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the release of 14474215 Sapper R. A. Barker, B Squadron, Royal Engineers Depot, Barton-Stacey, near Winchester, Hampshire, which was recommended by General Officer Commanding, Southern Command, in August, can now be sanctioned.

The discharge of this soldier has been sanctioned and he has now been released.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many hutted camps, unused since the end of the war, are still in possession of his Department; and what steps he is taking to dispose of the huts.

One hundred and eighty-eight hutted camps which have been mainly unused since the end of the war are still held by my Department on requisitioned property. Of these 73 are required for future use and 115 are in the process of being derequisitioned. In the process of derequisitioning, hutting not required by the Department is first offered to the owner of the land and if he does not require it, is handed over to the Ministry of Works for disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many casualties have there been up to date in Malaya among National Service men.

Since 1st May, 1948, the latest available figures show that five National Service men who have been commissioned and 11 National Service other ranks have been killed or have died of wounds in Malaya. Records are not readily available to show how many National Service men have been wounded during this period but the total number of British Army wounded in Malaya is 13 officers and 71 other ranks. The figures given include those accidentally killed or wounded.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the procedure for the service of legal process for the recovery of an unpaid debt upon an officer or soldier in the Army.

The service of legal process on an officer or soldier for recovery of an unpaid debt is a matter for the person desiring to serve it. If the creditor does not know the address of the officer or soldier, a letter addressed to him, care of the War Office, will be forwarded.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied that canteen provisions at his Department's offices at Stanmore are adequate; and why a separate dining room, with waitress service, is to be provided for senior officers.

The canteen at Stanmore is shared between my Department, the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Food. I have no reason to suppose that it is inadequate. A separate dining room with waitress service is now provided for persons who prefer this service to the cafeteria. It is available for any of the staff of the three Departments, and is not restricted to senior officers.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Mrs. Hudson of 3 St. Clair's Terrace, Otley, wife of Staff-Sergeant Hudson, of 19 Air Formation Signals Regiment, at Changi, Singapore, is having to wait until December for a passage although the wives of Royal Air Force personnel, who were also granted married quarters last August, left England on the 5th October; and if he will investigate the cause for the different treatment of Army personnel compared with men in the other Services.

Shipping space for Army and Royal Air Force married families is allocated by my Department in proportion to the number of families in the respective Services who are on the waiting list and I am satisfied that on the whole this principle is fair. Our present operational commitments render some delays in arranging passages for married families inevitable.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent posters and pamphlets giving particulars of the Territorial Army are posted in demobilisation centres to encourage demobilised men to join the Territorials.

It is not the policy of my Department to publicise the Territorial Army at release centres since on release men are generally preoccupied with the problems of adjusting themselves to civilian life and employment, A leaflet appealing for men to join the Territorial Army is, however, sent to each man when his final payment is made prior to release. In addition, the address and particulars of discharged National Service men are notified through the Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association to the local Territorial Army units who may contact the men by any method decided by the commanding officers.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Alderstead Heath, near Caterham, Surrey, is still in military occupation; and what steps are being taken to restore and return this common for public use and enjoyment.

The site of the camp and vehicle park at Alderstead Heath is no longer required by my Department but the land is being retained while the Ministry of Works are disposing of the huts on the site. When the huts have been sold, the site will be derequisitioned and compensation under the Compensation (Defence) Act, 1939, paid, unless it is decided, in the public interest, that the Ministry of Works should restore the land before derequisition.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many former members of the Polish Resettlement Corps are receiving ex gratia payments based on their former pay as members of the Corps; what scales of payment are made to them; what is the total sum paid per week; and what is the longest period that any unexpired term of engagement of a former member of the Corps has still to run.

Some 1,600 members of the Polish Resettlement Corps are receiving ex gratia payments based on what would have been admissible for their category had the Corps not been wound up. The scales of payment vary with the rank held by the individual in the Corps and with his circumstances. For example, privates in receipt of the basic rate, who are unmarried and living in private accommodation, are receiving 7s. 4d. a day; an unmarried lieutenant in similar circumstances is receiving 14s. 10d. a day. Payments made during October averaged some £10,000 a week. Save for one or two individuals, the terms of engagement of all former members of the Corps will have expired in approximately six months.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning the total amount paid to the Central Land Board in payment of development charge up to the latest convenient date.

Up to the end of September, £1,525,000 had been paid in respect of development charge. A further £1,530,000 had been determined and set-off against claims on the £300 million.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning what steps he is taking to make the procedure in obtaining tree preservation orders more simple and less costly to local authorities in manpower hours.

The question of simplifying the procedure for making tree preservation orders was discussed recently with Local Government representatives. Certain representations were made which are being examined.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking, in view of the continuing shortage of ships, to survey ships at present laid up as uneconomic, with a view to providing diesel engines for all these ships capable of being economically worked under those circumstances.

There is no general shortage of shipping at present but most of the few ships over 1,600 gross tons laid up in this country are over 30 years old, and it is usually uneconomic to prolong the life of old and inefficient ships. It is wiser policy to modernise the fleet by building new and more efficient types.

asked the Minister of Transport what, up to the most recent convenient date, is the total sum paid by way of compensation to A and B licence holders; what sum still remains outstanding; and by what date it is hoped to complete payment.

The British Transport Commission have informed me that the position at 1st October, 1949, was that the provisional ascertainments made of compensation payable to A and B licence holders amounted to £8,115,000. There were also, at that date, some road haulage undertakings which had been acquired, for which it had been impossible to make provisional ascertainments.In making payment of the £8,115,000, one-tenth has been or will be retained pending final ascertainment of the total net amount payable in each case. This leaves a net total of £7,303,500, of which £4,790,000 had been paid up to 1st October inclusive. It is expected that a further payment of about £1 million will be made on the next date for the monthly issue of Transport Stock, which will be in the near future. The balance of £1½ million will be paid as soon as all the legal and other formalities connected with the transfer of assets have been completed. In the meantime, since the Commission have no power to make cash advances except an amount of £2,000 to each transferor with a probable claim of £20,000 or less, they have made special arrangements for bank loans on favourable terms to be available in approved cases to those transferors in immediate need of funds.It will not be possible to give an estimate of the total amount of compensation which will become payable in respect of the whole operation of acquiring long-distance road haulage undertakings until the extent of the assets yet to be taken over has been agreed or determined. The date by which the completion of all payments may be expected will depend largely on factors outside the control of the Commission, such as the speed with which the necessary information is furnished by transferors and the number of the cases to be dealt with by the Transport Arbitration Tribunal.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the main ingredients of the £1,250,000 economy programme of his Department so far as roads and bridges are concerned.

The saving of £1,150,000 results mainly from reduced expenditure on the restoration of war damage to roads, including the removal of defence works, and from the deferment of schemes for freeing roads, bridges and ferries from tolls.

asked the Minister of Transport whether a decision can now be taken about the proposal to widen St. Leonards Corner, Blandford.

I have now approved this proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) what is the total annual saving to the Treasury which will result from the withdrawal of the British air attaché from Madrid; and what extra emoluments are being paid to the naval attaché, now carrying out the work of two men;(2) what flying experience the naval attaché in Madrid has had; and whether he is satisfied that this officer is fully qualified and advised to carry out the duties of an air attaché.

The total annual saving to the Treasury resulting from the withdrawal of the British air attaché from Madrid is just under £3,000; no extra emoluments are being paid to the naval attaché. The naval attaché at Madrid is a qualified naval air observer. My right hon. Friend is confident that he is fully competent to perform all his official duties, both as regards naval and air matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Regional Commissioner has yet given his approval to the law for the reconstruction of Hamburg; and what is the general level of compensation laid down for land to be compulsorily acquired.

The Regional Commissioner gave his assent on 1st April, 1949. The general level of compensation for land to be compulsorily acquired is the market value of the property at the time of issue of the expropriation order.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider the question of giving compensation to Mrs. E. M. Read, employed at the Ministry of Labour and National Service, who lost a sum of money from her room in the Ministry while she was on duty.

No. I have already explained to my hon. Friend in correspondence that I have no power to compensate members of my staff for the loss of money or articles of value.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of people registered as unemployed in Wallasey on 14th October, 1949, or the nearest convenient date.

One thousand and sixty males and 648 females at 10th October.

asked the Postmaster-General when any improvement may be expected in the telephone service at the Vigilant exchange, where delay in getting a number still persists.

Regular samples of the service given at Vigilant exchange show that there has been a steady improvement during recent months in the speed of answer. Every effort is being made to improve the service still further.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the allocation of coal to the Branksome (Dorset) Depot in respect of the No. 15 programme will consist entirely of seaborne supplies, notwithstanding the undertaking to give coal merchants freedom of choice in the matter of supplies; and whether he will consider an alteration in these arrangements.

In the arrangements agreed between the National Coal Board and the distributive trade last February for giving merchants a limited choice of coals, it was made clear that this could not be extended to cover the case of seaborne coal and the attention of all merchants was expressly drawn to this exception in a circular issued by the Chamber of Coal Traders. Substantial quantities of coal must be sent by sea to the South and these supplies are allocated to the depots nearest to the ports. In the No. 15 programme for the coming winter it is therefore necessary, as in the previous two winters, to allocate only seaborne coal to Branksome and the other five depots in the Poole district.

asked the Minister of Health whether inquests were held on the 13 deaths associated with vaccination in 1947, and the seven similar deaths in 1948; and what arrangements exist, and who is normally responsible for bringing these and similar accidents from vaccination and inoculation processes under the notice of the coroner.

