asked the Minister of Health what schemes he has under consideration with a view to reducing the cost of the Health Service.

I have this matter under constant review, but I have no particular statement to make on it at the present time.

Would the right hon. Gentleman say why, a year ago, having taken power to do so, the Government did not proceed, after a Cabinet decision, with the prescription charge? Is he now actively considering plans which will effect economies without affecting the principle of the National Health Service?

Many changes have been made, such as reduction in dentists' and opticians' fees and the cessation of payment of travelling expenses to patients. That kind of thing is always under review.

asked the Minister of Health what is the waiting period for hearing aids for non-priority cases in Gloucestershire.

At the present rate of supply the majority of patients at the Bristol distribution centre, which serves Gloucestershire, would have to wait nearly three years. I have, therefore, decided to review allocations so as to improve the situation.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that a Lewisham housewife, of whom he has been informed, and who is deaf, has been told that she cannot have deaf aid until 1954; and if he will take steps to reduce the waiting period in this case.

I think it must be left to the hospitals concerned to decide which of their patients need to be given priority over others who are waiting.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell me and the House whether he is satisfied that housewives have the proper degree of priority and, if there are others with greater priority, how long they are expected to wait?

So far as the question of waiting is concerned, I am reviewing the allocation, as I have said, to see that it is entirely fair throughout the country.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the Government's declared intention to supply bone conduction hearing aids under the National Health Scheme when a suitable system is approved, which service will include the free supply of batteries, he will give an assurance that those people who have formerly had to buy commercial aids of this type because of the lack of an appliance approved by his Department will also be eligible for the supply of batteries under this scheme.

No, Sir.

Is it consistent with the principles of Socialism that unfortunate people who are suffering from a particular type of acute deafness should be denied any share in the Health Service merely because they cannot wait while the Government carry out protracted experiments on an aid which one day they will receive free?

We have provided a large number of services under the Health Service and at present there is no intention of extending them.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons from the area administered by the West Cornwall Hospital Management Committee have received hearing aids during the past six months; how many are on the waiting list; how far delay is due to the shortage of skilled personnel at the Plymouth fitting centre; and what are the prospects of additional technicians being appointed soon.

The figures are 49 and 411. I understand that there is now no shortage of skilled personnel at the Plymouth centre.

Would the Minister consider setting up a clinic in Redruth, because of the high travelling expenses involved? Will he bear in mind that Redruth is the centre of a population of about 200,000 within reasonable travelling distance?

I will look into that suggestion and write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there is a great shortage of aureomycin in this country to meet the requirements of the medical profession; and what steps he is taking to make good the deficiency.

asked the Minister of Health what steps have been taken to ensure the availability of aureomycin.

A recent temporary shortage has now been overcome. Deliveries of aureomycin in capsule form from the British factory are adequate to meet present needs.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, I have raised this matter before, but I have a particular reason for raising it again. Does the right hon. Gentleman recall that we were recently informed that the former Foreign Secretary had his pneumonia cleared in three days as a result of using aureomycin? That being so, will he not take further action in order to make it readily available to every section of the community?

I am assured that it is readily available. There was a delay due to initial technical trouble at the South Wales factory, but that has now been remedied and there is an adequate supply.

asked the Minister of Health the number of beds available in tuberculosis sanatoria in Wales in the years 1939, 1944 and at the latest convenient date.

The information is as follows: 1939, 1,828; 1944, 1,998; 1950, 2,515. Included in the foregoing figures were 116 in 1944 and 266 in 1950 vacant owing to shortage of staff.

Does the Minister realise that the number of available beds, though increasing, is increasing less quickly than the length of the waiting lists?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health the number of nurses employed in tuberculosis sanatoria in Wales in the years 1939, 1944 and at the latest convenient date.

No figures are available for 1939, but in 1944 there were 441 whole-time, and at the end of 1950 540 whole-time and 207 part-time.

asked the Minister of Health how many beds for tuberculosis patients were available and staffed in all types of hospitals in England and Wales in July, 1938, July, 1949, July, 1950 and January 1951, respectively.

I regret that figures in this form are not available. With regard to 1949 and 1950, however, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to the hon. Members for Batley and Morley (Dr. Broughton), and for Lewis-ham, North (Sir Austin Hudson), on 1st February and 25th January respectively. For the pre-war period the number has been estimated at about 30,000 beds.

asked the Minister of Health what was the annual intake of dental schools in the years 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950, respectively.

The figures are 641. 654, 662, 611 and 606 respectively.

In view of the recent decrease in numbers how long does the right hon. Gentleman think it will be before there is an adequate number of dentists in the country?

The recent decrease is explained by the fact that during the war there was a lowered intake and, therefore, in the first few years after the war it was possible to increase the entry. It is now necessary to get a balance, and the numbers have been slightly reduced. I agree that the total intake is not satisfactory in the country as a whole.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the appointment of a committee to inquire into the average earnings of pharmacists within the health service.

No, Sir. The remuneration of chemists is under review by the appropriate Whitley Council, and I do not think that the appointment of a separate committee at the present juncture would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Health to what cause he attributes the fact that the number of rejections among blood donors is greater now than it was in 1939.

Before the war there were about 3,000 regular donors; there are now over 400,000 on the panel.

Would the Minister kindly answer my Question, which asks for the cause of the deterioration in the situation? Does he disagree with the report of the Greater London Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, which says that it is due to the absence of meat in the diet of our people?

The hon. Member did not ask about the deterioration. He asked why the number of rejections is greater than it was in 1939. Clearly, when the number of donors is very much greater it naturally follows that the number of rejections is greater. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] Well, I did not think it would be necessary to give lessons in simple arithmetic. The number of donors is much larger and the number of rejections is necessarily larger, too, because the rejection proportion is about constant.

Are vegetarians automatically rejected?

On a point of order. Is that reflection on vegetarians justified, Sir?

Why does not the right hon. Gentleman make any attempt to answer the Question on the Order Paper? It is a perfectly straight and honest Question. Why does he not give a reply? What is the number of rejections? If the right hon. Gentleman does not know, why does he not say so?

I have said that the proportion of rejections is constant, and I am satisfied that it is.

Not in the original answer.

I was asked in the Question about the number and not the proportion. I have to answer the Question which the hon. Member has put on the Order Paper and not one which he might have in his head.

asked the Minister of Health to what causes he attributes the fact that the numbers of deaths in. England and Wales in each of the 10 completed quarters since the National Health Service was introduced in July, 1948, has been higher than in the corresponding quarter of the 12 months ended 30th June, 1948.

The fact is attributable mainly to the exceptionally low mortality in the period selected for comparison. This appears to have been due to the very favourable weather in that period combined with a remarkable absence of influenza.

Having regard to the fact that even taking into account the increased population, the mortality has risen 10 per cent. and the number of deaths is twice as many as Hitler killed by bombs, is it not time the right hon. Gentleman did something about our National Health Service?

Does not the Minister think that the ever increasing difficulty of getting patients into hospital, as was instanced recently at Croydon, may be one of the contributory factors to this unhappy state of affairs?

No, Sir, I cannot accept any of these implications. Nothing is more dangerous than the use of statistics by untrained persons, The hon. Member for Croydon, East (Sir H. Williams) selected figures peculiarly favourable to his case. The death rates do not show any sharp change at all over the period from 1937 onwards.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the difficulty caused in the Canton area of Cardiff to people who wish to register with another doctor following upon the death of their own doctor; and how long will they have to wait before being permitted to do this.

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the practice of the late Dr. David Trevor Evans of 103, Cowbridge Road, Cardiff. This practice is, I understand, being carried on by a deputy pending the appointment of a successor. There has been an unfortunate delay as the doctor first appointed subsequently withdrew. The question should be settled in a week or so.

I am much obliged.

Would not the Minister agree that any patient of the deceased practitioner has the right to select another doctor now, quite apart from the question of succession?

Certainly.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that some people have applied to change to another doctor and that the local executive council have refused permission?

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the impending large influx of visitors for the Festival of Britain, he intends to use his powers to impose a charge on them for their use of the National Health Service.

No, Sir. I consider that the occasion would be most inopportune for such measures.

Why did the Minister take these powers? Is it not clear that these visitors will be a substantial drain on the National Health Service, which is already overburdened, to the detriment of British residents? Would it not be a good thing to discourage its use by visitors by imposing a substantial charge except, of course, where there is an agreement for reciprocity of treatment?

Nothing would be more unfortunate than to ask our fellow subjects in the Dominions and Colonies to come here, especially this year, and then to levy a charge if they have a slight cold. Nothing would be more vexatious to the people of this country than to ask them to take their identity cards to the surgery during the currency of the Festival of Britain in order to prove they are not foreigners.

Does my right hon. Friend take note of the fact that it is apparently the desire of the Conservative Party that we should no longer care for the stranger within our gates?

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that patients urgently requiring surgical treatment have such treatment delayed for several months due to lack of beds in the hospitals, while on the other hand patients with means are able to enter private wards without delay; and what steps he intends to take to end this state of affairs.

If my hon. Friend will let me have particulars of any cases known to him where admission was surgically urgent and was refused because the patient could not pay, I shall be only too glad to look into them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I know of a case where a man had to wait 10 months before he got a bed? As there must be a considerable number of such cases in the country, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the whole principle of private beds should be reviewed?

My hon. Friend put to me two questions. First, I am not aware of the case he mentioned, but I would be glad to look into it; second, a certain number of private beds were provided in the Health Service and I am not, as at present advised, prepared to alter that situation.

Is the Minister aware that the reservation of private beds is causing a great deal of trouble and that my hon. Friend the Member tor the Exchange Division of Liverpool (Mrs. Braddock) reported to his predecessor a case where the Royal Infirmary had 45 beds available but refused a patient a bed one night in January?

I hope my hon. Friends will do all they can to assure their constituents that, where there are cases urgently requiring admission, they should be admitted, and that there is nothing to prevent it.

Is it not a fact that the law provides that these pay beds are only to be made available if they are not required for urgent cases?

indicated assent.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is the general practice in the teaching hospitals deliberately to keep beds empty and to refuse to admit cases which require attention?

I should like notice of that question.

asked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take regarding the Monopolies Commission Report on the Dental Industry.

asked the Minister of Health what action he intends to take on the Report by the Monopoly Commission on Dental Goods in order to lower the costs incurred by the National Health Service in respect of these goods.

I hope to lay before the House within the next few days an Order under Section 10 of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948. I hope that elimination of the practices which at present restrict competition in the dental trade will result in a reduction of prices.

Would the Minister not agree with the opinion of the Commission that it is wrong to prohibit in one industry what is allowed in other industries? Would he therefore tell us whether he is prepared to recommend to his colleagues that they should grasp the nettle and ban all collective boycotts?

I would not agree that it is right to permit an abuse to continue merely because it is widespread, and in any case the majority of the Commission recommended immediate action.

Does not the Minister agree that he should await the report on three or four industries in order that there may be a co-ordinated policy?

No, Sir. If a burglar breaks into my house I do not ask the police to wait until 10 other cases have occurred.

As many requests have been made to the Minister to reduce the cost of the Health Service, does he not agree that the implementation of some of the recommendations by the Monopoly Commission on Dental Goods would tend to have that welcome effect?

I am sure it will.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to encourage medical practitioners and hospitals to use equivalent remedies laid down by his Department in preference to patent medicines; and what is the estimated value of patent remedies still being prescribed under the health service.

All doctors, both in general practice and in hospitals, have been asked to prescribe in accordance with the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Prescribing. I am in consultation with the British Medical Association on the question of what further information or advice would be helpful to doctors. I regret that the information requested in the second part of the Question is not available.

Since my right hon. Friend will be very well aware that many of these patent remedies have little or no medicinal value, does he not think he should go further and eliminate the high cost of most of these patent medicines by forbidding their use in the Health Service?

There is no intention of forbidding it, but as I say, I am in consultation with professional opinion which, naturally, is very favourable to the use of the types of prescription laid down in the British formulary.

Does that also apply to M. and B. which, I believe, is a product of a proprietary firm and which has been used by a large number of hon. Members opposite?

It certainly is not a patent medicine, and that is the point to which my hon. Friend referred.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to ensure that he has the services of suitably qualified advisers to check staff establishments at all levels of the Health Service in order to reduce some of the present excessive staffing, especially of administrative and other non-medical grades, including officials in his Department.

I satisfy myself that my advisers have appropriate qualifications in each of the fields with which they are concerned.

Since the staff establishment checking system employed during the war by the R.A.F, and the Army, and later by the Navy, was very successful in eliminating unnecessary staffs, does not the Minister think that it would be appropriate to use this system also in the Health Service in the interests of the country?

I am pressing on with these inquiries as rapidly as possible with the persons already chosen.

asked the Minister of Health the estimated cost during the fiscal year 1951–52 of providing benefits under the National Health Service to foreigners visiting and/or working in the United Kingdom, including the cost of such equipment as hearing aids, spectacles, dentures and surgical accessories.

Separate figures for this are not available.

In view of the fact that there must be a considerable cost involved in this service to foreign visitors, would the right hon. Gentleman consider instituting a minimum residential qualification for those receiving free benefits and use his powers to charge foreigners where that minimum qualification is not fulfilled?

I am advised that the cost of treating foreign visitors is almost negligible.

How does the right hon. Gentleman know?

asked the Minister of Health which British Dominions and foreign countries are now providing visiting British nationals with facilities reciprocal to the National Health Service; the progress of negotiations for a wider measure of reciprocity; and the general nature of the response from Dominion and Foreign Governments.

Arrangements for medical assistance to indigent persons in the Western Union countries have been ratified so far by Belgium and the Netherlands. Otherwise, there are no reciprocal arrangements with other countries, nor any being negotiated, although there are certain arrangements with the Isle of Man and with Jersey and Guernsey.

In view of the fact that those reciprocal arrangements apply to only one foreign country, would the right hon. Gentleman consider charging all foreign nationals visiting Britain for the benefits they receive under this service unless they come from this one foreign country?

I am satisfied that the cost of ascertaining whether a person is a foreigner or not would far exceed the present cost of providing him with treatment.

When the right hon. Gentleman says that no negotiations are taking place, does he mean that negotiations which were started have broken down or that no negotiations have been initiated?

I am not aware that I referred to negotiations. I said there were no reciprocal arrangements with other countries. I beg the hon. Gentleman's pardon; I said that no arrangements were being negotiated. I must have notice of the hon. Gentleman's question.

What proof would be necessary in such circumstances? Presumably if a patient is not on a doctor's list he cannot be an English national, but must be a foreigner. Is that not so?

If I go to Blackpool for my holidays I do not become a foreigner.

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied with the recorded success in the use of cortisone; and if he will now sponsor its more widespread use in this country.

The use of this scarce drug is still under investigation. Its wider use must depend upon greater knowledge of its effects and upon availability of supplies. I hope shortly to provide a little more for use in hospitals.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware of the recent experiments in this country which have confirmed the successes already obtained in the United States?

I understand that the Medical Research Council is still continuing this research, and advises that uncontrolled use at present is not desirable in view of the risk of untoward effects.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Mrs. Freda C. James, a clerk at CefnHirgoed Isolation Hospital of the Mid-Glamorgan Hospital Management Committee, was dismissed on 31st August, 1950, on marriage; that the General Council of the Whitley Councils for the Health Services (Great Britain) subsequently recommended that no woman should be disqualified from obtaining or be subject to dismissal from employment in the National Health Service simply by reason of marriage; and, as he has agreed with these views, if he will secure the reinstatement of Mrs. James in her employment with the Hospital Management Committee.

My information is that the employment of Mrs. James by the Mid-Glamorgan Hospital Management Committee was terminated, owing to staff reorganisation, on 31st August, 1950—some 12 months after the date of her marriage—and that it was at her own wish that the letter giving her notice assigned marriage as the reason.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the answer which he has just given me is contradicted by the terms of the letter that was sent to this lady by the secretary of the hospital management committee, in which she was informed that it is the policy of the management committee not to employ married women in administrative posts?

I have explained why that letter was sent.

In view of the conflict between the statement which this lady has made and the right hon. Gentleman's reply, will he cause an inquiry to be held into the case?

I could not have answered the hon. and learned Gentleman's question without having made that inquiry.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the case, details of which have been sent to him, of a boy, eight years of age, whose brain and physical health have been affected by an operation of immunisation against diphtheria given him in 1943 at an official health clinic, as established by the National Hospital of Diseases; what compensation is payable to this child or his parents; why such a long time elapsed between the boy being seen by the Cardiff doctor and being sent to a specialist; and whether other similar cases have been reported.

The case has not previously been brought to the notice of my Department. I am looking into it, and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health what reports he has received from his medical advisers as to how the latest cut in the meat ration is likely to affect the general health of the community.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Maidstone (Mr. Bossom) and the hon. Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) on 8th February.

Is it not a fact that it is now laid down that blood donors should supply blood twice a year—whereas they previously supplied blood three or four times a year—owing entirely to the prevalence, even among the fittest people, of some degree of anaemia due to shortage of red meat?

As the right hon. Gentleman has referred the House to replies given a month ago, may I ask whether he has considered the consequence of the operation of Statutory Instrument No. 314, which reduces the meat content of sausages and which so disgusted hon. Members opposite that they absented themselves from the Chamber when it was discussed?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the wise observations of the hon. Member for Luton (Dr. Hill) during that debate.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the increasing demand by women to work in industry, he will make a statement on the Government's policy in regard to the provision of staff for day nurseries.

It is open to local health authorities to employ whatever staff may be necessary for their day nurseries.

Is the Minister aware that an increasing number of mothers are being forced to go out to work although most of them would much prefer to stay at home and enjoy their children's company? Is he further aware that if the cost of living continues to rise he will be faced with the necessity of providing more nurseries and more nursery staffs?

I have consulted my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and I am advised that at present there is little evidence of a demand for the provision of increased nursery facilities on account of industrial requirements.

asked the Minister of Health if he can give the population and numbers of doctors resident in Bournemouth, Brighton, Reading and Stoke-on-Trent, respectively.

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

Do the figures indicate that the people resident in industrial centres are not getting the medical attention they should, while medical practitioners are overworked, and, if so, will my right hon. Friend, as soon as possible, consider making an order so that there can be an allocation of medical men in proportion to the population?

This is constantly under consideration, and every effort is made to man-up under-doctored areas.

Will my right hon. Friend consider this as a matter of urgency, as people in industrial centres are working harder and faster than ever, and require the medical attention which they should be able to get?

I am giving it immediate attention.

asked the Minister of Health what reply he has received to the representations which, in May, 1950, he undertook to make to the Birmingham City Council regarding the provision of hostel accommodation for homeless families in Birmingham.

The City Council were asked to consider the possibility of providing a hostel for men in employment but without homes. They have arranged to reserve 10 beds nightly in a hostel they provide under the National Assistance Act for men found by the police to be in urgent need of accommodation.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in connection with the particular hostel about which I communicated with his predecessor, in May, 1950, there have been nearly 300 cases submitted by the police, and that between 10 and 15 are men being turned away every night? In view of the circumstances, will my right hon. Friend go into the matter again, because 10 beds are totally inadequate to meet the situation in Birmingham?

The information I have is that, on the average, only two of the 10 beds have been taken up per night, and that the maximum number used is six.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the number of evictions taking place in Birmingham is greater than the estate department can cope with? In my own constituency there are a number of people who sleep out at night—families.

The Question does not refer to evictions.

May I ask my right hon. Friend again, in view of the fact that only today I have been informed that 10 to 15 men are being turned away from the shelter every night, if he will go into the matter again?

Yes, certainly. If there is a conflict of information of that kind it deserves examination and I will give it.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements he proposes to make to collect relevant information concerning those of military age who have not hitherto undertaken military service, for possible use in the future; and whether he will consider using the information obtained in the forthcoming census for this purpose.

None at this stage. With regard to the last part of the Question, information supplied for the census is treated as confidential, and could not be used for this purpose.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that there are many Z reservists and others who regard themselves as marked men, and that they want the information asked for in this Question? They do not see how they can avoid having alone to bear such sacrifices as are called for in the call-up. Will the right hon. Gentleman take further steps to obtain the information so as to clarify the matter?

It is very difficult to see how this information can be collected, and I am not prepared to violate the census for the purpose.

If this information was obtainable during the early days of the war, could it not be obtained now, if necessary?

asked the Minister of Labour whether exemption from military service will be granted to those working on the inland waterways of the United Kingdom.

No, Sir.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his reply is likely to cause concern to the nationalised British water services, who have recently been advertising for male clerks who are exempt from military service?

The hon. Member is, I think, under a misapprehension. No class of citizens is exempt. Some classes are deferred. We are now considering the broad classes of citizens who may be deferred in an emergency, but we shall not be able to give particular information because that will assist a potential enemy.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the recent railway wage negotiations.

I have nothing to add to what I have already said on this matter.

May I ask the Minister two questions? Will he tell us if any pressure was exerted by the Government on the Railway Executive to pay higher wages than were awarded by the independent tribunal? Second, what is the good of having an independent tribunal if no notice is taken of its recommendations?

The hon. Gentleman is quite wrong. It was not a tribunal. It was a report of an inquiry, and, therefore, did not have the status of an arbitration award. As for the discussions between the Ministry of Labour and both sides of the industry, they were quite confidential, and I do not propose to say what was said.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in future discussions with the National Joint Advisory Council, he will recommend that all firms employing clerical labour should allow persons wishing to continue therein after reaching retirement age to do so, thereby releasing younger people for more strenuous work.

The National Joint Advisory Council has already endorsed, in principle, the Government's policy of retaining in employment older persons, including clerical labour, able and willing to continue serve.

In thanking my right hon. Friend for that answer, may I ask him if he is aware that a good many women have written to me from Coventry expressing regret that they have to give up their work at 60 years of age when they would like to stay on, and so help the country at this difficult time?

I admit that there are a number of people in that position but, of course, there has not yet been time for the decision to work its way through from the national authorities to individual industries.

Would the right hon. Gentleman consult with the Minister of Pensions with a view to paying full pensions, instead of reducing the rates to those carrying out work?

That is another question.

asked the Minister of Labour approximately the number and percentage of nurses and those being trained in hospitals who were recruited from Eire, the Continent, Asia and Africa; and what steps are being taken to secure further overseas entrants.

It is not possible to say how many nurses recruited from overseas are at present employed or in training in hospitals. In 1950 about 600 women including about 350 student nurses, were recruited under official schemes in Germany, Persia, Italy and the Colonies, while 564 men and women were transferred from the Irish Republic. In addition, over 900 individual permits were issued for aliens to take up nursing employment or training in this country. These arrangements are continuing.

Do I understand that there is no means of discovering exactly the proportion of nurses now coming from overseas? Is not it desirable to get that figure?

I have already given a number of figures of those from overseas who have been employed under official schemes.

asked the Minister of Labour how many German girls and women have been recruited for work in this country under the North Sea scheme; approximately how many of these are respectively farm workers, nurses and factory workers; what are their terms of contract; under what circumstances they can transfer to other employment; and whether they will now be given permission to transfer from one area to another.

Under this scheme 6,400 women were recruited for domestic work in hospitals, institutions or private households; 1,600 for nursing; and 1,600 for hosiery, textile and other industries—a total of 9,600. They undertook to enter specified employment and not to leave it without the consent of my Department. Applications for transfer from one employment to another, or from one area to another, are considered in the light of individual circumstances.

Does this scheme mean that they can come here for a set period, such as two years, and, if so, is it possible, when the two years are finished for those who have been recruited to have a certain amount of facility to move into some other industry in some other part of the country?

I think my hon. Friend will find that if they have been in this specified employment for two years it is much easier to get transferred, but it is not, of course, always automatic.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the shortage of veterinary surgeons, he is taking any steps to increase his Department's veterinary surgeon staff.

Yes, Sir. A competition for the recruitment of veterinary officers was held last summer, another is in progress, and the Ministry of Labour has been asked to submit names for temporary appointments.

I apologise to the Minister for not being able to hear his reply, but did he say that he is satisfied that the number of veterinary surgeons will be adequately increased in the near future?

No, Sir. Unfortunately, the number of candidates is insufficient to meet the vacancies. I am hoping that we shall be able to get more veterinary surgeons.

Is the Minister satisfied that the remuneration which his Department is paying to veterinary surgeons is equivalent to what they can get in private practice? Will he look into the question of their pay?

That is not the Question on the Order Paper.

Is the Minister satisfied that the capacity of the Royal Veterinary College is sufficient to maintain the present number?

As the hon. Member may be aware there is now a veterinary section at Bristol University, and also one at Cambridge, and I hope that fairly quickly we shall have sufficient veterinary surgeons to meet our needs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the result of his consultations with the War Department and the Ministry of Supply in regard to the representations made to him by the Wiltshire Agricultural Executive Committee, National Farmers' Union and farmers concerned in regard to agricultural production and tank training in the Salisbury Plain area.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give a clear lead to the farmers concerned about this year's cultivation? Will he also remember that the only real solution is that the Ministry of Supply bombing range, at present sterilising a great part of the tank training area, should be removed to allow tanks to train on the area?

I believe that a conference representing all the interests, including those of my Department, is being convened to discuss the whole problem.

When does the right hon. Gentleman think he will be able to report on this matter? Does he realise that as recently as January farmers were being encouraged to work on this land, whereas it was known in the War Department in October that it would be required for tank use?

I hope that the conference to which I have referred will be taking place fairly shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, as there have been 254 outbreaks of fowl pest in England and Wales and four in Scotland during the month of January alone, he yet has any proposals to overcome this problem.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Eye (Mr. Granville) on 2nd March. It would seem that the steps that have been and are being taken by my Department to deal with the disease are producing encouraging results. The number of outbreaks during February fell to 156, of which 128 were in England and Wales, and there were only 11 outbreaks in the first 11 days of March.

While thanking the Minister for the good work he is doing, may I ask if he will look into the question of the importation of fowls from fowl pest infected countries, which is concluded to be the main cause of this trouble?

I can assure the hon. Member that that is under very anxious consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the desire among farmers in the South of England that there should be a sugar beet factory in this part of the country to avoid having to send their crops long distances to factories which are already fully occupied; and what steps he proposes to take to deal with this matter.

Yes, Sir, but there are other projects, including extensive renovation and improvement of the existing sugar beet factories, which have prior claims on the limited building and other resources available.