asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will re-impose price controls in boots and shoes and the repair of boots and shoes, in view of the fact that these prices have not fallen with the price of leather

No. I am satisfied that conditions in the footwear manufacturing industry and the footwear repair trade are fully competitive.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to stop the importation of ornamental brassware from India, under open general licence, so long as British brassfounders are short of their raw material.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will refuse to grant a licence for the export of the turbine engines of the "King Edward," the first passenger turbine steamer in the world to enable this historical machinery to be suitably preserved in this country.

Export licensing control over goods of historical interest is confined to those more than 75 years old. The engines referred to by my hon. Friend are only 50 years old and thus would not be subject to licence on these grounds.A licence would be refused for the export of the engines as scrap.I understand, moreover, that the acquisition of these engines by museums in this country is being considered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of contracts placed with British firms by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, her satellites and China as the result of the Moscow International Economic Conference.

I have seen a reference in the Press to the conclusion of a contract at Moscow for the sale of sheepskins to Russia, but, apart from this, I am not aware that any contracts have been placed with United Kingdom firms as a result of the Moscow Conference.

asked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what difficulties prevent the importation of raw cotton from Turkey.

None. The Raw Cotton Commission inform my noble Friend that there have been no purchases recently because of the general fall in demand.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to improve the Personal Export Scheme operated by special departments in retail stores.

I have been asked to reply. As far as I am aware the Personal Export Scheme is working smoothly, but if my hon. Friend has any proposals in mind I shall be glad to consider them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to make banknotes, authorised to be issued by Scottish bankers, legal tender both in Scotland and in England.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how far the policy of full employment is pursued by Her Majesty's Ministers and what steps are taken to give effect to this policy.

It is not possible to deal adequately with the many aspects of full employment in our present economic circumstances within the limits of a Parliamentary Question and reply.I made it clear in my Budget Speech that we, and indeed we all, aim at a high and stable level of employment, and that a healthy balance of payments is for our country the essential safeguard in the long term of the attainment of this objective. It will be the primary object of the Government's economic policy to restore and maintain such a healthy balance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what instructions he has given to the British delegation, at the current meeting of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, to deal with the continuing lack of balance between the dollar area and the rest of the world.

It is not the practice to reveal the instructions given to delegates to international conferences. We are at all times anxious and willing to join in the study and promotion of practicable measures which will reduce the un-balance between the dollar area and the rest of the world.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials, without warrants, have the right of entry to enclosed land, business or private houses; and what steps are being taken to reduce the number of such officials.

I am looking into this question and will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend when I have obtained up to date figures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total number of Government employees who are members of any of the following types of superannuation schemes: Statutory Superannuation Scheme, Superannuation Fund approved by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue under Section 32, Finance Act, 1921, Superannuation Scheme approved by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue under Section 21, Finance Act, 1947, and an excepted Staff Assurance Scheme.

About 600,000 established civil servants are pensionable under the Superannuation Acts, 1934 to 1950. No civil servants are covered by superannuation schemes of the other types mentioned in the question, but approximately 5,000 are members of the Federated Superannuation System for Universities and the Federated Superannuation System for Nurses and Hospital Officers.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has now received information in respect of the number of housing authorities who have increased the percentage of licences granted for the building of houses for sale; the number of these licences granted for this purpose; and the total number of applications.

My right hon. Friend is unable to add to the information included in Table 3 of the published Housing Return for March.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the accident rate in iron and steel foundries continues to be higher than in most other industries; and what special steps he is taking to reduce it.

The answer to the first part of the Question is, "Yes." My Department continues to pay special attention to the prevention of accidents in foundries by stressing the importance of education and training in the field of safety, the maintenance of tidy and orderly conditions and the establishment of Joint Safety Committees.The Joint Standing Committee on Conditions in Iron Foundries, which consists of representatives of both sides of the industry as well as of the Factory Inspectorate, maintains a constant review of means of preventing accidents and has recently urged the setting up of more Works Safety Committees. An assurance has been given of co-operation between trade unions and the employers' associations in this matter.The Committee is now considering what further practical steps can be taken to stimulate the use of special safety boots and other types of personal protective equipment in an endeavour to reduce the number of accidents due to splashes from molten metal and other causes.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the employment figures for the borough of Lancaster on 1st November, 1951, and on the first day of each month since then; and the number of vacancies which have been notified there.

Statistics of employment in local areas are available for the end of May only in each year. At the end of May, 1951, the number of employees (excluding those registered as unemployed) in the area of the Lancaster Employment Exchange was approximately 26,000. A corresponding figure

asked the Minister of Labour what reductions are taking place in the staff of the Rehabilitation Centre, Granton, Edinburgh; what effect such reductions will have on the number of persons undergoing rehabilitation or on the courses of instruction; and what are the future prospects of this centre.

No reductions are being made. This Unit will continue on the existing lines.

asked the Minister of Labour in what trades redundancy is substantially contributing to the present numbers of unemployed in Sunderland.

Information is not available as to the numbers included in the totals unemployed who are redundant, but the Table below shows the numbers wholly unemployed (i.e. out of a situation) and temporarily stopped, respectively, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Sunderland at 12th May, 1952. Separate figures are given for the industries with the largest numbers unemployed.

asked the Minister of Labour what reductions in staff are taking place at the Government Training Centre, Granton, Edinburgh; what effect such reductions will have on the number of trainees or on the courses of instructions; and what are the future prospects of this centre.

This Centre is to be closed in the late summer with a consequent reduction of about 36 staff. After the Centre is closed the requirements of the Vocational Training Scheme in Scotland will be met at the Government Training Centre, Hillington, to which classes, trainees and staff will be transferred from Granton as necessary.

asked the Minister of Works if, in view of difficulties which have recently arisen, he is satisfied that arrangements for the distribution of cement are sufficient to ensure that supplies are available for all works in progress.

; Cement is distributed by the trade through normal channels. I am satisfied the general arrangements are usually adequate, but when cement has to be brought a long way local shortages are liable to occur.There have been exceptionally heavy demands recently in Scotland for defence and other purposes and although supplies have been much greater than they were last year they have not been sufficient. Urgent steps are being taken to increase the supply still further.

asked the Minister of Works if he will appoint an independent firm of surveyors to report during the demolition of Halstead Place, Kent, as to the extent of dry-rot and other deterioration which came to light during the demolition; and whether, in their opinion, the demolition is necessary.

No. I have no power to do this.

asked the Minister of Works if he will now consider raising the free limit of £100 for normal maintenance work on building to £150 in view of the increased costs of labour and materials.

The increase in building costs is only one of several factors which are being taken into account in deciding what free limits shall apply from 1st July next.

asked the Minister of Works what steps he is taking to ensure that an adequate supply of bricks is available in Cardiff during the summer and early autumn months to enable the housing programme to be carried out without halting.

There are good stocks of bricks in Wales at present. If the users order well ahead, they should be able to avoid shortages.

asked the Minister of Works what representations he has made to South Wales brick manufacturers with regard to shipments of bricks to Scotland during the next three years.

My Department recently received reports of a surplus of bricks in South Wales and at the same time of a deficiency in Scotland. The Scottish demand was, therefore, brought to the attention of brickmakers in South Wales.

asked the Minister of Works when the refreshment rooms near the golf course in Richmond Park will be reopened.

As soon as I can find a suitable caterer.

asked the Minister of Works how many prosecutions for leaving litter in the Royal Parks have taken place in recent months.

None.

asked the Minister of Works what quantity of litter was swept up in the Royal Parks after Whitsuntide; and if he can give the total quantities for the years 1951 and 1952 to date.

