asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that an old age pensioner living at Tadcaster and attending the York County Hospital, must travel to Hull for the purpose of having a hearing-aid fitted; and whether it is proposed to provide a hearing-aid distribution centre near York.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for York on 23rd January.

asked the Minister of Health when Mr. H. Brons, of 45, St. Mary's Drive, Three Bridges, Sussex, reference number WLHA 765, may expect to receive a hearing-aid, for which he applied in October, 1948, and for which he is still awaiting an appointment for examination and fitting.

I am informed that there are no grounds justifying priority for this patient and I regret therefore that he may have to wait some time yet. The hospital have no record of his applying before 5th July, 1949.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the fact that many chemists are having to pay interest on overdrafts owing to the delay in payment by his Department, he will allow interest on accounts not paid within six months.

No. The payments on account are estimated to put chemist contractors in the same financial position, on the average, as if pricing were up to date.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that children who have to be detained for long periods in the Sedgefield General Hospital are being deprived of any educational facilities because the body responsible have not, or will not, make a formal application to the appropriate education authority to provide this in accordance with Ministry of Education Circular No. 179; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this matter.

No. I am informed, on the contrary, that at the request of the hospital management committee some months ago the local education authority have agreed to provide educational facilities at this hospital.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish a list of the hospitals within the administrative county of Durham where no educational facilities are either provided or have been asked for in accordance with the Ministry of Education Circular No. 179.

Normans Riding Hospital and Shotley Bridge General Hospital, at both of which the matter is under consideration, and the Hartlepools Hospital, where there is no regular long-stay children's unit. The circular to which my hon. Friend refers was not addressed to hospital authorities.

asked the Minister of Health the percentage of domiciliary confinements attended by midwives in the area of the Staffordshire County Council in which gas and air analgesia was administered.

21·5 per cent.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the lack of uniformity between local education authorities in the provision of boarding education where parents wish their children to have this form of education and are prepared to accept full responsibility for the boarding fees; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that children living in areas such as the County of London or the West Riding of Yorkshire, where the local education authorities are disinclined to make arrangements for this form of education, are not at a disadvantage compared with children living in other areas.

It is inevitable that there should be differences of view among authorities as to the circumstances in which help should be given, and such differences are, in my right hon. Friend's view, quite proper so long as they are based on reasonable grounds. In the sphere of boarding education, which is costly, it is natural that authorities should give first place to those children for whom it is clearly desirable, in the authorities' opinion as well as the parents', but who might otherwise not be able to secure it. My right hon. Friend does not accept the imputation in the second half of the Question that the two authorities named are not ready to make suitable arrangements where appropriate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what provision is made by his Department for the instruction of young men in the farm crafts, such as thatching, hurdle-making and hedging.

Some instruction in hedging, and to a less extent in thatching and hurdle-making, is included in the general farm training provided under my Department's Vocational Training Scheme for entrants into agriculture. Instruction in the farm crafts is, however, for the most part provided by the local education authorities in farm institutes and part-time courses which are grant-aided by my Department. In addition the National Federation of Young Farmers' clubs, which also receives grant-aid from my Department, makes arrangements for training in connection with a scheme introduced last year for practical proficiency tests in farm crafts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been called to the new road transport charges and conditions for the carriage of market garden produce and fruit which are crippling the small grower and are inimical to maximum home food production; and what action he proposes to take.

I am aware that there have been changes in road transport charges and conditions for market garden produce and fruit, but I am advised that their effect is not as suggested by the hon. Member. In any case machinery exists for discussion between the Road Haulage Executive and the National Farmers' Union of any difficulties caused to growers, and action by me would be inappropriate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture (1) whether he is aware that 74 acres of common land at Tylers Common, Upminster, have been enclosed by the Essex County Council; when application to his Department in regard to this enclosure was made by the Essex County Council in accordance with the provisions of the Enclosure Acts, 1845 to 1882; and what steps he proposes to take to safeguard the right of the commoners and of the public;(2) whether he is aware that the Essex County Council have erected a fence which impedes access to Tylers Common, Upminster, which is common land as defined in Section 193 of the Law of Property Act, 1925; and when his consent to the erecting of this fence was sought in accordance with Section 194 of that Act.

