asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that there is disparity in pay and conditions between the various units serving in the United Nations Forces in Korea, and whether he is prepared to enter into discussion with a view to seeing that all persons serving in a United Nations Force should receive comparable conditions of pay and service.

As was stated by the right hon. Gentleman the then Minister of State, the Member for Grimsby (Mr. Younger), on 5th March last:

"Forces sent to Korea by member States in response to the Security Council recommendation of 27th June, 1950, are paid and maintained by their Governments on the scales appropriate to the Armed Forces of each country involved. Any attempt to produce uniformity in these matters throughout all the national contingents serving in this operation would, even if it were desirable, involve very great administrative and financial difficulties."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 5th March, 1951; Vol. 485, c. 27.]

asked the Prime Minister if he will send one of the Service Ministers to Korea to investigate on the spot the repeated complaints that in pay, allowances, welfare, entertainment and the supply of winter equipment, His Majesty's land Forces are on a standard far below that of the other United Nations contingents, with the possible exception of the South Koreans.

It is not necessary for a Minister to go to Korea to make an investigation on the spot as the War Office feel that they are conversant with all the facts and can deal with the complaints.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that Wales and Scotland are accorded special Parliamentary time for the discussion of Welsh and Scottish matters, he will consider granting special Parliamentary time, in order to discuss matters arising in England, arranged on a regional basis.

It is refreshing to see the word "England" printed on any Parliamentary paper. But I feel that in this case the "English" should be content with what is left over for them in the normal course of Parliamentary business. I cannot feel that English Members suffer any serious disadvantage which would be removed by arrangements on a regional basis.

asked the Prime Minister the names of those who accompanied him to and from the United States of America; the total cost of their journeys; and the amount of travelling expenses and allowances incurred by each person.

The names of those who accompanied me on my recent visit to the United States and Canada are as follow:(1) Mr. Eden; (2) Lord Ismay; (3) Lord Cherwell; (4) Admiral McGrigor, First Sea Lord; (5) Field Marshal Slim, C.I.G.S.; (6) Sir Norman Brook, Cabinet Office; (7) Sir Leslie Rowan, Treasury; (8) Lieut.-General Sir Kenneth McLean, Ministry of Defence; (9) Sir Roger Makins, Foreign Office; (10) Mr. R. R. Powell, Ministry of Defence; (11) Mr. Pitblado, Prime Minister's Office; (12) Mr. Colville, Prime Minister's Office; (13) Mr. C. A. E. Shuckburgh, Foreign Office; (14) Mr. Mallaby, Cabinet Office; (15) Mr. McDougall, Prime Minister's Statistical Branch; (16) Capt. Gretton, R.N., Admiralty; (17) Lieut.-Colonel C. H. P. Harington, War Office; (18) Mr. Leishman, Foreign Office; 15 secretarial and other staff. Lord Moran also accompanied me.At this stage it is not possible to give a detailed analysis of all the costs incurred, but the following comprises the approximate expenditure:

	£
(a) Transportation	12,000
(b) Subsistence allowances and other expenses of members of the Mission	2,750

I may add that my own personal expenses on the "Queen Mary" there and back, and Mr. Eden's outward voyage, do not figure in this account as the Cunard Company kindly invited us to be their guests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of staff accompanying the Prime Minister on his recent visit to America; the total cost to the British Treasury; and the same details of the staff and cost of the then Prime Minister's visit in December, 1950.

The Prime Minister's party on his recent visit to U.S.A. and Canada consisted of 35 persons in all. The total costs are not yet available but are expected to be in the region of £14,750.The former Prime Minister's party to U.S.A. and Canada in December, 1950, consisted of 16 people and the cost of the visit was just over £9,000. The two cases are not, however, comparable either in numbers, time, or methods of travel.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it is proposed to review the pensions paid to retired people, ex-Service men and other groups in receipt of small incomes; and when he expects to be in a position to make a statement.

