asked the Minister of Health whether agreement has now been reached between his Department and the Tadcaster Rural District Council in connection with the plans for the construction of houses at Barwick-in-Elmet.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the housing shortage in St. Marylebone and the long waiting list of applicants; in view of the concern felt, will he reconsider his recent decision to permit no private building; and if he will revise the reduction he has made in the allocation allowed to the St. Marylebone Borough Council.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes." In view of the number of licences issued during the past 18 months further private building cannot be allowed until the council have made more progress with their own housing schemes. I understand the council desire to build on three small sites; the allocation made to them is sufficient for the two sites which they have acquired: I shall be prepared to consider a further allocation when they have acquired the third site.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the supply of bifocal lenses for spectacles is becoming worse; and what steps he is taking to overcome the shortage.

No, on the contrary, I am advised that the supply of bifocal lenses for spectacles has improved and should improve still further.

asked the Minister of Health when Mr. Page, 115, Spur Road, Orpington, will get his deaf aid, particulars of which have been sent to him.

I understand he should be fitted within about three months.

asked the Minister of Health the total number of chronic sick awaiting admission to suitable hospital accommodation in England and Wales at the latest available date; the number of beds available for chronic sick but now empty by reason of staff shortage; and whether he can give any indication as to future means of reducing the total number on the waiting list.

According to the latest information which relates to the summer of 1949, 6,114 chronic sick patients were awaiting admission to hospital in England and Wales. In October, 1949, 5,508 chronic sick beds were unoccupied for lack of staff. The primary need is therefore for additional staff and every effort for its recruitment is being made.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet received the report of the special committee set up to consider the prevention of pollution of rivers which reported to the Central Advisory Water Committee of his Department; and whether he proposes to publish this in the near future.

Yes. The report was published by His Majesty's Stationery Office on 12th December last.

asked the Lord President of the Council what research has been conducted by or under the supervision of the Medical Research Council into the use of lipotropic agents for treatment of cirrhosis of the liver and undue obesity; and when such agents will be made available for general use.

Investigations into the action of these substances are being made by members of the Council's staff, both in this country and in the tropics. Ordinary diets contain ample amounts of them; but poor diets may contain insufficient amounts and then cirrhosis of the liver may follow. In conjunction with a rectified diet, the substances have been used in the treatment of that condition. They have no relation to the treatment of obesity. They are available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the difficulty caused to Mr. H. Ellis, Okenhayes Farm, Grange Avenue, Mayland, Essex, by delay in the granting of permission for the slaughter of pigs; and if he will expedite the necessary arrangements.

Mr. Ellis's farm is in an area that had to be placed under restrictions on account of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. I understand that the difficulty he experienced was due to the fact that there were only limited slaughtering facilities in the area. I intend to withdraw the restrictions in this area tonight and arrangements have been made for Mr. Ellis's pigs to be slaughtered within the next few days.

asked the Minister of Agriculture for how many farmers' dogs were ration coupons issued by his Department in 1949.

The average monthly issue of rationed feedingstuffs for sheep dogs in England and Wales in 1949 was sufficient for 47,000 dogs. In addition, a small ration may be issued by agricultural executive committees, on proof of need, for dogs used for killing vermin, but no details are available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assurances he has given to the United States Government concerning Britain's Marshall Aid requirements after 1951.

None. We are planning to make ourselves independent of foreign aid by the time the European Recovery Programme comes to an end.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the present import duty on rum is equivalent to approximately 16 times the value of that product; to what extent this high rate of duty is imposed for the purposes of producing revenue; and to what extent with a view to reducing consumption.

The import duty on rum is related to the rates of Customs and Excise duty on other kinds of spirits. The proportion between duty and value depends upon what is taken as representing value. But it is certainly not true that the duty is 16 times what rum would otherwise be sold for to the public.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide a classification of the capital investment accomplished in Britain in 1938, showing house construction, hospital, educational and other non-industrial investment, and industrial and commercial investment, respectively.

I regret that such statistics as are available are not sufficiently comprehensive or precise to enable the classification suggested by my hon. Friend to be compiled.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what grants in aid are at present provided to assist universities in setting up post-graduate schools in various branches of technology; and whether he will give details of such arrangements.

At the suggestion of the University Grants Committee a number of universities are instituting or expanding post-graduate courses of advanced instruction in technological subjects. These are intended mainly for graduates in technology who have already spent a few years in industry, and the subjects represented in the courses include the three main branches of engineering, metallurgy, mining and chemical engineering. Other courses are under consideration. To meet the cost of these courses additional recurrent grants have so far been promised of the following amounts: 1949–50, £15,500. 1950–51, £42,000. 1951–52, £57,000. These special arrangements are additional to the normal programmes of post-graduate study which are being carried on by universities with the aid of the quinquennial grants announced in 1947.

asked the Minister of Education why a parent has been refused admittance for his child to the school nearest his home, which the other children of the family already attend, and of which details have been sent him.

This child was refused admission to the school in question by the local education authority because the parent lives outside the catchment area which it has lately been necessary to lay down. The case is now before me for a determination under Section 37 (3) of the Education Act, 1944. I shall give my decision when I have considered the views of both parties, including those of the parent, for which I have asked.

asked the Minister of Education what direction has been given to local education authorities about reducing the costs of school-building.

Guidance has been given in Circulars 209, 212 and 215 and Building Bulletins 1 and 2. I am sending copies of these documents to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education when he will approve the education plan submitted by the Lancashire County Council.

I hope in the early summer.

asked the Minister of Education what were the numbers of school meals supplied during the weeks ended 2nd December, 1949, and 3rd February, 1950, respectively, in the schools under the authority of the Merthyr Tydfil Education Committee.

The nearest available figures are returns of the number of children having dinner on single days in October and February. They are: October, 6,125; and February, 4,536, but on the latter day there were nearly 900 fewer children in school.

asked the Minister of Education what is the number of primary schools which have been on the Ministry's black list of unsuitable buildings for the past 30 years and which are still used as schools.

The number of schools black listed in 1925 was 2,827. No school has been added since, and 636 are still in use.

asked the Minister of Education the number of nursery schools in England and Wales as on 31st December, 1949, with the number of pupils provided for; the number of new nursery schools planned for opening in 1950 with the number of pupils provided for; the number planned for opening in 1951 with the number of pupils provided for; and the total number of nursery schools originally planned for opening or construction in 1950 and which have had to be postponed and for what reason.

Provisional figures for January, 1950, show that at that date there were about 22,000 children on the registers of 438 recognised nursery schools in England and Wales. Since 1948 major projects for new nursery schools have had to be deferred except where the schools are needed to assist mothers to enter industry. Fifty new nursery schools are projected for this purpose. Of these, 28, providing accommodation for some 1,200 children, are under construction.

asked the Minister of Education how many protests he has received as a result of the withdrawal of the grant for school uniforms, under Circular 210.

Twenty-three, apart from four approaches from hon. Members.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the future development of the industrial estate at Kilwinning.

The available land on the Kilwinning Estate is being held in reserve for possible future development.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total amount of Purchase Tax, to date, that has been refunded to members of the Crafts Centre of Great Britain; and how much of this sum has been repaid to craftsmen in Scotland.

The total amount paid to members of the Crafts Centre under the scheme to offset the effects of Purchase Tax on certain hand-produced articles is £21,105. Of this sum, £541 has been paid to members living in Scotland. In addition, £490 has been paid to craftsmen living in Scotland who are not members of the Crafts Centre.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the difficulty being experienced in getting supplies of white overall coats and caps for cowmen and also of udder cloths; why there is a shortage of these articles; and what steps he is taking to remedy it.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir J. Mellor) on 13th March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, when the summary of the trade returns becomes available each month, he will place them in the Vote Office.

I presume the hon. Member is referring to the total trade figures mentioned by the Prime Minister in his answer to a question by the hon. Member on 9th March, which are announced in advance of the publication of the Trade and Navigation Accounts. These figures are already given considerable publicity, but I shall be pleased to arrange for them to be placed in the Library of the House each month so that the information will be available to hon. Members as soon as it is released to the Press.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what industries have been or are being investigated by the Monopolies Commission; and what has been the result of the investigations.

The matters which have been referred to the Monopolies Commission for investigation are listed in the Board of Trade's Annual Report for 1949 on the operation of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Act. This Report has been printed as a House of Commons paper and copies are now available in the Vote Office. No reports have yet been received from the Commission, but I hope to have those on dental goods and builder's castings in the summer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Rolex Watch Company, 1 Green Street, Mayfair, have recently refused to supply their watches to co-operative societies, although in some cases they have been doing business with them for over 25 years; and if he will bring this restrictive practice to the attention of the Monopolies Commission.

I am aware of the case, but the matter does not appear to come within the scope of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948. I have, however, stated before the Government's view that discriminatory restrictions against cooperative societies ought to be abolished and I am watching the situation very closely.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in the Hastings area there has been no improvement in the supply of terry squares in recent months; what is the cause of this prolonged shortage, and what steps are being taken to make adequate supplies of this essential article available.

The deliveries of terry squares by manufacturers are now improving and the figures for January and February of this year show a 30 per cent. increase over those for September last. The benefit of these increased deliveries has not yet been fully felt in the shops, but the position there should soon show a definite improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many convictions for murder and other crimes of violence believed to have a political or racial motive were recorded against Eritreans and Italians, respectively, in each year of the British occupation; and how many unsolved murders of Eritreans and Italians, respectively, occurred during those years.

The following figures have been communicated to me by the Chief Administrator:

CONVICTIONS FOR MURDER AND OTHER CRIMES OF VIOLENCE BELIEVED TO HAVE A POLITICAL OR RACIAL (BUT NOT INTER-TRIBAL) MOTIVE
—			Eritreans (including Ethiopians)	Italians
1946	…	…	1	Nil
1947	…	…	3	Nil
1948	…	…	3	Nil
1949	…	…	2	Nil

UNSOLVED MURDERS
—			Eritreans (including Ethiopians)	Italians
1945	…	…	2	Nil
1946	…	…	7	1
1947	…	…	15	Nil
1948	…	…	17	4
1949	…	…	26	14

These figures are inclusive of cases in which the Administration suspects the identity of the probable murderer but is unable to procure sufficient evidence to prove a case in court. This is a particular difficulty in the case of "Shifta" attacks. I regret that the Chief Administrator is unable to supply similar information for earlier years.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will detail the restrictions as regards movement placed on the British Ambassador and his staff in Moscow; and why similar restrictions have not been placed on the Soviet Ambassador and his staff in London.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will detail the restrictions as regards movement placed on the British Minister and his staff in Budapest; and why similar restrictions have not been placed on the Hungarian Minister and his staff in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will detail the restrictions as regards movement placed on the British Minister and his staff in Sofia; and why similar restrictions have not been placed on the Bulgarian Minister and his staff in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will detail the restrictions as regards movement placed on the British Minister and his staff in Bucharest; and why similar restrictions have not been placed on the Roumanian Minister and his staff in this country.

The following are details of the restrictions referred to:(a)

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in settling the 400,000 Chinese squatters in Malaya.

The principle has been accepted by State and Settlement Governments that wherever possible squatters should be settled, and given title to land, in the areas where they already live, but that where settlement of this kind is not possible, they should be moved to other areas. Funds have been made available by the Federation Government for roads, drainage, police stations and other essential services in existing settlements and in the new areas of resettlement. Voluntary organisations such as the Malayan Chinese Association have helped to provide subsistence payments to squatters, transport and building materials. Squatter committees have been set up in a number of districts and Chinese-speaking resettlement officers have been appointed in several of the States most concerned.A great variety of schemes is now in progress, and more are planned, ranging from the re-grouping and concentration of scattered communities to the large-scale resettlement of several thousand persons in a single new area.The completion of this formidable task involving as it does very large numbers of human beings, and the bringing of settled administration and police protection to the rural communities will inevitably take time. The High Commissioner has however constantly impressed upon the State and Settlement Governments the urgency of the problem.