asked the Minister of Pensions what is the reason for the practice whereby certain disabled pensioners have their degree of disability lowered between the time when they have their final medical examination on leaving the Services and official notification of their degree of disability and corresponding pension; and approximately what percentage of disabled persons have their degree of disability and pensions lowered in this way.

The degree of disablement for pension purposes is determined under the relevant provision of the Royal Warrant (Article 10) which I administer and in accordance with a certificate of a medical officer or board of medical officers appointed or recognised by me for the purpose [Article 2 (3) (b)]. There is no practice of lowering certain assessments recorded by Service medical officers of the disablement due to service of members leaving the Services. The large majority of the assessments are accepted; they are sometimes increased and only very occasionally lowered.In assessing the pensionable disablement my medical officers have regard to all the relevant service and medical history and do not hesitate to arrange for further medical examination if this is required in the pensioner's interest. Each claim is judged sympathetically on the individual facts and I am satisfied that the pensions granted are based on fair assessments of the degree of disablement. At the time of notification of the first award of pension all pensioners are told that very careful consideration will be given to any representations they may wish to make regarding the assessment of their disablement. As regards the last part of the Question, I regret that precise information is not available.

asked the Attorney-General how many applications for legal aid were made and granted respectively in October and how many of those applications made and granted, respectively, during that month were in respect of matrimonial causes in which a decree of dissolution was sought.

From the commencement of the scheme on 2nd October until the end of the month there were 9,060 applications for legal aid Only a proportion of these applications, most of which were received in the latter half of the month, could he considered by the certifying committees and the National Assistance Board by 31st October but 773 had, nevertheless, been granted by that date. With regard to the number of applications in respect of matrimonial causes, statistics so far only relate to 395 granted applications of which 140 relate to divorce proceedings.

asked the Minister of Transport what new piers will be built in the Thames in connection with the Festival of Britain; and under whose control they will be placed subsequently.

Two piers are to he constructed at the South Bank Exhibition site and one at the Festival Gardens site. Piers are also being constructed at Old Swan, Blackfriars and Hammersmith for the use of vessels serving the Festival piers.The piers at the South Bank site and at the Festival Gardens are likely to be removed when the Festival ends, but the piers at Old Swan and Blackfriars will remain in the ownership and control of the Port of London Authority and the pier at Hammersmith is likely to be acquired by the Hammersmith Metropolitan Borough Council under powers which they are seeking.

asked the Minister of Food to what extent retail butchers are consulted in the grading of meat; and on how many occasions in the past year has his Department overruled the retailers' advice that the meat should be downgraded.

Retail butchers do not take part in the grading of meat but district meat agents, who are always practical butchers, have the right to take part with the slaughterhouse manager and the wholesale depot manager in the grading of home-killed meat. All these people are, of course, quite impartial and have no financial interest in the result of the grading. In the event of a difference of opinion the majority view prevails.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephones are still outstanding in the county borough of Doncaster.

Eight hundred and forty-seven.