In seven of these 20 cases there was a post mortem and inquest: in another three the coroner ordered a post mortem but then decided that no inquest was necessary. As regards reporting a death to a coroner there is no difference between a case of this kind of any other in which a doctor may judge it his duty not to give a death certificate without reference to a coroner.

asked the Minister of Health why details of all the 13 deaths associated with vaccination in the year 1947 were not given in the Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer of his Department recently issued; and if he will arrange for such details to be included in future Annual Reports of his Chief Medical Officer.

Only those cases which involved post-vaccinal encephalomyelitis were dealt with in the Report, as has been the practice in previous years, because the causes of this particular complication have not yet been established and it is therefore of special interest to doctors. The inclusion in future Reports of information about post-vaccination deaths from other causes is being considered.

asked the Minister of Health whether submission to vaccination and to subsequent re-vaccination at appropriate intervals is required as a condition of the appointment of medical officials of his Department, and of local medical officers of health, school medical officers, and port sanitary medical officers, whose appointments require the approval of his Department.

No such condition is imposed by my Department either as regards my own officers or in respect of officers appointed by local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent his regulations make it compulsory to kill any animal used for the manufacture of vaccine lymph before the lymph is collected from the sores produced on the skin of the animal.

The Therapeutic Substances (Amendment) Regulations, 1944, require that immediately before the vaccinal material is collected the animal shall be killed.

asked the Minister of Health what increase in the cost of building a house he anticipates from the devaluation of the pound.

It is too early to make any estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the concern expressed by bodies associated with young people at the sale of contraceptives in slot machines outside shops; that borough councils have no powers to control this practice; and how many boroughs have applied to him for such powers.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Denbigh (Sir H. Morris-Jones) and other hon. Members on 20th October. The model by-law was circulated to all county and borough councils on 22nd October. The statute requires that a by-law made by a local authority shall be open to public inspection and advertised for at least a month before application is made to me for confirmation, and it is too early to say how many councils will decide to adopt the by-law.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a complete list up to the most recent date available of articles or materials handled by his Department whose price has been increased since the pound was devalued.

Since 18th September the selling prices of the following materials, sold by the Ministry of Supply to users in the United Kingdom, have been increased: copper, lead, zinc, tin, aluminium, Philippine chrome. Maximum controlled prices of the following products have also been increased: mild steel wire and wire products, stitching wire, brake cable and fine steel strand, special patented wire, patented steel roping wire, locked coil ropes, wire ropes made from galvanised roping wire, scaffold lashings, chain link fencing, gas list screwed and socketed tubes and tubulars, commercial quality hot finished seamless tubes (gas list sizes), wire netting, alloy steels (billets and bars and wire rods), stainless steel, galvanised sheets, terneplate, railway coil springs, laminated railway springs, gun billets, re-rolled products (extra charge for wide flats over 41 per cent. C.), bright drawn carbon flats (minor adjustments), wire nails, merchants' consolidated price schedule (minor adjustments to extras for cutting sheets), alloy and stainless tubes, forging ingots (alloy qualities), shell steel (alloy qualities), forgings (alloy qualities), wood screws, alloy steel bolts (to Admiralty Schedule 92A), alloy steel studs, socket set and cap screws.

asked the Minister of Food why, in view of his exhortation to manufacturers to increase export of foodstuffs so as to facilitate the importation of more raw materials, on Thursday, 22nd September, the price of sugar was increased to manufacturers from 54s. 6d. to 59s. 6d. per cwt. and cocoa from 107s. to 143s. per cwt., these increases being for export purposes to dollar countries.

The price of 54s. 6d. per cwt. for refined sugar issued for use in exports was based on the cost of raw sugar purchased from dollar sources, the cheapest then available. Had we retained this basis after revaluation a substantial price increase would have resulted. We therefore use the normal price for sugar issued to manufacturers, 59s. 8d. per cwt. As this price contains a duty element of 21s. per cwt. which is recoverable on export the effective price for export purposes is 38s. 8d.We fix the price of cocoa beans used in export to dollar and other desirable markets on the basis of New York Market Quotations. Both the original price of 107s. and the current price of 143s. per cwt. represent these quotations at the dates when they were fixed. There is a duty drawback on these prices of 11s. 8d. a cwt.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give details of the foodstuffs at present being subsidised; the estimated current annual rate of each subsidy; and the increase in price of each commodity which would result from abolition of these subsidies.

Following is the information. The foodstuffs at present