asked the Minister of Education what is the average cost of food for the mid-day meal in schools, and the average cost of administration, which make up the cost of 1s. 2d. per meal in schools.

The latest estimates of local education authorities for the current year show an average cost per dinner of 6.7d. for the purchase of food and 7.3d. for all other running costs.

asked the Minister of Education the number of classes in Wales with over 50 children and over 40 children respectively, on the roll for the years 1947, 1948 and to the nearest date in 1949.

The numbers of classes in maintained and assisted primary and secondary schools in Wales with over 40 children in January of 1947, 1948 and 1949 were 587, 687 and 652 respectively. Included in these totals are 19, 15 and 15 classes with more than 50 children.

asked the Minister of Education what is the average number of pupils per teacher in the primary and secondary schools, respectively of England, Wales and Scotland, respectively.

In January, 1949, the latest date for which the information is available, the average number of pupils per full-time teacher in maintained and assisted primary and secondary schools in England and Wales respectively was:

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement concerning the future of the Cardiff Emergency Training College for Teachers.

Yes. From next autumn the College will provide one-year supplementary courses in physical education and in art and crafts for men and women teachers.

asked the Minister of Education what percentage of children between the ages of 10 and 12 years on the rolls of public elementary schools under the London, Lancashire, Cheshire. Kent, Derbyshire and Surrey County Councils and the Birmingham, Liverpool. Manchester, Leeds and Wolverhampton County Boroughs, respectively, were admitted to grammar schools, including direct grant grammar schools and technical schools, in September, 1939. and September, 1949, respectively.

I am writing to my hon. Friend to explain why I am unable to answer his question in its present form.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that in the Chislehurst-Sidcup district members of all ancillary services connected with education, such as clerical staffs, caretakers, attendance officers and laboratory assistants, receive the London salary allowance whereas teachers do not; and if he will take steps to remedy this.

I am aware that the Chislehurst-Sidcup district is not included in the "London Area" as defined in the Report of the Burnham Committee. Any suggestion that that area should be differently defined is for the Committee to consider in the first instance.

asked the Minister of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that 30 to 40 per cent. of applicants to join the Royal Navy are refused through inability to meet the required educational standard; and what remedies are proposed.

My noble Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty informs me that the percentage of applicants for entry as regular naval ratings or other ranks, Royal Marines, who are rejected on educational grounds is more nearly 20 per cent. The Royal Navy has, however, at present no difficulty in obtaining the total number of regular rating recruits needed, and the educational test is one way of relating the supply to the demand. Moreover, the standard of the educational test varies with the branch for which the applicant applies. In these circumstances I consider that the figures are hardly relevant to the standard of the public educational system.

asked the Minister of Education how many Welsh language schools have been opened in Wales; how many pupils are catered for; how many teachers are employed in such schools; and how many such schools are projected or are under consideration.

Practically all primary schools in Welsh-speaking areas may be described as Welsh language schools. In linguistically mixed areas of Wales, one primary school and eight departments have been established by local education

asked the Minister of Education how many infant and primary schools in each local education authority area in Wales and Monmouthshire have been closed since 1945; how many have been opened or re-opened; and how many new schools in these categories have been approved for building in each area.

The following table shows for each local education authority in Wales and Monmouthshire the number of primary schools which have been closed since 1st April, 1945, the number of such schools opened or reopened in the same period, and the number of entirely new schools approved for building up to and including the 1949 building programmes. Separate figures for infant and junior schools are not readily available; generally speaking, however, the schools closed since 1st April, 1945, are one-department schools for both infant and junior children.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations why the British delegate on the Trusteeship Committee of the General Assembly voted against the resolution calling on the South African Government to place South-West Africa within the trusteeship system and to resume sending reports on the territory.

As was explained to the House by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on Monday, the United Kingdom voted in the Fourth Committee of the Assembly against the first draft of the Resolution on the Submission of Reports by South Africa because, in our view, it contained a serious mis-statement of historical fact. The draft was later amended on this point and was adopted in the revised form by a plenary meeting of the Assembly. In the meantime, however, another Resolution had been adopted by the Fourth Committee, submitting to the International Court of Justice the question of South Africa's legal obligations. It seemed to us, therefore, inappropriate that any other Resolution on the subject should be adopted which might prejudge the issue before the Court. We. therefore, abstained in the Assembly on the revised Resolution on the Submission of Reports.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make a statement on the recent meeting of the British High Commissioner in South Africa, the South African Minister of Justice and an official of the War Office.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the discrimination which permits the entry into Spain of special steels from several countries whilst blocking those manufactured in Great Britain; and, as Spain's best customer, will he start negotiations to amend the existing trade arrangement so that part of the adverse trade balance amounting to £16,500,000 is utilised for ending this discrimination.

Licences have in fact been granted for the import of some special steels from the United Kingdom, but I agree that the position has not been satisfactory. The matter was brought to the particular attention of the Spanish authorities in talks which took place in Madrid last week. In the light of these discussions, I fully expect that imports into Spain of United Kingdom manufactured goods, including special steels, will be higher in the coming months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the serious shortage of butchers' protective clothing, he is now in a position to arrange for an early release of an adequate quantity of such clothing and made-up material to the home market.

An improvement in the supply of this class of clothing depends upon an increase in the production of the drill and similar cloths from which it is made. Every practicable step is being taken to increase the output of these cloths.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the pre-war quota of foreign-caught fish landed in the country cannot be re-imposed; and if he will further consider the position, in the light of recent heavy landings from British trawlers at Grimsby and Hull, which have gone in large quantities to the fishmeal factories and of the poor wages being earned by trawler crews as a consequence.

No. I have no evidence that such action would be in the interests of the public as a whole; it would, moreover, be contrary to our policy of removing quantitative restrictions from intra-European trade, and also, if such restrictions were applied to foreign-caught fish only, to our trade agreement obligations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the actual or estimated figures of the values of footwear subject to Purchase Tax, at 33⅓ per cent. and at 100 per cent., sold during this year or any part of it.

No figures are available giving the turnover of footwear subject to Purchase Tax, nor is there sufficient information to enable a reliable estimate to be made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that two representatives of the weights and measures department have recently been visiting private individuals in rural areas to ascertain whether any garden produce is being sold and, if so, requiring scales to be tested; and whether it was on his authority that these officials made these calls.

Section 48 of the Weights and Measures Act, 1878, authorises any duly appointed inspector of weights and measures for the area to enter any place where he has reasonable cause to believe that there is any weight, measure or weighing machine used for the purposes of trade as defined by Section 19 of the same Act. No special authorisation by the Board of Trade is necessary. I am informed that the inspectors in the Yeovil area of Somerset have, in the course of their normal duties, recently been carrying out routine checks in the area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken to provide machinery-cleaning cloths in utility grades, not subject to Purchase Tax; and what supplies are now available.

The purpose of the utility scheme is to provide a range of clothing and household articles of reliable quality at controlled prices, and I do not consider it would be appropriate to widen the scheme by the inclusion of items of industrial character such as machinery-cleaning cloths.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated total number of uniforms to be supplied to Civil Defence volunteers; and what is the estimated total cost.

The answer to both parts of the Question will depend on the number of volunteers enrolled. Uniforms will be supplied only as and when expenditure for this purpose is compatible with the need for strict financial economy.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange for the committee dealing with the scientific aspects of the 1951 Exhibition to issue an interim report in the near future as to the plans for displaying the progress of various branches of British science in that connection.

Preliminary information concerning plans for displaying outstanding contributions to civilisation in British science at Festival exhibitions has recently been published in the national press, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the statement which was issued by the Festival Office. The Festival Office will release further information from time to time as the plans of the Council for Science and Technology develop.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what acreage of Forestry Commission and private woodland has been reafforested since the end of the war for England, Wales and Scotland.

During the four years 1946–49 the Forestry Commission replanted 20,100 acres in England, 4,200 acres in Wales, and 14,500 acres in Scotland, making a total of 38,000 acres. In the same period it is estimated that owners planted or replanted 21,500 acres in England, 2,000 acres in Wales, and 15,000 acres in Scotland, making a total of 38,500 acres. Figures for replanting alone by private owners are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres of private woodland was cut down during the 1914–18 war; and how many acres have been reafforested in each of the counties in Wales together with the figures for the 1939–45 war.

Records of timber felled during the two wars were kept by volume and not by acreage. Felling continued on an abnormal scale after both

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can yet make a statement on the slowing-down in the acquisition of agricultural land as one of the proposed economies.

As stated in the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd) on 2nd November, the proposed economies referred to preliminary estimates of my Department's expenditure which would have reflected the cost of developing as well as maintaining present services. As part of this decision the purchases of land under the powers conferred upon me by the Agriculture Act, 1947, will proceed more slowly than previously contemplated but I am not in a position to make a statement giving details.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what inspections are carried out on poultry carcases delivered to this country from Hungary; what instances of fowl pest have been discovered in these consignments; and what action his Department takes when such cases are reported.

Apart from the inspections by the Ministry of Food and local authorities, arrangements were made, a few months ago, for samples to be taken from consignments of Hungarian poultry so that they could be tested for the presence of fowl pest. Only one consignment of Hungarian poultry has been received between the end of July, when the arrangements were made, and the beginning of this week. Fowl pest was not found to be present in the samples taken from that consignment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases during the year ended 31st October, 1949, has the War Damage Commission taken into account the records of local authorities in either checking war damage claims or in assessing the amount of compensation that should be paid.

The use of local authority records as a check on information already in the Commission's possession is a routine operation in checking claims and no statistical record is kept.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make arrangements for keeping a record of the amount of American capital invested in British industry; and if he will make such information available.

Such arrangements would involve legislation compelling those who receive foreign exchange, or sterling from non-resident account, to declare why the money has been paid to them. My right hon. and learned Friend is not prepared at present to ask for such powers; though he will bear the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion in mind in connection with any future legislation on this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the Treasury loan of £340,000 made to the Vactric Company, Ltd., what control is the Government enabled to exercise' over the affairs of the company; and what control does it in fact exercise.

The Treasury is a shareholder in this company by virtue of a share entitling it, in the event of a poll, to cast three times the number of votes which could be cast by all the other shareholders entitled to vote. These voting rights would be exercised whenever, in the judgment of my right hon. and learned Friend circumstances so demand. But the Treasury does not intervene in the normal commercial business of the company, and my right hon. and learned Friend prefers to rely on the discretion of the directors approved by the Treasury, who are fully alive to their responsibility, both to the Treasury and to the other shareholders.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that duty has to be paid upon mead and other British-produced liquors sold to foreign embassies and legations although they are entitled to import foreign wines and spirits without payment of duty; and whether he will abolish this handicap on British initiative.

The Customs privileges accorded to diplomats do not include exemption from duty on British goods. I regret that this principle cannot be departed from.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the inhabitants of the Isle of Man benefit financially from the moneys paid by the United Kingdom taxpayers in regard to subsidised rationed foodstuffs and freightage of coal.

The Isle of Man is treated for the purpose of subsidies on certain rationed foodstuffs as if it were part of the mainland, but I regret that figures showing the financial benefit to the Island are not available. The subsidy on the freightage of coal enjoyed by the island is borne, not by the taxpayer, but by the Railway Freights Rebates Fund and is now running at an average rate of 2s. 4d. per ton of coal sent to the Isle of Man.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what reply he has sent to the Rubber Growers' Association regarding the fall in the dollar price of rubber in the United States of America and the continued use of synthetic rubber on the present scale.

I have, in agreement with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies sent to the Rubber Growers' Association a reply, of which the hon. Member is no doubt now aware.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he now has any further statement to make about Purchase Tax on Christmas cards.

As my right hon. and learned Friend announced on 6th December, it is proposed, as from 2nd January, to charge only two rates on Christmas cards, 33⅓ per cent. for the plainest ones, and 100 per cent. on the more elaborate. These rates will apply on the wholesale value of the goods, which is not necessarily the cost price, and will be chargeable whether the goods are bought in a shop or distributed through a Society.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of persons to whom post-war credits have now been repaid; the total sum involved in such repayment; and the amount outstanding to be repaid to present holders of these credits.

£144 million has been repaid to date to about 2½ million individuals. The amount still outstanding is £656 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount contributed from Scotland to his Department; and the charge on his Department for Scottish services in the last financial year.

I regret that comprehensive information is not available, and I do not consider that in present circumstances the amount of work which would be involved in making the calculations would be justified, especially as any apportionment of revenue between Scotland and the rest of Great Britain would necessarily be in many respects arbitrary.

asked the Minister of Health when the spectacles for Kathleen Elizabeth Paine, of Rutland, Laburnum Avenue, Waltham, Grimsby, for which she was examined in December, 1948, and which were ordered in January, will be supplied; and since repeated requests to his Department have been made without result, if he will investigate the matter immediately.

My right hon. Friend has had inquiries made and I am informed that the girl's glasses will be supplied shortly.

asked the Minister of Health if he will expedite the supply of glasses to David Arthey of Kirkham, Church Road, Hartley, near Dartford, Kent, the prescription for which was sent in on 21st February, 1949, in accordance with particulars which have been sent him.

I am informed that this was not thought to be a case which justified priority and I understand that the boy will probably receive his glasses in a few weeks.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Mr. Ketcher, a member of the staff of the House of Lords, had an eye test on 5th September, 1949; that he is blind in one eye; that his duties include some clerical work; and if he will take the necessary steps to ensure that he gets spectacles immediately.

Priority will be given if Mr. Ketcher is thought by his optician to be in one of the priority classes.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that many doctors within the National Health Service are prescribing patent medicines under their trade-names in cases where similar ingredients, if specified in the prescription, could be dispensed at less cost; and what steps he is taking to discourage this practice which involves the unnecessary expenditure of public money.

A committee appointed by the Central and Scottish Health Services Councils is considering this problem. I shall decide what action may be appropriate on receipt of their report.

asked the Minister of Health whether it is his intention to levy charges for prescriptions supplied in hospitals, including those supplied in casualty wards.

No.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the shortage of maternity accommodation to serve cases in the Leek urban area; and what steps he is now taking to provide additional accommodation.

My right hon. Friend understands that the regional board are considering increasing the number of beds by revising the use of hospital accommodation in the neighbourhood.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider compensating people living in Hull and Beverley who have been unable to obtain dental treatment under the National Health Service due to the fact that, for the past three months, the majority of local dentists have withdrawn from the National Health Service pending the settlement of matters in dispute.

No.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the serious shortage of Medresco hearing aids and the urgent need of many persons who still require them, he will request the return of aids already supplied in cases in which the aid is not being used.

This is already being done.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered the representations that have been made to him by the Norwich, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth (Group 6) Hospital Management Committee concerning the use of the West Norwich Hospital as a reception centre for wayfarers, as such use is interfering with the normal use of this establishment as a hospital; and if he will take such action as will lead to the removal of the designation of this hospital as a reception centre for wayfarers.

My right hon. Friend has had representations from the Regional Hospital Board, and is taking up the matter with the National Assistance Board to see whether other arrangements are possible.

asked the Minister of Health if he has under consideration the provision of special accommodation or home assistance for sufferers from Parkinson's disease, disseminated sclerosis and other disabling diseases where, in spite of physical helplessness, the mental faculties are unimpaired.

Provision is made within the National Health Service for these as for other patients, and developments will take place as resources allow.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will publish evidence in his possession disclosing unnecessary resorting to doctors and chemists.

No.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Dental Whitley Council has now been established; if it has met; and whether any decision has yet been reached regarding salaries in the school dental service.

I am not yet able to add anything to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Baird) on 17th November.

Cuekfield

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Maternity Hospital, West Hylands, Cuckfield, Sussex, is staffed by general practitioners belonging to one medical firm; that other general practitioners in the area are forbidden access to patients in the hospital, though some of these may have been patients of doctors not included on the staff; that representations made to the South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board have produced no result; and if he will take measures to allow patients admitted to the hospital to see their own doctors.

This is not a general practitioner hospital but a unit of a specialist hospital.

asked the Minister of Health under what regulation provision is made for the adjustment of remuneration in the case of a practitioner who, for any reason is exempted from the liability of having persons assigned to him and is relieved of obligations for emergency night calls in respect of persons not on his list.

Regulation 22 and Part II of the First Schedule to the National Health Service (General Medical and Pharmaceutical) Regulations (S.I. 506/1948) and the Amending Regulations (S.I. 577/1949) and the directions issued thereunder.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of representations of which he has been notified from some of the most distinguished specialists in the country, he will now withdraw his prohibition against general practitioners ordering for their patients where they think necessary the oxygen operated Collison type inhaler, details of which have been submitted to him, and the immediate supply of which on the order of the family doctor, without the intervention of a specialist, is essential to reap the full benefit of this special treatment.

No. I am not aware that the present arrangements are working unsatisfactorily.

asked the Minister of Health in how many cases during the past year has he granted permission to

asked the Minister of Health on what conditions opticians may prescribe bi-focal glasses free of charge under the Health Service.

Bi-focals may only be supplied when clinically necessary; that is to say, when the patient's needs cannot be properly met by two separate pairs.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will review the scale of payment to part-time chaplains at hospitals in view of the present inadequate rate.

I regret that in present circumstances I cannot agree to any increase.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the anti-histamine drugs are available in this country.

Various types of British produced anti-histamine drugs are freely available.

asked the Minister of Health if he will tabulate the list of local authorities who have increased salaries of clerks of county councils and medical officers of health since 18th September, 1949; and the respective amounts of the rise in each case.

The following is the answer:local government officials, such as clerks to county councils, sanitary inspectors and medical officers of health, to have an

Following is the answer:Number of Clerks of County Councils: 11.Total amount of increases: £2,280.Average increase per Officer: £207.Number of Sanitary Inspectors: 774.Total amount of increases: £46,420.Average increase per Officer: £60.Number of Medical Officers of Health: 63.Total amount of increases: £3,572.Average increase per Officer: £57.Many of the increased salaries include the cost of living bonus which was usually though not necessarily £60 a year which before the increase had been separately calculated, so that the actual increase of total remuneration has been less than the amounts stated. The reasons for the increases are mainly the application of agreed national scales of remuneration and increased duties.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will reconsider the proposed Middle Lea Sewage Scheme, in view of the heavy cost thereof and the burdens likely to be imposed on the County of Hertfordshire.

The scheme is at present under consideration and due regard is being paid to the cost. The cost of the works would in the first place be borne mainly by the New Town Development Corporations served by the scheme, and it is not proposed at present that any part of it should fall on the Hertfordshire County Council.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will permit the Easingwold Rural District Council to use for housing purposes the site of the Crabmill Lane Camp, recently declared redundant by the War Office.

Yes, when the site is released from requisition.

asked the Minister of Health to state the allocation of houses granted to Cardiff, for 1948 and 1949 respectively; and the numbers completed in 1948 and to the nearest date in 1949.

The respective allocations were 1,198 and 1,652. For the statistics as to completion, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Housing Returns.

asked the Minister of Health if, in making housing allocations to local authorities for next year, he will take into account that some authorities, such as the borough and rural district councils of Newbury and the Hungerford Rural District Council, have been prejudiced in earlier allocations by reason of the high priority given in the locality to Government building, such as the Atomic Station at Harwell, with the result that these authorities have so far been unable to reduce the waiting lists for houses; and if he will ensure, in operating the general cut in the housing programme, that due consideration is given to the needs of these districts.

While my right hon. Friend does not accept the implications of the Question, I can assure the hon. Member that in the allocation of houses for building by the local authorities full account will be taken of their needs and of any special local circumstances.

asked the Minister of Health what effective progress has been made during the past few years to ensure that up-to-date heating installations are used in all newly-erected houses, with a view to ensuring the most efficient use of fuel resources available.

It has been for more than 12 months a condition attached to the approval of all housing schemes submitted to my Department that the main solid fuel appliance in each house is one of those tested and passed as efficient by the Ministry of Fuel and Power.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent local authorities during the past five years have taken powers to control and reduce smoke pollution of the atmosphere in the areas for which they are responsible; and what steps are being taken by him to promote further progress in this matter.

Eight local authorities have taken powers to establish smokeless zones, 17 to control the emission of smoke from new furnaces, 18 to provide district heating: the City of London has taken power to extend its bylaws for regulating smoke. I have asked all local authorities who are installing solid fuel appliances in their new houses to select those of improved types which will burn smokeless fuel and I have approved a small number of experimental district heating schemes.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give an assurance that the schemes to inundate the Enborne Valley have now been abandoned.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now make a statement on the Metropolitan Water Board's project for flooding the Enborne Valley to make a reservoir.

