asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the increasing area of goods brought under Purchase Tax through the adoption of the D scheme, he has considered asking the Customs and Excise to be more liberal in the granting of Purchase Tax certificates.

I fear that we must adhere to the general principles which my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary explained during Committee stage of the Finance Bill, though that does not preclude the consideration of individual cases on their merits consistently with those principles.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that many people who were previously refused certificates for justifiable reasons, now have a substantial trade in taxable goods, and that they now merit further consideration?

My hon. Friend explained the general manner in which this matter was envisaged and administered and we must adhere to certain general principles. I will certainly bear in mind what my hon. Friend says.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost would be of recalling Treasury notes now in issue and of making a new issue.

No reasonable estimate can be given of the cost of calling in all Bank of England notes now in circulation and replacing them with a new issue.

Is not this a rather unsatisfactory state of affairs? Is it not now clear, both by reason of the recent mail bag robbery and the large number of transactions carried out by tax dodgers for large sums of cash, that a very handsome profit would be made by the Treasury if a new issue of Treasury notes were made as soon as possible?

I think the hon. and gallant Member's contribution is rather an oversimplification.

Would my right hon. Friend consider, when the time comes, that a more accurate statement in writing should be put on the notes than "I promise to pay…"

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now abolish Purchase Tax on sticks provided for blind people.

I have had to refuse many requests for relief in favour of particular users of taxable goods. I understand how necessary these sticks are for the blind. I will take this into account when I am able to review the incidence of the tax on such articles.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the disparity of income between the average income in the highest and the lowest income groups, respectively, at the end of each financial year 1937–38, 1948–49 and 1951–52.

I am not sure what the hon. Member means by highest and lowest income groups. Figures relating to the financial years 1938–39 and 1948–49 are given in the Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for 1949 (Cmd. 8052). This shows that in 1938–39, there were 2,100 incomes over £20,000 and in 1948–49, 2,300. In 1938–39, there were 2,483,000 incomes between £125 and £150. In 1948–49, there were 975,000 incomes between £135 and £150. Corresponding figures for 1951–52 are not yet available.

While appreciating that there is a remarkable change in the distribution of income, may I ask the Chancellor to observe that there are still many people with very small incomes and a large number with very high incomes? Will he not consider the possibility of reducing the disparity still further?

Every effort has been made to examine, in the light of the hon. Member's representations, the material which we have collected from this paper, but I think it would be a pity to draw any generalisation from it. If we are to achieve any results we had better have a little discussion together.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what share of the national income was taken, after direct taxation, by the recipients of rent, interest and profits in 1938, 1950 and March, 1952, respectively; and what was the share going to wages.

The proportion of total personal income after tax represented by rent, dividends, interest and profits is estimated to have been 32 per cent. in 1938 and 23 per cent. in 1950. The comparable figures for wages were 37 per cent., and 43 per cent. respectively. Estimates are not available for March, 1952, but figures for 1951 will be published next month.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether, in the term "profits," professional earnings or only strictly commercial profits are included?

I should want notice of that question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reply he has received from the Trades Union Congress in connection with his request that wage claims should be restrained.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reply he has received from the Trades Union Congress to his suggestion to them on 15th May that a committee of employers and workers should be appointed to consider the economic situation; what similar approaches he has made to the employers; and with what results.

My statement on our present economic problems was made to the National Joint Advisory Council. There was no approach to the two sides of industry separately. The employers' side have informed my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service that they would be prepared to participate in a joint committee of the Council. He has not yet heard from the other parties to the Council, but I am meeting the Economic Committee of the T.U.C. for further discussion next week.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, in the meantime, that it is quite impossible to achieve wage stability unless we have stability in the cost of living, and also the original advice given him by the T.U.C. in connection with food subsidies and act accordingly?

The answer to the latter part of the question is, No, Sir. That does not mean that I have not respected the advice given to me by the Trades Union Congress nor that I do not look forward to further consultation with them. I sincerely hope that between us we may be able to take the right path.

Did not the right hon. Gentleman embarrass the trade union leaders considerably by reducing the food subsidies, thus making it very difficult for them to influence their members as regards wage restraint?

I do not think that trade union leaders are men who are easily embarrassed, and despite any feelings they may have had, they have, in their published statements, so far shown every sign of a desire for restraint and moderation within the limits which they have already set. I would make no further statement on their behalf because they are capable of speaking for themselves, and I would rather look forward to meeting them next week and learning what is in their minds.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that in their published statement they have made it plain that they deplore the cuts in food subsidies which have made things much more difficult for them?

Things have not been made more difficult for them than for anybody else. I am satisfied that the financial policy pursued by the Government so far has had a remarkable effect on stopping the drain on our reserves. That is proved by the published figures.

I am certain that trade union leaders, however much they have expressed or may still express their disagreement, realise that there are certain advantages in the policy which has been pursued.

As the speed of the increase in the cost of living has been retarded, even taking into consideration the removal of the food subsidies, does my right hon. Friend not think that the pressure for increased wages should be accordingly less?

It is true that there are definite signs and tendencies in certain directions of the cost of living actually coming down, in regard to certain commodities at any rate, and this should have an effect of moderation and general restraint.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that many skilled workers are underpaid compared with other skilled workers, when he meets the representatives of the Trades Union Congress, he will urge that the interests of the workers would be served if they would discuss within the Trades Union Congress a national wages policy directed to eliminating the grievances which exist.

No, Sir. Any such matters as these are for settlement by the two sides of industry.

I am sorry, but I could not hear what my right hon. Friend said May I ask him to repeat it?

I said:

"No, Sir. Any such matters as these are for settlement by the two sides of industry."

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that there are certain legitimate grievances among the workers of this country, like railwaymen and engineers, whose wages appear to be out of balance with the wages of other workers in industry? Would it not be a good idea for once to ask the trade unions if they would look at these grievances themselves rather than necessarily come to the Government for relief?

I do not think that that alters the obvious sense of my original answer, namely, that this is not a matter for me to dictate upon or to animadvert upon, but one to be discussed between the two sides of industry. If at any time the good offices of the Government or of my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Labour can be used, so much the better.

But could not my right hon. Friend give some advice and guidance in conversations?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can now make a statement on the pensions increases for retired Government and local government servants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can yet make a statement on the results of the conference with the authorities concerned on the question of retired teachers' pensions.

A Bill dealing with these matters has been published today.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that though this Bill does assist certain sections of the community with low incomes, a large number of people will not benefit under this Bill. Will he therefore take some steps to deal with their predicament?

We really must give thanks for any benefits we receive, and I would remind my hon. Friend that this Bill was designed for the purpose of supplementing the pensions of existing pensioners of the public service, that it affects civil servants, teachers, local authority staff, policemen and firemen, to name the chief categories, although there are others also affected, and that the increases proposed are considerable. The Bill, as part of the general Budget plan, is designed to give what help it can in this sphere.

Will the Bill deal with retired railway servants?

Those were not alluded to in my statement, and I think the hon. Gentleman had better examine the Bill before we take the matter any further.

Is it intended to give increases in retired pay and pensions to ex-Service officers? Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that they represent a very deserving section of the community who, unfortunately, possess very small political bargaining power?

I am glad to be reminded of them, but that is a separate question and perhaps my hon. Friend will put it down.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take to recompense, for the withdrawal of the food subsidies, those living above the National Assistance scale but with incomes not subject to Income Tax assessment.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which the Financial Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Miss Burton) on 8th May.

In view of the fact that it is the policy of the Conservative Party to protect the weak and that the answer which the right hon. Gentleman gave previously was far from satisfactory, will he bear in mind that this section of the community has suffered more than any other under six years of Socialism? Will he therefore take steps to reconsider whether it would not be wise to appoint a committee, so that every aspect of these people's position might be looked at with a view to its amelioration?

I am very glad that the hon. Lady has had a crack at the other side. In all seriousness, I would say that it is very difficult for the State or the Government of the day to reach every case. For example, if persons or families do not pay Income Tax it is impossible to relieve them by Income Tax relief, and it is difficult to reach every section. I would remind the hon. Lady that the benefits of the Budget, taken as a whole, and with the aid of family allowances and other things, do good among all sections of the community.

As, judging by an answer given to me yesterday by the Minister of Food, the Government have not yet decided what they mean to spend on food subsidies this year, will the Chancellor reconsider the whole question in the light of the views of the T.U.C., among others?

The Government adhere to the policy I announced in the Budget. At the same time, I feel that all statements made by the Minister of Food are crystal clear.

Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the answer I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter at the earliest possible moment on the Adjournment. My right hon. Friend has not dealt with the party's policy in this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will authorise the export of books from Britain to Israel to be paid for in Israeli currency.

I regret that I cannot accept this suggestion.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that at the present time the Russians are sending into Israel a great deal of propaganda material printed in English, and that the Americans have made special arrangements for the export of books to Israel? Would not it be wise to consider a special arrangement by which our books might be sent to Israel and paid for in Israeli currency?

I have discussed this question with the representative of Israel. I realise that there is a genuine case here, but our difficulty is in deciding whether to start making an exception in favour of particular exports, even books. I will bear the question in mind. It has a legitimate background and it is an important matter.

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider the special case of scientific and technical journals, for which there is great need in Israel?

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in what circumstances and under what provision, garages provided by the Crown for the accommodation of disabled persons' individual invalid chairs are assessed for Schedule A tax; and on what basis.

It is not intended that such garages should, in practice, be assessed to Income Tax Schedule A.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that an Oldham man, whose name has been supplied to him, totally disabled by infantile paralysis and having a Crown garage for his invalid chair which was assessed at £5 for rates, reduced on appeal to £2 10s. 0d., has now received notice assessing this garage at £7 10s. 0d. a year for Schedule A tax; and whether he will now make regulations exempting these buildings from Schedule A tax.

No, Sir. The rating assessment on the garage was £1 not £5 or £2 10s. 0d. It is not proposed to assess such garages for rating in the future, and if, as I have already informed the hon. Member, the gentleman concerned enters an objection to this assessment, the Inland Revenue will not resist it.

I am much obliged to the Financial Secretary. It was £5 last year and it has been re-assessed this year. I am very glad that we are to stop assessing this for tax. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will see that this fact is generally known.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what saving will be made in the current financial year as a result of the decision to stop publication of "Report to Women."

The estimated saving in the current financial year is £821, assuming 11 issues for the year.

Would not the hon. Gentleman agree that this organ of opinion was serving a most useful purpose and that the economy effected is quite petty in its nature? Does not he think it is quite wrong to suppress organs of this kind when he remembers the way in which he and his colleagues complained that the last Government did not keep the public fully informed on matters of this kind?

That supplementary question forms a very good example of the ease with which a particular economy can be criticised on the basis of its triviality; but the House will recall that it is on the sum of those savings alone that substantial economies can be achieved in this field.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the inevitable long-term shortage of housing accommodation and the growing popularity of caravan homes he will, as a matter of urgency, discuss with all interested authorities the provision of licensed caravan sites as a national problem.

No, Sir. I do not think that the general conference which the hon. Member suggests would prove very useful at this stage.

Does not the hon. Gentleman appreciate the disparity in contracts up and down the country with regard to this matter? As the State has so much to say about building non-traditional houses, why should not caravan homes be considered as places where childless couples and families with one child might go, when otherwise they will have to wait for years and their marriages might break up? Is it not worth a trial, in order to reduce human misery?

I do not regard caravans as suitable substitutes for houses.

If they are not a substitute for houses why not provide the houses?

Will the hon. Gentleman take steps to bring within existing legislation the tenancies of caravans which, I understand, are at present outside that legislative protection?

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that the Ashton-in-Makerfield Urban District Council is demanding that purchasers of houses under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act insure their property against fire in a named insurance company, and that the ground land lord specifies another company, thus involving purchasers in double insurance; and, since the Ashton-in-Makerfield Urban District Council threatens to withdraw the mortgage unless double insurance is effected, what steps he is taking in the matter.

I am in correspondence with the local authority on this matter and will let my hon. Friend know the result in due course.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the feeling that the course pursued by the local authority in this case is most unreasonable and will he assure the House that similar insistencies will not be made by other local authorities?

I think I would rather await the result of my inquiries.

Is not the Minister aware that when I put a Question on this matter I received from him and his Department a very prompt, well-considered and courteous reply? Is it not a fact that the matter can only be dealt with by the local authority concerned?

I am glad to have the hon. Gentleman's bouquet.

Is the Minister aware that when an insurance company is advancing money for developing a house of this description, it is not unusual to make a condition of the insurance of the house as part of the bargain?

Is it not right that the local authorities should look after their ratepayers' interests, and that the grievance, if there is one at all, is against the ground landlord?

If the matter can be settled amicably it had better stay where it is.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he will take to ensure that the correct names and addresses of property owners are recorded with local rating authorities.

I do not think that any steps are called for on my part.

Is the Minister aware of the difficulties met by many boroughs when trying to ensure compliance with sanitary notices, when they find that owners of property are working under false names with accommodation addresses, and cannot be traced? Is not that an unsatisfactory state of affairs and should not local authorities be able to ascertain without difficulty the real owner of any property?

It would be a difficulty if it were not that sanitary notices, and similar documents, may, by law, be addressed simply to the owner of the property.

Is it not a fact that sanitary notices entail large expense when the sanitary authorities have to be in a position to carry out the work? What action can be taken by the local authority in those circumstances? The Minister is not treating this problem with the seriousness that it deserves.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the Court of Appeal has upheld the judgment of the Divisional Court in the case of Rex v. St. Helens Rent Tribunal ex partePickavance; and if he will introduce legislation to protect tenants who are affected by this decision.

I am aware of the decision in the Court of Appeal. I have the matter under consideration.

Would the Minister be good enough to consider the debate which took place when an endeavour was made to remove an anomaly by which tenants could not get protection at all? When Section 11 of the Act of 1949 was passed everybody thought that that protection had been granted. Will the Minister go into the matter rapidly, because it means that a large number of tenants will be placed in peril unless there is legislation quickly?

Yes, but the matter is subject to further appeal.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if his attention has been called to the growing practice of some landlords of property controlled by the Rent Restrictions Acts to request their tenants to make some voluntary contribution in addition to the controlled rent; and whether, in view of the fact that many tenants think that if they do not respond they may be penalised or blacklisted in some way, he will take steps to ensure that the intention of the Rent Restrictions Acts is not undermined by the development of such practices.

I am aware of the practice, but very few complaints have reached me. I have no power to penalise or blacklist anybody. But the tenants have their legal means of redress.

That will not do. The Minister must realise that he has the power to give instructions. May I ask whether he will exercise the power that he has to instruct local authorities to make clear what the rights of tenants really are and, by that method, avoid these serious and pernicious practices?

Yes, Sir, but that was not the Question, which was whether I would penalise those responsible for the practice.

Perhaps the Minister has misread the Question. If he will read it again he will see that the persons concerned are penalised, not that he should penalise them. I ask him to consider this matter. Is it not a fact that tenants voluntarily pay these sums, and will he get the local authorities to make clear to tenants what their rights are?

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will authorise a special joint allocation of houses to the Lichfield Rural District Council and the Rugeley Urban District Council, in connection with the sinking of the new pit at Lea Hall, Rugeley; and if he will instruct his officials to assist these bodies in the submission of a joint scheme for the development of services in this area.

I have instructed my regional officers to get into touch with the two local authorities mentioned, who have not yet approached my Department on the subject, and with local representatives of the National Coal Board.

While thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that in the case of one of these local authorities sewage disposal plant has been recently constructed and may have to be scrapped because of the lack of survey and planning prior to the decision of two nationalised industries and the local authority concerned?

I am not aware of that, but if it proved to be so it would be very regrettable.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the growing practice of aggregating rent over a period of years in advance and demanding payment of such sums as a condition of letting vacant accommodation to prospective tenants; and if he will take steps to put an end to such undesirable practices.

My attention has been drawn to some cases of this kind. I am considering whether anything ought to be done or can be done about it.

Is not the object of the exercise envisaged in the Question to evade the intention of the Town and Country Planning Act?

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the high premiums being demanded for furniture and fittings as a condition of letting vacant accommodation to prospective tenants; and if he will take steps to protect tenants from such extortion.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Clapham (Mr. Gibson) on 22nd April last.

Is the Minister aware of the growing practice whereby one or two bits of old junk are put in a couple of rooms, a fantastic price is charged and, as soon as the new tenant has taken possession, the landlord begins to make himself unbearable by quarrels until he drives the tenant out and regains possession, when he repeats the process again and again? Will the Minister look into the matter, because it is a growing practice in some parts of London?

It is illegal.

Cannot the Minister do anything to encourage the prosecution of people who carry out this illegal action? It is not sufficient to say that it is illegal. We ought to make sure that prosecution takes place in proved cases.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he now has information in respect of the number and percentage of licences issued for the building of houses for sale; how many of these were returned or refused; or, approximately, when he expects these to be available.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his Question on 10th June. Up-to-date figures will, so far as available, be included in Table 3 of the Housing Return for June.

Could the right hon. Gentleman say whether the licences refused or not used will be transferred by local authorities for use in building houses to let?

That is another question. It is a question of allocation. They will be given all that is possible with the labour and materials available, so that there will be no loss in production.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that an adequate labour force is available for the building of houses in those areas where they are most urgently required.

Employment exchanges do all they can to persuade building workers to take housing work where they are most urgently needed. Local authorities are encouraged, particularly in areas where building labour is inadequate for local needs, to use non-traditional methods of house-building, which require a minimum of labour, especially skilled labour, on the site. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a circular on this subject that I addressed to all local authorities last March.

But is the right hon. Gentleman aware that where there is demand in contiguous areas there is some danger of bargaining—of enticing and attracting workers by his financial arrangements? Does he not in some instances make provision for travel? Has it not the effect, in the case of non-traditional contractors, of abstracting men who could be more usefully employed building houses, instead of travelling, say, two or three hours in a bus to their work?

There is always some danger in rivalry, but there is still greater danger in stagnation.

How does the right hon. Gentleman reconcile his original answer with what is taking place in the City of Stoke-on-Trent, where houses are required not only for normal needs but also for thousands of miners who are being transferred from other parts of the country to a Development Area? In view of the most urgent need for attention to be given to the problem there, will the right hon. Gentleman undertake to give his personal attention to this special case?

Yes, Sir, if the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question about Stoke-on-Trent I shall endeavour to add to the information which he has just given to the House.

But is not the Minister aware that he knows that this Question relates to Stoke-on-Trent?

Is the Minister not aware that his Department has already been supplied with the facts before this Question was put down?

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action should now be taken by a person living in London who wants the opportunity as soon as possible of moving his family out to a house in one of the new towns.

I hope shortly to be sending a circular on this matter to all London housing authorities. Meanwhile, any person on the housing lists of those authorities who wants to live and work in a new town should advise his authority accordingly.

Will my right hon. Friend particularly bear in mind the difficulties of the Metropolitan borough councils, which are almost at an end of their available building sites and still have thousands of people on their waiting lists and, up to now, have been offered no accommodation in any of the new towns except a few very expensive flats at Stevenage?

Yes, Sir, it is that that we are trying to get arranged.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that one advantage of those who live in the City of London is that they have areas outside their own particular Metropolis while many of the outer boroughs have been affected by that fact and, therefore, require that their overspill population should go to these new towns in preference to people who come from the City of London?

It is these rival claims we have to try to iron out. These are just examples of them.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now make a statement about the route of the Pennine Way footpath in the neighbourhood of Kinder-scout.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has reached a decision regarding the route of the Pennine Way following the public inquiry held some months ago.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has yet reached any conclusion, following the further inquiry at Chapel-en-le-Frith on 21st March, on the suggestion to vary the route of the Pennine Way over Kinderscout, as designated by his predecessor.

Yes, Sir. I am inviting the National Parks Commission to submit to me a proposal for the additional path around the edge of Kinderscout, which they put forward at the inquiry.

Can my right hon. Friend assure the House that he will not be influenced by any statements made outside the public inquiry by the right hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Dalton)?

Is the Minister aware that a great deal of nonsense has been talked about the alleged danger on Kinderscout, that in company with some of my hon. Friends I spent Whitsun there, and that we formed the view that it was less dangerous to walk across Kinderscout than to walk across Whitehall?

I have no doubt that my Parliamentary Secretary and the right hon. Gentleman will take the high road, but I shall take the low road.

Are we to understand that it is proposed that there shall be an alternative route, in addition to the one across Kinderscout?

indicated assent.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the rather flambuoyant intervention of the right hon. Member for Bishop Auckland has been resented by the more serious-minded people on both sides of the House who are awaiting the result of the public inquiry?

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what consultations he has had with the Peak Planning Board for the making of an access order to the whole plateau of Kinderscout.

None, Sir. If the Board need to be stimulated in this matter—which I have no reason to suppose—it is for the National Parks Commission to do it.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that more than half the population of England lives within 50 miles of this point, and that it is most desirable that the inhabitants of all those industrial centres, particularly younger people, should have free access throughout the year, without interference by gamekeepers?

Having inherited this particular structure of administration, I think it would be very wrong of me to go behind the National Parks Commission and to attempt to direct one of the authorities which are under its control.

Will the right hon. Gentleman mention it to the Commission next time he meets them?

indicated assent.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to enable him to replace the Durham County Council by Commissioners until it stops its present closed shop policy.

No, Sir.

Would my right hon. Friend examine what happened some 20 years ago, when one of his predecessors was dealing with West Ham Board of Guardians and other authorities who were not then obeying the law?

It is not a question of what happened 20 years ago, but of what is happening today. The matter is sub judice.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will cause to be inserted in the next bulletin of selected appeal decisions, sufficient particulars to identify the area which is the subject matter of the appeal.

The bulletins do describe the areas in question so far as seems necessary to the understanding of the decisions; and I do not think that to go further, and give the names, would add anything very useful, while it might, in some cases, embarrass the parties. But if my hon. Friend thinks that the bulletins in their present form are not as useful as they might be, I will be glad to consider anything he has to suggest.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, consequent upon the passage of the Forestry Act, 1951, he will issue a new circular in supersession of Ministry of Town and Country Planning Circular 66, relating to tree preservation orders.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will now take steps to speed up reconditioning of the offices on the west side of Westminster Hall.

I will certainly see that these offices are reconditioned as quickly as possible, but the internal work cannot be done until the repairs to this section of the external stonework are completed.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask him if he is aware that these offices, which have been lying derelict for some time, used to be occupied by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, which now occupies rather restricted and dingy premises? In view of the fact that the Association receives an increasing flow of visitors from overseas will he give very special attention to this problem?

Yes, Sir, I am very anxious that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association should get back into its offices.

asked the Minister of Works by what principles he is guided in deciding which of the photographers who have been operating in Trafalgar Square shall receive licences from him to continue to earn their living there.

I have tried to select men of good character who would serve the public well and be a credit to the Square.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the licences he is issuing have a very large monopoly value for their lucky recipients, and that justice would not only be done but be seen to be done if he would arrange for those who have built up this trade in the Square to have the opportunity of being interviewed in his Department, before he refuses licences to them and issues licences to people who have never traded there before?

The men to whom I have refused licences have been interviewed. Every one admitted that the Square must be cleaned up. Every one put the blame on somebody else. [HON. MEMBERS: "The pigeons."] Those to whom licences have been refused have unsatisfactory records.

Is the Minister aware that by reducing the number of persons trading in Trafalgar Square from about 50 to about six he has been a little too harsh in the cuts he has imposed, and that he has inflicted considerable hardship upon a small number of deserving applicants, as well as having deprived the public of the facilities to which they have become accustomed?

My object is to give the public better service and to prevent them from being gulled. I think the monopoly value existed before, when traders ganged up and kept off anyone who attempted to trade independently.

Was their photographic ability taken into account in deciding who should remain?

Yes, Sir.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that one result of his action in this matter has been to deprive of his livelihood a young man who has been earning his living respectably in this way for four years, whose choice of employment is seriously restricted by ill-health, and who has to maintain an invalid father and an aged grandmother; and will he look at this policy again?

If the hon. Gentleman will give me the particulars I will certainly look at them. It may be that six is not enough, but I want to see how we get on.

Is not this contrary to the Conservative Party's policy of unlimited competition, private enterprise and setting the people free?

What was contrary to the policy of decent trading was the way in which it was carried on before. This place has to be cleaned up.

asked the Minister of Works what revision he has made of the regulations governing retirement for employees in his Department.

None, Sir.

How does the Minister reconcile that with the statement, made to me in a letter a fortnight ago, that he was revising the regulations in his Department?

I think the hon. Gentleman is really not talking of retirement, which is the word used in the Question, but of the rules for the discharge of employees on engineering maintenance when there is not enough work, which is a different question.

Does the Minister not agree that what he is doing is making an alteration which is affecting the employment of older people in his Department? If so, how does he reconcile that with the recent statement by the Minister of Labour on the need for men to remain at work longer?

The hon. Gentleman is really asking an entirely different question, which is not about retirement at all, but perhaps I may be allowed to answer it. The only change I have made is in the London area, where we are treating the whole area as one. That is to say, if there is not enough work in one depôt we are discharging a man over 65 in another depôt, although that depot has enough work, to make room for the younger man. That is the only change which has been made.

Before the right hon. Gentleman changes these regulations, even for the London area, will he give an assurance that the Whitley Council or the trade unions will be consulted before these changes are made?

They have been, and they agreed.

asked the Minister of Labour how unemployment in Shetland and the seven crofting counties, respectively, compares, over last year, with the general United Kingdom rate.

As the reply includes a Table of figures I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.