asked the Minister of Education the amount outstanding at 1st April, 1950, on account of late contributions for war service under the Teachers (Superannuation) Acts, 1918–46 and the Teachers Superannuation (War Service) Act, 1939; over what period these contributions have to be repaid; and to how much the interest to be charged in accordance with circular letter, R.P. 39/317, of 21st June, 1950, amounts.

The outstanding war service contributions from teachers and employers in the cases so far reported to my Department amount to a sum of the order of £200,000. As regards the rest of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. and learned Member for York (Mr. Hylton-Foster) on 6th of this month, a copy of which I am sending him. I will write to the hon. Member when the technical issues have been further examined.

Why has the right hon. Gentleman suddenly decided to make this exaction, which makes so little difference to the Treasury and so much to ex-Service men in a profession which is so poorly paid? Why were these teachers not notified of the possibility of such a claim being made when contributions on account of war service were funded?

I understand that all these were not only within the realm of the law but that the teachers were informed.

Is the Minister aware that 4 per cent. compound interest is being asked from these people, and will he not do something to reduce the rate of interest?

That relates to he latter part of the Question, which I am looking into.

asked the Minister of Education what steps are taken in the London area to provide temporary replacements for school dental officers absent from duty on account of leave or indisposition.

I understand that the London County Council and other local education authorities do not as a rule find it practicable to employ substitutes for dental officers who are temporarily absent. In these circumstances, emergency cases in London are usually referred to the nearest available clinic, or, if the absence is prolonged, arrangements may be made for the dental officer of another clinic to attend once or twice a week for emergency work.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, to quote one example, the Brixton treatment centre, which is normally open for 11 sessions weekly, has had to close completely because the dentist is away ill and that the present 10 weeks' waiting list in nearby centres is bound to increase as a consequence?

Yes, I am aware of the difficulties. I think the House knows the difficulties of the school dental service, and that we are doing all we can to expedite a solution of the problem which will enable us to put the service on a better footing.

asked the Minister of Education what arrangements are being made for the education of deaf children in Wales by the Joint Education Committee of Wales.

The Glamorganshire local education authority, acting on behalf of the Welsh Joint Education Committee, is negotiating for the acquisition of premises in Llandrindod Wells for use as a school for deaf children. I have approved the proposal in principle and am awaiting particulars for final approval. The children at present attending the Royal Cambrian School for the Deaf—of whom there are about 80—will be transferred and it is expected that the premises will also provide some 120 additional places.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that Communist propaganda is being taught in many schools; and if he will issue a circular insisting that all such propaganda ceases forthwith.

It is a long established and well understood rule that teachers should not use their position to propagate their political views in the course of instruction. I have no evidence that this rule is being broken, but if the hon. and gallant Member has any particular case in mind and will let me have information I will investigate it.

If I give the Minister a copy of the text book I hold in my hand called "Life in the U.S.S.R." written by Mrs. Beatrice King, well known for her Communist associations, will he undertake to have this book withdrawn immediately from circulation, since it is Communist propaganda at its worst? Is it not a shocking and scandalous thing that the British taxpayer should pay for this subversive propaganda which is being taught to our children in the schools?

If the book is drawn to my notice, I will certainly look at it. I would point out that it was published in 1944, when people were saying different things about the U.S.S.R. from what they are saying today; but if it is being used for propaganda purposes, and I can find evidence of that, I will certainly inquire into it.

Is the Minister aware that the question of the hon. and gallant Member constitutes a gross reflection on the professional integrity of the teachers of this country, and that all teachers are united in condemning any attempt at political propaganda in the schools, whether it be Communist propaganda or Conservative propaganda?

Does not the Minister agree that it would have been a shocking thing to him to have found that 2,000 teachers in State schools in 1939 were members of the British Union of Fascists, and does he not find it equally shocking that today there are the same number at least, and probably more, Communist teachers in the State run schools of this country?

I have not made any inquiries as to the number of people who profess various political beliefs; it is no part of my business to do so.

Would my right hon. Friend be careful not to interfere with the selection of text books, but to leave that to the responsibility of the teachers concerned?

I have no authority to interfere with text books.

Is the Minister aware that Mrs. Beatrice King, who is the author of this pamphlet, is a leading member of the executive of the British Soviet Society and that she was chairman of its women's organisation last year? Is the Minister further aware that this Society is condemned and proscribed by his own party, and if it is not thought fitting and good that Socialists should have any contact with it, is it not worse that children should have their minds polluted by this insidious form of propaganda?

No single point that has been mentioned by the hon. Member has anything to do with the Question on the Paper.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether this book was not issued at a time when there was a Conservative Minister of Education?

It was.

rose—

We had better get on with the next Question.

On a point of order. In view of the fact that this book is still in wide circulation and use, and in view of the extremely unsatisfactory nature of the replies by the Minister, I give notice that I propose to raise this matter as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Education if, in view of the inadequacy of the statistics hitherto kept as to what facilities exist for the teaching of swimming to pupils of State schools, he will collect and publish periodically figures showing the proportions of these pupils who can and cannot swim, respectively, and at what ages.

No, Sir. My Department do not keep statistics about the teaching of swimming or of any other subject of the curriculum, and I do not consider the value of the results would be in proportion to the manpower which would be involved or to the extra burden which would be thrown on the teachers.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the importance of the teaching of swimming has been much neglected in the training of youth in the past and that the publication of such statistics would have a very beneficial result? Would he therefore reconsider his decision not to collect and publish these valuable statistics?

I do not think the issuing of statistics would have the slightest effect upon that. The circular which I issued in January, 1946, gives, I think, all the encouragement that I can to the teaching of swimming in the schools.

Is a copy of that circular available in the Library? If not, will the Minister put a copy there?

Yes.

Before the Minister goes any further in this matter, will he take the precaution of consulting the Minister of National Insurance?

asked the Minister of Education what arrangements have been made in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, for the education and training of sub-normal children.

The arrangements for educationally sub-normal children in Ellesmere Port form part of the general arrangements made by the Cheshire local education authority for the county as a whole. The majority of the children receive special educational treatment in the ordinary schools, but those who need to be educated in a special school are sent to the authority's residential school at Alderley Edge. The training of ineducable children is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.

asked the Minister of Education what representations were made to him at the time of the report of the Secondary School Examination Council, pleading for a reconsideration of the new examination policy; and by whom were those representations made.

When I received the Council's report and before I had come to any decisions about their recommendations, I sought the views of the major educational bodies, including the local education authority associations, the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, the National Union of Teachers, the Joint Four, the Headmasters' Conference and other principal teachers' associations. Further, when I had received and considered their views, I sought their comments on the draft of a circular setting out the conclusions to which I had come. Particular aspects of the Council's proposals were criticised but, taken as a whole, their proposals were favourably received.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will permit the General Certificate examination to be held twice in the year.

Yes, Sir, and some examining bodies are in 1951 conducting two examinations at the ordinary level.

asked the Minister of Education whether, when he approves any increase of salaries to teachers that may be recommended by the Burnham Committee, he will make that increase retrospective.

I am not prepared to make any statement on teachers' salaries until I have received and considered the recommendations of the Burnham Committee.

While I appreciate that the right hon. Gentleman does not think it wise to interfere with the independent machinery for settling teachers' salaries, may I ask if he will bear in mind that the proposal which I have put in the Question would go far to allay their anxiety if they felt that they could have this hope of retrospection—as civil servants receive it?

I do not understand an appreciation of the Minister's difficulties which insists upon adding to them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that there is a shortage of nylon stockings and ladies' gloves in the retail shops of Aberdeen; and if he will take steps to increase the supply of these much-desired articles of apparel to that city.

The shortage of nylon stockings in relation to the demand for them is not confined to Aberdeen. I am not aware of any shortage of women's gloves and understand that in fact some of the Aberdeen shops have large stocks of these.

Is my right hon. Friend able to promise some improvement in ladies' sartorial styles, at least in the Festival of Britain year?

I cannot make any such rash promises. The supply of nylon stockings to the home market is increasing, and I am at present inquiring into the whole question of their distribution.

Would the President of the Board of Trade consider restricting the supplies of nylons which go to the spivs in Oxford Street, and see that they go to the shops?

As the hon. Member will realise, the distribution of nylons is undertaken by private enterprise and not by my Department. I have, however, called for a report on the whole question of distribution and I hope to have something to say about it in due course.

Is the Minister aware that many machines which were imported from America with Marshall Aid dollars for the specific purpose of manufacturing nylon stockings are now having to use other material because nylon yarn is not available? When will the Minister make more nylon yarn available, so that the machines we already have can be fully used?

When I get enough polymer from Imperial Chemical Industries and enough nylon yarn from the British nylon spinners.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the retail prices of first, second and third-quality nylon stockings; and what measures are taken to ensure correct prices for each quality.

The statutory maximum retail prices of nylon stockings range from 6s. 9d. a pair for utility seamless stockings to 12s. 11d. (including Purchase Tax) for fully-fashioned non-utility stockings, except for the very finest quality, made from 15 denier yarn and so marked, for which the maximum price is 17s. 6d. (including Purchase Tax). When a utility stocking fails to comply with the specification laid down by the Board of Trade it must be marked "substandard" and the manufacturer may not charge more than 50 per cent. of his maximum price.

Can my right hon. Friend indicate how the purchaser can be protected in regard to prices? Will he insist on the prices being stamped on the stockings as they leave the factory?

I shall be glad to look into that, but I can see a lot of difficulties.

If I submit to my right hon. Friend samples which have been sent to me from my constituents, will he investigate the prices and quality?

Yes, Sir. I will certainly be prepared to look at any evidence my hon. Friend sends me.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many pairs of first-quality nylon stockings are reserved for the home market; and how many pairs of seconds and thirds.

The total supply of nylon stockings to the home market is now at a rate of about 24 million pairs a year. As regards the proportion of "perfects" in this supply, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Osborne) on 13th July.

By way of solving this problem on a more or less permanent footing, will my right hon. Friend do his best to encourage and make more fashionable the use of lisle stockings as an alternative?

Since the supply of nylon has so greatly increased, has my right hon. Friend made any arrangement for additional timber for the under-the-counter trade in nylons?

I have made clear that I have already called for a report on the distribution of nylons, with a view to seeing that the available supplies are distributed as fairly as possible.

Will the right hon. Gentleman arrange to make suitable samples available in the Library?

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions against offenders for selling imperfect nylon stockings at excessive prices have been initiated by his Department.

During the first six months of this year there were 85 prosecutions for overcharging for nylon stockings, but I am unable to say how many of these concerned imperfect goods.

In view of the able-bodied "spivs" to be seen every day on the London streets, not only defrauding women but, what is more pathetic, defrauding men who are anxious to buy stockings for wives and sweethearts, does my right hon. Friend really think the number of prosecutions is satisfactory and, if not, what will he do to deal with this widespread evil?

Some 77 of the 85 prosecutions were against street and market traders and I understand that a further 135 cases have been recommended by the Central Price Regulation Committee for prosecution, most of them against such traders.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the price of timber recently purchased from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics compares with the price at which Swedish timber could have been bought last November.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 6th July to the hon. and gallant Member for Lewes (Major Beamish).

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewes (Major Beamish) on 6th July was quite evasive in that it is perfectly well known throughout the timber industry in this country and Scandinavia that more timber could have been obtained than that recently bought from Russia, and at a cheaper price, if negotiations last November had been carried on with reasonable vigour and despatch? Will he agree that there has been considerable detriment to the house-building programme by his policy?

However widely known it may be, that does not make it true.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportions of the total supply of newsprint and mechanical pulp are now used by the daily and weekly newspapers and by periodicals, respectively; and what were the proportions so used in 1948; and if he can give an estimate of the proportions so used in 1938.

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the Minister tell us whether the proportions have substantially changed?

They have changed, but I should not have said substantially.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what commitments he has entered into for the export of newsprint to Australia in the present year; and how this compares with the average quantity exported in the past three years.

None, Sir, it is the paper mills who enter into such commitments in the light of commercial considerations, but we have informed them that export licences will be permitted for the export of about 75,000 tons of newsprint to Australia, as compared with an average of 11,955 tons in the three years 1947 to 1949.

Will the Minister say to what extent this greatly increased export is due to pressure which the Government have applied to the British newsprint mills? Further, what steps is he taking to safeguard the interests of home consumers, that is to say, the newspaper industry and the readers of newspapers?

If the Government had been prepared to issue export licences for all the newsprint which the mills have been asking for, and which they would like to supply abroad, a much greater tonnage would have been involved.