A review is now taking place. I do not know how soon it will be possible to make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what compensatory payments he is making to pensioners and others in need, to counterbalance the effect of the rising cost of living upon their fixed incomes.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the outcome of the Government's review of pensions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that, in his forthcoming Budget, he will consider proposals recommended by chambers of commerce and others for a uniform sales tax upon all sales or cash, at all levels, as an alternative to the present system of Purchase Tax based on certain commodities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been drawn to the suggestions made by many chambers of commerce in favour of a sales tax as an alternative to the existing Purchase Tax; and if he will give favourable consideration to this proposal in his forthcoming Budget.

Any such proposals will certainly receive due consideration, but I cannot be expected to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any statement to make on his conversations with the staff side of the Civil Service on the question of equal pay.

My right hon. Friend has had to explain to the staff side that, with considerable regret, he does not think it would he in the national interest to make an immediate start on the introduction of equal pay at the present time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, when parents who have adopted a child are applying for Income Tax allowance on Form No. 11–2A, there appear the words, "Allowance for Adopted Children," and that the names and addresses of the child's natural parents are asked for; and whether he will have the heading and the request for natural parentage deleted from the form.

If, as I assume, the hon. Member is referring to the case of a child adopted under the Adoption of Children Acts, the claim for Income Tax relief should be made on Form 11-2, the same form as is used where the child is the taxpayer's by birth. This form requests the taxpayer, on the occasion of a first claim in respect of a legally adopted child, to state the name and address of the child's natural parents, if known. As only one Income Tax allowance can be given in respect of the same child in a given year, and as both the natural and the adoptive parents have a prima facie claim in the year of adoption, I do not think this question is unreasonable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the growing cost of education, he will consider the remission of Purchase Tax on educational requisites.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the Question by the hon. Member for Attercliffe (Mr. J. Hynd) on 15th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has yet received the Report of the Douglas Committee on Purchase Tax and if it is intended to publish it.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's statement today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the incidence of Purchase Tax is aggravating inflationary pressure and is stimulating the demand for increased wages to meet the rising prices of articles loaded with Purchase Tax; and if he will reconsider the whole question of this tax.

I have taken note of my hon. Friend's views. As regards the latter parts of the Question, I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sterling credits have been released in favour of Egypt since the denunciation by that country of the 1936 Treaty.

Since 8th October, 1951, the release of £5,342,000 from the Egyptian Number 2 Account has been authorised. in accordance with our contractual agreements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider paying to widows the post-war credits of their late husbands.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make arrangements for the repayment of postwar credits in cases of extreme hardship.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will alter the present method of payment of postwar credits to make it possible for payment to be made to next-of-kin on the date at which the deceased would have received it.

I am afraid that I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the recent Conference of Commonwealth Finance Ministers.

My right hon. Friend referred to the Conference in his statement on the economic situation after Questions today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the purchasing power of the £ in this country on 1st January, 1952, as compared with 1st November, 1951.

Figures for the dates mentioned are not available, but taking the average figure for October, 1951, as 20s. 0d. the corresponding average for December, 1951, was 19s. 9d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the capital investment programme with particular reference to factory, hospital and school building, in view of the approaching end of the three months ban on building announced on 7th November, 1951.

I would ask the hon. Member to refer to the general statement on the economic situation which my right hon. Friend made today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the re-establishment of the foreign exchange market in London is intended as a preliminary to the restoration of the convertibility of sterling for purposes of current transactions.

An active foreign exchange market in London will clearly be necessary when it ultimately becomes possible to restore the convertibility of sterling. As the hon. Member is doubtless aware the Commonwealth Finance Ministers, at their recent conference in London, agreed that convertibility should be one of the long-term aims of sterling area policy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much above £1,000 net per annum was received as personal income in 1951.

The latest figures available are those for the financial year 1949–50. In that year it is estimated that 473,000 persons received net incomes of £1,000 or more after deduction of Income Tax and Surtax. The total net incomes of these people amounted to £763 million, the amount in excess of £1,000 being £290 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will institute an inquiry to ascertain whether 2½ per cent. interest is sufficient for Post Office and Trustee Savings Banks, with a view to attracting to these savings banks their due share of potential small savings.

No. I have no evidence that Post Office and Trustee Savings Banks are failing to attract their due share of small savings. In considering the attractiveness of this form of investment, the freedom of the deposits from capital depreciation and the ease with which they may be withdrawn are material factors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his request to the Capital Issues Committee, and the banks, to restrict the provision of credit for hire purchase facilities, applies equally to the hire purchase business conducted by the nationalised gas and electricity industries.

There is no difference in the position in this respect of the nationalised gas and electricity industries and that of other sellers of goods on hire purchase; and the principles underlying my right hon. Friend's request apply equally to them as to other bodies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of the net tax collected by the Central Land Board for 1951; how much was set off against claims; and why the net yield is so much out of proportion to the cost of collection.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the development charge which is payable under the provisions of Part VII of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, and of Part VI of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, 1947.The total amount received by the Central Land Board in the year ended 31st December, 1951, was £3,583,000. In the same year the sum of £1,381,000 was set off against claims on the £300 million.The cost of collecting development charge cannot be ascertained separately from the cost of performing the other functions of the Board, a large part of whose staff are at present engaged in dealing with the claims on the £300 million, of which nearly 950,000 have been registered.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what representations have been made to the Government of Israel regarding the blocking of private British investments in Israel.

I presume that my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind the lack of facilities for the transfer from Israel to the United Kingdom of dividends and of the proceeds of sale of investments. Representations on this subject have been made to the Government of Israel on a number of occasions and the matter is under discussion with them at the present time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make his grant in aid to the Arts Council conditional upon their providing orchestral music and drama of educational and cultural value to towns with small populations where these facilities cannot otherwise be provided.

No; a reasonable proportion of the funds available to the Council is, in fact, now expended in this field of their work. But I do not think it would be right for me to interfere in the way suggested with the details of the distribution of the Council's resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the inaccurate forecasts contained in past numbers of the Economic Survey, he will arrange in future that this document should confine itself solely to factual statements.

I will see that the point raised by my hon. Friend is borne in mind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the existing basis has a misleading effect, he will appoint a committee to examine the index of productivity to ascertain whether the existing basis is adequate.

I am not clear to what index of productivity the hon. Member refers. No general index of productivity is published officially. An Interim Index of Industrial Production is published in the Monthly Digest of Statistics, and is described as a provisional index to be completely revised when the results of the 1948 Census of Production are available. The final reports of the 1948 Census of Production are now becoming available and the index is being revised.If this is the index to which the hon. Member refers, I do not think that there is any need to appoint a Committee for the purpose he suggests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the yearly totals of the contribution to our dollar pool from the sales of Malayan tin and rubber from 1945 to 31st December, 1951.

As the hon. Gentleman will be aware it is not the practice of the U.K. Government to give figures of the contribution to the central reserves of individual territories in the Sterling Area as distinct from the value of their exports.For the information on Malayan exports of tin and rubber, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Malayan Trade Statistics, which are published monthly.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what steps he is taking to ensure that Government Departments are not using trunk telephone calls excessively as an alternative to ordinary postal communication.

A Treasury circular containing specific instructions on economies in this field will be issued in the very near future. The circular will call for reports from Departments, and these will be followed up.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what conclusions he has drawn as to the reasons why film exhibitors fail to use the films produced for the Central Office of Information, in view of the advantageous terms upon which they can be procured from specially appointed renters.

Some exhibitors do use these films. Seventy films are now being distributed by 14 renters, and they secured about 50,000 paid-for bookings in this country, for runs averaging three days. There are no specially appointed renters.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why the specially appointed renters of 35 millimetre copies of Central Office of Information films are not permitted to handle 16 millimetre prints of the same film for distribution to commercial exhibitors willing to show them.

There are no specially appointed renters. The present position is that contracts in respect of particular films for commercial distribu- tion normally enable the distributor to supply 16 millimetre prints. The sum provided for making 16 millimetre prints of the films issued for free exhibition is limited, but commercial exhibitors may obtain such as are available on application to the Central Office of Information. The whole policy of Government film production and distribution has, however, been under review.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what rate of payment on a mileage basis exists for Ministers who use their private cars for journeys in connection with the business of their Department; and what Ministers are entitled to claim these payments.

No special arrangements have been made for payments of this nature. If any were made, the rates applicable to civil servants would apply.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make a statement as to the result of the review of the Government information services.

Yes. As announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his statement today, it has been decided that expenditure on Government information services in 1952–53 shall be reduced by at least £1.2 million below the 1951–52 figure. The savings on overseas information services will be £500,000, and on home information services £700,000. In view of rising costs, the real reduction in activities will, of course, be substantially greater.The £500,000 cut on the overseas information services total of £5.5 million (excluding the B.B.C. Overseas Services) will be shared between the services carried out directly by the overseas Departments, those carried out by the Central Office of Information and Stationery Office on their behalf, and those carried out by the British Council. The grant-in-aid for B.B.C. overseas services will not be reduced, but will remain at its 1951–52 figure of £4.75 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in considering the application made to him by the National Farmers' Union for an increase in the import duties on a variety of foodstuffs, he will bear in mind the effect which such changes would have on prices at a time when they are rising generally because of world conditions.

Yes. All relevant factors, including prices, will be taken into account in the examination of this application.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he is aware that Westhoughton, Lancashire, is a scheduled development area, with a bad history of unemployment in the years of depression but that every scheme for the introduction of new industry to the town has been turned down by his department; and if he will now take action to bring new industries to Westhoughton where approximately 50 per cent. of the working population are compelled to travel elsewhere for employment;(2) if he is aware that Westhoughton, Lancashire, is scheduled to receive 20,000 over-spill population from Salford, but that, in the absence of sufficient industry to employ the existing population of the town which is an undeveloped development area, there are obstacles to the carrying out of this plan; and if he will reconsider the matter.

I am, of course, aware that at some times in the past, Westhoughton suffered from a high rate of unemployment but in no case has the Board of Trade refused to grant an industrial development certificate for this town. As the hon. Member knows unemployment in Westhoughton has been consistently low in recent years, and in 1951 the average number of persons registered as unemployed was only 30. There is abundant work within easy reach of the town. In present circumstances I do not think that special action to introduce into the locality new industry requiring new industrial building would be justified.I am informed that the detailed proposals that the town should receive surplus population from Salford over a period of years have not yet been formally submitted to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government for his approval, but I understand that plans for re-siting industry to accompany the population are likely to form part of the scheme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to enable footwear repairers to dispose of any articles not collected within three months, and after due notice to the owner, to enable the tradesmen concerned to recover the expenses incurred in such repairs.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many of the 700,000 visitors from abroad who came to Britain last year included Scotland in their itinerary.

No official figures are available, but I am informed by the British Travel and Holidays Association that the number is provisionally estimated at about 215,000. I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that both the British Travel and Holidays Association and the Scottish Tourist Board will continue their efforts to ensure that Scotland gets its proper share of overseas visitors.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what trade agreements now exist with Indonesia, and what further efforts are being made to establish trade between Britain and Indonesia.

We have now no bilateral agreement with Indonesia, but we are satisfied that, under the present arrangements, our trade receives fair treatment. The value of trade between the United Kingdom and Indonesia in 1951 was more than double that of 1950.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will cease the practice of drafting boy soldiers to the Suez Canal Zone.

The hon. Member has already been informed of the conditions which must be fulfilled before a boy soldier is sent overseas. In the case which he has in mind, a number of other boy soldiers were in the Canal Zone at the time the boy was sent there. I can assure the hon. Member that the position of all these boys, as of the married families and children in the Canal Zone, is being carefully considered in the light of the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is the policy of his Department to call up as Z reservists men who have been prisoners of war.

No differentiation is made between Z reservists who have been prisoners of war and others in regard to call-up, whether for training or in an emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for War why persons inquiring in regard to the sending of comforts and clothing to Korea were informed that the troops had been issued with special winter clothing in addition to the normal issue, when, in fact, this was not the case.

This statement was made in my Department's announcement of the arrangements for the sending of gifts to men in Korea. I do not think that it misrepresented the position, since at that time special winter clothing of the old type was available for those men who had not yet received the new type of clothing. Both the old and the new type of winter clothing contain garments specially designed for very cold weather.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will investigate the unsatisfactory conditions for troops travelling in the "Empire Pride" and other troopships to Korea, and report to the House what improvements he will make in the conditions.

I have looked into the conditions on the "Empire Pride" and have discussed them with my hon. Friend the Minister of Transport. The vessel is one of the troopships still fitted in accordance with the pre-war specification and the standard of accommodation and amenities is naturally not as high as that of ships fitted since the war. The international situation has compelled us to defer the planned improvements of "Empire Pride" and certain other troopships, but the work will be undertaken as soon as the movement commitments allow.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will consider formulating a scheme whereunder soldiers, who in the course of their national service are required to serve abroad, may be compensated for additional premiums imposed by assurance companies with whom they hold policies of life insurance.

My hon. and learned Friend will by now have received a further letter from my hon. Friend on this subject.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now make a statement arising out of his review of the housing subsidy policy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has now considered increasing the subsidy payable to local authorities under the Housing Acts, thus reducing the amount of the increased rates of interest which must be passed on to the tenants or otherwise passed on to the ratepayers.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he proposes to meet the local authorities to review the changed position brought about by the increase of the bank rate; if he is aware that local authorities are unable to plan ahead and are becoming alarmed at the delay; and if he will make an early statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has yet completed his discussions with the local authority associations on an amended Exchequer grant formula for housing, arising from the increased rate of interest for local loans; what is the basis of the proposals submitted; and what agreement has been reached.

The review of subsidies is in progress. I will inform the House of the new rates of subsidy proposed as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many dwelling-houses have been built by private enterprise during the years 1945–51 to let on rentals under £80 per annum in the following places: Great Britain, Westhoughton, Horwich, Hindley, Standish, Aspull and Blackrod.

I regret that the information is not available and could not readily be obtained.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the difficulties imposed on local authorities by paragraph 4 of Circular 5/50, dated 12th January, 1950, limiting the amount of house repair work and improvements which they are permitted to license; and whether he will give them greater latitude.

Yes. I am considering the whole question in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works, and hope to give local authorities further guidance shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is yet in a position to make a statement about new housing allocations.

The Government have removed the rigid limitation hitherto put upon the national housing programme. House production will be expanded over the next three years as rapidly as resources allow. The distribution of houses to local authorities will accord with this expanding programme. Many authorities have already been given additions to their so-called allocation for 1952. They know that in general the more houses that are built in their area the more instalments they will receive.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is now in a position to make a statement with reference to the cancellation of the development charge on small building plots, which is acting as a deterrent on the public who wish to build on these small sites.

On the question whether the system of development charges should be modified or altered I am unable to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Mr. Nicholls) on 7th December. Meanwhile, there are many cases in which the charge need be no deterrent to the building of houses by private persons. I am writing to my hon. Friend about these.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the total amount paid by landowners in respect of development charge since the coming into operation of the relevant provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947; and also the total amount so far agreed as being payable in due course out of the pool of £300 million.

The total amount received by the Central Land Board in respect of development charge from 1st July, 1948, to 31st December, 1951, is £8,615,000. In addition, liabilities in respect of development charge amounting to £4,867,000 have been set off against claims on the £300 million. Until Parliament has approved the scheme to be made by the Treasury under the Town and Country Planning Act for the distribution of this sum it is not possible to say what amount is payable in respect of any particular claim or class of claims.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is now in a position to amend the Town and Country Planning Act so as to relieve building in rural areas from development charges.

