asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new Civil Defence uniforms have been ordered for men and women separately; at what cost; and how many volunteers have been enrolled up to date.

Certain inter-Departmental arrangements have been made for the use of Government surplus materials, but no new uniforms have yet been ordered and the details are still under consideration. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 22nd June to a Question by the hon. and gallant Member for Worthing (Brigadier Prior-Palmer).

Since the position has deteriorated very much since 22nd June. and in view of the great dangers now facing the country, is the Home Secretary satisfied with the number of volunteers coming forward?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will recall that I said last week that I was not satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that his campaign for recruits for Civil Defence was badly timed, gave no credit to Civil Defence workers of the last war, and no inspiration for the future; and whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the improvements which are necessary.

I do not accept the implications in the first part of the Question, but I am, naturally, considering, in the light of past experience, how improvements can be effected in any future recruiting drive, with a view to helping local authorities and impressing on the public the importance of building up our Civil Defence organisation.

Is the Home Secretary aware that his Civil Defence department, in a recent circular to Civil Defence committees, has admitted that the campaign was badly timed and put the blame, quite naturally, on the General Election for having upset it? Would not the present international crisis be a good opportunity for starting afresh?

As I said last week, I think that the most effective means of increasing the Civil Defence Force is through the efforts of those who have already joined it. I think that one comment in the hon. Member's Question was not justified, because on every occasion when I have spoken on this matter I have paid tribute to the work done by those who helped in the past and have already been recruited.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied with the help and co-operation he is receiving from the local authorities?

On the whole they have, I think, behaved very well.

Does not the Home Secretary realise that those recruits, few in number, who have joined are extremely disgruntled because they are not being given any training or anything to do? Is he aware that there is widespread dissatisfaction throughout the country, mainly because there is no training equipment?

I think that matter is being very rapidly improved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction of Civil Defence committees with his recruiting posters, which compare unfavourably with those issued by the Armed Forces or locally by Civil Defence associations; and whether he will offer prizes for the best posters.

I am aware that there has been some criticism of these posters which will be borne in mind when new ones are being prepared. As regards the last part of the Question, I am considering the hon. Member's suggestion.

Does not the Home Secretary agree that it would be better if posters appealed to patriotism and national needs rather than to the opportunities of meeting the other sex, as the Home Office poster I show here, which has been much criticised, does?

One has to appeal to all tastes. I will try to see that as wide a variety of tastes as possible are appealed to.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of policemen employed daily during the three months ending 31st March, 1950, on regulating temporary traffic lights on road repairs or other obstructions; and why this sedentary work need be done by full-trained police officers at a time when they are needed on the beat.

During this period the average number of constables engaged daily in the Metropolitan Police district in operating police traffic signals was 16. Police experience of traffic control is necessary for the efficient operation of the signals and more police would have been needed for the manual control of traffic at the points affected if signals had not been used.

Is the right hon. Gentle man aware that in some parts of London exactly the same sort of traffic light is operated by watchmen, and in view of the fact that the sight of a London policeman on his beat in the suburbs is becoming an increasing rarity, would it not be the right principle to see that the police are used on strictly police duties?

It is not the kind of signal apparatus that is in question; it is the site at which the signal is to be operated that determines whether a policeman should or should not be employed there.

Would the Minister give consideration to the establishment of a supernumerary force to concentrate on road traffic work, thereby releasing police to carry out the duties for which they were recruited?

The difficulty is that a supernumerary force would not have the same powers as the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the awards for those disabled while serving in the police prior to July, 1948, are considerably lower than the awards paid after that date under the Industrial Injuries Act; and whether he will take steps to remove this anomaly.

I agree that cases may arise in which a policeman who was injured before the industrial injuries scheme came into effect might have received more by way of aggregate benefits if that scheme had applied to him. This is inevitable where new benefits are introduced as from a specified date, and I would not feel justified in suggesting that the police should be placed in a specially favoured position in this respect.

Is it not true that men in industry are covered by the workmen's compensation Acts and that this does not apply to men in the police? Is the Home Secretary satisfied that a police constable who has a 75 per cent. disability should receive only £36 a year by way of compensation?

I am not satisfied with a good many things, but that is a matter which has to be dealt with as part of a general and not a particular problem.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that if he gives the police equality of benefits with these other cases, he would not be putting them in a privileged position? Or would he?

If the home Secretary is not satisfied, may I ask him to consider remedying this anomaly?

I am considering what can be done, but it is part of a general question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional security measures he is taking in view of the recent attack on two members of the staff at Marlborough House.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is in consultation with the Controller to Her Majesty Queen Mary as to suitable measures to prevent any future incident of this kind, and, while certain measures have already been taken, it would not be in the public interest to indicate their nature.

Is the Home Secretary aware of the considerable public alarm felt in the country at present at the ease with which a person from Southern Ireland, now in custody in connection with this case, succeeded in getting into Marlborough House and delivering an attack on two elderly and defenceless women? Will he arrange with his colleague, the Minister of Works, to keep a vigilant eye on the Southern Irish who are employed in this part of London?

I regret that this Question should have been made the vehicle for any attempt to exacerbate feelings in Ireland.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he has taken to implement his promise to make available clinitest sets and tablets for diabetics under the National Health Scheme.

I hope to be able to make the necessary amendment to the regulations shortly.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is over two months now since he answered a question on this subject by saying that something would be done immediately? Does he realise that this promise may help to save the lives of some diabetic people who are in danger, and that their patience is becoming exhausted at its non-implementation?

I was anxious not to make a whole series of regulations. If a regulation were made about this, it would stand by itself, and I wanted to accumulate a number of regulations in one Order. That situation has now been reached, and I am doing it shortly.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the discontent that prevails among the grades of long-service nurses concerning the lagging behind of their rates of income in comparison with the rates being received by nurses in the probationary and shorter service grades; and what steps he will take to produce more equity in the treatment of the different grades of nurses.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 22nd June to the hon. Member for Tiverton (Mr. Amory).

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the shortage of hospital beds for chronic cases, if he will reopen Alcester House, Shaftesbury, to relieve the situation in that area.

No, Sir.

Is the Minister aware that during the last two years 75 per cent. of the interior of this hospital was redecorated, that during the last five years the nurses' quarters were rebuilt, and that it is now in such a condition that 85 beds could be immediately put in there?

This building is not suitable for the purpose. It is old and would cost £50,000 to repair. We do not propose to waste money on that building.

In view of the unsatisfactory reply to my Question, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter again at the earliest opportunity on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will increase the mileage allowance for general medical practitioners in rural areas to compensate for the rise in the cost of petrol.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the rise in the cost of petrol has added appreciably to the expenses of general medical practitioners in country districts; and if he will arrange for an appropriate increase in their mileage allowance.

I am always ready to discuss with the profession any ideas for the better distribution of the total moneys available for general practitioners, but I could not regard the imposition of a new tax as justifying any addition to the total amount.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that much of the help which he gave to the rural practitioner by increasing the mileage allowance a short time ago has now been counteracted by the rise in the cost of petrol?

If every time a new tax was imposed reliefs were given to meet it there would be no revenue from new taxation.

Could not the right hon. Gentleman give more sympathetic consideration to this matter, which is causing hardship to doctors in scattered rural areas? May not the result be greater difficulty in getting doctors for scattered areas?

I have not yet observed that the members of the medical profession are deficient in organisations to put forward schemes on their own behalf.

asked the Minister of Health if he is now in a position to state, in accordance with arrangements promised some time ago, what is now the period of waiting for hearing aids in Manchester.

The period varies from three weeks, according to priority.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average length of the delay before new applicants without priority can receive hearing aids.

I am afraid that I have no general average figure available.

asked the Minister of Health upon what considerations the medical committee of a hospital is expected to make recommendations to the Distinction Awards Committee; what qualities in a doctor are to be regarded as justifying a recommendation for merit money; upon what grounds the medical committee is to grade those recommended for the highest, the second and the lowest rate of merit money; and whether the decisions of the Awards Committee will be published.

A medical committee, like any other body wishing to make a recommendation, will, no doubt, form its own judgment on these matters, and I do not intervene. I have not yet received any recommendations of the Awards Committee, and it is too early to decide about the desirability of publication.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that he is asking medical committees to express an opinion upon matters about which they know practically nothing, a course which they will find very difficult, although I realise it is a thing which never presents any difficulties to the right hon. Gentleman?

There is no need for that supplementary, not the slightest. This is a very competent medical body, which is deciding upon the merits of members of its own profession, and I do not propose to intervene. I will pronounce no judgment whatsoever upon the awards that it makes.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the City of Bath is proposing to take over the village of Claverton as a building site; and if he will withhold his approval of this proposal until he has satisfied himself that there are no alternative sites available.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir." The second part does not therefore arise.

If this land is not being taken over for houses, surely there is no purpose in taking it at all. If it is being taken for houses will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that it is first-class agricultural land; that it is the only part of the original plan for a green belt which has not been taken over for other purposes; and that a large number of the citizens of Bath are opposed to this project?

As my information goes at the moment, and I may be wrong, the hon. Member is wasting his emotions upon a false object. The City of Bath is not proposing to include the village of Claverton.

I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that he is wrong.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking at the request of the Uxbridge Council for an increased housing allocation for 130 caravan dwellers who are to be evicted from the Swakeleys Estate trailer park.

No such request has been received from the council.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the Uxbridge Council are able and willing to rehouse these 130 men, women and children, whom they propose to evict within the next 10 days?

That is another question. No request has been received from the council.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the building. of six bungalows at Feering, Essex, has been delayed by formalities in connection with the transfer of the land from the Feering Parish Council to the Braintree Rural District Council; and if he will expedite the necessary consent.

The difficulty is that the land lies under a restrictive covenant. I am advised that the rural district council cannot acquire it for housing except by compulsory purchase.

Can my right hon. Friend say what is the best way of expediting this matter, as the delay is causing great difficulty not only in regard to housing but also in regard to employment?

As the council will have to proceed by way of compulsory purchase Order, and as my office in that matter is of a judicial kind, I cannot pronounce judgment at this stage.

But can my right hon. Friend at least give an assurance that there is no delay between Whitehall and his regional office?

I think there is no delay at all; it is the council who must first of all apply for the Order.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that licence was given by the Cardiff Rural District Council for a new wing to be added to a large house in Lisvane, although two people only are housed in this property, and that the same council granted per mission for the building of stables for four riding horses; and, whether he will take action to prevent this misuse of man power and materials until the housing shortage has been solved.

I have made inquiries of the Cardiff Rural District Council, and it would appear that the first part of the Question relates to a licence which was granted by the council on 10th October, 1949, to enable a small additional family unit of accommodation to be provided for an aged mother and invalid sister. As regards the second part of the Question, the council state that no such building work has been licensed by them.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now grant licences outside the local authority quota of private enterprise licences for the rebuilding of houses burnt down since the end of the war.

No, Sir. Such cases should be covered by the arrangements for private building licences which I announced on 4th May, and I am always prepared to give special consideration to an exceptional case.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give licences to private individuals to build houses in their spare time as a co-operative nonprofit making scheme.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Solihull (Mr. M. Lindsay) and the hon. Member for Colchester (Mr. Alport) on the 11th and 25th May respectively, of which I am sending him copies.

Will the Minister support this suggestion? I have not seen the answers to which he refers me, but will he agree that this is an excellent way of getting extra houses built for the same labour?

It makes the same demand on materials.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the fact that the Rural District Council of Dart-ford have at least 856 families on their housing waiting list, and that local builders have men and building material which is not being used, he will allow that council complete freedom to issue licences for houses up to about £1,400 per house.

No, Sir. The rural district council still have a considerable amount of house building in hand and there is no justification for allowing them to exceed the normal licensing quota.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that similar conditions to those mentioned in the Question prevail in the area of the Orpington Urban District Council and that, owing to his policy there are many family tragedies? Why is he deliberately stopping the building of houses when men and materials are available?

Is the hon. Member aware that the authority have 189 houses under construction and 92 others in approved tender but not yet started, and that the number of building workers in the area are three painters and 14 labourers?

asked the Minister of Health if he will state, in the case of Liverpool, the total number of houses for which he will approve tenders or for which the council may issue licences during the current year.

The outstanding allocation is 1,770 houses, in addition to the 3,417 houses already in hand at 31st December, 1949. I will review the allocation in the light of the progress made by Liverpool.

How does the Minister reconcile that answer with his recent statement that the figure of 1,770 was totally inaccurate? Secondly, may we take it that if Liverpool makes an application for a new allocation it will be sympathetically considered?

Since the war, the Liverpool Corporation have not in one single year built as many houses as we have asked them to do.

That is a complete evasion. My question was whether, if Liverpool applies to the Minister for a further allocation, the application will be sympathetically considered?

If the hon. Member had been listening he would have heard that I said at the end of my reply that I would review the allocation in the light of the progress made by Liverpool.

Is it not a fact that Liverpool is 811 houses behind its allocation?

As I have already said, Liverpool Corporation have been allotted all the houses they were able to build.

asked the Minister of Health the reason for his requirement that local authorities should not be given the power to transfer building licences if they find that the person to whom they have been granted has failed to exercise them within a reasonable time; and whether he will withdraw this prohibition.

There is no general prohibition of this kind, but if the hon. Member has any particular case in mind and will let me have details I will inquire into it.

asked the Minister of Health why there was a drop of 4,500 in the houses completed in April compared with the previous month.

It is impossible to give precise reasons without making detailed inquiries of all local housing authorities. A similar drop has occurred in earlier years. It is possible that local authorities are specially anxious to complete as many houses as possible in March, so that the maximum number of subsidy payments will commence in the financial year then current.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether he has been able to give further consideration to the possibility of giving local authorities power to control accommodation vacated by residents moving into houses in new towns which are subsidised out of the local authorities' rates;

I do not think that legislation could appropriately be introduced for the purpose suggested by my hon. Friend.

is my right hon. Friend aware that one of the purposes of the New Towns Act will be rendered impossible if local authorities are not given some powers of this nature?

No, I hope it will not. We will have a look a the matter again, but it might easily be that people would be loath to transfer themselves into a new town if, immediately on transfer, the houses fell into somebody else's hands.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of his answer on 17th November, 1949, and the progress made by the Truro Rural District Council towards the completion of their building programme, he will now make an allocation of houses for 1950 to that authority in addition to the eight already allocated.

A further allocation would not be justified at present in view of the work still outstanding on 60 houses now under construction and 14 houses approved but not yet started.

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that there are still six months to go until the end of 1950? Has he not received information from the council that they are well advanced with their building programme?

They have been allocated houses which have not yet been started. Let them get on with those which have been approved to be built and we will look at the situation again.

asked the Minister of Health when it is anticipated that a piped water supply will be provided in the village of Great Houghton, Northamptonshire.

I have authorised the immediate starting of work on a scheme put before me last week for giving a temporary supply to the village. A permanent scheme is being considered.

Would the right hon. Gentleman do what he can to get the Mid-Northamptonshire Water Board, for which he has some responsibility, to provide information of this character, which was asked for so long ago as 21st March?

Yes, I will make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Health the number of sewerage schemes for Northamptonshire which have been deferred on his instructions; the number of parishes affected by such deferment; and the total anticipated cost of the schemes deferred.

It is not possible for nine schemes affecting 13 parishes and entailing an estimated cost of £193,719 to be proceeded with without affecting the progress of other schemes of greater urgency. I would remind the hon. and learned Member that in the county a much greater volume of sewerage work has already been approved and is in progress.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that a piped water supply will not arrive before the completion of the sewerage scheme in any of these parishes? Otherwise, great difficulties will ensue?

There is reasonable adjustment in these things, but one has to remember that a water supply is, of course, a first necessity.

Would the Minister consider giving approval to sewerage extension schemes that were started before the war? Is he aware of the position in the City of Peterborough, where £90,000 was spent on beginning a sewerage scheme which, as it has not been approved, cannot be completed?

That is an entirely different question. If the hon. Member would put it down I will endeavour to give him a precise reply.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to implement the report of the River Pollution Prevention Sub-Committee of the Central Advisory Water Committee; and when legislation may be expected.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale (Mr. Anthony Greenwood) on 22nd June.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many agricultural clearance certificates have yet been issued by his Department in respect of areas and sites in Western Worcestershire, threatened by opencast coal mining activities; and for which sites such clearance certificates have been issued.

Agricultural clearance has been given for the purpose of trial borings only in respect of the following eight sites in Western Worcestershire: Fartown, Stildon, Empire, Winrick, Trial, Gyphouse, Greenway and Gorsthill.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that unanimous and fierce opposition has been forthcoming from the National Union of Agricultural Workers, the National Farmers' Union and all the local authorities interested in this matter? Does it not represent a grave dereliction of duty by his Department in regard to agricultural interests?

It represents nothing of the kind. These are trial borings. All other considerations will be taken into account if and when the proposals develop.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many requisitioned houses are to be given up on the disbandment of the Women's Land Army later this year; and how many are being retained for use by Government Departments.

Of the 36 requisitioned houses being used on 1st June, 1950, to accommodate members of the W.L.A., 24 were held by my right hon. Friend's Department. Of these, 17 will be derequisitioned, four offered to the Ministry of Health for housing purposes, and three retained for the time being to house agricultural workers. The remaining 12 houses are held by the Ministry of Works. Of these, seven will be vacated by my right hon. Friend's Department, and it will be for the Ministry of Works to decide their subsequent use; three will be retained, and the future of the other two is not yet decided.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when he expects to receive the report of the Ryan Committee which is examining the working of the county agricultural executive committees and their relationship with the headquarters office of his Department.

I am informed that the Committee hopes to be able to report in the early autumn.

Will the Minister undertake that the Ryan Committee's report will be published, as there is very widespread interest in the problem of the relationships of county committees with Whitehall? Even if the House is not sitting we should like an opportunity of considering the recommendations, with a view to future action.

I could not undertake that. This is one of a number of inquiries which are being made and will be made into the organisation of the larger Departments. I understand that it is not the practice to publish such reports.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Committee was set up as a result of certain recommendations made by the Estimates Committee of this House? Surely it is only right that the report of the Committee should be made available to hon. Members?

I repeat that there have been other committees like this one and there will be others. It is primarily to advise my right hon. Friend on some questions arising out of the administration of the Department, and it will be for him to decide what to do with the report when he gets it.

Will the Government give further consideration to this point, because a very large number of people are extremely interested in the report? If it is not published we can only assume that it is because the Government desire to hide something.

There is no more reason for anybody to assume that than there was in the past, when exactly the same practice was followed. Whether a report is published depends very largely on the type of committee and the subject with which it deals. I am not sure that it would be proper to publish this report, but it is for my right hon. Friend to say.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what are his reasons for refusing to publish detailed accounts of the expenditure incurred by his Department in connection with its experimental farms, such as that at Martyr Worthy.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to him on 22nd June.

Does not the Minister think that the usefulness of the experiments would be increased if we knew how much they cost? Does he not think that the public have a right to know how much of their money is being spent? Is he afraid to publish these accounts?

It is rather foolish to talk like that. The cost of acquisition, tenant right valuation, and capital expenditure upon buildings, equipment and stock has already been given to the hon. Gentleman. The cost of experimental work is not useful for the purpose of comparisons with commercial enterprises. If the hon. Member cares to look at the Minister's Estimates, he will find set out in Class VI, Vote 8, the estimated expenditure on our experimental farms.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that what people in my neighbourhood would like to know is how much is spent on running this farm? There is great dissatisfaction locally.

I suspect that quite a number of people are forgetting that this is a farm which carries out experimental work, and that it is not the sort of thing to be compared with adjacent commercial holdings.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will exercise his powers under Section 90, subsection (1) of the Agriculture Act, 1947, in such a manner as to ensure that weedkiller sprayed from aircraft upon the Ministry of Agriculture's experimental farm at Martyr Worthy is not in future also sprayed upon private gardens in the vicinity of the farm.

