asked the Minister of Health in view of the fact that it is expected to be several years before a hospital is built in the new town of Harlow, what steps are being taken to ensure the opening of additional wards in Haymeads Hospital, Bishops Stortford and St. Margaret's Hospital, Epping, to meet the needs of the new town.

The regional board hope there will be another 30 beds available by the end of the year at St. Margaret's Hospital. Efforts are being made to recruit additional nurses, on which the opening of other wards there and in the group which includes Haymeads Hospital depends.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the population of the new town of Harlow will reach at least 10,000 long before the new hospital is provided? Will the action he has mentioned be adequate to cope with the population?

I am well aware that it will take some time to build a new hospital. Meanwhile, 200 additional beds could be provided now if the nurses were available.

asked the Minister of Health what is the number of persons awaiting the issue of Medresco hearing aids in the borough of Croydon at the latest convenient date.

I regret that the information could not be obtained without disproportionate labour.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that the supply of these appliances will be speeded up, because my information is that the number of applicants is rapidly increasing?

I was able to give some figures a week or two ago which showed that, month by month, there is a steady increase in the number of appliances provided.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say, roughly, how long a person has to wait for one of these appliances? My information is that it is a very long time.

I should hesitate to give an estimate, even roughly.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to enable people in the counties of Pembroke, Cardigan and Carmarthen, who are in need of hearing aids, to be examined and fitted without having to travel to Swansea.

I am informed that arrangements have already been made for patients to be examined at Carmarthen and Aberystwyth, and that the regional hospital board are considering the possibility of starting sub-centres there for the distribution of aids.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, in the last week or two, old people have had to make long journeys, involving something like 160 miles on a round trip, in order to receive their hearing aids? Will he look into the matter again and have the arrangements speeded up?

I have looked into the matter since my hon. Friend put his Question down, and I think he would agree that, if we establish a centre at Carmarthen, it should greatly reduce this delay.

Can my hon. Friend say what the position in regard to hearing aids would have been if the Opposition had been successful in the election?

asked the Minister of Health whether he is yet in a position to make a statement on the inquiry into the circumstances leading to the death of five year old Eileen Cunliffe of Bradford.

There has been a special committee of inquiry on this case and their report has been before the hospital management committee. It is right that the whole matter should now go before the regional hospital board, at their meeting in the middle of next month, and while I am anxious to make as early a statement as possible about this unhappy case I think I should wait till after that meeting.

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the very grave concern caused by this case, in which this grievously injured child was taken from hospital to hospital and not admitted? Would he press on with this matter? Surely he would agree that the inability of the National Health Service to accept really urgent cases would be a very serious matter.

Yes, Sir. The concern of all involved was brought to my attention at once by the hon. Member for the constituency in which the child lived. There was no avoidable delay in making inquiries. I was unable to carry out the preliminary inquiry until certain material witnesses had been found. They were away on holiday, and as soon as they came back we got on with the inquiry.

As the Parliamentary representative for the constituency in which this child lived, and as I put down a Question immediately after this occurrence and agreed to defer it until 26th July, in order to allow the regional hospital board to report fully to the Ministry, will my right hon. Friend be able to give a full answer on 26th July?

The board will meet on 12th July. I should certainly be able to make a statement by the 26th.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this child was taken to three hospitals, all of which had accommodation and could have admitted the child, but was turned away? Will he ensure that until the regional hospital board meet there will be no chance of a recurrence of an incident of this kind?

I am aware of those facts, and I regard them very seriously.

asked the Minister of Health how the reduction made by him of £1,100,000 in the annual estimates of the Leeds Regional Hospital Board has been apportioned as between administration and medical and hospital services; how many officers and servants have been dismissed or by what total amount establishments have been reduced; and what has been the overall effect on the bed accommodation within the region.

The Regional Hospital Board have recast their estimates in such a way that direct comparison between the three heads of those originally made and those now presented to me would be misleading. I will write to the hon. Member explaining in detail what has been done. So far, I have only partial information of consequential reductions in staff, and I have received no proposals for closing beds.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the Leeds Regional Hospital Board have housed themselves in the largest and most luxurious hotel in Harrogate, and that they keep gardeners, grow plants and show them at horticultural exhibitions? Will he see that there is a cut in this gross extravagance before there is any cut in hospital beds?

