asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will authorise a duly-elected official of an old age pensioners' association to countersign the certificate of application for tobacco-duty relief by a pensioner in addition to the other 15 categories already recognised.

The present list of categories, which has been in use since 1947, gives the pensioner a wide choice, and I should need clear evidence that it is seriously inadequate before I could feel justified in authorising the extra expense involved in revising the forms.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now alter the present coinage system to allow for 10 pennies to a shilling and so take a preliminary step towards a decimal system.

No, the replacement of the existing bronze coinage by new coins of different value would involve an impossible burden on our present resources of material and labour. The alternative of increasing by 20 per cent. the value of the bronze coinage now in circulation is likewise unsatisfactory.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that the Government will not cut any of the social services; and whether it is his intention to make financial provision for an increase in the old-age pension.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement of the Government's intention in the Gracious Speech. The needs of old age pensioners are ever present in my mind, but I cannot make any statement.

asked the Chancellor whether he is aware of the hardship caused by old age pensions being subject to Income Tax; and whether he will introduce amending regulations to remove this hardship.

An old age pensioner with no other income would be exempt from tax. Where there is other income, I do not think that old age pensions should be treated differently from other retirement pensions by being left out of account in computing total income.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he can now state the amount of reserves taken over when the Bank of England was nationalised.

No.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the estimated saving to his Department by the voluntary reduction of salary contemplated by certain Ministers.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Members for Northampton (Mr. Paget), Blackburn, East (Mrs. Castle), Bristol, South-East (Mr. Benn), Swindon (Mr. T. Reid), and Sheffield. Park (Mr. Whiney).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to what extent allowances are made in regard to Income Tax relief to Ministers and junior Ministers who opt to use their own cars in preference to those supplied from the official pool.

Expenses in- curred by a Minister of the Crown in using his own car for travelling when an official car is available would not qualify for relief from Income Tax under Rule 9 of Schedule E, because the Minister would not be "necessarily obliged" to incur them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is prepared to consider any scheme for payment of post- war credits to persons who are chronically sick or disabled.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to the hon. Members for Itchen (Mr. Morley), Gateshead, East (Mr. Moody), Small Heath (Mr. F. Longden), Bradford. South (Mr. George Craddock). and Cardiff. West (Mr. G. Thomas).

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the present position with regard to the Committee of Copyright; what changes there have been in the composition of this committee since it was first appointed; whether it has yet completed the taking of evidence; and when its report is likely to be available.

The Committee has just completed the taking of oral evidence in public, the first stage of its task. The Chairman of the Committee, my noble Friend the Marquess of Reading, has resigned on his appointment as Parlia- mentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and Sir Henry Gregory, K.C.M.G., C.B., a member of the Com- mittee, has been appointed in his place. There have been no other changes in the Committee. The report of the Committee is not expected to be available for some months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, until the international position is clarified, he will give instructions to hold up the fulfilment of the big orders from Persia for steel for railway purposes, which steel is vitally needed in other parts of the Commonwealth.

The licences which had been given for the export to Persia of railway track equipment, including rails, sleepers and fastenings, were revoked on the 10th September and cargoes of these goods which were already en route to Persia were requisitioned. No further licences for the export of these goods to Persia are being issued for the present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will maintain the priority of the development areas with regard to factory construction.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, what restrictions are to be placed on factory building in development areas.

Authorisation for factory building in development areas will be subject to the general considerations put forward by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 7th November during the debate on the Address.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to restore the Liverpool Cotton Exchange.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend on Friday last during the debate on the Address.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Monopolies Commission's Report on Electric Lamps will be published; and if he will make a statement about the report.

The Report was. published today. The Commission have found that conditions to which the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948, applies, prevail as respects the supply of electric lamps, since about 60 per cent. of both filament and discharge lamps are supplied by members of the Electric Lamp Manufacturers' Association who operate a number of arrangements which restrict competition in the industry.The Report shows that the E.L.M.A. firms agree together on the types of lamps to be manufactured and on common manufacturers' prices for each type; they also lay down the prices to be charged at each stage of distribution and enforce these prices by collective sanctions. Besides the "stop-list" used for this purpose, there are also "exclusive dealing" arrangements requiring all wholesalers who sell E.L.M.A. lamps not to sell lamps made by other manufacturers; and retailers get better terms if they agree to confine themselves to E.L.M.A. lamps.There are also "sales quota" arrangements by which a manufacturer in the E.L.M.A. group cannot increase his share of the total U.K. market (relative to other members of the group) without incurring penalties.The Commission also describe in detail the patent policies followed by members of E.L.M.A., their attitude to standardisation and the position with regard to certain components which manufacturers outside the association obtain from E.L.M.A. members.The report shows that outside the Electric Lamps Manufacturers Association there are a number of firms—known as the "controlled companies"—which are jointly owned by E.L.M.A. members and which market lamps through the chain stores, usually at lower prices than E.L.M.A. lamps.The Commission note that the E.L.M.A. system is markedly less restrictive now than in 1939. The new patent policy proposed by the members of E.L.M.A. who own patents is more liberal and the "quota" arrangements and the arrangements about the sale of components to non-members have been made less rigorous. The Report also shows that prices and profits, which were unduly high before the war, are now—except in the case of motor lamps—on average, moderate.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the housing shortage, he will increase the allocations of houses to the borough and rural district of Newcastle-under-Lyme.

I shall be willing to increase the allocation in accordance with progress made.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the successful experiment carried out by the Eastern Federation of Building Trades Employers at Ipswich in constructing houses at a low cost and with a high standard of amenity; and whether he will encourage the development of this experiment in the future.

I have not yet had an opportunity of studying the particular scheme, but I am certainly ready to encourage suitable proposals for building cheaper houses.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that those who are anxious and able to build houses for their own occupation with their own labour are given special facilities and encouragement to do so.

I am considering in what ways house ownership can most appropriately be encouraged.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the number of new houses and flats under construction in October, 1950, and October, 1951; and the total number completed, or estimated to be completed, in the years ending 30th September, 1951, and 30th September, 1952, respectively.

The numbers under construction on 1st October, 1950, and on 1st October, 1951, were 170,944 and 187,205 respectively. 168,026 were completed in the year ended 30th September, 1951. I cannot yet give a reliable estimate of the number likely to be completed during the succeeding year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many permanent houses were completed at 25th October, 1951; how many were under construction; how many sites were prepared; and how many houses were approved.

The latest available figures are given in the Housing Return 30th September, 1951 (Cmd. 8389) obtainable from the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the proportionate percentages of the housing target of 300,000 per annum, to be allocated to Scotland, England and Wales, respectively.

No, but I have no doubt that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will strive to get his fair proportion.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he proposes to take to increase the number of houses to be built in Sheffield; and if he will increase the quota of local authority houses.

I am ready to increase the allocation in accordance with progress made.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now allow the continuation of the Newcastle County Borough Council's five-year scheme to enable the pre-war housing estates and other property to be supplied with electricity.

Work is proceeding on 773 houses, but I am informed that the North-Eastern Electricity Board are at present unable to do more owing to the limited resources available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give an assurance that no additional charges will fall upon housing authorities following the increase in interest rates.

I cannot add to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement until the results of the subsidy review are laid before the House.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the shortage of building materials, he will give an assurance that present housing standards will be continued, particularly in relation to the space area of each house.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 9th November to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. N. Dodds).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will consider the re-introduction of grants from the Treasury to give rate aid to war-damaged towns such as Southampton, which will still suffer extra local financial burdens because of their losses during the war.

My predecessors did not feel warranted in extending these grants after March of this year and I cannot see my way to reverse their decision.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the impending reductions in the capital investment programme, he will give an assurance that special consideration will be given to the needs of bomb-damaged cities, such as Exeter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what effect the building restrictions will have on reconstruction in war-damaged cities in general and Plymouth in particular.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether His Majesty's Government will give priority in re-housing to bomb-damaged areas like West Ham, where the housing needs are greatest; and what steps are to be taken to ensure that they receive such priority.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give an assurance that bomb-damaged towns and cities will receive a special priority allocation out of the 300,000 houses per annum.

I am aware of the needs of the war-damaged cities, and I will give them as sympathetic consideration as I can.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many new houses and flats have so far been completed under the provisions of the New Towns Act, 1946.

On 31st October, 1951, 2,362 new dwellings had been completed by Development Corporations in the new towns in England and Wales.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action His Majesty's Government proposes to take, in view of the recent decision of the Divisional Court in the King v. Folkestone Rent Tribunal,ex parte Sharkey, to enable rent tribunals to grant security of tenure to tenants who have failed or have been unable to refer their tenancies to the rent tribunal before the service of a notice to quit upon them by their landlords.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities in England and Wales have, since 1945, made advances under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts and the Housing Acts to enable people to buy their own houses; how much has been advanced; and for how many houses.

The number of authorities is 921, including 19 county councils; the amount advanced up to 31st March, 1951, is £40,078,174 for 47,806 houses.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the prospects for increased supplies of timber, cement and bricks for an extended housing programme.

It is too early yet for any precise statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that local authorities are uncertain as to whether or not it is in order for them when laying new water mains to provide connections from them to the boundaries of properties free of charge; and what steps he will take to clarify the matter.

A circular was sent recently to local authorities to clear up this point. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals for amending or repealing the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, dealing with the compulsory acquisition of development rights.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply given yesterday to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. J. Grimond).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps are taken to prevent vessels in the Port of London discharging black smoke in unreasonable quantities and so polluting the atmosphere.

The Port health authority is the Common Council of the City of London. Their inspectors, who patrol the river, require the master of any ship which is discharging smoke too heavily to abate the nuisance. In exceptional cases the authority can take proceedings.

asked the Minister of Works what has happened to the pelicans that used to inhabit the lake in St. James's Park.

There were, until recently, two pelicans in St. James's Park. One of the birds, aged about 60, died on 13th October; he had been blind for some time, and was kept on Duck Island. The other, a much younger bird, died on 27th October, of lung disease. The right sort of birds are difficult to get but the Department is trying to replace these amiable inhabitants of St. James's Park. Meanwhile, the Zoological Society of London has kindly lent one.

asked the Minister of Works if he will make a statement about the future of the Festival of Britain buildings on the South Bank.

Negotiations are proceeding with various interested bodies and I am not able to make a general statement. My Department is taking the lease of the greater part of the area between County Hall and Hungerford Bridge and it is probable that most of the buildings there will have to be removed. The future of the remainder of the Festival site will have to be considered by the London County Council and by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government in the light of joint recommendations of the architect and the Chief Parks Officer of the Council and Mr. Hugh Casson, until recently Director of Architecture for the Festival of Britain.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will take steps to ensure that all portable gas and electric fires are fitted with guards to help reduce their danger to children.

Guards are included in the specifications for these fires recently published by the British Standards Institution. The Manufacturers' Associations have promised my Department to urge their members to observe the new specifications.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will reduce the amount of licence-free building work and thereby provide additional labour for the building of new houses.

No. I do not consider that such a reduction would make any appreciable difference to the building of new houses or would justify the extra work on staff and burden on the public.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that the Miners' Hostel, Dean Road, Ferryhill, County Durham, has been vacant for the last four weeks; and what is his intention in regard to this hostel.

This hostel was given up by the National Coal Board on 5th October and has now been allocated for Government storage.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the figures for unemployed workers and those on short time or part time at the latest convenient date.

At 15th October there were 263,756 unemployed persons on the registers of employment exchanges in Great Britain. The total number of workpeople on short-time is not known, but at establishments in manufacturing industries from which returns were received in respect of the week ended 22nd September the number on short-time in that week was 66,000. Estimates of the numbers of women normally working part-time, that is less than 30 hours a week, are available only for the manufacturing industries, the distributive and catering trades, laundries and cleaning and certain other services. The total number at 22nd September, 1951, for all these industries and services was 655,000.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed men and women in Macclesfield, Congleton and Bollington, respectively; and the number on short-time work.

At 15th October, 113 males and 175 females at Macclesfield, and 18 males and 141 females at Congleton. There is no employment exchange at Bollington, which is in the area of the Macclesfield Employment Exchange. As regards short-time work, I regret that statistics for local areas are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he proposes to take to settle the difference between the Rugby League and the Players' Union.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is prepared to set up an independent tribunal to inquire into the disagreement between the Rugby League Football Players' Union and Welfare Organisation and the Rugby League Council.

This dispute was formally reported by the Players' Union to my predecessor in July last, and since that time officers of my Department have been in close contact with representatives of the League and the Union with a view to promoting joint discussions between them. A joint meeting was held on 13th September last but, unfortunately, no progress could be made towards a settlement of the difficulties. Efforts have since been made to arrange a further joint meeting, but as it has not been found possible to reach an agreed basis for such a meeting, I have now decided to refer the dispute to the Industrial Disputes Tribunal in accordance with the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Order No. 1376.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed disabled persons in the Wolverhampton and Bilston area.

At 15th October, 49 at Wolverhampton and 8 at Bilston; including 16 and 4 respectively who are classified as unlikely to obtain employment other than under special conditions.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that notices of deferment of the call-up for agricultural workers do not state the procedure to be undertaken by employers to renew such deferment; and whether he will indicate what is the proper procedure under the recent arrangements.

Since the middle of October all notifications of the grant of deferment in respect of an agricultural worker have contained the following note:

"If, when the current period of determent is nearing expiry, you consider that an extension of deferment is essential, you should apply on the prescribed form (N.S. 308) not later than seven days before the expiry date."

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects to be able to report further progress on the establishment of a revised cost-of-living index.

The Cost of Living Advisory Committee is now considering a report submitted to them by the Technical Committee, which has been reviewing the operation of the Interim Index of Retail Prices since its introduction it. 1947 and has been considering possible means of effecting temporary modifications in the present index until a new index based on the results of a family budget enquiry can be instituted. I hope to receive a report on these matters from the Advisory Committee very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of houses to be built in Scotland in 1952; and what are his proposals for increasing the number of building workers to be employed on municipal housing in Scotland.

I hope that more houses will be built in Scotland in 1952 than in 1951, but I am not in a position to make a precise estimate. The labour force on local authority housing in Scotland is increasing and I shall do everything possible to continue this trend.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to an experiment carried out by the Eastern Federation of Building Trades Employers at Ipswich in constructing houses with a high standard of amenity at low cost; and whether he will investigate how far this experiment can be usefully developed in Scotland.

I am aware of the Ipswich experiment. I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy of a circular with sketch plans which my Department issued to Scottish local authorities in August last on the subject of low cost housing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to deal with the shortage of accommodation in Glasgow for mentally defective children.

The Regional Hospital Board are preparing plans for two projects, providing 350 additional beds serving the Glasgow area, and other proposals are at earlier stages of consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much land is farmed by his Department of Agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture farm 131,917 acres of land, consisting in the main of hill farming subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much land is owned by his Department of Agriculture and, of this, how much is devoted to forestry, farming and smallholding use, respectively.

'The Secretary of State owns 508,057 acres of land under agricultural powers. Land settlement estates account for 456,569 acres and the remainder is held for farming use. Woodland areas extend to just over 2,000 acres. In addition, the Secretary of State owns 973,787 acres of land under forestry powers: of this land the Department of Agriculture at present factor or farm 263,419 acres. The remaining area, which includes 289,331 acres actually under trees, is managed by the Forestry Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when it is intended to announce the Royal Commission on self-government for Scotland.

The Government will consider the terms of reference of a Royal Commission in the light of the report of the committee presided over by Lord Catto which is investigating the economic and financial relations between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

asked the Lord Advocate if he will consider an appeal in the case of the officials of the Knock- shinnoch colliery.

Yes. A stated case has been applied for and is at present in course of adjustment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps it is proposed to take to deal with the serious flooding of houses in East Vale, Longton and Fenton: and if he will treat this matter as one of extreme urgency.

I am informed that the Trent River Board and the Stoke-on-Trent Corporation are investigating this problem as a matter of urgency and I expect to receive a report within a few days. I will then write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what complaints he has received regarding the messing on H.M.T. "Devonshire";(2) if he will investigate and report on the conditions aboard H.M.T. "Devon- shire," on her recent voyage from Korea, in view of the complaints made.

