asked the Minister of Agriculture why 23rd June, 1950, is the date shown in paragraph 7 (c) of the Importation of Raw Cherries Order, S.I., 1950, No. 469.

This date was fixed, in the light of the experience gained from check inspections in previous years, as being the latest on which imports of cherries from Italy could be allowed without serious risk of their being infested with the cherry fruit fly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what classes of producers of milk, poultry and eggs will be eligible for assistance under S.I., 1950, No. 1094, Marginal Production Scheme Amending Order; whether there will be any limit to the assistance obtainable by any one such producer; and in what form should the application for assistance be made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can now make a statement on the special measures which the Government have proposed to meet the difficulties of poultry keepers and other small farmers who have to pay an extra £8 a ton for feedingstuffs following the removal of the feedingstuffs subsidy.

As I announced on 23rd March, the extended scheme is designed to assist small producers of milk, pigs and eggs who are exceptionally dependent on purchased feedingstuffs. There will be a limit on the amount of grant payable to any one producer during the year. A Press announcement will be issued shortly which will advise producers how application should be made and give other details of the scheme. I will arrange for copies to be sent to the hon. Members.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many farmers have been dispossessed in North Staffordshire each year since 1947.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of farmers in categories A, B and C, respectively, in North Staffordshire.

In conducting the Farm Survey county agricultural executive committees employ these categories as a general guide, for their own use, of standards of farming and estate management; the classifications they make are not intended for publication.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has considered cases brought to his notice where the services of volunteers for "Lend a Hand on the Land Schemes" are used for other work than agricultural production; and what steps he takes to prevent this abuse.

No cases have been brought to my notice this season in which it has been alleged that persons attending Volunteer Agricultural Camps have been employed on non-agricultural work. The standing instruction is that a volunteer must not be put on non-essential work unless, owing to weather or other unforeseen circumstances it is quite impracticable to arrange work on food production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the damage that is likely to be caused to agricultural land and particularly to market gardens by the establishment of an oil refinery in the neighbourhood of Hook Park or Bromwich on the north shore of the Solent; and whether he will oppose such a project as likely to be detrimental to agricultural interests.

I am aware that if the oil refinery is situated in the neighbourhood referred to there will inevitably be some loss of land to agriculture: apart from this, however, I have no reason to expect that there will be any interference with agricultural production in the neighbourhood.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Government have completed their consideration of long-term proposals for making better use of marginal land; and whether he will make a statement on the subject.

Yes. The Government recognise that, in addition to hill land covered by the Hill Farming Act, 1946, there is in the United Kingdom a considerable area of so-called marginal land in upland areas, suited primarily for the rearing of cattle and sheep, which with comprehensive and long-term improvements, similar to those which can be effected under the Hill Farming Act, would be capable of rearing a considerably increased number of stock to match the increasing fattening potentialities of the lowland grasslands and so increase the output of high-quality meat from our own land.The Government have therefore decided to seek an early opportunity of inviting Parliament to pass legislation to provide for the payment of grants at the rate of 50 per cent. towards the cost of voluntary schemes, similar to those under the Hill Farming Act, submitted over a five year period for the improvement of stock-rearing land in upland areas. It is proposed to make available some £10 million for this purpose, and I would emphasise that the approval of schemes will need to be on a selective basis to ensure that the available funds are concentrated on the land which will yield the highest returns.It is also proposed to extend for a further five years the similar facilities available for improvement schemes for hill farming land and to make a further £5 million available for grant for these schemes.Also in view of the importance of maintaining and increasing the sheep and cattle population on the uplands, it is proposed to extend for a further five years, until 1956, the provisions of the Hill Farming Act, 1946, for payments of subsidy for hill sheep and hill cattle.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the increasing spread of fowl pest throughout the country, he will further extend the operations of the Poultry Carcases Order, 1950, with a view to preventing the spread of the disease in areas which up to now have not been infected.

The Poultry Carcases (Importation) Order already restricts the distribution of imported carcases from certain countries to five relatively small areas in England and Wales. Recent outbreaks of fowl pest outside these areas probably have their origin in poultry imported and distributed before the order came into operation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture (1) what was the declared value of the 25 live horses recently shipped from Goole to Antwerp for slaughter; and what action was taken to check the declaration;

The provisions of the Diseases of Animals Acts do not call for any verification of the declared values of horses for export, but prohibit the exportation of certain kinds of horses unless the veterinary inspector who examines them certifies that in his opinion they are not of less than certain prescribed values. The revised values under the Exportation of Horses (Minimum Values) Order, 1950, have not been in force sufficiently long for me to judge of their effectiveness in preventing the export of horses for slaughter.The value declared by the exporter of each of the 25 horses recently shipped from Goole was £80. They were examined by the veterinary inspector at Goole who was satisfied that they were each worth at least £80 which is also the minimum value for a heavy horse prescribed by the recent Order below which exportation is prohibited.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will consider a long term plan to provide feedingstuffs for the production of sufficient home grown poultry to permit severe restriction of imports of poultry from countries where fowl pest is endemic; and, meantime, if he will institute a propaganda campaign to inform the public and farmers how to avoid or mitigate fowl pest.

It has always been the Government's policy to increase as far as practicable our supplies of animal feedingstuffs, but I am afraid there is nothing I can yet add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Guildford (Mr. Nugent) on 23rd March about rations for poultry keepers. As regards the second part of the Question, extensive publicity has been maintained over the past three years by means of Press announcements, broadcasts, distribution of leaflets to poultry keepers, talks at poultry shows, and so on, and I shall continue to take every opportunity of reminding poultry keepers of the precautions against fowl pest.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the difficulties arising from the security of tenure provisions of Part III of the Agriculture Act, 1947; and if he will consult with the representative organisations of landowners, tenant farmers and land agents to consider what changes in the law are desirable in the interests of good husbandry.

No. I have no evidence that the notice to quit provisions of the Act are failing to achieve then-purpose of affording security of tenure to the good tenant farmer.

asked the Minister of Agriculture on what dates he has officially visited the Towy Valley and the land proposed to be included in the afforestation scheme.

I have not visited the Towy Valley in connection with the afforestation scheme I recently approved, but officers of my Department and of the Forestry Commission have been in the areas on many occasions and have surveyed the district in detail.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why the planting of the Balsam group of poplars does not qualify for the grant offered by the Forestry Commission for poplar planting.

Poplars of the Balsam group are very susceptible to a bacterial canker disease which is prevalent in many parts of this country; for this reason they are unsuitable for timber production.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the comments of Mr. Justice Byrne, at Nottingham Assizes, on the presentation of the case by his Department against Mr. John Joseph Vickers on a charge of evasion of Purchase Tax; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I understand that the Judge's comments related not to the presentation of the case as such but to the state of the copy exhibits. For convenience of everybody concerned photostatic copies of the relevant documents which are exact copies of the originals were presented to the Court. It is regretted that the Judge's bundle was not securely fastened or more clearly labelled. Some copies were available for the jury, but there might have been more.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the classes of taxpayer in whose cases arrears of Income Tax have been paid by taking into account their Postwar Credits.

The only arrangement of the kind is that announced by my right hon. and learned Friend's predecessor on 29th October, 1946, under which arrears of Income Tax on salaries and wages for 1945–46 and earlier years are set off against the Post-War Credit for 1945–46.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to grant an allowance for income Tax purposes in respect of the work performed by wives of clergymen in connection with their husband's work.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to grant an allowance for Income Tax purposes in respect of the wear and tear to clothing caused by artificial limbs.

No. Expenditure arising from individual circumstances of this kind is not a suitable subject for Income Tax relief.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to exempt from Income Tax interest on Post Office savings accounts in order to stimulate national saving.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can now make a statement on the recommendations and suggestions put forward at the recent meeting of the United Kingdom—Canada Continuing Committee on Trade and Economic Affairs.

I cannot at this stage add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 20th July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue through the Central Office of Information a short summary of the report of British trade unionists who visited the United States of America last year to investigate the rôle of unions in this country in increasing productivity; and if he will circularise this summary free to every trades unionist in Great Britain.

This most interesting and valuable report has been prepared and published at the instance of the T.U.C. for the consideration of the trade union movement generally. I have no doubt that the T.U.C. will take suitable steps to enable the report to be discussed as widely as possible. We shall be glad to arrange for the Government information services to give assistance should this be required.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total of the nominal amount of securities held by the National Insurance Fund at 31st March, 1950; what was their cost price; and what is their present market value.

An account showing the nominal amount of the securities in the National Insurance Fund at 31st March, 1950, was laid before Parliament on 13th June last. The cost price and market values of the securities will appear in the Accounts of the Fund for 1949–50 which will be presented in due course under the provisions of the National Insurance Act 1946. In accordance with long-standing practice I am not prepared to anticipate the information given in Statutory Accounts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can make any announcement regarding the continuance of the special Income Tax arrangement with building societies.

I have already authorised the continuance of this arrangement until April, 1952, and following discussions between the Inland Revenue Department and the Building Societies Association I have come to the conclusion that it is desirable that the arrangement should continue beyond that date, subject to periodical review. I consider, however, that in future the Revenue's power to enter into the arrangement should rest on a statutory basis. I have accordingly informed the Building Societies Association that I shall be prepared to authorise the continuance of the arrangement for a further period of five years in the first instance, i.e., up to April, 1957, provided that the necessary enabling legislation is passed by Parliament in next year's Finance Bill. I should add that I would propose in the legislation to regularise the position of Surtax payers who invest money in building societies, for the arrangement at present gives rise to the anomaly that they are charged Surtax on the amount actually received from their investment instead of on that amount plus Income Tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state the amount of each class of hydrocarbon oils retained for home consumption during the year ended 31st March, 1950, and the net amount received in respect of duty thereon, showing, in particular, the amounts

The information is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the negotiations now taking place with the French Government over the Saarbrucken Bonds cover the period 1939 to 1945; and to what extent the French Government has indicated that it will make sterling available for the service of this loan.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the shortage of telephones, he will give an assurance that adequate provision has been made for telephone services for Civil Defence organisations to function in the event of war.

I recognise the importance of this matter and I am in close touch with my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General so as to ensure the provision of adequate telephone facilities for Civil Defence in the event of need.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions or advice are now given to builders of large buildings with regard to cellars or garages and their possible future use as shelters.

The implementation of the advice in the technical memorandum to which I referred in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 2nd December, 1948, raised various difficult questions, including the availability of structural steel. These difficulties are, I understand, well on the way to removal and it is hoped to issue the necessary technical guidance at an early date.

asked the Minister of Health if he will include in the monthly or quarterly housing returns, as may be convenient, a statement of the number of houses known to have been demolished or closed during the relevant period.

Returns giving this information were discontinued in 1945 in view of the small number of houses involved. I will consider whether they could with advantage be resumed.

asked the Minister of Health whether availability of timber was taken into account when making the 1950 allocation of houses to Liverpool.

Yes, but the prospective availability of timber was not a limiting factor.

asked the Minister of Health what steps have to be taken by a Service man returning to this country after years of service abroad to obtain a local authority-owned house in this country.

Application should be made to the appropriate local authority, which will normally be the Council for the area in which the Service man will be working on return. Forms of application are provided by the Service authorities to serving officers and men. Guidance has been given to local authorities designed to secure that the position of such applicants is not prejudiced by their absence abroad.

asked the Minister of Health what provision is made for people whose homes are destroyed or seriously threatened by coast erosion.

It is for the local authorities concerned to consider applications for housing accommodation on the basis of relative need, and I am confident that circumstances such as those referred to by the hon. Member are taken into account.

asked the Minister of Health what is the limiting factor at the present moment to the building of more houses than is at present envisaged by his Department for the next three years.

The national building resources are limited. The present rate of building new houses represents in the Government's view the maximum resources which can be allocated for the purpose in view of other urgent demands.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether he will increase the ratio of licences for private building to one in five during this year for the Rural District of Southam, the special circumstances of which have already been communicated to him;(2) whether he will increase the ratio of licences for private building to one in five during this year for the Rural District of Stratford-on-Avon, the special circumstances of which have already been communicated to him.

The information supplied by the hon. Member does not agree in some respects with that contained in the Department's records. When these have been reconciled, I will give my decision.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider issuing a circular advising local authorities to treat as special cases for a private building licence tubercular individuals who are unable to obtain sanatorium beds and desire to build at their own expense.

Local authorities have been requested to satisfy themselves that the issue of a licence will serve a housing need comparable to that served by a house erected by them for letting and I have no doubt that in both cases special consideration is given to tubercular patients.

asked the Minister of Health whether his regulations permit local authorities to grant licences to builders, to build houses for sale, on the receipt of their allocation from his Department; and what method his Department have of checking the number of such licences granted by local authorities.

Yes. Subject to the general instruction in the circular 108/48 of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy that such houses must go and be seen to go to persons in need of homes. The numbers of licences issued are supplied by the local authorities and are shown in Appendix B to the Housing Return.

asked the Minister of Health how many licences for private house building have been issued in Coventry this year; and what percentage this represents of the total amount of house building authorised for the year.

I would refer my hon. Friend to Appendix B of the published Housing Return.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider a mutual arrangement with Northern Ireland whereby building licences can be transferred to authorities in Great Britain.

I regret that such a transfer is not practicable.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the greater difficulties at present in the way of carrying out extensive repairs to farm workers' houses than doing work of similar value on cowsheds; and whether he will consider issuing a new circular to amend Circular 5/50, dated 12th January, 1950, so that local authorities may be empowered to licence a greater volume of repairs and reconstruction work of dwelling-houses than is at present permitted.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind the distinction, between designated buildings and other buildings in the Control of Building Operations (No. 15) Order. I am aware of this distinction which relates to the amount of work which can be carried out without licence and does not affect the amount of work which can be licensed by local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health if he is prepared to take over, free of cost, four old houses in the Borough of Hackney, details of which have been sent to him, the rents being too low to pay for their maintenance and other charges, and therefore a liability to their owner.

It would not be for me to take over these properties. I would suggest that the offer be made to the London County Council or the Hackney Metropolitan Borough Council.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that 80 Unity type permanent pre-fabricated houses in which asbestos cement flue pipes were incorporated have been erected by the Richmond, Surrey, corporation; that the corporation owing to the danger of fire in these houses have for the past three months been seeking advice and guidance without success from his Department in how to overcome the dangers; and when such guidance is likely to be given.

Yes. The whole question of fire risk from flues is being urgently examined by technical officers of my Department and the Building Research Station. The problem presented by the Unity house is under investigation at the moment and the local authority will be informed as soon as it is completed.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Walsingham, Norfolk, Rural District Council has again had to defer the erection of houses at Blakeney on a site already acquired; and if he will enable the council to proceed with its drainage scheme so that the erection of these houses can be carried out without any further delay.

The site in question was acquired last January but I have not yet seen any drainage scheme. I understand that the local authority are preparing one.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the activities of certain persons in buying up compensation rights in war-destroyed house properties and selling such properties after rebuilding at inflated prices; and whether he will take steps to put an end to this profiteering at the expense of the would be purchaser and often to the disadvantage of the former tenant.

I should deprecate but I am not aware of such activities: the imposition of conditions such as are suggested in the Question would require legislation and I can hold out no prospect of that.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the present annual production of clay roofing tiles is approximately only 50 per cent. of the 1938 figure; and if he will take steps to encourage the use of such tiles in the housing programme so that other essential materials at present being used for roofing in the building of houses may be made available for other equally essential parts in the housing programme.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes." As regards the last part, local authorities are free to choose the materials they wish from the point of view of price and suitability.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the quantity of timber for housing purposes for which licences were granted for the second quarter of 1949 and the corresponding quarter of 1950.

I have been asked to reply. Licences for softwood timber issued for housing purposes amounted to 84,614 standards in the second quarter of 1949, and to 80,549 standards in the corresponding period of 1950.

asked the Minister of Health how many beds which are suitable for tubercular patients are empty; and how many could be used if there were staff available.

Hospital returns at 31st December last showed that approximately 5,000 such beds were unoccupied on that date, of which about 4,000 stood closed for lack of staff.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider re-allocating the distribution and priorities of hearing aids so as to include a reasonable percentage for those over 60 years of age not included in any of the present priorities.

The present system of priorities is very far from rigid; but, while I have great sympathy with the needs of old people, I think that the needs of those who positively require an aid for their work should, generally, come first.

asked the Minister of Health on what date it is proposed that a bone induction hearing aid will be available for distribution under the provisions of the National Health Service.

Trials of a modified aid are now being arranged, but it is too early to say when supplies will be available generally.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Mrs. A. Barber, 55, Blundell Avenue, Cleethorpes, who applied for a hearing aid in August, 1948, has not yet been supplied; and, since she works as a lip-reading teacher and is engaged in other welfare work and in view of the promises made by his Grimsby and Hull hospital centres, he will see that the instrument is sent at once.

I understand that an appointment has now been made for 4th August.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Mr. Herker Jones, of 227, Derbyshire Lane West, Stretford, classed as a priority case, waited five and a half months for an appointment at Manchester and is still waiting 10 months after the appointment for an aural aid; and if he will make a statement upon the circumstances which have caused this delay.

I understand that this patient is not in the hospital's first priority group, but in the second. Delay is due to the large accumulated demand that has fallen to be met by the new service.

asked the Minister of Health if he will investigate the circumstances in which a general practitioner, of whose identity he has been informed, has been notified that he should not have prescribed charcoal biscuits for a patient and that the cost of this medicament is to be deducted from his remuneration; and if he will make a statement.

The Regulations provide a proper procedure for determining whether doubtful substances are drugs in the circumstances of a particular case and for the recovery from the general practitioner of the cost of any substances prescribed which are not drugs. Charcoal biscuits are normally regarded as food and as such should not be prescribed at the cost of the National Health Service.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the death of Winton Hogben at Lingfield Epileptic Colony; and if he has taken steps to ensure that supervision has been improved.

I have no jurisdiction over this voluntary institution but I understand that the medical superintendent feels there was inadequate supervision of this patient and has strengthened the rules governing supervision of patients in bathrooms.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to assist the National Health Service Executive Committee for Essex to secure adequate office accommodation, in view of the considerations advanced in the communication on this matter addressed by the Council to Essex Members of Parliament, of which a copy has been sent to him.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered the plea by the National Health Service Executive Council for Essex for assistance in securing more adequate accommodation; and whether he can assist that council to secure this.

I will give sympathetic consideration to the Council's proposals when they have secured an extension of town planning approval for their projected new building.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that members of the crews of British ships are compelled to seek dental treatment in foreign ports owing to their inability to secure appointments with dentists during their short periods at home; and what steps he will take to remedy this situation.

I have just been able to make new arrangements which should help merchant seamen to get their dental treatment at shorter notice.

asked the Minister of Health the reasons for the delay in reopening the Cranford Lodge Hospital for the Chronic Sick in Knutsford; whether he is aware of the great hardship being caused by the lack of hospital beds in the district; and whether the hospital will be reopened at once.

I have considered the matter fully in consultation with the regional hospital board, but having regard to the estimate of expenditure for the current year in which the cost of this unit was not included, I am afraid I cannot authorise the opening this year.

asked the Minister of Health what has been the expenditure of his Department on British-made and on imported lenses for spectacles, respectively, for the 12 months up to the most recent convenient date.

I regret the information is not available. Spectacle lenses are imported and distributed commercially.

asked the Minister of Health whether the communication sent by the physician superintendent to patients and members of the staff at Milford Sanatorium, Surrey, under the heading "Bulletin—Special Issue" was sent with his approval; and whether it represents Government policy.

