asked the Minister of National Insurance how many industrial accidents took place in 1951; how much was paid in benefits under the Industrial Injuries Act; and what was the average period of disability.

I regret that I cannot supply the full details asked for by the hon. Member. The following is the available information:

During 1951 approximately 770,000 new claims to injury benefit were received, the great majority being in respect of accidents.

During the financial year ended 31st March, 1951 (the period covered by the last published accounts) just under £14¼ million was paid in benefits under the Industrial Injuries Act, of which about £8¾ million was injury benefit, £5 million disablement benefit, and £360,000 death benefit.

The latest available information regarding average duration of disability is that in 1949 and 1950 the average period of incapacity for which injury benefit was paid was just over four weeks.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he is aware of the growing dissatisfaction with the administration of the Industrial Injuries Act, as it affects assessment of disablement arising from industrial dermatitis; and if he will take steps to remedy this.

No.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he is aware that the increase proposed in retirement pensions barely meets the increase in the cost of living during the past year; and what steps he proposes to take to protect old age pensioners from hardship when the effects of the reduced food subsidies are reflected in increased food prices.

I cannot add anything to what my right hon. Friend said on this subject in his Budget speech.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he will state the number of persons in Sunderland who are in receipt of unemployment benefit, sickness benefit or retirement pensions and are receiving supplementary allowances from the Assistance Board.

About 7,500 recipients of unemployment or sickness benefit or retirement pension are receiving regular weekly grants of National Assistance from the Board's three offices in Sunderland, the areas of which, however, extend beyond the boundaries of the Sunderland County Borough.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether his regulations make it mandatory that all women who obtain an expectant mother's ration book shall also be given a copy of Leaflet N.I.17.

This is not a matter for Regulations; but arrangements have been made with my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Food to supply the leaflet with the ration book to expectant mothers and every effort is made to ensure that this is done.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what research he has carried out to ascertain whether lubricating oil which has been re-refined falls short in any way of accepted standards.

I do not think any special research is necessary to demonstrate the qualities of re-refined lubricating oil.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what amount of waste lubricating oil was re-refined in 1951; and what would be the dollar cost of an equivalent import.

Excluding re-refining on commission, 12,000 tons and 1 million dollars respectively.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what progress has been made with the opencast boring operations in the Rosewell-Auchendinny area of Midlothian; what seams have been proved; and what is the thickness of such seams and the depth at which they lie.

About half a million tons of coal have been proved or partly proved in five seams. They vary in thickness from 15 inches to 4 feet and they lie at depths of from 10 to 100 feet.

asked the Minister of Food what complaints he has received regarding the operation of grading centres for livestock; and whether he has any statement to make.

I have not received any general complaint about the operation of livestock collecting centres, although local complaints on, for example, the grading of a particular animal are received from time to time. I should be grateful if my hon. Friend would let me have details of the matters he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Food what quantities of meat have been allocated for the manufacture of home produced, quick frozen meat meals monthly for the past six months and what dollar earnings have resulted.

Allocations of meat for this purpose are at present confined to one firm. As stated in the reply given to my hon. Friend on 3rd March, it would not be proper to disclose details of an individual firm's business.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will publish the number of C licences in operation on 31st December in the years 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951, showing the number of holders and vehicles separately.

The number of holders of "C" Carriers' Licences and the number of vehicles so authorised on 31st December, for each of the years 1947 to 1951, were as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport if he will restrict speed to a limit of 30 miles per hour on that part of Western Avenue situated between Western Circus and Park Royal station.

No. The London and Home Counties Advisory Committee recommended against a speed limit on this road a year ago, and there has been no material change in conditions upon it since.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in order that the building of a high-level bridge to replace the Barton Bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal can proceed as soon as the country's economic condition permits, he will now approve the preparation of plans and the obtaining of the necessary permissions being undertaken by the Lancashire County Council.

I cannot at present commit myself to financial assistance to this scheme. The County Council are of course at liberty to undertake such preparatory work as they consider desirable within their own sphere of responsibility and at their own expense.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement as to the directions he will give the British Transport Commission, in view of the national emergency, to permit railway carriage works to assist in the re-armament drive.

As in the late war the capacity of railway workshops will be used for re-armament work where it is suitable and where it is necessary to supplement existing industrial capacity. The British Transport Commission would undertake such work by a direction issued under Defence Regulation 55 (2A).

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the fog signal on North Head, Wick, has been out of use since the beginning of the year through the failure of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to provide the power to operate it; and, in view of the danger to navigation, if he will make immediate representations to the Board to remedy the situation.

The fog signal at North Head, Wick, was temporarily discontinued with the sanction of the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses and after adequate notice to mariners had been given. I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that the signal remained available for operation up to 25th February and it was then discontinued during the changeover in power supply for the new apparatus which is being installed. The new fog horn was tested last Saturday morning. It still requires some adjustment but it is hoped to have it in full operation very shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to amend the Transport Act so as to enable him to provide, by season ticket and otherwise, a flat rate for all workers' passenger fares within specified areas irrespective of the distance covered and of the number of journeys taken.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further information he has from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency on action taken to resettle Arab refugees.

Following on the United Nations General Assembly approving the Agency's $250 million programme of relief and resettlement, the Director of the Agency has been in negotiation with the Jordan and Syrian Governments. He has submitted programmes to the Governments of Syria and Jordan and these are now under consideration.The programme for Jordan includes short-term projects for irrigation works, rural and urban housing (the latter for refugees with jobs but no homes) and industrial development; it also includes provision for surveys and training for larger and longer term projects. A geophysical survey of suitable areas of the Sinai Peninsula, where the Egyptian Government have agreed to the settlement of 50,000 refugees if satisfactory water supplies can be found, has now been completed, and test boring is in progress on the most likely sites.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the continued absence of news of the fate of Cardinal Mindszenty, Her Majesty's Government are able to take any action under the Human Rights Article of the Hungarian Peace Treaty.

As stated in answer to a question on 25th June, 1951, His late Majesty's Government were preparing the evidence of the violation of the Human Rights Article of the Hungarian Peace Treaty, for submission to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in accordance with a Resolution of the General Assembly. The submission, which is nearing completion, will include evidence of the systematic persecution of religion in Hungary.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that manufacturers after having their allocation of tinplate and steel cut are having difficulty in receiving the full amended allocation from the producers; and what steps he is taking to improve the position.

I am aware of these difficulties which, in the case of tinplate, are due to unforeseen delays in bringing new plant into production. I am in close touch with the industry which is making every effort to increase supplies.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that, owing to inability to obtain sufficient iron and steel scrap, the modernised melting shop at Round Oak Steelworks, Brierley Hill, Staffordshire, is not producing more than two-thirds of its rated capacity and that trained men have been declared redundant in consequence; and, in view of the fact that there is an annual surplus of 450,000 tons of scrap suitable for steelworks in the Midlands, if he will take measures to prevent it being transported at high cost to other areas so long as the local steelworks are willing to utilise it.

I am aware that substantial supplies of scrap are going from the Midlands, as they have always done, to such areas as South Wales, but if these supplies were reduced it would aggravate the shortage of scrap in those areas.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will give an estimate of supplies of steel obtainable from Germany to assist the United Kingdom defence programme.

Yes. I am glad to be able to say that as a result of recent discussions the German Government have agreed to supply to the United Kingdom this year 120,000 tons of steel, including 20,000 tons of oil piping. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the co-operation shown by the German Government in this matter.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that each of the 8,000 registered car dealers is entitled to one new car per annum for each of the makes in which he deals; how many such cars have been issued each year since 1945; whether these cars are free of covenant; and what restrictions are placed on their re-sale in this country.

I am informed that there is no such general entitlement and that the arrangements vary between manufacturers. Information about the number of demonstration cars supplied since 1945 is not available. They are subject to covenant on re-sale to the public and a dealer may not sell a demonstration car to a member of the public at a price exceeding the manufacturers' list price, including Purchase Tax, except with the consent in writing of the manufacturer, which, in present circumstances, would not normally be given.

asked the Minister of Supply whether, as the motor trade organisations state that cars used by overseas visitors from car-hire firms come off the export quota, he will inform the House as to the number of cars supplied for this purpose annually since 1946; and what restrictions are placed on their resale in this country.

In 1948 arrangements were made, in the interest of the tourist trade, for cars to be supplied to car-hire firms sponsored by the British Travel and Holiday Association, in addition to the normal home quotas. Since then just over 4,000 cars have been sold to these firms. The cars are used for at least two years before re-sale.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is now in a position to make a statement about the Brabazon aircraft and the Princess flying-boat projects.

These projects consist of two Brabazon land planes and three Princess flying boats. The first Brabazon aircraft, which is powered by Bristol Centaurus piston engines, will continue to carry out development flights.The second Brabazon and the three Princess aircraft are in various stages of construction. It was earlier intended that they should be fitted in the first instance with Bristol Proteus II propellor turbine engines. However, as the work proceeded, it became evident that great economy would be achieved by waiting for the production of the more powerful Proteus III engines which are not yet available. It has, therefore, been decided to postpone for the time being the work of completing the second Brabazon and the second and third Princesses.This will release capacity for more immediately needed military and civil aircraft construction and will result in a saving of over £2,000,000 in the coming financial year.In the meantime, the first Princess flying boat, which is now nearing completion, will be fitted with Proteus II engines, so that experimental test flights can proceed.The decision does not mean any change of view about the value of large aircraft in general or of these types in particular. There is, of course, no intention of abandoning these two important development projects, on which much money has already been spent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the review on pensions to be completed; if he is aware that severe hardship is being experienced by all these pensioners; and if he will expedite this matter and make an early statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the annual receipts from Pay As You Earn contributions for each year since the introduction of the arrangement; and what were the annual amounts reclaimed for the same period.

The receipts from Pay As You Earn for each year since its inception are shown in the table below. These are the actual amounts received from employers after allowing for the repayments of tax made by them in the course of the operation of the Pay As You Earn system; it is not possible to distinguish these repayments separately. The table also shows the estimated amounts of repayments of Pay As You Earn tax which were made by inspectors of taxes and repayments through the Employment Exchanges.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons in receipt of incomes were exempt from paying Income Tax at the latest date, prior to his Budget statement, for which figures are available.

The hon. Member will find information for years up to 1950–51 in Table 21 of the 94th Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue.There has been a big rise in personal incomes since 1950–51, and, on the level of incomes now ruling, it is estimated that, with the pre-Budget rates of allowances, the number of people with incomes above the Income Tax exemption limit of £135 who would not be liable to tax would be 4¼ million.No information is available about people with incomes below the Income Tax exemption limit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer who are the members of the Arts Council of Great Britain.

The present members are:

• Sir Ernest Pooley, K.C.V.O., LL.D. (Chairman).
• Wyn Griffith, Esq., O.B.E., D.Litt. (Vice-Chairman).
• The Countess of Albemarle.
• Sir Bronson Albery.
• Richard Capell, Esq., O.B.E., M.M.
• John Carter, Esq.
• Sir Kenneth Clark, K.C.B.
• Joseph Compton, Esq., C.B.E., M.A.
• Edric Cundell, Esq., C.B.E.
• Mrs. Hugh Dalton.
• The Viscount Esher, M.B.E.
• B. Ivor Evans, Esq., M.A., D.Litt.
• Captain Sir Cecil Graves, K.C.M.G., M.C.
• Captain J. H. F. McEwen, F.S.A., D.L., J.P.
• George T. McGlashan, Esq., C.B.E.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the average monthly total of exports of unfinished and semi-finished steel for the last six months of 1950; and also for the most recent period of six months for which figures are available.

The following is the answer:

United Kingdom exports of unfinished steel (i.e., ingots as recorded in the trade returns) averaged 5 tons, value £377, a month in July-December, 1950, and a negligible quantity, value £2, a month in August, 1951-January 1952. Exports of semi-finished steel (i.e., steel blooms, billets, slabs, sheet bars and tinplate bars as recorded in the trade returns) averaged 559 tons, value £19,489, a month in July-December, 1950, and 48 tons, value £4,574, a month in August, 1951-January, 1952.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the frequency with which men are not being retained in industry beyond the age of 65 years; and what steps he proposes to take to make known Government policy in this matter.

Yes; and I take every opportunity to make known Government policy on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the numbers of cattle any: sheep, respectively, on former and present deer forest land in Scotland.

The latest returns, made in June, 1951, relating to Scottish deer forests show that they then carried 2,160 cattle and 121,785 sheep.It is not possible to give numbers of cattle and sheep

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the numbers of agricultural animals in Scotland pre-war and for each year from 1945 to the last full year and his estimate of the population for the present year in respect of dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry, respectively.

The following table shows cattle, sheep, pig and poultry numbers on holdings in Scotland over 1 acre in extent, as returned in June in each

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the amount raised by 1d. rate in each of the Highland counties exclusive of equalisation grant; and what is the total in the last full year received by each of these counties from equalisation grant.

The estimated product of a ld. rate for each Highland county, inclusive of the small burghs therein, for the year 1951–52, and the amount of the equalisation grant provisionally payable to each county for the year are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the amounts of subsidies now paid annually to Scottish farmers and landowners for each category of assistance.

The following statement shows the amounts as now estimated of subsidies and grants paid and to be paid to Scottish farmers and landowners in financial year 1951–52, from the Votes of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many instances of large scale outwintering of cattle there are in the Highlands; whether he can state the success or otherwise of the experiments; and how far he considers any large extension of the practice feasible or economic.

Cattle rearing enterprises in the Highlands have not been surveyed or classified into size groups, and there has been no investigation into the economics of these private ventures. A number are known to my Department, and many of them appear to be doing well.Some further development on these lines may be possible, depending on the availability of suitable land and winter-keep. These aspects, together with the whole question of inducing farmers, large and small, in the Highlands to carry as many more cattle as is possible, are under active investigation by the Hill Lands (North of Scotland) Commission.

asked the Minister of Works if, in his efforts to lower the cost of cleaning Government buildings, he will introduce the use of mechanical cleaners and polishers more rapidly.

While occupying Departments are responsible for their own cleaning arrangements, my Ministry advises on the use of appliances and supplies mechanical cleaners and polishers for Government buildings where the size and condition make their use appropriate. I am advised that these appliances are being used in adequate numbers.