asked the Minister of Food if he will publish a table showing the current average weekly tonnage of sugar distributed to trade users, trade by trade, and for the basic domestic ration; and comparable figures for a year ago.

The current figures, and comparable ones for 1950, are as follow:

asked the Minister of Food whether having regard to the change in circumstances since the devaluation of sterling, he intends to continue the special rebates paid by his Department to exporters on the sugar, molasses and glucose content of their exported products.

After consulting my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I have decided to discontinue the payment of those special rebates on goods exported as from 1st December next.When the sugar duties were reduced by 1¼d. a lb. in April, 1949, with appropriate reductions on molasses and glucose, there was no corresponding reduction in the issue prices of these commodities in the United Kingdom, but special rebates were introduced to ensure that exporters did not suffer from the reduced rate of Customs drawback. British manufacturers were thus able to compete in overseas markets on the same terms as before the reduction in the duties and my Department was able to pay the rebates without loss on the raw materials.As a result, however, of the revaluation of sterling in September, 1949, and the subsequent increases in world prices, the conditions under which exporters of these products have to compete in overseas markets have been substantially improved, and the continuation of the special rebates is, therefore, considered to be no longer justified. There would, moreover, now be a loss to the Exchequer if the rebates were continued. Their withdrawal should not materially affect our exporters' power to compete effectively with manufacturers abroad.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make a statement about future supplies of cereals for use as animal feedingstuffs.

It is too early to say what supplies will be available next winter.

asked the Minister of Food what action is being taken to improve supplies of animal protein by increasing facilities for making fishmeal, meat and bone meal, blood meal, etc., and by ensuring that there is no wastage of fish or animal by-products.

There is already adequate factory capacity for converting all supplies of fish waste and animal byproducts into fish meal and meat and bone meal respectively. I can assure the hon. Member that no waste is taking place.In regard to blood meal, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend on 4th December, 1950.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that milk is no longer delivered to householders in Belstone; and what steps he is taking to ensure that deliveries are resumed.

There are several producer-retailers of milk in the Belstone area. Until recently one of them delivered milk to his customers but the customers of the others had to collect their milk from the farms. There is ample milk for all customers who are prepared to collect it, and

asked the Minister of Food the normal percentage of carcase meat raised in the north-east of Scotland which is distributed within the area of production and throughout the rest of Scotland, and in England and Wales, respectively; and what the corresponding figures are expected to be when supplies of Argentinian beef are available.

This percentage depends upon the supply not only in that area but in the remainder of the country and it has varied this year from about 55 per cent. to 100 per cent. of total issues. No Argentine beef for the ration is distributed in the area.

asked the Minister of Food what is the proposed per- arrangements have been made for milk to be collected for the one customer who is unable to do so herself. I should make it clear that I have no legal power to compel a dairyman to deliver milk.

asked the Minister of Food what was the weekly average weight per head of rationed carcase meat, bone-in equivalent, issued by his Department in England, Scotland and Wales for each of the calendar years 1940–50, and for the first six months of 1951.

I regret that information in the form requested by the hon. Member is not readily available, but the attached table gives meat consumption levels for these years:centage distribution of early arrivals of Argentinian chilled beef to wholesale meat supply associations for London, for the rest of England and Wales, and for Scotland, respectively.

I cannot yet add anything to the replies I gave to the hon. Member on 4th July, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Kirkdale (Mr. Keenan) on 30th May.

asked the Minister of Transport why he does not permit the practice of painting "Halt" and "No Entry" signs on road surfaces, in view of the fact that such signs are often more visible to drivers when painted in that position.

