asked the Minister of National Insurance whether she is aware of the present hardships experienced by the many widows who, under the present regulations, can only receive a pension of 10s. a week; what would be the estimated cost per annum of raising the pension of all widows in receipt of the widows' pension to 26s. a week; and whether, both in view of the high cost of living and the desirability of as many widows as possible making their contribution to industry without suffering a reduction of their pension to 10s. a week, she will review the position.

Many of these widows are working; others can, if necessary, apply to the National Assistance Board for supplementary assistance. To allow widows, as I think my hon. Friend suggests, to draw pensions at the full rate of 26s. while working would mean recasting the existing scheme of widowhood benefits and I could not undertake to do that. The immediate cost of raising to 26s. widows' pensions awarded at the 10s. rate would be about £10 millions a year.

asked the Minister of National Insurance the total amount of National Insurance benefits and National Assistance payments paid in Wales in the financial year 1949–50 and in the current financial year.

I regret that separate figures for Wales are not available.

asked the Minister of National Insurance what is the position of a general practitioner under the new Tuberculosis Benefits Scheme of 1st March, 1951.

The new Regulations, like the Industrial Injuries Act under which they are made, only apply to persons in insurable employment. As general practitioners as such are not so employed the Regulations will not apply to them.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will identify the powers enabling, other than those specified, to which reference is made in Statutory Instrument, 1951, Number 254; and why these are not identified in the instrument.

The only specific statutory powers under which this Order is made are those conferred by Section 10 of the Wages Councils Act, 1945, and referred to in the Order. The reference to other powers, as already explained in the answer to a similar Question on Friday, 9th March, is a formula which is customarily used to comprehend any ancillary powers. It is by way of a legal precautionary device.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will identify the powers enabling, other than those specified, to which reference is made in Statutory Instrument, 1951, Number 280; and why these are not specified in the instrument.

The only specific statutory powers under which this Order was made are those referred to in its opening words. The reference to other powers is a formula which is usually and properly employed in Statutory Instruments to comprehend such ancillary powers as are or might be brought into play when a specific power is exercised.

asked the Minister of Food if he will identify the powers enabling, other than those specified, to which reference is made in Statutory Instrument, 1951; Number 258; and why these are not identified in the instrument.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his Question on 9th March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will identify the powers enabling, other than those specified, to which reference is made in Statutory Instrument, 1951, Number 204; and why these are not identified in the instrument.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on a similar Question on 13th March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will identify the powers enabling, other than those specified, to which reference is made in Statutory Instrument, 1951, Number 245; and why these are not identified in the instrument.

The only specific statutory powers under which this Order is made are those conferred by Section 16 (3) of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, and referred to in the opening words in the Order. The reference to other powers is a formula which is usually and properly employed in statutory instruments to comprehend such ancillary powers as are or might be brought into play when a specific power is exercised. These ancillary powers are in this case provisions of the general statute law, such as are contained, for instance, in the Interpretation Act and the Statutory Instruments Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement regarding the five-shilling piece, to be issued to commemorate the Festival of Britain, about which a Royal Proclamation has now been made.

Yes. There will be a special issue of a five-shilling piece to mark the occasion of the Festival of Britain. The design of the obverse will be the Royal Effigy and Titles, and the words "Five Shillings." The reverse will bear the design by Pistrucci of St. George slaying the Dragon. On the edge, in place of the usual milling, will be the inscription:—"MDCCCLI Civium Industria Floret Civitas MCMLI."As the coin is intended to be a commemorative piece, it will be struck from specially polished dies, and will be supplied in a suitable case at 5s. 6d. complete. The coin will be obtainable at the South Bank Exhibition and I hope that it will be possible to arrange to supply it also through numismatic societies and coin dealers not only in various parts of the United Kingdom, but also overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what date his agricultural advisers were first asked by the Colonial Development Corporation to report on the possibility of growing poultry food in the Gambia; and what expenditure had already been incurred by that date.

The Corporation did not seek the help of my advisers, but before the Poultry Farm project was launched the Corporation despatched its own mission to the Gambia to report inter alia on the possibility of growing poultry feed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the professional advice of the Colonial Office was sought by the Colonial Development Corporation before an American citizen, Mr. M. J. Phillips, was appointed to run the Gambia poultry scheme; and on what terms he left.

The appointment of staff is a matter for the Corporation. My Department was not consulted on the appointment of Mr. Phillips.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what inquiries were made by the Colonial Development Corporation of his Department of Animal Health as to the practicability of rearing large-scale commercial poultry in the tropics before the Gambian poultry scheme was launched; and what reports he has received on the results of poultry schemes of this size which have proved successful under tropical conditions.

The Corporation made its own investigations and did not request the assistance of my Adviser on Animal Health. I have received no reports on schemes of a similar size which may have been launched in tropical conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the conditions of citizenship in Malaya which will allow the seven out of eight non-Federal citizens in Malaya to register as Federal citizens.

Nearly all Malays, who comprise about half the total population of the Federation of Malaya, are automatically Federal citizens. About one-quarter of the non-Malay population are also automatically Federal citizens; the conditions under which the remainder of the non-Malay population could acquire Federal citizenship are contained in the Federation Agreement of 1948 and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the relevant clauses.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Treasury will make available to the Export Credits Guarantee Department sums necessary to meet their liabilities under the Anglo-Yugoslav Financial Agreement dated 11th January, 1951, in view of the

Yes, in accordance with Section 3 of the Export Guarantees Act, 1949

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the products subject to export tax in the West African Colonies in the financial year 1949–50 and what are the products subject to such tax today; what were the rates of tax in 1949–50, and what are the rates today; what were the total sums received from each export tax in 1949–50; and what estimates have been made of the sums to be received from them in the current year.

The information required is set out in the following tables: