asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consult with the Secretary of State for the Home Department with a view to providing mounted patrols for assisting the public when the traffic is heavy at the newly-marked pedestrian crossings.

I have consulted my right hon. and learned Friend, who does not consider that it would be appropriate to use mounted patrols on traffic control work at pedestrian crossings. Chief officers of police have however been asked to make every effort to encourage the public to make full and proper use of the pew striped crossings.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the hardship caused to residents in the Pentwyn area due to the absence of rail or road passenger transport facilities; and if he will consider improving the bridge over the road from the Big Arch, Abersychan, to Pentwyn, so that a road service may be operated.

The improvement of the bridge would be primarily a matter for the Railway Executive and the local highway authority. No application has been made to me for authority to undertake any improvement works to this bridge and it is unlikely in present economic circumstances that I could give this authority. I understand that, apart from the bridge, road improvements would be necessary before a bus service could be safely operated.

asked the Minister of Transport whether all possible preparations have been made for dealing with ice and snow on the roads during the coming winter.

I am satisfied that highway authorities in general take all practicable precautions in this matter. Arrangements are in force for assistance to be given where possible by Service personnel in case of emergency.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will recommend highway authorities, in the interests of road safety, to replace or renew reflector studs in roadways as soon as necessity may require.

I am sure that highway authorities generally are fully alive to the value of reflector studs as an aid to safety but in this and other matters they cannot in present economic circumstances always maintain as high a standard as they would like. If my hon. Friend has any particular road in mind and will send me particulars I will make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Supply what steps his Department is taking to increase the production of sulphur and sulphur-bearing materials.

I have been asked to reply.Plans are well under way to recover sulphur in this country from oil refinery gases and coking plants, and to produce sulphuric acid from native anhydrite. All possible action is being taken to facilitate the supply of construction materials and plant required.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will take steps to see that there is an adequate supply of pig iron available to the foundries on Wearside, so that full employment and output can be maintained.

I much regret that there is not enough pig iron available to meet the full demands of the foundries at the present time.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he has considered the case of Mr. G. W. Gorvin of Birmingham, particulars of which have been sent to him; and whether he will consider introducing amending legislation to correct the anomaly in the National Insurance Act, 1946, revealed by this and similar cases.

I have written to the hon. Member about this case. I do not share the hon. Member's view that the provisions to which he refers are anomalous. They were fully discussed on the consideration of the National Insurance Act, 1946, by this House.

asked the Minister of National Insurance the number of widows in Cardiff who are in receipt of 10s. weekly pension only; and whether he proposes to review these payments.

My records do not enable me to give the number of pensioners in a particular area.Most of these women are in employment or have other resources. If not they can obtain help from the National Assistance Board. These pensions were carried over from the old scheme and have no counterpart in the modern National Insurance arrangements. I do not think there is any ground for a special review of this class.

asked the Minister of National Insurance when the honourable Member for North-west Leeds may receive an answer to his letter to him asking for the reasons why his predecessor in office did not reappoint Mr. G. L. Haggen of Leeds as chairman of the Leeds Local Appeal Tribunal after holding that office for 19 years.

My hon. Friend will have received my letter on this subject dated 16th November, 1951.

asked the Minister of National Insurance when the review of old age pensions is to take place.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 12th November, 1951, by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Morecambe and Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser).

asked the Minister of National Insurance (1) the number in receipt of National Health Insurance benefit in each of the six years following the first and second world wars; and the total amount of moneys paid in each of these years;(2) the number in receipt of maternity allowance in each of the six years following the first and second world wars; and the total amount of moneys paid in each year;(3) the number in receipt of Unemployment Insurance benefit and Public Assistance benefit in each of the six years following the first and second world wars; the weekly amounts per person; and the total amounts of moneys paid in each of these years;(4) the number in receipt of old age pensions in each of the six years following the first and second world wars; and the total amounts of moneys paid in each of these years.

I will see what information is available and communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, in view of the shortage of household coal, he will take immediate steps to control the retail price of logs.

No.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the present estimated production of deep-mined coal for 1951.

Between 210 and 211 million tons.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what tonnage of exports of coal he intends to maintain in 1952.

I cannot yet say.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to what extent those who have fitted their homes with fuel saving combustion appliances using coke, anthracite or briquettes can count on adequate supplies of fuel during the forthcoming winter in view of the reduction of domestic coal supplies.

I am afraid there will be a shortage of boiler fuel this winter but, as I have explained in answer to an earlier Question, I have approved arrangements for a more equitable regional distribution of coke which should benefit householders who use coke in their appliances.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when it is proposed to discontinue pool petrol and to allow the sale of superior quality petrol to the general public.

I am afraid that with the Abadan refinery out of action this cannot be considered at present.

asked the Attorney-General what action has been taken to prevent magistrates in the County of Radnor, who are members of the local education committee, from taking part in cases of prosecution for non-attendance of children at school.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Home Affairs has addressed a letter to all clerks to justices, including those in the County of Radnor, calling their attention to the provisions of Section 3 of the Justices of the Peace Act, 1949, which disqualify justices who are members of local authorities from sitting to deal with cases in which the authority or any of its officers are parties.

asked the Attorney-General if he will state the Government's policy regarding the leasehold problem.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is now in a position to make a statement about the special provisions for Christmas food and about special ration allowances for the Christmas period.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mrs. Mann) on Wednesday, 14th November.

asked the Minster of Food if, during the Christmas season, he will increase the ration of tea, sugar, and fats and what method he proposes to apply to the distribution of poultry.

As to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mrs. Mann) on Wednesday, 14th November.The poultry trade was decontrolled last year and I see no reason to reverse that decision.

asked the Minister of Food if he will renew the war-time practice of releasing information concerning price changes for oils and fats on the Wednesday preceding each new period for which his Department fixes such prices for the greater convenience of trade journals.

The circumstances are not the same as in war-time, and I am advised that the change suggested could not be made without danger to orderly distribution and to the Ministry's trading position.

asked the Minister of Food how the cut of £60 million in the import of foods on Government account will be spread, giving details of commodities and countries involved.

It would be contrary to the normal practice of a buyer to give such details.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the present difficulties of the fried fish trade, especially by reason of the shortage of suitable oil; and what steps he intends to take to remove these difficulties and to encourage this trade.

As I told the House on 9th November, we cannot afford to buy as much oil as we should like. Some fish friers will, I fear, continue to receive less oil than they wish, and not always of the kind they would themselves choose. Within the limits of supply I shall do my best to meet the difficulties of the trade.

asked the Minister of Food what arrangements he is making for the procurement of additional supplies of meat.

I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Minister of Food when he will have completed negotiations with the National Farmers' Union with a view to ensuring that calves destined for slaughter will go direct to the nearest slaughterhouse instead of going to the local market.

I am unaware of the negotiations to which my hon. and gallant friend refers. The present arrangements for the marketing of calves for slaughter, including those for avoiding cruelty to very young animals, are based on agreements with the National Farmers' Union and appear to be working satisfactorily.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a Regulation forbidding the slaughter of horses for sale for human consumption in any place other than a public abattoir or licensed private slaughterhouse, except in cases of accident, illness or other emergency as recommended by the Departmental Committee on Export and Slaughter of Horses.

It is an offence under the Food and Drugs Act to slaughter horses as a business except in licensed premises. I am considering the extension of the provisions of the Public Health (Meat) Regulations so as to require notice to be given to the local authority when horses are to be slaughtered for human consumption.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will maintain the supplies of tinplate to canners at the same rate or an increased rate over 1951 in view of his decision to cut imports of canned fruit and vegetables from abroad.

As my hon. Friend will be aware, the amount of tinplate available is limited, but I will ensure that supplies to canners are kept at the maximum possible level.

asked the Minister of Food what quantity of imported canned hams and other meat products has had to be condemned by sanitary inspectors during the past two years

I regret that this information could not be made available without the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of staff time by my Department and by local authorities. This would not be justifiable in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Food, in view of the decision to ban any further imports of canned ham into this country, what steps he is taking to encourage the greater production of ham within Great Britain from British pigs.

The production of pigs in this country has recently increased but for the time being we must continue to use most of the British pig meat for the production of bacon for the ration.

asked the Minister of Food what is the present position with regard to the proposed legislation to amend the law relating to food and drugs; and what arrangements have been made for prior consultation with the interests concerned.

I am considering, in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for Scotland, the possibility of amending the Food and Drugs Acts but regret that it is not yet possible to make a statement. Any proposals will be the subject of the usual consultations with the interests concerned.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has noted that every animal of every species, fed with methionine sulphoximine, the active principle of agenised flour, has shown severe toxic symptoms; and whether he will take this further evidence into consideration, and prohibit the agene process for improving flour as a matter of urgent public interest.

I am advised that, while pure methionine sulphoximine has caused toxic symptoms in the six animal species to which it has been fed in relatively large amounts, it has not caused such symptoms when ingested at the levels at which it is present in a diet containing normal quantities of agenised flour. Nevertheless, as I stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Renton) on 12th November, it has been decided that the agene treatment of flour should be discontinued as soon as a suitable substitute has been agreed on.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will give a list of the chemical emulsifiers used in the baking industry in the replacement of natural fats.

The baking industry is using emulsifiers, usually in association with natural fats, to make the best use of the limited supply of fat available. I am informed that glyceryl monostearate is by far the most widely used emulsifier, and that it is chemically related to and usually prepared from natural fat

asked the Minister of Food if he will give a list of the bleachers and/or improvers of flour which are under consideration as substitutes for the agene process; whether ascorbic acid is one of these; and when it is expected that the toxic substance agene will be forbidden.

As stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Renton) on 12th November, a joint examination of the possible alternatives to the agene process is at present being undertaken by the Departments concerned in association with representatives of the milling and baking industries. Until I have a report of this examination, I cannot furnish the hon. Member with a full list of the substitutes under consideration. The date of discontinuation of the present agene treatment will depend on the outcome of this investigation.

asked the Minister of Food (1) if he will reintroduce the regulations limiting all hotels, restaurants, cafes, etc., to the supplying of three-course meals during the period of food cuts;(2) if he will re-introduce the 5s. maximum meal charge order, or some such amended order, during the period of food cuts.

No.

asked the Minister of Food if he will introduce the necessary measures to ensure that during the period of the food cuts offal will not be allowed to be served in hotels, restaurants, cafés, etc., and thus make these supplies available only to the domestic user.

No.

asked the Minister of Food when he expects to introduce legislation to simplify the food subsidies.

The future of food subsidies has necessarily to be considered in the context of general fiscal and social policy. I am not in a position to make any statement on the matter at present.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will introduce a special cost-of-living scale for old age pensioners based on facts specially relative to them.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind a separate index of retail prices applicable to the circumstances of old age pensioners. The Cost of Living Advisory Committee, in their Interim Report of 26th June, 1951, expressed the opinion that there would be serious objections to the regular publication at monthly intervals of two or more official indices of retail prices covering different social, economic or regional groups, and they recommended that only one official index should be published monthly, to relate to all wage-earners and moderate salary earners.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the concern caused to those engaged in the fishing industry by the rise in prices over the last six years; and whether he has any proposals to meet this situation.

I am aware of the concern felt in the fishing industry at the large increases in prices of ropes, twines and fishing nets over the last six years. These increases are mainly attributable to the rises in prices of the imported raw materials from which these articles are made, namely sisal, manila and cotton, the cost of which is by far the biggest element in the manufacturers' total costs.No substantial reduction in present prices of the finished articles can be expected until there is a substantial fall in world prices of the raw materials.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the increase in the cost of fishing gear; and what steps he is taking to bring it down so as to be within the means of the fishermen whose need in this matter is urgent.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I have given today to a similar Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Berwick and East Lothian (Major Anstruther-Gray).

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further reports of the Monopolies Commission he expects to be presented before the end of the year.

I understand that a further report from the Commission is not likely to be made this year. As the hon. Member knows, the Commission has already reported this year on the supply of cast iron rainwater goods and on the supply of electric lamps.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he will state the terms of the agreement entered into with the United States Government under which the United States Government are entitled to station aircraft and troops in Malta; and whether the Government of Malta or the Maltese Parliament have been consulted in regard to this agreement;(2) what representations he has received from the Prime Minister of Malta or the Leader of the Opposition in the Maltese Parliament in regard to the basing of United States troops in Malta; and what action he proposes to take.

No formal agreement with the United States authorities on the subject has yet been signed. Provisional arrangements are, however, already in operation under which certain temporary facilities are provided for United States Naval Air Forces in Malta. The Prime Minister of Malta was consulted before these arrangements were made and raised no objection.I have received no representations from the Prime Minister of Malta on this matter. The Leader of the Opposition in the Maltese Assembly has recently raised the matter informally with the Minister of State. It was made clear to him that discussion on this or other matters of public concern in Malta could constitutionally be conducted only with the. Maltese Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will cause to be published and put on sale to the public at a popular price a booklet giving an account of the British part in the development of the Sudan over the past 60 years.

I have been asked to reply.A pamphlet on the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was recently printed for distribution in the United States by British Information Services. I am considering whether it can be brought up to date and placed on sale in this country at a modest price.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any further information regarding the present position of the Russian-born wives of British subjects who have been prevented by the Russian authorities from joining their husbands in this country; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.

No Russian-born wives of British subjects have been given permission to leave the Soviet Union since January, 1946. Of the 16 local nationals married to British husbands who did not receive Soviet passports before January, 1946, nine have had their marriages dissolved, four have disappeared, one has stated that she does not wish to leave the Soviet Union, one is living with her mother in Moscow and one is at the British Embassy where she is employed.The question of persuading the Soviet Government to agree to these Russian-born wives leaving the Soviet Union is kept constantly in mind. While it cannot be said that there are any grounds for optimism, the matter will be taken up with the Soviet Government whenever appropriate opportunities occur.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when the river board for the Ebbw, Usk and Wye rivers will be set up to deal with the many urgent problems in this area.

The Order defining the' Wye and Usk River Board Area was made on 22nd May and, as the result of objections made, is subject to special Parliamentary procedure.

asked the Prime Minister what arrangements he has made to discuss financial assistance to this country during his visit to the President of the United States of America.

It would not be fitting for me to make a public statement now about the questions on which I hope to have confidential discussions with President Truman in Washington.

asked the Secretary of State for War how far the officers and men of the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment at present in the Canal Zone have received their full basic training and have been instructed in the use of the weapons with which they are equipped.

The officers and men of this battalion have received their full basic training. The unit, with the exception of the anti-tank platoon, which has only recently been equipped with 17-pounder guns, is considered to be fully trained in the use of all weapons.

asked the Minister of Works if it is proposed to proceed with the erection of the gates to the new Government building in Whitehall Gardens which were estimated to cost £26,000.

Two pairs of doors, estimated to cost about £13,000 each were ordered in August, 1949. The first pair has already been installed. I am satisfied that at this stage it would be unwise to abandon the second pair.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the serious condition of the dental service in this country, more especially the school dental service, and if he will have discussions with the British Dental Association on this subject.

The condition of the priority dental service in particular is very much in my mind and in that of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the number of State-registered nurses on 30th April, 1951 was only 148,123, as against 155,207 as at 31st March, 1950; and if he will, in order to encourage nurses to remain on the register, re-introduce the yearly payment of registration fees that was discontinued on 24th March, 1950.

I am aware of these figures. Most of the nurses who have discontinued their registration had already retired from active nursing, and there would be no advantage in re-introducing the cumbersome and expensive system of annual retention fees.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in order to encourage the conversion of large houses into flats, he will review the present restrictions on resale after conversion.

I will certainly consider this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations have recently been made to the Scottish Office by the Police Federation in respect of salary and pension scales; and what action he proposes to take to meet the claims of the police force in Scotland.

No representations have been received from the Scottish Police Federation about scales of pay since the improved scales of pensionable pay were introduced on 3rd August, 1951. A representation that ill-health pensions should be based on pay at the date of retirement instead of on average pay in the last three years of service will be discussed by the Police Council this month.