asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the shipment of a cargo of 9,000 tons of rubber to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the British s.s. "Stranrealm"; and what shipments of rubber from the United Kingdom and Malaya to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Communist China took place during the month of January.

I am aware that the s.s. "Stranrealm" when she sailed early last month from Singapore for Odessa was carrying rubber. Malayan exports of rubber during January to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics were 175 tons and to China 2,715 tons; re-exports by the United Kingdom to the Soviet Union were 290 tons in January but no rubber was re-exported to China.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the situation in regard to supplies of newsprint in this country at the present time.

I have nothing to add at present to my reply to the hon. and gallant Members for Wembley, North (Wing Commander Bullus), and Macclesfield (Air Commodore Harvey) on 15th February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the explanatory note to Statutory Instrument, 1951, No. 212, describes the effect of the order by reference to another explanatory note; and when the latter note and the list of amendments were laid before Parliament.

Where very detailed schedules of specifications and prices are involved, it has long been the practice of the Board of Trade, for the convenience of traders, to print both the schedules and lists of amendments thereto separately from the order which gives them statutory force. The explanatory note to the order indicates the general nature of the contents of the related schedule in question. Changes made by a related schedule or list of amendments thereto are indicated in the explanatory note prefaced to the schedule or list itself. This procedure was followed in the case of S.I. 1951 No. 212. Both S.I. 1951 No. 212 and the list of amendments were laid before Parliament on the same day, 9th February, 1951.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the stocks of wood pulp for paper-making, industrial wood pulp, newsprint and other paper and board at the end of December. 1950, and January, 1951.

Following is the answer:At the end of December, 1950, stocks were approximately:

	Tons
Woodpulp for papermaking	234,600
Industrial woodpulp	41,900
Newsprint	99,000
Other paper and board—papermakers' stocks only	54,800

At the end of January, 1951, the corresponding figures were:

	Tons
Woodpulp for papermaking	236,000
Industrial woodpulp	42,000

The figures for newsprint and other paper and board for the end of January are not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the basis of distinction between articles covered by Statutory Instruments, 1951, No. 275 and No. 277, respectively.

The former Instrument deals with articles manufactured by industries for which the Board of Trade is the production authority. The latter with products of industries sponsored by other Departments, mainly the Ministries of Supply and Works.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the stocks of paper-making materials, other than wood pulp, at the end of December, 1950, and January. 1951.

Following is the answer:The approximate stocks of paper-making materials other than woodpulp held by the mills at the end of December, 1950, were:

	Tons
Pulpwood	35,500
Straw	2,400
Rags, waste ropes, etc.	26,400
Waste paper	38,700
Esparto	16,900

At the end of January, 1951, the corresponding figures were:

	Tons
Rags, waste ropes, etc.	23,500
Waste paper	37,600

January figures for the other items are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Health if he can yet make a statement in respect of the inquiries that have been made into the possibility of sending tuberculosis sufferers to Switzerland for treatment under the National Health Service.

Not yet.

asked the Minister of Health why it is intended to close the Hardman Street Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, Manchester; and what arrangements are being made to deal with the work of the clinic and to provide accommodation for the hearing aid depot.

The building is unsuitable for clinical work, which is now being transferred to the Manchester Ear Hospital. The whole of the Hardman Street premises will then be used for the distribution of hearing aids.

asked the Minister of Health what was the acceptance rate of infant vaccination for each of the years 1946 to 1950.

The 1946 acceptance rate was just over 41 per cent., and for 1949 it has been roughly estimated as about 28 per cent. I regret that no estimates can be made for 1947 and 1948 because of changes in the basis of data bound up with the alteration of the vaccination system on the introduction of the National Health Service. A calculation for 1950 cannot yet be made.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he will give details of the items classed as administrative costs, for the purpose of his Department's previous calculation that the administrative cost of the National Health Service represented between two and a half and three per cent. of the total cost;(2) how much of the figure of £237,980,000, which is the estimated cost of the hospital and specialist services in England and Wales for 1950–51, is accounted for by costs of administration; and what are the administrative costs involved.

I would refer the hon. Member to the publication Civil Estimates, Class V, for 1950–51 which gives the details in the Appendix to Class V 2 on pages 40 and 41.

asked the Minister of Health how many architects were employed by hospitals in England and Wales in July, 1948; July, 1949: July. 1950, and January, 1951.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health what were the numbers of persons on hospital staffs in England and Wales engaged solely in clerical duties in July, 1948; July, 1949; July, 1950, and January, 1951.

The total numbers of officers in the higher clerical, clerical and general divisions on the staffs of hospitals were 14,589 on the 31st December, 1948, and 17,373 on the 31st December, 1949. These are the only dates for which figures are available.

asked the Minister of Health what were the numbers of persons on hospital staffs in England and Wales engaged in laundry work in July, 1948; July, 1949; July, 1950, and January, 1951.

The figures for the dates mentioned by the hon. Member are, respectively 12,061, 12,348, 12,710 and 12,497. About 15 per cent. of these are part-time staff.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what was the total gross cost of day nurseries in England and Wales for each of the financial years 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50 and the first nine months of the financial year 1950–51; and how much of the gross cost in each of these years was recovered by way of charges;(2) what was the average gross cost of day nurseries per child per week in England and Wales for each of the financial years 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50 and the first nine months of the financial year 1950–51; and what in each of these years was the average weekly charge per child made by local health authorities.

Separate particulars of the cost of day nurseries are not at present available but the gross cost for the year 1947–48 has been estimated at £3i million and the sums recovered by charges at £700,000. The estimated average gross cost per child per week for the year 1947–48 is £2 11s. 5d. in the London area and £2 2s. 7d. elsewhere in England and Wales. The estimated average weekly charge per child was 9s. 6d. in the London area and 8s. 9d. elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Health what was the average ratio, at the latest convenient date, of children to all adult staff in day nurseries in England and Wales.

Excluding students and domestic staff, the ratio at 31st December, 1949, was 6.6 to one.

asked the Minister of Health how many centres are there in the South-West Region for the distribution of hearing aids; what is the longest distances patients have to travel for examination; if they pay their own travelling expenses; and if he will take steps to increase the numbers of distributing centres in order to remove the inconvenience caused.

There are distribution centres at Bristol and Plymouth but examination of patients is done at 10 hospitals from Truro to Cheltenham. Patients pay their own travelling expenses but can be helped by the National Assistance Board where necessary. It is hoped to open an additional centre shortly at Exeter.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that applicants for hearing aids in the South-West Region have to wait for over two years after being certified in need of one; and what steps is he taking to speed up deliveries in this area.

Yes. My right hon. Friend is at present reviewing the allocation of hearing aids between the different distribution centres in order to improve the position in areas like this.

asked the Minister of Health the number of staff engaged in the pricing of chemists' prescriptions.

One thousand and fifteen.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Mr. Force of 25, Palace Court, Bayswater Road, London, W.2, was refused admittance to Paddington Hospital, although his doctor stressed that he was seriously ill and would certainly die if he was not admitted, and that when subsequently admitted, he died; and why admission was refused.

I have been making inquiries and, so far as I can discover, Mr. Force seems to have been admitted to the hospital within an hour of application being made by a doctor to the hospital.

asked the Minister of Health why he has turned down the scheme for a maternity wing at Wembley Hospital when the wing has been built and is within a few months of being ready to receive expectant mothers.

I am advised that there is no longer a need for additional maternity beds in the area served by this hospital.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to receive the findings of the Cope Committee on Medical Auxiliaries.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Tradeston (Mr. Rankin) on 22nd February.

asked the Minister of Health when it is expected that a new ward at the Cliveden Hospital at Taplow will be available for women tuberculosis patients.

I am afraid that this proposal has been the subject of further discussions, and it is not yet possible to say when it can be put into effect.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total amount outstanding, at 1st January, 1951, to chemists for drugs supplied on prescriptions over the value of 5s. per prescription; and for how long these amounts have been outstanding.

I regret that information is not available in the form the hon. Member requires.

asked the Minister of Health how many people in the Cheltenham area have been certified as requiring treatment for tuberculosis and are still awaiting vacancies for beds in the appropriate hospital.

There are 18 people living in the immediate Cheltenham area awaiting admission to hospital for treatment for tuberculosis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportions of the £400 million, which he has estimated as the additional cost of imports this year, he attributes to food and raw materials, respectively.

