asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will circularise chief constables in England and Wales asking them what steps they have taken to call the attention of the authorities to whom they are responsible to the need for houses for all married police officers who are at present without such houses.

From my contacts with chief constables individually and collectively, I know them to be fully alive to the need for houses for married officers. The subject has had and will continue to have my close attention. Since the war the number of police houses owned by police authorities has increased by more than 50 per cent., in the main by new construction. New police houses are now being completed at the rate of over 130 a month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total deficiency between the numbers in the forces and the establishment of the county and borough police forces in England and Wales.

The deficiency on 31st March, 1951, was 6,300 men and 328 women.

Has the attention of the Home Secretary been called to the comments made by the chief constables of East Suffolk and Wallasey, which, I understand, are supported by about 50 per cent. of the chief constables, on the very low standard of the recruits who apply to be taken into the police force? If so, what action does he intend to take to deal with this problem?

I have read those comments. I have made some inquiries about the standard of recruitment, and I do not think that one should be unduly depressed by what may have occurred in two forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, as a result of amalgamating the Leicestershire and Rutland police forces, the ratepayers of Rutland will have to pay for the police over £2,000 per annum more than before the amalgamation of the forces; and whether he will amend the financial provisions of the scheme.

I have received representations to this effect from the Rutland County Council. The financial provisions of the scheme of amalgamation were agreed by the constituent authorities, but I am asking the combined police authority whether they have any proposals to make, in the light of these representations, for the amendment of the financial arrangements. If any such proposals are made to me I will give them sympathetic consideration.

In view of the obvious injustice of the ratepayers of Rutland having to subsidise those of Leicestershire, in the absence of any agreed proposal being put forward would the right hon. Gentleman consider amending this scheme in a way which would keep the finances of the two counties quite separate, as, for instance, by having a joint chief constable instead of amalgamated forces?

I think we had better await the result of the investigation by the newly constituted joint police authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons of Polish nationality who transferred to the Polish Resettlement Corps have applied for and obtained British nationality.

Up to 31st March, 7,978 Poles who passed through the Polish Resettlement Corps had applied for naturalistion and 4,850 had been granted certificates.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this represents only about 7 per cent. of the total passing through the Polish Resettlement Corps? Does he realise that there is dissatisfaction because these men are exempt from the military service applicable to Z reservists? Will he and his colleagues see that these men undertake the responsibilities of being members of our society as well as the enjoyment of its benefits?

Certainly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Ukrainians are at present in this country; what type of work they are doing; and how many have applied for British nationality.

Persons who previously lived in the territories forming the Ukraine are recorded as nationals of the different States to which those territories belonged, and it is, therefore, not possible to say how many in all are now in the United Kingdom or have applied for naturalisation. It is known, however, that there are in the United Kingdom about 23,000 former inhabitants of the Ukraine who came to the United Kingdom as European volunteer workers, 8,000 who came as prisoners of war, and 5,000 who came as members of the Polish Forces. Those in the first and second groups were placed in undermanned industries, mainly agriculture, the textile industry and coal mining. Information about the employment of those in the third group is not available. Very few of the persons in these groups can yet be eligible to apply for naturalisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to secure the enrolment of ex-bomb disposal officers and other personnel as instructors in the Civil Defence Corps.

None, Sir. Bomb disposal is not at present a responsibility of the Civil Defence organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the steps which are being taken in the United States of America to build atomic bomb shelters and to combine them with underground garages; and what is the present policy with regard to the provision of air-raid shelters in this country in connection with defence schemes.

The construction of underground car parks which would serve as shelters if need arose has been considered both in the United States and here. As regards the general question of shelter provision in this country, local authorities were asked last December to make a survey to determine their shelter needs. The survey is not due to be completed until later in the year, and at the moment I cannot add to the full statement which my right hon. Friend made on 9th November.

Will my hon. Friend consult with his colleagues to see that when licences are given for underground garages or similar buildings provision is made for shelter? Further, can my hon. Friend say how far this matter has proceeded in the United States?

To the first question the answer is that I will do so. As to the second, as far as I know, although there has been a great deal of discussion in the newspapers and elsewhere, none of these underground car parks has been begun in the United States.

In view of the very elaborate precautions which were taken before the last war, to which some of us were privy in our official capacities, would the hon. Gentleman tell the House what liaison there is between his Department and the corresponding department of the United States Government from the point of view of discussing the precautions which are taken in both countries?

The very closest indeed. My right hon. Friend and I, only a few weeks ago, saw the United States' Federal Director; and we are in full touch through our experts.

In these conversations with the United States authorities will my hon. Friend raise the question of pooling the materials likely to be required, because we shall be in greater danger from atomic weapons?

Have the Government yet decided upon the type of household shelter which would be issued in the event of hostilities——

We want the houses first.

—and, if so, whether production arrangements have yet been made?

That is now being considered.

Has nothing been decided?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his intention to modernise the inadequate sanitation of the prisons.

Although the prisons in England and Wales are overcrowded, I do not accept the implication that the sanitary facilities in the prisons are in general inadequate for health and hygiene. The existing facilities are being steadily brought up to modern standards, where necessary, but no radical change in the type of facilities provided is contemplated.

Would my right hon. Friend look especially at places where it is well-known that overcrowding exists at present, to see whether special action can be taken there?

We do all we can to minimise the detrimental effects of overcrowding.

To verify the accuracy of representations I have made to my right hon. Friend on the subject previously, will he go to Brixton Prison, where I am sure he will be warmly welcomed?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to provide adequate facilities for ablution in the prisons.

The ablution facilities in the prisons in England and Wales are not ideal, but can hardly be described as inadequate. Each prisoner has a water jug and wash basin in his cell, with soap, brush, and towel; he is allowed to have a hot bath, weekly, and the arrangements for washing in the workshops are being steadily improved.

asked the Minister of Health (1) why doctors at a disclaimed hospital who are allowed to prescribe surgical appliances for patients sent to that hospital by the regional board under contractual arrangements are not allowed to prescribe the same surgical appliances for other patients;

The reason is that the Health Service must obviously concern itself only with Health Service patients and cannot undertake to provide hospital appliances to those who elect to seek their hospital treatment outside the service. I would also remind the hon. Member that the benefits of the service do not depend on contribution.

Was not it promised when the National Health Service was introduced that patients could use it either wholly or in part? Is it not most unfair that, when there are two classes of patients in a hospital, patients of one class, needing the same appliances in the same hospital for the same illness as those of the other, and attended by the same doctors, are not allowed the use of those appliances, especially if they are too ill to go to another hospital? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that that is most unfair? Ought he not to put that right?

The patient in these cases chooses to go to the disclaimed hospital, and I cannot arrange for the expenditure of money provided by the Exchequer on the prescription of a doctor who, in respect of that patient, is in no way responsible to the Minister.

Is not this practice on the part of the right hon. Gentleman both inconsistent and unjust? Is it not a very plain submission to the dictates of administrative convenience and rule of thumb bureaucracy? What has become of the professed policy of fair shares for all?

It is submission to the doctrine of the control by Parliament of expenditure.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into account that in the circumstances described in the Question a disclaimed hospital is deemed to be necessary for the purpose of treating National Health Service patients because a contract has been entered into for the purpose? Does that not raise a special consideration, entitling all persons treated in that hospital to be treated alike?

It entitles those persons being treated there under contractual arrangements with the regional hospital board, and not anybody else.

asked the Minister of Health the total number of mentally defective persons at present awaiting vacancies in institutions; to what extent this number is increasing; and what steps are being taken to deal with this matter.

According to returns made by local health authorities on 1st January, 1951, there were 5,316 mental defectives awaiting admission to institutions. There is no reason to think that the proportion of mental defectives is increasing, but the number increases yearly with the population. Provision for these patients receives high priority in the hospital service, within the limits of capital investment and staff available.

Is the right hon. Gentleman able to say when those urgently in need of institutional care will receive it?

I should not like to make a forecast, but we are doing all we can, and the regional hospital boards are being asked to devote special attention to this difficult problem.

Is the Minister aware that 64 people of low grade mental deficiency——

On the Government Front Bench.

—are waiting at home in the Liverpool area, and that only one vacancy has been offered by the regional board in 12 months? These cases are usually dangerous cases in the home, and are causing great concern to parents and others who look after them.

I am sure that my hon. Friend will use her influence with the regional board to see that they do all they can in the matter.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the reasons why there are now more mental defectives and more certified lunatics in the country than there were before the Socialist Government came into power?

I have already said that, unfortunately, the proportion remains roughly constant and that when the total population increases the number of mental defectives increases, too.

Is it possible for the inmates to resign if they feel so disposed?

asked the Minister of Health why the letters "N.H." are being stamped on spectacle frames in two places at an extra cost of 1s. 6d.; and if he will give instructions to stop this expenditure.

The trade mark is to ensure the quality of the spectacles and is stamped on the two parts which are often made and sold separately. I am advised that the cost of stamping is negligible.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the National Health Service provides at the moment for spectacle frame numbers 311, 321, 411 and 421 which are unsuitable for agricultural workers and very young children; and if he will make available heavy gauge metal frames in these circumstances which, by reducing breakages, will save expense.

I am advised that these frames—and four nickel frames also available—are quite suitable for agricultural workers. They are not supplied to children, for whom a special hardwearing range is provided. I do not agree that an extension of the existing range is necessary.

If I send the Minister information will he examine the position again so far as agricultural workers are concerned?

I will be glad to look into anything which the hon. Gentleman has to send me, but my advice is that the new heavier type frames would require a change in the manufacturing process, which would be unjustifiably expensive.

asked the Minister of Health when a bed in a sanatorium will be provided for Mr. L. Riley, Queslett Road, Streetly, a tuberculosis patient and an ex-Service man.

I am informed that he was admitted to Prestwood Sanatorium on 18th April.

While thanking the Minister for that answer, may I ask whether he is aware that from 1st March to 3rd April the consultant to the hospital group in question informed me indirectly that no single male bed for a male T.B. patient was made available?

I understand they were trying their best to get this patient into Papworth, but were unable to find a vacancy there at the time.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied with the administration of the National Health Ser vice in the case of Mr. H. Thompson, 15, Allton Avenue, Mile Oak, Staffordshire, on 9th March, when he trapped his hand while at work at the Kingsbury 7 ft. Unit and eventually received treatment at Birmingham Accident Hospital, after being referred from Tamworth, with the consequent delay.

I am making inquiries and will write to my hon. Friend when they are complete.

Meantime, is my right hon. Friend aware that, according to a report I received from the miners' agent at Tam-worth, my constituent, who was injured at the pit at 12.30 p.m. on 9th March, went to the Tamworth Hospital at 2 p.m., that there was no surgeon available, and that having received treatment at Birmingham Accident Hospital at 8.15 that night, still wearing his wet pit clothes, and with no money, he asked for an ambulance to take him back to Tamworth, a considerable distance, and was told that he had got legs? Does my righ hon. Friend think that this is the right sort of treatment to give a miner?

I cannot comment on that, or necessarily accept all my hon. Friend's statements, until I have completed my inquiries.

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied with the provision of eye specialist services for miners in the Tamworth, Staffordshire, district, in view of the distances to be travelled and the service provided for adjacent mining districts.

This district must necessarily rely partly on the comprehensive consultant services provided in Birmingham itself, but I understand the regional hospital board is now reviewing the facilities available there and in other districts.

While that is satisfactory as far as it goes, in view of the fact that this is an important mining district should there not be an eye consultant more easily available than at Birmingham, since the original trip to Birmingham and the subsequent treatment means a great loss of wages to the man and of output to the pit?

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many comprehensive health centres have been provided since July, 1948; and how many are now under construction either by new building or adaptation;

Nine premises taken over when the National Health Service began are being administered as health centres for groups of doctors and other services. One large centre is under construction, and tenders for two smaller ones have been invited.

Would my right hon. Friend not regard it as dangerous if, when the time came to make it possible to build health centres and centres for group practice, there was no more experience of them than his answer suggests will be possible?

Yes, Sir. As I said in the debate on the National Health Service Bill the other day, I have every sympathy with this proposal, and I intend to encourage, where suitable conditions which I then described are available, the establishment of further group centres of this kind.

asked the Minister of Health why he has refused the London County Council permission to provide at the Hampstead Health Institute a centre for group practice; and how far it is now his policy only to permit local authorities to make provision for group practice in under-doctored areas.

In general I want to see some experiments in provision for group practice in suitable areas, but this area is already very well supplied with doctors and surgeries.

Are there any conditions under which my right hon. Friend will permit centres for group practice to be built or adapted; and if so, what?

Yes, Sir. There are two centres out to tender at the moment, one in Bristol and one in Farringdon. There are other proposals under consideration. In this case it was understood that the group of doctors wishing to practice at the centre intended to continue their existing practice at their own private surgeries, and to seek new patients for their practice at the health centre.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that what the people in that part of Hampstead most want is not so much a health centre for group practice as the removal of the Government's present restriction on housing permits?

asked the Minister of Health what steps are now being taken to utilise the services of experienced foreign dentists in this country who have been naturalised; what discussions have taken place with the Dental Board on this subject; and with what result.

The Government intend at a convenient opportunity to introduce a Bill which will include proposals for new methods of assessing the qualifications of foreign-trained dentists.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a small number of foreign dentists who have been in this country for about 10 or 12 years, who have become naturalised, and who have been fully qualified to practise dental surgery for many years; and will he act as speedily as possible to bring them into the scheme?

I am well a ware of the problem, and I have given it a good deal of personal attention. I am satisfied that within the existing law all that can be done has been done.

Can my right hon. Friend say when the Bill is likely to be introduced? This is a very pressing matter, particularly in view of the shortage of dentists at present, and the fact that these men are capable of carrying out this particular work. Is my right hon. Friend aware that some of them have already been employed, but are now prevented from carrying on dental surgery?

My hon. Friend knows that I cannot say when a particular piece of legislation will be introduced.

Can the Minister say whether there will be a dozen foreigners affected, or 100 or 1,000?

So far as I am aware, the number now in this country is a good deal fewer than 100.

In view of the fact that there is a general shortage of dental practitioners, especially in the school dental service, does not my right hon. Friend consider that some way out of this unjust dilemma might be found by allocating these people to the school dental service, where perhaps they would be more welcome than if they are competing elsewhere?

I cannot allocate, nor can my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education allocate, to the school dental service personnel who are not qualified under the law to practise dentistry.

Is the Minister aware that many of these dentists were brought over here under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Committee for Refugees, of which I was at the time Chairman? Many of them have brilliant qualifications in their own country and is it not unfortunate that in this country there is certain professional feeling against foreign dentists practising here, even though they may be just as efficient as British dentists?

I can assure the noble Lord and my hon. Friends, without any qualification whatever, that I have the greatest sympathy with their point of view in this matter.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that the standard of qualifications in other countries is in some cases considerably below our own; and will he take every precaution to ensure that the standard of work by dental surgeons is not reduced?

Will my right hon. Friend bring to the attention of the Dental Board the feeling of the Members of the House on this subject?

asked the Minister of Health whether he will issue directions to regional hospital boards to take steps to arrange that tuberculosis should be made part of the general nursing training.

I am not in a position to give directions in this matter, but I am encouraging hospital authorities to extend the practice of giving general student nurses some experience in tuberculosis nursing.

Is it not a fact that the training is determined by the General Nursing Council and not by the regional hospital boards?

Yes, Sir, that is so. That is why I am not able to give a direction but, as my hon. Friend knows, I have asked the regional hospital boards to help in the matter.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average delay in the developing and production of X-ray photographs in suspected tuberculosis cases; whether delays of up to two months are common; and whether he proposes to take any steps to expedite the service.

The films used in mass miniature radiography are processed forthwith. I have no information of the average time taken for developing other X-ray photographs, but will be glad to inquire into any case of difficulty which the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Minister of Health how many National Health hearing aids have been returned by their recipients as unsuitable.

Precise figures are not available but the number is estimated at 2,000.

As the Ministry's instruments are unsuitable to many and cumbersome to the majority to wear, would the right hon. Gentleman consider scrapping the National Health issue and, say, making a grant to the private manufacturers, who have a wide range of deaf aids which suit many types of deafness?

No, Sir, I have no intention of changing well-established policy in this matter.

Would the Minister answer the first part of my supplementary question?

Would the Minister tell us the percentage of deaf aids returned?

The percentage returned as unsuitable is something just over 1 per cent.

Is it not a fact that the Medresco hearing aid is considered to be the very best by all those competent to judge?

Can the Minister say in how many of these cases the return was due to the fact that in the first place bone conduction hearing aids should have been issued to the patients; and can he say anything about the progressive development of this sort of hearing aid for the whole scheme?

That is another question.

asked the Minister of Health why he has instructed the United Cardiff Hospitals Committee that the supply of hearing aids must be limited to 120 a month in view of the long waiting list of people urgently requiring the use of these aids.

I have recently reviewed the allocation of aids to distribution centres, taking into account the waiting lists and other factors. Each will in future receive a fair share of the aids available for distribution.

Am I to assume from my right hon. Friend's reply that the figure of 124 is unchanged, because, if so, that will mean a wait of over four years for people to get their hearing aids, which are not a luxury but a necessity?

My information is that Cardiff should get at least 124 every four weeks and, if the situation improves, may get as many as 148 every four weeks. I do not need to remind my hon. Friend that I would do nothing unfair to Cardiff.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. T. J. Cock, St. Austell, who was recommended for a hearing aid after medical examination on the 1st January, 1949, and is still awaiting delivery of the instrument; and what explanation he can give for this delay;

Yes, Sir. The delay in both instances is due to the large accumulated demand and neither patient appears to have any special claim to priority.

Does the Minister think that a delay of 27 or 28 months is reasonable, and could not something be done to expedite the matter?

It was precisely because I thought that the waiting lists in the West of England were unduly long that I revised the allocation, and, in consequence, did something slightly to the detriment of Cardiff.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he has recently taken to speed up the production and delivery of hearing aids.

I am glad to say that production and delivery of new aids are increasing year by year in spite of material shortages and other difficulties.

As these very lengthy waiting lists are not confined to Cardiff and Truro, but generally throughout the country, cannot the Minister do something to speed up production still further?

My right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General and his Department are doing what they can in this matter. The monthly rate of production in 1949–50 was 6,400; in 1950–51, 7,750 and this year, to date, 8,750.

asked the Minister of Health how many beds are reserved for paying patients in hospitals; and what proportion this represents of the total number of beds.

About 6,875 pay beds, or 1½ per cent. of the total number of staffed beds, are set aside at present under Section 5 of the National Health Service Act, 1946.

Will my right hon. Friend have another look at this matter, in view of the many complaints of people urgently requiring treatment who are debarred from admission to hospital because of the number of paying patients?

I think that my hon. Friend is mistaken. Pay beds are set aside but are not reserved. If they are required urgently on medical grounds for patients for whom other accommodation is not available, no charge is made.

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the proposed charges that are now to be made on dentures and glasses, he will cease free medical treatment to those visitors from foreign countries with which we have still no reciprocal agreement.

No.

If charges are to be made is it not reasonable to try to effect economies in respect of foreigners who are visiting this country?

These charges will, of course, apply to foreigners as well as to everyone else.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say what was the point of taking powers in the 1949 Act to charge visitors to this country, if they were not to be used?

Because since then the Secretary of State for the Home Department has been able, by various ways and means to restrain foreigners from coming to this country deliberately to receive treatment.

Can the Minister give an estimate of the total yearly cost of the charges in respect of foreign visitors?

I have answered that question more than once already. I cannot give the exact figure from memory, but it is almost negligible.

As it is intimated that there are already over a million people coming to Britain for the Festival, has my right hon. Friend estimated the possible increase in the health budget?

The figure will still be negligible. I hope that, as I have said before, our cousins coming from the Dominions and the Colonies will receive a warm welcome in every direction.

Would we not be more likely to obtain reciprocal facilities if we made a charge now?

If hon. Members can discover any way of finding out whether a person who requires treatment is a foreigner without imposing vexatious and unnecessary questions on British nationals and imposing extra clerical work on doctors, I shall be pleased to hear of it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is satisfied that there will be a sufficient quantity of feeding-stuffs available this year for the farmers to reach the target set by him or for the food required by the nation.

The best estimate we can make of the rationed feedingstuffs available in the coming 12 months was given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary in a supplementary reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 22nd March. Provided that our own crops this year are not unduly small these rationed supplies should enable current objectives to be reached.

Would the Minister consult the National Farmers' Union, particularly in Kent, because they are not at all convinced that they will be able to reach the target which has been set them?

I am sure that the hon. Member is aware that we are in constant consultation with the National Farmers' Union.

In view of the many qualifications in the right hon. Gentleman's reply and the doubt that the feedingstuffs can be obtained, will he obtain reserve feedingstuffs in case of need?

I do not think that there was any qualification in my reply, except about the weather.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, in view of the prolonged wintry conditions hampering normal cultivation, what special steps he is taking to see that all farmers needing assistance or advice obtain it so that the greatest possible acreage is cropped with a suitable crop this year.

Before the recent welcome improvement in the weather I had invited chairmen of county agricultural executive committees to convene, urgently, meetings with their respective county branches of the N.F.U., representatives of the local seed trade and of the local papers, to review the situation and to enlist the co-operation of the provincial Press in passing on to farmers up-to-date advice on the most suitable late sowing crops for each district, where seeding has been seriously delayed. Where necessary, action of this kind has been taken, with the helpful co-operation of all concerned. I am glad to say that reports from all over the country indicate that farmers and their workers are making the most strenuous efforts to ensure that the maximum advantage is now taken of the change in conditions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress has been made in providing additional smallholdings under the Agriculture Act, 1947; and how many approved applicants are now on the waiting lists of county and borough councils.

By 21st April, 1951, 62 schemes had been approved, providing for 135 new holdings on 6,352 acres. At the end of 1950, which is the latest date for which I have information, there were on the waiting lists 4,094 approved applicants entitled to preference.

In view of the falling off in the number of skilled farm workers employed on farms, is it not important to speed up the efforts to provide smallholdings for these skilled workers, so as to encourage them to remain on the land?

I agree with my hon. Friend. He will be aware that for quite a time housing was priority No. 1, but more recently schemes have been approved at a more rapid rate than was the case a few years ago.

Is housing still priority No. 1?

Yes, in rural as well as urban areas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, under their terms of reference, the Working Party on Grain Drying and Storage are empowered to consider the provision of financial assistance towards the installation of additional drying and storage facilities.

The terms of reference of the Working Party are very wide, and will not debar them from considering and making recommendations about this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what were the reasons for the delay in authorising the issue of an import licence for carrot seed to Harts Seed Growing Establishment, Rayleigh, Essex.

The delay, which I regret, in advising the Board of Trade not to issue an import licence for carrot seed required by the firm mentioned was due, in part, to an oversight and, in part, to the need to obtain further details from the applicants.