That is another question.

asked the Minister of Health what were the terms of the offer to increase the remuneration of doctors under the National Health Scheme; what were the conditions attached to this offer; and if he will give an assurance that in the event of a refusal by the medical profession he will send the case to arbitration.

I will send my hon. Friend a copy of the letter addressed to the British Medical Association. As regards the last part of the Question, I will consider this issue if it arises.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it has been reported that the offer made to the medical fraternity was refused, because the condition attached to it was that they should save on their drug bills? If that is not so, will he contradict it? If he cannot come to an agreement with the Association, will he refer the matter to arbitration on similar lines to arbitration in industrial disputes?

I think that my hon. Friend is somewhat misinformed. I invited the General Practices Committee to join a working party with certain suggested terms of reference. I have not yet received any reply to that invitation, which is now being considered by the general body of doctors.

Was not one of the suggestions made in the correspondence and exchanges to which the Minister has referred that part, or all, of the additional remuneration should come through savings in prescribing?

One of the items which it was suggested that the working party should consider was how far there could be some saving on the drug bill.

In view of the interest in this matter and the fact that all hon. Members have doctors in their constituencies, could not this letter be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT?

Yes, Sir. I have no objection to that.

Is it not correct that an offer of£2 million was made on condition that this amount was saved by cutting the use of expensive drugs?

No, Sir, it is not.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements have been made to protect doctors serving in the Territorial Forces against loss of practice in the event of their being called up for service.

I am discussing the matter with the British Medical Association.

Will the Minister expedite the completion of arrangements of the nature suggested, because there is a good deal of uncertainty amongst doctors already attached to the Territorial Forces? There may be some reluctance to get new doctors, in view of the present uncertainty.

Yes, Sir. I will certainly do all I can to expedite that, but I am still waiting for a reply to an invitation to have a discussion.

asked the Minister of Health the number of domiciliary confinements attended by midwives in the Wolverhampton County Borough during 1950 and the number of cases in which gas and air analgesia was administered; and whether he will take steps to ensure that more than five gas and air machines are made available in this county borough.

The numbers are respectively 1,485 and 473. I am looking into the question of the number of gas and air machines provided.

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that for only 473 mothers to have this assistance, out of a total of 1,485, is not a very good record for a great county borough? Will he ask Wolverhampton to see whether they cannot do a little bit better in this matter?

The percentage is lower than the national average percentage, and, as I have said, I am looking into the reasons for that.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many of the people who advise him on this subject have ever had a baby themselves?

Could my right hon. Friend tell the House whether he has any information from this area as to other and alternative methods of anæsthesia that are now used? Does he agree that gas and air machines are not necessarily the best types?

I should like to have notice of both those questions.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the fact that in Burtonon-Trent only 5 per cent. of the women attended in domiciliary confinements by midwives in the public service during 1950 had gas and air analgesia administered to them; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made as to the factors which have led to this state of affairs.

Yes, Sir; and I am looking into the matter.

Will the Minister also look back over the record of Burton-on-Trent, which has always been one of the worst in the matter of administering analgesia? Will he bear in mind the suggestion of the hon. Gentleman behind him that he should inquire whether pethidine or any other form is being used, and report on both these cases within the next month?

I am arranging for a special inquiry to be made immediately.

asked the Minister of Health when it is proposed to repair and rebuild the bomb-damaged portions of St. Thomas's Hospital.

Repairs have been in progress continuously since the hospital was damaged. Reconstruction will take place as rapidly as building and other difficulties permit.

Would it not have been much better, instead of pandering to Morrison's vanity, to have rebuilt St. Thomas's Hospital, instead of putting up a "Vanity Fun Fair "? Answer that one.

In view of the fact that the site of this hospital is situated in the very centre of London, and is a very historical spot, has not its present state a very bad effect on our prestige, since foreign visitors go by it? Is it not monstrous that, six years after the end of the war, this work is not finished? Will the Minister personally look into it?