So long as a house is built for and occupied by an agricultural worker development charge is not levied. As to amendment of the Act, I am unable to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Mr. Nicholls) on 7th December.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will publish the report and recommendations, if any, of the inspector who conducted the public inquiry at Helston into the proposals of the Admiralty for a torpedo-dropping range in Falmouth Bay.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the need of a piped water supply in Ellastone; and when it is proposed to begin the necessary work.

I understand the Rural District Council are preparing a scheme for this parish.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether his attention has been drawn to the absence of a water supply to Bellingham Rural District Council houses at Kirkwhelpington; and when he anticipates it will be possible to connect these houses to a temporary supply and a permanent supply, respectively.

I am informed that existing Council houses are supplied by stand-pipes. I understand that proposals for improvement of supplies to the village are under consideration but I cannot say when they will be completed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many rent tribunals there are in England and Wales; how many of these tribunals have a barrister or solicitor as chairman; and how many tribunals have no member who is a barrister or solicitor.

The respective numbers are 80, 40 and 26.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many applications for authorisation to build new crematoria have been made since the end of the war in how many, and which, cases authorisation has been given and to what extent such authorisation has been given to private companies.

Some 127 local authorities, or groups of local authori-ties, have applied for permission to build new crematoria since the war. Final authorisation has been given to Bolton County Borough Council, Cardiff County Borough Council, Kingston-upon-Thames Joint Burial Committee and Southend County Borough Council. Approval in principle has been given to Blackburn County Borough Council, Grimsby County Borough Council, Halifax County Borough Council Northallerton and Romanby Joint Burial Committee, South-West Middlesex Crematorium Board, Swansea County Borough Council and Wolverhampton County Borough Council. The authorities in the Gosport-Portsmouth area have also been invited to proceed with a scheme. No authorisation has been given to any private company.

asked the Minister of Works if he will make a statement upon his discussions with the industry regarding the expanded production of bricks during the current year.

I have been in conference with representatives of the brickmaking industry, and we have jointly examined the difficulties which stand in the way of increased production. I have confidence that the enterprise and initiative of this industry, with the support and help we shall be able to give, will ensure a sufficient supply of bricks for the expanded housing programme and other essential needs.

asked the Minister of Works if a starting date has been fixed for the building to house a receiver for Continental programmes, a licence for which has been granted by the Postmaster General; and what capital cost is involved.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the proposed receiving station at Sully, Glamorgan. The building work amounts to £400 and I propose to issue a licence to enable the work to start in the near future.

asked the Minister of Works what is the total value of licences granted for the building of Government offices in London and the provinces, respectively, in the years 1945 to 1951, respectively; and if he will discontinue such building in the vulnerable London area.

In the years 1945 to 1951 licences were issued to private developers to build offices to let to the Government to a value of approximately £11.2 million in London and £1.6 million in the provinces. In addition, offices were built or are being built by my Department at a cost for the same period of about £12.8 million in London and about £8.4 million in the provinces. As a general rule no new offices are being allowed to start but those already under construction are being completed.

asked the Minister of Works what steps he has taken with regard to the proposal for bringing back Temple Bar to London.

I have received no request from the owners of Temple Bar for permission to move this Scheduled Ancient Monument, and no steps have been taken by the Department in the matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty at what steam pressure, and superheat temperature, boilers are now being supplied to the Royal Navy.

I regret that it would not be in the public interest to disclose this information.

asked the Minister of Supply to what extent the air re-armament programme and aviation exports are in jeopardy owing to lack of labour and materials; and what steps are being taken to deal with the position.

Aircraft production, both for our own defence needs and for export, is at present affected by lack of labour, but this is receiving the active attention of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour. Production has not been greatly affected by a shortage of materials, except alloy steel. It is hoped that the position will progressively improve with the introduction of steel allocation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will lay before Parliament a report on the recent meeting of the European Assembly at Strasbourg.

A White Paper on the proceedings of the Third Ordinary Session of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe will be laid before the House next week.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will take steps through appropriate channels to divert all German steel production in excess of the amount permissible under occupation decree, to Britain and other European countries in proportion to their respective re-armament efforts.

Western German steel production is limited to 11.1 million tons per annum, but the three occupying Powers have agreed that Western Germany may produce more if the additional production contributes to Western defence. In 1951, Western Germany produced 13.5 million tons of steel of which 2.5 million tons (in direct and indirect exports) were sent to Western Defence countries in 11 months.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will amend the regulations regarding the attachment of trailers to road vehicles so as to make it obligatory to attach trailers by means of chains as well as a drawbar for the purposes of safety.

No. I do not consider that this would be desirable.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many United Kingdom subjects were resident in Ceylon during the years 1930, 1939 and 1950, respectively.

There are no figures available showing the number of residents in Ceylon now classed as United Kingdom citizens.The estimated European population of Ceylon, based on vital statistics, was: 1930, 9,100; 1939, 11,000. The 1950 figure is not available, but the estimated figure for 1949 was 6,000.The above figures are based on vital statistics and should be regarded as approximate. They do not take account of migration. The only census figure for the period covered by the Question is 5,418 in 1946.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consult with the British Transport Commission with a view to preventing the closing of the Waveney Valley line, owing to the importance of this line to the agricultural industry.

I have looked into this matter but I do not propose to intervene since adequate facilities exist for representations to be made by any local interest likely to be affected under the provision of Section 6 of the Transport Act, 1947.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will now consider introducing compensation for losses from swine fever.

No. I cannot accept the principle that farmers should be compensated because they suffer losses on account of disease. Compensation is payable under the Diseases of Animals Act in respect of animals slaughtered by order of the Minister, but as it has been found by experience that swine fever cannot be eradicated by following a slaughter policy other measures are now adopted for dealing with this disease.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has yet appointed, under Section 7 (2, b) of the Electricity Act, to the Consultative Council for the North Eastern Electricity Board, representatives of persons interested in the development of electricity in the area of the Horden, Blackhall and Cold Hesleden districts in the Easington rural district, where constant complaints are being made of defects in the electricity supply and no authority is prepared to assume responsibility for remedying the complaints of the consumers.

No. The Electricity Act does not provide for representation of districts through appointments made under Section 7 (2, b), but only for the appointment of persons interested in the development of elec- tricity in the Board's area as a whole. A member has been appointed to the Council under Section 7 (2, a) from the rural district of Easington.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give particulars of the total grants paid until 30th October, 1951, under the Hill Farming Act and the Livestock Rearing Act; the number of schemes submitted; and the number of schemes approved.

At 31st October, 1951, the total grants paid in Scotland under the Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts amounted to £318,188 1s. 10d.A total of 1,200 proposals for schemes had been submitted in Scotland at that date. Of these, 222 had been rejected, mainly because the farms concerned did not comprise eligible land. There were, therefore, 978 "live" schemes, including 438 schemes formally appproved and 251 schemes approved in principle and awaiting completion of particulars by applicants.The 689 schemes (approved or approved in principle) involved 873 farms covering an area of 2,325,280 acres and included improvement works estimated to cost £3,831,400. Grant is payable at the rate of 50 per cent. of the cost of approved works.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether, in view of growing unemployment and the extended periods of individual unemployment, he proposes to increase the benefits of unemployed persons and their dependants.

1 cannot agree that the latest available figures of unemployment have any bearing on the rates of unemployment benefit. Unemployment as a whole is about the same as a year ago and the numbers unemployed for extended periods have declined.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average waiting period at hospitals in North Staffordshire for patients applying for appointments with specialists.

The waiting period varies with the type of case, but the average period is two or three weeks.