asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to make a statement concerning his examination of the reports on legislation establishing racial discrimination in the Colonies.

Following my consultations with colonial Governors, I am now arranging to place in the Library copies of the survey of differential treatment by race in the laws of British Tropical African territories. Hon. Members will no doubt wish to study this. I would only comment that it is, of course, the policy of His Majesty's Government to encourage the advancement of all communities in the colonial territories without discrimination as to race and colour, and to make every effort within the power of Government to secure equal treatment for all.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in respect of leprosy research and treatment in the Colonies; what is the estimated number in colonial areas affected by this disease and receiving treatment, respectively; and in particular in West Africa.

Important research work is being conducted with promising results, particularly in the development of a form of sulphone treatment by oral administration requiring the minimum of medical supervision.I regret that exact statistics of the disease are not readily available. Some indication of the problem is given by a comprehensive survey of the East and Central African territories last year, which resulted in an estimate of 265,000 cases in the region. Surveys are now in progress in West Africa. The newer forms of treatment are everywhere available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to announce the arrangements that have been made with the United States Government concerning the investment of American capital in British Colonial Territories arising out of the proposals contained in President Truman's Fourth Point.

No American investment capital is available to British Colonial territories under the Point Four programme, which is at present confined to the provision of technical assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what form of licence is required for the use of muzzle loaders in Tanganyika Territory; how many licences have been issued for the use of these weapons in the last two years; and, in view of the suffering caused to animals when injured by such weapons, if he will ban their use for this purpose.

Information in respect of the first two parts of this Question is not available in the Colonial Office. I am making inquiry of the Governor and am consulting him on the issue raised in the last part of the Question. I will write to my hon. Friend when I have considered the matter in the light of the Governor's reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a further statement in respect of the new constitution in Nigeria; and when an election is likely to be held.

The Nigeria (Constitution) Order in Council was promulgated on 29th June. It is designed to give a greatly increased measure of responsibility to Nigerians for the conduct of their own affairs and, while granting increased autonomy to the three regions, to build up a strong and united Nigeria. Arrangements for primary elections are already in train and it is hoped that these and the intermediate elections will be complete in time for the new regional Legislatures to meet before the end of the year and the new central Legislature in January, 1952.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the purpose of refusing licences for the export from the Gold Coast of second-hand machinery until every effort has been made to dispose of the plant within the Colony; under what statute this restriction is enforced; and whether he will give an assurance that no export licence will be refused when it can be shown that the export price is higher than any comparable price within the Colony.

:I am in communication with the Governor of the Gold Coast on this matter and will write to the hon. Member as soon as information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement as to what decision has been taken to counteract the hostile propaganda of the publication known as the "Soviet Weekly," especially in Nigeria and West Africa.

:A continuous flow of information material in various forms, including periodicals, literature, information for the Press and film and radio material is kept up to ensure. that accurate information on the western way of life and on current world events is available in West Africa as elsewhere. In addition to Governmental action, an increasing supply of literature on these subjects enters West Africa through normal commercial channels. The publication "Soviet Weekly" has a limited circulation in West Africa, and should be considered against this background. I am confident that the Governments concerned are fully alive, to the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present position of Chinese detainees in Singapore; what likelihood there is now of their deportation to China; whether they are likely to be. brought to trial; and what is the number detained at the present time.

:There are about 190 Chinese held on detention orders in Singapore. It is unlikely that more than a small proportion of these persons will be brought to trial. I regret that I cannot say what are the prospects of these detainees being repatriated to China.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the Food Produce Working Committee in Malaya has recommended a co-operative method of marketing produce as a means of preventing further rises in prices; and what action he is taking to implement this recommendation.

:A Local Produce Working Committee, set up by the Singapore Government to consider Singapore's food supplies, has included in its recommendations the introduction of cooperative methods of marketing produce as a means of reducing prices.This recommendation formed an integral part of a comprehensive scheme drawn up by the Committee. This scheme was, however, expressed in general terms. An officer has been appointed to undertake a thorough investigation into the implications of the scheme as a whole and submit detailed plans to the Singapore Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the application was first made by the Singapore Municipal Commissioners that the Crown should be petitioned to raise the status of the town to that of city.

:The petition was received in October, 1950.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will receive a deputation from the West Indies Students Union and other colonial student unions to discuss the problem of hostel accommodation in view of the breakdown of the existing arrangements through which the students approach the British Council.

As I stated in reply to a Question on 1st August by the hon. Member for Bristol, South-East (Mr. Wedgwood Benn), I am very willing to receive a deputation from representative colonial bodies and I am arranging to do so at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has yet completed his examination into the possibility of providing additional hostel accommodation in London for colonial students; and if not whether the matter can be expedited in view of the urgency of the problem and the importance of establishing friendly relations between these students and this country.

:I would invite my hon. Friend's attention to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, South-East (Mr. Wedgwood Benn), today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will provide a complete list of the names of rubber planters who have been killed in Malaya since the disturbances commenced, giving the names and precise dates and where possible the amount of compensation or pension paid to the next of kin in each case from Government sources.

:I am consulting the high Commissioner, and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I have his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has sent, or proposes to send, to the representations made to him by the Malayan Ceylonese Association of Jaffna, with regard to their pensions.

The Malayan Ceylonese Association have sent me an advance copy of their petition dated 12th July. It is addressed to me through the High Commissioner for the Federation of Malaya. 1 will consider the petition as soon as I receive it from the High Commissioner together with his report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what reasons a Select Committee of the Government of North Borneo rejected the recommendations of the Robertson Report on Rice Production and Marketing.

:Certain recommendations of the Robertson Committee in so far as they concerned the purchase, storage and milling of padi were rejected by the Select Committee, on the ground that the time was not then opportune for their adoption. The Select Committee was also influenced in its deliberations by the security aspect of the Government's responsibility for the Colony's primary food supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many rice mills were working in North Borneo before the mills were closed in 1948: and how many have now been permitted to resume work.

:There is no authentic record of the number of rice mills working in North Borneo before closure in 1948, as no licences as required by law had been taken out. It is believed, however, that, apart from various small mills, there were about 14 fair-sized mills in operation. Six mills are now operating freely while two are milling Government padi, and another five will be so engaged within a fortnight.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make representation to the Government of Barbados to consider introducing legislation for taking over the estates of absentee landlords.

:I see no reason to intervene in this matter. The Government of Barbados is satisfied that plantations owned by absentee proprietors are generally well farmed and provide employment for many workers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what approach he has made to the Cocoa Planters Association of Western Samoa with a view to the use of their seedlings in West Africa; and what evidence he has that Western Samoan seedlings resist canker and bud rot.

:I have made no such approach. I have no evidence whether Western Samoan cocoa seedlings are resistant to this disease.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that telephone subscribers in Paris are to have a shortwave radio-telephone system installed, enabling them to dial telephone calls within a 200-mile radius with immediate connections, obviating the need for telephone wires, poles and cables; and whether, in view of the need to conserve this type of telephone equipment, he will make inquiries, and take the necessary action, to have a similar system installed in this country.

:I understand that the French Government is in course of constructing a radio system between Paris and Lille, which is to be equipped to provide a television channel and telephone circuits. Such a system already exists in this country in the radio television link between London and Birmingham, which is also designed for development for telephone purposes. It has still to be demonstrated whether this system of telephone transmission by radio has advantages over our present system by means of underground cables of modern carrier type, and experiments are proceeding to this end.

asked the Postmaster-General why no telephone service has been granted to Mr. Stanley Heath, 45, Myott Avenue, Newcastle-under-Lyme; and what prospects can he hold out of supplying a telephone, in view of the urgency of this case.

:As explained in recent correspondence with my hon. Friend, equipment is not at present available to provide service for Mr. Heath or for other earlier applicants in this area. In view of the heavy demands on our limited resources, I regret that I cannot say when it will be possible to meet these applications.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in view of his recommendations made through the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Press to the public on 28th June last to purchase books of stamps rather than individual ones, he will reconsider his decision not to call attention to this matter in the Post Office itself where stamps are being sold.

:I recall no such decision. On the contrary, four different posters on this matter have been exhibited in post offices since June of last year.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of greetings telegrams handled by the Post Office per month since their reintroduction.

:The figures are: 20th-30th November, 1950, 115,600; December, 1950, 419,686; January, 1951, 302,942; February, 1951, 314,473; March, 1951, 559,139; April, 1951, 369,815; May, 1951, 395,622; June, 1951, 506,005.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will arrange for overseas telegram and radiotelegram forms to be clearly printed on green or other coloured paper so that they can be left out in post offices without the risk of being mistaken for inland telegram forms and without the public in each case having to queue up for them at the counter.

I am looking into this suggestion and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General what responsibility rests upon his Department in regard to the compilation, publication and distribution of local post office directories.

My Department undertakes responsibility for telephone directories and, in some towns, street lists bearing an indication that they are issued by the Post Office.

asked the Minister of Defence what action was taken to provide full facilities for experts representing the Armed Forces of Commonwealth countries to submit the new.280 rifle to full tests; and if he will make a statement as to the results of these tests.

I have been asked to reply. There have only been limited numbers of prototype.280 rifles available for trials and demonstration. It has, therefore, not been possible at present to provide these weapons for independent testing by Commonwealth countries. An exception has been made in the case of Canada since that country was directly concerned with the initial standardisation trials of the weapon held in the United States. The military liaison staffs of the Commonwealth countries have, however, been admitted to the main trials held in the United Kingdom and have been fully informed of the results.

asked the Minister of Food if he will now review his new policy of referring reported colour bar incidents in the hotel and catering trades to the British Travel and Holidays Association; and if he is satisfied that this policy is effectively checking any attempted discrimination of this kind.

I am glad to be able to assure the House, as well as coloured visitors to this country, that the evidence of discrimination of this kind is negligible. It is discouraged by the British Tourist and Holidays Association, and their investigations effectively disposed of the one case into which they have inquired on my behalf.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the working party set up jointly by his Department and the Amalgamated Engineering Union to consider the relaxation agreement of October, 1939, has made any report to him concerning the future status and employment of dilutee workers; and whether he has any statement to make upon this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many meetings have been held by the working party promised by him to investigate the problem of redundancy among aeronautical engineers; who are the persons constituting the working party; and what progress it has reported.

:The working party which my right hon. and learned Friend appointed with the agreement of the Amalgamated Engineering Union to discuss difficulties arising under the Agreement of 1939 has held one meeting, and hopes to meet again in the near future. The committee comprises three representatives nominated by the Air Ministry and three representatives nominated by the Amalgamated Engineering Union, meeting under my chairmanship. The working party has not yet submitted any report, and I am not in a position to report any progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why semi-skilled workers are not being accepted for training at No. 5 Maintenance Unit, Kemble, with a view to up-grading, unless the consent of a certain trade union has been given to their registration as supplementary workers; whether he is aware that that consent is withheld unless they are or become members of that union; and what steps he will take to ensure that in future there is no such discrimination.

:My right hon. and learned Friend is aware that certain difficulties have arisen in regard to dilutee labour at Kemble, and if these difficulties cannot be overcome they will be discussed on the joint working party which he has appointed in agreement with the craft union concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will give an assurance that semi-skilled workers who pass out of the Air Ministry School of Instruction, Kemble, will be classed as dilutees under the Relaxation of Customs Agreement, 1939, and treated not more favourably than men of similar training who were registered as dilutees during the war.

:Semi-skilled workers employed at Kemble who are accepted by the Joint Relaxation Committee as suitable for training for skilled work are registered as dilutees under the Relaxation of Customs Agreement, 1939, and then given initial training at that Unit. If they are satisfactory, they are then sent to the Air Ministry School of Instruction at Aston Down for further training. On passing out, these men are treated in exactly the same way as men registered as dilutees during the war period.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will now consider adjusting further the standards of vision required of aircrew to permit more pilots to be accepted for flying training who normally wear corrected lenses; and whether he will make a statement.

:This matter has been the subject of recent examination and my right hon. and learned Friend hopes to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why the Vampire, fitted with dual control, is to be classified as an intermediate trainer; what plans have been made to replace conventional training aircraft, such as the Harvard and the Balliol, with those of jet-powered, propellerless design; and when such replacements are likely to become available.

:The dual controlled Vampire is not officially classified as intermediate," but will be used in the advance stage of training to supplement the Meteor VII. There is no present proposal for replacing the Balliol, which has only recently been introduced, in the preceding stage of training.My right hon. and learned Friend has asked me to express his regret that his reply of 11th July to the hon. Member should have suggested that the Vampire could be regarded as an intermediate jet training aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made with the scheme to train Royal Air Force aircrew personnel in Canada; whether it is proposed to extend further the scope of this overseas flying training to include other areas in the western hemisphere; and whether he will make a statement.

:Up to now 224 men have gone to Canada to be trained as pilots or navigators. The future scope of the arrangements for giving flying training overseas is at present under discussion, and my right hon. and learned Friend is not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is satisfied that the supplies and distribution of Service leather materials are adequate to meet the requirements of the contractors undertaking Service footwear repairs.

:Yes. There have been local and temporary shortages of particular items, and urgent action is being taken to increase deliveries of these items. Normally, however, supplies are adequate and distribution satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what machinery and qualified personnel are available and responsible for ensuring that the specifications laid down in Service Footwear Repair Contract Forms are complied with.

:It is the responsibility of the technical and equipment staffs at Royal Air Force Stations to ensure that contract specifications are complied with.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will make sure that the Royal Air Force and police are properly informed of his Department's policy with regard to the rights of Press photographers at air crashes.

All Royal Air Force stations are aware of the policy of the Air Ministry in regard to the taking of Press photographs of Service air crashes, but the attention of all concerned, including the civil police in so far as crashes outside the bounds of a Royal Air Force station are concerned, is again being drawn to the instructions on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when he expects to open discussions with the Ely Rural District Council regarding the retaking over of Witchford Airfield, Ely; and what he expects to be his Department's requirements in so far as the hutments, now taken over by the rural district council for housing purposes, are concerned.

These discussions cannot be opened until detailed plans have been prepared and I cannot say when that will be. It is unlikely, except in an emergency, that the Air Ministry will have to take back the hutments.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the considerations on which he decided that a total width of 550 yards for runways and perimeter tracks is necessary for safety and efficient operation in an airfield in Lincolnshire of which he has knowledge; and whether he is aware of the consequent reduction in good agricultural land available for food production.

The total width required is 1,550 feet which is the minimum necessary for safe operation.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will now set up a commission to inquire into, and make recommendations on, the future of the Brabazon type of aircraft, taking into account the makers' performance figures and the policy of British Overseas Airways Corporation.

:No. There already exists a Standing Inter-Departmental Civil Aircraft Requirements Committee, on which the Ministry of Supply, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Air Corporations are represented, to consider civil aircraft requirements and the future use of types under development.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what steps he proposes to take to facilitate the restoration of scheduled air services between London and Manchester, Leeds, Bradford and other provincial centres.

:I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Shipley (Mr. Hirst) on 26th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the methods and machinery by which progress in the truce negotiations in Korea is reported to the United Nations.

:Reports from the United Nations Command on the progress of the armistice negotiations are communicated to the Secretary-General and circulated to member nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) when the House may expect publication of a White Paper on the work of the Fifth Session of the United Nations General Assembly;(2) whether, in order to secure proper observance of United Nations Day, 24th October, by the House of Commons, he will take steps to arrange a debate on that day on the work of the Fifth Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

A White Paper on the work of the Fifth Session of the United Nations General Assembly was laid before the House on 12th June. The question of a debate is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House. Many of the matters with which the White Paper dealt have already been subject to discussion by the House in foreign affairs debates.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements exist for broadcasting in the British Broadcasting Corporation's Overseas Service to Republics of the Soviet Union in their own native languages in cases where Russian is not generally understood.

:No arrangements have been made for broadcasting to the Soviet Union in other languages than Russian.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the fact that projects to provide work for the Arabs in refugee camps has had to be abandoned for lack of funds, what steps he will now take at the United Nations organisation to ensure that these works are continued.

:Under a United Nations General Assembly Resolution of November, 1950, a new programme was started on 1st July, 1951, which provides for projects for the resettlement of refugees. These projects will give employment to some of the refugees. In these circumstances no action by His Majesty's Government is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that a delegation from the Society of Friends has returned from a visit to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and has made known that the Soviet Government is willing to enter into great Power conversations at the highest level in order to promote peace; if he has considered the replies, a copy of which has been sent him, of the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister to the questions put by their delegation; and, in view of the grave state of international affairs, if he will take the necessary steps to test the sincerity of the Soviet Government's desire for peace.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has considered the answers, a copy of which has been sent to him, by Mr. Malik, the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister, to the questions of the recent Quaker delegation to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and if, in the light of them, he will make a statement on the policy of His Majesty's Government.

:I have seen the statements to which my hon. Friends call attention. They do not appear to represent any change in the position previously taken up by the Soviet Government. My experience in Paris does not lead me to be easily convinced by such Soviet affirmations.So far as action by His Majesty's Government is concerned, the offer made during the Paris Conference of Foreign Ministers' Deputies for a meeting of the four Foreign Ministers on a businesslike basis has remained open. The sincerity of Mr. Malik's statements could be proved by acceptance of this offer.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what national interest led him to seize the passport of Dr. Burhop to prevent his going to Moscow.

Dr. Burhop's passport was not seized. It was cancelled and he was requested to surrender it. This action was taken because it is in the national interest to discourage atomic scientists, who have at any time had access to classified information, from going to Russia. Dr. Burhop was intending to visit Moscow as a member of a Communist-dominated organisation, the Society of Cultural Relations with the U.S.S.R. In these circumstances it was decided to cancel his passport.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will, in connection with the negotiations on the Japanese Peace Treaty, take steps to prevent the annexation of the islands of Ryukyu, Bonin. Rosario. Parece Vela and others by the United States of America.

No, because the present draft of the Treaty does not provide for the annexation of these territories by the United States.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the meetings held last week in the Palace of Westminster by a committee of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe held a number of meetings in one of the Committee Rooms from Monday, 23rd July to Thursday, 27th July, under the chairmanship of M. van Cauwelaert, Speaker of the Belgian House of Representatives. Other members of the committee came from the Parliaments of Denmark. France, Federal German Republic and Italy.The meetings were held in public, and all those who attended were impressed by the cordiality and efficiency with which this European Committee conducted its work. Hon. Members of all parties shared the privilege of entertaining these visitors from European Parliaments and Mr. Speaker honoured them by receiving them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will take steps to prevent further intrusions of United Nations military aeroplanes over Chinese territories such as occurred on 11th. 15th, 17th. 18th and 21st July.

My hon. Friend is no doubt referring to a statement issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24th July. I have no confirmation that such flights were made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the Human Rights Article in the Hungarian Peace Treaty, he will make a further statement with regard to the recent deportations in Hungary.

The deportations from Budapest have now apparently ceased, but I am informed that between 21st May and 20th July at least 24,000 people, at a conservative estimate, were the victims of this cruel and merciless procedure. The hardships of the deportees, many of whom are old and ailing, will be accentuated by the oncome of winter, if, indeed, they survive the rigours of the climate in wholly inadequate quarters. His Majesty's Government condemn this callous action of the Hungarian Government.These measures flout the principles laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and provide still further evidence that the Hungarian Government completely disregard the Human Rights Article of the Hungarian Peace Treaty. His Majesty's Government will submit to the Secretary-General of the United Nations the detailed evidence of violations of this Article.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether, in view of the rise in the cost of materials and labour since the date when he fixed the present ceiling, he will now increase the amount of house repair work which a local authority is permitted to licence.

No. The other demands upon the resources of the building industry preclude the licensing of a greater amount of work on existing dwellings.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he will allow to rank for grant under the Housing Act of 1949, replacements of old heating appliances in buildings by modern fuel-saving installation.

:Yes.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he will give details of the revised housing allocations for the local authorities in Dorset.

The following are the increases in the housing allocations made to local authorities in Dorset since 25th January, 1951:

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what changes the Government propose to make in the law affecting the service occupation of farm cottages.

The proposal is to abolish the provision in paragraph g (ii) of the First Schedule to the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions (Amendment) Act, 1933, which enables possession of a house to be given or ejectment authorised without proof of alternative accommodation on presentation of a certificate of the county agricultural committee.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he is yet in a position to announce his decision on the application of the Ursuline High School, Ilford, for compulsory purchase of certain lands for school extensions.

I have decided to confirm the order. The necessary instruments will shortly be issued.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what is the total of development charges so far levied on local education authorities in connection with the erection of new schools.

Up to 30th June about £110,000 had been paid as development charges on schools and similar buildings. It is not possible to say how much of this sum was paid by local education authorities, nor how much of it related to the erection of new schools.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he is aware that a rate of interest of 4½ per cent. is charged by the Central Land Board upon outstanding instalments of development charge in cases where the developing owner is not able to meet the whole of the charge before development commences; and what is the reason for this high rate of interest.

:Yes, and the reason is because the security is only a second mortgage.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he will give an assurance that in the contemplated changes of buildings in proximity to the Palace of Westminster there will be no change in the title of the highway known as Abingdon Street, this being one of the few links remaining associating the monastic foundation of Abingdon with Westminster.

:This is a matter for the London County Council, but I am sending them a copy of the hon. Baronet's Question and of my answer.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the approximate cost per mile of constructing a roadway built over existing railway lines wide enough to carry two and three lines of traffic. respectively.

:The cost would depend upon the circumstances of each particular case and there is no reliable basis upon which I could give a general estimate of the kind the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Minister of National Insurance what is the average number of visits made each year by an officer of the National Assistance Board to old people living alone and in receipt of Assistance grants; and whether she will arrange for such visits to be made more frequently and regularly in future.

The Board are unable to say how many of the five million home visits which their officers make in the course of a year are made to old people living alone: the frequency of visiting in the individual case depends on the circumstances, including the person's age, capacities, and whether there are friends and relatives living nearby. In many cases the recipient is visited no oftener than once a year but more frequent visits are made where necessary. The hon. Member may like to consult the Board's Annual Report for 1949 which sets out the Board's policy on pages 15–17.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether the Workmen's Compensation (Supplementation) Scheme is yet in operation.

Yes. The Scheme came into operation on 11th July. I am informed by the Board administering it that some 1,700 claims have been received since then. Allowances have already been awarded in over 300 cases and put into payment.

asked the Minister of Education what has been the cost to date to his Department and the local authorities in connection with the Penoyre School, Breconshire; what is the total estimated cost of this school, with equipment; when was the place taken over; the date on which building or readaptation was commenced; the reasons for such delay; and the date the school is likely to be opened.

:The total expenditure so far approved by me for purchase and adaptation of Penoyre for a boarding special school for 60 delicate children, to be jointly provided by the Breconshire, Radnorshire and Merthyr Tydfil local education authorities, is £33,836, on which the Exchequer grant will be £21,640. Equipment is estimated by the local education authorities as likely to cost a further £9,550, but this item is still being considered by them. The building was purchased in 1948, but I was not then able to include the work of adaptation in the 1949 building programme. The authorities were informed in July, 1949, that it would be included in the programme of work to be started in 1950. The preparation and revision of plans and obtaining of tenders by the authorities took longer than might have been expected, and work did not actually begin till February, 1951. I understand that it is likely to be finished by the end of the year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what was the total number and total tonnage of His Majesty's ships in commission in the years 1913, 1938 and 1951, respectively.

The number and total tonnage of His Majesty's ships in commission in the years 1913, 1938 and 1951 were as follow:1913–445 ships of 1.960,000 tons.1938–233 ships of 890,000 tons.1951–208 ships of 535,000 tons.Coastal forces craft and supply, repair, maintenance and depot ships have been omitted in each case from these figures.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is in a position to make any further statement regarding the salvage operations on H.M.S. Affray."

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I made to the hon. and gallant Member for Gosport and Fareham (Surgeon Lieut.-Commander Bennett) today.

asked the Minister of Health the number of people in the Cheltenham area who are awaiting bone conduction hearing aids; the average time they have been waiting; and whether he will indicate when the instruments are likely to be delivered.

:Precise information is not available but I understand that the number of people concerned is very small. I regret that I cannot yet estimate when bone-conduction aids will be available for general distribution.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the amount of bacon which can be produced out of a pig in Great Britain weighing 100 lb. dead weight is approximately 80 lb., as against 87 lb. which the Danes now claim to be able to obtain; and whether he will provide facilities to enable British bacon producers to have better opportunities for studying the qualities and characteristics of Danish pigs which are now being produced for the bacon industry.

:I know that the figures quoted show a disparity; but as the dressed carcase weight of pigs is not determined on the same basis in the two countries, this disparity is much less than the hon. Member suggests. Moreover, a number of our British curers achieve a conversion factor well above 80 per cent.To the best of my knowledge there are no obstacles to the study of Danish methods and pigs by home producers or bacon curers if they wish to visit Denmark.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he intends to make any change in the rate of pensions paid to officers' widows, in view of the fall in the purchasing power of money since their last increase over seven years ago.

:I regret that in the present national circumstances it is not possible to increase the rates of pensions paid to these widows.

asked the Minister of Supply the average cost of each paid of Service boots delivered from manufacturers in June of this year, and the corresponding figures for 1948, 1949 and 1950, respectively.

:In June, 1951, the average price was 66 per cent. higher than in 1948. In 1949 it was 3 per cent. below and, in 1950, 7 per cent. above the corresponding figure for 1948. It is contrary to practice to disclose contract prices.

asked the Minister of Supply the average cost of battle dress slacks and blouse now being delivered to his Department, and the corresponding costs for the three preceding years.

:In June, 1951, the average price for battledress trousers was 41 per cent. higher than in 1948. In 1949 it was 7 per cent. below and in 1950 27 per cent. above the corresponding figure for 1948. In 1951, 1949 and 1950 the average price for blouses was 50 per cent. above, 5 per cent. below and 32 per cent. above the 1948 figure, respectively. It is contrary to practice to disclose contract prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can report the present position with regard to the interest-free loan made by the Government of Canada to the Government of the United Kingdom in 1942, and in particular the outcome of the discussions into which the two Governments agreed to enter before 1st January, 1951, under Article 6 of the Financial Agreement of 6th March, 1946, Command Paper No. 6904.

:As a result of discussions between the two Governments it has now been agreed, subject to necessary confirmatory legislation in the Canadian Parliament, that the interest-free provision and the other arrangements with respect to the Loan shall continue as at present until January 1, 1954. The two Governments have agreed to enter into discussions before that date with,respect to the question of interest on, and the terms of repayment of, the balance of the Loan then outstanding.Under the arrangements which are being continued up to the end of 1953, the dollars accruing from the sale by United Kingdom residents of Canadian market securities, or from redemption, will be used by us in repayment of the Loan, but the Canadian Government will allow us to set off against the amounts repayable in this way the cost of new direct investments in Canada by United Kingdom residents. For this purpose, new direct investment is taken to mean the extension of an existing productive enterprise or the establishment of a new productive enterprise in Canada.The arrangements, therefore, do not prevent new investments in Canada which, so far as resources permit, are allowed by the Treasury where they are shown to be advantageous in relation to our dollar position and in the interests of both countries. Unfortunately, the arrangements do prevent the switching of Canadian securities held by United Kingdom residents. The Canadian Government did not feel able to agree to any modification of this one aspect of arrangements which on the whole represent very generous treatment for which we are indeed grateful in our continuing dollar difficulties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give an assurance that in administering Clause 36 of the Finance Bill, he will be careful not to interfere with economic development in Colonial Territories.

:Clause 36 is not designed to interfere with copital investment in Colonial Territories or elsewhere. In the case of companies wishing to transfer their control and management to Colonial Territories, and where no question of tax evasion arises, I am certain that the Advisory Panel will pay particular attention to development in the Colonies, and I certainly shall.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the fiduciary note issue.

Yes. The Treasury have authorised an increase in the amount of the fiduciary note issue by £25 million to £1,425 million as from 31st July, 1951, for a period of not more than one month in order to meet the temporary increase in the demand for notes at the peak of the holiday season. The Treasury Minute will be laid before Parliament.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will alter the awkward percentage of 21.22 per cent. uplift when calculating value for Purchase Tax purposes since no ready reckoner includes this figure.

This figure was adopted as the adjustment for tax purposes for particular classes of goods by agreement between the trade associations concerned and the Customs. It has operated for a number of years without complaint, but if difficulty is being experienced it is open) to the associations to raise the matter with the Customs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of revenue is collected from foreign hand-woven tweeds imported into this country.

:I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what directions he has given regarding the allocation of resources to new hydro-electric schemes in view of their high capital cost.

I assume the question is in respect of the capital investment programme of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board. It has been decided that, for the time being, there should be no major increase in the amount of work done annually on hydro-electric schemes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in view of the strong claims of the Bradford Technical College to university rank and the recent representations made to him by the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, he will request the University Grants Committee to receive a joint deputation from the Bradford education authority and the Chamber of Commerce so that the case may be re-examined in the light of the industrial needs of the city.

It is open to the Bradford authorities to ask the University Grants Committee to receive a deputation at any time.