Yes, Sir. We have the plans in front of us, and they are being studied at the moment. I think that the start of the reconstruction will not be very far distant.

asked the Minister of Health the reason for the delays on the part of his Department in making payments in connection with the National Health Scheme; and, in particular, why on 31st March of this year the sum of £1,170,000 was owing to a firm the name of which has been sent to him.

asked the Minister of Health what is now the average delay in making the final payments to chemists; and whether this is still increasing.

Final payments are delayed because the pricing of prescriptions is in arrears, but all chemists receive advances each month and supplementary payments whenever these are justified. The approximate average delay in authorising final payments is nine months. The speed of pricing is steadily increasing, and I hope that it will shortly keep pace with current work.

Would the Minister answer my Question—why £1,170.000 was due to a particular firm?

I do not know how much was due to any particular firm.

Having regard to the fact that I communicated the name of the firm to the right hon. Gentleman, and that the figures were contained in the annual report of that company, surely his Department could have taken the trouble to check them up?

Yes, Sir, but these payments are made locally on a regional basis, and there is no reason why I should seek to find out how much is due to one particular firm.

Is my right hon. Friend willing to meet representatives of the chemists to discuss their problems with him, especially ways of speeding up the check-up?

Consultations are continually going on with their representatives on this matter, and a significant improvement has already been achieved.

Are the pricing offices still taking between four and a half and five weeks to price four weeks' prescriptions?

Yes, Sir, I think that is about accurate. [Laughter.] I do not see much sense in laughing at this. There has been an enormous quantity of prescriptions to be priced, and it has been difficult to get expert staff. Additional staff has been taken on, and has now been trained, and we are at the point at which we can almost overcome these arrears. Meanwhile, no injustice is done to anybody, as substantial advances are made. I do not think that anybody is worse off.

What rate of interest is paid to the chemists who are having to wait so long for their money?

asked the Minister of Health how many dentures were authorised for National Health patients in the four weeks prior to 10th April, 1951; and how many were so authorised in the four weeks subsequent to a charge being imposed.

The figures are 222,023 and 209,514 respectively, but the latter figure includes many cases where the contract between dentist and patient was made before the charge took effect.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to mitigate the overcrowding of the hospitals and the pressure of work on general practitioners, which is resulting in a decline in the quality and status of general practice.

I do not accept the suggestion in the second part of the Question. Hospital and specialist services, including out-patient services, are being extended as resources allow. I have done what is possible to discourage unnecessary demands on general practitioners.

Is the Minister aware that his answer is so feeble that I cannot find words to put a supplementary?

asked the Minister of Health how many hospital beds are available in Birmingham for chronic sick persons; if he will state the number of patients at present awaiting admission: and what steps are being taken to overcome the existing shortage of beds.

There are 1,595 beds and a waiting list of 188. A new unit of 20 beds will be opened shortly. The regional hospital board are seeking to recruit more nurses and thus make more beds available.

Is the Minister aware that considerable anxiety is being experienced at the length of time which people are having to wait before they can be admitted to hospital? Is he satisfied that the regional hospital boards could not consider an improvement in this position?

Yes, Sir. I am satisfied that the regional boards are considering the matter. Here again, as in so many cases, we have improved on the conditions which we found when we established the Health Service.

asked the Minister of Health what charge can be made under his regulations on a dependant for the maintenance of a patient in a mental hospital.

None, Sir, unless there were an agreement between the parties for special accommodation under Section 4 or Section 5 of the National Health Service Act, 1946.

If I send the right hon. Gentleman details of a case in which a charge has been made, would he be kind enough to look into it?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Labour whether His Majesty's Government accept the findings of the Leggett Committee on unofficial dock strikes.

As I informed the hon. Member on 5th June, this is under discussion with representatives of the industry, and I must conclude these discussions before reaching a decision.

As the right hon. Gentleman seems to be so reluctant to commit His Majesty's Government one way or the other on this Report, will he give an assurance to the House that he will make an interim statement on the progress of the negotiations before the House rises for the Summer Recess?