Such difficulties as there are in seeing roadside traffic signs usually arise on roads carrying heavy traffic in built-up areas. "Halt" signs are used on minor roads where these conditions do not normally occur. "No Entry" signposts are usually duplicated and readily visible, and I do not think that the expense of placing "No Entry" markings on the carriageway would be justified.The present practice in regard to the placing of signs on the carriageway is in accord with recommendations made in the past by representative Departmental committees on traffic signs. I intend, however, to look into the question further.

asked the Minister of Transport when he proposes to introduce legislation with a view to conferring on local authorities general powers for the erection of omnibus shelters.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I made to the hon. Member for Cornwall, North (Sir H. Roper), on 30th April.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that provisional driving licences can be renewed indefinitely without the need for an official driving test; and if he will take steps to limit such renewal.

asked the Minister of Transport how many times an applicant can renew his learner's licence; and for how long he can thus drive a motor car or motor cycle without a full driver's licence and without passing a driving test.

The number of provisional driving licences which can be taken out successively for the purpose of learning to drive before taking a driving test is not specifically limited; nor do the holders of such licences have to take a test after a certain time. These licences are valid for three months only, learner drivers must display "L" plates on their vehicles and, in most cases, must be accompanied by a supervisor. These restrictions normally result in drivers wishing to take the test as soon as they feel capable of passing, and I do not think that an amendment of the law would be justified.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to find out the proportion of men and women, respectively, among holders of licences to drive.

No. No valid conclusions could be drawn from such figures.

asked the Minister of Transport how many fatal and nonfatal accidents occurred in the first six months of 1951 in connection with motorcyclists; how this figure compares with those of previous years; and what measures he proposes to adopt to reduce this menace to public safety.

Road accident statistics for June last are not yet available, but the statistics of motor cycle accidents for January to May for this and the two previous years are given below. The Committee on Road Safety are considering what can be done to check the increasing number of motor cycle accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport how soon he expects to receive and publish the report of the Working Party appointed by him to consider the recommendations made by the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee.

The Working Party began its work in June and I have asked the Chairman to do his best to present a report by the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Transport why he has refused permission to reconstruct the bridge, now closed, which carries the road between Blythe End and Lea Marston; and what would be the cost of reconstruction.

I regret the inconvenience caused to local inhabitants by the closing of this bridge, but there is a parallel Class 1 road less than one mile away. The present estimate is that it would cost£6,600 to reconstruct and would require about 30 tons of steel. The county council has been asked to look into the possibility of modifying the design so as to use less steel and reduce the cost of the work.

asked the Minister of Transport what grants are available in the current year to local authorities wishing to construct cattle grids across unfenced roads in the interest of agricultural production.

This year's Class VI Estimates provide for Road Fund grants to local highway authorities totalling up to£5,000 for cattle grids which would benefit traffic on classified roads.

asked the Minister of Transport how soon he expects to receive from the British Transport Commission their draft area road transport scheme for the south-west.

The Commission are unable to say when this scheme is likely to be submitted to me.

asked the Minister of Transport if he proposes to maintain all "No Waiting" restrictions in streets of Central London from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the light of experience gained since the opening of the Festival of Britain.

The Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis has informed me that in the light of recent experience there is no longer the need to maintain the "No Waiting" restrictions imposed by, the police in any of the "yellow band" streets covered by his regulations and he proposes to withdraw them. I hope to lay new Regulations under the London Traffic Act in the near future, restoring the waiting restrictions in force on these streets before the increased police restrictions were imposed.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will give his consent with regard to the starting of route C of the proposals of the Working Party on London Transport.

No. It would not be practicable to undertake a scheme of this magnitude under existing economic conditions.

asked the Minister of Transport the names of members of the Central Transport Consultative Committee; the names of members of transport users' consultative committees for Scotland and Wales, and for the respective areas in England; and indicate the name of the Secretary and official address of the committee in each case.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will publish a full analysis of a sample which has been sent to him of the oil being washed up on the North Cornwall beaches.

Three samples which have recently been taken of oil polluting the North Cornwall beaches have been sent to the Government chemist for analysis. I will send the hon. Member a copy of the analysis when it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why statements which dealt with the evacuation of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company's staff, which were wrongly attributed to His Majesty's Ambassador or staff, were not immediately contradicted, either by himself or through the Embassy in Teheran.

My right hon. Friend has kept the House fully informed of His Majesty's Government's policy with regard to evacuation from the Persian oilfields, and I think his statements were sufficient to correct any inaccurate reports which may have been wrongly attributed to His Majesty's Ambassador or his staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will arrange to open a branch passport office in Northern Ireland as all applications now have to be dealt with outside Northern Ireland.

The amount of passport work originating in Northern Ireland is very small, and I do not consider the cost of establishing a separate office in Northern Ireland to deal with it would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the reasons for the cancellation of Dr. Eric Burhop's passport.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Northfield (Mr. Blackburn) on 25th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why it has been decided that Allied troops cannot be withdrawn from Korea; and if such a decision has been approved by the Security Council of the United Nations.

No such decision, has been taken, and the Question therefore does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese and North Korean Governments, since the present armistice negotiations started in Korea, concerning British prisoners of war; if he has yet obtained a full list of British, prisoners; and if he is satisfied that they are being properly cared for.

No representations about prisoners of war have been made to the Chinese and North Korean authorities since the beginning of the armistice meetings: the agenda agreed at the meetings includes an item on arrangements regarding prisoners of war, and the representatives of the Unified Command are aware of the provisions which in His Majesty's Government's view such arrangements should include.As regards the latter part of the Question, I regret that, apart from incomplete lists of names obtained from time to time from various unofficial sources, no information is available about United Nations prisoners of war held by the Chinese or North Koreans.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why an increased output of steel, allocated to help re-armament, in Western Germany is permitted to be used to raise the competitive power of the German motor business in overseas markets to the detriment of British motor car makers and traders.

German steel production is at present limited to 11.1 million ingot tons per year; the Germans can use this steel in any way they choose. By an Allied decision of Stptember, 1950, the Germans can produce steel over and above this amount, provided the additional production is used to meet the needs of Western defence. This additional production (which is at the rate of 1 to 1½million ingot tons per year) is not being diverted from defence purposes to the needs of their motor industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement as to the information he has received about the work of the Economic Committee of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations during the last few days.

Unanimous agreement has been reached in a drafting committee on a resolution which calls on governments to take certain steps to encourage the flow of private investment. and requests the International Bank to study the proposal for an International Finance Corporation to undertake equity investments. The Secretariat are asked to keep the problem of finance of uneconomic projects under review and to put forward proposals as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action His Majesty's Government is taking to assist the Food and Agricultural Organisation to establish the research station at Sidi Mesri as an international desert research station.

The suggestion that Sidi Mesri should be used as a desert research station is under consideration by United Nations Specialised Agencies and their proposals are awaited.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has now received from the Polish Government concerning the requisitioning of two recently completed tankers and the legality of such action under the Anglo-Polish Trade Agreement; and what reply he has returned thereto.

The position remains as stated in the reply given to a similar Question by my hon. Friend on 23rd July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information he has as to how far external funds were responsible for the recent railway and police strikes in the Sudan; and what evidence there is of the source of these funds.

There is no evidence that external funds were responsible for the recent police strike or the last railway strike which occurred in connection with a four days' general strike last April.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether in view of the fact that the United States Government has announced that its representative will raise the question of the trial and sentence of Archbishop Grosz at the next meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation, His Majesty's Government will associate themselves with the action of the United States.

I understand that the United States Government have so far confined themselves to announcing, as have His Majesty's Government, that they will include any relevant material about the trial of Archbishop Grosz in the evidence about the violation of the Human Rights Clause of the Hungarian Peace Treaty which is to be submitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in accordance with a resolution of the General Assembly on 3rd November. 1950.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps His Majesty's Government will take in view of the proposed Japanese Peace Treaty to ensure the provision of compensation to British civilians resident in non-British territories in the Far East who were encouraged by the official representatives of His Majesty's Government in 1942 to remain at their posts and who were imprisoned and maltreated by the Japanese. and lost all their possessions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in view of the fact that Article 16 of the draft Peace Treaty with Japan seeks to indemnify members of the armed forces of the Allied Powers who were prisoners of war, what other sources are available to indemnify civil internees and those who suffered losses of property and possessions in the Far East.

I would refer hon. Members to the reply given by my right hon. Friend on 25th July to the hon. Member for Attercliffe (Mr. J. Hynd).Moreover, British subjects who suffered losses in foreign territories and were interned can apply for hardship grants to assist them to replace household goods in the United Kingdom. Former United Kingdom residents in British or in formerly British territories in the Far East now permanently resident in this country may apply for

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now reconsider his decision regarding the methods by which compensation shall be distributed to British ex-prisoners of war of the Japanese, in view of the expressed wishes of the ex-prisoners themselves to the contrary.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State indicated in the course of the debate on 25th July, he is prepared to receive a deputation of ex-prisoners of war to discuss methods of distributing the funds which may become available as a result of the Treaty. Careful consideration will be given to any views put forward by the ex-prisoners of war.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will assure the House that the drafting and settling of a peace treaty with Japan shall be carried out strictly in accord with the Cairo and Potsdam Declarations and the Yalta Agreement.

Yes. As my hon. Friend will have seen, the draft Treaty is based on the principles of those agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will ascertain from the Far Eastern Commission the number of political prisoners now in Japanese prisons; and the number of trades unions and newspapers which have been suppressed during the last two years.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now discontinue the practice of requiring the production of identity cards with applications for passports.

No. If this practice were discontinued it would be necessary to revert to the former practice of requiring every passport application to be signed by a qualified recommender to whom the applicant is personally known, and applicants would be deprived of the advantage of the convenient alternative of having their identity established at the Passport Office or labour exchange by producing their National Registration Identity Card.

asked the hon. Member for Gravesend, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a further statement on the proposed closing of Holy Trinity Church, Lambeth, and on any action that he has been able to take to delay such closing.

Yes. The only action which it has been in my power to take personally is to invite the Commissioners and the Bishop to consider the points raised by hon. Members in the debate. Arising from that consideration, the Commissioners have decided to implement the rest of the scheme but to defer the closing of Holy Trinity church for their subsequent consideration. The Bishop has discussed the situation with both the vicars concerned, inviting their co-operation.

asked the Minister of Supply, in view of the release of information to the Press, if he will now make a statement on the progress of the guided missile development programme.

It is not in the public interest to make a statement on the progress of the guided missile programme, but I can say that work on the development of weapons to meet Service specifications is now being carried out by industry.

asked the Minister of Supply on what dates this year the Engineering Advisory Council has met; and if he will give a report on the work of this council.

The Engineering Advisory Council has met this year on 3rd January, 14th March, 2nd May and 5th July.The Council has discussed a wide variety of subjects, including ways of increasing productivity; research and development; education and training in industry; exports; foreign competition; European recovery and co-operation; joint consultation; the electricity supply position; metal supplies and the impact of re-armament on the engineering industry. It has proved most useful to me, and I believe to industry, as a medium for exchange of views, particularly on those aspects of Government policy which affect this important industry. Summaries of the Council's discussions are widely circulated to both sides of the engineering industry.

asked the Minister of Supply what steps have been taken for centralising all stages of production around power plant to enable metallurgical and chemical processes to produce by modern methods; and what action has been taken to increase the production of ferro-alloys and other materials.

Various important factors determine the siting of plants for metals production and, where appropriate, full regard is paid to the availability of power supplies. The United Kingdom production of ferro-alloys is being fostered and increased by means of various schemes to which assistance has been and is being given by my Ministry.

asked the Minister of Supply what steps he has taken to ensure that firms holding defence order certificates do in fact receive effective priority when trying to obtain supplies of steel from mills or stockholders.

Steel producers have been notified of the defence orders symbol procedure and have been asked to ensure that defence orders are given preferential treatment to the extent necessary to comply with the time or rate of delivery called for. The Steel Re-armament Panel will deal with difficulties which may arise and will keep in touch with my Department.

asked the Minister of Supply why, for what purpose, and for whose use 40 Marathon aircraft were ordered by his Department; and what is the total cost involved.

The order was placed to ensure production of this promising feeder-line aircraft for British European Airways and for export sales. The final cost to my Department will depend on the extent to which these aircraft are sold to customers.

asked the Minister of Supply whether his attention has been drawn to the threat to supplies of scrap raw materials through the action of local planning authorities in issuing enforcement notices, under Sections 23 and 24 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, demanding the closing of old established yards operated by vehicle dismantlers and licensed scrap merchants; and what action he is taking to preserve these yards.

Yes. Three cases have been brought to my notice within the last few days. They are being investigated.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will now provide the monthly figures required to bring up to date the table published in HANSARD of 5th December, 1949, showing the amount of sickness in Royal Ordnance factories after the introduction of the Industrial Paid Sick Leave Scheme in September, 1948.

The following table shows the monthly percentages of sick absence among industrial employees in the Royal Ordnance Factories from November, 1949, to May, 1951:

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will now make a statement upon the discussions he has inaugurated with the trade unions regarding the increase in the amount of absence owing to alleged sickness subsequent to the introduction of the Industrial Paid Sick Leave Scheme in September, 1948; and whether any conclusions have been reached.

The only discussions which I have inaugurated have been with the trade unions represented on my Ministry's Joint Industrial Council and have been confined to the increased sick absence in Ministry of Supply Establishments. No conclusion has been reached about the extent, if any, to which the increase is due to reasons other than genuine sickness. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Osborne) by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the same subject on 24th July.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that the Brabazon has passed its experimental stages and that many distinguished passengers have flown in her; and if he is satisfied that this aircraft is now fully airworthy and suitable for immediate offer to the operating companies; and what steps he proposes to take to advertise this fact.

No. The Brabazon I has a certificate of airworthiness in a special category for experimental flying and demonstration, including the carrying of non-fare-paying passengers. The experimental stage has not been passed and much development work remains to be done before a full certificate of airworthiness for commercial service could be obtained.

asked the Minister of Supply what has been the cost of the new research building at Porton; and what was the cost as in the original estimate.

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

asked the Minister of National Insurance if the increase in old age pensions for women of 65 and men of 70 years of age will be applicable to those old age pensioners who are housed in council institutions.

Retirement pensions payable to pensioners in local authority institutions will be increased in the same way as those payable to pensioners living at home. I would remind the hon. and gallant Member that the minimum amount to be charged for accommodation in such institutions is determined by the local authority in accordance with Regulations made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether his regulations provide for a retired old age pensioner who returns to work at any future time after the next six months to receive the appropriate addition to his pension.

No. The power of making Regulations on this matter conferred by the National Insurance Act, 1951, is strictly limited and such Regulations can only deal with pensioners who were retired on 16th July when this part of the Act came into force and who return to work within six months from that date.

asked the Minister of National Insurance what is the maximum number of hours which may be worked by a retirement pensioner without forfeiting any portion of his pension.

The weekly pension of a retirement pensioner is reduced only for earnings of more than£2 in the previous pension week. The number of hours worked is immaterial.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether she will take steps to amend Regulation 3 under Section 17 (1, c) of the National Insurance Act, which has the effect of disqualifying a widow of a second marriage from drawing a widow's pension, on the grounds that the second marriage subsisted for less than 10 years notwithstanding the length of the first marriage.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to hon. Member for Lancaster (Mr. F. Maclean) on 17th July.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether she will now extend the time limit for application in the case of the death grant from one month to three months.

The National Insurance Advisory Committee have been asked to review time limits generally, and my right hon. Friend prefers not to comment on an individual time limit before receiving their report. The regulations already provide for extension of the time limit of one month to which the hon. Member refers if good cause is shown for the delay.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the aggregate amount which the Electricity Authority submitted to him as necessary to be spent in the current year on capital works to maintain their services, and to meet the expanding demand for electricity; and what is the aggregate amount which the Government are prepared to sanction for capital expenditure.

The Government is in close consultation with the British Electricity Authority, and it is hoped to invest as much on capital works as can be usefully invested in the industry without detriment to other essential demands on goods and services. As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated in the House on 21st June, 1951, a total aggregate figure has not been fixed as yet for this year.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will state in detail the warnings given by him to the British Electricity Authority regarding the objections to the North Wales hydro-electric schemes.

As I said in answer to the hon. Member for Runcorn (Mr. Vosper) on 23rd July, my discussions with the British Electricity Authority have been on some of the questions of general principle involved in the North Wales hydro-electric schemes. I have not received detailed proposals and I have not, therefore, given detailed warnings to the Authority.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he last met the chairman of the North-West Area Electricity Consumers' Council; and what decisions were arrived at at that meeting with regard to power cuts in the North-West Area.

In January last, I met the Chairman of the North Western Electricity Consumers' Consultative Council, together with the chairmen of the other electricity consultative councils, at a conference on power cuts, in which the members of the British Electricity Authority, their divisional controllers and the chairmen and deputy-chairmen of the area boards also took part.As a result of the conference, there has been close consultation since then between my Ministry, the B.E.A., the area boards, and the chairmen of the consultative councils, on the measures by which the frequency and severity of power cuts might be reduced. I am inviting the councils to help in the work of load-spreading which is now required.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will make arrangements to purchase substantial tonnages of coal from abroad so that this coal may be brought into the country in sufficient tonnages to avert another coal crisis next winter.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he expects to make a statement on the Government's plans to import coal during the coming winter.

I would refer the hon. Members to the answers which I gave on Monday last.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is now the percentage of opencast coal in the normal domestic allocation, and in the additional allocation supplied on permit by fuel overseers to special domestic consumers. respectively.

Of the total quantity of coal supplied to the house coal market since the beginning of the present summer, 5.6 per cent. came from opencast workings. The percentage of opencast in house coal supplies varies in different parts of the country, being highest in areas adjacent to opencast disposal points from which it is delivered to house coal depots direct by road.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the coal allocations to north Liverpool are insufficient for the coal merchants to supply the domestic users; that winter stocks cannot be laid because supplies of coal to the district are short; and what steps he is taking to overcome this position before September.

I am making inquiries and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the shortage of coal stocks in East Anglia which has made it impossible for many customers to stock up during the summer months: and whether he will arrange to make larger supplies available.

In the first 11 weeks of the summer period merchants in the Eastern Region have already sold 22,355 tons more coal to domestic consumers this year than last. I trust that this additional coal is being stocked by householders against winter needs.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware of the shortage of coal and coke in the West Sussex area; and if he will look into the position and have supplies sent there to avoid a shortage this winter.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are the present stocks of coal in this country, together with the comparative figures for 1947, 1949 and 1950.

Total distributed stocks of coal on 14th July, 1951, were 13.22 million tons compared with 12.08 million a year before and 13.71 and 11.44 million tons on the comparable dates in 1949 and 1947 respectively.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the number of claims which have been made for compensation, due to damage to property from mining subsidence in Ashton-in-Makerfield; the number which have been paid; the number outstanding; and the amount of money paid to those claims which have been agreed upon.

I regret I have no information on this subject, which is a matter of the day-to-day administration of the National Coal Board. I am, however, asking the Board to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) what are the stocks of coke and coal in the area covered by the Stroud Urban and Stroud Rural District Councils, as compared with this time last year;(2) what are the stocks of coke and coal in the area covered by the Dursley Rural District Council, as compared with this time last year;(3) what are the stocks of coke and coal in the area covered by the Nailsworth Urban District Council, as compared with this time last year.

I am making inquiries into the position in the areas mentioned and will write to the hon. Member as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he is taking, in conjunction with the National Coal Board and the Gas Council, to develop, manufacture and market the by-products of coal; and if he will make a statement.