The spraying referred to was not part of the experimental work but of the ordinary farm work and was carried out by contractors in accordance with common practice in the country. My right hon. Friend's powers under the Section quoted do not enable him to control the methods employed in such work. Owners and occupiers who are affected have such remedies as are provided under the general law.

Is the hon. Gentleman saying that the Minister of Agriculture has no right to give instructions as to what shall be done on his Ministry's own farm? Surely that cannot be correct.

The work was carried out by contractors who habitually carry out this work in other parts of the country in the same way as they carry it out on any other farm. I think the hon. Gentleman will find that everything is being done in the ordinary way to secure a satisfactory outcome between them and the people affected.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what representations he has received from the National Farmers' Union in regard to the possibility of modifying the size of the punch used for marking the ears of calves on which subsidy is paid.

The National Farmers' Union have made representations of a general nature to the Department on this subject, but they appreciate the difficulty of finding any satisfactory alternative to the present system.

Is it not a fact that the National Farmers' Union are not satisfied with the present position, and that they would like is modified on one of the lines indicated by the Minister in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland (Mr. Vane) a few weeks ago?

It is a fact that the N.F.U., like the rest of us, would like to find some other way of doing it, but they recognise, as we do, that there are objections to every alternative method yet suggested.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that a number of calves' ears have been badly damaged by the use of a punch which makes a hole half an inch in diameter? Is he aware that many farmers think that if a punch making a hole ⅜ inch in diameter or a triangle with a ⅜ inch side were used by experienced men the disadvantages found earlier would be removed and that this would be well worth trying?

I would remind the hon. Gentleman that as guardians of the taxpayers' purse we have to be careful that the hole will not afterwards be lost or covered. No alternative method has yet been suggested which is not open to that very serious objection.

As pedigree cattle are already marked on the ear with a number, is it not unnecessary to have a large hole as well?

The hon. and gallant Gentelman has hit on the great difficulty. The existence of private marks makes it difficult to adopt a small one of our own.

Will the hon. Gentleman have experiments made on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland (Mr. Vane)—a small triangular mark?

I cannot undertake to have experiments made, but I am quite willing to consider any alternative suggestions which are made to us.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the report of his Land Commissioner on the agricultural land at Claverton, which it is proposed to take over for housing purposes.

My right hon. Friend has no knowledge of a specific proposal to take over agricultural land at Claverton for housing purposes, and no report has been made by the Land Commissioner on any such proposal.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that if this land is not being taken for housing there is no point in taking it at all? It is a waste of money. Will he re-assure his right hon. Friend the Minister of Health that Claverton comes within the Private Bill?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will now say when the wool marketing scheme will come before the House for approval.

Subject to the passing of the necessary affirmative resolutions by both Houses of the Northern Ireland Parliament, my right hon. Friend hopes to submit the wool marketing scheme to this House some time next month.

Shall we before then have an opportunity of considering the Commissioner's report, following the public inquiry at Edinburgh?

I will bear the point in mind.

Why did this scheme go to the Northern Ireland Parliament before this House had an opportunity even to consider it?

Because it is a Great Britain scheme, and the drill is for it to go there first so that it may then come before this Parliament.

Northern Ireland is not part of Great Britain.

I am obliged to the hon. Gentleman. The scheme applies to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The hon. Gentleman said that we should have an opportunity to consider the report. Shall we be able to consider reports on other wool schemes?

What I said was that I would bear in mind the point which the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd) had made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is yet in a position to say what are to be the financial arrangements of the scheme for eradication of bovine tuberculosis which is due to begin on 1st October next.

Yes, Sir, I am glad to say that agreement has been reached with representatives of the National Farmers' Unions and Milk Marketing Boards in Great Britain on the basis of a plan for eradicating bovine tuberculosis by areas and on the necessary revision of the Tuberculosis (Attested Herds) Scheme which, as my right hon. Friend has already announced, will come into operation on 1st October, 1950. With permission I will circulate a statement giving details of this plan in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will announce the rates of subsidy under the calf rearing scheme on calves born after the end of next September.