asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate has been made of the houses, size, two-, three-or four-roomed, and how many of each size, which will now be built in Scotland as a result of the economy plans.

Up to 50 per cent. of the houses in any particular scheme may be of three-apartments or less, and the remainder of four or more apartments. Occupation of houses of less than three-apartments will be limited to elderly couples or single persons.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of unstaffed hospital beds in' Scotland at the latest available date.

At 30th September, 1949, the number was estimated at 6,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the Scottish Information Office considers it necessary to send four copies of such pamphlets as, "If we Can't Feed our Machines," in separate envelopes to the same firm; and since this is wasteful in labour and in paper and imposes an unnecessary burden on an already overburdened postal service, if he will cause the practice to be stopped.

It is regretted that through some duplication in a new mailing list four specimen copies of the pamphlet referred to were addressed to the same firm. Steps have been taken to avoid any such duplication in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for War what stage has been reached in the discussion between his Department and the Corporation of Glasgow in regard to compensation for the use of Bellahouston Park; and how far the pace of these discussions is delaying the re-opening of the park.

My Department and the Corporation have now agreed on the measurement of the work required in restoration so far as this is known. Further items are, however, coming to light in the course of the restoration now in progress and the Corporation will not be able to submit a complete claim until the work is much further advanced. Discussions on compensation are not delaying the reopening of the park.

asked the Secretary of State for War what are the regulations dealing with the supply of contraceptives to soldiers.

In overseas Commands, condoms are made available, as a free issue, to individuals who ask for them, with a view to the prevention of venereal disease. In the United Kingdom, where the risk of contracting venereal disease is considerably less, no contraceptives are issued.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to whom information should be given by a passenger who is prepared to act as an informer against a fellow passenger for a suspected breach of the Exchange Control Act; and if he is prepared to respect the anonymity of such informers.

If any person has evidence of an offence or intended offence against the Exchange Control Act that he desires to pass to the authorities, he should write to the Secretary to the Treasury. It is the practice of the Treasury not to divulge the names of persons who give such information.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the saving of housewives' time and drudgery which can be effected by electrical washing machines, he will abolish the Purchase Tax on them.

This suggestion will be considered on the next general review of the tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the £480 million 2½ per cent. Treasury Stock which was issued at 100 per cent. in

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amounts have been received by the Treasury in the latest available week from football pools since the Betting Duty was increased to 30 per cent., and what is the number of football pool organisations whose tax payments make up such total figures.

Weekly figures are not available. The latest available figures are for the month of September, during which Pool Betting Duty amounting to £1,462,437 was collected from 81 firms.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed in, and what is the annual cost of all governmental public relations offices; and, in view of the need for labour in productive industries and for economy in public finances, whether he will abolish those offices and allow the Press to do this work free of charge.

I give below figures of holdings of 2½ per cent. Treasury Stock in official funds which have been published in accounts presented to Parliament under Statute. In accordance with long-established practice, I am not prepared to disclose unpublished holdings of official funds.

I presume that the hon. Member refers to the staffs of Information Divisions in Government Departments in this country, but not of the Central Office of Information. The totals provided for in the Estimates for the current financial year, including clerical and typing staff, are approximately 1,103 at a cost for salaries and expenses of £652,500. I am satisfied that the work of these Divisions could not be performed by the Press.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can make any statement on the success of the experiment of employing women as search officers in the Customs service; and whether he will arrange for women in future to be liable for the full duties of the grade instead of for a restricted range of duties as at present.

The employment of women search officers in the Customs Service has so far proved a useful and successful experiment, and its extension will be considered in the light of experience. They are not graded as preventive officers and it would not be practicable to employ women on the full range of duties of that grade.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what have been the annual trading losses or profits, from 1938 onwards, made by the film exhibitors' circuits, by the main distributing companies, and by the main production companies.

I am afraid that I cannot supply information as to the profits of individual trades.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the practice of His Majesty's Customs of seizing excess currency which has been declared and not restoring it, he will issue to the banks and travel agencies supplies of Notice DS 52176/1/379 25m 2/48 DL to be given to all travellers proceeding overseas, in order to avoid possible misunderstanding.

This notice is designed specifically for issue to travellers from whom currency seizures have been made and the wording is unsuitable for the purpose the Hon. Member has in mind. However, as I said in the answer quoted in that notice, I have arranged for banks and travel agencies to issue two leaflets, the "Warning to Travellers" and the "Travellers' Guide," to travellers proceeding overseas. Both leaflets contain a warning that travellers are unlikely to get back excess notes which have been seized at ports and I do not consider that further leaflets are necessary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what official protests have been received from the hard currency countries regarding the British restriction on the transfer of legacies to persons in those countries.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether legacies to residents in hard currency countries which are to be paid to blocked accounts will be guaranteed against any further devaluation of the pound.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what profits were made by the brewing and distilling industries, respectively, in 1948 in Great Britain.

The profits of the brewing industry for the accounting year ending in the Income Tax year 1947–48 are estimated at £49 million after allowance for wear and tear of plant and machinery and after deducting Excess Profits Tax and Profits Tax. This figure includes profits arising from trade ancillary to the main business. Information about the profits in 1948–49 is not yet available. I regret that I am unable to give information about the profits of the distilling industry.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he is aware that the Central Land Board have, in some instances, failed to send out Forms S.1.B. when required in order to enable applicants to return them completed by 31st October, 1949, and that the Board refuse to accept pro-forma S.1.B. forms; and whether he will ensure that forms are sent to applicants in reasonable time before their return is due.

No. I am not aware that there has been any failure to send out this form. In any case in which the form did not arrive, the Board accepted the information although it was not given on the appropriate form. The Board will be prepared to look into any case where it is alleged this was not done.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what gratuity is payable to unestablished employees of His Majesty's Stationery Office who were over 65 years of age when the gratuity scheme came into operation; and how far it applies to those employees who have sufficient qualifying service but who resign on account of infirmity.

Gratuity at the rate of one week's pay for each year of service is payable to all unestablished staff irrespective of age or Department who satisfy the requirements of the Superannuation Acts. The Superannuation Act, 1949, substituted a qualifying period of seven years for the 15 years previously required of those retiring for infirmity.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in connection with the selection of 150 clerical officers for promotion on transfer through the Treasury Pool Board to the grade of higher clerical and executive officer in other Departments, he will direct that all applicants be considered strictly in order of seniority in the general clerical class; and if he will take steps to ensure that all nominating Departments pay full regard to the need for the submission of highly experienced candidates.

Departments have been instructed that clerical officers to be nominated under the scheme to which the hon. Member refers must have had at least eight years' service in the grade and must be well qualified for promotion. Due regard will be paid to seniority both by Departments when considering nominations and by the Treasury in summoning nominees before the Pool Board and assigning successful nominees to vacancies in other Departments.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if, before a final decision is reached on the recommendations of the Masterman Report, he will arrange for joint discussions through the machinery of the National Whitley Council to try and find an agreed settlement.

His Majesty's Government consider that it would be appropriate, before final decisions are reached on these matters within the general principles of the Masterman Report, that there should be joint discussions through the machinery of the National Whitley Council.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Government Departments now make effective use of staff suggestion schemes; what is the approximate total staff of these Departments; what is the approximate number of suggestions made during the last year for which this information is available; how many were adopted; and whether suggestions which aim at eliminating unnecessary work and increasing efficiency receive special encouragement.

Thirty-three major Departments, employing 660,000 nonindustrial staff, have effective staff suggestion schemes in operation. Detailed information of the working of the schemes is not available centrally but the number of suggestons received is known to be substantial and the number adopted encouraging. The main purpose of the schemes is to increase efficiency and every encouragement is given, including, in some cases, monetary awards.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received the report of the inquiry into the price of toys; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Central Price Regulation Committee have reported that there has been no general increase in the price of toys. A few manufacturers have recently raised some of their prices, mainly in respect of metal toys, by varying amounts, representing an average increase of about 4 per cent. over all their toys. The higher prices are attributable for the most part to increases in costs of metal materials incurred before devaluation.The Committee have evidence that importers have not increased their prices for foreign toys to the full extent of increases in cost due to changes in exchange rates. The great majority of distributors are not exceeding the margins previously allowed under price control: and the trade associations representing distributors have undertaken to circularise all their members with a recommendation that during this Christmas season no distributor should exceed those margins. I am glad to say that there is every indication that there are more and better toys available in the shops this season than for many years.In all the circumstances, my right hon. Friend has decided not to re-impose price control at present. The Central Price Regulation Committee will, however, review the position in about three months' time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what increase he anticipates being able to make in supplies of wood for making non-returnable cases for horticultural use.

In view of the great need of softwood for essential purposes, I am afraid that none can be licensed for flower boxes; but hardwood, which should be used, is not, in general, scarce. If the hon. Member is concerned about a shortage of any particular type of hardwood, or about any other kind of case needed in horticulture, I should be pleased to look into the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that processed waste which was sold to pig keepers in April at a price of £4 10s. per ton delivered is now being sold at a price of £7 1s. 8d. per ton delivered; and why he has permitted this increase of 57 per cent, in the price charged.

The maximum price of concentrated kitchen waste was increased from £4 10s. to £6 a ton under the Kitchen Waste Order, 1949, which came into force on 2nd May last. The order permits the addition of transport charges, plus specified charges for the supply of bags. The maximum price was increased on the withdrawal of Government subsidies, and the new prices, which are based on the average costs of production, bring this feedingstuff into line with the prices of other feedingstuffs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the many complaints that boys' utility stockings are badly fitting and have no give on the ankle; and if he will require manufacturers to produce utility stockings of an improved quality.

Boys' utility stockings are made to specifications which have been designed to ensure the production of satisfactory stockings and the arrangements have worked well in practice. We have received no complaints, but if the hon. Member will let me have details of any cases which have come to his notice I will have them investigated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the statement recently issued by Odeon Theatres, Limited, and the serious implications raised by it for the future of the British film industry, he will reconsider the request made to him in December. 1947, for an inquiry into the affairs of this concern, either under the Companies Act, 1947, or by some other procedure.

On the facts at present before me, I see no sufficient reason to justify an inquiry into the affairs of the Odeon group under the Companies Act.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the reason for the delay in making payment of the claim 50/174352 in respect of war damage to chattels; and how far enhanced payment will be made to Mrs. Church to compensate her for the loss of interest or use of the money plus any fall in money value since the claim value was agreed in 1946.

A private chattels claim by Mrs. Church for a loss resulting from an incident in 1945, has been assessed and paid. After the assessment of this loss in 1946, she for the first time submitted a claim in respect of a loss in 1941 at another address. I regret to say that the papers relating to the latter claim have been mislaid, but instructions have been given for the matter to be dealt with as quickly as possible and the Board of Trade is already in touch with Mrs. Church's solicitors.With regard to the second part of the Question, a claimant who sustained a private chattels loss in. 1941 for which payment has not yet been made, would be entitled to the amount represented by the assessment of the loss, together with interest at the rate of 2½ per cent. thereon from the date of loss to the date of payment and a supplementary payment calculated in accordance with the statement made on the 21st October, 1946, by the then President of the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in order to assist small British exporters, he will consider setting up Government-sponsored sales organisations in the United States of America and Canada.

My right hon. Friend is not satisfied that my hon. Friend's suggestion is desirable or practicable, having regard to the structure of our foreign trade. As my right hon. Friend has stated on many occasions, however, we are ready to give all the assistance we properly can to exporters, large or small, to the North American markets. If any small exporters, or groups of exporters themselves desire to setup a joint selling organisation in either or both of these markets, we are ready to consider whether there is any assistance we can usefully give, bearing in mind the facilities available from the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take to ensure that an adequate supply of British films will be available for cinemas after June, 1950.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for King's Norton (Mr. Blackburn) on 10th November when he said that he foresaw no threatened collapse of British film production.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now publish the wholesale and retail profit margins operating in the clothing and boot and shoe industries at the time the recent price reduction was made.

The reduced maximum margins for utility clothing, utility footwear and utility household textiles that were brought into force on 26th September will be found in Statutory Instruments, 1949, Nos. 1599; 1608 and 1724; and 1920 respectively. The corresponding maximum margins in force immediately prior to 26th September will be found in Statutory Instruments, 1949, Nos. 1132; 206 and 232; and 1311 respectively. I do not think that it is necessary to re-publish the margins in any other way.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why his Department have refused an import licence to Mr. J. E. Dickinson, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, to import on behalf of himself and other opticians in the North-East of England a quantity of lenses from the manufacturers in Hamburg which would enable these opticians to supply, under the terms of the National Health Service, spectacles to their customers, many of whom have been kept waiting for months because of the shortage of lenses.

For balance of payments reasons, licences cannot be granted freely for the import of spectacle lenses from Western Germany. Licences for such imports are granted on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health, who were not prepared to support Mr. Dickinson's application.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the debts outstanding in respect of locomotives, rolling stock and other railway engineering materials delivered to the Argentine now amount to nearly £2 million and have been outstanding for a considerable period, some for nearly 12 months; and what action has been taken by His Majesty's Government to bring pressure to bear upon the Argentine Government to implement their undertaking given at the time of the Anglo-Argentine Trade Agreement last June to clear off outstanding payments without exchange loss and with what results.

Yes. This matter has constantly formed the subject of representations to the Argentine Government and is one of the many issues arising out of the Trade Agreement of last June which is now under discussion in Buenos Aires. Some payments were transferred in the July-August period, and I understand that the Argentine authorities now propose to transfer a more substantial sum forthwith against these arrears.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that certain firms, in compliance with the express wishes of His Majesty's Government, went out of their way to obtain orders from the Argentine, thereby losing other orders to foreign competitors; and whether His Majesty's Government will accordingly relieve firms of their financial burden pending settlement by the Argentine Government.

His Majesty's Government have been most gratified at the response shown by United Kingdom exporters in the attention which they have devoted to the Argentine market, and they will do all they can to secure the satisfactory operation of the Anglo-Argentine Trade Agreement of June last. His Majesty's Government have no powers to assume financial responsibility of the kind suggested by the hon. Member. I assume however that the exporters concerned were aware of the insurance factilities afforded by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which sections of the engineering industry have been invited to take part in the sales promoting organisation suggested by the Gilpin Engineering Mission in 1948 and accepted by the Government in April, 1949; which industrial groups have decided to take part in this scheme; which have refused to take part; which have made no decision; and by when this sales organisation will be operating.

The Gilpin Engineering Mission suggested that appropriate sections of the engineering industry should establish full time specialist technical representatives in Canada in order to supplement and assist the sales promotion activities of individual firms, and that a measure of Government assistance should be available for this purpose. This latter recommendation was accepted and the assistance is being furnished by means of an Export Credits guarantee. It is available to any section of the engineering industry which wishes to adopt this method of sales promotion, and my officials (and those of the Minister of Supply), together with leading members of the Gilpin Mission themselves, have taken every opportunity of pressing it upon the attention of the whole engineering industry. I am not aware of any specific section which has refused to accept this scheme, though it is of course one of many ways for expanding exports of machinery to Canada and may not be appropriate for every section of the industry. I understand that arrangements are likely to be concluded in the near future about the appointment of such representatives by three or four sections of the industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the action taken this year to promote the manufacture of adequate supplies of utility grade children's boots and shoes, made on lasts which take into account the needs of growing feet.

Every opportunity has been taken to encourage the fullest possible use of the latest developments in the technique of last-making for children's footwear. Several meetings on this subject have been held this year with the trade organisations concerned. Steps have also been taken to increase supplies of the types of leather specially suitable for the manufacture of children's footwear. The Boot, Shoe and Allied Trades Research Association has, for some time, been carrying out research on lasts for children's footwear, and the industry is making use of the results of this work.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the differences of practice in the valuation of films for balance-sheet purposes, he will consider what steps are necessary to ensure a greater degree of uniformity in this matter by the inclusion of fuller information in the accounts furnished under the Companies Act.

Yes, I feel that variations of practice in this matter require examination and I am accordingly asking the Standing Consultative Committee on matters arising in the administration of the Companies Act, which was appointed by me in 1948, to consider this and associated questions and to report.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he has taken to provide employment for the 25,000 employees of the railways discharged owing to the reductions in railway staffs by 25,000 since the railways were nationalised.

The normal placing machinery of the employment exchange service has been used for railway workers who have registered for work as a result of redundancy. The number registering has been small, and in general there has been no difficulty in placing them in other employment.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the high accident rate in the iron-founding industry, as noted by the Chief Inspector of Factories in his Annual Report, what steps are being taken to bring this rate down.

The steps taken by my Department to try and reduce the number of accidents include the promotion of safety education so as to obtain the co-operation of the workers in various matters, such as the maintenance of a high standard of tidiness and good order in the foundry. Among other things, the wearing of special safety boots and leg protection against the risk of burns from molten metal is recommended. The Joint Standing Committee on Conditions in Iron Foundries recently agreed that accident prevention should be included among the matters which they will keep under constant review.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the cause of the dispute at Southern United Cables, Chequers Lane, Dagenham; and what action his Department has taken to deal with it.

This dispute arose over the suspension of three men for refusing to work overtime. An officer of my Department was in touch with the parties at an early stage of the dispute and was able to arrange for joint discussions which have resulted in a settlement.

asked the Minister of Labour how many man-hours have been lost since VE-day as a result of unofficial stoppages of work against the advice and directions of the union or unions concerned; and how many man-hours have been lost as a result of strikes sanctioned by the unions.

The total number of working days lost through industrial disputes causing stoppage of work from VE-Day to the end of October, 1949, was nearly 10½ million. The information at my disposal does not distinguish between official and unofficial stoppages.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of people in employment in the city of Salford on 31st October, 1949, and the comparable figure at 31st October, 1922.

I regret statistics giving the information desired are not available. The only figures available are the numbers of insurance cards exchanged at the Salford employment exchange and the Salford Y.E.B. These cards will include those of some persons who work in Manchester, while some of the cards exchanged at Manchester exchanges wilt belong to persons who work in Salford.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of people registered as unemployed in the City of Salford on 31st October, 1949, and the comparable figure for 31st October, 1922.

The numbers registered at the Salford employment exchange and youth employment bureau were 896 at 10th October, 1949, and 11,686 at 23rd October, 1922.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered as unemployed at the Canning Town and Stratford employment exchanges, and youth employment bureaux at one date in July of the years 1923 and 1949.

asked the Minister of Labour how he now lists the 760,000 local government and national civil servants who appeared on the total official lists for 1948, and no longer appear in the lists for 1949, though still in local or national Government employ; and why he made the change in classification.

I presume the hon. Member is referring to the different figures for the national and local government service group at December, 1948, which appear in Tables 4 and 16 of the March, 1949, issue of the Monthly Digest of Statistics. The difference between the two sets of figures arises from two causes: the effect of the National Insurance Acts on the scope of the statistics and the introduction of the Standard Industrial Classification. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of an article describing the effect of these changes and of the introduction of the new series of manpower statistics which appeared in the February, 1949, issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette. The Standard Industrial Classification was adopted to secure uniformity and

In July, 1923, 13,633 at Canning Town and 7,845 at Stratford. In July, 1949, the corresponding figures were 652 and 414.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the number of men and boys, women and girls registered as unemployed, and the number of vacancies on the books of the exchanges, in each of the categories at the last convenient date in Ilkeston, Heanor, Ripley and Alfreton, respectively.

The following table gives the information desired:comparability in the statistics published by different Government Departments.

asked the Minister of Supply how many Rolls-Royce cars have been exported this year to the dollar area; and how many have been allotted to the home market.

It would be contrary to established practice for Government Departments to give information of this kind about individual firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the explosion in Berlin to blow up the telephone exchange.

There has been no demolition of any telephone exchange in the British Sector of Berlin, and I presume the hon. Member is referring to the demolition of a heavily reinforced bunker which took place on the 3rd November and caused slight damage to nearby buildings. The bunker was built during the war as a central control point in the Berlin area warning system, and its demolition was undertaken with the agreement of the Magistrat, who did not wish to convert it for permanent retention.

asked the Minister of Pensions what is the present position regarding the permanent pension due to Lieut.-Commander R. Wolfenden, Royal Naval Reserve; whether the steps he undertook to take last February have produced the medical information missing from documents supplied to him by the Admiralty in the absence of which no redress can be made to Lieut.-Commander Wolfenden; and if he will expedite the inquiry into this long deferred case.

Lieut.-Commander Wolfenden is receiving a pension at the maximum rate (£306 per annum) for spondylolisthesis (aggravated by war service) and post-operative thrombosis of the left leg (due to war service). The position regarding the accuracy and completeness of certain service records was fully explained to the hon. Member for Oxford (Mr. Hogg) in August, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of this letter. The officer's appeal against the decision that his disability spondylolisthesis is not attributable to war service was scheduled for hearing by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal on 1st September. A hearing will again be arranged as soon as he indicates that he is willing to appear.

asked the Minister of Defence what approximate acreage of land in the United Kingdom is now occupied by the Service Departments under D.R. 51, under D.R. 52, through renting and through ownership, respectively.

The approximate acreage of land in the United Kingdom occupied by the Service Departments on 30th September, 1949, was as follows:—under D.R. 51, 280,000; under D.R. 52, 318,000; renting, 18,000; ownership, 518,000.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the large profits by the sale of ice cream of poor quality; and what steps he intends to take to see that ice cream is made under a formula laid down by statutory regulations and at a reasonable price.

My divisional food officers will gladly investigate complaints that unreasonable prices have been charged. We could not introduce statutory price control in this field unless we could prescribe a standard of composition. My expert Food Standards Committee has just recommended, after consultation with local authorities and the trade, that while a standard for ice cream is unquestionably desirable it would be impracticable to introduce one at present, owing to the shortage of ingredients. A satisfactory standard could only be imposed at the cost of reducing supplies, which would of course, increase the upward pressure on prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether his consultation with the High Commissioner on the question of a court of appeal to serve the territories of Bechuanaland, Basutoland and Swaziland has now been completed; and if he will state the conclusions arrived at.

I cannot at present add anything to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend's question on 7th July.