asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take action to curtail or modify the Census of Distribution forms issued by his Department under the Statistics of Trade Act, 1947.

For any future census of distribution fresh forms will be drawn up, with the assistance, in accordance with the usual procedure, of an advisory committee including traders. When and if it becomes necessary to draft fresh forms, I will bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's estimate that the Government textile orders to the limit of £25,000,000 may find work for not more than 30,000 wool and cotton operatives, and that the number of unemployed cotton operatives alone is estimated at 60,000, he will take steps to provide alternative employment by placing Government orders for goods other textiles in the distressed areas of Lancashire, and by directing industries into the affected areas.

I am examining with my colleagues what scope there may be for steering Government contracts, particularly within the defence programme, for goods other than textiles to these areas.As the hon. Member is aware the Government have no powers to direct industry to a particular location, but I have issued instructions that firms seeking new capacity should be asked to consider those districts which are highly dependent on textiles as well as other areas in need of new industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated expenditure on newsprint advertising incurred by the wholesale and by the retail distribution clothing industries in the United Kingdom, shown as proportions of annual turnover.

I regret that I have no information on this subject.

asked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, for an assurance that supplies of newsprint and woodpulp will be maintained through 1952; and what arrangements have been made to allow increased purchases as world prices ease.

As regards newsprint my noble Friend would expect the current level of supply to be not only maintained in 1952 but somewhat improved. There is at present no limitation on the amount of newsprint which the Newsprint Supply Company may purchase in Europe. The full quantity authorised for importation from Canada has not yet been firmly offered. Arrangements for the import of woodpulp during the second half of 1952 are still under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what limit is placed by his regulations, on Income Tax allowances for advertising, included in the trading costs of commercial businesses, under the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1952.

A deduction for advertising expenses has to be determined in accordance with general Income Tax law, under which expenditure is deductible in computing profits if, not being of a capital nature, it is wholly and exclusively incurred for the purposes of the business in question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by approximately how much coal and food prices have risen since 1938; and what have been the respective wage increases paid to coal-miners and agricultural workers.

Between 1938 and March, 1952, retail prices of domestic coal increased, on the average, by about 130 per cent. and retail prices of all foods increased by about 120 per cent. In the third quarter of 1951, average earnings of all coalminers, including the value of allowances in kind, were slightly more than three times their average earnings in 1938. No figures are available of the actual earnings of agricultural workers in 1938. Their minimum wage rates are now, on the average, just over three times as high as they were in 1938.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he is aware that certain chenille factories in Scotland have received no new orders since the new Purchase Tax adjustments were announced; and, as they cannot much longer continue working entirely for stock, whether he will consider urgent adjustments to prevent the necessity of their closing down;(2) whether he will consider measures to protect the position of specialised firms in the Development Areas which may be particularly adversely affected by the new Purchase Tax arrangements.

I appreciate the difficulties of these firms although I think they are due more to the general recession in the textile trade than to the incidence of tax under the new arrangements. The operation of this tax will no doubt be discussed during the forthcoming debates on the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the Members of the Government who are permitted to claim mileage allowance in lieu of the use of a motor car allocated for their personal use; and the number of miles, and the amount, for which claims have been made during the period 1st January to 31st March, 1952.

No Ministers are now entitled to claim mileage allowance for the use of their own cars for official purposes; the right, which has been infrequently exercised, was recently withdrawn. Three claims were made during the quarter ended 31st March, 1952; they were for amounts totalling £27 8s. 3d. covering a mileage of 892.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for Customs and Excise inspectors to be present at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 3rd May, to prevent unauthorised persons selling Cup Final tickets at excessive prices, thus evading the Entertainment duties under the Finance Acts.

The assignment of staff for preventive work of this kind is I think best left to the discretion of the Department concerned and it would not be in the public interest to disclose whether Excise officers will be present at any particular place and time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the cuts in sterling trade made by Commonwealth countries, when he proposes to call a new conference of Commonwealth Finance Ministers.