No. The bulletin is being withdrawn.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that arising from the Jack Inquiry set up by the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Regional Hospital Board there is still great apprehension in the minds of the staff at the Hartlepools hospital because of the dismissal of the three ward sisters, Paton, Hall and Reed, the downgrading and subsequent dismissal of Miss J. Garthwaite, Head Cook, and the dismissal of the assistant matron, Miss Elsie Driver, A.R.R.C., S.R.N., S.C.M., and the sister tutor, Miss Elizabeth Driver, S.R.N., S.C.M., D.N.; what are the reasons for the dismissals; and what steps he proposes to allay the concern expressed by all nursing and other hospital staff throughout the region.

No. The Regional Hospital Board has fully investigated this matter and is closely watching the administration of the hospital. I do not feel it necessary that I should intervene.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made in the hospital service to secure that scientific and medical dietary needs are effectually adopted by catering officers.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a circular recently issued to hospitals on this subject.

asked the Minister of Health in approximately how many cases has action been taken to prevent a disproportionate increase of administrative staff in hospitals; and if any survey has yet been made in order to determine what should be a reasonable ratio of administrative to medical staff and to patients as a guide to hospital boards and committees.

Detailed surveys of the kind mentioned by my hon. Friend are about to begin.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider giving chiropodists of long standing and established practice the opportunity to treat patients for payment by the regional health board.

Chiropody is already provided by boards as an ancillary hospital service.

asked the Minister of Health what is the number of chronic sick cases awaiting admission to hospital in the area of the South Western Metropolitan Area Hospital Board; and what is the average period of waiting.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 20th July. The figures available do not distinguish between chronic and aged sick.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now amended the regulations which will enable diabetic patients to receive clinitest sets and tablets under the National Health Scheme.

The amending Regulations have not yet been made. They will be made within the next few weeks.

asked the Minister of Health (1) why the Leeds Regional Hospital Board continues to delay the presentation of contracts to chest physicians within that region;(2) why the Leeds Regional Hospital Board cannot now define the point of entry to the salary scale proposed by the Board for each chest physician within that region, and pay forthwith all arrears of salary from 5th July, 1948.

Action by the Board must await settlement of the general question of the basis of employment of these officers, which is under discussion with the local authority associations and the medical profession.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether in view of a recent decision to accommodate tubercular patients in general hospitals, he will introduce legislation to enable him to subsidise tubercular patients recommended by local authorities for treatment in Switzerland;(2) what is the situation with regard to tuberculosis in Northumberland; whether his attention has been drawn to a well-known sanatorium in Switzerland being available for sale; and whether he will introduce legislation to enable him to take advantage of such an opportunity.

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the increase in pulmonary tuberculosis in Great Britain, he will take steps to provide funds to enable tuberculosis patients in the lower income groups to undergo sanatorium treatment in Switzerland, as is at present done by Holland, and as was formerly done by our own local authorities prior to 1939.

I cannot undertake in present circumstances to add to the cost of the health service as proposed but I have recommended to hospital authorities action for making the best use of our own resources. I am sending a copy of this to the hon. Members.

asked the Minister of Health as, since the introduction of the National Health Service Act, local authorities are no longer empowered to give grants to tuberculosis patients towards the cost of treatment abroad, whether he will take power to make such grants in view of the long waiting list for beds in tuberculosis sanatoria in this country and the fact that there are at present 1,000 beds empty in Swiss sanatoria.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the hon. Members for Tynemouth (Miss Ward) and Inverness (Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton).

asked the Minister of Health if he will investigate the circumstances in which Mr. H. Fellows, 2, Courtlands, Bocking, Braintree, after long delay, has been supplied with two pairs of glasses, both unsatisfactory; if he has considered the letter, forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Maldon, indicating negligence on the part of the opticians concerned; and if he will make a statement.

The Regulations provide for the investigation of complaints by the Ophthalmic Services Committee and I obviously cannot comment on a case which might ultimately come before me on appeal.

asked the Minister of Health if he will expedite the supply of glasses to Mrs. Tansley, of Sunnyside, Sea view Promenade, Steeple Stone, near Southminster, Essex, whose eyes were tested by Mr. Loveday, of Maldon, on 6th July, 1949; and if he will state the reasons for this delay.

I understand that Mrs. Tansley should receive her glasses shortly. She needs bifocals which cannot be supplied quickly.

asked the Minister of Health in view of the urgency of the case of Mrs. K. Rose, particulars of which have been sent to him, what action he proposes to take to obtain a speedy admittance into a suitable sanatorium for this person.

I am making inquiries and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Health what instructions he has issued to the various executive councils of ophthalmic services committees regarding the repair of spectacles which are damaged by being dropped; and how decisions are reached as to whether or not the damage was due to carelessness.

I have advised the committees to admit claims for the repair of damaged spectacles only where they are satisfied that the damage was due to circumstances outside the owner's control, for example, where he has been involved in some accident. Claims are considered individually.

asked the Minister of Health if he has yet reached a decision as to the future status of the Lloyd Hospital, Bridlington.

Not yet but it will be discussed with the Regional Hospital Board at the beginning of August.

asked the Minister of Health why he is not prepared to approve the appointment by the Bridge Blean Rural District Council of a first additional sanitary inspector at a salary higher than £450 a year, the council having decided by resolution to remunerate this officer at £480 a year.

This inspector only qualified in May, 1948. He will receive annual increments of £15 until his salary becomes £525.

asked the Minister of Health when the Macintosh Committee may be expected to report on revised salary scales for psychiatric social workers.

The revision of salary scales is a matter for the appropriate Whitley Council, and does not fall within the purview of this Committee.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the inconvenience that is being suffered by residents in Thorpe, Sprowston, Hellesdon and Catton, on the fringe of Norwich, through the protracted delay in settling on a joint sewerage scheme for Norwich and the surrounding areas; and if he will expedite the holding of the suggested consultations between his Department and the interested local authorities.

Yes. I hope to arrange a conference with the authorities concerned shortly.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that ex-Service students recruited into and educated for sanitary inspectorship under his Department's health training scheme are finding it difficult to obtain employment in their profession; and what steps he proposes to take to see that they are absorbed into the profession.

I am aware that some students have not found immediate

asked the Minister of Labour what is the unemployment trend in the furniture industry; and whether he has yet been in touch with the President of the Board of Trade regarding the present recession of trade in the industry.

The number of unemployed workers in this industry has risen from 3,567 on 15th May to 4,340 on 12th June, which is about 3 per cent. of the total number employed in the industry. I know that my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is aware of the situation.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has yet received the report of the Catering Wages Commission.

Yes. The Report is comprehensive and deals in considerable detail with the various questions which I put to the Commission in my direction, as well as with other matters that emerged in the course of the inquiry. The Commission have arrived at a number of unanimous conclusions which I am now considering. I propose to publish the Report with the least possible delay and copies will be available to hon. Members through the Vote Office about the second week in August.I wish to take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation to the Commission for the thoroughness and care with which they have carried out this important inquiry and in particular to the Chairman who assumed his duties at short notice and at considerable personal inconvenience. I have no doubt that the Report will be of the greatest value to the industry.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent the port of Immingham meets its requirements from its own registered men, before calling upon labour from other ports; and to what extent this policy is applied to all ports working under the National Dock Labour Board Scheme.

The allocation of registered dock-workers is the responsibility of the local dock labour boards. In this case it is the local board for Grimsby and Immingham which are grouped together as one port for the purpose of the Dock Labour Scheme.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that there are many certificated teachers in Lancashire unable to obtain employment as such; and whether he will make a statement on the position.

I have nothing to add to the statement on this matter which was made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary during the Debate last week.

asked the Minister of Education the annual cost to his Department of Purchase Tax on gymnastic equipment and on equipment for sport and recreation.

I regret that the information asked for by the hon. Member is not available.

asked the Minister of Education if he will request the Burnham Committee to give consideration as speedily as possible to the question of teachers' salaries, in view of the difficulties from which many teachers are suffering today.

I have no doubt that the Burnham Committee are already aware of the need for all reasonable expedition and I do not consider that there is any occasion for me to make any request of this kind.

asked the Minister of Education if be is aware of the financial burden cast upon voluntary school authorities under the 1944 Education Act; and whether he will now bring in an amending bill to ease financial requirements.

I am aware of the financial obligations undertaken by managers and governors of voluntary schools which secure aided status. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No."