asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give an assurance that in future housing information will be released to local authorities in time for them to deal with inquiries from the public after ministerial Press conferences have been held.

I have tried to do so. The only Press conference I have had since taking office was on 28th November, 1951, for publication in the daily newspapers on 29th November. The subject was covered by two circulars which were posted to local authorities on 27th November.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on his recent provisional allocation of houses to local authorities which, though designed to keep him in touch with housing progress of local authorities, makes it difficult for them to allocate 50 per cent. for private licences and maintain a similar number of houses to let as in 1951.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Donnelly) on 29th January. Local authorities know that they can obtain permission to increase their programme at any time provided that more houses can be built with the resources available in their area.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that shortage of steel is holding up the repair, maintenance and development of water systems urgently required in connection with housing and industry in North Staffordshire; and what special measures he is taking to overcome this shortage.

As the hon. Member will know, there is a general shortage of steel which makes it impossible at present to meet all requirements. I am aware of the difficulties which this is causing to water services and I will do what I can to help within the allocation of steel made available from time to time to my Department.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that all dwelling houses, and other buildings in which there has to be space heating, will be fitted with space heating stoves, fire grates, etc., of maximum efficiency in order to save fuel, instead of being fitted with stoves and fire grates which have low efficiency.

The installation of improved appliances is already required in all local authority housing and is a condition of a licence for private building; legislation is not necessary. The Housing Manual recommends local authorities to use solid fuel appliances for the main space heating in their houses.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that the powers of housing authorities are adequate to enable them to acquire, for the accommodation of the homeless, privately-owned houses which remain unoccupied and are not needed by their owners.

My view is that local authorities already have adequate powers for this purpose. If my hon. and learned Friend has in mind any particular case which suggests the contrary I should be glad to look into it if he will let me have details.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on the public inquiry held on 9th May, 1951, in the Guildhall, Barnstaple, into the War Department's proposal to utilise large areas in North Devon for training purposes.

This is a difficult problem and I am not yet able to make any statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the purchasing power of the £ sterling on the 1st February, 1952, as compared to 20s. on 1st November, 1951.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the purchasing value of the £ on 1st October, 1951, and at the latest convenient stated date.

The most recent figures available were given in the reply which my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Economic Affairs, gave to the hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr. King), on 29th January.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the extent to which movements of funds have caused the recent serious drain on our gold and dollar reserves; and what steps he is taking to restrict these movements.

I am not sure what my hon. Friend has in mind. If he is referring to movements of funds held on accounts in the name of residents of the dollar area, I must ask him to await the details which will be published in the next Balance of Payments White Paper. Pending clarification of the issue involved I am not in a position to answer the last part of the Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence exists as to the extent of under-invoicing, resulting in the loss of hard currency.

I am not aware of any significant loss of hard currency by this means, but if my hon. Friend has particulars of any cases I shall be glad to look into them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider raising the permitted maximum holding of the current issue of National Savings certificates.

The current issue of National Savings certificates was only introduced a year ago; and there are many other facilities available for small savings. There would not seem to be, therefore, any immediate need to increase the present limit of £375. But this is a question which, of course, I bring under review from time to time in the light of the progress of the savings campaign.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give an estimate of the annual rate of improvement in the net United Kingdom balance of payments, in comparison with the last six months of 1951, which must be achieved by the Government's measures to reduce imports and increase exports, in order to balance the United Kingdom's accounts in the last six months of 1952.

The United Kingdom deficit on current account with the world as a whole is estimated provisionally to have been of the order of £400 million in the second half of 1951. To eliminate this deficit by the second half of 1952 would, therefore, require an improvement at an annual rate of £800 million.I would remind my hon. Friend that our commitment under the Commonwealth Finance Ministers' plan is to reduce the U.K. deficit with the non-sterling world from £575 million in the second half of 1951 to £100 million in the second half of 1952.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on Britain's position in the European Payments Union and say how much gold has been paid into the union and what credits have been received since the inception of the union.

The whole sterling area deficit with the union at the end of January was £308,377,000. We have received credit for £213,104,000, and have paid £95,273,000 in gold, of which £14,246,000 have been recovered from the U.S. Government under the special arrangement made in 1950.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now consider issuing a short-dated stock, on terms similar to those of the 3 per cent. Savings Bonds, 1955–65 issue, to cover the payment of post-war credits.

No.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury if he will give an estimate of the number of independently fluctuating rates for sterling quoted abroad resulting from the various types of bilateral, blocked, guaranteed or transferable sterling that may be available in any particular exchange market.

These transactions can take place in such a wide variety of circumstances that it is not possible to give an estimate of the number of different rates.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury if he will give details of the new rules regarding the allotment of foreign currency for ordinary and business visits to countries overseas.

As regards the tourist allowance, apart from the changes in the standard rates of which my hon. Friend is aware we have had to discontinue the previous arrangements for allowing larger amounts for travel in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. We have also had to restrict the payment of fares in sterling to the cost of travelling by the normal direct route.There has been no change in the rules regarding allowances for business travel.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why, in Command Paper No. 8433, the only reference to the use of a car and chauffeur for official duties as part of the allowance to a member of a public board is confined to the post of Chairman of the British Overseas Airways Corporation; and how many members of such boards do possess this facility.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 11th February, 1952, col. 134]: The reference in Cmd. 8433 to a car and chauffeur for official duties is to the posts both of Chairman of B.O.A.C. and of Chairman of B.E.A.C. For the purpose of greater clarity a note points out that the allowances set out in colunm 3 are exclusive of this and certain other specified terms.The answer to the second part of the Question is 45. In addition, 8 are provided with a car, and 3 with a driver.I am of the opinion that these items should also be included in future editions of the White Paper and I have so arranged.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the Government policy of different rates of pay for men and women in the Civil Service, he will give an assurance that the £100 paid under a special award to civil servants drawing a salary between £1,500 and £2,000 is to be paid to men and women equally.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the 10,000 civil servants who are to be discharged will be selected; and whether they will include permanent as well as temporary staff.

To abolish 10,000 posts in six months will not mean discharging 10,000 individuals. The reduction will be made partly by cancelling vacancies as they occur in the normal way.As regards the discharge of temporary staff who are redundant, there is a National Whitley Council Agreement on this which will govern the choice of individuals. Broadly speaking, this is based on the principle "first in, last out," except that ex-Service men of the 1914–18 war will not be discharged before other temporary staff in the group concerned.Redundancy of permanent staff will be cleared mainly by transfers to other work in the same or another Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the 10,000 civil servants to be dismissed within six months he estimates will be over 40 years of age, and how many over 50 years of age.

The reduction will be partly achieved by the cancellation of vacancies accruing in normal course. The selection of individual temporary civil servants for discharge will be according to length of service and not according to their age. It is impossible to estimate the age distribution of those who will be discharged.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many civil servants serving in Scotland he estimates will have been dismissed by the middle of 1952; and what are his plans for enabling them to obtain other work.

As regards the Scottish Departments I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to a similar Question given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland on 11th February.As regards other Departments employing civil servants in Scotland, it is not yet known how many will be discharged. Civil servants who are declared redundant are advised to register at a local office of the Ministry of Labour, where every assistance will be given to help them to find other suitable employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will permit off-licensed dealers in spirits to sell spirits in quantities less than the present minimum half-pint size.

I should be glad to review this question in the light of any agreed proposal from the interests concerned, not involving a loss of revenue to the Exchequer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what objections have, been made to Her Majesty's Government by the Inter-Sessional Committee of the permanent organisation set up under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade to the import restrictions announced last November; and if he will make a statement.

I presume that my hon. Friend is referring to the temporary ad hoc Committee appointed by the contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade at their session in October last to consider matters arising between then and their next session.The General Agreement permits the use of import restrictions to safeguard the balance of payments, but provides that new import restrictions shall in certain circumstances be the subject of consultations with the contracting parties. At a meeting in January, the Inter-Sessional Committee discussed whether, under the terms of the Agreement, the contracting parties should invite us to consult with them about the import cuts which we made in November. It was agreed that a decision on this point should be deferred. If such consultations were to take place, they would not be concerned with whether the import cuts themselves are permissible under the Agreement. Their scope would be limited to an assessment of their effect on other countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the heavy increases in the volume of manufactured goods imported into the United Kingdom last year, largely from Europe, and the continued losses of gold from the sterling area central reserve to the European Payments Union, he will place further restrictions on imports of the less necessary manufactured goods.

No.

asked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether he will allow exporters of paper goods to get all imported paper required to fulfil overseas orders, together with a bonus of extra tonnage for home consumption, based on export results, by means of a similar scheme to that operating in 1947.

No. No such bonus scheme has been operated by the Paper Control in the past. My noble Friend expects exporters of paper goods to make the fullest possible use of their existing import quotas together with supplies of home-produced paper, which are available without restriction, for the fulfilment of export and defence orders.Where there is difficulty in obtaining supplies of home-produced paper the Paper Priority Section of the Ministry of Materials will try to help. In cases where supplies from all sources are insufficient to enable an exporter to meet all export orders an application by him to import the balance of paper required for meeting export orders only will be considered on its merits.

asked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether he will now permit importation by private traders of all grades and qualities of plywood, from all oversea sources

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the disquiet caused throughout Wales by the increasing unemployment figures; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes. I am examining with my colleagues of the other Departments principally concerned the possibilities of finding additional employment in the areas most affected.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the hardship being caused by unemployment amongst dental mechanics at Cardiff; and what action he is taking to remedy this problem.

