asked the Minister of Education approximately how many school children in parties organised by education authorities were enabled to visit continental countries last year; and what encouragement is being given to ensure similar visits this year.

I do not collect statistics of the number of children taking part in school visits. Owing to the present need for strict economy, I am afraid that I cannot give any special encouragement to visits to continental countries by parties of school children this year.

asked the Minister of Education how many grants are being paid to students attending trade courses; what total annual sum is involved; and what are the trades concerned.

—			Total for Wales			Cardiff
			Men	Women	Total	Men	Women	Total
Qualified teachers	…	…	993	4,499	5,492	89	320	409
Graduates (included above)		…	123	426	549	15	39	54
Unqualified teachers	…	…	67	964	1,031	2	10	12

asked the Minister of Education, in view of the fact that the cost of living has increased by over 80 per cent. since 1938, whereas the salaries of teachers have increased since then by only 27.7 per cent. in some cases in London for those who have the longest service, whether he will consider the desirability of a Government grant of £250 to teachers to tide them over the period until any increase in salaries is decided upon.

No.

asked the Minister of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the proposal of the Devon

My Department does not make any grants direct to students to enable them to take trade courses. If the hon. Member will give me further particulars of the type of courses he has in mind and the type of institutions at which they are provided I will do my best to supply the information he requires.

asked the Minister of Education how many teachers in Wales and in Cardiff, respectively, were receiving a salary of less than £400 a year in 1949; and how many of these are university graduates.

The number of teachers employed in schools or establishments maintained or assisted by local education authorities in Wales and in Cardiff on 31st March, 1949, known to be receiving a salary of less than £400 a year were as follows:Education Committee to abolish divisional executives for education in the county; whether he is aware that widespread dissatisfaction and inconvenience will be caused if this proposal is carried into effect; and if he will make a statement.

The Devon County Council have asked for my formal consent to the revocation of their scheme of divisional administration. I am looking into this matter and will give my decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many administrative officials in Bechuanaland are British and South African subjects, respectively; how many are Bechuanaland Africans; and approximately how many of the non-official European population are from Britain and elsewhere, respectively.

There are at present 27 administrative officers, all European, on the Bechuanaland Protectorate Establishment. Of these 12 are from the United Kingdom, 11 from the Union of South Africa, two from Southern Rhodesia, and two from the Bechuanaland Protectorate. The non-official European population of the Bechuanaland Protectorate is approximately 2,000. No details of their country of origin are available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take to allow the import of goods which are held up by the Customs because they cannot obtain import licence, to enable these goods to help our economic recovery.

Importers have frequently been warned that application for an import licence should be made well in advance of the arrival of the goods for which a licence is required: to issue licences merely because such goods have arrived would give careless or unscrupulous importers an unfair advantage over those who endeavour to comply with the proper procedure and would frustrate the purpose for which imports are controlled. Goods requiring import licences are liable to seizure if no licence is issued, in which case they would normally be sold thus helping both the economy and the revenue.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the work of the Dollar Exports Board and the encouragements now offered to British firms to undertake exports to the dollar area; and what success has attended the present efforts.

The Dollar Exports Board, which is of course an entirely independent body, is steadily intensifying its efforts to encourage and assist United Kingdom firms to export to Canada and the United States of America. The hon. Member will have seen that Sir Cecil Weir and his colleagues are holding a series of meetings with representatives of important industries and he will no doubt also have seen the helpful booklets on marketing and advertising and sales promotion that have been prepared and published by that Board.On the question of encouragements offered to firms exporting to the dollar areas, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to statements I made in this House on 11th April and 14th July, 1949, during Debates on the Economic Situation and to the issue of the Board of Trade Journal of 17th December, 1949.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, since the end of the war, Thomas Owen and Company, Limited, of Cardiff, have spent approximately half a million pounds upon the installation of machinery for the making of paper from home-grown straw at the request of His Majesty's Government, and that, as a result of Government policy with regard to the importation and allocation of paper-making raw materials, the bulk of that expenditure has become abortive; and what steps he proposes to take in this matter, bearing in mind the importance of the paper-making industry and the necessity of maintaining a high and stable level of employment in South Wales.

No. While we are naturally glad to see the utmost use being made of home-produced raw materials such as straw, the project was undertaken as an ordinary commercial venture with the approval but not at the request of His Majesty's Government. I should, however, be willing to consider any ways in which help might be given as regards the types of paper to be made out of the firm's supplies of woodpulp, which are now subject to private purchase. His Majesty's Government has no further pulp to issue.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the South Wales Board Mills Limited, which have spent a large sum of money over the past two years in the erection of a new mill at Newport for the manufacture of box boards and cartons have now stopped work owing to the refusal by his Department to allocate the necessary raw materials; and if, in view of the importance of this industry and of the necessity of maintaining a high and stable level of employment in South Wales, he will review this matter at once.

No. I understand that this factory will take another 15 months to complete when work is started again. It was designed to make boards from straw and waste paper with a little mechanical pulp added. All these raw materials are open to private purchase and the first two can be consumed without

New Factories and Extensions of 5,000 sq. ft. and over approved, completed and under construction in the development areas between June, 1945, and end of January, 1950
Development Area					Finace			Total Approved	Completed	Under Costruction
Scottish	…	…	…	…	Government		…	235	187	44
					Private	…	…	286	167	53
					Total		…	521	354	97
North-Eastern		…	…	…	Government		…	152	132	15
					Private	…	…	284	153	69
					Total		…	436	285	84
West Cumberland		…	…	…	Government		…	28	25	1
					Private	…	…	18	6	5
					Total		…	46	31	6
South Wales and Monmouthshire				…	Government		…	173	129	27
					Private	…	…	184	79	45
					Total		…	357	208	72
Wrexham	…	…	…	…	Government		…	1	—	1
					Private	…	…	25	9	4
					Total		…	26	9	5
South Lancashire		…	…	…	Government		…	17	8	3
					Private	…	…	63	35	3
					Total		…	80	43	6
Merseyside	…	…	…	…	Government		…	4	—	—
					Private	…	…	151	56	9
					Total		…	155	56	9
Total of Development Areas				…	Government		…	610	481	91
					Private	…	…	1,011	505	188
					Total		…	1,621	986	279

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total number of persons leaving the United Kingdom for each

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of new factories and extensions completed, under construction and approved in respect of Government and privately financed projects, respectively, for each of the seven development areas since June, 1945.

Following are the figures:year from 1945 to 1949, giving the principal countries of destination.

Figures of passenger movement for the year 1945 are not available. The other data asked for are as follows:

Outward Movement of Passengers from the United Kingdom.
		1946			1947			1948			1949§
		Total Departtures	British Emigrants	Alien Emigrants	Total Departures	British Emigrants	Alien Emigrants	Total Departures	British Emigrants	Alien Emigrants	Total Departures	British Emigrants	Alien‡ Emigrants
Total Departures	…	1,507,604	—	—	2,278,502	—	—	2,596,273	—	—	2,968,271║	—	—
By Sea—Total	…	1,287,365	166,586	5,005	1,877,116	121,643	4,831	2,056,785	157,290	10,860	2,367,084║	144,503	6,665
To Irish Republic	…	425,781	—	—	471,982	—	—	602,688	—	—	619,181	—	—
Channel Islands	…	140,203	—	—	203,246	—	—	201,757	—	—	194,682	—	—
Continent of Europe	…	506,994	—	—	956,992	—	—	943,941	—	—	1,236,943	—	—
Canada	…	61,127	52,479	1,053	29,744	22,960	296	51,513	34,487	1,687	59,372	20,762	1,648
Australia	…	10,491	9,592		14,813	13,012	42	39,357	34,445	47	62,289	53,059	41
New Zealand	…	5,888	5,428		6,452	5,918	57	6,715	6,927	132	8,592	9,261	53
South Africa and Southern Rhodesia	…	12,455	11,127		34,127	26,142	244	46,786	32,232	355	35,409	15,283	81
India and Pakistan	…	15,688	10,937		18,441	10,370	60	7,709	4,000	47	9,484	4,780	33
Other British Countries	…	22,839	20,667		25,859	19,598	196	29,104	21,224	263	31,434	21,672	127
U.S.A.	…	74,571	49,580	2,857	105,338	18,555	2,605	110,842	19,600	3,280	95,291	16,237	1,928
Other Foreign Countries	…	10,824	6,776	1,095	9,284	5,088	1,331	11,408	4,375	5,049	5,878	3,449	2,754
On Pleasure Cruises	…	504			838			1,095			—
By Air—Total	…	220,239	—	—	401,386†	—	—	539,488	—	—	601,187	—	—
To Irish Republic	…	33,000	—	—	62,916	—	—	88,255	—	—	94,763	—	—
Channel Islands	…	187,000	—	—	—	—	—	61,156	—	—	69,698	—	—
Canada	…				19,000	—	—	27,000	—	—	436,726*	—	—
U.S.A.	…				51,000	—	—	45,000	—	—
Rest of World	…				269,000	—	—	318,000	—	—
*Including 318,000 to the Continent of Europe; corresponding figures for earlier years are not known.										— = not available.
†Excluding figures for Channel Islands.										§Provisional figures.
‡January-September only.										║Excluding Pleasure Cruises.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many civil servants are at present on loan to the Raw Cotton Commission.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many licences were issued by, or on behalf of, his Department in the first three months of 1948, 1949 and 1950, respectively.

The precise figures asked for are not obtainable; but the estimated annual rates at which licences were being issued by my Department were as follows:

1st January, 1948	2,830,000
1st April,1949	1,858,000
1st January,1950	1,328,000

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of the controls still exercised by his Department over the acquisition, manufacture or disposal of raw materials and manufactured articles.

Controls of manufacture are still exercised by my Department over: utility bedding, binder twine, carpets, cotton and rayon weaving, home grown flax, hosiery, footwear, utility furniture, newsprint and other paper and board made from woodpulp, utility furs, domestic glassware, gloves, hard hemp, netting, pianos and organs pottery, metal containers and holders for packaging for the home market, utility cloth, clothing and household textiles; and the following materials are subject to control of acquisition or disposal: bristles, cotton linters and cotton yarn, imported fertilisers (except organic, Chile nitrate of soda and phosphate rock for fertilisers, potash), cinematograph film, glycerine, soft hemp, jute and jute goods, leavers' lace and silk net, leather, methylene chloride, newsprint and materials for fibreboard cases, some waste-paper and waste fibrous materials used in paper-making, nylon yarn, raw silk and silk yarn, sulphur and pyrites, bonded unmanufactured tobacco, timber (plywood, softwood, boxboards, and certain hardwoods).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decision has now been reached regarding the recommendations in Part II of the Oaksey Report with regard to the housing need of the Metropolitan Police; and what steps have been taken to implement recommendations, numbers xxix to xxxvi inclusive.

The Report called for more rapid provision of police dwellings and more assistance from housing authorities. There have been special difficulties in providing police dwellings in London, but it has recently been possible to improve considerably the rate at which the construction of new quarters is being put in hand. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Health has asked housing authorities to give sympathetic consideration to the recommendations of the Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action it is proposed to take on Part II of the Oaksey Report.

The position is as indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brixton (Lieut.-Colonel Lipton) on 16th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the Metropolitan Police Force makes use of radio-telephonic communication; and with what results.

Over 200 Metropolitan Police vehicles and craft are equipped with two-way radio telephony. During the 12 months ended 31st March, 1950, over 215,000 messages were passed between the information room and vehicles so equipped resulting in over 4,800 arrests by crews of the vehicles and the despatch of police cars to deal with over 12,000 accidents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, after the Secretaries of State for the Home Department and for Scotland have completed their examination of the defects in registration and in other aspects of election procedure brought out by the recent General Election, he will cause a statement to be issued covering the position in the United Kingdom and indicating what changes in procedure may be expected at the next election.

My right hon. Friend and I are satisfied on the information before us that the arrangements in force relating to registration and election procedure have worked reasonably well, and we contemplate no major changes. We are considering representations made to us, however, both in this House and from other quarters, on a number of points, and we shall submit to the House in due course the amendments we think it necessary to make to the existing Regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that alien passengers in transit through London Airport who are changing air lines but not leaving the airport are required to fill in an alien's landing card; and whether he will dispense with this requirement and thus follow the procedure in operation at foreign airports, such as Paris or Rome, as foreign travellers are irked by this formality.

An alien passenger who lands in transit is not required by the immigration staff to complete a landing card unless he proposes to leave the airport before continuing his journey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider publishing an interim report on the working of the Children Act, 1948.

I intend to publish as soon as it can be prepared a report containing an account of the working of the Children Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department where youths over 17 years of age who have received sentences of imprisonment for crimes of violence are accommodated; how many young persons there are in this category; and to what extent it has been necessary to place them in prisons where they come in contact with older criminals who have already served previous sentences.

Prisoners who were between the ages of 17 and 21 on conviction and received sentences of three months' imprisonment or more are located at Lewes Prison and in separate wings of Stafford and Wakefield Prisons which have been set aside for young prisoners. On 4th April, 1950, there were in these prisons 92 young prisoners convicted of crimes of violence. Lewes Prison, except for a separate wing for untried prisoners, is used solely as a young prisoners centre; at Stafford and Wakefield the young prisoners are kept apart from older men who have already served prison sentences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the position in regard to the accommodation in prisons; what are the numbers of the present prison population; and what steps he has been able to take to procure the additional accommodation which is specially necessary for youths who would normally be sent to Borstal institutions.

All available cellular prison accommodation has now been taken into use, and hutted camps and other buildings have been acquired for the accommodation of those prisoners who can be held under conditions of modified security. Nevertheless, the amount of cellular accommodation is still insufficient for present needs, and at a recent date some 1,900 prisoners were sleeping three in a cell. The total number in occupation of prisons and Borstals on 28th March, 1950, was 20,247, including 3,187 Borstal inmates. There is no shortage of Borstal accommodation, and persons sentenced to Borstal training are removed to a Borstal Institution normally within a few days.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many houses have been completed by the Forestry Commission for the purpose of housing their workers engaged on forestry schemes.

Five hundred and six houses have been completed for this purpose since the end of the war.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many applications have been received for county council smallholdings in Gloucestershire since 1945.

Three hundred and seventy-three applications for smallholdings have been received by the Gloucester County Council since 30th September, 1945. Subsequent withdrawals and the letting of vacant holdings have reduced the number of outstanding applications to 312. These are subject to review to ascertain whether the applicants are eligible for selection under Part IV of the Agriculture Act, 1947.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why there has been no issue of the annual details of the catch by rods and nets in the principal salmon rivers in England and Wales since the war; and if he will issue instructions for such a report to be issued in future, in the same form as it was issued before the war.

The issue of annual reports on salmon and freshwater fisheries was suspended during the war, and I do not consider that a resumption of the practice would be justified under present conditions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the apparatus for killing whales by electricity to which he referred in his statement of 19th July, 1948, has now been given sufficient trial to permit him to decide whether or not steps should be taken to render its use obligatory.

No; I am awaiting the return of the British whaling fleet for a report on further trials carried out this season.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in order to maintain a high level of secondary education in this country, he will arrange that assistance, in the form of a tax rebate as in the case of insurance, should be given to those people who desire to educate their children at independent secondary schools, recognised as efficient by the Board of Education, since full implementation of the Government's proposals for the development of secondary education is not, at present, contemplated.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that a Cultural Convention exists as between France and Great Britain and that it is desirable under that convention to encourage the maximum interchange of visits between the two countries, he will, as a matter of urgency, investigate the possibility of permitting the recommencement of day trips between France and Great Britain by delegating the Customs proceedings which are involved during the limited seasonal period in question to temporary officials, the cost of whose salaries would be covered by making a small surcharge on the fares of each passenger.

I have considered the hon. Member's suggestion, but we could not safely entrust Customs work of this kind, which requires training and experience, to temporary staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the actual yield for the fiscal year 1949–50 of Purchase Tax in the 35 different groupings of the Eighth Schedule to the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1948.

Estimates of the receipts of Purchase Tax for the financial year 1949–50, sub-divided according to the statutory classification, are not available, but I give below a table showing the estimated yield of Purchase Tax in the calendar year 1949 under the main headings.

Groups under Eighth Schedule of Finance (No. 2) Act, 1948	Description	Estimated Yield in 1949
		£million
1	Footwear (Non-Utility)	5·0
1, 2, & 3	Non-Utility Apparel (other than Footwear), Utility Fur Garments and Fully Fashioned Stockings	57·1
4	Haberdashery	7·5
5	Domestic Textile Articles (Non-Utility)	8·6
6, 7 & 8	Tissues and Fabrics (Non-Utility) Plastic Sheeting and Fur-skins (Non-Utility)	20·2
9	Floor coverings	15·1
10	Wallpaper, etc.	2·8
11	Hardware, Non-Utility Furniture, etc.	12·4
12	Electrical and Gas Appliances, etc.	10·1
13	Cutlery	2·0
14 & 15	Lighting Fittings Bulbs, etc.	4·8
17	Clocks and Watches	3·8
18	Wireless Sets and Batteries	8·0
19	Musical Instruments and Gramophone Records	2·6
20	Toys and Sports Goods	9·1
23	Trunks, Bags, etc.	8·7
24	Photographic Goods	2·0
25	Pictures, Prints, Pictorial Greetings Cards, etc.	4·3
26, 27 & 28	Jewellery, Goldsmiths' and Silversmiths' Ware, etc.	6·4
29	Fancy Goods	3·6
30 & 31	Toilet Requisites and Hairdressing Machinery	7·0
32	Toilet Preparations and Perfumery	17·9
33	Drugs and Medicines	9·4
34	Stationery and Office Requisites	23·7
35	Passenger Road Vehicles, including Cycles	26·9
—	Miscellaneous (including groups for which information is not separately available)	3·3
	TOTAL	£282·3 m.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason Purchase Tax upon articles of clothing, such as stockings, sent into this country in postal packets, was not charged before the first week in March, 1950; why no notice was given of the intention to impose this charge; and whether it is intended to maintain it in cases where the recipients ordered these goods before the charge was begun to be imposed.

Purchase Tax is chargeable upon all new articles of clothing imported by post. It is waived only if the amount involved is negligible. In March, 1950, it was found that postal packets containing one or two pairs of nylon stockings were arriving from Malta or Gibraltar in such numbers that a waiver could no longer be justified and the tax due has since been levied. Practically all of these stockings originally came from the United Kingdom. In view of the nature of the traffic and of the fact that legally these goods if imported without licence are liable to seizure I see no grounds for an act of indulgence such as the hon. and learned Member suggests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in the Financial Statement to be issued in connection with the Budget for 1950–51, he will separate the estimated below the line payments under the Overseas Resources Development Act, 1948, between those intended for the Colonial Development Corporation and for the Overseas Food Corporation and in the latter case between those intended for the East African Groundnuts Scheme and for other activities of the Corporation.

I propose that the Financial Statement should show separately Exchequer advances in connection with the Colonial Development Corporation and the Overseas Food Corporation. But I do not think that it would be appropriate to give a more detailed breakdown of these advances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that there has been a rise of 13 points in the Official Index of Retail Prices since June, 1947, and that, in order to meet this rise retirement pensions would have to be increased from 26s. a week, with 16s. for a wife, to 29s. 6d. and 18s., respectively, he will consider during the preparation of his Budget, how old age pensioners may be best protected from the burden of the rising cost of living.

I would refer to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on the 30th March to the hon. and gallant Member for Portsmouth, West (Brigadier Clarke).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider giving tax allowance to husbands with invalid wives when a housekeeper has to be employed, similar to that given to widowers.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the arrangements which have been made for the new social survey; and what is the estimated cost to the taxpayer.

I presume that the hon. Member refers to a survey recently mentioned in the Press. This is part of the work carried out by the Social Survey Division of the Central Office of Information to assist various Government Departments. The way in which such surveys are carried out is described on pages 27 and 28 of the current Annual Report of the Central Office of Information, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member. The cost of this particular survey is £1,196 plus a proportion of overhead charges.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the parish of Solport in the border rural district of Cumberland is without a piped water supply and that other parts of the district are without an adequate supply; and when he will sanction and cause the commencement of the Crew Fell water scheme.

