asked the Minister of Health, in view of the urgency and importance of the matter, what decision he has made in respect to the proposal by the Kent County Council to close down the whole of its day nursery service at the end of this month.

The matter is to be discussed with representatives of the county council this week and my decision will not be made until that discussion has been held.

asked the Minister of Health if he will exempt from the prescription charge rural doctors dispensing their own prescriptions.

It is intended that the charge should be paid by the patient and it would not be equitable to exempt from the charge such patients as happen to get their medicines from dispensing doctors. I am about to discuss the doctors' difficulties with the British Medical Association.

asked the Minister of National Insurance the number of children in respect of whom family allowances are paid, at the latest date for which figures are available.

At 31st January, 1952, family allowances were being paid in respect of approximately 4,800,000 children.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give a list of the total number of United Kingdom personnel employed at the British Embassy in Washington, together with the positions they occupy.

The total number of the United Kingdom staff employed at the British Embassy at Washington is 132, of whom 95 are paid by the Foreign Office and 37 are the responsibility of other Departments. The positions occupied by these officers are as follows: