asked the Secretary of State for War whether the No. 19 wireless set is still the set fitted as standard equipment to tanks and armoured cars.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for War for what purpose he proposes to requisition the nature reserve at Wretham, Norfolk, owned by the Norfolk Naturalists Trust; and how its unique properties can be preserved.

The land referred to has been subject to Defence Regulation 51 or 52 ever since the war, and no question of new requisitioning arises. As was explained at the public local inquiry on the Stanford Practical Training Area in 1948, the land forms part of the area required for the assembly and deployment of troops and vehicles about to enter the battle area. My Department have recently approached the Trust with a view to long-term arrangements for the military use of the area. The moors, which are no doubt the most important part to naturalists, are out of bounds to troops, and it is hoped that the long-term arrangements will provide for access by the Trust subject to military requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that officers under 25 years of age training under the Class Z recall scheme only receive the same marriage allowance as that given to other ranks; and whether he will now alter the position and bring the marriage allowance into line with that of other officers.

These officers receive the same marriage allowance as that given to Regular and Territorial Army officers of the same age.

asked the Secretary of State for War to which commands in the United Kingdom Home Guard staff officers have been appointed.

These officers have been appointed to Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern and Scottish Commands.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied that the proposed conditions of service offered to retired officers, grade I, for reemployment are sufficiently attractive to receive adequate response.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for War what preparations he is making to ensure that adequate provision of space heaters will be made for the troops in Korea in the event of a second winter's hostilities.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to Questions on this subject today.

asked the Secretary of State for War how far British officers and British other ranks of the Gurkha Brigade and of the Malay Regiment, including those seconded, pay Income Tax at British rates; and what is the method of collection of Income Tax in each case.

All officers and other ranks who receive United Kingdom rates of pay, pay tax at United Kingdom rates. Personnel paid at local rates pay tax at local rates. The tax is collected by deduction from emoluments at time of issue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate number of persons with net incomes of £2,000, £3,000, £4,000, £6,000, £8,000, £10,000, £25,000 and £50,000 per annum for the years ended 31st March, 1914, 1938, 1945 and 1950, respectively.

The available information on this subject for the years 1938–39 and 1948–49 was published in Table 86 of the 92nd Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. The corresponding figures for 1949–50 will be published in the next report in January. Estimates for the year 1944–45 were published in the National Income White Paper for

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken to make it widely known overseas that gifts sent to residents in this country are liable to Customs Duty and Purchase Tax, which may involve the recipient in heavy expenditure.

Wide publicity is given in various ways, in particular by the distribution of a special Customs notice by the Information Division of the Treasury and by information services of the Foreign Office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of net income retained by a married man after payment of income tax and surtax, on earnings of £1,000, £2,000, £5,000, £10,000, £20,000, £50,000 and £100,000, respectively, in the years 1913–14, 1938–39, 1944–45 and 1950–51, also showing its purchasing value at the depreciated pound sterling, and basing the pound sterling at 20s. in 1913–14.

The following table gives the required information in the case of a married man without children:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent International Monetary Conference and particularly as to its effect upon the present level of the dollar-sterling rate.

I assume that this Question refers to the recent Report by the Economic Commission for Europe on the problem of inflation, and also to the Second Annual Report on Exchange Restrictions by the International Monetary Fund. Both these publications have been prepared by the staffs of the organisations concerned and member Governments have no responsibility for either of them. There is, therefore, no reason why they should have any effect on the dollar-sterling rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to resume the discussions with the Government of India on Income Tax and other analogous questions.

Discussions with representatives of the Government of India have taken place in London recently, but I regret that it has not so far been possible to find a satisfactory basis for a double taxation agreement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give an estimate of receipts from Purchase Tax at 66i per cent. upon Highlands and Islands handwoven tweed in the past financial year and state whether this is more or less than the amount for each of the two preceding years.

Information is not available on which to base a firm estimate of the receipts of Purchase Tax from Highlands and Islands handwoven tweed, but it is thought that receipts of tax from all Scottish handwoven tweed may be in the region of E1 million a year. It is not possible to say how this amount may have changed over the past two years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why some Command Papers do not carry the month of publication as well as the year.