The increase in raw material prices is likely to form by far the biggest part of this increase in cost, but I cannot give exact proportions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assistance has been given by the Development Commissioners since 1945 to the cultivation and manufacture of home-grown tobacco.

No application for assistance for this purpose has been received by the Development Commissioners since 1945.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the monthly circulation of "Report to Women"; and to what extent it is circulated to non-political organisations.

The circulation is about 11,800, of which 7,380 go to non-political organisations, 2,930 to women councillors, libraries, the Press, Government Departments. etc., and 1,490, or about 12 per cent., to the political parties and Women's Co-operative Guilds.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many committees have been set up in conjunction with free countries to control the allocation of scarce raw materials; which raw materials are involved; and to what extent the action proposed will affect the delivery from the free countries of raw materials such as rubber, wool and oil, urgently needed by the Communist-dominated countries other than Yugoslavia, to increase their war potential.

As regards the first part of this Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for the New Forest (Colonel CrosthwaiteEyre) in 27th February. As regards the second part, it is not yet possible to say what action the Committees will recommend or how it will affect particular countries.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can now make a statement on the results of his meeting with both sides of industry on the question of retaining in employment older persons.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to similar Questions on 20th February.

asked the Minister of Labour to state the amounts of the recent increases in railway wages and of the increase given last month to workers in His Majesty's dockyards, respectively.

Under the agreement of 23rd February, 1951, between the Railway Executive and the National Union of Railwaymen, the Railway Clerks' Association and the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen the amounts of increase in the weekly wage rates of conciliation grades vary considerably for different classes of workers, but in general it amounts to about 7½ per cent.As regards workers in His Majesty's Dockyards, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given yesterday by my hon. Friend the Civil Lord of the Admiralty to the hon. and gallant Member for Gillingham (Squadron Leader Burden).

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make arrangements for full publicity to be given in local offices of his Department to the fact that it is part of the service provided by those offices to assist persons who are already employed in finding other employment more suitable to their requirements.

Publicity to this effect is already being given at local offices of my Department and at other public places.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that his estimate that harvest will be collected by 1st November does not apply to agricultural labour engaged on lifting sugar beet and potato crops; and if he will consider postponing the call-up of any eligible agricultural workers so engaged.

Although the lifting of sugar beet is spread over several months, the postponement of the calling up of farm workers until after the end of October would cover the period of heaviest demand, especially for potato picking. I am afraid that any further postponement would not be practicable.

asked the Minister of Labour when he hopes to be able to announce his plans for dealing with difficulties which may be caused on more remote farms and crofts owing to the decision to withdraw deferment from agricultural work.

Temporary deferment will be granted to men employed on farms with only one or two workers if call-up would lead to a substantial fall in food production. Detailed arrangements will shortly be discussed with the two sides of the industry.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider deferring the call-up of agricultural workers until December, in view of the fact that the late autumn is one of the busiest times of the year in the agricultural industry.

No.

asked the Minister of Labour how many agricultural workers he estimates were born in the year 1933 and are to become liable to military service in the year from 3rd February; 1951.

About 18,500.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men born in the years 1925, 1926 and 1927, who are still deferred from call-up on grounds of apprenticeship in industry, excluding coal-mining aid agriculture.

None.

asked the Minister of Education what is the approximate increase in education authorities' estimates for this year over last year.

The revised (October) estimates of local education authorities for the present financial year showed a total increase of £8,973,000 over their corresponding estimates for the previous year.

asked the Minister of Education what are the grounds for the discrimination in the matter of free replacements of spectacles for children attending schools maintained by local education authorities, and other children.

The cost of repairing or replacing standard type glasses is met by the National Health Service unless there has been carelessness or negligence. Where the cost cannot be met by the National Health Service, local education authorities meet it on behalf of pupils attending schools maintained by them as part of their statutory duty to secure the provision of free medical treatment for such pupils.

asked the Minister of Education what was the annual cost per place in elemetnary and secondary schools respectively, for the years 1933, 1945 and at the latest available date.

I assume that the hon. Member refers to the annual cost of maintenance per pupil. The costs per pupil in public elementary schools and in grant-aided secondary schools in the financial year 1933–34 were about £12 and £25, respectively. The estimated expenditure per pupil (including ancillary services such as school milk and meals, social and recreative training, etc.) in maintained primary (including nursery) and in maintained and transitionally assisted secondary schools in 1945–46 was about £22 and £35 respectively, and in 1949–50 about £25 and £45, respectively.

asked the Minister of Education whether grants to cover the cost of transport can be paid to parents in Great Harewood whose daughters attend the Girls' High School at Accrington.

Under the Lancashire authority's arrangements, senior children may have their travelling expenses paid if they live more than the statutory walking distance of three miles from school by a reasonable route. The divisional executive have been considering by what route it would be reasonable to measure the distance in this case, and I understand that it has now been decided that the majority of the girls concerned will qualify for a travelling grant.

asked the Minister of Education how many dentists are at present giving their whole-time services to the School Dental Service; and how many children are entitled to the use of that service.

Precise figures are not available, but at the end of last year den- tists employed in this service were giving time to school work equivalent to that of 717 full-time officers. The duty of local education authorities to secure the provision of medical and dental treatment for pupils in maintained schools extends to approximately 5½ million children.

asked the Minister of Education the number of local education authorities who last year refused to release children from school during term time to work in agriculture.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Education what arrangements he proposes to make this year for the release of children from school during term-time on work in agriculture.

I have considered this matter with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and have decided to permit the continued release of schoolchildren during term time for this purpose, but on a smaller scale than last year. Where their help is required, children aged 13 years and over may, therefore, be granted exemption from school attendance for not more than 10 half days, except in cases of extreme necessity when a further 10 half days may be allowed subject to the approval of His Majesty's inspector. A circular to this effect will shortly be issued to local education authorities.

asked the Minister of Education how many architects are employed by his Department and by the education authorities throughout England and Wales.

Twenty-three architects are employed in my Department. I have no information as to the number employed by local education authorities.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give a general ruling as to whether Good Friday should be counted as an occasional or ordinary closure.

The fixing of dates for school terms is a matter for the school authorities within the general requirements of my Grant Regulations. Where Good Friday falls during term time, I would regard it, for the purpose of my Regulations, as a day on which schools should not be expected to meet for secular instruction.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the shortage of milk bottles and other containers, he will consider relaxing Article 29 of the Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1949, which prohibits a milk retailer from replenishing his milk churn without returning to registered premises.

We have no evidence that there is any shortage of milk bottles.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to ensure that there is an adequate supply of tinplate for the milk-canning industry in the period of peak milk production this year.

The programme provides for the canning of the same quantity of evaporated milk as last year. A much larger quantity of sweetened condensed milk will be packed this year in bulk containers so that we are providing for a reduction of 15 per cent. in the canning of this product. Having regard to the other arrangements for the disposal of milk during the peak production period, the canning programme should be adequate.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will now make a statement on the imposition of controls on fish.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Members for Itchen (Mr. Morley), Aberdeen, South (Lady Tweedsmuir), and West Ham, North (Mr. A. Lewis), on 28th February.

asked the Minister of Food to state the countries to which tinplate has been exported for the purpose of obtaining imported canned food and the value in each case; whether such tinplate was paid for by the foreign canner; and why tinplate is exported when British canners are unable to fulfil export orders owing to the tinplate shortage.

Tinplate has been allocated during the last half of 1950 and the first half of 1951 for export to the following countries, specifically to pack food for import into the United Kingdom. The value of the tinplate is not known, as it is bought commercially by the canner or his agent.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement in regard to the possibility of the erection of a sugar beet factory in the south of England.

I am afraid that the restrictions on capital development rule out the possibility of diverting building resources to the erection of further beet sugar factories at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what acreage of land in the possession of the Forestry Commission is directly farmed by the State and is unlet; and what head of stock both sheep and cattle is carried on this land to the nearest convenient date, compared with 1st January, 1946.

At 30th September, 1950, 33,188 acres were being temporarily farmed by the Commission pending planting and carried a stock of 10,330 sheep and 76 cattle. On 1st January, 1946, the comparative figures were 29,223 acres, 11,199 sheep and 110 cattle. All this land is in Scotland.

asked the Postmaster-General how many public telephone kiosks have been provided for and will be erected and operating in the current financial year for each Scottish county; and the number for each Scottish county that will be provided in the next financial year.

The number of kiosks expected to be provided in each Scottish county in the present financial year is as follows: