asked the Secretary of State for War how many soldiers re-engaged between 1st September, 1950, and 1st January, 1951, and became ineligible for the gratuity of £25 for technical reasons.

There is no re-engagement gratuity of £25.

asked the Secretary of State for War what progress he can now report in arrangements for the re-creation of the Home Guard.

Preparatory work by home commands is now proceeding rapidly. At an appropriate stage I will make a statement on the progress which has been made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what instructions he has given to the banks, directly or through the Bank of England, for the limitation of the interest rate on deposit accounts; and if he is satisfied that this limitation is universally applied.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is yet in a position to make any statement on the progress of a double taxation agreement between His Majesty's Government and the Belgian Government.

I hope that discussions will be resumed early next month.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what irrevocable instructions in a form satisfactory to His Majesty's Government as provided for in Article 13 of the Anglo-Polish Trade and Financial Agreement, 1949, were given by the Polish Government to ensure payments due to this country under Articles 15 and 17 of the same agreement.

The National Bank of Poland instructed the Bank of England to transfer forthwith to the Public Trustee all sums received for the credit of the National Bank's No. 3 Account.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list the everyday necessities which were relieved of Purchase Tax in this year's Budget and state the pecuniary value of the relief so given in respect of each article; in what cases the Purchase Tax relief has or has not been passed on to the consumer by a proportionate or any decrease in the retail price; and whether he will make a statement.

The classes of goods relieved from Purchase Tax are set out in the Fifth Schedule to the Finance Bill. In practically every case the items specified cover a wide range of individual articles with values varying according to their composition and quality and it would be impossible to assess the exact amount of monetary relief in every instance. As regards the second part of the Question, detailed information is not available but in the case of all goods subject to price control the maximum retail price has been adjusted accordingly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims for the repayment of Income Tax were received by the Inland Revenue Department more than three months ago and are still unsettled; what proportion those unsettled cases are of the total number of repayment claims received; and how many of the unsettled cases are for sums exceeding £1,000.

At 4th June, 1951, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 8,939 unsettled claims which had been in hand for more than three months; this represents one-third of 1 per cent. of a year's intake of claims. I cannot say how many of the unsettled claims involved more than £1,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rebate is given in respect of Customs duty and Purchase Tax paid on imported sample goods when such goods are sent out of the country again.

Imported samples of no commercial value are generally admitted free of Customs duty and Purchase Tax. Other imported sample goods can be released either under bond, or on payment of Customs charges and Purchase Tax which are returned on export.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he had with the banks before their recent decision to increase loan charges; and what advice he gave.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amounts of Treasury 2½ per cent. Stock held by Government Departments, respectively; and the purchase price.

It would not be in the public interest to give this information.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the amounts of securities held by Government Departments, respectively, at the latest available date; and their purchase price.

I would refer the bon. Member to the above reply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how the principle of assessing a married woman's earned income separately from her husband's earnings is affected by his regulations in respect of the fiscal year in which she ceases to be employed; and whether the concession is then withdrawn with the effect that her earnings for that year are assessed with her husband's earnings;(2) if he is aware that a married woman who ceases to be employed during the fiscal year and applies for a rebate of Income Tax payments has her earned income for that year assessed jointly with her husband's income thereby losing the benefit of separate assessment; and if he will take steps to remedy this hardship;(3) why a married woman who leaves employment in the course of the fiscal year is not entitled to an adjustment of her Income Tax payments unless she makes a claim for adjustment before the end of the fiscal year in which she has ceased to be employed.

The normal rule is that the income of a married woman living with her husband is treated as income of the husband for Income Tax purposes. But either husband or wife, by making a claim before 6th July in the year of assessment, may have the two incomes assessed separately. The allowances to which both parties are entitled are then divided between them in proportion to their respective incomes. A claim to separate assessment continues to have effect until revoked, and is not affected by the nature of the wife's income or if she is in employment, by her ceasing to be employed. I am not clear exactly what type of case my hon. Friend has in mind, but if he will send me particulars I shall be glad to look into the matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the proposal of the Football League to increase minimum admission charges, despite the assurance they gave to his predecessor, in return for a tax concession, to maintain a minimum charge of is. 3d.; and if he will now cancel this concession.

Yes. But the assurance to which my hon. Friend refers related specifically to the reduction in price in 1946 from 1s. 6d. to 1s. 3d. and I am satisfied that it cannot possibly be regarded as binding the League to keep the minimum charge at 1s. 3d. indefinitely despite changed conditions. I therefore do not consider that I should on that account be justified in increasing the duty which was reduced in 1946.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on what date the new edition of the Index of Statutory Rules and Orders will be published.

Any index published now must clearly be related to the new edition, of Statutory Rules and Orders and Statutory Instruments which is now in course of publication. When all the volumes of this edition have appeared it will be possible to issue a comprehensive index which will have the advantage of covering all Instruments in force up to the end of 1951. We expect that such an index will appear in the early months of 1952.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what information he has to the extent to which publishers of books in Great Britain are obliged to place orders for printing outside the United Kingdom owing to the shortage of paper; and what steps are being taken to provide sufficient paper to British printing firms in order that they can meet the needs of the publishers.

I am aware of one or two cases in which, for the reason stated, printing orders have been placed abroad, but the extent to which it is necessary to do this is likely to be small. The production of printing and writing papers (other than newsprint) is now at about 99 per cent. of pre-war level and latest information from the mills is that more paper has been supplied to book publishers so far this year than during the corresponding period of 1950. Facilities have already been provided for the import of all the essential paper making raw materials that can be obtained, and the paper and printing trades are co-operating in a voluntary priority scheme designed to safeguard essential needs and afford fair treatment for the small printer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in the next Census of Production, he will obtain information on rents, rates, taxes and depreciation.

The scope of the Census of Production in respect of the year 1951 was announced in the Board of Trade Journal of 6th January last. From that announcement, it will be seen that information about rents, rates, taxes and depreciation will not be included in the Census of Production for 1951. Statistics of trading profits and depreciation allowances by trade groups were published in Cmd. 8052 and in forthcoming reports of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue it is proposed to publish information on these subjects and on the division of net profits between tax, dividends and sums placed to reserve.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Australian wool prices have fallen to the level of August, 1950; and whether he proposes to cancel increases in the prices of utility clothing made since that date.

I am watching closely the prices of raw wool, which have now fallen approximately to the levels ruling in the two months following the opening of the Australian auctions last August. None of the current maximum prices reflect the high level which the price of raw wool reached earlier this year. If the price of raw wool falls below the levels reflected in current maximum prices of clothing, these latter prices will, of course, be reviewed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the Government's present policy in regard to the capital investment programme, he will give an assurance that priority will continue to be given to industrial projects in the Development Areas.

My hon. Friend can rest assured that, within the limits imposed by the investment programme restrictions on new industrial building, we shall continue to give sympathetic consideration to projects in the Development Areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade by what proportion laundry profits have gone up since the rise in laundry prices was allowed; and whether he will now order a return to lower prices.

I am not aware that laundry profits have risen since the increase in maximum charges in January this year, to which I presume my hon. Friend refers. This increase was no more than sufficient to cover certain increases in costs which could not be absorbed without reducing profits to an unreasonably low level. There have subsequently been further increases in costs, which the Central Price Regulation Committee are now considering.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he will consider issuing building licences directly to owners of plots who have secured planning permission from the appropriate local authority whilst resident in another local authority area.

No. This is a matter for the local authorities, and, if both authorities agree, a licence issued to one area can be issued to another.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning how many private building licences have been allocated to Stroud Urban District Council for the last three consecutive years.

Six, twenty-one and four, respectively.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether, in view of the further representations that have been made to him, he is now prepared to hold a public inquiry into the proposed acquisition of Lea Copse, Finchampstead, as a grenade range.

No. This site has already been agreed between the War Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and the local authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning how many local planning authorities have submitted to him development plans in accordance with Section 5 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947; and how many have been granted extensions of time beyond 1st July, 1951, within which to submit them.

Nine local planning authorities have so far submitted development plans; 14 more will do so by 1st July; 113 have asked for and have been granted extensions; 20 of these extensions are for a few weeks only, until the next meeting of the local planning authorities. Ten others have not yet asked for extensions, but are expected to do so.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what are the qualifications and experience of Mr. John Corina, the vice-chairman of the Stevenage Development Corporation.

Mr. John Corina has had long experience in business and estate management.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he is aware of the delay in the completion of the Hug Bridge Water Scheme at Congleton; and what steps he is taking to facilitate completion of this work.

No. I have told the borough council that the final stage in the scheme will be authorised as soon as a satisfactory tender has been received.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he will state the number of permanent council houses which have been allocated to the City of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1949, 1950 and 1951, respectively; the number of permanent council houses which have been completed during 1949 and 1950, and the number so far completed during 1951; and how many it is thought will be completed during 1951 so far as can be estimated.

The number of houses allocated were 1,040, 1,200 and 1,000 respectively. Of these, private licences were issued for 152, 111 and 49. The number of council houses completed were 381,288 and in 1951 up to the end of May,149.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he is aware that defence rearmament work in the Watford area will be hampered by absence of houses for additional workers, while housing at Hemel Hempstead will be ready before the industries are available to absorb the labour which can be housed there; and whether he will consider varying his policy in respect to new towns and allow these houses to be used temporarily for new re-armament labour required in the Watford area.

I have received no representations that defence work at Watford will be hampered by lack of houses. At Hemel Hempstead housing and employment in the new town are marching in step.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether, in view of the fact that a pair of low-cost houses, incorporating the design originally submitted to the Government by the Eastern Federation of Building Trades Employers, is now being erected by private enterprise at Ipswich, he will examine these houses, when completed, and reconsider his objection to their erection by local authorities.

The living rooms and bedrooms in these houses are too small, and they are inferior in other respects to local authority houses now being built in the same area, and are only £15 cheaper.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether, in view of the large number of derequisitioned houses in Kingsbridge, Devon, requiring repair, and in view of the great shortage of accommodation, he will increase the building licensing quota to such extent as will cover repairs to derequisitioned houses over a convenient period.

No, but the council have been told that my regional officers will consider any urgent cases for which the council cannot provide out of their quota.

asked the Minister of works whether, in view of the continuing unsatisfactory state of deliveries in building materials in the north-east of Scotland, he will take urgent action to increase supplies of plasterboard.

The production of plasterboard which has been seriously limited by restricted supplies of paper is now increasing and I do not doubt that the north-east of Scotland will share in the improvement.

asked the Minister of Works if he will now grant a licence for the building of shops and flats at Nos. 5, 6 and 7 Greyhound Parade, Wembley.

No.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that the allocation of building licences in different parts of the country varies very widely; and if he will make a statement concerning the principle on which his Department proceeds.

The answer to the first part of the Question is, "No." The amount of building work over the country as a whole is determined by the capital investment programme. The control of operations in particular areas is determined by the size of the building labour force and the load of work on local resources.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that the building of houses in Bristol is not receiving the necessary priority in the provision of labour and materials and that the progress of housing is being adversely affected by the granting of licences for buildings other than housing; and what steps he is taking to remedy these deficiencies.

No. I have no evidence that housing progress is being affected by excessive licensing of other work.

asked the Minister of Works what was the value of the building licences granted in Bristol during the year 1950 and up to the most convenient date this year.

The total value of building licences for work of all kinds issued in Bristol during the year 1950 was £3,850,000. For the months January to May, 1951, the corresponding total was £1,740,000.

asked the Minister of Works when he will make the order for the control of building operations for the period commencing on 1st July next; and if he will now state the limits of the licence-free amounts which may be spent in the next 12 months.

A new order, the Control of Building Operations (No. 16) Order, 1951, has been laid today, continuing for the year beginning 1st July, 1951, the existing exemption limits for licensed and authorised building under Defence Regulation 56A.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will now make a statement on the services provided by his staff in India based on the recent inspection of the work there.

The staff in New Delhi are concerned with the hiring, adaptation, maintenance and furnishing of office and residential accommodation for all United Kingdom civil staffs in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Burma and Ceylon. The work has now decreased, and I have been able to reduce the staff by nine.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that the sticky-board method of catching mice recently employed by his Department in the office of His Majesty's Inspector of Taxes, 29, Camberwell Road, S.E.5, has been followed by a protest by the staff against the cruelty involved; and whether he will cause more humane methods of destruction to be used in future.

No. I am not aware of any protest and I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for Ton-bridge (Mr. G. Williams), on 26th June of last year.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware of the disappointment of visitors on learning that the Tower of London is closed to them on Sundays; and if he will consider opening it on Sundays as soon as possible.

I sympathise with the suggestion, but there are problems to overcome and I am consulting the other authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Works how many building trade operatives there are now in Bristol; how many of these are engaged on the building of dwelling-houses; and how many on other types of buildings.

The number of building and civil engineering operatives working in Bristol is estimated to be about 10,400. Of this total about 2,800 are engaged on the erection of new houses and flats; and about 2,600 on other housing work. Some 2,000 are employed on other new building and civil engineering work; and about 3,000 on repairs and maintenance work other than housing.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware of the shortage of bricks in the Macclesfield area; and what steps he is taking to implement further supplies.

I have heard that there has been a shortage at Macclesfield and my regional officers are doing their best to suggest alternative sources of supply.

asked the Minister of Works how many temporary housing estates constructed during the war are still owned and managed by his Department; and how many are under the management of a qualified woman housing manager.

Seventeen married quarters estates erected during the 1939–45 war are still held and managed by my Department pending disposal. Most of these estates are managed through agents. No woman manager is employed by the Department.

asked the Minister of Works how many houses in Cardiff were occupied by Government Departments at the latest convenient date; and how many houses will be released when the new Government offices in Cathays Park are tenanted.

Fifty-six houses are at present occupied by Government Departments; six of these will be released when the new Government offices are occupied.

asked the Minister of Works if, in view of the criticisms of the financing of the Festival Gardens Ltd., as outlined in Command Paper No. 8277, he will give an undertaking that in future all contracts will be placed at open tender

asked the Minister of Labour if electricians working underground in a coal mine are liable to be called-up for military service in the event of war.

It is the practice of the Ministry of Works to seek competitive tenders on a fixed price basis, from a limited number of selected firms. This is in accordance with the conclusions of the Central Council for Works and Buildings which reported in 1944 on the placing and management of building contracts, and those of the Working Party on the Building Industry in 1950. The use of the cost plus system cannot be avoided altogether but it is only resorted to in very exceptional circumstances.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men and women are unemployed in the City of Aberdeen; in what trades; and how these figures compare with the figures in the same trades there this time last year.

The following table gives the information desired:

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to men with a liability to recall as Z or equivalent reservists. Under the present arrangements, which are provisional and subject to review, a colliery electrician might be recalled in an emergency but only if he was urgently required for service in a capacity for which his previous experience in the Forces made him specially suitable.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish a statement upon the restrictive practices acknowledged to exist in the dock industry and referred to in the Leggett Report.

No. The recommendations in the Leggett Report are now being reviewed by the various parties interested, and pending the results of this review it would be inappropriate for me to make a statement on any one point in the Report.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will arrange to hold an inquiry into some of the new and successful wages systems introduced by certain engineering firms and for the publication of the results.

The principles underlying the various forms of wage incentive schemes have recently been published in a booklet (Wage Incentive Schemes Industrial Relations Handbook Supplement No. 4 H.M.S.O. 1s. 6d.) which was prepared by my Department with the cooperation of the National Joint Advisory Council. The booklet also gives details of particular schemes in a variety of industries.

asked the Minister of Labour what facilities at present exist in North Staffordshire for the training and employment of disabled persons; and how far these facilities are being used.

In the pottery industry there are a number of vacancies for this purpose. In Government training centres and technical colleges in the Midlands there are training courses available in a wide variety of occupations and residential courses are provided in various parts of the country for more seriously disabled persons, including the blind. All these centres have vacancies. For severely disabled persons there are Remploy factories at Stoke-on-Trent, Longton and Newcastle-under-Lyme, at which 181 persons are at present employed. This provision will be extended as rapidly as possible. In May, 1951, there were 712 disabled persons unemployed in North Staffordshire compared with 1,096 a year earlier.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of workers in agriculture in England and Wales and Scotland, respectively; and how many agricultural workers have been called up in each respective country.

Including both regular and casual workers, but excluding working principals, the numbers employed in agriculture at March, 1951, were: England, 611,800; Wales, 45,900; Scotland, 102,200. Since February, 1946, no man employed as a regular whole-time agricultural worker in one of the main agricultural occupations has been called up under the National Service Acts and very few of those employed in subsidiary occupations. The precise number in the latter category is not known.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the quantity of the 1950 catch of kippered herring exported to North America by the Herring Industry Board; the date and quantity of each shipment; the quantities sold each month; and the costs incurred, including accrued cold-storage charges to the latest date.

About 600 tons of kippers and bloaters were exported to North America in 1950 including 320 tons exported by a co-operative organisation in which the Herring Industry Board and kipperers are associated and in which the Board have a financial interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now make a statement on the proposed scheme for linking Burra Isle and Trondra to the mainland of Shetland.

A scheme to link Trondra and Burra Islands to the mainland is under consideration. The proposals raise a number of difficult issues and the examination is not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects that a flat rate for the carriage of fish from Aberdeen to the large consuming centres in England and Scotland will be restored.

This appears to be a matter for negotiation between the interests concerned in Aberdeen and the railway authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is now the extent of B.C.G. vaccination against tuberculosis.

B.C.G. vaccination is available to nurses and medical students, and, in most areas, persons who have been exposed to tuberculosis infection. Over 10,000 persons have been vaccinated in Scotland since November, 1949.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent Scottish secondary schools are at present short of fully-qualified science teachers; and what is the outlook for the coming session.

There are about 1,050 fully-qualified science teachers in Scotland. Another 120 would bring staffing to a satisfactory standard. I fear that this will continue to be the position in the coming session.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by whom the charge was made against Police Constable James Coutts for stealing £20 from a club at 287, High Street, Glasgow; why the charge was dropped after his appearance at the Central Police Court on 30th April, 1951; what were the reasons for his subsequent resignation from the police force; why this case was withheld from the Press; if he is aware that this constable had a key of the club premises tied to his braces; and if the Secretary of State had this dossier before him when he exonerated the Glasgow police in his letter to the Press of 17th June.

Since, in the opinion of my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate, there was not sufficient evidence in law to warrant proceedings this charge was dropped on 5th May. The resignation was accepted on the 3rd May by the Chief Constable on the ground that it was in the public interest that Coutts should no longer remain in the force. It is the case that he had a key of the premises. It is, as far as I know, untrue that this case was withheld from the Press. Certainly Coutts appeared publicly in the Central Police Court on two occasions, Pressmen were present and the proceedings were reported. After considering the circumstances, I see no reason for departing from the conclusion which I intimated to the hon. Member in my letter to him of 16th June.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions for speeding with heavy and light motor vehicles, respectively, were made in Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court during the first six months of 1949; and the number of cases in each class reported by the police in which no action was taken.

There were 16 prosecutions for speeding with motor vehicles in the Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court during the first six months of 1949: nine were in respect of heavy vehicles and seven in respect of light vehicles. No action was taken in respect of one light vehicle reported by the police.

asked the Lord Advocate if he is aware that an east end of Glasgow man was arrested on Saturday night charged with breach of the peace, conveyed to the police station by the police van and subsequently transferred to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, where he died; by what surgeon his death certificate was signed; the cause of death; and whether a public inquiry will be held on this case.

I have received a preliminary report regarding the death of John Phillips, who, I presume, is the individual referred to in my hon. Friend's Question. A post mortem was carried out on the body of this man, which disclosed that death was due to alcoholic intoxication and oedema of the brain, and that dural adhesions, following upon an operation some two years ago for the removal of a cerebral tumour, were contributory factors. The death only occurred on 16th June, 1951, and a full report has not yet been submitted to me by the Procurator Fiscal. On receipt of the Procurator Fiscal's report I shall decide whether the circumstances call for a fatal accident inquiry.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation how much has been expended by the Government on the acquisition of land, properties and equipment at Prestwick; and what progress has been made in completing the arrangements for the transfer of all land and equipment to his Department.

The greater part of the buildings at Prestwick Airport were erected at State expense. The bulk of the land and property to be acquired by purchase is owned by Scottish Aviation Ltd. A compulsory purchase order has been made in respect of this property but in default of agreement, the purchase price is being referred to arbitration. For the rest, rather more than £30,000 has already been expended on the purchase of buildings and property on or in the vicinity of Prestwick Airport and it is expected that the balance will be acquired shortly.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he has considered the representations, on their behalf, which he has received from the ex-Service organisations and war pensions committees; and what action he proposes to take.

I can assure the hon. Member that the views of the ex-Service organisations and war pensions committees received the most careful consideration before I announced to the House on 17th April the substantial improvements made in the war pensions provisions. These improvements had effect from the first pay day in June.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that delegates at the recent Annual Conference of the British Legion, whilst thanking the Government for the improvements in supplementary allowances for disability pensioners, expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the basic rate had not been increased; and whether further consideration will be given to this matter, having regard to the present-day purchasing value of the £ sterling.

I am unable to add to the statement on this matter made by the Chancellor in his Budget speech.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many widows of ex-Service men of the 1914–18 war are still in receipt of widows' pensions and other allowances; and what is the average amount received.

The number is approximately 100,000 and the average annual value £106.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that the shortage of raw materials particularly steel for shipbuilding has caused unemployment in Aberdeen; and if he will take steps to increase and maintain a sufficient supply to enable the shipyards there to complete their orders and maintain full employment.

The shortage of raw materials such as iron and steel is not confined to Aberdeen, but is affecting all districts. Urgent consideration is being given to the re-introduction of the control of distribution of steel and I would ask my hon. and learned Friend to await the statement which will be made on this subject later this week.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will make a statement on the recently-announced plans for development in the electronics industry.

Details of this scheme have already appeared in the Press, but my right hon. Friend and I are glad to take this opportunity of telling the House that we welcome it.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why parents are not permitted to take their children under five years of age into the Festival Exhibition; and whether be will give instructions for the present regulations to be amended so as to make this possible.

After careful consideration of this question before The South Bank Exhibition opened, a decision was reached that children under five should not be admitted because of the unsuitability of the exhibition for them and having regard to general safety precautions. There is no crèche or similar facility where very young children can play while their parents tour the exhibition. The Festival Office recently reviewed this decision and are adhering to it as a general principle. I am not prepared to reverse this decision which, on balance, appears to me to be right.

asked the Minister of Health how much excess money, paid to them under the existing pricing scheme for the National Health Service, have chemists been required to refund.

Precise information is not available, but I have no reason to suppose that the amount involved is large.

asked the Minister of Health how much has been, or will be, paid to doctors at Brighton and Hove for vaccination returns sent in covering vaccinations performed in January and February, 1951.

Brighton, £13,500 (for quarter ended 31st March, 1951, no separate figures for January and February being available). Hove, £4,504.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that the decline in diphtheria cases and deaths in 1949, as compared with 1945, was as great in the unimmunised section of children under 15 years of age as in the immunised section, he will reconsider his policy in regard to immunisation.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the procedure regarding the exercise of clemency in respect of war criminals in Germany.

His Majesty's Government have decided that there should be a change in the procedure at present in force regarding the general power of clemency in respect of war criminals condemned by British military courts in Germany which has, during the past two years, been exercised by the United Kingdom Military Governor or High Commissioner in Germany. In future this power will be exercised on my advice. Similar arrangements are being made in regard to Austria.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the average time an applicant for a telephone in the Cheltenham area has to wait before his order is fulfilled.

Service is provided in a few weeks in priority cases where plant is available; no estimate can be made of the average time for completion where new plant has to be provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what access had Mr. Donald Maclean to atomic energy matters when he was employed in His Majesty's Embassy in Washington.

Between January, 1947, and August, 1948, Mr. Maclean was concerned in His Majesty's Embassy at Washington with the political aspects of atomic energy matters, and with the discussions which took place during that period about co-operation in this field between the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Mr. Maclean had no access to confidential technical information, and his connection with atomic energy matters ceased finally in August. 1948.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he gave to the comparative rates of fares for taxis in Continental capitals, in London and in other towns in this country before raising the London prices.

As I have already explained, my decision was based on an examination of the costs of operating taxicabs in London: a comparison between London fares and fares in continental capitals or in other towns in this country is bound to be misleading, since there are important differences in the conditions or operation. It is, however, the case that the fares now in force in London compare favourably with the fares in force in a number of the provincial towns where fares are contained in by-laws which I have confirmed.