Presentation dates have in the past been omitted from certain classes of papers because the time of presentation had occasionally to be altered after copies had been printed. Such difficulties are rare and presentation dates will in future be shown whenever possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why certain inspectors of taxes are now seeking to obtain returns from cricket club secretaries showing the amount of collections freely given by spectators at matches to mark appreciation of playing skill in a particular match; why club secretaries are now being asked to deduct tax before handing the collection to the player concerned; at what rate is the tax to be deducted; and how much tax revenue is estimated to be produced from this source.

The Inland Revenue are advised that a professional cricketer who receives the proceeds of collections made whenever he reaches some specified standard of performance in a match is liable to Income Tax thereon as a profit of his employment. Where the collection is handed over by the club, tax is deductible under pay as you earn by reference to the players' code number. Where this is not the case the tax will be charged in the assessment made at the end of the year and the inspector of taxes may need to make inquiries to ascertain the amount of the receipts. I cannot estimate how much tax may be involved.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to be able to make a statement on equal pay for men and women in the Civil Service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now in a position to make a statement upon the Government's attitude to equal pay.

I propose to make a statement at the end of Questions tomorrow.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will institute a full inquiry into the advisability of continuing the practice of reducing pensions awarded on conditions of service by the amount payable under the National Insurance scheme as in the case of P.C. Baxter, deceased.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the value of bonus shares authorised by him for distribution during the year ended 31st May, 1951.

£92 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the administrative cost of making arrangements for tobacco vouchers in respect of old age pensioners to be cashable at post offices.

To devise and estimate the cost of a scheme which would be mutually satisfactory to the Customs and Excise, the Post Office and tobacconists, would require the expenditure of an amount of time and manpower which, since the present arrangements generally have not given rise to difficulties, I do not consider would be justified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he accounts for the increase of 15,278 in the number of officials empowered to enter private business and residential premises between 15th July, 1950, and March, 1951; and what the figure was at 1st June, 1951.

I am sorry that there has been some misunderstanding about this. The number of officials authorised to enter private houses used exclusively as such rose, not by 15,278, but by 1,789 from 4,170 in July, 1950, to 5,959 in March, 1951, the latest date for which figures are available. This increase is due to the Inland Revenue valuation staff recruited for the work transferred to that Department under the 1948 Local Government Act. The figure of 19,448 which the hon.. Member has in mind is the total number of officials authorised, in March, 1951, to enter property of one kind or another, and compares with a figure of 18,342 for May, 1950. This change is accounted for by the increase in Inland Revenue staff, partly offset by a reduction in the number of such officials employed by other Departments.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that certain staffs of the Customs and Excise Department are being required to sign a document disclosing their particular trade union membership in order to be represented on the Departmental Whitley Council; and whether, since both the administration and the recognised unions have a joint responsibility to ensure the effective working of Whitley Councils, be will give an assurance that any member of the staff of this Department who, being a member of a recognised union but unwilling to sign this document which is given publicity outside his union, will not be denied representation on the Departmental Whitley Council as a consequence.

The requirement is that in certain circumstances the application of an association for membership of the Joint Staff Committee, by which seats on the staff side of the Departmental Whitley Council are allocated, has to be supported by a declaration of membership of the association by its members. This requirement is one which has been laid down by the Joint Staff Committee itself for its own purposes, and it would not be in the interests of the effective working of the Whitley machinery for the official side to interfere in the staff side's internal concerns.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how he intends to remove the discrimination against imported Canadian Purchase Tax-paying rubber footwear caused by the bringing of identical and similar British made footwear into the tax-free utility scheme.

I hope that there may be an opportunity today during the Committee stage of the Finance Bill for an announcement which will indicate how we propose to deal with further consideration of this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of carnations, expressed in terms of sterling, have been imported into this country since 5th April, 1950; and what rate of import duty is paid on these flowers.

Carnations are not separately distinguished in the Trade Returns. The rate of import duty on cut carnations is 9d. per 1b.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that the Clothing Industry Development Council spent £59 on research and £7,957 on secretariat and administrative expenses in 1950, what steps he is taking to ensure that more is spent on research in 1951 and less on administration.

In its first year (1950) the Clothing Industry Development Council had to concentrate its attention on bringing an organisation into being, in addition to which it carried out the very substantial task of registering over 6,000 traders. In the current year, the Council is extending its activities in relation to the functions, including research, laid down in the order which established it as may be seen from the summarised programme of work embodied in the annual report of the Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to prevent a breakdown of the waste paper recovery campaign, in view of the danger that this may occur.

In view of the record collections of waste paper already achieved as a result of the recovery campaign and the practical inducements now offered, I see no danger of a breakdown of the campaign. I should hope that, with sustained effort, the increased quantities which are still required would be obtained.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for increasing the supply of nylon hosiery for British consumers; and if these will be available in ample supply in October for the Christmas trading period.

As the then President of the Board of Trade said in answer to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, North-West (Mr. Janner) on 1st March, there has already been a very large growth in supplies of nylon stockings for the home market. These supplies, which amounted in the first quarter of 1950 to 41 million pairs, had risen in the first quarter of 1951 to 8½ million pairs. But it is essential to increase our exports of textiles, and nylon products have a ready sale abroad. There are, in addition, some defence demands on our production of nylon. Total supplies of nylon yarn cannot be increased until new capacity for the production of polymer can be brought into operation in some three or four years' time. In these circumstances, I can hold out no hope of bigger supplies of nylon stockings for the home market for a considerable time to come.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the export of greasy wool from this country to Eastern European Communist countries is still allowed.

There is no restriction on the exports of greasy wool to these countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of the Statutory Instruments under which, on 1st January, 1945, commodities were rationed or their price controlled by his Department, indicating the date on which any such controls have since been removed in whole or in part, and the titles of the revoking instruments.

I find that much of the information for which my hon. Friend has asked is not readily available and could not be assembled from Departmental records without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour. No orders operated by the Board of Trade imposing consumer rationing now remain in force. I am sending my hon. Friend a list of Statutory Instruments made by the Board of Trade which were in operation on 31st August, 1946 (which is the earliest date for which this information has been collated) and a similar list for 31st December, 1950. I hope that these lists may give him substantially all the information which he has in mind. If my hon. Friend will write to me about any other information which he requires, I will see whether it is practicable to let him have it.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he will consider sending a circular to local authorities advising them that all future houses built by them should be fitted with suitable guards on unprotected gas or electric fires.

Yes, as soon as I have the recommendations of the Inter-Departmental Committee which is examining these matters.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning how many local authorities have now made effective arrangements for co-operation with other local authorities or for joint consolidation of lists of housing applicants with a view to meeting their housing needs more equitably; how many local authorities have now exhausted or are shortly exhausting sites for house-building; and, in particular, what progress has been made in discussions on site availability between the Essex County Council and Essex boroughs.

I understand that discussions between the Essex County Council and the Essex boroughs are going well. I have no complete information on the other points in my hon. Friend's Question.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he is aware that in Canada and the United States of America small houses built 100–200 years ago entirely of timber, are still in thoroughly sound condition; that such houses can be almost entirely constructed in parts in factories with less expert labour, at less cost and greater speed than is required for brick houses; and if he will consider granting permission for such to be built.

This would be an uneconomic use of timber since it would reduce the total number of houses which could be built with our available timber supplies.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what leave was given to Mrs. Monica Felton, the chairman of the Stevenage Development Corporation, to visit North Korea.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition last Wednesday. I had no information of Mrs. Felton's intention to visit North Korea.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he will state the terms of employment of the chairman of the Stevenage Development Corporation and the salary paid.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. S. Marshall) yesterday.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what were Dr. Felton's qualifications for the post of Chairman of the Stevenage Development Corporation; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent her from engaging in political controversy.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what were the qualifications for appointment of Mrs. Monica Felton, an employee in his Department; and what steps he is taking to prevent her engaging in political controversy.

Mrs. Felton was never an employee in my Department. Among her qualifications for the Chairmanship of Stevenage Development Corporation, to which my predecessor appointed her, were that she had been Deputy-Chairman of that Corporation from October, 1946, to April, 1948, and Chairman of Peterlee Development Corporation from March, 1948, to October, 1949. She had previously been a member of the Hertfordshire County Council and of the London County Council. She had also served on the New Towns Committee, which reported in 1946. The second part of each Question does not now arise.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what were the duties of Mrs. Monica Felton as chairman of the Stevenage Development Corporation; what periods of absence she has been granted; and for what purposes.

The duties of the chairman of a development corporation are, in association with his colleagues, to plan and organise the building of the new town. Mrs. Felton was not, so far as I am aware, granted any specific leave of absence since her appointment, but normally I should leave such matters to be dealt with by the corporation as a matter of day-to-day administration.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what are the names and qualifications of the officers and part-time officers of the Stevenage Development Corporation; and what are the conditions of their service and their pay and allowances.

In all new town corporations, the members are part-time, chairmen receive £1,500 a year, deputy chairmen £750 a year, and other members £400 a year. All members are entitled to official expenses on the scale of temporary Government commissions. The following are the particulars of the Stevenage Corporation:Chairman: Vacant.Vice-Chairman:

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he will make a further statement relating to the circumstances in which Mrs. Monica Felton was dismissed by him from the Stevenage New Town Corporation.

No. I have nothing to add to what I said last Wednesday.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he is in a position to make a statement regarding the allocation of houses in new towns, especially in regard to the new town of Hemel Hemptead.

This question is still under discussion.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning, how many of the 4,288 dwellings in Essex under construction by the London County Council in December, 1950, have now been built; how many of the 7,410 projected by that authority are now being built; and what further allocation of houses to be built by the London County Council in that area he has made.

On 31st May last, 1,672 of the 4,176 dwellings under construction at 31st December, 1950, had been completed, and 881 of the 7,163 dwellings then projected had been begun. No separate allocation is made to the London County Council for their Essex estates.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what action he is taking to bring houses into occupation in cases where leases have fallen in, and the former lease-holders have left the premises.

Local authorities may, with my authority, either buy or requisition such houses. If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind and will let me have details, I will look into it.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he is aware that new blocks of flats are still being erected without central heating being installed; whether, in view of the need for maximum fuel efficiency, he will review the situation; and what steps can be taken to ensure that such arrangements are always insisted upon when authorisation is given for the erection of blocks of flats.

I prefer to leave this to the choice of local authorities.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what surveys have been made by his Department of the sizes of households in relation to the structure of the population; whether, as a result, he has made an estimate of the proportion of houses with one, two, or three bedrooms; and what recommendations have been made to the local authorities and the new town development corporation.

I have advised local authorities and new town corporations to build a higher proportion of one and two-bedroomed houses. This advice is based on information from many sources, including studies made by my Department. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a circular which I issued on 28th April last.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what is the proportion of one. two and three bedroom houses built by local authorities since 1945.

For permanent houses completed between 1st April, 1945, and 31st March, 1951, the proportions are 5, 16 and 76 per cent., respectively; for permanent houses in approved tenders in March this year the figures are 8, 34 and 55 per cent.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what is the reason for the delay in publishing the order applied for by the West Gloucestershire Water Company to authorise them to construct works and abstract water from the Ozleworth stream at Alderley, in view of the fact that the draft order was submitted to the Minister on 29th August, 1950, the local inquiry was held on 19th December, 1950, and the Minister signified his intention to make the order in a letter to the Company dated 9th February, 1951.

It was necessary to consult all the interests affected by the Order. I published an amended Order on 13th June, and, if no further objections are made it will come into force on 12th July.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning how soon he contemplates being able to approve of the revised sewerage scheme for the fringe areas of Norwich, including in particular the proposals affecting Sprowston and Thorpe.

My officers are discussing the Sprowston and Thorpe scheme with the councils concerned on 2nd July. I hope to approve it as soon as the details are settled. The councils have not yet submitted their scheme for the other parishes.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he will authorise the erection of a bus shelter by the parish council of North Claines, Worcester, as requested in their letter to him of 6th May, 1951.

A parish council may not, but a rural district council may, erect a bus shelter. My principal regional officer will ask the Droitwich Rural District Council whether they would be willing to undertake this work.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what directions he has issued to local authorities on the question of allowing trailer caravans to be parked permanently while others are not so allowed.

None.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he will give authorisation as soon as possible to the Norfolk County Council for the expenditure of at least £1,528 upon the work involved in carrying out the private street works scheme at White Horse Drive, Dersingham, advocated recently by the Western Highways Committee of the County Council as being urgent and necessary, particularly in view of the fact that this scheme was held up in 1950.

It is for the Council to decide what work they wish to do within the total sum which I told them I can authorise this year.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he is aware that the Breconshire County Council made application over three years ago for the setting up of a joint advisory water committee for the county; and whether, in view of the continued requests by outside authorities for water supplies, he will now consider setting up such a committee for consultative purposes.

The Welsh Board of Health has been in communication with the Breconshire County Council on this question, and I am awaiting the outcome of their discussions.

asked the Minister of Works if he is satisfied that existing stocks of bricks and cement in Scotland are adequate for present-day demands; and how these compare with the corresponding totals for last year, to the nearest convenient date.

I regret that precise figures of stocks in Scotland are not available. I am assured, however, that supplies of cement are adequate to meet the present demand. Stocks of bricks are low at the brickworks but the stocks dispersed on building sites have generally been sufficient to meet immediate requirements. Production of bricks in Scotland has so far been about 16 per cent. higher than a year ago. but this has not been sufficient to meet all demands, particularly for new contracts.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that the "Burghers of Calais" in the Victoria Gardens, Millbank, are almost invisible because of the growth of trees; and if he will consider removing this group of statues to a more central position in the gardens.

The site of this statue was approved by the sculptor, M. Rodin, himself. I will see whether the trees can be pruned back, rather than use up labour and materials in moving the statue.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will now publish the report of Sir John Foster's inquiry into the deterioration of the cargo handling industry on the Merseyside in October, 1942, in view of the publication of Sir Frederick Legget's recent report on the unofficial stoppages in the London Docks.

No. The subject of that inquiry was not as suggested in the Question but was a review of the then existing Dock Labour Scheme, which has long since been superseded.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to remedy the shortage of radio officers in the Merchant Navy either by resuming grants to ex-Service telegraphists under the vocational training scheme or otherwise.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport is considering the question of the supply of radio officers for the Merchant Navy in consultation with the Ministry of Labour and other Departments concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the precentages of disabled persons and of persons over 40 years of age, respectively, registered as unemployed at the employment exchanges in Plymouth at the latest convenient date; and how these percentages compare with the averages for the whole country.

The percentage of registered disabled persons unemployed in Plymouth on 21st May, 1951, was 5.4 compared with 5.3 for the whole country. On 11th December, 1950, 53 per cent, of the total number on the registers of employment exchanges in Plymouth were over 40 years of age, compared with 52 per cent. for Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons in the electrical contracting industry in the Barnet area at 1st December last and the latest convenient date.

None at 11th December and two at 21st May.

asked the Minister of Labour for what reason it has been decided to close down the Headmasters' Employment Committee.

The Youth Employment Service in London and the Home Counties is now being provided by the local education authorities. The Ministry of Labour is, therefore, relinquishing the work on which the Headmasters' Employment Committee has hitherto advised it. I would like to take this opportunity of expressing my right hon. Friend's high appreciation of the advice and assistance received from the Committee over the many years that the Ministry was providing this service.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements he is making to deal with applications for deferment of young farmers and farm workers to be called up under the National Service Acts.

These arrangements are still under consideration and no final decision has yet been made.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the closing and failure of restaurants and catering establishments throughout the country; and if he will review the relevant sections of the Catering Wages Act, and take steps to prevent the resulting inconvenience to the public.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No"; and the second part of the Question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what complaints he has received from local authorities regarding shortages of bricks and cement.

I have received no complaints recently about cement shortages, but I have received representations from a number of local authorities regarding shortages of bricks. I am in touch with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the slow progress of land settlement, he will make a statement about land settlement policy in those parts of Scotland not included in the terms of reference of the Taylor Commission.

Current restrictions on capital investment limit the extent to which more land can be acquired or equipped at present for land settlement purposes, but as circumstances permit, it is the intention of the Government to proceed with the erection of new holdings throughout Scotland. At the present time, one new scheme for seven holdings is being constituted in the Lowlands area and one for five holdings in the Highlands.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers have gone on interchange schemes to the Dominions and/or the United States of America since the end of the war; and how many of these have been men, and how many women.

The number of teachers is 141, comprising four men and 137 women.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking, in view of the hardship resulting from the increased cost of living, to deal with the complaints of retired teachers now living on low fixed incomes.

I appreciate the difficulties in present circumstances of retired teachers on low fixed incomes. Increases in teachers' pensions, in common with those of other public employees, have already been granted under the Pensions (Increase) Acts. Further increases would require an amendment of those Acts, and on this I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24th April last to the hon. and gallant Member for Chelsea (Commander Noble).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the improvement which took place in the tuberculosis situation in 1950 has continued in 1951.

Yes. In the first quarter of 1951 there were 723 deaths from all forms of tuberculosis as compared with 826 in the first quarter of 1950. For the first 23 weeks of 1951 there were 4,489 new cases notified as compared with 4,678 in the corresponding period of 1950. Apart altogether from beds in Swiss Sanatoria, the number of beds available in Scottish hospitals for the treatment of tuberculosis increased by 176 in the first quarter of 1951. But while this trend is most encouraging, it is no reason whatever for relaxing our efforts in any way and I am still most anxious that all concerned should give first priority to the improvement of services for the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been made to local authorities for licences for self-built houses in each of the last five years, respectively; how many have been granted; and how many have been completed.

From March, 1949 when the issue of licences for this purpose began, to December, 1950, my Department authorised local authorities to issue 241 licences to people wishing to build houses with their own labour. I have no information about the licences issued since the beginning of this year. about the number of applications rejected by local authorities without reference to the Department, or about the number of houses completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of sheep worrying by dogs have been proved before the courts in the past year; and in how many instances magistrates have admonished the owners without ordering the dogs to be destroyed.

I regret that the information desired is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the terms and the sums of Economic Aid proposed for Yugoslavia, consequent upon the recent discussions between the United States of America, France and this country.

The talks between British, French and American officials about future short-term economic assistance to Yugoslavia ended on 13th June. and the three delegations are submitting unanimous recommendations to their Governments. Once these recommendations have been approved by the three Governments, my right hon. Friend will. of course, give the House details of the aid programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if His Majesty's Chargé d' Affaires in China has now been able to make any official or unofficial contacts with British prisoners of war; and if he has any information on the subject.

I can add nothing to the written replies given to the hon. and gallant Member for Bristol, North-West (Lieut.-Commander Braithwaite) and the right hon. Member for Streatham (Mr. Sandys) on 11th June regarding the same subject.

asked the Attorney-General what further consideration he has given to the possibility of referring to the Director of Public Prosecutions with a view to instituting legal proceedings the fact that the "Daily Worker" newspaper still maintains close contact with the North Korean and Chinese forces; and whether he is aware of the intense resentment that this continues to cause in this country and especially amongst British Forces in action in Korea.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Terrington Committee on the recognition of staff associations in the Post Office has yet received written submissions from all the parties concerned: and how many of the associations have so far given oral evidence.

I do not receive progress reports from the Committee, but as I informed my hon. Friend on 30th May, much written evidence has been received. As regards the second part of the Question, I understand that oral evidence has been given by three associations.

I am well aware of the intense resentment caused by the nature of the matter consistently published in the "Daily Worker." The activities of those responsible for the newspaper are already being closely watched by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Minister of Food what Commonwealth countries and Colonial Territories are supplying Great Britain with copra; and what is the price c.i.f., and the duration of the contract in each case.

We are buying copra from the principal Commonwealth and colonial producers under long-term arrangements as follow:

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent the recommendations contained in the summary of conclusions in the report of the working party on ship repairing facilities on Merseyside have been implemented.

The conclusions on which action is recommended in the Report all relate to matters which are the responsibility of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. I understand that the Board have the recommendations under active consideration at the present time.

asked the Minister of Food how much horse, whale and reindeer meat has been purchased by his Department, or by others with his consent and approval since 1st January, 1950.

All these commodities are in the hands of the private trade and none have been bought by my Department. Imports of reindeer meat and horse meat are not separately recorded in the official trade returns and I cannot, therefore, say what quantities have been purchased by private traders. According to the latest available official trade returns 208,142 cwts. of whale meat were imported in the period 1st January, 1950, to 30th April, 1951, of which 187,453 cwts. were brought to this country by the British whaling fleet.

asked the Minister of Food why he has not accepted the 250,000 sheep which are offered in Cyrenaica.

In view of the difficulty of securing adequate animal disease control in Cyrenaica the Government cannot, at present, regard that country as a suitable source of meat supplies.