asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the difficulty felt by the managers of voluntary schools in making application for aided status within six months of the receipt of notice of the making of the school development plan, as required by the Education Act, 1944, owing to the uncertainty of the date when new works at the schools can be carried out, and the present difficulty of estimating the cost of such works; and whether he will consider extending the time within which application for aided status may be made or taking such steps as may be necessary to relieve these difficulties.

I am aware of the difficulty and it is to see whether there is any possibility of meeting it within the framework of the Education Acts that I am consulting with representatives of the denominations.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that in the discussions of which he has spoken these managers are being called upon to accept financial obligations which far exceed any estimate that could have been made in 1944?

That is one of the things that I am not likely to be allowed to forget.

Could the right hon. Gentleman tell the House when these discussions are likely to reach a conclusion?

No, I cannot. I am waiting for a reply to representations which I have already made to them.

asked the Minister of Education whether his attention has been called to the recommendation of the Somerset Education Committee that divisional executives be discontinued and that the powers of school governors and managers be increased; and whether he will make a statement on his policy in this matter both in Somerset and elsewhere.

I have seen Press reports of this recommendation, which has still to be considered by the county council as local education authority. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 4 of Circular 210, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Education what is the cost on balance of the exchange of British teachers against American teachers, in view of the fact that the American teachers spend money in this country.

While it is no doubt true that, on balance, these exchanges with the U.S.A. represent some net dollar gain to this country, I am unable to give any accurate estimate of the amount owing to the unknown factors involved.

If the right hon. Gentleman admits that they represent a net dollar gain to this country, why did he tell the House last week that the numbers were being cut down because of the cost?

Because the net dollar gain does not affect the cost to the Estimate that I have to present to this House, and which has to be cut down to meet the requirements of the situation.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the fact that the school certificate examination can no longer be held at the end of the summer term, it can be held at the end of the Lent term, and the school year come to an end at Easter.

I would hesitate to make such a fundamental change without consulting the other interests concerned, including the schools and universities. In fact, the problem of the date of the certificate examinations was reviewed by the Secondary School Examinations Council in connection with their recent report, and the arrangements now in force are based on what they recommended.

While I quite appreciate that the right hon. Gentleman must consult the schools—it is proper that he should do so—may I ask him whether he will consult them? I am not challenging the change of date, but may it not bring about the great danger that the last half of the summer term may be wasted?

I am prepared to explore the question further, but the difficulty is that what suits the schools does not always suit the universities.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that a female school teacher who, after service in excess of 20 years, is forced to resign due to the need to look after her aged and infirm dependants, forfeits all right to a pension; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this hardship.

The conditions under which teachers may qualify for pension are laid down in the Teachers' Superannuation Acts and could be altered only by further legislation. If the hon. and gallant Member will inform me of the name of the teacher in question, I will have her case examined and will write to him.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is satisfied that the playing ground facilities for secondary schools in London is adequate, in view of the number of such schools which have few or no such facilities; and, if not, what steps he is taking in the matter.

The inadequacy of playground and playing field facilities for London secondary schools is well known to me, and to the local education authority on whom falls the primary responsibility to see that they are made adequate. The authority's development plan, which I recently approved, includes proposals which, when carried out, will substantially increase the facilities.

Would the right hon. Gentleman realise that lack of playing space in London has caused acute anxiety to those concerned with the education of children and is generally regarded as a contributory cause to the present increase of juvenile delinquency?

Yes, Sir, but the impossibility of providing playing fields in a built-up area, where there is not a scrap of land on which to establish one, presents itself to everybody. That is the reason why, in the proposals which have been put forward, playing fields are to be provided on the outskirts.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that in many built-up areas opencast coal getting prevents open spaces being provided for schools?

I have not heard of any in London.

asked the Minister of Education what long-term plans he is making to reduce the size of classes, particularly in primary schools.

A reduction in the size of classes depends on the availability of an adequate supply of teachers and of school accommodation. For some years to come our main efforts must be directed to providing sufficient accommodation and teachers to meet the needs of the rising school population, but I am constantly seeking to improve the ratio of pupils to teachers. In fact, in January, 1950, this was estimated to be 27.1 compared with 29.4 just before the war.

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that the problem will almost certainly get worse during the next three years?

No, Sir. I would not.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the difficulty is now more one of shortage of accommodation than of shortage of teachers?

