asked the Minister of Labour what is the cost of maintaining his Department's appointments register; what proportion of names listed on a convenient recent date were registered as in employment but desirous of making a change; and what proportion of the total cost is attributable to this category.

In October, 1950, the proportion of persons on the appointments register who were in employment was 62 per cent. I regret that there are no statistics which would enable me to apportion the cost between this category and the unemployed category. If the hon. Member will let me know exactly what further information he desires I will see whether it is possible to obtain it.

While I believe that the register serves a valuable purpose, is the Minister satisfied that this very large percentage of the register which covers individuals "in employment but desirous of making a change" is realistic, and that the results justify the large amount of work which must be entailed in preparing it and keeping it up to date?

I should like to have a talk with the hon. Member on the particular point he has in mind. There does not appear to be a tremendous amount of work in keeping these names on the register, especially when the applicants are, at present, in employment.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will introduce legislation amending the Wages Councils Act, 1945, to define statutory minimum remuneration as the minimum sum, however it may be ascertained, received in cash each week by workers who are paid weekly, such sum being subject to deductions lawfully made under that Act.

I have recently received a deputation from the Trades Union Congress on this matter, which I am at present considering, but I cannot at this stage make any promise in regard to it.

Does the Minister realise that this applies in particular to the distributive trades paid on a wages and commission basis, and that the wage packets today are often less than the statutory minimum? Should there not be a wage plus a proportion of the estimated commission in order that lower paid workers may receive the statutory minimum every week?

That is the point I am looking into, but at the moment I am not satisfied that they are receiving less than the statutory minimum. Attention has been drawn to some particular difficulties, however, and we are looking into them.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give an assurance that in any future discussions on equal pay for equal work, either at home or at the International Labour Conference, he will regard the issue as a salary and wage question, unrelated to benefits payable under our social service systems.

The policy of the Government in regard to equal pay for equal work remains as set out in the statement made by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer to Parliament on 11th June, 1947, to which I have nothing to add.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that he has given no answer at all to my Question? Is he further aware that his policy, as enunciated at Geneva, caused great consternation and is regarded as an attack on wages, in the case of both men and women?

The right hon. Gentleman said he has nothing to add. Why, then, did he add so many and such extraordinary statements when he dealt with the subject at Geneva?

As I said, that was the situation, and those were the facts as they were known to exist.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will now make a statement on his negotiations with both sides of industry for the general resumption of work on Saturday mornings, so as to minimise the electricity cuts during the other five working days.

It has become clear from the review which the Electricity Sub-Committee of the National Joint Advisory Council is now conducting that the problem of avoiding electricity load shedding during the peak hours this winter has assumed serious proportions—[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]—I am interested to know hon. Members are glad of that—and the staggering of hours of work in industry either on normal working days or by the inclusion of Saturdays would not in itself solve this problem. The whole matter is still under consideration in consultation with the British Electricity Authority.

Is the Minister not aware that these sudden and unnotified cuts endanger both the life and limb of the workers involved and reduce industrial efficiency? Did he advocate the resumption of work on Saturday mornings, and what are the reasons given for not working on Saturday mornings?

I cannot go into all the points in that supplementary question at the moment. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why not"?] Because, for detailed answers like that, I should require notice. If the hon. Gentleman puts down such a Question I will try to give him all the information.

Does my right hon. Friend accept that working on Saturday mornings would substantially add to the difficulties of the spread-over of the electricity load?

It has effects in one direction but it has different effects in other directions. As I have said, the matter is being discussed with the British Electricity Authority. If they were to consider that this would be a useful procedure and would recommend it, I am sure industry would adopt it.

Can the Minister say why Whitehall is entirely exempt from these cuts?

Very probably because the electricity service is adequate in that area. There is not enough industry.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he proposes to take to safeguard the welfare, health and safety of the industrial worker, having regard to the fact that the establishment of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Factories is considerably below strength.

I am making every effort to safeguard the maintenance of industrial health and safety.

Would the Minister say what the efforts are and whether he is absolutely certain that the conditions offered to attract recruits into His Majesty's Inspectorate of Factories are adequate and proper to attract the right kind of man? Could he state what are the steps?

I think the second part of that supplementary question does not arise out of the Question on the Order Paper. The first part of the supplementary arises especially out of my answer. The steps we are taking are to ensure that every complaint of any risk to health or danger in any factory reported to us is promptly attended to and to take care, by such redeployment of our existing forces as can be made, that everything is done to ensure that prompt attention is given to every complaint.

Would it not be better if the owners of the factories themselves applied modern methods of safety and welfare so as to make it unnecessary for the inspectors to do the work?

Questions and answers of this sort can easily be misunderstood, as is evident from one of my answers this afternoon. I think it is only proper to say that, in the main, the Factories Acts are well observed by employers generally and that our main work today is not overcoming old time difficulties but giving advice on new methods of production, new machinery, new chemicals used and so on. We are having all possible co-operation from employers.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give an indication of the proposed maximum age for call-up into the Armed Forces in the event of an emergency in order thereby to assist the recruiting campaign for civil defence and allied voluntary services.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my very detailed reply to the hon. Member for Kingston-on-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter) on 18th September, 1950.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that there is still a large number of people who are reluctant to join the voluntary services because they still hold a hope of being able to rejoin their old units? Does he realise that if he will state an upper age limit, such as 50 or 55, the whole of the category above that age limit would be eager and willing to join the voluntary services?

The answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter) set out very clearly the points which the hon. and gallant Gentleman has in mind. I think that very full answer covers the point. Perhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman will look at it and, if there is any point which is not covered, I shall be very glad to try and put it right.

asked the Minister of Education how many qualified women teachers are required to meet the needs of primary and secondary schools during 1951; what is the estimated annual wastage; and what is the estimated intake during that year.

Taking men and women together, and allowing for the fact that some posts must be filled by women, I expect total supply to be adequate for total requirements. I expect the wastage of women teachers during 1951 to amount to about 7,500 and recruitment to about 10,000, giving an increase of about 2.500.

asked the Minister of Education how many new primary schools will be completed during the year 1951.

On 1st October last, 717 primary schools or departments were under construction, but I cannot say how many of these will be completed by the end of 1951. The number completed during the first nine months of 1950 was 152.

Is it the policy of the Government to give priority to the building of this type of school as opposed to the building of secondary and other types of school, in view of the increase in the school population due to take place during the years up to 1954?

If the numbers actually under construction are an indication of priority, I can say that 80 per cent. of the schools being built are primary schools and the remainder consist of the other types of school.

asked the Minister of Education why the people of Palgrave, East Suffolk, have to apply to the Education Committee at the County Hall. Ipswich, which is 22 miles distant, every time they desire the use of their school for meetings or social functions, in view of the fact that the school was built and extended by the voluntary subscriptions of the parishioners alone, and that it sometimes takes two months for a reply to be received to applications for the use of the school.

Palgrave School is a controlled voluntary school and the local education authority are therefore entitled under the Education Act, 1944, to determine what use is made of the premises save on Sundays and exceptionally on Saturdays.

Would it not be possible to appoint a local representative to give permission to use this school? Why should these people have to apply to Ipswich? Will not the right hon. Gentleman take a good pair of scissors and cut through this red tape?

If I thought red tape was binding this place to Ipswich I should certainly cut it, but there ought to be no delay; there is little or no delay in any other authority working in the same circumstances.

The delay is two months, according to the rector of the parish.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in accordance with the recommendation of the National Advisory Council on Education for Industry and Commerce, he will establish a Royal College of Technologists to regulate technological courses.

As indicated in the foreword to the Report, I propose to allow time for comments before reaching any decision on its recommendations.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make a statement to the House on this important question as soon as he has reached a decision?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in order to raise the standard of technical colleges, he will consider the possibility of granting them increased powers of autonomy of a kind similar to those enjoyed by universities.

