asked the Minister of National Insurance (1) the total number of old age pensioners in Cardiff; the number who are in receipt of National Assistance; and the number who have been obliged to seek assistance during the past six months in order to obtain bedclothes and clothes for wear;(2) The total number of non-contributory old age pensioners in Cardiff who are not in receipt of National Assistance.

I am obtaining the available information and will send it to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he is aware of the hardship caused to persons reaching the age of 65 who have been so incapacitated by illness since the passing of the National Insurance Act, that they have not acquired 104 fully paid stamps; and whether he is prepared to make provision in appropriate cases for payment of pension, subject to the crediting of the balance of the fully paid stamps necessary.

No. Rules requiring that a certain number of contributions must have been actually paid before people can get benefit have always been a feature of the State insurance schemes.

asked the Minister of National Insurance to what extent, under his regulations, widows' pensions are taken into account in the assessment of unemployment benefit.

Unemployment benefit is not normally payable in addition to widows' benefits under the National Insurance Act, but a widow entitled to both may receive the greater of the two benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many administrative, educational and technical officers are employed by the British Council on home establishment apart from student residences; how many on overseas establishment; and what reductions it is proposed to make in each in the course of the present financial year.

The numbers employed on home establishment, apart from student residences, are as follows. Administrative and executive, 200; the reduction proposed in the current financial year will be 37. Educational, 8; proposed reduction, 2. Specialist and technical, 126; proposed reduction, 15.On overseas establishment: administrative and executive, 119; proposed reduction, 8. Educational, 259; proposed reduction, 37. Specialist and technical, 124; proposed reduction, 17.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give a list of institutions receiving grants from the British Council, together with the amount of grant made to each last year and provided for in the current year.

The details requested by my hon. and gallant Friend are so extensive that it is not possible for me to give them orally and I am, therefore, making copies available in the Library.In all, some 140 institutions received grants from the British Council. They consist principally of British schools and cultural institutes and English lectureships in foreign universities. The grants range from £10 to several thousands of pounds either in the form of capital payments, maintenance grants or subsidies to posts.As the accounts for 1951 are not yet closed, I cannot give final figures of the total grants made. The estimated total for 1951–52 was £159,987, while for the current year it is £133,589.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Hertford Hospital in Paris, which has been helpful to the British colony there for many years, is closing down owing to lack of funds; and whether he will take the necessary action to ensure that the hospital can continue its good work of looking after British subjects who are ill in France.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the Written reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, Mr. Turner, on 1st May.

asked the Minister of Food if he will now make a detailed statement giving the date and other features relating to the coming into operation of a flat rate for the transport of fish from Aberdeen to London.

I am informed that the White Fish Authority are still working out the details of their scheme.

asked the Minister of Food if he will accept the new minimum fruit content standards laid down in the Report of the Food Standards Committee, thus giving the consu- mer better quality jam, while at the same time assisting the home fruit grower.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Brixton (Lieut.-Colonel Lipton) on Wednesday, 30th April. My right hon. and gallant Friend has not yet received the Committee's final recommendations.

asked the Minister of Food what change there will be, arising out of the recent review of farm prices, in the price of sugar beet pulp for the 1952 season.

There will be no change in the present price except for some minor adjustments to level out the price at all the British Sugar Corporation's factories.

asked the Minister of Food how the present output of biscuits compares with the output 12 months ago.

The latest available figures, which are for the four weeks to 22nd March, show an increase of 4 per cent. on the corresponding period in 1951.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his Department intend carrying out the road safety scheme entitled "Operation Proof," submitted to him recently by a deputation from the West Bromwich County Borough Council.

As I have explained to the deputation from the West Bromwich County Borough Council, I cannot commit myself to approving "Operation Proof" in its entirety, but if it is decided to work out a plan for some activity on the lines of a national road safety week, some of the features of the West Bromwich scheme may be found very useful.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, under the new transport legislation which he is proposing to introduce, he will permit the proprietors of motor coaches to restore their services from Royal Air Force stations in Norfolk to London, in view of the fact that they can provide a cheaper, quicker and more convenient service than the one which Royal Air Force personnel are at present compelled to use.

I am afraid that I cannot anticipate the White Paper on Transport Policy which is about to be issued.

asked the Minister of Supply what action he proposes to take to assist in the improvement of the insulation of factory buildings owned by his Department and leased to private firms in order to assist the tenants in fuel economy.

An experimental scheme to assist firms to improve insulation and install fuel-saving equipment was announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power on 7th March. Firms occupying factories leased from the Ministry of Supply will be eligible for loans under this scheme.

asked the Minister of Supply (1) on what date he last directed Government contracts to S. Smith and Sons Limited, Cricklewood; when these contracts were concluded; and what was the value of the contracts placed;(2) if he is aware that there is a trade dispute in being at S. Smith and Sons Limited, Cricklewood, due to the lack of work; and what action he proposes to take to direct urgent and necessary contracts to this firm.

I am aware of the trade dispute at Smith's English Clocks, Limited. It is not the practice to give details of contracts placed with individual firms. However, I can tell the hon. Member that this company is at present engaged on a number of contracts for the Ministry of Supply and will continue to be given opportunities for further orders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when his Department may be expected to reply to the last two letters from Mr. Terrell's solicitors; and whether he will ensure that the arrangements for this arbitration are now made with the minimum delay.

I will certainly take steps to see that the arbitration arrangements proceed as quickly as possible. A reply to the latest letters from Mr. Terrell's solicitors will be sent as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional revenue he estimates to get by his proposed increases in the rate of Entertainments Duty on cricket, football and other sports.

A little under £1½ million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue he estimates will be lost by his proposed reductions in the rate of Entertainments Duty on speedway and other racing.

About £1.6 million in a full year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when it is intended that the general allocations to importers of gelatine is to be made.

An announcement will be made as soon as possible of the values of import quotas for gelatine, and for most of the other items which were withdrawn from open general licence on 11th March. Import licences under these quotas will be issued shortly after the announcement is made. Import licences for a considerable value have already been issued in respect of firm contracts between importers and overseas suppliers, but the value of such licences may subsequently be deducted from importers' entitlements under the quotas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of horses imported into Northern Ireland from the Irish Republic in 1950–51 for any purpose.

The trade returns distinguish between animals, living, for food and animals not for food. Horses are only shown separately under the second of these headings and the imports across the land boundary between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland numbered 3,228 in 1950 and 3,994 in 1951. These figures include horses imported temporarily, for example, for racing or breeding.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how much money belonging to the Naval Prize Fund remains undistributed; and what the balance is expected to be after distribution is completed.

£550,000 and about £450,000 respectively. The Royal Naval Prize Fund was closed to fresh applications on 26th August, 1951, but payment has still to be made in certain cases where unclaimed sums are due to the estates of deceased persons, to insane persons and to certain categories where similar difficulties exist.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of cases, since 1st January, 1952, to the latest convenient date, in which proceedings have been taken under the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861, for ill-treatment of or injury to a child by the person or persons responsible for its care at the time of the offence; and whether he can give a list of the sentences imposed.

As far as I have been able to ascertain proceedings of the kind referred to were taken in seven cases in the period from 1st January to 23rd April of this year. One case has not yet been disposed of, and in another the person charged was found insane on arraignment and ordered to be detained during Her Majesty's pleasure. In three cases terms of imprisonment were imposed (of seven years, four years and four months respectively). In one case the person convicted was placed on probation for two years, and in another the person convicted was bound over in her own recognisances for two years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will consider suspending the local bye-law regarding the keeping of pigs which was reintroduced on 1st July, 1951, after having been suspended since the war, in order that people in towns who wish to keep pigs may not be prevented froming doing so.

Defence Regulation 62B, which had the effect of suspending restrictions on the keeping of pigs, was revoked on 1st July, 1951, and I do not think further legislation on this subject would be justified at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision is made by the Renfrewshire County Council, Lanarkshire County Council and the Burgh of Airdrie and Coatbridge, respectively, to assist people with tuberculosis who have returned home after a long period in hospital.

Each of these authorities, in their arrangements under the National Health Service (Scotland) Acts, have taken power to assist tuberculous persons on their return home after hospital treatment. Their arrangements include the services of health visitors who call on the patients in order to give advice and assistance on the safeguards to be observed to prevent the spread of the disease: the provision, where necessary, of beds, bedding and nursing requisites, clothing and extra nourishment: help in obtaining priority in new housing, and co-operation with the Ministry of Labour and National Service in training for and re-settlement in suitable employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated total saving on wigs, surgical boots, abdominal belts and elastic stockings, respectively, resulting from the passing of the National Health Service (Amendment) Bill.

The estimated total annual income in Scotland from charges on wigs, surgical boots, abdominal belts and elastic stockings respectively, based on the number of these appliances issued under the hospital service in 1951, is as follows:

	£
Wigs	2,500
Surgical boots	15,000
Abdominal belts	7,000
Elastic stockings	1,300
Total	£25,800

These figures do not take into account any grants made by the National Assistance Board to persons unable to pay the charges without hardship.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of students receiving education at Dalkeith High School who are resident outside the boundaries of the county of Midlothian; and the fees charged.

Thirteen primary pupils and two secondary pupils. The fees normally charged are £11 per primary pupil per annum and £20 per secondary pupil, but in three cases where the Edinburgh education authority pay the fees the agreed rates of £10 10s. primary and £17 10s. secondary are charged.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many pensioners of the South African war, who gained the Military Medal, are alive today.

The Military Medal was not instituted until 1916.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make the pecuniary benefits attached to the Military Medal gained during the 1939–45 war, available to all those who gained this medal previously, including those who gained it in the South African war.

No. The introduction of pecuniary awards in respect of the Military Medal was one of the changes in the provision for the grant of pensions and gratuities to the holders of gallantry decorations and medals which were made in 1945, for application only to decorations and medals earned since September, 1939.