The quantity of litter collected after Whitsun amounted to about 11 tons, of which about 6¾ tons were deposited in litter baskets and about 4¼ tons left on the ground. The total quantity of litter swept up after public holidays in 1951 was about 53 tons, and after public holidays to date in 1952, about 32½ tons; no figures are available for the litter collected at other times during these years.

asked the Minister of Works why he refuses to give a licence for the construction of a water storage tank needed for the canning of fruit in Louth, until September, 1952, despite the fact that this is required for the current season's fruit and vegetable crop and that the scheme is supported by the responsible authorities; and if he will have the case, details of which have been sent to him, reviewed immediately and a licence issued forthwith.

I have reviewed this case and decided to issue a licence.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he can now make an announcement regarding the new grant-and-loan scheme for herring and inshore fishermen.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement setting out his plans to assist, by grants and loans, the inshore and other fishermen of Scotland, and indicate when he expects these plans to be put in force.

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make an announcement about further assistance for the building of fishing vessels, but I hope it will be possible to do so shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what new arrangements have been made for the administration of the Diseases of Animals Act in Scotland.

No major changes in the arrangements have been made since 1946. At that time, a Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer was appointed to take charge of the Veterinary Service in Scotland. The object was to improve the machinery for the uniform control of rapidly spreading infectious diseases and to ensure the closest possible liaison between England and Scotland in all matters relating to animal health. This liaison is essential to efficient administration throughout the country as a whole in our aim to eradicate such diseases as foot and mouth, and bovine tuberculosis.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new houses have been built in the burgh of Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, since 1946; and how this compares with burghs of similar size in Aberdeenshire.

Thirty-two houses, of which 20 are temporary houses, have been built in Old Meldrum since 1946. For Ballater, Ellon and Rosehearty, with similar populations, the figures are 16, 47 and 62. The estimated needs, however, vary considerably and I doubt whether comparison can usefully be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost of converting and constructing Woodlands House, Cults, Aberdeenshire, into a children's home; when the work will be completed; how many children it will accommodate; and by what amount the present estimated cost exceeds the original tenders.

Woodlands Home, Cults, has accommodation for 50 mentally defective children. A new block for 50 children is expected to be ready by the autumn of 1953. The cost of this block, which forms part of a long-term development scheme, is estimated on the tender prices at about £65,000, but it is not yet possible to say what the final cost will be.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give the Scottish figures corresponding to the English and Welsh figures given in paragraphs 14 and 32 of the Fifth Annual Report of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy (1951–52) Command Paper No. 8561.

The Scottish figures corresponding to those given in paragraph 14 are as follows: About 33 per cent., 12 per cent. and 7 per cent. of the age groups concerned remain at school after the ages of 15, 16 and 17 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what grant he has made to the Deer Water Scheme, Lanarkshire; what are the plans for the completion of the scheme; and what has been the effect on employment there.

A grant of 47½ per cent. of the approved final cost has been promised. If the present rate of progress can be maintained the work is expected to be complete in 1954. At 30th April, 1952, there was a labour force of 615.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider the case of Mr. W. J. Quill; and whether, in view of all the circumstances and, in particular, the fact that this civilian employee has been the subject of political discrimination, he will order his reinstatement as leading storeman.

I have carefully reconsidered this case. I cannot accept that Mr. Quill has been the object of political discrimination or that his downgrading should be reversed.

asked the Secretary of State for War on what grounds No. 22370097 Signalman R. A. Callander, Royal Corps of Signals, who was called up on 25th May, 1950, and arrived back from Korea on the night of 21st-22nd May, 1952, has not yet been released from the Army.

National Service men at present report for part-time service at fortnightly intervals. So far as is practicable, those from overseas are brought home in time to report on a day before they complete two years' whole-time service: but in this case, as occasionally happens, the troopship arrived too late for this soldier to report on the due date and he was being retained until the next reporting date.I have, however, arranged for this man and others in this depot similarly placed to be released in advance of this date and I am reviewing the procedure for reporting for part-time service.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will fix an early date when the War Department will de-requisition land at The Level, Brighton, and will remove therefrom the seven huts used by the Royal Engineers' Records Office.

It is planned to remove these huts when the staff who occupy them can be accommodated in a new wing which is to be built on to the main records office.

asked the Secretary of State for War why the Z Reserve intake which arrived at Sugar Site, Towyn, on 27th April, was not provided with either topping-up or fresh straw to fill their palliasses

These men were given palliasses which had been in use for the previous 14 days. Normally, straw for topping up is issued after palliasses have been in use for 16 days, but, nevertheless, three bales of new straw were made available on the day of arrival. A further three bales were later issued, some of which still remained on 10th May. One man complained that his palliasse was too thin, and his commanding officer personally checked that extra straw was there to be taken by the men as required.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Ukranians in this country have volunteered to clear mines in Sussex and in other parts of England; and why they have been especially chosen for this dangerous work.

Thirty-six. The second part of the Question does not arise since all these men have volunteered for this work.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applications for telephone service are now outstanding in Blackrod, Hindley, Horwich, Standish and Westhoughton; and what progress is anticipated in these districts during the coming year.

The applications outstanding in the five districts number 18, 38, 40, 86 and 24. I hope that about 130 new lines will be provided during the current year. I am glad to say that a number of subscribers in Blackrod recently agreed to share their lines and so enabled telephones to be given to applicants for whom spares lines were not available.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is aware that the Napier Agricultural Equipment Company of Blackrod, Lancashire, is being hampered in the development of its export trade by the absence of telephone service which his Department has failed to provide in spite of repeated promises to do so over a lengthy period; and if he will take steps to remedy this matter without further delay.

I hope that the telephone will be provided by the end of next month. I recognise the importance of the telephone to the company, but with our limited resources the amount of new construction work required could not be justified for a single line. As explained in recent correspondence with the hon. Member, it is now being combined with two other jobs, but the work has been delayed by difficulty in obtaining the necessary wayleave.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused, particularly to long-distance travellers, through the absence of a public telephone on the M.S.J. and A. platform at London Road Station, Manchester; and if he will provide an installation at an early date.

Four public telephones are in the entrance hall of the station, and there is one on each of the five mainline platforms. This should be enough, but I am looking into the matter further and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence what is the minimum and the average wage paid to employees at his experimental station at Aldermaston.

I have been asked to reply. The unskilled minimum rates at the Ministry of Supply Establishment, Aldermaston, for a 44 hour week are: male, 114s.; female, 97s.Semi-skilled employees are paid leads above the minimum rate, ranging from 2s. to 30s. 6d. according to the work they do.The male skilled standard (i.e. minimum) rate for a 44 hour week is 132s. Skilled employees are paid on a merit range from nil to 50s. above the standard rate, according to the work they do and the standard of performance.The current average weekly earnings (including overtime) are: skilled, £10 4s.; unskilled, £7 19s.There are also certain grades of nonindustrial employees who are paid wages. Each grade has a separate scale of pay. The minimum weekly wage at present is 80s. 6d. and the average is 128s. 9d.

asked the Minister of Supply to what extent Government orders for textile products have now been placed; and the dates at which other textile orders necessary for the rearmament programme will be released.

I am assuming that the hon. Member is referring to orders placed under the scheme to accelerate defence contracts for textiles which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 7th April. In addition to the normal programme, orders to the value of about £9½ million have been placed under this scheme. Further tenders are either under consideration or expected back shortly. The balance of orders will be placed in the near future.

asked the Minister of Supply why a contract for 2,500,000 yards of 38-inch cloth 82×74, 32's and 36's, issued in connection with the Government's plan for aiding the textile industry with accelerated re-armament orders, has been placed with a firm, details of which have been supplied to him, who possess an authorised capital of only £5,000 and are not included in the 1951 edition of the principal Cotton Trade Directory; and why have numerous important and well-established textile firms been given no opportunity of tendering for this or other contracts.

I regret that my hon. Friend has been misinformed. Eighty-nine firms were invited to tender and the order for 2,500,000 yards was shared among 20 firms, including the one to which he refers. This firm is a firm of merchant converters who have successfully carried out contracts for the Ministry of Supply in the past two years.

asked the Minister of Food what quantities of tinplate we have contracted to supply to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during 1952–53.

1,000 tons in the second quarter of 1952 and 1,000 tons in the third quarter.

asked the Minister of Food how many local authorities have adopted the byelaws for the protection of food while on sale in shops or during the course of delivery, which were urged by his Department in the White Paper entitled "Model Byelaws," which was circulated to local authorities in September, 1949; whether he will see that a copy of these byelaws is placed in the Library of the House; and to what extent his Department is responsible for seeing that such byelaws are enforced.

1,263 local authorities in England and Wales have made byelaws under Section 15 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938. The byelaws are enforced by the local authority and my Department has no statutory responsibility in the matter.I will place a copy of the Model Bye-laws, Series I, Handling, Wrapping and Delivery of Food and Sale of Food in the Open Air, in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres of grassland have been ploughed and cropped for this year's harvest, following the announcement in February of the £5 an acre ploughing grant; and if he will estimate the extent to which the downward trend in the tillage acreage shown in the last two years has now been reversed.

Complete information is not yet available, but my right hon. and gallant Friend believes that the acreage of eligible grassland ploughed up and sown to approved crops in England and Wales will not be far short of 400,000 acres, so that the original forecast of 500,000 acres for the whole of the U.K. is likely to be an under-estimate. He would prefer not to attempt a prediction of the effect on the tillage acreage until the June returns have been analysed.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he has recently taken to ensure that soldiers selected as blood donors are healthy, and that infected blood is not administered to others

Revised notes for the guidance of regional blood transfusion directors were issued in November, 1951. The examination for intending blood donors is the same for civilians as for members of the Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is now in a position to make a statement concerning compensation for British ex-prisoners of war of the Far East.

I regret that I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on the 12th May to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Eye (Colonel Harrison).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on Communist guerrilla activity in South Korea.

Extensive operations, planned by General Van Fleet in conjunction with the Command of the Republic of Korea, were carried out by South Korean troops towards the end of 1951 against guerrillas in South-West Korea where they had hitherto been most active. Substantial progress was made in effectively controlling their activities. As a result, responsibility for combating them was transferred about April last from the military to the civil authorities.In recent weeks, guerrillas have reappeared and are carrying out bolder and better organised raids than last year. They have been active in South-East Korea, in the province of which Pusan is the capital, and have even attacked a village about 20 miles north of the city.

asked the Minister of Transport what road haulage companies were taken over by the Transport

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence if he will make a further statement regarding the position in Korea.

As promised by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on Wednesday, 28th May, a further statement will be made to the House after the return of my noble Friend the Minister of Defence from Korea.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, in connection with those candidates for Dartmouth entrance who come from Scottish schools, the percentage who failed at the written examination, and the percentage who failed at the interview, in each of the examinations held in the last three years; and how these percentages compare with the percentages of candidates from schools other than Scottish schools.

Following are the figures:Commission, which previously the railway companies owned, or had a financial interest in, stating their capital value, the estimated profit made in the year 1947, and the number of vehicles in each company.

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 26th May; Vol. 501, col. 104) supplied the following statement,

asked the Minister of Transport the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents which occurred on the roads of this country for the years 1949, 1950, 1951 and to the latest practicable date for this year.

The numbers of fatal and non-fatal road casualties were as follow:

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what gross tonnage of coal he expects to export to overseas markets during 1952.

On 24th March last, in reply to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Ayr (Sir T. Moore) I announced the Government's decision to increase coal exports this year by 2 milion tons as compared with 1951. I am glad to announce that the Government now propose to make a further increase of 1½ million tons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the increase in crimes with violence, he will take steps to institute an official and stricter censorship on gangster films and on those which tend to glorify criminal types.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) on 29th May.