Unlike the universities, the majority of technical colleges are maintained and controlled by local education authorities under the powers conferred on them by the Education Act. 1944. I am, however, sending the hon. Member a copy of circular 98, which urged that all reasonable freedom should be given to governing bodies, and I have reason to believe that the terms of this circular are being widely followed.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is one of the things which is done better in Scotland than it is in England? Will he bear in mind that this subject is not really suitable for local control?

Without accepting the implication in the first part of the supplementary question, I would certainly look into it.

asked the Minister of Education what will be the amount outstanding on 1st April, 1951, on account of late contributions for war service under the Teachers' Superannuation (War Service) Act, 1939; and how much of such contribution is payable by teachers and how much by their employer.

It is not possible to estimate the figure with accuracy, but it may be of the order of £160,000, of which about five-eighths would be payable by the teachers (including ex-Training College students) and three-eighths by their employers.

asked the Minister of Education if he is now able to state the result of his examination into the question whether interest is chargeable under the Teachers' Superannuation Act, 1925, on teachers' late contributions for war service under the Teachers' Superannuation (War Service) Act, 1939.

Under the Teachers Superannuation Rules, 1926, teachers' contributions for pensionable service are normally payable by 30th September in the financial year following that in which the service was rendered, later payments involving the payment of interest from 1st October. The application of this rule to contributions for pensionable war service is not altogether clear and a new statutory rule to clarify the position will shortly be proposed. In view of the special circumstances of war service, the rule will provide that interest shall not be chargeable where contributions are paid within three years after the end of war service in the case of persons who were previously employed in contributory teaching service, or within three years of the beginning of such teaching service in the case of persons who were previously Training College students: but in no case will interest be chargeable from a date before 1st April, 1951.

While I thank the Minister for the concession which he has announced, may I ask him whether, in view of the small amount of the outstanding contributions upon which interest will have to be paid, he will not reconsider the matter and give the concession to all outstanding contributions, thus removing what is regarded among teachers as a great grievance?

I will look at it, but it would certainly not be removing a grievance to let some people off what others had considered a just debt and had paid.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that he did not warn teachers at the time that they might be called upon to pay interest?

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the proposal to close down the Robert May's Grammar School, Odiham, which has been established for over three hundred years; and what action he proposes to take to prevent the educational facilities of the area, which are already inadequate, being reduced for an indefinite period.

This school is assisted financially by the Hampshire local education authority under the provisions of Part III of the Primary and Secondary Schools (Grant Conditions) Regulations. The authority have not yet informed me that they propose to withdraw their assistance though I am aware that they contemplate taking this step. I will examine the proposal when it reaches me in relation to the educational facilities in the area.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware how very strong is the local feeling regarding the suggested closing of this school with all its ancient associations and all the good work that it has done, and is he also aware that there is a great shortage of grammar school accommodation in that part of North Hampshire?

I will take these things into consideration. There is not a single school which has been closed anywhere in the country where the associations relating to the school have not considered the action undesirable.

asked the Minister of Education what was the original estimate of the cost of Longcroft Secondary School, Beverley; what has been the total expenditure to date; what is the present estimate of the total expenditure for completion; what is the total number of children for which this school will cater; and how the cost per capita compares with similar schools before the war.

The original estimate of the cost of this school, made in advance of the taking out of quantities, was £196,533. It has now been virtually completed, and the estimated final cost is £271,650. On the basis of 680 places, the net cost per place, excluding adult accommodation and also site layout, fencing, roads and playing fields, is £350. No similar schools were built before the war but the cost of a new senior elementary school was usually about £80 per place.

In view of the housing shortage, is it not possible to reduce the scale of expenditure on this type of school without lowering the standard of education provided?

The hon. Gentleman is asking me to do something which we did 12 months ago.

asked the Minister of Education whether be will withhold his approval to the revised scales of teachers' salaries in so far as they widen the differential between rates of pay for men and women.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the great dissatisfaction among the teaching profession over the proposed increase in the differential between men and women teachers; and if he will refuse to confirm the Burnham proposals while this anomaly is included.

I cannot yet say anything about my attitude to the Burnham Committee's recommendations, which have not yet been submitted to me.

When these proposals are submitted to my right hon. Friend will he bear in mind that women teachers feel greatly indignant about them, and that they feel the time has come for a step to be taken towards equal pay, and certainly not for a step away from that? Will my right hon. Friend do something to implement their wishes in his treatment of the proposals?

I will certainly take into consideration all the points that have been referred to me when the Burnham Committee's report reaches me.

Will the right hon. Gentleman, when the proposals do reach him, bear in mind the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Government's approach to equal pay for equal work?

I should not like to pledge myself to take into consideration all the things the Chancellor has said, when dealing with one particular matter.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has considered the memorandum submitted to him by the Committee of the National Association of Head Teachers on the subject of pupils leaving grammar schools before attaining the age of 16 years; whether this practice is increasing; and whether he will give the proportion of pupils so leaving for the years 1938, 1948 and 1949, with separate figures for boys and girls.

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

Following is the answer:

My attention has been drawn to a memorandum from the Joint Council of Heads on this subject. The percentage of pupils leaving grant-aided grammar schools before attaining the age of 16 during the years mentioned was:

	1937/38	1947/48	1948/49
Boys	29·0	22·5	25·5
Girls	31·4	23·1	27·7

These figures include those pupils who left to proceed to full-time courses of education at other institutions. The figures for the latter two years also include a number of schools with grammar streams not included in the figures for 1937–38. On the other hand, the percentages for 1947–48 are probably lower than they would have been but for the initial effect of the raising of the school leaving age, and indeed the comparable figures for 1946–47 are 25·6 per cent. boys, 26·3 per cent. girls.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he proposes to take in view of the recent Burnham Agreement to secure that London area allowance is paid to teachers working in schools in the boroughs of Kingston-upon-Thames and Surbiton.

None. The Burnham Committee have not yet submitted to me their recommendations for the salaries of teachers in primary and secondary schools.

When the right hon. Gentleman receives that report will he bear in mind that in the areas mentioned in the Question those in all other occupations receive London allowance, and that that disparity in the treatment of teachers has now been outstanding a good many years?

Yes, I will take it into consideration.

asked the Minister of Education how many dentists are at present employed in the School Dental Service; and how many more are required to bring the service up to full strength.

The number of dentists employed in the School Dental Service at the beginning of June was equivalent to 734 full-time officers. For a complete service of dental inspection and treatment, in which every child is seen annually and all children who require treatment accept and receive it, I estimate that a ratio of about one dentist to 3,000 children would probably be required. An additional 1,150 dentists would have been needed last June to give such a ratio. Owing to the general shortage of dentists, however, it will be impracticable to achieve this ratio for many years, and my immediate aim is to get the service back to its 1948 level at which it was able to offer preventive treatment on an effective scale. For this purpose some 200 additional school dentists will be needed in England and Wales.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there is any sign that this deficiency is beginning to be filled.

I am hoping we shall be able to make progress as a consequence of the meeting of the Dental Whitley Council. That has not yet come to fruition.

Are there any local education authorities actually without dental treatment?

Not to my knowledge, but many are making their own arrangements, and some of these other arrangements are not satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will take steps to ensure that the questions on the Main School Medical Record, under the headings Home Conditions, and Family, are put to the parents and not the children.

I think this is already well understood. Attention was drawn to it on pages 77 and 78 of the Report of my Chief Medical Officer for the years 1946 and 1947 published in November, 1949, of which I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy. But if particulars of any case of misunderstanding are given to me I should be glad to look into it.

I am much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman, but does he not consider that these questions would be more appropriately put by health visitors to the parents at home, rather than by school teachers to the children—or even in the presence of the children? I mean questions under such headings as "Cleanliness," "Parental care of children," and "Sleeping accommodation."

Frankly, I do not think that it would be better done in that way. I think that if we can get a reasonable understanding and latitude in carrying this out, and the co-operation of the parents, then it will be of advantage to everybody.

asked the Minister of Education if, in view of the increasing numbers of small fee paying independent schools, he will take powers to inspect these establishments, and license whatever fraction of them he may deem efficient.

I already have power under Section 77 (2) of the Education Act, 1944, to inspect independent schools. As I announced in Circular 196, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member, I am arranging for all such schools in England and Wales to be inspected. Schools which desire to do so can apply for recognition as efficient under Rules 16, a copy of which I am also sending him. Part III of the 1944 Act, which provides for the compulsory registration of independent schools, is not yet in operation.

Would my right hon. Friend not agree that many of these places are educationally inefficient by any standards, and that they inculcate into the pupils the peculiarly English disease of social snobbery?

Would my right hon. Friend say how many of these independent schools have already been inspected and found unsatisfactory?

I cannot go into that now.

Would my right hon. Friend indicate how long it will take to carry out the inspection?

It would take. I assume, a matter of two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what communication he has received from India and Pakistan as to the situation in Nepal.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what exchanges of views have taken place between His Majesty's Government and the Government of India on the present constitutional crisis in Nepal.

Full exchange of views is taking place between the United Kingdom Government and the Government of India. As soon as possible a statement will be made to the House of the United Kingdom Government's attitude to recent events in Nepal. No communication has been received from the Government of Pakistan.

Do the Government anticipate that the recent events in Nepal will have any effect on the recruitment of Gurkha troops?

No, Sir.

Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that owing to the great history of loyalty going back to the days of the Mutiny, and shown in these days by the presence of Gurkha troops in Malaya, everything possible should be done by the Government and the Government of India to contribute to the restoration of law and order in Nepal, and that, therefore the recognition of the boy King is probably most important?

I think it would be better for me not to anticipate the statement that we shall make as soon as possible on our general attitude to this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether, in view of the great interest aroused, he will now publish a report on the Bechuanaland Cattle Schemes.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies explained in the House on 3rd November the main points of the scheme recently announced by the Colonial Development Corporation for cattle raising in the Bechuanaland Protectorate. Detailed arrangements are now being negotiated between the Corporation and the High Commissioner for Basutoland, the Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland. The publication of a report is a matter for the Corporation.

Is it not of great interest to the House that this type of Colonial development scheme should be laid before the House so that we can appreciate what is going on? Have we not had in the past rather unfortunate experiences of the failure of the Government so to do?

I do not think so. The Corporations make annual reports, and, if they wish, make special reports, which are available to the House, which will also he the case in this instance.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations why there has been a fall in emigration to Canada in recent years.

The motives which influence emigration are largely a matter for conjecture; but I think there can be no doubt that the fall in the figures of emigration to Canada is mainly accounted for by the bringing to an end in 1948 of assisted passages to war brides. These formed a high proportion of the total migration to Canada in the three years after the war.

Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that currency restrictions are playing their part? Is he aware that four out of every five immigrants into Canada at the present moment are from foreign countries? Does he not think that a serious situation?

I am aware of the last fact. Of course, it is a matter for the Canadian Government and not the British Government. The question of currency restrictions certainly must have had some effect, but it is very difficult to know how great an effect. I do not think it has had a very considerable effect in reducing emigration.

Would my right hon. Friend not agree that a very important factor in the decrease of emigrants from this country to Canada is the fact that we now have full employment?

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that the devaluation of the £ has seriously reduced the value of war pensions paid in this country? Will he urge upon his colleagues in the Government the desirability of making some compensation for the loss of value of pensions due to that fact?

I do not see how that question arises from the one on the Paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he permits or encourages newsprint to be exported from this country to the Commonwealth while our own newspapers are forced to cut down both their contents and their circulation.

These exports of newsprint are the subject of valuable long-term contracts made by our home mills, They also make an important contribution to our balance of payments, particularly with Australia. Great importance is attached to them by the mills and Commonwealth countries concerned.

Is it not rather ridiculous that when our own people are going short of both news and views we should assist others in great abundance, irrespective of contracts?

I am sure the hon. and gallant Gentleman will realise our responsibilities also to the Commonwealth countries, who otherwise would be spending dollars to import newsprint from the dollar area.

While recognising the necessity for newsprint at home, will the right hon. Gentleman bear In mind that there is an urgent requirement for maintaining the newsprint supply in Malaya, as newsprint has its part to play in overcoming the emergency?

Yes. Sir. That comes up on another Question today.

Would not the position be vastly improved if newspapers made better use of what they have already?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he contemplates authorising any fresh approach to Canada with regard to future supplies of newsprint; and whether, in order to help the Canadian industry and the newspapers, he will consider the possibility of allowing longer term contracts than hitherto.

I am in consultation with the Newsprint Supply Company on this subject, but I am unable to make any statement at present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the pre-war price of khaki industrial shirts for men was 2s. 11d. each, whereas now the permitted price is 19s. 9d.; and what is the reason for this increase.

The present highest maximum retail price for a utility khaki industrial shirt is 18s. 11d. I am not in a position to say at what price a similar shirt would have been sold before the war, but there has undoubtedly been a large increase in price since then. This increase is due to the eight-fold increase in the price of raw cotton and to higher costs of manufacture and distribution

Does not this one item alone, even amongst many other thousands, make nonsense of the Government's constant claims that they are reducing the cost of living for the workers, who are the persons hardest hit by this fantastic increase?

Would my right hon. Friend not agree that the khaki industrial shirt at 2s. 11d. became an absolute rag after the first washing and is not comparable at all with the present shirt?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that his standards department requires that jars of honey shall be labelled 1 lb. net, not 1 lb. nett; and whether he will stop the waste of time and labour involved in this controversy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a firm of millers in Gainsborough has been instructed by him to alter the description on their paper bags from 31bs. nett to 31b. net, whereas the documents which they receive from the Ministry of Food use the spelling nett; and whether he will now instruct his inspectors to refrain from such petty interferences.

Yes, Sir. Inspectors of Weights and Measures have been instructed accordingly.

If the officials of the standards department have got time to spare for this sort of nonsense, ought not their number to be reduced?

The trouble was that officials were operating in accordance with the precedent set in 1927. I have been into the matter. It was raised by the right hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for Gainsborough (Captain Crookshank), and I am quite satisfied that it is not necessary to do what they are doing in this respect.

As this arose in my constituency, may I say to the right hon. Gentleman how much obliged I am for his apology? May I take it that this particular practice on the part of his inspectors will stop not only in Lincolnshire but throughout the country?

I said that Inspectors of Weights and Measures "have been instructed accordingly," and that covers the whole country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied that the customs duty on pencils imported from foreign countries is high enough to protect our home manufacturers from unfair foreign competition.

I have no evidence of unfair foreign competition in the matter of pencil imports, and I do not think, therefore, that this question arises at present. If the hon. Member has any evidence which he would care to submit, however. I should be glad to consider it.

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider having the figures of imports of pencils published in the Trade and Navigation Accounts, for they are not given separately at the present moment?

I have looked into the question of pencil imports. Of course, by far the larger share in the increase comes not from foreign countries but from Commonwealth countries. I am sure the hon. Gentleman would not want me to take action about that.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what agreements he has made with foreign Powers which prevent his answering questions with regard to rates of Imperial Preference in the House of Commons.

No such agreements have been made, but it is one of the rules of procedure for the tariff negotiations, which have been adopted by all representatives of the contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, including the United Kingdom, that all lists of requests and offers are to be treated as secret.

But did not the British representatives agree to these rules oft procedure, and is it not undesirable that the President of the Board of Trade should say in answer to a Question in this House that he is precluded from answering Questions by agreement with foreign Powers?

We certainly did agree to this scheme; and I am sure it is highly desirable that while these negotiations are going on we should not have them freely aired in public. In saying that I am following the precedent set in the Anglo-American commercial negotiations of 1938.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent synthetic textiles are now being manufactured in this country as a substitute for wool; and when supplies will be available to the general public.

Several synthetic fibres can be used for blending with wool, and rayon staple fibre is the one most used. Production of protein synthetic fibres in this country is only on an experimental scale at present, but one plant should be in commercial production early next year. Cloths made from this fibre will probably reach the public some 12 months later.

Will my right hon. Friend do everything he possibly can to encourage these various forms of production, which will help to minimise high living costs, and alleviate hardships among the people suffering from the rise in wool prices?

Yes, Sir. We are already doing everything we can, and are giving a lot of help to the particular scheme I have mentioned.

Will the right hon. Gentleman look into the question of exports of rayon staple fibre and other synthetic fibres which could be used on machinery in this country? Will he take note of the fact that there is in my constituency machinery that is idle because raw material is being exported?

I am always prepared to consider the balance between the home use and the export of these commodities, and I am quite sure the hon. Gentleman would not press for undue interference with the export drive.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive the report from the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission on the supply of certain types of iron castings.

I understand from the Commission that they are making every effort to complete this report before the end of January.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the unfair competition in the production and sale of pottery made in Japan for the export markets; and what steps are being taken to deal with this matter.

As I told my hon. Friend, the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ellis Smith), on 27th July, there is now legal protection in Japan against misuse or copying of designs and trade marks, and if I am provided with full evidence of such unfair practices, I am always willing to bring the matter to the attention of the authorities in Japan and to help the injured firm to obtain redress.

I have the evidence in my hand. Is my right hon. Friend aware that I have in my hand a sample of British pottery which is being coloured, designed, produced and sold at eight times the price at which the Japanese copy is being marketed in Canada and the United States? He has had evidence already; and will he not pursue the matter further in Tokyo, and listen to what we shall have to say on the Adjournment debate next Thursday, when we will produce further evidence?

I have said that I will look at any case which my hon. Friend brings to my notice.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind particularly this point, that our artists and designers who are subjected to this type of unfair attack ought to have protection, in addition to the manufacturer?

That is one reason why we have been so vigorous in getting these arrangements made.

asked the Lord President of the Council in view of the fact that more than 2,900,000 people have died from cancer in the last half century and that the 1,200,000 vivisection experiments on living animals performed during the same period have failed to reveal the cause; what other inquiries are being conducted to discover the cause and cure of this disease, particularly as Great Britain now has the highest percentage of mortality in the world.

I do not accept the implication in the first part of the Question. I am advised that a great deal of information about cancer has been gained through experiments on animals, and valuable methods of treatment of certain forms of cancer have resulted. I am also advised that animal experiments have proved indispensable for assessing and preventing the risk of cancer due to exposure to industrial and other poisons. Direct studies of cancer in human patients are also carried out under the Medical Research Council.

Is it not a fact that the number of deaths, as well as the percentage of deaths, by this disease over the whole of the last 50 years has increased every year, almost without exception, and is not the time ripe for a full and independent inquiry into this whole matter with a view to discovering the cause of it?

I ant told that I should not accept the allegations of fact advanced by my hon. Friend. This disease is worrying enough; and we really must get all the information we can with a view to remedial treatment.

Can the right hon. Gentleman confirm or deny the allegation made, or the statement made in the Question, by the hon. Gentleman that we have the highest percentage of mortality from cancer in the world? Is that so?

I am advised I should not accept the implications in these allegations.

asked the Lord President of the Council what provision is being made to ensure appropriate compensation to ticket holders at the Festival of Britain Celebrations throughout the country who may suffer injury, whether fatal or not.

It is not the practice of Government Departments to insure against liability for compensation for injury and, accordingly, the Festival Office has made no special arrangements in respect of the Exhibitions directly organised by that Office. So far as other exhibitions or celebrations are concerned, provision against risk or injury is a matter for the organisers and is not the responsibility of the Festival Office.

While appreciating the significance of that reply, would the right hon. Gentleman seriously take into consideration approaching the Corporation of Lloyds and asking them whether it would not be possible to include some cover of the risks involved to citizens who attend these exhibitions within the price of admission? After all, if the Corporation can take the risk of the liberal losses involved, they can do this.

It would appear that what the hon. and gallant Gentleman is advocating is that we should increase the charge of admission.

No, I did not say that.

Would it not be possible for the Festival authorities to operate some such heme as exists on the railways where by paying a small additional sum life insurance can be obtained?

That is the same point as the proposal to increase the cost of admission.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many copies of the information summary, the special supplement and descriptive notes of the Festival of Britain have been printed, and how many issued; and what is the cost.

The documents were not printed but duplicated. Five thousand copies of the information summary and special supplement were made, and 5,000 have been issued; 2,000 copies of the descriptive notes were made and 1,200 copies issued. The cost of duplicating the information summary and special supplement was £170. I have no figure for the descriptive notes, but the cost was negligible.

In view of the shortage of newsprint, why is it necessary to waste all this paper and money to advertise what is commonly known as "Morrison's folly"?

Before we have done with it, there will be another description. The hon. Gentleman's propaganda passion has exceeded his knowledge of the facts; this is not newsprint at all.

But it is paper.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the estimated number of persons required to be employed in order to keep open the Festival pleasure gardens on Sunday afternoons.

This is an operational matter for Festival Gardens Ltd. As I explained in a reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Macclesfield (Air Commodore Harvey) on 21st November, I must ask the House to be so good as not to expect me to answer this type of Question.

Why not?

Will the Minister be able to give these figures during the passage of the Bill?

asked the Lord President of the Council what proposals he intends to make to the pottery industry to manufacture special products to commemorate the Festival of Britain.

I understand that the British Pottery Manufacturers' Federation are co-operating in plans for the sale of specially selected souvenirs at the South Bank Exhibition and in the Festival Pleasure Gardens.

Will they be eight times the Japanese price?

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange for examples of the pottery that is being exported and is to be shown at the Festival of Britain in London, to be included in the travelling exhibition and on the "Campania."

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, in view of the growth of the rabbit population in the country and the consequent menace to food production, what plans he has in mind for their reduction without using the gin-trap or other inhumane methods.

The responsibility for controlling wild rabbits rests with owners and occupiers of land. Following a conference last July with representatives of the National Farmers' Union, the Country Landowners' Association and other interested bodies to discuss ways and means of effecting rapid and progressive reduction of the rabbit population, it was agreed that the County Branch of the National Farmers' Union and the Country Landowners' Association should arrange local meetings of interested persons, including the county agricultural executive committees, with a view to instituting voluntary area schemes of clearance. Although the value of gassing as a main method of attack has been emphasised, owners and occupiers should use any suitable and legal method of catching and destroying rabbits.

Is the Minister satisfied that, amongst other things, the Sawyer trap, as sponsored by the R.S.P.C.A., would not provide a suitable alternative method of destruction?

Tests have already been made, as the hon. and gallant Member knows, but unfortunately they have proved that, as at present designed, that trap is not nearly so effective as the gin trap. However, I say to the hon. and gallant Gentleman that if any new trap designed for this purpose is considered superior to the gin trap we shall be very happy to make a test.

What about a little poaching going on to get rid of them?

Can the Minister say whether it is with the permission of his Department that crude arsenic is being put down, which is a great danger to livestock?

I cannot say without notice.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many approved applications for full-time smallholdings under Part IV of the Agriculture Act, 1947, have been received from the counties of Norfolk, East Suffolk and the Isle of Ely; and what are the proposed numbers of new holdings that have so far been received by his Department from the county councils concerned to meet this demand.

The numbers of approved applicants for full-time smallholdings on the registers of the counties of Norfolk, East Suffolk and the Isle of Ely are 230, 33 and 274, respectively. The Norfolk County Council has submitted a scheme for four new holdings, but the other councils concerned have no schemes before my Department.

Will my right hon. Friend take some steps to see that these councils obtain additional land to meet the demands?

If one or other of the counties were to make submissions, we should gladly look at them and give all the assistance we can.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that as far as the Isle of Ely is concerned, as well as Norfolk, their concern is to get the part-time holding situation clarified, which the Minister will not do?

As the hon. and gallant Member is well aware, I clarified that situation at a deputation quite recently.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement showing the countries from which imported poultry arrived that were the known source of spreading fowl pest in this country during 1950; and whether imports are still being received from these countries.