My right hon. Friend cannot at present add anything to the reply which he gave on this subject to the hon. Member for Goole (Mr. G. Jeger) on 8th of April.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total number of temporary and permanent civil servants at the last convenient date compared with the figure for October, 1951.

On 1st October, 1951, there were 685,447 non-industrial civil servants. On 1st January, 1952, the last date for which complete returns are at present available, there were 688,435. Preliminary returns for the 1st April, 1952, indicate that the number on that date was about 684,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many temporary and permanent civil servants are employed at the Central Office of Information now as compared with October, 1951.

On 1st April, 1952, the numbers were 373 temporary and 601 permanent; on 1st October, 1951, 799 temporary and 614 permanent.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence why office cleaners employed in his Department have this year been granted only one week's holiday with pay, although in previous years two weeks' holiday has been granted.

By agreement on the Departmental Whitley Council the annual leave year for temporary staff will, in future, run from 1st November to 31st October instead of from 1st April to 31st March. To give effect to this change it was agreed that, during the period 1st April, 1951, to 31st October, 1952, temporary staff would be entitled to nineteen-twelfths of their normal annual leave. If, in the view of the Staff Side of the Council, the transitional arrangements result in hardship in any individual cases, the Department will be prepared sympathetically to consider any representations which may be made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will exempt exhibition pigeons from the provisions of the Poultry Pens, Fittings and Receptacles (Disinfection) Order, 1952 (S.I., 1952, No. 437).

No. Although pigeons do not often contract fowl pest, they are susceptible to the disease, and my veterinary advisers consider it very desirable that the receptacles in which they have been conveyed to exhibitions shall be cleansed and disinfected in the same way as other poultry receptacles.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has considered the general use of vaccine for the immunisation of cattle against foot-and-mouth disease; and whether he will make a statement on the matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress in research to find a vaccine to prevent foot-and-mouth disease has been made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the concern caused by the loss of food resulting from the slaughter of animals affected or threatened by foot-and-mouth disease; and if he will confer with the leaders of the agricultural industry on the desirability of introducing a policy of immunising cattle against this disease.

The principal drawbacks of an immunisation policy are that no known vaccine protects against all the types of the foot-and-mouth disease virus to which our livestock are exposed and that the protection against particular types is of relatively short duration. It would, therefore, be impracticable to keep all, or even most, of the susceptible animals in this country in a satisfactory state of immunity.On the other hand, the immunisation of animals after an outbreak has occurred is not effective in preventing the spread of disease, because it takes two or three weeks after inoculation before an immunity is produced. Moreover, the presence of immunised animals amongst our livestock would tend to perpetuate the disease, since an immunised animal may become infected and while showing little or no sign of illness may be capable of passing on infection to other animals.Consequently, an immunisation policy would lead to foot-and-mouth disease becoming established in this country and is incompatible with the policy of stamping out infection by slaughter which, I am satisfied, is the cheapest and most effective in the circumstances of this country and which has the support of the leaders of the agricultural industry.Research into foot-and-mouth disease, including the use of vaccines, is given the fullest backing through the Agricultural Research Council and through my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement on the extent of the recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease; and if he will give an assurance that the spread of infection is now under control.

During the winter and spring outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have occurred in the eastern and south-eastern counties of England. Since 1st April, there have been 43 outbreaks in Cheshire and Staffordshire, and fresh centres of infection giving rise to a further 16 outbreaks have appeared in Suffolk, Essex, Hampshire, Sussex, Berkshire, Aberdeenshire and Angus. Except in Cheshire and Staffordshire, there has been very little spread of infection from the initial outbreaks. Although the position in Cheshire and Staffordshire is causing some anxiety, I am confident that the usual measures, which are being promptly and vigorously applied, will be successful in bringing the disease under control.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many improvement schemes relating to Cornwall have been submitted under the Livestock Rearing Act, 1951; and how many have been approved.