I am perfectly certain that neither the hon. Member nor the House will expect me to arrive at a decision before I have had an opportunity of considering the views of the organisations primarily concerned.

Now that the restrictive practices in the dock industry so often denied to exist are now openly acknowledged in this Report, will the right hon. Gentleman consider publishing a full list of these practices to facilitate discussion with both sides of the industry, with a view to seeing that they are removed?

It is not necessary for me to produce a list of restrictive practices to facilitate discussion. There is good will all round, and I want to maintain it.

Does the Minister intend To carry out the disciplinary measures recommended in the Report against the minority of men causing trouble in the docks? If so, can he take action quickly, so that further trouble will not occur?

I shall make a statement to the House as soon as I have concluded all the discussions.

asked the Minister of Labour whether arising out of the Leggett Report he is conferring with interested parties on Merseyside.

Though this Report deals only with London, some of its recommendations may affect other ports. My consultations are accordingly with the National bodies which cover the whole country, including Merseyside.

In view of the great interest in this matter, which has been stimulated by this sincere and admirable Report, will the right hon. Gentleman expedite his inquiries so that the House may have an early opportunity of discussing it?

I am sure the right hon. Gentleman will appreciate from the actions I have already taken that I am always anxious to expedite these matters, but what we want is a satisfactory conclusion, and I am sure that if he leaves it with me it will turn out all right.

Will my right hon. Friend see that all the ports who have an interest in the matter are consulted. so that if there is a change all those interested in it can put forward their points of view?

That is why, although this is a London Report, I am asking national bodies to discuss it.

asked the Minister of Labour how many ex-officers of 50 years of age and over have been placed in suitable employment during the three months ended 31st March.

Statistics of placings by age groups are not available. For the three months ended 16th April, 1951, 129 ex-Regular officers were placed in employment through the Appointments Offices.

Would the right hon. Gentleman say how this figure corresponds with the total number of such officers on the Ministry's books, and what prospects there are of the entire number of ex-officers being absorbed into industry?

We are making a very special effort to place them all because we recognise the problems in relation to ex-officers. I am not able to say, offhand, what the proportion is, but the hon. and gallant Gentleman can rest assured that everything we can do to place them will be done.

Will the Minister go into this matter in rather more detail? In view of the widespread shortage of personnel in industry and in Government Departments, will he try to follow up the assurances given by his right hon. Friend to the House two years ago?

I am anxious to settle this problem, and the hon. and gallant Gentleman can rest assured that I will do everything I can to get these people placed.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the need of addi- tional labour for the successful completion of the re-armament programme, what steps he proposes to take, in conjunction with the trades unions, to ensure that dilutees are given adequate opportunities to establish themselves as craftsmen in their respective trades.

I have discussed with the National Joint Advisory Council the measures necessary for ensuring that the re-armament programme is not held up through shortages of skilled labour. These include arrangements for training and up-grading. The terms and conditions of employment are, however, a matter for each industry to settle in accordance with its individual circumstances.

Has the right hon. Gentleman overcome the opposition among certain trade unions—

What trade unions?

—to absorbing these dilutees, about which I have written to the right hon. Gentleman and his predecessor on several occasions?

I should not like the House to think from the hon. and gallant Gentleman's supplementary that the trade unions are not co-operating wholeheartedly with us. They are co-operating with us very well indeed. There might be isolated cases here and there, and I shall clear those up as they are brought to my notice.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that at the outbreak of the last war the trade unions forsook practices which they had cherished for 100 years, and that they are not encouraged to enter into further agreements of this sort because of the fear of what would happen to existing agreements if the gentlemen opposite—the traditional enemies of the trade unions—ever got back to power?

There is no doubt that the craft unions especially have given up a lot of their practices. It must always be remembered that their practices are borne of their experiences of the 1920's and 1930's, but I am sure they will continue to co-operate with us in the direction we want.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is yet in a position to state his intentions as to the continuance in force of Statutory Instrument 1305 of 1940.

No, Sir. My discussions with industry are not yet complete.

In view of the fact that, according to reports, a draft of the new order is being discussed with both sides of industry, is it not time that an indication of what is in the Government's mind was given to this House?

It is right, I agree, that the House should have the order as quickly as possible. What I have already done is to circulate some principles to be incorporated in an order. They are being discussed now, and I am hoping that before the House rises for the Summer Recess I shall be able to present something to it.

Since the topics dealt with in this Order are difficult, important and controversial, will the Minister bear in mind that it may possibly be better to embody the results of his consideration in legislation which can be discussed by this House rather than in a new Order?

That may very well be, but I am sure the hon. and learned Gentleman will agree that I must really discuss this matter thoroughly with the employers and the trade unions, and, to some extent, take their advice on it.

Are not the general public the senior partners in this matter? They are more numerous than all the members of the employers' organisations or the trade unions.

The general public are, of course, greatly involved. These discussions are ranging over the livelihood of 23,500,000 people working in industry, and they are the general public.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of registered unemployed at Stornoway Employment Exchange in February and in May of this year; whether he is aware of considerable under-employment in the area and widespread unemployment among persons, not able to qualify for unemployment insurance benefit, by reason of the nature of their normal occupation as weaver out-workers; and what steps are being taken to provide employment in the area.

One thousand four hundred and eighty-two persons were registered at the Stornoway Employment Exchange as unemployed in February and 1,329 in May of this year. About 200 workers employed in local mills are on four days a week. I am not able to estimate the extent to which self-employed persons may not be fully occupied. Efforts are being made continuously by all concerned to improve the employment position in the Highlands and Islands, including Stornoway, and I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his work as Chairman of the Highlands and Islands Advisory Panel.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say to what extent this unemployment results from the enormours Purchase Tax on Harris tweed?

No, I am not able to answer that question. I understand that the matter was debated here on Tuesday, when the House came to a decision.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in spite of all the efforts being made this is still by far the heaviest percentage of unemployment in Great Britain, and would he not agree that if unemployment nationally were on the same scale, a programme of public works would be speeded up in order to mop it up? Will he also take into consideration the important point that Purchase Tax is making it impossible to sell the products of this home industry?

I would not disagree at all that the unemployment position of the area referred to is much higher than the general average, but my Department is co-operating with the Scottish Office and the Board of Trade in a review of the efforts being made to increase employment in the Highlands and Islands, and I will do all I possibly can to help.

Is the Minister aware that many of the people concerned in this matter are out-workers, that very little record is kept of them, and that, therefore, it is very difficult for him to make an estimate of unemployment there?

That is exactly what I said. It is difficult to say precisely what out-workers are doing.

Will the Minister bear in mind that transport charges affect conditions in the Highlands almost more than any other single factor?

That is matter which should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

Is the Minister a ware of the success which has attended the efforts of the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Sir D. Robertson) regarding the reopening of a colliery which had been closed at Broro, and which has resulted in raising the tonnage of coal in the area from 40 to 200?

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on what he has personally achieved, and I am glad I was able to help in some way when I was at the Ministry of Fuel and Power.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that if, in fact, a question is addressed to the Minister of Transport it will be accepted and answered?

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that many accidents in factories would not happen if operatives used the safety devices provided, he will suggest to local authorities that exhibitions on the lines of the Industrial Safety Exhibition, in Birmingham, should be held by towns in industrial localities.

I am very pleased with the efforts made in Birmingham in showing how the various safety devices can help to prevent accidents, and I would like to congratulate the Birmingham and District Industrial Safety Group on their exhibition. Exhibitions of this nature would seem to be a matter for industry rather than local authorities, but the co-operation of my officers is freely available at all times.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for his reply, may I ask whether he is aware that the chief Inspector of Factories emphasised in his recent report that this was an extremely important matter? Could he encourage, by some means or other, the establishment of further industrial safety exhibitions throughout the country?

Yes, Sir, I am glad to be able to do something on those lines. In fact, the Chairman of the Birmingham and District Industrial Safety Group is His Majesty's Superintendent of Factories for that area.