Six dental mechanics are registered as unemployed at the Cardiff Employment Exchange.

Plywood of all standard grades, qualities and thicknesses, is at present imported by private importers from all sources except North America, U.S.S.R., and Finland. This year's supplies from U.S.S.R. and Finland and certain supplies from Canada have been bought, and my noble Friend is considering complete reversion to private import before new purchases have to be made.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons engaged in the textile, furniture, clothing and distributive trades in Cardiff; and the number registered as unemployed at the latest convenient date.

The following table gives the information desired:There are no vacancies in their own trade, but everything possible is being done to find them suitable alternative employment.

asked the Minister of Labour how many local education authorities have been authorised to provide a youth employment service; and approximately what proportion of youth entering employment enter through this service.

116 local educational authorities in England and Wales and 12 educational authorities in Scotland are operating a Youth Employment Service. About 40 per cent. of all boys and girls leaving school find their first situation through the Service.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the latest figures of unemployment and short-time working in the area covered by Accrington Employment Exchange.

The total number of unemployed persons on the registers of the Accrington Employment Exchange and Youth Employment Office at 14th January was 137. This figure included 41 who were working short-time or otherwise temporarily stood off from their employment on 14th January.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements are being made to absorb discharged civil servants into important industries.

The assistance of my Department is available to any discharged civil servants who register for alternative employment.

asked the Minister of Labour what numbers of workers he estimates will be displaced in the process of diverting car and commercial vehicle production from the home market to export markets.

The diversion from home to export markets should not of itself displace workers; but, as my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply informed the House on 5th February, the industry is affected by shortage of steel. It is not possible to estimate what the effect of the latter will be on employment in the industry.

asked the Minister of Labour his policy regarding the bringing of Italian female workers into this country to work in the textile industries.

There is at present no need to recruit Italian women for the textile industries.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the estimated or actual cost for the year 1951, or the nearest period, of the Paper Box Wages Council and the Paper Bag Wages Council, respectively; and the cost of meetings to consider applications for wage adjustment, and the cost of inspectors required under the relevant Act, respectively.

Expenditure during 1951 in respect of fees and members' expenses was £474 for the Paper Box Wages Council and £432 for the Paper Bag Wages Council. Some additional cost arising from the work of these Councils is represented by the provision of stationery, secretarial services and the inspection of establishments. The calls of the Councils on these general services are not large and do not increase the staff numbers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how actual expenditure, to the nearest convenient date, upon the provision of dentures and spectacles by the National Health Service compares with the revised estimate submitted by his predecessor after the institution of charges for these articles.

The revised estimate was for expenditure in the whole of the financial year and no separate estimate was given for the provision of dentures. It is probable that the expenditure on the General Dental Service as a whole will be about equal to the revised estimate, while that on the Supplementary Ophthalmic Service will be about £50,000 below.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for hearing aids under the National Health Service in Scotland were outstanding at the latest convenient date.

The number of applications outstanding at 26th January, 1952, was 6,653.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of supplying hearing aids under the National Health Service in Scotland in the financial year 1950–51; what is the estimated cost in the current financial year on the assumption that the full charge is borne by the National Health Service; and what is the estimated saving to the Exchequer resulting from the proposed charge to applicants in a full financial year.

The cost of supplying hearing aids under the National Health Service in Scotland in the financial year 1950–51, excluding the cost of batteries and of fitting, was £56,500. The estimated cost for the current financial year is £57,700. The estimated receipts from the proposed charges for hearing aids for a full year are £17,000. It is not possible to estimate the cost to the Exchequer of any assistance that may be given by the National Assistance Board to applicants for reimbursement of these charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether payments will be made under the new ploughing subsidy where work has been carried out during the 1951 autumn ploughing season, prior to the decision to pay this subsidy.

As announced in the House on 4th February by my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Agriculture, land ploughed on or after 5th February will be eligible for payment of the ploughing-up grant if the conditions are satisfied. Land ploughed before that date will not qualify.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what duties have been allocated to each of the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for Scotland.

Duties have been allocated to my hon. Friends as follow:The hon. and gallant Member for Pollok (Commander Galbraith): Housing and allied subjects; health; local government.The hon. Member for Kinross and West Perthshire (Mr. Snadden): Agriculture; forestry.The hon. Member for Fife, East (Mr. Henderson Stewart): Education; police, fire and Civil Defence; fisheries; children, social and miscellaneous services; development, including hydro-electricity; criminal justice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the nature of the proposals made to him by the White Fish Authority regarding the future of the Scottish fishing industry; and when they will be published.

The White Fish Authority have made no recommendations specially related to the fishing industry in Scotland. As regards the Authority's general proposals, I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply given by my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Agriculture to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Donnelly), on 31st January.

asked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how much timber for house-building purposes he estimates will be imported into Scotland during the year 1952; and from which countries it will be obtained.

The buying of softwood is now in the hands of private traders, and I cannot say how much they will import into Scotland, or from what countries. Of the purchases already made by Timber Control for delivery in 1952, some 35–40,000 standards should come into Scottish ports.

asked the Minister of Supply how many drivers are employed in the Government's car pool as compared with six months ago.

The figures are as follow: August, 596; October, 612; At present. 593.

asked the Minister of Supply why it was decided that the members of the Iron and Steel Corporation of Great Britain should not be granted expense allowances as in the case of members of other public boards but should be reimbursed from corporation funds; and what scrutinising powers are exercised by the Department of Inland Revenue under this arrangement.

I understand that at the time when the Corporation was set up the system of reimbursing actual expenses was considered to be the most appropriate to the circumstances of the Corporation. These expenses are scrutinised by the Inland Revenue in precisely the same way as those of directors of companies.

asked the Minister of Supply if he has now considered the allegations on behalf of Mr. J. W. Chesterman, employed at his Department's Burghfield Depot as a plain-clothes detective until his dismissal in December, 1947, a copy of which has been sent him; and if he is agreeable to a public inquiry.

The appeals which Mr. Chesterman made to the former Minister of Supply and others were carefully considered on each occasion. I have closely investigated all the facts relating to his dismissal and the allegations to which my hon. Friend refers.Mr. Chesterman while employed and paid as a patrolman, was allotted certain plain clothes duties. He was a special constable. Every case of serious irregularity brought to the notice of the Superintendent of the Ministry of Supply Depot at Burghfield by Mr. Chesterman was the subject of a full inquiry and investigation, and any necessary disciplinary action was taken as a result of these inquiries.It was decided to dispense with a plain clothes patrolman because the activities at the Depot and the number of people having access to the Depot had decreased considerably. The position was fully explained to Mr. Chesterman and he was offered employment in the normal Fire/ Patrol Force. He was not prepared to accept this. A very full discussion took place with officials of his trade union who made representations on his behalf.The alteration of the warrant card was fully investigated following a Question in the House by my hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. Remnant) in July, 1950, and I have nothing to add to the reply given by the former Minister of Supply. There is no record of any approach by a prospective employer for a reference covering Mr. Chesterman's employment at Burghfield, nor has Mr. Chesterman asked for one. In either case the Department would have given a reference. In these circumstances, I do not consider that a public inquiry would be justified.

asked the Minister of Supply whether his attention has been drawn to the condition of some of the new houses erected at Abingdon and Wantage, Berkshire, for persons and their families working at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell; and whether immediate steps can be taken to remedy these defects in the heating and ventilating arrangements so that economies in fuel can be made, and the contractors do this work without expense to the public.

These houses are fitted with stoves of a standard type which provide space heating for the living rooms, background heating for bedrooms and a supply of hot water. The heating of the living rooms has not proved to be wholly satisfactory and improvements have already been made in the heating of the houses with larger sitting rooms. The Ministry of Works are considering whether further improvements are practicable. The trouble has arisen from imperfections in the heating system which are not the fault of the contractors.

asked the Minister of Works what decisions have been taken on the future of the South Bank Festival of Britain site; and what will be the future of the Dome of Discovery.

The site of the South Bank Exhibition is owned by the London County Council to whom I am shortly handing over the entire downstream section below Hungerford Bridge and also the riverside walk. The London County Council's plans for the future of these sections of the site were made public at their meeting on 6th February, 1952, to the reports of which I would refer my hon. Friend.As regards the section of the site upstream of Hungerford Bridge between the riverside walk and York Road I am arranging for clearance of the Exhibition structures (with the exception of the Station Gate) as quickly as possible. I have not yet made a final decision about the future of the Dome of Discovery.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds it was decided that the expenses allowance for the Colonial Development Corporation should be granted for the Board as a whole and not individually to the members.

A block allowance for entertainment expenses was felt to be more appropriate for this Board. Individual members are, however, entitled to reclaim actual travelling and subsistence expenses incurred on their own account when travelling on behalf of the Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will alter the conditions for the award of the Territorial Decoration by allowing persons who rejoin the Territorial Army to count their war service in any rank on a double basis and the time between their demobilisation and the rejoining of the Territorial Army in 1947 as a single basis.

The existing conditions for the award of the Territorial Efficiency Decoration are now under examination because it is considered that certain anomalies may exist which should be altered.