Has the right hon. Gentleman taken advantage of the presence of Mr. Menzies in this country to discuss the matter with him?

Yes, Sir, and I might say that Mr. Menzies has taken advantage of his visit to this country to press for more.

Will my right hon. Friend resist the Conservative demand to restrict Commonwealth trade?

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the failure of some Continental contractors to deliver a substantial tonnage of newsprint for the second half of this year, and the short supply from the home mills, to what extent he can make concessions to the weekly provincial periodicals to ensure them sufficient newsprint for the second half of this year.

While I should be reluctant to interfere with the discretion of the Newsprint Rationing Committee, I would agree with the hon. Gentleman that it would be desirable within the limits available that weekly provincial papers should have so far as possible special consideration. It may be of assistance if I now announce that dollars will be made available for the import of a further 37,500 tons of newsprint from Canada in the second half of 1951, provided that the Newsprint Supply Company can place the necessary contracts for delivery before the end of that year.

So far so good, but is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the British public are entitled to a free end fair sized Press so that the news can be fully maintained? Although I welcome what the right hon. Gentleman has said I want him to do far more. We must have an adequately sized Press in this country.

The hon. Member will be aware, if he studied the Debate we had in the small hours of yesterday morning, that the newspapers themselves only this year thought it would be possible to maintain the size of newspapers without requiring any dollar expenditure at all.

In considering the allocation of newsprint between national and local newspapers will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that local newspapers generally do not publish comic strips or serial stories?

I have never been concerned with what is contained in newspapers, national or local, from that point of view, but I have suggested to the interests concerned that if any further cut in tonnage becomes necessary, the weekly provincial papers should be exempted from that cut.

Arising from the right hon. Gentleman's statement about the allocation of dollars for the second half of 1951, is he aware that we regard that as a distinct advance? But can he make any further statement to us about the second half of this year and about the very serious position in which the newspapers are at present in regard to newsprint?

No, I do not think that I have anything to add to what I said in the House recently in regard to the second half of this year, when I made a full statement of the reasons which led to the deterioration of the position.

Has the right hon. Gentleman anything to say about the export of newsprint and the extent of that export from this country?

I should be surprised if the right hon. Gentleman, in view of what has so often been stressed on his side of the House about the sanctity of contracts, was asking me to interfere with and override contracts already entered into for the second half of this year.

Does it mean that the present size of national and provincial papers will be maintained during the whole of next year?

It means that depending on the amount that can be bought from soft currency sources, there is no reason why the present size should not be maintained throughout 1951. The Government will, naturally, do everything within their power to see that the size of newspapers does not fall below the present size next year.

Will the right hon. Gentleman have a further talk with Mr. Menzies to see if Australia will delay taking some newsprint during the latter half of this year so that we can maintain the present size of newspapers?

I am seeing Mr. Menzies tomorrow morning, but as I have made clear to the House the discussions are on the footing that Mr. Menzies is pressing for larger supplies of newsprint for Australia for next year.

Having reached these arrangements, will the right hon. Gentleman give us an assurance that we will stand by this contract with Canada on this occasion, and not repeat what happened last year?

The first thing is for a contract to be concluded. The Government have made dollars available for the acquisition of newsprint, but it has not so far proved possible to place a contract. The request was made to us only last week by the Newsprint Supply Company that these dollars should be allocated, and they have now been allocated.

In view of what the right hon. Gentleman said in reply to my right hon. Friend about the sanctity of contracts, does that mean that he regrets his own interference with that sanctity last year?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total cost incurred by the United Kingdom delegation to the International Trade Conferences at Geneva in 1947, Havana in 1947–48 and Annecy in 1949; and what is the estimated cost per month of sending a delegation to the conference to be opened at Torquay in September.

The costs (exclusive of salaries) incurred by the United Kingdom delegations to the Conferences at Geneva, Havana, and Annecy were approximately £83,700, £51,800 and £22,000 respectively. The cost of sending a delegation to the Conference at Torquay will depend mainly on the size of the delegation it is found necessary to maintain there, but at present it is estimated at £4,000 to £5,000 per month.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now had the opportunity of discussing with the Australian Prime Minister the matter of the import duty on British rayon; and with what results.

Yes, Sir, I have discussed this matter fully with Mr. Menzies, and he has undertaken that the views of the United Kingdom Government will be carefully considered and will be fully reported to the Australian Parliament when the resolution on the duties comes up for debate.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that hon. Members on all sides of the House are very grateful to him for seeing Mr. Menzies about this, and if he is to see him again will he ask him to tell the people of Australia that we regard this as a breach of our family contract and certainly as a breach of the Ottawa Agreement?

I think the Prime Minister of Australia is fully aware of the views of His Majesty's Government and of hon. Members of this House who have expressed themselves on the matter.

Was the question of other textiles as well as rayon discussed on this occasion?

No, Sir. We discussed only the position of the recent increase of the rayon duties in Australia.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will instruct the registrar of business names to alter the wording of Note 7 of the Section dealing with names in the registrar's leaflet, R.19, in order to remove its mandatory character.

In my answer to the hon. Member's Question on 6th July, I explained that the leaflet to which he refers is not a statutory document, and does not purport to be one. It sets out, for the guidance of the public, what is in fact the practice of the Registrar in these matters. This practice is based on the proposition that in the absence of good reasons to the contrary, the use by an applicant of a name which is not his own, is undesirable. I see no reason why either the practice or the wording should be altered.

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that Section 116 (1) of the Companies Act, 1947, places on the Registrar the onus of saying that the name is undesirable, whereas Note No. 7 places the obligation on the applicant to show that the name is desirable? Consequently, this is the converse of the rule that a person is innocent until proved guilty.

I thought it was a good rule that people usually went under their own names and that they had to give a good reason before using other peoples names.

Is it not true that a very large part of the good will of a business consists of the name, so that a purchaser ought to be able to use it?

It is one of the conditions that unless valid reasons can be given no other name can be used.

Does that apply to Ministers of the Crown?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the present position in respect of the proposal to erect a new factory in the Nantlle Valley, Caernarvonshire; and if he will make a full statement.

My hon. Friend will now have received the letter sent to him on 17th July by the Board of Trade Controller in Wales. I understand that the final formalities in respect of the proposed factory are on the point of completion and that the local authority will be able to proceed with the building almost at once.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to secure the dispersal of key industries as a measure of Civil Defence.

Arrangements exist for planning the dispersal of existing key industries in the event of an emergency. The need for dispersal is also taken into account, among other factors, before approval is given to expansion schemes in these industries.

Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that it is of doubtful wisdom from the strategic point of view that a new very large oil refinery should be placed alongside an existing expanded one and a third establishment within easy radius of a carelessly dropped atom bomb?

As the hon. and gallant Member has already been informed in relation to that refinery, all relevant considerations, including strategic considerations, were taken into account when that decision was made.

Are we to assume that the Government regard that refinery as being strategically well planned?

The hon. and gallant Member can assume what he likes from the statement of the facts. Strategic considerations were certainly taken into account with the others.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, when discussing the proposal at Torquay to extend the operative period of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade beyond 1950, the Government will press to retain the right at present existing under the Protocol to withdraw from the Agreement at 60 days' notice.

The proposal to extend for three years from 1st January, 1951, the validity of the Tariff Schedules to the General Agreement does not involve ratifying the Agreement and therefore giving up the right under the Protocol of Provisional Application to withdraw from the Agreement as a whole at 60 days' notice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what is the price at which the Raw Cotton Commission buys Nigerian raw cotton, in view of the fact that it charges spinners 33·75d. a lb. for it;

The Cotton (Centralised Buying) Act, 1947, lays upon the Raw Cotton Commission the responsibility of determining the prices at which they sell raw cotton. I understand that the present selling-price policy of the Commission is based generally on current world replacement prices, taking account also of the relative spinning values of different growths of cotton. Since buying prices for both the Uganda and the Nigeria crops last season were negotiated some time ago, it stands to reason that current selling prices may well differ from the purchase prices. In fact, since these prices were negotiated last autumn there has been a steady rise in world replacement prices (although in subsequent years the reverse may be the case). The Raw Cotton Commission have a long term agreement with the Nigerian Produce Marketing Company Limited, and the price agreed annually between these two bodies is a matter for settlement between them.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the prices being paid to the growers both in Nigeria and Uganda, are very much lower than the prices at which the Commission is selling to spinners in Lancashire? Is he not further aware that he is in this way making it difficult for the Lancashire textile industry to compete with Japanese and other overseas competitors, who will be able to buy raw cotton cheaper than it is being supplied in Lancashire?