Separate statistics are not kept for schemes under the Hill Farming Act, 1946, and those under the Livestock Rearing Act, 1951. By 31st March, 1952, 151 schemes under both Acts had been submitted for Cornwall. Sixty of these had been voluntarily withdrawn or rejected as ineligible. Thirty-seven had been approved.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when the White Paper on the review of farm prices is to be published.

I hope we shall be able to produce the White Paper within the next three weeks, but it is impossible to say exactly how long the preparation and printing will take, and I cannot guarantee the date of publication. I appreciate the desire of hon. Members on both sides of the House for an analysis of the detail of the award which I announced last week, and I will certainly do all I can to expedite it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to what extent research is continuing into potato disease; and whether he is satisfied that the qualities of potatoes at the present time are no worse than in 1938.

Extensive research on diseases and pests of the potato is in progress at a number of centres. I have no evidence that there has been any falling off in the average quality of potatoes since 1938.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make arrangements for the Ellbridge Horticultural Experimental Station to continue its work.

I am considering the possibility of developing the Ellbridge Horticultural Demonstration Station as a sub-centre of the Experimental Horticulture Centre at Camborne.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many times, since the passing of the Agriculture Act, 1947, have farms in the Edingale district of Staffordshire been visited by the county agricultural executive committee.

Members and officials of the Lichfield District Committee of the Staffordshire Agricultural Executive Committee have visited all the 17 farms in the Parish of Edingale. The number of visits is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what arrangements he makes for publishing the information he collects on the prices received by farmers for their produce.

Summaries of this information are distributed as cyclostyled documents to the Press and others, and are later printed in "Agricultural Statistics, England and Wales, Part II." In addition, I have recently arranged, at the request of the "Farmers' Weekly" and in return for a fee, to make more detailed information available to that paper, and to expedite receipt of some of the information so as to accord with its publication date. I shall be prepared to consider requests from other journals to make similar arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what plans he has for the afforestation of the mountainsides of the upper reaches of the Western Valley of Monmouthshire.

Yes. Some 3,300 acres have been acquired for forestry purposes, of which about 2,600 acres have been planted. Negotiations are proceeding for the acquisition of a further 1,500 acres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were born in British prisons during the year ending 31st March, 1952; and how many children under the age of 12 months are at present being cared for in British prisons.

The answer to the first part of the Question is three, and to the second part 12. These figures do not include Borstal institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what report he has received from the Governor of Walton Gaol on the execution of Alfred Burns.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he has received on the confessions of guilt made on the scaffold by the two persons executed at Liverpool Prison last week; and why, contrary to usual practice, a public announcement of these confessions was made by the Governor.

It is contrary to long-established practice to disclose whether or not a prisoner has made a confession of guilt before his execution, and I am not prepared to make any exception to that practice in the present case or to indicate the nature of the reports submitted to me by the Governor. The Governor of the prison did not make any public announcement in the sense suggested, and I am assured that no prison officer made any communication to the Press on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the prototype Civil Defence mobile column has now been established; and what initial training it has carried out.

I am in urgent consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works about the necessary adaptation of the premises acquired at Epsom for the experimental mobile column, and I regret that I am not yet in a position to say when this will be completed. Meanwhile, good progress is being made with the preparation of the syllabus of training and experiments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider his decision not to agree to the granting of free shirts, collars and socks to the Fire Service, particularly having regard to the need for Government orders to assist the textile industry.

I have not received any request to reopen the settlement which was made last year between my predecessor and the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce the necessary legislation making it legally obligatory upon manufacturers of dangerous drugs, poisons, and the like, to have an antidote printed in label form on the bottles, jars or receptacles containing these dangerous products.

I am referring the matter to the Poisons Board for advice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has issued to the Metropolitan Police to prevent obstruction and disorderly conduct at the approaches to Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 3rd May by Cup Final ticket touts.

It is the duty of the police to prevent disorder and obstruction. I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that additional police will be on duty outside the Wembley Stadium on 3rd May and that he does not regard it as necessary to issue special instructions on this point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will supply newsagents with the same list as is issued to the police of banned books.

The police are not supplied by the Home Office with a list of banned books, but only with a list of books that have been condemned by the courts. If a list of that kind were sent to booksellers it would imply that they were free to deal in any books that did not appear on the list, and would be misleading. There is no censorship of books by the Executive in this country.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the calling up for National Service at the age of 21 of engineering apprentices, other than those in the aircraft industry already exempted, who have just completed their training is seriously interfering with the defence programme; that their uninterrupted retention in the industry would enable more unskilled workers to be taken on; and if he will consider their total exemption from National Service so long as the need for skilled men remains unsatisfied.

While it would no doubt assist the engineering industry to be allowed to retain all men after completion of their apprenticeship, I have to consider also the needs of the Services, and I could not go further in the direction suggested by my hon. Friend than the concession I announced on 10th April in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Air Commodore Harvey).

asked the Minister of Labour in view of the difficulty of ex-tuberculosis patients securing employment with firms who have superannuation schemes, if he will take steps to encourage firms to accept these ex-patients for employment although not acceptable to their superannuation schemes.

I am aware that this is stated to be a difficulty in some cases, but my officers at all times encourage employers to engage disabled persons whatever the nature of their disability.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of the total employed population were directly employed in defence work, including the armed forces and production and works programmes, in each of the years 1918 to 1952, inclusive.

The proportion of the total working population which was in the forces or otherwise directly engaged on defence work in April of each year is estimated to have been approximately:

	per cent.
1948	6½
1949	6½
1950	6½
1951	7½
1952	8½

Comparable figures for earlier dates are not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now considered the report on the claims of W. Rees Evans for curing cancer; and whether he will now make a statement on the matter.

I regret that I am not yet able to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 3rd April last.

asked the Minister of Health what action the Government proposes to facilitate cornea grafting operations and make corneas more easily obtainable.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the great value and importance of cornea grafting operations, he will at an early date take all possible steps to make corneas more readily available for operations of this nature.

This matter is being considered, but I regret that I am not in a position to make any statement yet.

asked the Minister of Health why a start has not been made to alter and equip the Newsham Park Hospital, Liverpool, urgently needed to be used for 100 chronic sick aged persons, when all arrangements, including staffing, have been agreed, and the place handed to the hospital management committee in September, 1951.

The preliminary plans for the first phase of this adaptation are at present being examined by my technical advisers.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will amend the regulations to permit the normal cost of a ward bed to be deducted from the charge for a pay bed.

I have no power to do so. Under Section 5 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, the charges for pay beds must be designed to cover the whole cost of the accommodation and services provided for patients.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has given sanction to hospital management committees in Wales to issue forms to applicants who have made application for surgical appliances seeking an undertaking to pay charges before delivery; from what date such charges are to become payable if the forms are signed; why no reference is made to the proposal that applicants who are in receipt of National Assistance may have the charges refunded; and whether such forms will be withdrawn until the National Health Service Bill becomes law.

asked the Minister of Health what direction he has given to his officers with respect to the charges for surgical boots, etc.; if he is aware that hospital patients are informed that such charges are authorised by Act of Parliament and they are compelled to sign an agreement to pay; when this authority was given; and how far it is retrospective in effect.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the regional officer for the Leeds and Sheffield area, before 21st April, 1952, notified people whose surgical shoes had already been sent in for repair that they must sign a form agreeing to pay the proposed charges if they were authorised by or under an Act of Parliament before they received delivery; and if he will see that this arrangement is cancelled and the forms destroyed.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Bartholemew Hospital, Goole, is informing applicants for surgical boots that they may be charged the sum of £3 as a result of the Measures now under consideration by Parliament, although the patients ordered their boots last August; and whether he will instruct hospital committees that no charges for surgical appliances may be levied on orders placed prior to the enactment of the National Health Service Bill.

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the hon. Member for Barking (Mr. Hastings) on 24th April, and I will send them a copy of the circular letter that has been issued.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the hospital management committees in Wales have issued forms to applicants for appliances seeking their consent to pay the proposed charges under the National Health Service Bill when it becomes law; how many such forms have been issued; and how many have agreed to make payment.

The numbers are 13, 755 and 509, respectively.

asked the Minister of Health how far the supply of trained nurses and probationers in hospitals has improved during the past 12 months; and approximately what is the ratio of patients to nurses in the main London teaching hospitals compared with other hospitals in the London area.

During the 12 months ended 31st December last, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of trained nurses and midwives in hospitals in England and Wales increased by 1,873 full-time and 441 part-time, and the number of student nurses by 520. The ratios of patients to nursing and midwifery staff in hospitals in the metropolitan area at 31st December last were (a) in teaching hospitals 1.24 to 1, (b) in other hospitals 2.89 to 1.

asked the Minister of Health how many calves were used last year for the purpose of the manufacture of vaccine; whether they are allowed to recover after the injection of the smallpox virus; how often they are again injected after recovery; what time is allowed to elapse between any two such operations; and for what purposes the carcases are used after such inoculations.

I am obtaining particulars from the commercial makers of vaccine lymph who use calves for this purpose, and will send them to the hon. Member as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons engaged in hospital administration in the years 1946 and 1951, respectively.

No figures are available for 1946, but I will have the 1951 figures extracted from the hospitals' returns and will send them to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider instituting a Wessex Regional Hospital Board, in order to take off some of the load which now falls on the South Western Metropolitan Regional Board.

I cannot yet add to the statement made in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gosport and Fareham (Dr. Bennett) on 24th April last.

asked the Minister of Education if she has been able to reconsider her decision that Mr. Tiplady, 12, Meadowside, Adlington, Macclesfield, must send his son to Adlington School along what is generally considered an unsafe stretch of road for a child of five years of age to travel by himself.

No. I am informed that there are no special traffic dangers on this short stretch of road, but I have asked the local education authority to see whether anything can be done to remove the parents' anxiety.

asked the Minister of Education if she will arrange that précis writing shall be made a compulsory subject in all schools where possible future entrants to the Civil Service are being trained.

No. I do not prescribe school curricula.

asked the Minister of Education approximately how many school camps have been closed down, restricted or not re-opened this year owing to economies; and how many schoolchildren have been affected.

I understand that three National Camps are likely to remain closed and that a fourth is likely to be given up this year. I have no direct knowledge of the reasons why local education authorities are not making use of these camps, but in Circular 242 I specifically excepted expenditure on the use of National Camps from the general field of expenditure under Section 53 of the Act where I considered that local education authorities could probably make economies. Each camp can accommodate over 200 children.

asked the Minister of Education her present estimates of the numbers of children reaching secondary school age in 1956 and 1957 for whom there will be no places in secondary schools.

No detailed estimate can be made at present, but on the policy outlined in Circular 245 the number is not likely to be substantial either in 1956 or 1957.

asked the Minister of Education what provisions are made for the education of sub-normal children in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The local education authority for the East Riding of Yorkshire at present maintain no special schools or classes for educationally subnormal children and must therefore rely for the present on provisions made by other authorities. They are, however, considering the possibility of establishing, in the near future, a boarding special school at Etton Camp, near Beverley.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will indicate generally the matters upon which she has reached agreement with the representatives of the local authorities, the denominational bodies and the teachers regarding financial assistance to the voluntary schools.

I think it is preferable that the House should await the Bill which I am hoping to introduce and that I should not now attempt to summarise the matters with which it will deal.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will give immediate approval for the building of the proposed Roseworth County Infant School, Stockton-on-Tees, in view of the fact that this was included in the building programme, 1951–52; that the site and services are immediately available; and that the school is needed urgently to serve new housing estates.

I expect to be in a position to approve this project very soon, following the announcement to the Durham local education authority of their allocation of steel for the third quarter of 1952.

asked the Minister of Education what percentage of children, aged 13, were receiving a grammar school education in the years 1938, 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951, respectively.

Following is the information:

—	(1)	(2)	(3)
	Pupils aged 13 years receiving grammar education in grant aided secondary schools	Pupils aged 13 years in grant aided schools	(1) as percentage of (2)
Mar. 1938	84,978	591,823	14·4
Jan., 1948	108,346	500,475	21·6
Jan., 1949	106,823	500,931	21·3
Jan., 1950	109,380	509,272	21·5
Jan., 1951	108,009	513,202	21·0

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps have been taken to ensure that where Civil Defence and Home Guard are called upon to perform similar duties they are trained according to a common doctrine.

Home Guard training in Civil Defence duties will be in accordance with the Civil Defence Manual of Basic Training, Volume II, pamphlets 1–6, on which the Army Training Manuals now being revised will be based. It is also intended that there shall be the closest possible co-operation between the Home Guard and the Civil Defence forces locally, and it is expected that it will often be possible to make local arrangements for this side of the Home Guard training to be carried out by Civil Defence instructors. There is no question of the Civil Defence organisation carrying out duties similar to those of the Home Guard.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that, owing to the restriction on imports into such countries as Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and France, the refrigeration industry is now facing a serious crisis; and whether, in view of this, he will permit increased sales in the home market.

I am aware of the problem raised by these import restrictions. The matter is being discussed with the industry.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the circumstances under which a number of workmen were gassed recently while working in an atom bomb-proof tunnel in the London area; and if he can assure the House that this work is being directed and supervised by a competent mining engineer.

I am glad to say that the men affected were not gassed. They were able to return to work the following day. An inquiry shows that the trouble was due to a pocket of air lacking sufficient oxygen. There was no trace of noxious gases. The work is being directed and supervised by one of the leading firms of consulting civil engineers in this country, who have had long experience in carrying out deep tunnelling work in London.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence what proportion of the total output of the engineering, shipbuilding and allied industries is represented by an expenditure on defence production of £400 million in 1951–52 and £650 million in 1952–53, respectively.

Not all expenditure on defence production falls on the engineering, shipbuilding and other metal-using industries. Table 7 of the Economic Survey estimates that the burden on these industries amounted to £275 million in 1951–52 and may equal £460 million in 1952–53. The 1951–52 figure represented one-twelfth of their output in 1951–52. For 1952–53 the proportion is expected to be rather less than one-seventh.

asked the Minister of Food what cattle feedingstuffs are subsidised; what is the subsidy percentage per ton; and what is the annual cost of the subsidy.

During the financial year ended 31st March, 1952, all cereals and protein and most miscellaneous animal feedingstuffs imported from overseas, together with oilcake and meals produced in the United Kingdom, were subsidised. During 1951–52, the average subsidy was about £6.8 per ton, which is approximately 23 per cent. of the average selling price. The total cost of the subsidy for the year was about £24.2 million.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement regarding the American Air Force jet fighter which crashed at St. Peters, Broadstairs, on 27th April, causing loss of life; whether he is satisfied that all the safety regulations regarding low flying and flying over built-up areas were observed; why the plane was carrying live ammunition; and what steps he is taking, in conjunction with the American Air Force authorities, to prevent the recurrence of such a disaster.

This accident occurred shortly after a fighter of the United States Air Force stationed at Manston had taken off on a training flight. The pilot and two people in the village of St. Peters lost their lives. Three people were seriously injured. I am sure that the House will wish to join in the expression of deep regret to the next of kin of the deceased and to the injured and their relatives which I have received from General McConnell, in command of the United States Third Air Force. In his letter General McConnell says:

"It was with the most profound regret that I learned of the crash of a United States Air Force aircraft from the fighter base in Manston on 27th April, 1952, which took the lives of British civilians.

2. While I know that nothing can make full restitution for such a tragic occurrence, I would like you to know of the actions I have taken to alleviate at least partially the results of this sad occurrence.