I have received complaints about the erection of a fence on Tylers Common. I understand that the Essex County Council, who are the owners of the soil, have given their permission, but I have received no application for my consent to the erection or enclosure. I have no power to order removal of the fence, but I have drawn the attention of the county council to the matter.In any case where a fence has been erected which prevents or impedes access to land subject to rights of common, without my consent as required by Section 194 of the Law of Property Act, 1925, the power to order removal rests with the county court, who may do so if an application is made to the Court by the council of any county or borough or district concerned, or by the lord of the manor or any other person interested in the common.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what action is being taken to keep down the rabbit pest in property held under Government requisition, either open land or woodland, in England. particularly in Kent.

The control of rabbits on requisitioned land is a matter for the occupying Departments, with whom the county agricultural executive committees work in co-operation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that donkeys are being imported into the United Kingdom, and slaughtered for human consumption; and if he will introduce legislation to prohibit the import of donkeys for food.

Yes, I understand that a small number of donkeys are imported and that some of them are slaughtered for human consumption. I see no justification for introducing legislation to prohibit the import of donkeys.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the double purchase tax now being charged on London taxicabs has meant a wholesale cancellation of orders for new taxicabs; that this is causing loss of revenue to the Exchequer and will mean an inadequate supply of taxicabs for London to replace obsolete cabs required to be withdrawn by police regulations; and what action he proposes to take.

I am aware that there have been cancellations, many of which occurred before the Budget. Cancellations of orders for one type of car will not affect total deliveries of all types for the home market, and the revenue is not likely to suffer. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will be dealing with the London position in his reply to the hon. Member's other Question. I must make it clear, however, that there can be no special tax relief for London taxis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis Entertainments Duty is charged on cinemas, dog and horse racing, speedway and motor racing, live theatres, boxing, cricket, football and athletics, respectively; what is the rate of tax in each instance; and what flat rate of tax chargeable on all forms of entertainment would be necessary to ensure the same revenue to the Treasury as envisaged in the Budget proposals.

Of the entertainments mentioned by my hon. Friend, the full scale of duty applies to cinemas, dog racing, horse racing, speedway and motor racing, while the reduced scale applies, in general, to theatres, boxing, cricket, football and athletics.The various rates of duty under the two scales are set out in Part II of the Fifth Schedule to the Finance Act, 1943, and in the Seventh Schedule to the Finance Act, 1948, respectively. Specific examples showing the duty included in particular admission prices were given in reply to a previous Question asked by my hon. Friend on 3rd May.The answer to the last part of the Question is about 33⅓ per cent. on total receipts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of Entertainments Duty paid by the speedway tracks for the month of April in the years 1950 and 1951, respectively.

Particulars of receipts of Entertainments Duty in respect of speedway racing are not available, but receipts of duty from admissions to all racing on which the full scale of duty is charged, other than horse and dog racing, were £69,500 in April, 1950, and £43,400 in April, 1951. In comparing these figures allowance should be made for special factors affecting receipts in April this year, in particular bad weather.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amounts of entertainment duty paid by the Hastings, Hull, Middlesbrough, Wombwell, Tamworth, Sheffield, West Ham, New Cross, Cradley Heath, Liverpool, Fleetwood and Southampton speedway racing tracks in the month of May for the years 1950 and 1951, respectively.

It would be contrary to established practice to give details of tax paid by particular taxpayers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the capital investment programme will be allocated to agriculture in the current financial year.

It is estimated that the proportion of gross fixed investment in the United Kingdom which will be devoted to agriculture in the current financial year is about 4 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the attitude taken in principle by His Majesty's Government with regard to the introduction of a national wages policy.

I would refer the hon. Member to my remarks on this subject in the course of my Budget speech.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has considered particulars which have been sent to him about samples sent by foreign manufac-

I have received these particulars, and they will be considered in consultation with the trade interests concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the present annual production rate of utility goods, as compared with 1950; and what is the production rate of utility goods as a percentage of the total supplies for home civilian consumption.

The information asked for is given in the table below for the principal types of utility goods; the annual rates of production in 1951 are based in each case on the most recent period for which figures are available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will arrange that materials containing wool and fibre, other than animal fibre, shall now be described as woollen mixtures.

The Board of Trade have no general powers to prescribe how materials shall be described. Descrip- tions of fabrics in the utility cloth and clothing orders made by the Board of Trade are based on trade usage. We propose, however, to alter the title of the cloth Order at the next convenient opportunity to make clear to those outside the wool industry that woollen and worsted mixture cloths, as well as all-wool cloths, come within the scope of this Order.

asked the President of the Board of Trade for an estimate of what would be the cost in additional subsidies of maintaining the prices at their then level of the goods covered by Orders permitting increased maximum prices issued since 5th March this year and listed in HANSARD for 14th June, columns 2505 and 2506.

I am sorry that it is not practicable to make such an estimate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is yet in a position to announce the Government's intentions regarding the report of the committee appointed to advise on the distribution of the proceeds of German enemy property.

Yes. The report of the Committee has been considered and the Government have decided, in principle, to adopt its recommendations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the fact that production of quarto flimsy paper has been well maintained, why 17 tons of White and Tinted Banks ordered in August, 1950, has not yet been forthcoming, particulars of which have been sent to him.

Inquiries are being made into the circumstances of this order, and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the facts have been established.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of the "Daily Worker" newspaper are purchased by the Government and paid for out of public funds for distribution in the various Ministries and Government offices.

About 340.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the new scales of pay for scientific assistants in the meteorological service will be implemented.

I have been asked to reply. These scientific assistants will be paid at the new rates at the end of this month, when they will also receive arrears of pay due to them from the beginning of last February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions on the ground of cruelty to performing animals have taken place in the last three years; what are the existing provisions for investigating complaints of cruelty to performing animals or during their training; and whether he is satisfied that existing laws relative to this matter are adequate.

The criminal statistics do not distinguish prosecutions for cruelty to performing animals from prosecutions for cruelty to other animals. As regards the second part of the Question, Section 3 of the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act, 1925, confers powers of entry and inspection of premises where animals are trained and exhibited or kept for training or exhibition. I have no reason to think that the existing statutory provisions are inadequate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that there has been a wholesale cancelling of orders for taxicabs in London; and, in view of the fact that on account of police requirements for replacement of old cabs, 1,525 taxicabs will be withdrawn this year and 1,103 next year and 2,103 in the following three years, what steps he is proposing to take to ensure that there is an adequate supply of taxicabs for London.

I understand that before the recent increase in fares a considerable number of orders for new cabs had been cancelled or deferred, and this was one of the factors which I took into account in deciding to authorise the increase. The licences of 1,107 cabs first registered in 1933 and 1934 are liable to withdrawal after special inspection this year. As from 1st January, 1952, 1,171 cabs registered in 1935 and licensed last year, will be subject to special inspection. No decision has yet been taken in regard to cabs first registered in 1936 and subsequently. I hope that the recent increase in fares will encourage proprietors to replace those cabs which are found to be unfit for further service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make inquiries into the present development in the white slave traffic in the West End of London.

I am in constant touch with the Commissioner of Police over such matters and he informs me that there is no development to report, and that the white slave traffic in the sense in which the expression is ordinarily used does not exist in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken amongst those employed in the National Fire Service in the light of the policy laid down by the Prime Minister on 15th March, 1948, that nobody should be employed in work which is vital to the security of the State who is known to be a member of the Communist Party or to be associated with it in such a way as to raise legitimate doubts about his or her reliability.

The Prime Minister's statement related to the Civil Service. I am not aware of any need for corresponding action to be taken in the case of members of the Fire Service, which is now under the control of the local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an assurance that, in considering his plans for the provision of air-raid shelters for the public, he will take account of the demands for professional and technical building and engineering staff for the purposes of other parts of the defence programme.

Yes. As the House is aware, local authorities in the areas concerned were asked last November to undertake a survey of their shelter requirements, but so far no instructions have been given to local authorities to go beyond the preparation of general plans. I am advised that, as a general rule, local authorities can undertake this work without any reinforcement of their technical staffs, but there may be a few cases where the survey cannot be completed by the end of June, as originally contemplated.Any further preparatory work would involve the diversion of resources particularly technical staff from the more immediately urgent parts of the defence programme which are concerned with improving the readiness of our Armed Forces.In these circumstances, further preparations for shelter construction must be deferred for some time, though it may be possible to agree to some limited exceptions where no heavy demands on our resources would be involved. I am considering in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland the possibility of erecting a small number of prototypes of shelters of new designs for the assistance of local authorities at a later stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain information that will enable him to publish a statement showing the number of prosecutions for sheep worrying by dogs that have come before magistrates' courts in England and Wales during the past year and the penalties imposed.

I have consulted my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture who is of the opinion that the value of the results which would be obtained from collecting such information would not be commensurate with the labour involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to make a further statement about the bringing into operation of the Justices of the Peace Act, 1949.

As has already been announced, Section 10 of the Justices of the Peace Act, 1949 (which abolishes certain commissions of the peace) will come into force on 1st October, 1951. Two steps are involved in bringing into force the remaining provisions of the Act. The first step will be taken on 1st April, 1952, and it will be to set up magistrates' courts committees and give the committees power to review, in advance of the second step, the salaries to be paid to justices' clerks when the committees become responsible for them and such other matters as will then arise.The second step will be to transfer to these committees the full functions conferred on them by the Act (including the transfer to their employment of the staffs of the magistrates' courts) and to bring into force the financial provisions of the Act (including Sections 8, 27 and 36). This will be done on the 1st April, 1953.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Dr. Fuchs has been transferred from Wormwood Scrubs to Stafford Jail; and how much public money is being spent in providing him with scientific magazines.

Fuchs was transferred to Stafford shortly after his conviction because persons sentenced to long terms of imprisonment do not remain at Wormwood Scrubs. The answer to the second part of the Question is, "none."

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the changes which it is proposed to introduce into the disciplinary system of approved schools, as a result of the report of the official committee which recently considered this problem.

The Committee on Offences and Punishments in Prisons, Borstals, Approved Schools and Remand Homes has only recently submitted Parts III and IV of its report, dealing with approved schools and remand homes. These parts of the report have not yet been published, and I am not yet in a position to make a statement on the recommendations.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has any information as to the effect of the diminished use of agene as a flour improver, upon the number of dogs suffering from hysteria and epileptiform convulsions.

No. But I am advised that numerous virus, parasitic and spontaneous disorders may cause hysteria and fits in dogs and that such effects do not arise from agenised flour unless an abnormally large proportion is included in their food.

asked the Minister of Food what is the method of disposal of pig offals; and why these are not available to be sold by butchers in the ordinary course of trade.

Offal from pigs slaughtered at Government slaughterhouses is allocated to butchers for retail sale. The distribution of pig offal from bacon factories is not, however, controlled by my Department and bacon factories are free to retain such offal for manufacture or to sell it.

asked the Minister of Food why certain hides put up to auction recently by his Department were withdrawn; and how he now intends to dispose of them.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Beverley (Mr. Odey) on 23rd April and 2nd May. No hides have been withdrawn from sale since 23rd May and those withdrawn before that date were subsequently re-offered and sold.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will give an assurance that he has taken all available steps to secure for this country the whole exportable surplus of meat of Uruguay.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in preparing and applying a policy of forest reservation in the Gambia.

A comprehensive forestry programme was approved in 1950 by the Government of the Gambia and is now being implemented with financial assistance from colonial development and welfare funds. It provides for the establishment of protection reserves for the maintenance of soil fertility, of production reserves to meet the timber requirements of the territory and for the training of the African staff needed to manage these reserves.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent blindness from preventable diseases exists among citizens of our African Colonies; how many hospitals there are for treatment of eye diseases; and how many blind children are educated at school.

I regret that no accurate figures are available on the extent of blindness from preventable disease among the peoples of the African colonial territories. Eye diseases are treated in the vast majority of hospitals it East, West and Central Africa. There are ophthalmic specialists in all the larger Colonies and special eye clinics in the larger centres. About 150 blind children are at school in the African territories, and of these nearly all attend special schools for the blind.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated cost in the parishes of Waltham Abbey, Nazeing and Roydon, respectively, of the new line of the proposed Norwich Radial Road; and how this compares, parish by parish, with the estimated cost at present prices of the Lea Valley Road as originally planned.

The cost of the road on the new line between Chingford and Roydon will be much the same as on the original line. It is not practicable to divide the cost between the different parishes.

asked the Minister of Supply when he intends that the proposed steel allocation scheme shall come into force.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has made today.