No, Sir. The prices being charged are world replacement values. If I may say so, hon. Gentlemen who complain when the policy of selling at replacement prices lead to bookkeeping losses under falling market conditions, can hardly complain when the same practice leads to profits on a rising market. They cannot expect to have it both ways.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that by the methods which are now being followed, the Lancashire cotton industry is in a very bad competitive position in selling in these African markets?

No. I have made it clear that sales are at replacement cost. The hon. Member would, I hope, be the last to complain at the introduction of long-term contracts with Commonwealth countries for the supply of cotton.

Why not re-open the Liverpool Cotton Exchange?

If we did, the price to Lancashire would be a good deal higher than is the case now.

Does the doctrine of replacement prices apply also to the regulations under the Prices of Goods Act, which denies that doctrine?

This Question relates to the activities of the Raw Cotton Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now in a position to make an announcement about arrangements for allocation of fuel for glasshouses in the coming season.

After consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided to remove all restrictions on the cropping of glasshouses. Growers will therefore, no longer be required to sign an undertaking that they will devote a prescribed portion of their heated glasshouse space to food crops in order to obtain large coal.

May I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply, and say that it will give intense satisfaction to those interested in growing food, etc., under glass?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the glut of strawberries in North Lincolnshire owing to the shortage of tinplate and the scarcity of baskets; and what action he proposes to take to help the fruit farmers.

My information is that the Lincolnshire strawberry crop, now finished, was a good one but that there has been no glut. I have had no complaints of tinplate shortage for strawberry canning. The supply of baskets for strawberries has also met requirements.

If I send the Minister evidence of the shortage and the difficulties which growers have been in as a result of it, will he look into the matter, assuming that he is in the same job next year, will he take steps next year to put it right?

I would prefer it if the hon. Member sent me some strawberries.

Will the Minister say why it is the policy of the Government to export tinplate to other countries and thus enable them to compete with ourselves, when they do not have to comply with the same standards as our own fruit growers?

I told the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Osborne) that there was no shortage of tinplate for strawberry canning.

There is an acute shortage of tinplate.

How closely does the right hon. Gentleman work on this question with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Food?

Very closely indeed

asked the Minister of Agriculture how farmers are to collect the grant promised them by the Chancellor of the Exchequer against the increased price of petrol.

As I informed the House in the statement I made during the Committee stage of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, on 13th July, the opening date for the receipt of claims is not likely to be earlier than 1st January, 1951, though the period to be covered by the claims will go back to the date of the Chancellor's Budget Statement. Matters of this sort will be dealt with in the scheme to be made under the Bill and in the publicity which will be associated with it.

Will the Minister kindly answer my Question, and say how they will collect the money?

They will most certainly collect the money after they have made a claim and justified it.

What is the machinery or the procedure they have to follow to get the money?

I have already explained that the machinery will be dealt with in the scheme when it is produced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how much land has been brought under cultivation as a result of the grubbing of hedges, windbreaks and copses and the filling in of chalk pits on the Ministry of Agriculture Experimental Farm at Martyr Worthy; and what has been the cost of these operations.

Sixteen acres have been cleared for cultivation at a net cost of approximately £50 per acre. Apart from providing more land for the work of the Centre a new and more scientific layout of fields has been made possible, and vermin, being denied cover, are easier to control. Both these points are of special importance to the experimental work which is to be undertaken.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that vermin do not need any cover in my division?

Presumably this experimental farm is meant to be an example, but can the right hon. Gentleman say where, when they take away the hedges, copses and windbreaks, the birds which eat the vermin will go to lay their eggs?

Is the Minister aware that the filling in of chalk pits is an extremely uneconomical proceeding, and that an enormous amount of material and labour is necessary for a very small return in the way of cultivated land?

We are satisfied that, for experimental purposes, this scheme has been well worth while.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the improved financial position of this country and the increase in the gold reserves, he will confer with the Ministers of Health and Supply and the President of the Board of Trade, with a view to sanctioning the increase in the imports of timber to this country for the purpose of expediting the Government's building programme.