Some minor complaints about the messing, namely, that there were not enough green vegetables, the menus lacked variety and the tea was too weak, were made by a few of the men. So far as possible these shortcomings were rectified and, apart from these matters, the general standard of messing is reported to have been satisfactory. I do not propose to order any special inquiry into the conditions on this vessel, since it is already earmarked for conversion to post-war standards as soon as our present heavy movement commitments allow.

asked the Minister of Education if she will circulate in the OFFICIAL. REPORT details of the reduction in the number of new schools in the appropriate local education authority areas affected by the instructions issued prior to 25th October to cut their education estimates by 25 per cent.

No instructions were issued by my Department to any local education authorities to cut their education estimates by 25 per cent. In compiling the 1952–53 building programme, which was announced about two months ago, and to which I think my hon. Friend must be referring, it was not possible to accept all the projects submitted by local education authorities. For England and Wales as a whole, however, the programme represents a total value of work rather greater than the programme for 1951–52.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is satisfied that the measures being taken in the Suez Canal zone are adequate to prevent disturbance of civil order and to protect British lives and property.

I regret to inform the House that, with certain exceptions, so far from taking the necessary measures the Egyptian Government have connived in, if not encouraged, the spread of lawlessness in the Zone. In addition to their failure to take measures in time to pre vent the incursion of hooligan elements which inspired the riots in Ismailia on 16th October, the Egyptian authorities have tolerated and even encouraged a widespread campaign of intimidation against Egyptian labour employed both in British military installations in the Canal ports and in private British employment. We have evidence of the direct participation of the local Egyptian authorities in this campaign and have been obliged to insist upon the expulsion of a number of minor officials involved, including a few police officers as well as members of terrorist organisations.One of the effects of this Egyptian campaign has been to deprive a large part of the civil population of their means of livelihood. As a result of this and of the panic and departure of small shopkeepers, there is a danger that the whole system of food distribution, particularly in Ismailia and the villages of the Zone, will break down, leading to widespread distress and further disorder. At no time have His Majesty's Forces in any way interfered with the movement of food supplies into this area and the responsibility for this dangerous situation rests entirely on the shoulders of the Egyptian Government. So far, the Egyptian Government have shown no sign that they recognise the gravity of their responsibilities, and if their own people are to be spared from unnecessary hardship and suffering, urgent action is required on the part of the Egyptian authorities to put an end to this campaign of intimidation and restore normal conditions of life in the area.

asked the Minister of Health what steps have been taken to secure reciprocal facilities for British subjects while in Switzerland, having regard to the National Health Service facilities given to Swiss nationals who come to this country.

Inquiries have been made of the Swiss Government, but so far without success.

asked the Minister of Health if he will review the amount which a local authority is required to assume will be needed for their personal requirements by persons liable to pay for accommodation provided under Part III of the National Assistance Act, 1948, so that in appropriate cases such persons may benefit from the increased rates of retirement pensions now payable.

My hon. and learned Friend's suggestion would substantially increase the charges falling on public funds and it would not be right for me to hold out hope that this might be possible at the present time.

asked the Minister of National Insurance what is the annual sum paid to sufferers from tuberculosis through National Insurance benefit and National Assistance payments.

I regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the number of firearms certificates for the purchase of automatic firearms by Egyptian nationals in this country needs attention, so as to minimise the number of firearms being exported from this country to Egypt; and what limitation is in force at present.

Before granting a firearm certificate the chief officer of police concerned has to be satisfied that there is a good reason for doing so. I have no reason to think that, in exercising his power under the Firearms Act, any chief officer of police would facilitate the export of firearms to Egypt in present circumstances. I am informed that any Board of Trade licences for the export of arms to Egypt valid on 22nd October, 1951, were revoked on that date and that none has since been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the awards for those disabled while serving in the police, prior to July, 1948, are considerably lower than the awards paid after that date under the Industrial Injuries Act; and whether he will take steps to remove this anomaly.

I am aware that in some cases a policeman injured in the execution of his duty before the Industrial Injuries Scheme came into operation might have received larger aggregate benefits if that scheme had applied to him. It is, however, the general practice for benefits introduced as from a specified date to be payable only to persons whose entitlement to benefit arises on or after that date, and I can find no grounds for suggesting that the police should receive exceptionally favourable treatment in this respect.