We are attempting to match the provision of teachers with the provision of accommodation, and up to now we are meeting the requirements.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how much the problem has been aggravated by the cuts in the capital investment programme last autumn?

The cuts in the capital investment programme have not yet affected the situation one iota.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that he will have a sufficient inflow into the teaching profession during the next three years to meet the rising school population?

Yes, Sir. I think so.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that doctors' fees for applicants for establishment in the Civil Service are paid by the Civil Service Commissioners whereas similar fees for potential school teachers are paid by the candidates; and whether he will consider amending his Department's practice to accord with that of the Civil Service Commissioners in view of the hardship caused to candidates from poor families.

Students who have completed their training and are ready for employment are generally examined free of charge. Medical examination at the stage of entry into college is on rather a different footing and while it is possible that the arrangements for examination at this stage may be revised, I can give no undertaking that it will be possible to carry out the hon. Member's suggestion.

Is the Minister aware that this practice causes considerable hardship to a number of people who are already badly off?

If it causes considerable hardship, it is strange that I do not hear about it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now considered the need for the formation of a pottery industrial development council; the terms upon which it would function; its composition; and when it is proposed that it should hold its first meeting.

I am still not in a position to make any statement about this matter.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this will cause great disappointment among the members of the National Society of Pottery Workers? If he cannot take steps to set up such a council, will he consider calling together the whole industry with a view to considering what further steps can be taken to improve the present position?

Yes, Sir. I hope to be able to take action in this matter soon.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he anticipates being able to increase the amount of paper allowed in the production of local weekly newspapers.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Norfolk, Central (Brigadier Medlicott), on 28th March. Since then the Newsprint Rationing Committee has, I understand, decided to continue the present extra page until 1st July

Is the Minister aware that trade is being hampered considerably because of the practice of using A and B editions for small advertisements, which means that the advertisers get only half the circulation? It is doing a great deal of damage to local trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has allowed periodicals an unlimited share of the available newsprint while supplies to newspapers are still rationed strictly; and if, in fairness to the newspapers, he will allow them to use paper other than newsprint if they desire to increase the size of newspapers.

The amount of newsprint for periodicals is not unlimited. Its use for all purposes is still subject to licence and the amount allowed for periodicals is, in fact, small. Newspapers may use paper other than newsprint if they so wish, but available supplies would not be sufficient to permit of any general increase in the size of newspapers.

Has the right hon. Gentleman taken note of the latest figures of newsprint consumption, which show that periodicals like "The Radio Times" are now taking up to 3,000 tons a week out of a total of 14,000 tons? Is he satisfied that there will be enough newsprint for daily and weekly newspapers to fulfil their proper functions?

The amount of additional newsprint reserved for periodicals in the period following the decontrol of periodicals is only 5,000 tons, and not all of this may be licensed. In fact, 17,000 tons extra are required for newspapers to maintain a seven-page newspaper.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the granting of these licences is subject to confirmation or otherwise by this House, or is this a further example of the dictatorship of the Socialist Government?

The point of the Question by the hon. Gentleman's hon. Friend was that newspapers were in considerable trouble following the decontrol of periodicals.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that trade is being hampered and supplies of clothing to the public held up by the refusal of his department to make a general order increasing the ceiling prices of utility wool cloth garments, notwithstanding the effect of devaluation in raising the price of imported wool by 33⅓ per cent. or more; by what authority, and for what purpose, he requires each individual manufacturer to apply for a special making-up order; and by what authority, and for what purpose, he requires the ceiling prices fixed by such special making-up orders to be treated as confidential and not to be divulged.

I apologise for the length of this answer, which has to deal with a number of questions. There has been no recent increase in the maximum prices for the various specifications of utility wool cloth, and the question of raising the maximum prices for garments made from such cloths does not therefore arise.

The manufacture of utility garments is controlled by the Utility Mark and Apparel and Textiles (General Provisions) Order, 1947, (S.R. & O. 1947 No. 2642). The Board of Trade have made a series of general Orders, which are published as Statutory Instruments, authorising the manufacture of particular garments from specified utility cloths. These Orders also specify the manufacturers' maximum prices.

If a manufacturer wishes to make up a utility garment from a utility cloth not so specified, or from a non-utility cloth (e.g. an imported wool cloth), he may apply to the Board for special authority which can be given in the form of an Order as provided by the Utility Mark Order. In effect, it is a licence to use the particular cloth to manufacture specified utility garments. Such an Order also provides the manufacturer's maximum price for any garments to which it relates. As such an Order is addressed to a named person it is not published but it is in no way confidential. These individual or special Orders, like the published Statutory Instruments, are made under Defence Regulations 55 and 55AB.

