asked the Minister of Health what facilities exist in the county borough of Oldham for the dispensing of urgently needed medicines on Sundays.

At least seven pharmacies are open from 12 noon to 1 p.m. under the executive council's rota scheme, and I am informed that six chemists who live on or near their premises also give their services at any time, if they are available, in emergencies.

asked the Minister of Health when supplies of cortisone will be available in this country for sufferers from arthritis.

All available supplies of this scarce drug are already being imported for distribution to hospitals and for research in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the new buildings for the accommodation of persons born in Gibraltar and evacuated during the war have now been completed; whether there are still demands for more housing accommodation; and what has been the cost to date to his Department of this scheme.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the two major permanent housing schemes started by the Gibraltar Government after the war. The first and larger of these schemes is complete, but 41 of the 472 flats built were damaged by the "Bedenham" explosion on 27th April and cannot be used until repairs have been made Under the second scheme 83 flats have been finished and work is proceeding on 68 more.With regard to the second part of the Question, it is estimated that some 1,500 persons are still living in overcrowded conditions and that the need of 350 of these is urgent. With regard to the last part of the Question, the cost of building has been met mainly from local resources, but His Majesty's Government have made, under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts, a free grant of £100,000 and an interest free loan of £250,000 towards the cost of the two schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many persons, natives of Gibraltar and Malta, have migrated to other parts of the British Commonwealth; and how far has the assisted passages schemes contributed to the quota of emigrants going to Australia and New Zealand.

One thousand and seventy-eight persons have emigrated from Gibraltar to the United Kingdom since the end of the war, but, as far as is known, there was no direct emigration to other parts of the Commonwealth.I am informed by the Maltese Government that emigrants from Malta in the same period were as follows:

To Australia	12,145
To Canada	2,245
To the United Kingdom	5,978
Total	20,368

The figures for both Colonies are for the period ending 31st May, 1951.Ten thousand two hundred and sixty Maltese out of the above total went to Australia under the Australia-Malta Passages Assistance Agreement. This is the only scheme of its kind applicable in either territory. It came into operation on 1st January, 1949.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will arrange for copies of the "Soviet Weekly," printed and published in London, and widely circulated in Nigeria and West Africa, from September, 1950, to the present issue, to be placed in the Library of the House so that hon. Members may acquaint themselves with the methods of Soviet propaganda against British administration in Africa.

Issues of "Soviet Weekly" for the past two years, up to the current issue, are already available for consultation in the reference division of the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the nature of the representations made by him to the Hants and Dorset Bus Company in pursuance of his undertaking that he would advise the schedules committee of the company to receive representations from any of the men affected by the recent strike; to what official of the company he made such representations, and upon what date.

Officers of my Department have been in close touch with the general manager and other representatives of the company and with officials of the National Union of Railwaymen on several occasions since the beginning of the recent unofficial strike. In response to their inquiries assurances have been given both by the company and the union that individuals may approach the existing schedules committees or N.U.R. representatives with a view to their raising with the management any question relating to the schedules and may also make representations direct to the depot superintendents or inspectors. This was again confirmed to the Department by both parties on 6th June.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is prepared to take to impose on the British Electricity Authority similar restrictions on the finance of hire-purchase trading to those put upon private dealers through instructions to the banks and financing companies.

I am satisfied that the area electricity boards are fully aware of His Majesty's Government's policy, and in particular of the request to the banks not to provide further finance for hire purchase activities. I am asking my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power to draw the attention of the boards again to the undesirability of any unreasonable expansion in hire purchase.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider reducing the rate of income tax at present being deducted from men who live alone but who have to employ outside help for laundry, shopping, house-cleaning and other services.

No.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will have placed in the Library a complete file, in one folder if possible, of all the Orders issued by the various Government Departments since 1st January, 1951.

It is not practicable to place in the Library a complete file of all Orders issued by Government Departments. By virtue of the Regulations made under the Statutory Instruments Act, 1946, a large number of instruments mainly those of a local nature, are not printed. I am informed that the Stationery Office provides the Library with copies of all printed Statutory Instruments, as and when they are issued; and that these are then placed in a file in the Library. The Stationery Office also provide the Vote Office with 50 copies, in the case of more important instruments 100 copies, of all printed instruments.

asked the Minister of Food whether the growing of sunflowers by the Queensland British Food Corporation has proved satisfactory.

No. Relatively small acreages have been sown with sunflower, but in general the results have not been encouraging.

asked the Minister of Food what reports he has received about the inadequacy of the rail facilities which serve the area in possession of the Queensland British Food Corporation.

There has been the fullest co-operation between the Queensland Railway Department and the Queensland British Food Corporation, and so far I have had no report of inadequate rail facilities. The nature and scope of the Corporation's present development plans do not lead them to expect difficulties, other than temporary difficulties caused by the climate (including flooding) in moving their produce overland.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the National Coal Board are now extracting sulphur from the coke oven gas which they themselves use.

The Board intend to extract sulphur at certain of their new coking plants and are examining the practicability of doing so at their existing ovens.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what plans he has under consideration for the extension of compulsory land registration beyond London, Middlesex, Surrey, Eastbourne and Hastings.

I have been asked to reply. Registration of title to land is at present compulsory on sale in the Counties of London and Middlesex and the County Boroughs of Hastings, Eastbourne and Croydon. Plans have been prepared to extend the compulsory system to the County of Surrey on 1st October, 1951. Until those plans have been brought fully into operation it would be premature to consider detailed arrangements for further extensions of compulsory registration of title.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what conclusions he has reached as a result of the one-year experiment in not requiring central approval of the selection of sites for housing and certain other types of development by local authorities.

The experiment is at present under review and I am not yet able to make a considered statement. I shall be glad to communicate with my hon. Friend later.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are proposed in order to increase the tillage area.

The agricultural executive committees have assessed for their own areas the acreages of the various crops they consider can be attained, and they are pressing farmers, with fair success, to grow these acreages. In order to protect the acreage under crops, however, the agricultural executive committees have been empowered to take compulsory action to reduce the area under pasture on any farm where it appears to them that too much land is being devoted to grass.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what matters are dealt with by the National Committee for the Training of Teachers at its annual meeting.

The annual report of the Central Executive Committee is considered, discussed and approved, and the National Committee appoint their representatives to the Central Executive Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the intake of students by dental colleges in the years 1936, 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, and 1950 respectively.

The following figures show the intake of students into Dental Schools in Scotland:

1936	…	…	…	…	…	117
1937	…	…	…	…	…	130
1938	…	…	…	…	…	97
1945	…	…	…	…	…	114
1946	…	…	…	…	…	135
1947	…	…	…	…	…	125
1948	…	…	…	…	…	114
1949	…	…	…	…	…	123
1950	…	…	…	…	…	131

asked the Attorney-General what is the reason for the proposed dispersal of His Majesty's Land Registry to Durham.

I have been asked to reply. This move is part of the long-term plan for the dispersal of Government Departments from central London. This plan seeks not only to relieve the present congestion in London but also to provide opportunities for different types of employment in other parts of the country.