The Metropolitan Water Board are primarily responsible for the supply of water to London. I understand that they have abandoned their original proposal for the Enborne Valley and proposals for meeting immediate needs in other ways are being considered. There can, of course, be no guarantee that in no circumstances would any reservoir of any size be constructed in this valley.

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the report of the Water Softening Sub-Committee of the Central Advisory Water Committee, he will allow water boards to install water-softening apparatus at the source.

The report recognised that priority at the present time must be given to work for ensuring sufficiency of supplies and the provision of supplies in places where there is no piped water at all. I am prepared to consider any schemes that may be submitted to me, but in general, it is not possible in present conditions to encourage the diversion of labour and materials to the purpose understood in the question.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take the necessary steps to prohibit the slaughter of animals in this country by any method other than the humane killer.

My right hon. Friend can hold out no prospect of legislation for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to receive the report of the Committee on the Rating of Site Values.

I cannot say when I shall receive the report of this committee, but I understand that they have concluded the hearing of evidence and are now preparing their report.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of new entrants into the cotton industry during the last six months; and what proportion of these have been absorbed into the production side of the industry.

The information available relates only, to workers who were placed by the employment exchanges. Out of about 16,000 so placed in the Northwestern Region in the six months up to 23rd November, 1949, about 8,000 were new entrants to the industry. Nearly all of these were placed on production.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of epileptics registered at employment exchanges at the latest convenient date; and what facilities exist for teaching them a trade in view of their difficulties in obtaining employment.

At 17th October, 1949, there were 14,370 epileptics registered as disabled persons, of whom 1,732 were unemployed. Epileptics, if suitable for ordinary employment, are eligible for all the training facilities provided for disabled persons, at Government training centres, at technical colleges and with employers. If they require sheltered employment they may obtain training and work in Remploy factories.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Remploy factories are now in operation; how many places these provide for persons requiring such employment; and how many of these are now filled.

There are 68 Remploy factories in operation providing approximately 6,250 places. Many of the factories are still in the early stages of their development, and there are at present 3,576 severely disabled workers employed.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the approximate total receipts from the sale of the productions of Remploy factories during 1948 and that part of 1949 for which such information is available; what approximate amount this represented per worker per week employed; and what main difficulties still exist in effecting sales.

Receipts from the sale of the productions of Remploy factories during 1948 were £114,385 and for the first 10 months of 1949 were £241,855. Based on the average number of workers (including a large proportion undergoing training) these receipts represented £1 19s. 4d. in 1948 and £2 2s. 3d. in 1949 per worker per week. In addition to the difficulties common to all new commercial undertakings in course of building up a sales organisation and of establishing its products in the market, Remploy Limited is faced with such special problems as the training of persons handicapped by severe disability and their adaptation to factory conditions of which they may have little or no experience; the selection of products for manufacture which fall within the capacity of the severely disabled and at the same time are likely to be marketable; the creation of conditions of employment suitable to the severely disabled; and the impracticability of applying normal methods for regulating the labour force to trading results.

asked the Minister of Works whether, in view of the probable arrival of many visitors to London for the Festival of Britain, he will issue instructions to all Departments to deriquisition as many hotels and flats as possible and to recondition those which are freed with despatch.

The possibility of releasing further requisitioned hotels in London in time for the Festival of Britain is being examined but the majority of suitable hotels have already been released. Flats are given the highest priority for release and every effort is being made to derequisition them, particularly where they are still being used for other than living purposes. In many cases this involves building and the cuts in expenditure on new building work may retard this process to some extent but it is still hoped that it will be possible to release a good proportion by 1951. Applications for licences for the rehabilitation of derequisitioned living accommodation receive favourable consideration by this Ministry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether rent restriction in Hong Kong applies to housing that has been newly built or substantially rebuilt since 1945.

No. I understand that rents for such premises have been left to find an economic level.

pursuant to his reply to Oral Question No. 45 this day circulated the following information:The members of the Board of socialised industries, including the Executives and the Area Boards appointed under Statute, with details of salaries and allowances, are shown in List A below. The names