Is not the short answer that the object of requiring the prices not to be divulged is to prevent the public from appreciating the effect of devaluation?

No, Sir. Not at all. This has been the position long before and since devaluation. So far as the general orders are concerned, the public are in a position to know what the prices are.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if in view of the misunderstandings that persist after two years of Departmental negotiation over the decontrol of softwood, he will meet the leaders of the trade in a fresh effort to resolve the outstanding problems.

While I have not yet been able to agree to the reversion of softwood to private trade, I know of no misunderstandings between my Department and the trade as to the reasons which prevent this reversion. Discussions on the outstanding problems are continuing, but the outcome of the discussions will also be affected by price trends overseas.

Will the Minister answer the Question, which was whether he will meet the leaders of the softwood trade to try to resolve these misunderstandings which are still quite obvious from answers he has given recently in the House?

I shall be prepared to consider that.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in view of the heavy increases in duty which have been imposed on certain goods entering the United States of America, as indicated in the Board of Trade Journal of 11th March, what action he will take within the terms of the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade to secure a reduction in these duties.

A multilateral tariff conference under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade will begin at Torquay in September, 1950, and it is the intention that the United Kingdom should then negotiate with the United States for reductions over a wide area of the United States tariff. My Department is already in consultation with United Kingdom industry about the reductions to be sought.

Cannot the President of the Board of Trade do something before next September to stop the increase in these tariffs, which is up to 110 per cent. ad valorem?

The increases to which the hon. Member refers are in items which have not been bound—that is, agreed not to be increased—under previous trade agreements.

Are not these increases contrary to the whole spirit of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which was meant to reduce tariffs and not increase them?

It is the desire of all of us in this House to see that tariffs are reduced, and some reductions have been achieved, but these items were not covered by the General Agreements or by other trade agreements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the rateable value of that part of the former Crossley Works at Gorton at present occupied by the Raw Cotton Commission; and what rent was paid by the Raw Cotton Commission for the building in each of the last three years.

The Raw Cotton Commission is entirely responsible for such matters of its own administration. I understand, however, that the premises in question are now owned by the Commission.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet issued a direction to the Odeon theatre circuit as to dates on which they must show the film "The Chance of a Lifetime," in London and the provinces; and what those dates are.

The direction is being issued today. The film will be shown at certain leading central London cinemas in the weeks beginning 27th April and 4th June respectively, and at the other theatres of the Odeon circuit at various dates thereafter, starting in North-West London on 12th June.

Will my right hon. Friend say whether he could persuade the Rank Organisation to show this film a little earlier? It is getting dangerously close to the summer months. Is he aware that the objective of the Rank Organisation in showing it during the summer is to lose money on it?

I think my hon. Friend is a little over-suspicious in this matter. The arrangements for showing the film have been worked out between the Rank Organisation and the distributors of the film, and I understand that the Rank Organisation were perfectly willing, if the distributors had so desired, that it should be shown in the autumn and not the summer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now consider the desirability of laying an Order before Parliament under Section 9 (3) of the Statistics of Trade Act, 1947, to impose more rigorous conditions regarding the confidential treatment of information received under the Census of Production and, in particular, to clarify conditions under which such information will be passed on by him to other Government Departments.

No, Sir. I am satisfied that in practice the confidential treatment of information received under a Census of Production is ensured by the provisions of Section 9 (i) of the Statistics of Trade Act, 1947. I realise the importance of safeguarding the position of individual businesses. Particulars relating to them have not on any occasion been disclosed to other Departments, and would not, in fact, be disclosed, save in a very exceptional case where summary figures for a group of firms would not serve the purpose.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that it is those exceptional cases which trouble people, and would he not derive great advantage if he could outline in black and white, so that everybody could see it, the circumstances in which he would be persuaded to take such action?

I am prepared to give this assurance to the hon. Gentleman, that permission for such additional work in such exceptional cases could only be given if I were satisfied that the information disclosed could not be used to the firm's disadvantage.

asked the Minister of Health under what Regulations under the National Health Service doctors in the service are precluded from giving to patients who apply for it information and advice about methods of contraception.

There is nothing whatever in the Regulations to preclude this. Nor, however, is there any obligation on the doctor to do it unless he considers it necessary for purposes of medical treatment.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether a doctor in the National Health Service is justified in refusing to give this information on conscientious grounds?

It is not my practice to interfere with the advice the doctor considers he should give his patient. I think it would be most unfortunate if we tried to intervene between doctor and patient in matters of this sort.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is on record that a National Health doctor refused to give this information on conscientious grounds, and then proceeded to offer to treat the patient as a private patient?

If that were the case, I think it would be very naughty indeed on the part of the doctor as he could not then be refusing on conscientious grounds, but on financial grounds.

asked the Minister of Health on what date direct consultation took place between the South-West Metropolitan Hospital Board and the Kingston Group Management Committee on the subject of and prior to the recent decision of the Board not to reappoint the chairman and three members of the committee; and whether he is satisfied that the provisions as to consultation of Part II of the Third Schedule of the National Health Service Act, 1946, were complied with.

I understand that the Regional Board wrote to the Management Committee on 29th December, 1949, and the Management Committee replied on 16th January, 1950. I see no reason to doubt that the provisions of the Act were complied with.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to employ ophthalmic opticians who are not ophthalmic medical practitioners in the National Health Service; whether he is aware of the concern among ophthalmic opticians that they are in danger of losing their livelihood; and if he will make a statement.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind the hospital eye service. Forty-eight ophthalmic opticians are already employed whole or part-time, and others will be engaged as the service develops.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that ophthalmic opticians are apprehensive that they will be squeezed out of existence in view of the fact that only ophthalmic medical practitioners are to be employed in the Health Service?

The ophthalmic opticians are aware of the situation. They know that what is in existence is a supplementary optical service. We hope that eventually the whole optical service of the country will be articulated through the hospitals where, in the first place, patients can be examined by ophthalmic surgeons.

asked the Minister of Health why special instructions have been given to the officers of His Majesty's Customs to prevent the private importation of streptomycin.

No substance to which the Therapeutic Substances Act, 1925, applies may be imported except under licence of my Department. No licences to import streptomycin are being issued as British supplies are adequate for all home requirements, with a margin for export.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that if a person wishes to import this stuff on his own account, out of his own private funds, it is evidence that the supply is not sufficient? Would he not consent to permission to import being granted?

It is not evidence that the supply is inadequate. It may be evidence that the person himself is misinformed. If the hon. Member will bring to my attention the case of any person unable to obtain streptomycin produced in Great Britain I will take immediate action.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the hardship caused under the Rent Restrictions Acts and that tenants are forced to live in uncongenial homes owing to the impossibility in many cases of the landlords doing the necessary repairs; and if he will therefore implement the recommendations of the Ridley Report.

I have received representations to this effect, but, as I stated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Bower), on 9th March, there is no prospect of early legislation to revise the Rent Restrictions Acts.

Is the Minister aware, first, that all landlords are not wicked and, secondly, that in many cases rents are not sufficient for them to keep their property in proper repair? In the long run it is the tenant who suffers, and suffers badly.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that tenants were living in uncongenial conditions for 20 years between the wars and were paying 25 per cent. increase in house rents in respect of repairs? Why were repairs not carried out then?

It is true that the existing rents include the proportion of the standard rent for repairing property and for voids. Since long before the war there have been no voids and, therefore, the landlord has been getting his rent regularly and also retaining the proportion of the rent he receives for repairs.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman know that the position is different in respect of the two sorts of controlled houses? Is he not aware that for a very long time the position in regard to repairs has been both contradictory and unsatisfactory under the rent Acts? When can they be brought in to simplify and review the whole matter?

I have already explained that it is not the intention of His Majesty's Government to introduce legislation to amend the Rent Restrictions Acts in this House.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that in the numerous cases where landlords are not doing repairs local authorities are exercising their powers to do repairs?

The local authorities, of course, have very considerable powers in this matter and it is my view that in very many instances they do not exercise the powers to the extent which they should.

asked the Minister of Health how much softwood is now allocated per house; and what structural alterations have been rendered necessary as a result.

The maximum allowance is 1.6 standards for each thousand square feet of floor area; details are given in Circular 100/49 issued to local authorities, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in certain regions only 1.5 standards is to be allocated and is he absolutely satisfied that the standard of houses is not being reduced as a result?

I am satisfied that the standard of houses is not being reduced. In some areas it is 1.5 standards and in some areas it is even less than 1.5 standards. Very often it depends on whether they are using wooden or metal frames for windows.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that in slum clearance areas in Liverpool landlords are unable to comply with local authority orders to repair, as the property is too bad, and that rents are not collected, and when arrears reach a high amount orders for eviction are made to county courts; and what steps he proposes to take to alleviate this situation.

I am making inquiries into this problem.

In view of the details I have sent to the Minister about bad cases, and the very difficult housing situation in Liverpool, would he see whether it is possible for county court decisions to fit in with the requirements of his Ministry?

I have no control over county court decisions I am glad to say, but there are some very curious features about some of these cases in Liverpool and I am making inquiries.

Will the Minister make it clear that he deprecates any suggestion of a Minister attempting to give directions to His Majesty's judges?

I have already said that I have no such powers, and I would not like to have them.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider withdrawing Circular 1866 so that local authorities can recommence inquiries on slum clearance, as the deterioration of properties awaiting inquiry since 1939 has become so bad that notices to repair cannot be complied with.

I am always ready to consider applications for confirmation of Orders in respect of clearance areas if the local authority are satisfied that the houses should no longer be occupied and that they can provide for the rehousing of the persons displaced.

asked the Minister of Health whether an up-to-date edition of the pamphlet entitled "Rent Control in England and Wales," Command Paper No. 133, published in 1946, can now be issued.

The only new rent control legislation passed since the publication of pamphlet C.133 is the Landlord and Tenant (Rent Control) Act, 1949, on which an explanatory memorandum F.R.2A, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy, has been printed and is available to the public at the offices of local authorities and rent tribunals. There is no need, therefore, for the revision of C.133.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of several decisions in the Court of Appeal since 1946, particularly with reference to what constitutes a separate dwelling? In view of that, does he not think that some more up to date guidance should be given in this publication about the application of the Rent Acts in cases of that kind?

I believe, if my memory serves me correctly, that when we had the Landlord and Tenant Bill before the House we put certain decisions of the court right in that respect, or, rather, reverted to what we hoped was the original law. I will look at the point raised by my hon. Friend, to see whether any revision is necessary.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that some people are allergic to iodine; and how he proposes to avoid causing grave inconvenience together with a risk of serious illness to such people when he requires all salt for human consumption to be iodised.

I am advised that there is no evidence whatever that the addition of a salt of iodine in the very minute quantities proposed would have any adverse effects.

But if the addition of the salt is effective in stopping goitre, which is its purpose, is it not possible that it might be also effective in other directions, for instance, in the case of those who are allergic to iodine?

I can understand the hon. Member's anxieties in this matter, but it has been fully examined by the Medical Research Council. I can assure him that even those who would be allergic to iodine would not be affected by the minute quantities which, however, would still be effective in preventing goitre.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I wrote to him this morning, bringing a specific case of this nature to his attention? Will he reconsider the whole matter?

I have not yet seen the letter, but I will certainly examine it very carefully when I see it.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will exercise his powers under Section 16 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, to make a grant to the Peckham Health Centre.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the financial difficulties which threaten the closing down of the Pioneer Health Centre, Peckham; and if financial assistance will be forthcoming from his Department to enable this centre to continue as a Research Institute under Section 16 of the National Health Service Act, 1946.

As I understand that the Centre is closed, the question of grants for research does not at present arise. The governing body of the Centre have placed proposals for the Centre's future before the London County Council, and I am in touch with the Council on the research aspect of these proposals.

Whatever the London County Council propose, is the Minister aware that he has a direct responsibility to this House for the encouragement of research? Is he aware that those people best qualified to judge consider that the Peckham experiment was one of the most worthwhile and exciting research experiments in the world?

My officers will be delighted to receive from those who were in charge of the Centre any conclusions in the research aspects of the Centre which they are likely to put before us, but so far we have not received them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman right in saying that there have been no discussions, even of an informal character, between those responsible for the Centre and his officials? Is his Ministry not in possession of the new plans for research?

What I said was that we would be very delighted to examine any conclusions reached on the research aspects of the Centre, which has been in existence for many years. I will again make inquiries, but, as far as I know, I do not believe we have had any concrete conclusions.

Will my right hon. Friend act with some speed in this matter, because the work of the Centre is suspended for only three months? If it cannot reopen at the end of that period, it will have to close for good. It is not sufficient to leave the matter to be settled by the L.C.C.

There are two aspects of the matter. There is the health centre aspect of it, which first must be discussed by the local authority concerned, who are responsible for putting up proposals for health centres, and there are the research aspects of the matter, which are the concern of the Ministry of Health and the Medical Research Council. Those two things have to be considered together.

Will the right hon. Gentleman—I am sure he will—bear in mind that although temporary arrangements have been made to carry on the Centre, there is a definite limit to them? The result of these negotiations is very urgently awaited.

I am very well aware that many hon. Members are most anxious about the Centre, as are many people in the country. As I have informed the House before, a special sub-committee of the Central Health Service Council is examining the whole question of health centres. I am awaiting their report, and this matter will be considered in conjunction with it.

In view of the fact that the research aspect of this work goes beyond the strictly medical field, will my right hon. Friend consider discussing it with the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy?

It is because it goes directly beyond the medical field that it has some very interesting features about it. That is the claim it makes, that it is as much a social as a medical experiment. What we are trying to do is to assess the social significance of the Centre in so far as we can.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Thorpe Bay is a seaside resort, and that a swimming pool is a desirable amenity for the many visitors; and whether he will therefore reconsider his decision to refuse loan sanction to the Southend County Borough Council for the purpose of reconditioning this swimming pool.

This scheme, like other similar ones, must, unfortunately, be deferred for the time being.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is one of the closest seaside resorts to London and that thousands of visitors from working class homes go there every year, sometimes only for a day? Is he aware that the tide in this district recedes somewhat and, unless the swimming pool is provided, they may go home without the benefit of having a swim?

I can understand the concern of the hon. Member about this, but we cannot allow all schemes to proceed simultaneously, or they would smother one another.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that such a swimming pool would attract more people to Southend than the Festival of Britain will attract to London?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the import of foreign honey does not reduce the number of beekeepers in this country.

None, Sir. My right hon. Friend has no reason to think that the number of beekeepers will be reduced on account of imports of foreign honey.

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that there is real anxiety about the importing of cheap foreign honey, which will reduce the number of beekeepers and have a serious effect on the pollination of fruit trees?

No, Sir. I am not aware of that, nor have we had representations at the Ministry on that score.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres of land have been acquired, county by county, for smallholdings since the war in England and Wales; how many requests by county councils for permission to purchase land have been rejected on the ground of prices being too high; and what is the policy of his Department in determining the amount that should be paid.

As the reply to the first part of the Question includes a number of figures, I propose, with permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. In reply to the remaining parts of the Question the maximum price, which, in accordance with the Government's policy, local authorities may pay for land is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947. The case does not, therefore, arise of requests for permission to purchase which have to be refused on the score of price.

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that in certain places it has proved impossible to buy land because permission cannot be granted to the county council to buy at the high prices asked?

I have no information on that matter. If the hon. and gallant Member has knowledge of any such cases, perhaps he will send me details of them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many applications for smallholdings have been made since the end of the war; how many have been satisfied; how many permanently rejected; and how many acres will be required to satisfy the remainder.

In the period 1st October, 1945, to 30th September, 1949, the latest for which complete figures are available, smallholdings authorities in England and Wales received 15,984 applications. Three thousand one hundred and nineteen were granted; 2,533 were refused; and at the end of the period 9,950 applications for a total of 248,000 acres were outstanding.

Does the hon. Gentleman not consider that the demands for smallholdings are not being met at a sufficiently high rate? What steps is he taking to try to speed up the matter?

I do not think that the figures show that at all. Following the coming into operation of Part IV of the Act, which was subsequent to the period of the figures I have given, outstanding lists will have to be gone through in accordance with the degrees of preference now laid down under Part IV. It may be that the lists will be reduced when that is done. In any case, we have not so far found it at all necessary to hold back smallholding authorities, who have initiative in this matter.

Does my hon. Friend know what is the average cost of equipping a smallholding?

That is a different question, but if my hon. and learned Friend will look at the Smallholdings Advisory Council report, he will find in it considerable details of the figures.

Does the hon. Gentleman not realise that the policy he has adopted as a result of the report of the Smallholdings Advisory Council involves existing holdings being amalgamated to make larger holdings, so that the rate of granting new applications will get smaller and smaller?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what factors influenced him in deciding to eliminate part-time smallholdings; and whether he is prepared to review this decision in the light of special consideration affecting specific areas.