Yes. The council will be authorised to get tenders as soon as a starting date has been obtained. It is expected that work will start this year.

asked the Minister of Health which local authorities in Berkshire have submitted to his Department since 1945 proposals for piped water supply schemes, and which of these authorities have had these schemes finally sanctioned; and to what extent shortage of pipes is one of the reasons for the delay in carrying out the schemes.

The information is as follows:

Local authorities in Berkshire who have submitted schemes of piped water supply to the Department since 1945	Number of Schemes submitted	Number of Schemes finally authorised
Maidenhead B.C.	3	3
Newbury B.C.	9	8
New Windsor B.C.	5	5
Reading C.B.C.	18	17
Wokingham B.C.	1	1
Abingdon R.D.C.	1	1
Bradfield R.D.C.	9	8
Easthampstead R.D.C.	2	2
Faringdon R.D.C.	6	4
Hungerford R.D.C.	1	1
Newbury R.D.C.	2	1
Wallingford R.D.C.	8	6
Wantage R.D.C.	9	6
Wokingham R.D.C.	31	29

I am not aware of the extent to which shortage of pipes is a reason for any delay in carrying out the schemes.

asked the Minister of Health which of the 18 piped water supply schemes finally authorised by his Department after submission by local authorities in Huntingdonshire have already been completed; which of them are due for completion in 1950; and when the remainder are due for completion.

The information is as follows:

—	Finally Authorised	Completed	Due for Completion during 1950
St. Neots U.D.C.	1	—	1
Old Fletton U.D.C.	1	1	—
Norman Cross R.D.C.	2	—	2
St. Neots R.D.C.	6	6	—
Huntingdon R.D.C.	1	1	—
St. Ives R.D.C.	5	3	2
Ramsey and St. Ives J.W.B.	2	—	2
Totals	18	11	7

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the most recent appointments to the Wolverhampton Hospital Management Committee of the Birmingham Regional Hospitals Board: and why no trade union representative is among the appointments.

These appointments are the responsibility of the Regional Hospital Board and not of the Minister.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there is a danger in the unrestricted distribution and indiscriminate use of streptomycin in combating tuberculosis; and if he will make a statement on its use in this country.

Streptomycin is only obtainable on a medical prescription, and the dangers in its use have been fully described in professional journals and elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Health what is being done to overtake the list of about 440 cases awaiting admission to mental deficiency institutions in the area of Manchester Regional Hospital Board.

The Regional Board are bringing into use 100 more beds at Cranage Hall, and work is proceeding on the provision of a further 40 beds at Brookhall Hospital. Every effort is being made to overcome the shortage of nursing staff which is at present delaying further beds being brought into use.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that his Department has given instructions to some hospital authorities that all milk supplied to hospitals should be pasteurised whether or not it originates from tuberculin-tested herds; whether this instruction is being given to all hospital authorities throughout the country; and for what reasons such instructions are given.

I am not aware of any instructions of the kind to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied that the opticians are now operating fairly the system of priorities which he requested them to introduce; what classes of persons benefit under this system; and how long, on the average, people in each of the priority classes have to wait for their spectacles.

In general, Yes. Priority is intended for cases of progressive defect, especially in children, and for people totally unable to carry on their normal duties without glasses. I understand that, broadly speaking, priority cases receive their glasses on average in about a month.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the practice by which any moneys in the approved estimates of a hospital management committee which are not spent by the end of the financial year cannot be carried over into the next year, is leading to unwise spending towards the end of the year, so as not to lose advantage of the sums available; and whether he will alter the present arrangements in order that such committees may no longer have an artificial incentive to get public money spent at all costs by a fixed date.

As the hon. Member will be aware, the whole question of expenditure in the National Health Service is, as I indicated in the Debate on 14th March, being examined.

asked the Minister of Health when it is proposed to complete the extension of Llandough Hospital Cardiff, in view of the fact that facilities are already complete for sewerage, heating, and lighting purposes.

I am not yet able to give any date for this completion.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent hospitals in Wales are understaffed in respect of doctors and nurses, respectively; what steps are being taken to remedy the position; and if he will cause an inquiry to be made to ascertain to what extent the understaffing of hospitals is due to the call-up of all newly-qualified doctors for the Armed Forces.

The position is being reviewed, and recruitment of nurses is improving. There is no reason to suppose that any change in the system of call-up would reduce the shortage.

asked the Minister of Health why he has provided by Regulation 2 (2) of the National Health Service (Hospital Endowments Fund—Discharge of Liabilities) Regulations (S.I., 1950, No. 438) that the values of the securities left in the fund shall be taken as their market value at 5th July, 1948, instead of present market value; why he has made no provision for the valuation of unquoted or unmarketable securities; and what was the estimated value of the fund on 5th July, 1948, and on 27th March, 1950, respectively.

The provisions of the Act about the setting up of the fund, the discharge of liabilities out of it, and its apportionment among hospital boards and committees, take effect as at 5th July, 1948. The amount to remain in the fund must therefore also be based on a valuation at the same date. There are no unquoted or unmarketable securities left in the fund.The fund's estimated value at 5th July, 1948 (including assets still to be received) is £29,800,000. There is no occasion to value it 27th March, 1950, but a valuation at the end of each financial year will be included in the accounts of the fund presented to Parliament in accordance with the Act.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take some action to assist elderly people living alone and without relatives or known friends, who are chronically ill, to obtain admittance into a hospital within a reasonable period of time, when this is deemed necessary by the doctor concerned.

Steps are already taken by hospitals together with the medical officers of health to give priority to those whose medical or social need is greatest; but shortage of nursing staff is the chief difficulty.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the difficulty experienced by diabetics in obtaining needles for hypodermic syringes; and what action he proposes to take to ensure that such needles are immediately available in full supply.

I am aware that there are still some shortages despite greatly increased output. Production is being further expanded.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is considering the introduction of free immunisation against whooping cough in view of the success obtained in Keighley.

I am first awaiting a report by the Medical Research Council about certain trials that have been going on under their direction.

asked the Minister of Health the number of applications for hearing aids outstanding in the Southend district.

I understand that there are 1,073 applications outstanding. A distribution centre will open in Southend shortly after Easter.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the chest clinics in Horncastle and Spilsby, Lincolnshire, have been closed and, in view of the long distances which patients will have to travel to other available clinics, whether he will reconsider this decision.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the inclusion of chiropodists in the National Health Service.

Chiropody is already provided, as an ancillary hospital service and by certain local health authorities.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider temporarily suspending the supply of bi-focal spectacles whilst the urgent needs of children suffering from defective vision are met.

No. I am advised that no material advantage would result from taking such a step.

asked the Minister of Health whether persons who desire to have them can be supplied with rimless spectacles under the National Health Service.

No.

asked the Minister of Health if he will investigate the case of a resident of Silver End, Essex, of whose name and address he has been informed, who has been awaiting delivery of spectacles for 11 months; and state the reasons for this long delay.

I have made inquiries and I am informed that the lady's distance glasses have been delivered and her reading glasses are expected within a few days. The lenses were of a kind difficult to obtain.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects that Mrs. Walkden, who was examined on 9th May, 1949, and Mr. B. G. Allen, who was examined on 1st July, 1949, particulars of whom have been sent him, can expect to receive their spectacles.

Mrs. Walkden's spectacles have been sent to her. New lenses will be fitted to Mr. Allen's spectacles if he will visit his optician.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the fact that there are 9,000 spectacle prescriptions still outstanding in Peterborough, what steps he proposes to take to speed up delivery.

I am aware of the delays, which are steadily being reduced. I would refer to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr. Haire) on 23rd March.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that the present organisation for pricing prescriptions will enable payments to be kept up to date once arrears are overcome.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Health if he has now completed his review of the number of people on the waiting lists for houses in Great Britain; and if he will publish his findings in a White Paper.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 9th March to questions by the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Miss Ward) and other Members, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list, with particulars, of those local authorities in the county of Essex which have not taken up their full allocations of houses.

The list suggested by my hon. Friend would provide no accurate measure of progress and might be misleading. Some time must always elapse between the date of allocation and the letting of contracts, and due regard is paid to building progress in determining the date of entry into new contracts. Full information about building progress is contained in Appendix B of the Quarterly Housing Return.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that licences to improve cottages issued by local authorities in accordance with the Housing Act, 1949, have to be included in the ceiling figure allowed under civil building control; and whether he will remove the restriction.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes," and to the second part "No." This work draws upon the resources of the building industry in the same way as other work to existing dwellings and must therefore be regarded as part of each local authority's housing programme.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities failed to make use of their full quota of private building licences in 1949; and what was the total number of licences in each region thus unused.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the figures of licences issued given in the Housing Returns.

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the urgent need for houses for police officers in rural districts, he will consult with the Secretary of State far the Home Department with a view to permitting the construction of such houses of a uniform type in addition to the number of houses authorised by his Department to various local authorities.

There is the closest co-operation between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and myself in regard to the provision of houses for police officers in rural districts as well as in urban areas. Houses provided by police authorities are additional to houses allocated to housing authorities.

asked the Minister of Health how many authorities have raised the rents of council houses since 30th July, 1949.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many licences for private house building have been issued in 1949 by the High Wycombe Borough Council, the Wycombe Rural District Council and the Marlow Urban District Council.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statistics given in the Quarterly Housing Returns.

asked the Minister of Health which materials now required to fulfil the Government's housing programme in 1950 are in short supply.

The overall supply of building materials is sufficient to meet the needs of the housing programme. The provision of softwood is, however, still a difficult problem.

asked the Minister of Health, where disused or abandoned service hutments were first used by squatters, and are now being let as living quarters by the local authorities, whether he will grant permission to the authorities to build houses over the present allotment to make up for the number of cases where these hutments upon examination are found to be unfit for human habitation.

This is one of the factors taken into account in adjusting the housing allocations of local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health what has been the effect upon the proposed Middle Lee sewerage scheme of the consideration referred to by him in his answer of 8th December, 1949.

Various alternative methods of providing for the drainage of the new towns concerned have been studied by the development corporations and their technical advisers, but a final decision in the matter has not yet been reached.

asked the Minister of Health how many identity cards have been reported as lost in each of the years from 1946 to 1949, inclusive.

Cards are replaced for various reasons such as wear, loss, defacement, theft, change of nationality or name. Separate figures for loss are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what plans he has to find work for the 4,000 unemployed in Portsmouth.

Much of the recent increase in unemployment is seasonal and I expect a substantial increase in employment in the next few weeks. There is not sufficient industry in the area to provide work for all the workers available. My Department is in close touch with the Board of Trade which has encouraged further industrial development in the Portsmouth district and will continue to do so within the limits of its powers.

asked the Minister of Labour how many ex-officers and other ranks of the Fighting Services were registered as unemployed at the latest convenient date.

I regret that statistics are not available. Persons who have served in His Majesty's Forces are not separately distinguished in the unemployment figures.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the latest figure of unemployed on the disabled register of the Willesden Employment Exchange; and what steps he is taking to see that these men and women are absorbed in local industry.

On 20th February, 1950, the number was 170, including 50 classified as unlikely to obtain employment other than under sheltered conditions. Continuous efforts are made by my local officers to secure suitable employment and during the quarter ended 31st January last, 249 registered disabled persons were placed in employment.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the figures of people seeking employment at the Willesden Employment Exchange for the months of January, February and March, 1950, and how thesecompare with the figures for the corresponding months in 1949; and if he will state the figures for jobs available for the corresponding periods in this borough.

The following table gives the number of persons registered as unemployed at the Willesden Employment Exchange and youth employment office in January, February and March, 1949 and 1950, and the numbers of unfilled vacancies on the registers at these offices at the dates specified.

Date	Males	Females	Total
Number registered as unemployed;
10th January, 1949	575	164	739
14th February, 1949	570	126	696
14th March, 1949	512	118	630
16th January,1950	544	115	659
13th February, 1950	563	96	659
13th March, 1950	476	76	552
Vacancies unfilled;
19th January, 1949	564	1,297	1,861
16th February, 1949	680	1,407	2,087
16th March, 1949	563	1,357	1,920
18th January, 1950	708	1,519	2,227
15th February, 1950	757	1,480	2,237
15th March, 1950	769	1,471	2,240

It is not possible to state the total number of vacancies available for persons registered as unemployed at Willesden, since such persons are often submitted and accepted for vacancies notified to other Employment Exchanges.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement as to the result of the meeting between his officers and the representatives of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions; and what action he proposes to take as a result of that meeting.

Meetings are still in progress and I am not in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Labour the latest figures for unemployment, and the percentage these represent of the insured population, in respect of each of the heavily-bombed cities and towns in Britain; and what special steps he proposes to take as regards those places which show a percentage of unemployment approximating to that obtaining in the development areas.

The following table gives the figures at 13th March for some of the large towns which were subjected to heavy bombing:

	Numbers registered as unemployed	Approximate percentage rate of unemployment
Bristol (including Kingswood)	4,319	1·9
Coventry	1,094	0·8
Clydbank and Greenock	3,204	4·9
Hull	5,386	4·0
Liverpool (including Bootle)	22,225	4·8
London (Greater)	42,248	1·0
Manchester (including Stretford)	4,815	1·0
Plymouth	2,544	3·2
Southampton	2,334	2·6
Swansea	2,082	3·6
Portsmouth (including Gosport)	4,766	4·7
Birmingham	2,502	0·4

As regards the second part of the Question I would refer by hon. Friend to the White Paper on Distribution of Industry (Cmd. 7540). Every effort is being made to increase the level of employment in these areas.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will arrange that in future issues of the Ministry of Labour Gazette, the industrial disputes in nationalised industries and privately owned industries will be separately classified.

No. I see no useful purpose in adopting this suggestion.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men who attended the industrial rehabilitation centre at Egham during 1949; the number considered in need of vocational training, and the number who did not complete their course.

The total number of men whose stay at the Egham centre terminated during 1949 amounted to 885. Of these 519 were recommended for placing in their former employment or in another occupation; 260 were recommended for vocational training; and 106 represented premature terminations.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that insufficient supervision by factory inspectors is leading to the use of wall brackets in lieu of scaffolding for house repairs in the South London and Surrey area; and what action he proposes to take.

I am aware that cases still occur of the use of bracket scaffolds prohibited by Regulation 14 of the Building (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations, 1948. The obligation to observe this requirement rests on the employer and the workmen concerned; and the steps already taken by the Factory Inspectorate are effectively leading to its observance. If the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars of any alleged contravention of the requirement I will have the matter looked into.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the need for more doctors in hospitals, he will consult with the Minister of Health with a view to amending the present system of call-up.

In matters affecting the recruitment of doctors I work in the closest co-operation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power on what date the plan was prepared to meet the electric power needs of the country; how far have the delivery dates of the plant ordered been carried out; and if the buildings were ready to receive the power plant when it was ready for the sites.

The planning of generating plant to meet the electric power needs of the country is a continuous process. Before the industry was nationalised the Central Electricity Board every year reviewed the expected requirements for five years ahead, and planned their extension of plants accordingly. The British Electricity Authority now do the same. I am informed that in very few cases during the past four years have the original dates of delivery of plant been adhered to; while, in a number of cases, delays in getting possession of sites and in starting work on them have resulted in plant being ready before the buildings were ready to receive it. All these cases, of course, relate to orders given and work started before vesting date.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give the kilowatt needs of electricity for the whole country for 1950, 1951, and 1952, respectively; how far he expects that the needs will be met; and on what date he expects that electricity load-spreading will cease.

The estimated peak demands in average winter weather in 1950–51, 1951–52 and 1952–53 are 12,600,000, 13,400,000 and 14,300,000 kilowatts respectively; the deficit in average weather in these three winters will be about 800,000, 650,000 and 500,000 kilowatts but in extremely severe weather these deficits might be increased by 1,000,000 kilowatts each. All load-spreading for the winter which has just ended ceased on 31st March. The Electricity Sub-Committee of the Joint Consultative Committee is now considering what the position will be next winter.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the general review of all existing supplementary petrol grants undertaken by the regional petroleum officer of South-Eastern Region has been undertaken on his instructions; and what new policy is now being applied with reference to such allocations.

As my predecessor told the House on 24th October, 1949, we are taking steps to check the issues of supplementary allowances and regional petroleum officers have been making the necessary review. There has, however, been no change in the policy of making supplementary allowances.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he can now say when he proposes to introduce legislation to give effect in whole or in part to the recommendations made by the Committee on Mining Subsidence which was appointed on 3rd January, 1946, and issued their Report in March, 1949.

My hon. Friend is no doubt aware that I presented a Bill to the House yesterday to deal with some of the problems arising from mining subsidence. This Bill will provide a measure of compensation for damage to small dwelling houses which has occurred since 1st January, 1947, and which is due to subsidence resulting from the mining of coal. Houses owned both by local authorities and by private owners will be covered. This Bill, which will alleviate some of the hardship caused by subsidence, will, I hope, be welcomed in all parts of the House, and in the mining areas, where it will do something to remedy a long standing grievance. I understand that copies of the Bill are available to hon. Members in the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he proposes to take to prevent a recurrence of the coal shortage in the Stroud valleys in 1951 such as occurred in February and March, 1950.

As I informed the House on 20th and 29th March, the whole question of the supply and quality of coal for household consumption is now under urgent consideration. I have at present nothing to add to these statements.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) how many telephones were installed in the City of Bristol during 1949, giving separate figures for residential and business purposes;(2) How many applications for telephones are outstanding in the City of Bristol, giving separate figures for residential and business requirements.

One thousand one hundred and forty-nine business and 1,091 residential lines were provided in Bristol during 1949. Two thousand two hundred and seventy-five business and 4,460 residential applications are outstanding.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) how many applicants are waiting for telephones both for private and for business use in the Gloucester rural district; and how many telephones have been installed there in the last 12 months;(2) how many applicants are waiting for telephones, both for private and for business use, in the Stroud urban and rural districts; and how many telephones have been installed in each of these areas in the last 12 months;(3) how many applicants are waiting for telephones, both for private and for business use, in the Nailsworth urban district; and how many telephones have been installed there in the last 12 months;(4) how many applicants are waiting for telephones, both for private and for business use, in the Thornbury rural district; and how many telephones have been installed there in the last 12 months;

The information asked for in these five Questions is given in the following table:

District	Applications for service outstanding		Lines installed during the last twelve months
	Business	Residence	Total
Gloucester Rural	105	185	166
Stroud Urban	63	69	62
Stroud Rural	95	149	96
Nailsworth Urban	19	24	12
Thornbury Rural	96	99	91
Dursley Rural	48	65	91

asked the Secretary of State for War the average daily population of military detention barracks at the last convenient date; and how many of these men are serving sentences for desertion.

The average daily population of the military prison, detention barracks and corrective establishment in the United Kingdom during March, 1950, was 887. This number included 227 men sentenced for desertion and 269 for absence. Overseas, the average number of prisoners in February, 1950, was 702. The number of prisoners overseas serving sentences for desertion and absence is not readily available but is considerably smaller than in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for War the average cost of maintenance of military prisoners in detention barracks.

It is estimated that the average cost of maintaining a prisoner in the United Kingdom is approximately £250 a year. The average cost of maintaining prisoners overseas is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) how many families with one child under one year of age, are living in one room only in the families village, Fayid; and how many with children more than one year of age are living in two rooms only;(2) how many single officers at General Headquarters in the Canal Zone are living in tents; and how many officers are sharing tent accommodation.

I have called for this information. When it has been received, I will arrange for its circulation in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many married officers or soldiers live in married quarters on the shores of the Great Bitter Lake; what reports he has received regarding the suitability of these quarters; what improvements can be made in them; and for how much longer they will be occupied.

I have called for this information. When it has been received, I will arrange for its circulation in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers and other ranks applied to resign from the Territorial Army during the month of March; and how this month compared with resignations during January and February of this year.

Eleven officers and 277 other ranks resigned from the Territorial Army during January and nine officers and 321 other ranks during February. Of these numbers, two officers and 275 other ranks joined the Regular Army and 38 other ranks joined the other Services. I will send the March figures to the hon. and gallant Member as soon as they are available.