asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements are being made by his Department to provide additional labour for lifting potatoes this year.

Meetings with representatives of the different bodies concerned are being held throughout the country in order to assess the seasonal labour requirements and to make plans for recruiting the additional workers who may be wanted.

asked the Minister of Labour how many foreign workers are at present employed in agriculture in the United Kingdom.

About 60,000 Poles, displaced persons and former prisoners of war were found employment in agriculture. They have since been set free to seek other employment and information about the number who have remained on the land is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women undergoing training for entry into the

Date			Enginnering Industries		Textile Industries
			Males	Females	Males	Females
12th January, 1948	…	…	58	12	69	56
16th February, 1948	…	…	67	9	65	45
15th March, 1948	…	…	52	14	57	51
10th January, 1949	…	…	44	1	69	40
14th February, 1949	…	…	39	3	64	35
14th March, 1949	…	…	48	5	79	31
16th January, 1950	…	…	60	4	58	39
13th February, 1950	…	…	50	5	60	37
13th March, 1950	…	…	39	9	56	45
15th January, 1951	…	…	28	5	56	36
12th February, 1951	…	…	28	3	47	32
12th March, 1951	…	…	23	2	46	24
14th January, 1952	…	…	14	17	31	66
11th February, 1952	…	…	12	13	47*	148*
17th March, 1952	…	…	15	21	366*	1,940*
* The figures for the textile industries for February and March, 1952, include the following numbers who were temporarily stopped:

				Males	Females
February, 1952	…	…	…	25	93
March, 1952	…	…	…	318	1,812
The numbers temporarily stopped at earlier dates were negligible.

Six hundred and forty-eight, all of whom are men; and the number placed in employment since January, 1952, is 179.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) the number of registered unemployed persons in the engineering industries in the Wigan area for the first quarter of 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952;(2) the number of registered unemployed persons in the textile industries in the Wigan area for the first quarter of 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952.

The numbers of persons whose last employment was in the engineering and textile industries registered as unemployed at employment exchanges in Wigan at the undermentioned dates are:

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the particulars sent him by the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion, concerning unmarried women being refused employment at the employment exchange in Brighton in favour of married women whose husbands have jobs, he will state his Department's policy in such cases.

My hon. Friend has sent me particulars of one case where an employer engaged a married woman in preference to a single woman. The more common preference of employers is to engage single women if available. So far as the employment exchanges are concerned, the policy is to submit to employers the most suitable applicants without discrimination between married and unmarried.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the serious growth of under-employment in the carpet, paper and tweed industries of Midlothian and Peebles; and if he will outline the steps he proposes to take to meet this situation.

I am aware that there is short-time working in these industries in Midlothian and Peebles due to a recession in trade of uncertain duration. I am watching the position with my colleagues concerned. The remedy for a situation such as this is for the Governernment to press on with its general policy of creating conditions favourable to increased industrial activity.

asked the Minister of Health if he is now in a position to state whether the experiments into the use of the drug cortisone have been completed; and when the drug is likely to be available for the treatment of arthritis and allied ailments through the National Health Service.

A fair appraisal of the value of cortisone will require much longer trial than has yet been possible. The number of special centres at which the drug is provided under the National Health Service has been increased recently from 55 to 70, and supplies have been made available to other hospitals for treatment of certain eye conditions.

asked the Minister of Health why persons who have to attend hospitals far from their own homes for treatment of injuries received in the war through enemy action should, subject to a means test, have to pay or contribute towards the cost of travelling to and from the hospital in the same way as ordinary Health Service patients; and whether he will ensure that, in future, they will be exempt from such a charge.

I am looking into this matter again and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health why the name of Mr. Charles Vowles, late of 45, St. Paul's Close, Hounslow, who died seven years ago, is still on the list of National Health patients of a doctor; and what steps are taken to strike a patient off a doctor's list when that patient dies.

I am unable to account for this error, which has now been rectified. Under present arrangements, which differ from those obtaining before the inception of the National Health Service, Registrars of Births and Deaths are asked to collect the medical card of a deceased person or to obtain identifying details for transmission to the appropriate Executive Council. Doctors are also requested to return to the Executive Council the medical record of any person whose death is known to them.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he will look into the conditions at the Darenth Park Mental Hospital to allay concern amongst the staff and local people, details of which have been sent to him, much of which arises from the totally inadequate staff;(2) if he is aware of the announcement that only a local inquiry is to be held into the recent attack by a patient on a male nurse at the Darenth Park Mental Hospital has given cause for concern; and if he will arrange for a representative on the inquiry who is not employed at the hospital.

An investigation into a recent attack by a patient on a nurse has been carried out by the Hospital Management Committee, who are the appropriate authority for the purpose. When I receive their report I shall consider whether further action is called for.

asked the Minister of Health how many National Health Service prescriptions were dispensed in the month of April in each of the years 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively.

The available figures for England and Wales are 16,060,000, 16,540,000 and 17,981,000 respectively. The figure for April, 1952. is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Health the number of National Health prescriptions dispensed in England and Wales in each of the years 1949 to 1951, inclusive.

The numbers are approximately 202 million, 217.1 million and 228.6 million, respectively.

asked the Minister of Health the total cost of National Health prescriptions dispensed in England and Wales in each of the years 1949 to 1951, inclusive.

The total cost in the years 1949 and 1950 was approximately £30.3 million and £34.8 million respectively. The final cost for 1951 is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Health the number of patients, other than casualty cases, who have been admitted to the Cardiff Royal Infirmary during the past year without being on the waiting list for at least two months.

The number was 1.800 during 1951

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made by the working party which was set up to consider the distribution of general practitioners' pay.

The Working Party has completed its Report and I am arranging for copies to be available in the Vote Office on Thursday, 5th June. Any necessary amending Regulations will be laid before Parliament in the ordinary way.

asked the Minister of Health how many mentally defective patients of the Oulton Hall Institution, near Leeds, Wakefield A Group, are employed at local industries; and if this policy of rehabilitation is proving successful.

Between 40 and 50 patients go out to daily employment in local industries. This method of rehabilitation has proved most successful.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons previously detained in Borstal institutions are now detained in mental institutions under the Mental Deficiency Acts; and what periodic reviews of these cases are held.

These figures are not available. All patients detained under the Mental Deficiency Acts are subject to periodical review in accordance with the provisions of those Acts.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will authorise the education committee of the excepted district of Newcastle-under-Lyme to continue to provide home tuition for Eileen Mitchell, of 65, Heath Avenue, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

I am getting further information from the Newcastle-under-Lyme Education Committee. and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Education her estimate of the increases in the primary school roll in Staffordshire in the three-year and five-year periods from 1st January or other convenient date in 1951, upon which the school building programme is based.

I estimate that the primary school roll in Staffordshire will be 7,500 higher in January, 1954, and 4,000 higher in January. 1956, than it was in January, 1951.

asked the Minister of Education her estimates of the increased numbers of children on the primary school and secondary school rolls, respectively, comparing January, 1954, with January, 1946; and her estimates of the increased numbers of school places created, or to be created, by new building in each case in the same period.

From January, 1946, to January, 1954, the primary school roll will increase by about 937,000 and the secondary school roll by about 416,000. Taking into account these figures and other factors, including existing accommodation and the movement of population, my predecessor estimated that 1,150,000 additional primary and secondary school places would be required by the end of 1953. I agree with this estimate and plan to achieve it.

asked the Minister of Education what action she proposes to take in regard to the nonattendance of children at Adlington School, in view of the petition, signed by residents of Adlington, which was forwarded to her on 3rd April.

I understand that a service bus may shortly be diverted for a trial period to take the children the whole way to and from this school. I shall soon be writing fully to my hon. and gallant Friend about this matter.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware that the parents of some children going to Roman Catholic schools in the Brighton area are being asked to pay for their transport by omnibus due to the local interpretation of her advice in Circular 242, and that as a result these children will have to go to a non-voluntary school; and what is her attitude concerning such cases.

I know that in two cases parents are being asked to pay one-half of the fares for their children to attend a Roman Catholic school in Brighton. My general attitude is stated in paragraph 5 of Circular 242.

asked the Minister of Education if, in view of the recent decision by the Essex County Council, she will make a statement on the application in the county of Essex of her policy of cutting the cost of school transport.

I have written to the authority asking for details of their proposals and the grounds on which they are made.

asked the Minister of Education the names of the local education authorities to which she has addressed a communication seeking to know why they have not effected greater economies in their estimates in accordance with her Circular 242.

I am sending the hon. Member a list of authorities to whom such letters have so far been addressed.

asked the Minister of Education which local education authorities have been advised that their economies, in accordance with Circular 242, are insufficient; and what further economies have been requested.

Certain local education authorities, of which I am sending. the hon. Member a list, have been invited to explain why their April estimates show increases, or comparatively small decreases, as compared with their forecasts. The letters have not expressed the view that the economies are insufficient or that further economies should be made.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of her inability to include the reinstatement of war damage to Gravesend Grammar School in the 1952–53 programme, she-will give special approval for this work to be done in 1953–54.

It is open to the local education authority to put the project for- ward for inclusion in the 1953–54 programme. I cannot undertake to include it in the programme, but it will be considered carefully along with all other demands on available resources.

asked the Minister of Education whether she has yet received an answer from the Durham County Council to the complaint she has referred to them from the National Union of Teachers.

The authority have informed me that my letter will be considered at a meeting of their emergency committee tomorrow.

asked the Minister of Education how many starting dates for new school buildings were given to local education authorities for each of the following periods of three months: September, October and November, 1951, December. 1951, January and February, 1952, and March, April and May, 1952.

Starting dates for major building projects for primary and secondary schools have been awarded as follows:

September to November	…	75
December to February	…	12
March to May	…	66

asked the Minister of Education which of the new schools expected to be completed in 1952–53 were approved by her Department after 1st November, 1951.

Eighty-eight new schools have been approved by my Department since 1st November. I cannot say at this stage how many of these will be completed during the current programme year.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will now publish figures showing the expenditure on school buildings undertaken since 1949 and approved and about to be undertaken on Roman Catholic voluntary schools and on county transitionally assisted and on non-Roman Catholic voluntary schools, respectively.

The figures asked for are:

Programme		Approved Building Projects—Roman Catholic Schools	Approved Buildings Projects—Other Schools
		£	£
1949	…	2,315,509	52,239,175
1950–1	…	1,871,824	44,079,192
1951–2	…	559,933	16,957,474
1952–3	…	2,800,000	38,200,000

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware that it is estimated that by July next more than 400 infants will be unable to attend schools on the New Park Estates, Leicester; that by July, 1954, there will be 700 children of infant school age who will not be placed in schools on the estate and that there is a serious lack of junior schools to meet the needs of children in future; and what steps she proposes to take to deal with this position.

The local education authority have already made arrangements whereby all infant children from the estate can be accommodated in school this term. As I indicated in my answer of the 24th April, the authority will be providing additional temporary classrooms at schools on the estate during the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Education if she has now completed her consideration of the proposals of the Salop County Council to close three of their six nursery schools; and at what decision she has arrived thereon.

No, but I hope shortly to be in a position to communicate with the local education authority.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is now able to state the economy to be effected in Wales in 1953 due to the restrictions of Circular 245 in connection with the school building programme.

The effect of Circular 245 in Wales is to reduce by 40 per cent. the value of school building projects which local education authorities had planned to start between 1st December, 1951, and 31st March, 1953.

asked the Minister of Education the estimated increase expected in the school population of Wales during 1953; and the estimated number of additional teachers to be appointed.

I estimate that there will be an increase of between 7,000 and 8,000 in the school population of Wales during 1953. I have no information as to the number of additional teachers whom the local education authorities propose to appoint.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish his views on the recommendations of the report of the Royal Commission upon Weights and Measures.

As the hon. Member is aware, the Report included a wide variety of recommendations affecting a considerable number of industries as well as broad policy issues involving legislation. I will announce my decision as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what reasons the American firm of John Deere has given him for abandoning its plans for an agricultural machinery factory at East Kilbride, Scotland.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the right hon. Member for Greenock (Mr. McNeil) on Tuesday last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the serious employment position arising at a large furniture factory in Cardiff, established since 1945, for which specialist labour has been especially trained; and what steps he is taking under the Distribution of Industry Act, to prevent the permanent closing of the factory.

I am aware that a number of furniture firms, including one in Cardiff to which no doubt the hon. Member refers, are suffering the effects of a falling off in sales.Steps have already been taken to bring the administrative arrangement, whereby firms in Development Areas have special opportunities to tender for Government contracts, to the notice of the Cardiff firm. The hon. Member is mistaken in thinking that the Board of Trade have power under the Distribution of Industry Acts to prevent a firm closing its factory.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now say how many prosecutions have been instituted under the Quota Act, 1948, against defaulters on first and supporting feature quotas respectively.

Proceedings have so far been instituted under the Cinematograph Films Act, 1948, in respect of 36 defaults on quotas for first features and eight defaults on quotas for supporting programmes. There were convictions in 24 of these cases. These prosecutions are for defaults in the first year of the Act only.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what inquiries his Department initiated amongst British manufacturers of prefabricated timber buildings prior to his considering the importation from Finnish manufacturers of prefabricated timber schools to the approximate value of £500,000.

None. As part of our trade agreement with Finland, we have undertaken to license imports up to the figure mentioned if there should be applications. We cannot expect to go on selling our own manufactures in Europe if we are not willing to offer foreign countries some facilities for the sale of their own goods in the United Kingdom. If there are adequate supplies of British buildings available at competitive prices, however, there seems no reason why the Finnish buildings should be imported. The Government are in no way committed to buy these buildings or to arrange for them to be imported.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to encourage and help local authorities to make provision for new industries in cotton districts, especially where empty premises are available.

Officials of my Department are keeping in close touch with the local authorities concerned in our efforts to encourage and steer new industries into the cotton districts, and are associated with a review now being made by the Lancashire County Council, in association with the local authorities concerned, of all the existing empty premises which might be available for new industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the values of imports of strawberries last year and the values for which import licences are to be issued this year.

The value of fresh strawberries imported into the United Kingdom during 1951 was £492,138 c.i.f. Strawberries were withdrawn from open general licence on 8th November, 1951, and for the period ending 1st June, 1952, were included with cherries, currants, gooseberries, plums and rhubarb in a quota against which import licences were issued to a value of £267,000; it is not possible to say how much of this will be used for the import of strawberries. For the period 2nd June, 1952, to 31st December, 1952, it is intended to issue licences for strawberries for a value not exceeding £165,000 c.i.f.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the dismay which prevails among British buyers of Dutch bulbs at the news that export of bulbs from Holland to British importers will be administered in Holland, thereby removing freedom of choice from British buyers; and if he will make a statement.

No. The administration of the bulb quota has been undertaken by the Netherlands Government at the request of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and in full agreement with the National Farmers' Union and the Bulb Distributors' Association. This method of distributing the quota has been decided upon as the best means of enabling traders to place their orders for autumn bulbs with the least possible delay. A Notice to Importers (No. 499) on the administrative arrangements was issued on 27th May, and I will send a copy to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether he is aware that large amounts of sterling are being spent on imports of fibre building boards; that this has resulted in short-time working in the mills at home; that there is danger of the mills having to shut down altogether if the situation worsens; and whether he will make a statement.

Expenditure on imports of fibre building boards in the first six months of this year is only about half that in the first six months of last year. Production in the home mills was well maintained until the end of April, but has now been affected by a general fall in demand. Import quotas have been fixed up to the end of June. When the time comes to fix quotas for the second half of the year account will be taken of the state of demand in the home market as well as of other factors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what prosecutions are pending for the breaking of the currency laws by persons who have exceeded the £25 a year allowance for holiday-makers travelling overseas.

I understand that two prosecutions are pending at the moment for infringements of the currency regulations and that other cases are under inquiry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds private individuals are being requested to supply information to the Treasury to assist them to carry out a routine statistical inquiry in association with the Building Societies' Association; and, in the interests of economy and the rights of individuals, if he will eliminate this inquiry.

No. This information, the giving of which is voluntary, is required from time to time to enable the Inland Revenue to operate the arrangement with the Building Societies which was placed on a statutory basis by Section 23 of the Finance Act, 1951. The arrangement is of advantage to the Societies and their members, and also helps to secure economy in tax administration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the comparative revenue from the pool betting duty on greyhound racing totalisators for the months of January, February, March and April, 1951 and 1952, respectively.

The monthly figures of receipts of pool betting duty from greyhound racecourse totalisators during the periods in question are:

—			1951	1952
			£	£
January	…	…	406,318	489,884
February	…	…	437,975	406,143
March	…	…	534,240	478,003
April	…	…	546,809	539,896

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet decided to strike a new design of 5s. crown pieces for Coronation year; and whether he will authorise the production of a large number of these coins in view of their popularity as souvenirs.

The decision whether or not to strike a commemorative coin comes within the Royal Prerogative. I have, at present, no information to give the House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that two large copper-mining companies have asked Treasury permission to move from London to Rhodesia; and what he proposes to do in this matter.

Yes. The applications are under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of Burma's position as one of the principal rice-exporting countries of south-east Asia and its late entry into the Colombo Plan, when the development plans which are being evolved are expected to be presented; and what funds have now been earmarked for development in Burma.

I regret that I have no information as to the progress of Burma's development plan or the amount which she has earmarked for developmental purposes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Governments of Indonesia and Thailand, which sent observers to the second meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Colombo Plan have been invited to participate in the Plan; and what is the nature of their reply.

These Governments have-been invited to participate in the Plan since its inception, and this invitation still stands, but they have not yet signified their intention to join.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total of the funds estimated by the Colombo Plan Consultative Committee as necessary to arrest the decline in the present low standards of living in the countries with which it is concerned.

No such estimate has been attempted by the Consultative Committee. The whole intention of the Plan is to arrest the decline in living standards and to improve them if possible, while laying sound foundations for future development; but the formulation of national development programmes, and the assessment of the expenditure likely to be involved in carrying them out, are matters for the individual Governments concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider, with a view to taking action, the possibility of enlisting the co-operation of appropriate organisations such as the Rotary Movement, Toc H, the British Legion and others in providing a rota of volunteers to act as supplementary custodians in museums and art galleries during the present period of financial stringency, and thus avoid the necessity of closing some parts of those buildings as is at present proposed.

I thank my hon. Friend for his suggestion. This would be a matter for consideration by the authorities of the institutions concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to correct the contractionist policy which has followed the January meeting of the Commonwealth Finance Ministers; and to reverse the cut in trade which, in fact, has followed that meeting in view of the declaration then made that the United Kingdom and Australia would follow a policy of expansion.

The first and most urgent objective of the January Conference was to protect the gold reserves and restore the health of sterling. For that purpose it was agreed that the sterling area as a whole must balance its accounts with the non-sterling world and that individual countries should take steps as soon as possible to live within their total means. There has inevitably since been some contraction of trade. But the Conference was right in theory that for a lasting solution the sterling area must expand its earning power to the maximum possible extent, and this must be our objective.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the despatching organisation and messengers of Government offices are used to convey letters from civil servants to individual Members of the House of Commons seeking their support on particular questions; and whether he will stop this practice.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing my attention to cases where this has happened. I am arranging for Departments to issue instructions making it clear that action of the kind referred to in the Question is forbidden.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of deaths and injuries which have occurred in each of the past five years at Government research stations and laboratories in this country.

I am afraid that an undue expenditure of time and labour would be involved in obtaining this information, which is not available centrally.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to notice being given by two Departments of the Brighton Corporation to allotment holders at Loder Road, Brighton, to quit before October, without offering any alternative site; and if he will represent to the Corporation that they should withhold the notice until the land is immediately required for the building of school extensions or at least until allotment holders have been able to get in their winter potato crop.

My right hon. and gallant Friend is aware that the holders have been given notices to quit these temporary allotments, but vacant allotments elsewhere have been offered to all who applied. Most of the land will be required in the autumn for laying out playing fields, but the Brighton Corporation have given an assurance that wherever possible they will allow the potato crop to be gathered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he proposes to take to deal with the depredations of sheep in gardens and allotments in Abertillery.

My right hon. and gallant Friend will be glad to give any help in his power, but the problem is one that can best be tackled by local authorities and allotment associations. My Department has attended a number of conferences with representatives of these local bodies, and has suggested various methods of tackling the problem.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will order the closing of all footpaths in or near areas affected by foot-and-mouth disease.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Bedford (Captain Soames) on 27th May.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many countries have now ratified the international convention on overfishing in the North Sea; which countries have not yet done so; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in this matter of overfishing in the future.

Eleven of the 12 signatory Governments of the Overfishing Convention of 1946 have now ratified, and it is hoped that the remaining country. Spain, will ratify shortly. The Convention comes into force two months thereafter. It provides for the establishment of a permanent Commission to keep the situation under review and to consider whether extensions or alterations of its provisions are needed. Her Majesty's Government are anxious to see the Convention brought into force and the permanent Commission set up as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the machinery for the collection of parish council election expenses is cumbrous and expensive; and whether he will consider such alteration as may be necessary to relieve parish councils of the necessity to set up an organisation to deal with what in many instances is only a matter of a few pounds.

My right hon. Friend has not received any evidence which would justify him in suggesting a change in the law.

.asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the proposal of the Northampton Town Council to discontinue flushing the high level sewers; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.

Yes. My right hon. Friend is in communication with the Town Council.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will instruct the Record Office at Ore Place, Hastings. reference 3/2/23/C, to postpone for four days the Z reserve call-up of 7384022 Private C. J. Barnett, Army Catering Corps, who has been ordered to report on Whit-Sunday but who is a chef employed at Selby Lodge Hotel, Lansdowne Place, Hove, where his services are indispensable until after the Whitsun holiday.

It is not practicable to make this postponement within this soldier's training period. It is, however, possible to postpone his training until later in the year and, in the circumstances, this will be done.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men who were called for training as Z reservists last year have volunteered for a second course this year.

Applications are not being centrally recorded, although the number of volunteers who actually train will later be available. It is known, however, that up to the 22nd of last month some 75 officers and 200 other ranks had volunteered for this further training.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will exempt from Class Z training volunteers for the rescue sections of the Civil Defence Corps who have passed the age of forty.

The reserve liability of these men overrides their undertaking for part-time service in Civil Defence and it is necessary to recall some of them, in the same way as other reservists, up to the age of 45 for training this year.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is now satisfied with the service of the Army field postal service in the Suez Canal area and in the Korean field; if he will give an estimate of how many days is an average period for letters to take to arrive in those areas from Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester and Preston, respectively; and what is the average time taken for letters to arrive from England in the Tel-el-Kebir area and in Korea.

Air and surface mails between this country and the Canal Zone and Korea are sent with the least possible delay. Apart from some recent short delays in the Canal Zone service due to aircraft difficulties, the services are satisfactory. Air mail letters posted in any part of this country generally reach Korea within eight to ten days and Tel-el-Kebir within about four days. Surface mails, of course, take appreciably longer.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the disturbance, particularly to invalids, and damage to property in Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire, caused by the heavy firing from the A.A. unit at Tonfannau, Merioneth; that no attempt has been made to meet the repeated complaints of the local authority; that, although damaged property has been inspected for compensation by officers of his Department at intervals during the past two years, no payment has been made; and if he will take immediate steps to stop, or modify the direction of, firing from this unit and to compensate all those who have claims without delay.

There have been one or two complaints of disturbance and claims for minor damage, but no repeated complaints by the local authority. The damage inspected has not been clearly shown to be due to the gunfire and, if it were, my Department could not accept liability for damage arising in the normal circumstances of this essential training. As the hon. Member knows, the direction of firing was altered last year to reduce the possibility of blast effect at Pwllheli.

asked the Minister of Food what total amount of sugar is used for the domestic ration.

A 10 oz. ration requires about 760,000 tons of sugar a year, excluding bonuses, catering allowances and Services' rations.

asked the Minister of Food when it was decided to continue the subsidy on animal feedingstuffs for the current year.

The decision to maintain the basic release prices of animal feeding-stuffs at the 1951–52 levels was taken during the course of the Annual Review of the economic condition and prospects of the agricultural industry.

asked the Attorney-General what proportion of the expenditure last year under the legal aid scheme was spent on those seeking divorce; and what was the total expenditure under the scheme.

About 71 per cent. of those receiving legal aid last year were seeking divorce. The total expenditure under the legal aid scheme in England and Wales last year was £1,167,326, of which £211,465 came from public funds. These figures are provisional and subject to audit and no statistics are available to show how much was spent on those seeking divorce.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many ships have been received in docks under the charge of the Port of London Authority for repair during the first three months of the present year; and how this figure compares with the corresponding numbers for the first three months of 1949, 1950 and 1951.

The number of ships received into the docks of the Port of London Authority for repair during the first three months of the years 1949 to 1952 are as follows:

—			Enterning Dry Dock	Entering Wet Dock
1949	…	…	91	23
1950	…	…	89	9
1951	…	…	84	10
1952	…	…	96	19

The figures for each column are prepared from independent records and therefore any ship undergoing repairs both in dry dock and in wet dock will appear in both columns.It would not be possible to give figures eliminating this overlap without a detailed examination of records.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will give an assurance that the foundries at the Royal Ordnance Factories, Woolwich, will be fully employed for the whole period of the re-armament programme.

No. It is not practicable to give such an assurance. But every effort will be made to get as much work as possible for the Woolwich foundries.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why permission cannot be given for the erection of a service memorial to a flight-sergeant killed while on service even though the widow has offered to meet the cost.

I am in correspondence with the hon. Member on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement regarding further negotiations for the release of Mr. Edgar Sanders by the Hungarian Government.

I am not at present in a position to add to the information which was given to the House by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary on the 20th February and the 10th March last, in reply to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Peterborough (Mr. H. Nicholls) and Solihull (Mr. M. Lindsay).

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will state the amount of coal still to be mined by opencast methods at Southside, Vogrie Barn and Hillhead, Gorebridge Midlothian; and when it will be possible to restore the sites to agricultural purposes.

I am informed by the National Coal Board that about 200,000 tons of coal remain to be won from these sites most of which are expected to be restored progressively over next two years.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will now make an announcement about the Government loan to encourage fuel efficiency in industry.

Yes. This loan scheme is significant not only because the Government are experimenting in a new field by offering financial help to encourage fuel efficiency in industry, but also because it is in keeping with the general need for fuel saving at home to free more coal for export. An explanatory leaflet has been prepared and copies are being placed in the Library for the information of hon. Members. A supplementary estimate will be presented in due course.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the number of accidents to children that have occurred recently in Kilburn Lane, W.10; and if he will give instructions to the Paddington Borough Council for more zebra crossings to be put down.

Since 1st January last, there have been three accidents to children, involving slight injury, in Kilburn Lane. They occurred on the 12th, 14th and 16th of this month. One occurred near a pedestrian crossing, and in the other two children crossed from behind stationary vehicles. I do not think that these accidents establish a case for more crossings Kilburn Lane

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will reconsider the instructions issued that footpaths along trunk highways should be constructed, often at very great cost, during this period of economic difficulty; whether he will see that priority is given to making good the sidewalks in villages and towns Where the danger of accidents is far greater and the cost of this work much less; and whether under such circumstances he will send a circular to the highways department of county councils informing them of the change of policy.

Expenditure on footpaths along trunk roads is confined to what is essential in the interests of public safety. A circular to highway authorities issued in 1950 indicated that there is little justification for providing paved footways in rural areas except in the vicinity of villages

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many Post Offices and letter boxes there now are on the London County Council Estate at South Oxhey; and how many it is intended there shall be.

A sub-Post Office and seven letter boxes have already been provided: it is the intention to provide another two letter boxes at an early date and a branch Post Office additionally at a later stage.