Would the Minister bear in mind the necessity of increasing the establishment of factory inspectors to prevent accidents in factories and consider making their working conditions really effective?

I am most anxious that the complement of factory inspectors should be adequate to meet their statutory obligations, but it is a little embarrassing from time to time when hon. Gentlemen opposite are wanting us to slash the Civil Service.

Is the Minister aware that for over 15 years conscientious endeavours have been made to increase the number of safety committees in factories and that we have still not achieved success? Will he consider introducing legislation to provide for a safety committee in every factory employing more than a certain number of people?

I always understood that the Opposition prefer the voluntary method to direction.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give consideration to the desirability of providing guide dogs to the registered blind who are engaged in occupations such as piano tuning, which involve constant travelling, in some cases over considerable distances.

I have power under Section 15 of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act to assist in the provision of facilities for employment where a severely disabled person would be unlikely otherwise to be able to take up or keep employment. According to my information, guide dogs cannot be considered as essential in this respect although I recognise that some blind persons achieve a greater measure of independence by having them.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether any careful examination has been made by his Department of the efficiency of these dogs?

Yes, Sir. There was a working party on the employment of blind—[Laughter.] This is a very serious matter to the blind; it is not a matter for laughter. There was a working party on the employment of blind persons. They heard evidence from the Guide Dogs Association and submitted a report in which they indicated that while blind persons have benefited in this way it would be wrong to suggest it is essential for a blind man to possess a dog before he can go out to work. The figures of blind persons who are working bear that out; about 10,400 blind persons are in employment, another 1,000 are in training for employment and in 1948 only about 140 had guide dogs.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many blind persons who have to travel meet with accidents which might have been prevented had guide dogs been provided?

As I indicated in my original answer, where it is essential for a guide dog to be provided we shall do all in our power to do so.

So that there is no misunderstanding of his answer, will the right hon. Gentleman not agree that the service rendered by these guide dogs and the training of these dogs are very remarkable humanitarian achievements?

That is perfectly true, but the Act only enables me to provide a dog where the disabled person otherwise would not be likely to obtain or to keep employment.

Will my right hon. Friend agree that in a case of newly blind it might be advisable to make facilities available for them to have guide dogs for a time?

I am sure that all of us are sympathetic towards this problem and the House may rest assured that I shall do all I can to help blind persons.

Is the Minister aware that a debate on this subject took place in the House last night?

Yes. I have already read the debate.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men are out of employment as a result of closing the furnaces in Blochairn, Motherwell, Bellshill, Clyde Bridge and Glengarnock.

I regret that as this Question only appeared on the Order Paper yesterday, there has not been sufficient time to obtain the information. However, I am having inquiries made and will write to my hon. Friend.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that five furnaces have been closed at Blochairn and only one each at Mother-well, Bellshill, Clyde Bridge and Glengarnock? Will he use his influence with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply with a view of getting a fair share of available material sent to Blochairn?

In these matters of employment and the withholding of materials in any way whatsoever we keep in close contact with the Departments concerned and we shall continue to do that.

asked the Minister of Education what is his short-term policy to overcome the present shortage of trained women teachers.

As a result of the measures taken since the end of the war recruitment of women teachers to the profession already exceeds wastage by some 2,500 a year. Further additional training college places have been made available for this autumn, and in order to secure suitable candidates for them my Department, with the co-operation of all concerned, has ensured a widespread distribution of information and advice about teaching as a career among young people at school and those who have left school.

Does the Minister think that with existing staff he will be able to maintain the present school-leaving age? Further, when will he be able to dispense with non-graduate teachers?

The second part of that supplementary question does not arise from the hon. and gallant Gentleman's original Question. The answer to the first part of his supplementary is in the affirmative.

How many vacancies for women exist in the training colleges for the coming year?

On 1st June there were 1,000 vacancies for women students to be admitted to training colleges in the autumn at the opening of the next academic year, or 200 fewer than on 1st May. Further vacancies are being taken up at the present time day by day.

In view of the alarming figure that my hon. Friend has just given, what has he done to encourage secondary school students to enter training colleges this year?

I stated that we were doing everything we could to spread information and to suggest to young people that they should take up teaching as a career. There will be a review of the procedure and publicity in the early autumn.

Will my hon. Friend think of sending a personal letter, couched in his own language, to all those married teachers who have left the profession, asking them to go back, perhaps only in a temporary capacity, to help us out in these difficult times?

I am not sure that my own prose or verse would help in this matter, but I assure my hon. Friend that the local authorities are constantly doing their very best to suggest to married women teachers who leave the profession that they should come back.

Has my hon. Friend considered the possibility of encouraging married uncertificated and supplementary teachers to come back to the profession to teach in the infants' schools? Does he not also consider that it would help if the salaries of these teachers, some of whom have 20 years' experience, were made commensurate with their experience?

All these matters are being taken into account.

Apparently every ex-teacher in the House wishes to ask a supplementary question. We shall never get through Questions in this way.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that after 1st January, 1952, the 300 pupils of Botwnnog Grammar School, Caernarvonshire, will be without playing fields; and what action he will take to remedy this.

My right hon. Friend is aware that the local education authority's tenancy of these playing fields is being terminated by the owners next January. Last week he approved in principle the authority's proposal to buy the fields.

When considering this matter will the Minister also consider the rights of children in Battersea Park?

asked the Minister of Education whether he has received from the Durham County Council assurances that membership of a trade union will not be required of applicants for posts as school medical officers.

No, Sir. The assurance which the Durham County Council gave my right hon. Friend related to a direction issued by him under Section 68 of the Education Act, 1944, in regard to teaching posts at the disposal of the authority. The authority are, however, aware of my right hon. Friend's general attitude in the matter, and I understand that they still have the question under consideration.

The hon. Gentleman says the question is under consideration. Are the authorities asking this question of medical officers, or are they not?

As far as we are concerned, we have had a letter from the British Medical Association concerning four posts of assistant school medical officer which are shortly to be filled and the letter is now being considered by us.

Is it not a fact that any local councillor on an education committee is entitled to ask any question that he thinks is useful to ascertain whether an applicant is capable of the job? If he thinks that being a member of a trade union is a criterion for the job is he not entitled to ask the question?

Will the hon. Gentleman now answer my hon. Friend's question, whether or not applicants are at present having this question directed to them?

We understand that they are not.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in respect of the appointments in question, this issue is being raised and the question is being asked by the Durham County Council? May I ask him whether his attitude differs in the two cases of teachers and school medical officers?

As far as we understand the position today, the county authority is considering its attitude in this matter to all its employees, whatever their professional category may be. Naturally, it is not our business to start interfering until we have some information which will be a cause for any action or a reason for taking no action.

asked the Minister of Education how many pre-school clinics for deaf children are in operation; and whether there are sufficient to meet the need.

Treatment for deafness in school children is given at ear, nose and throat clinics, of which there were in England and Wales last December 157 directly provided by local education authorities, and 205 provided under arrangements made by such authorities with regional hospital boards. I have no evidence that the provision of such clinics is inadequate.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement on the proposed expenditure on education, as a result of the recent review of civil investment.

asked the Minister of Education what alterations will be necessary in the planned programme of capital investment in education in the light of the recent reductions in the national investment programme: and if he will make a statement.

The investment approved for education in 1951 is £53 million, and in 1952, £57.5 million. The programme to meet the increase in the school roll and for the movement of population to new housing estates and new towns will continue as planned. It will. however, not be possible to increase certain other parts of the programme at the rate previously contemplated.

Does the latter part of the reply mean that the Government are to hold back on developing technological education, which they will have to do in the very near future?

The effect of the defence programme will be delay in increased provision for technical education, but as far as the projects approved for 1951–52 are concerned it should not affect the present programme.

Are the figures and projects set out in the Education Report which we are expecting to receive very shortly?

Yes, Sir.

Would my hon. Friend place in the Library a list of those parts of the education service which are to be limited as a result of this statement?

I can give the main headings immediately: technical education, which I have already mentioned; school meals service; special schools; minor improvements to existing schools.