3. On the day following the accident, I sent to Manston a team of officers, headed by my Inspector General and including specialists in several categories, to investigate the accident and to take all possible action on the spot.

4. Included in the team is a Claims Officer who will have as his primary responsibility the investigation of all financial expenses of the occurrence and the adjudication of all the claims by the most expeditious means.

5. Other actions included:

(a) Authority to move immediately into hotels or other appropriate facilities at United States Government expense all persons or other civilian activities made homeless by the accident;

(b) the flying to the scene of the best possible medical talent in the United Kingdom to augment available medical service, if necessary, the fees of these specialists to be paid by my Government;

(c) the flying to the funeral from Canada at the expense of my Government, of a sister of one of the victims of the accident; and

(d) instructions to contact me directly for authority to accomplish such other unusual actions as may be necessary.

6. Copies of the formal report made by my Inspector General of this incident will be provided to the appropriate agencies of the Air Ministry.

7. Please accept this as an expression of deepest regret, from my Government and from the United States Air Force, and I hope you will advise me of any additional actions I may take to further discharge my responsibilities to any British individual or agencies concerned."

The Air Council have expressed their sincere thanks to General McConnell for his letter and for the action which he has so promptly and generously taken to alleviate, so far as possible, the distress caused by this sad accident. They have also asked him to express their deep sympathy for the relatives of the pilot.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps he is taking to ensure that the shipbuilding industry receives its official steel allocations and receives the steel in the required sequence.

When difficulties arise my Department gives shipbuilders all possible help to enable them to obtain their allocations of steel, both in quantity and in the required sequence. I am fully aware of the problem, and I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will take steps to prevent the closing of the British Hertford Hospital in Paris.

No decision has yet been taken by the management committee to close the hospital. Offers of support have been received from the French Ministry of Health and a sub-committee has been appointed to examine proposals for the general reorganisation of the hospital. Owing to the steep rise in the cost of living in France, the endowments which before the war met about half the annual operating costs of the Hertford British Hospital, now barely cover expenses for one month and though every effort has been made to meet the deficiency by local subscriptions and other means, the hospital committee has recently decided that the institution cannot be continued as it has been in the past. I am informed that in most cases British residents in France are eligible for medical assistance from the French authorities.

asked the Minister of National Insurance how far the position of tuberculosis patients and their dependants will be affected through the various alterations in allowances and pensions.

Apart from National Assistance, as to which I would refer my hon. and learned Friend particularly to paragraphs 3 and 7 of the Explanatory Memorandum (Cmd. 8507) presented with the Draft National Assistance (Determination of Need) Amendment Regulations, 1952, the improvements in pensions, benefits or other allowances recently announced apply equally to tuberculous and other persons.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many of the 51,000 totally disabled war pensioners will get £9 1s. 6d. or more a week when the new rates come into operation.

I am glad to say that the number in this category of the most severely disabled is estimated to be only about 200, excluding officers. I regret that the number in relation to officers, who are included in the figure of 51,000, could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many counties in Scotland do not allow the milking parlour system; which are these counties and if, in such cases, he will urge the counties concerned to bring their ideas up to date.

I am unaware of any county having refused to approve this system.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the position with regard to new water supplies for the Isle of Barra and Vatersay; and when the schemes scheduled to start this year will begin.

The county council expect to advertise in May for tenders for the Castlebay scheme and to have work started about the end of July. Detailed proposals for the Northbay scheme, to be undertaken by my Department, have been adjusted and will come formally before the council at an early date.A scheme for an improved water supply at Vatersay forms part of the county council's comprehensive proposals, but they have not so far selected this scheme for inclusion in an annual programme of work.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what part the proprietors of the three townships in Ross and Cromarty, for which schemes have been formally approved under the Hill Farming Act, are playing in these schemes.

In the townships referred to the proprietors are not concerned in the improvement schemes. The crofters are themselves responsible for the improvements, as is normal practice under the system of land tenure relating to crofts.