asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will abolish the tariff on imported fertilisers.

I am always prepared to consider any application which may be made to me for the adjustment of tariff rates. In considering such applications, it is, of course, necessary to take account of the interests of both producing and consuming industries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of tinned tomatoes it is proposed to import from Europe in 1952 as compared with 1951.

It is not possible to give any estimate of imports for 1952, since the licensing arrangements for the second half year have not yet been settled. For the period from 8th November, 1951, to 30th June, 1952, licences for imports from Western Europe and certain other non-sterling sources have been issued to a total value of about £1,250,000, c.i.f. Imports from these sources during the corresponding eight months of 1950–51 amounted to roughly £2½ million, c.i.f.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the names of the countries, not including the Common wealth or Colonies, or the Irish Republic, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Egypt, Iran, Brazil, Uruguay, or the Argentine Republic, and the amounts they received, to which we exported supplies of tinplate during the year ended 31st December, 1951, amounting to a total of 27,957 tons.

I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a statement of the countries to which the 27,957 tons of tinplate referred to were exported.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can yet make a statement following consideration of the suggestion to amend his Hire Purchase and Credit Sale Agreement (Control) Order, 1952, so as to include motor cycles in the same category as motor cars.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr. W. W. Astor) on 26th February.

asked the Minister of Agriculture for an estimate of the cost of advertising in local papers by agricultural executive committees; and if he will reduce or abolish this expense.

The cost of advertising by county agricultural executive committees is expected to be £13,500 in 1951–52. This is little more than half the cost four years ago, and it should be still smaller next year. The expense cannot be entirely abolished, for many of the advertisements are of a statutory nature, while others are a necessary part of the Ministry's trading services.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can report any progress for increasing the number of farm institutes in Wales; and whether he can make a statement as to the position of the proposed Mid-Wales Farm Institute at Llangoed, Breconshire, already approved in principle.

A new institute in Carmarthenshire will be ready this summer and one for horticulture in Flintshire by the middle of 1953. A house and land have been bought for a new institute in Caernarvonshire and tenders for adapting the property are being examined. The purchase of a house to increase the capacity of the Denbighshire Institute has been approved in principle. When completed these projects will enable farm institutes in Wales and Monmouthshire to take 300 students as against 200 at present.The proposal for a farm institute at Llangoed was approved in principle to serve the needs of Brecon, Montgomeryshire and Radnor. The Radnor Authority has since withdrawn from the scheme and the Brecon County Council has now agreed with the Ministry's view that for this and other reasons, including increased costs, the scheme should be deferred for two years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can now make any statement about the future of the draft Apple Marketing scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when the Apple and Pears Marketing Scheme will be presented to Parliament.

The draft Scheme is being considered in the light of the report of the Commissioner who held the public inquiry last year, and I cannot say when a scheme will be presented to Parliament.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will now give the figures for the number of sheep killed and worried by dogs during 1951.

According to reports from county councils there were approximately 5,700 sheep killed and 5,200 injured by dogs during 1951.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to encourage the formation of domestic poultry keepers' clubs; and what provision now exists to provide education and advice services to the clubs.

The Domestic Poultry Keepers' Council is promoting the formation of an independent national organisation of domestic poultry keepers on the basis of county federations of domestic poultry clubs. Grant aid is given to the council by my Department towards the organising expenses of the federations. The provision of education and advice for domestic food producers is the responsibility of local education authorities, and is grant aided by my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can give any figures of value or quantity of foodstuffs produced by the domestic poultry and rabbit keeper, and comparable figures for 1945 and 1948.

The only reasonably firm estimates are those of a committee on the organisation of domestic food producers. On the basis of their estimates, about 75,000 tons of eggs and 1,500 tons of rabbit-meat were produced in England and Wales in 1950 by domestic poultry keepers and members of registered domestic rabbit clubs. No firm comparison can be made with 1945 and 1948.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what advantages or inducements, apart from education and advice, are now offered to domestic poultry and rabbit keepers to affiliate to the county federations; and, in particular, what assistance is given, or will be given, in the shape of extra feedingstuff allocations.

My Department does not offer any direct inducements to domestic poultry and rabbit keepers to affiliate to county federations. Self-help is the basic incentive for domestic food production.Responsibility for the national organisation of domestic poultry and rabbit keeping lies with the Domestic Poultry Keepers' Council and the British Rabbit Council, both of which are grant aided by my Department. The Domestic Poultry Keepers' Council is promoting county federations of domestic poultry clubs. There are no county federations of domestic rabbit clubs, but many of the clubs are directly affiliated to the British Rabbit Council.No extra feedingstuffs rations are provided for members of domestic poultry clubs. For members of rabbit clubs, rations are provided for breeding does.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what changes are being made in the numbers and responsibilities of agricultural attaches serving in the Dominions and foreign countries.

The post of Agricultural Attaché to the Argentine and Chile is being abolished. No other changes are at present contemplated.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many houses the Forestry Commission are proposing to build in Northumberland during the current year.

One hundred and nineteen houses were in the process of construction at the beginning of the year on behalf of the Forestry Commission. Since then work has begun on a further 21, and two more are proposed. It is hoped that about 80 will be completed during the current year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many houses were built by the Forestry Commission in Northumberland during the three years ended 31st December, 1951; what was the average cost per house; and how that cost compares with the average cost of houses built by local authorities in that area.

Eighteen new houses have been built, besides the conversion of existing buildings to provide 13 new dwellings. The contracts for the construction of the new houses included the provision of new roads and services, and the average cost was £2,600 per house. The cost of the local authority houses excludes the cost of roads, main drainage and sewers, and main electricity cables, and no comparison can be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions have been made in the past year under the Immature Spirits (Restriction) Act, 1915, which prohibits the procuring of, or attempting to procure, immature whisky.

None.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the case of the 10 months'-old baby of John Peters, who died following an inoculation against diphtheria recently; how many similar cases of deaths following this operation have been recorded; and whether he will call attention to those parents proposing to submit their children to this treatment, of a similar possibility.

My right hon. Friend has made inquiries about this case. A post-mortem ordered by the coroner established that the cause of death was broncho-pneumonia, and he is advised that this had no connection with the child's inoculation against diphtheria. I do not think, therefore, that the latter parts of the Question arise.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that John Bennett, out on licence from the Calderstones Institution, was medically examined and graded Al by the Army authorities but that they have now cancelled his calling up; and, as this man would like to join the Service, if he will, in view of the divergencies of medical opinion, have Mr. Bennett medically examined, so as definitely to ascertain his status.

Yes. This man was on licence with a view to testing his fitness for discharge from Calderstones Hospital; and in view of the latest report on his progress, the Order for his detention under the Mental Deficiency Acts has now been discharged.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the position of a lady of Newport, details of whom have been sent him, who was unable to obtain a National Health Service hearing aid about two years ago and was forced to purchase another type at a cost of £10; and, in view of the long delay, whether he will accelerate the supply of a hearing aid for her.

The Newport hearing aid centre can trace no application from this patient earlier than the 11th of last month. Many earlier applicants have first to be dealt with.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Melvin John Harrison, 11, St. Anne's Road, Rugby, born 7th August, 1944, has been on the waiting list of the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board for admission to an institution for mental defectives for almost five years; and whether he will take action to secure an early admission in this case.

Arrangements for this patient's admission have already been made.

asked the Minister of Health how many temporary and permanent clerks were employed by the Executive Committee of the Health Service of Middlesex on 1st January, 1951, and on 1st January, 1952.

The figures are:

• 1st January, 1951, 129 permanent, 75 temporary.
• 1st January, 1952, 153 permanent, 137 temporary.

asked the Minister of Health whether, under his regulations, a National Health Service patient may have his own spectacles frame repaired or glazed, provided it conforms to the requirements of the ophthalmic service.

Any frame may be repaired under the Service provided there are suitable National Health Service spare parts available. As regards glazing, suitable old National Health Service frames may be used for new National Health Service lenses.

asked the Minister of Health if he will forbid the prescribing of a proprietary nasal douche, of the name of which he has been informed, costing 22s. 6d. for a six-ounce bottle, when there is a national formula equivalent containing identical ingredients, save for a flavouring of rose-water costing 1s. 1d.

My right hon. Friend is investigating the prescribing of this preparation.

asked the Minister of Health the cost for the year 1951 of supplying health services for non-British subjects who visited this country during the year.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health the number of dentures supplied to patients under the National Health Service, and the cost to the State, during the periods 1st January, 1951, to 20th May, 1951, and 21st May, 1951, to 31st December, 1951.

No precise figures are available, but the estimated number of single dentures, full and partial, supplied to patients on the completion of treatment during the periods in question, and the corresponding cost to the State, were approximately:

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the necessity for a widely-extended chiropody service in London, he will reconsider his decision to refuse permission to the London County Council to extend its services in this direction.

My right hon. Friend regrets that he can hold out no hope of this increase of facilities in present financial circumstances.

asked the Minister of Health what new instructions he has issued to the regional hospital boards in regard to their contracts with approved homes for mental defectives.

No new instructions have been issued since September, 1948. If the right hon. Member has any particular difficulty in mind, I will look into it on receiving details from him.

asked the Minister of Education whether she has now considered the report issued by the Foundation of Educational Research on the rewards and punishments of children in schools, a copy of which has been sent her; and what action it is proposed to take in the matter.

Yes. Questions of school discipline are left to the discretion of local education and school authorities and I see no grounds for action on my part.

asked the Minister of Education the date of the summer holidays for the Irlam and Cadishead modern secondary schools.

From 18th July to 1st September.

asked the Minister of Education what special action she is taking to reconcile the revised school staffing formula in the county of Essex, necessitated by the cuts in educational expenditure imposed by her Department, with her general instruction to local education authorities that adequate teaching staffs should be employed.

None, because there is no inconsistency. According to my information, the local education authority's decision is intended to relate their staffing formula more realistically to the prospects of recruiting teachers and to secure better distribution of the available teachers within the county. The number of teaching posts will continue to increase.

asked the Minister of Education if she will withhold approval to the closing down of the Bedenwell Nursery School which has done such excellent work since it was opened in 1936.

No formal proposal has been submitted to me, but I understand that the future of this nursery school is being considered by the Kent Local Education Authority, who are aware of my general attitude on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War what address should be used for communicating with serving officers whose names are listed in the published edition of the Army List.

Correspondence should normally be sent to the officer's private address. If this address is not known, it may be sent "care of" the War Office. It must be emphasised however, that this facility is for the officer's personal correspondence: the War Office is not staffed to undertake the distribution of circulars.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he is aware of the inability of a number of operatives who are members of courts of referees connected with his Department to continue to serve owing to the inadequacy of the present allowance for time lost; and if he will bring the allowance into line with the present day rates of wages.

My right hon. Friend is not aware of any general inability on the part of members of local tribunals to continue to serve for the reason given in the Question, but he is prepared to look into the matter if the hon. Member will let him have information bearing on the point.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the number of appeals under the Advertisement Regulations which have been heard by inspectors at local inquiries for the six months ending with the latest convenient date; the number which have been dismissed; and the reasons for the dismissals.

In the six months ending 31st December, 1951, my right hon. Friend's inspectors took 39 hearings into advertisement appeals. Thirty-four of these were dismissed, for reasons of either amenity or public safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is now prepared to institute an investigation into the working of the Exchequer equalisation grant in Scotland.

Yes. I have decided to carry out an investigation into the operation of the equalisation grant in Scotland and discussions as to its scope are now proceeding with representatives of the local authority associations. It must, however, be understood that the Government do not contemplate an increase in the heavy burden of grants at present carried by the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will arrange, with a view to preventing delay in the slaughter of accidentally-injured stock, that the name, address and telephone number of the slaughterman on duty shall be posted outside every abattoir when this is closed, and notified to all veterinary practitioners in the area served by it.

It would not be practicable for my Department to undertake to provide a 24 hours service every day of the week at slaughterhouses and consequently provision is made in the Livestock (Restriction on Slaughtering) Order to permit casualty stock requiring immediate slaughter to be dealt with on the farm or elsewhere provided that within 24 hours the carcase is delivered to a Government slaughterhouse or notice is given to the nearest district chairman of auctioneers.Local arrangements have been made voluntarily in many places by the slaughtering contractor, and in agreement with the farmers' organisation, for a slaughterman to deal with casualty animals outside normal working hours and for his name and address to be posted up outside the slaughterhouse.

asked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in view of the proposed reduction of certain stocks of raw materials, if he will consult with the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in order to ensure that no overall shortage of any particular commodity takes place.

International action to secure the more equitable distribution of scarce raw materials is a matter primarily for the International Materials Conference, to which it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to give full support.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what financial assistance is being given, to enable schemes of irrigation and land development to go forward in Cyprus.

The irrigation programme of the Cyprus Government for 1952 provides for expenditure of some £124,000, of which £85,000 will be met from Colonial Development and Welfare grants and the remainder from the Colony's own funds. This will bring the total made available since the start of the Ten Year Development Plan in 1946 to £789,000, of which £458,000 will have come from Colonial Development and Welfare grants. £641,000 is accounted for by gravity irrigation schemes under which beneficiaries pay from one third to one fifth of the cost, and may be assisted to do so by Government loans.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if the trade, air traffic control assistant, in the Royal Air Force has now been declared redundant; and why air traffic control assistants, whose regular engagements are due to expire at an early date, are required to serve an additional 12 months while other tradesmen, whose trades involve longer periods of training, are required to serve an additional six months.

The trade of air traffic control assistant does not form part of the new trade structure of the Royal Air Force, but it is necessary to employ air traffic control assistants on their old duties until enough airmen have been trained in the duties of the corresponding new trades of aerodrome traffic controller, operations clerk and aerodrome fireman.The period for which regular air traffic control assistants are to be retained beyond their normal date of discharge is at the moment under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the release of Frau Mewes, 38-year old former wardress at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, from the Werl War Criminals Prison.

Frau Mewes was tried as a war criminal early in 1947 and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. As the result of full remission for good conduct, and reckoning the amount of time spent in pre-trial custody towards sentence, in accordance with the recent ruling, she was released in February of this year.