The National Coal Board and the area gas boards are large-scale producers of coal by-products, such as coke, coal tar, benzole, sulphuric acid, ammonia, etc.; with my active approval they are constantly expanding their capital investment in this work. For the details of their activities, I would refer my hon. Friend to the annual reports of the National Coal Board, Gas Council and area gas boards.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement about the amount of feedingstuffs which will be available next winter for pig and poultry breeders.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement about winter ration scales very shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is now able to make a statement regarding the origin of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in central Scotland.

No. I cannot add anything to my reply of 19th July to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, West (Mr. Spence).

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of poultry blood-tested under his Department's arrangements for the latest convenient period in 1951 and for the same period in 1950, in the county of Staffordshire.

The number of birds tested for bacillary white diarrhoea in Staffordshire by my Department's officers between 1st May and 30th June, 1951, was 26,200, as compared with 21,560 tested in the same period last year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what check is employed by his poultry advisory officer in the county of Staffordshire to ascertain the true number of poultry yet to be blood-tested this year.

A list of the flocks to be tested for bacillary white diarrhoea is compiled at the beginning of the season by the county poultry advisory officer. The approximate number of birds in each flock is known from previous tests or, if there has been no previous test, from the report of the advisory officer's inspection. As the veterinary officers are supplied with these particulars they are able to compute, whenever it is necessary to do so, how many birds remain to be tested.

asked the Minister of Defence, in view of the rearmament that has taken place in the. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics since the inception of our defence programme, what further changes he proposes to make in the strength of the Armed Forces.

In reaching the decision to strengthen our forces to resist the potential danger of aggression by other countries, His Majesty's Government took account, not only of the existing strength of those countries, but of their preparations for expansion.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the Lord President of the Council. whether he will take steps to arrange for the Nature Conservancy or the Bureau of Animal Population to investigate the habits and abundance of the otter, with a view t3 ascertaining whether or to what extent and by what means, its numbers should be controlled, in view. of the recommendations set forth in paragraph 316 of the Report of the Committee on Cruelty to Wild Animals, Command Paper No. 8266

This recommendation, together with the other recommendations made by the Committee, is still under consideration.

asked the hon. Member for Bristol, North-East, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, whether he will give the details of the allocation of cigarettes to the Press Gallery for the three weeks prior to 9th July.

The following are the details of the allocations made during the period stated in the question:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will ensure, by regulation, that all woollen clothing materials and garments shall, from an early date to be appointed, be required to state the percentage of wool that they contain.

The Clothing Industry Development Council are considering the general question of the description and labelling of garments containing wool, and I should prefer to await the result of their inquiries before considering whether any action by the Board of Trade is practicable or desirable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of imports into the United Kingdom from Cuba and Dominica during the past 12 months; and the value of exports from the United Kingdom to those countries during the same period.

The trade of the United Kingdom with Cuba and the Dominican Republic during the period July, 1950, to June, 1951, inclusive, was as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade on which of the goods exempted from Purchase Tax in the Finance Bill and not already subject to price control, is it proposed to impose such control.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Northampton (Mr. Paget) and to my hon. Friend the Member for Hammersmith, South (Mr. W. T. Williams), on 5th April and 6th June, respectively, which listed the classes of goods over which it is intended to re-introduce price control either on a statutory or a voluntary basis.The goods from which Purchase Tax has been removed included in these lists are: toilet paper, kitchen scales, shields and stands for smoothing or pressing irons, steel wool, metal pot scourers, dusters, floorcloths and scouring cloths, laces for fastening garments or footwear, coal or cinder sieves and sifters and (in so far as they are not price controlled

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total expenditure of Government Departments on travelling expenses in the years 1938 and 1950.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of officials authorised to carry out inspections and investigation in business premises without a search warrant; and how many such inspections were carried out in 1950.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 15th February, 1951; Vol. 484, c. 87], supplied the following:

This information is not available centrally, and I do not consider that the time and labour involved in collecting it would be justifiable, particularly in present circumstances.