asked the Minister of Works if he will reconsider his decision to discharge artists employed by his Department, in view of the importance of the work of restoration and maintenance.

Yes. I have had another look at these artists and I propose to concentrate on the most important work waiting to be done on Crown property and only in most exceptional circumstances to undertake work on a repayment basis for non-Government bodies or private individuals. The immediate reduction in staff will be two artists, both of whom are over 70 years of age.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that pictorial postcards are being sold at 9d. each by his Department's salesmen at Carisbrooke Castle and that similar postcards are on sale outside the Castle grounds for 4d. each; and if he will explain the reasons for his overcharging.

Postcards are on sale at the Castle price 4d. and 5d. If the hon. Member has evidence that higher prices are being charged I will gladly investigate it.

asked the Minister of Works what are the special considerations referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Fulham, East, dated 29th May, which are taken into account for keeping anyone in his Department beyond the retiring age of 65 years.

In considering the retention of staff beyond normal retiring age the deciding factor is the interests of the Department. Each case must be judged according to circumstances and the considerations taken into account are such matters as the special knowledge and experience of the individual, the possibilities of replacement, and the need for retention to complete a particular item of work.

asked the Minister of Works the total production of bricks and clay roofing tiles and concrete roofing tiles for May, 1952, April, 1952 and October, 1951.

Figures for October, 1951, and April, 1952, have been published in the Monthly Digest of Statistics. Production in May, 1952, was bricks 576.6 millions, clay roofing tiles 62.8 thousand squares and concrete roofing tiles 96.4 thousand squares.

asked the Minister of Labour the dates when the Report of the Committee of Investigation regarding the Terms and Conditions of Association Football Players was published; on what dates were the replies received from the Players' Union, the Football Association, and the Football League; and what action it is proposed to take.

The Report of the Committee of Investigation was published on 21st March, 1952. The observations of the Players' Union, the Football Association and the Football League were

asked the Minister of Labour how many of his Department's part-time offices have been closed in Scotland in the last six months; and what is the estimated total saving in administrative costs.

Two: the estimated saving is nearly £400 a year.

asked the Minister of Labour the total saving resulting from

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed and partially unemployed registered at the Stratford and Canning Town Employment Exchanges, London, E., on a given date for each of the months from October, 1951, until the latest convenient date.

Following is the reply:the closing of his Department's part-time office at Kelty, Fife.

About £130 a year.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of bricklayers registered at the employment exchange in Stoke-on-Trent in 1949 and on the latest date: and how many of these were engaged in housing within the city on the same dates and in 1951.

It is estimated, on the basis of the number of insurance cards exchanged at employment exchanges in Stoke-on-Trent, that the number of bricklayers in the area of those employment exchanges at end-May, 1951, was about 1,300. Owing to a change that was made in the method of counting insurance cards it is not possible to give a comparable figure for 1949. The number engaged on housing work is not known.

asked the Minister of Labour the names of contractors who have requested his employment exchange in Stoke to supply bricklayers, and who are paying in wages or allowances above the national average; and what form of contract the men are wanted for.

It would be a breach of confidence to disclose information of this kind relating to particular firms.

asked the Minister of Labour whether it has yet been decided to give legislative effect to recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee on Night Baking presented to Parliament in October, 1951.

I hope to make a statement shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps have been taken to terminate the disputes at Briggs and Fords, at Dagenham.

I am aware that there are wages disputes at both these firms, but the agreed constitutional procedure for dealing with them has not been exhausted. My officers are keeping in close touch with the situation.

asked the Minister of Labour how many employees have been discharged from Remploy factories in South Wales during 1952; and the reasons for so doing.

Up to the end of May, five disabled employees were discharged after medical advice as to their ability to do useful work.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are now employed in each of the Remploy factories in South Wales; and how many are disabled ex-miners.

The information requested in the second half of the question is being obtained, and I will write to the hon. Member. The following is the answer to the first part:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost, to the last convenient date, of levelling the tops of two hills and the valley between, to prepare a site for the future town centre of the new town of East Kilbride.

It is not the Corporation's intention to make a flat site for the town centre. Any levelling will be strictly limited to what is required by normal building practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the 3,000 non-traditional houses ordered from the Weir Housing Corporation, have been allocated to Lanarkshire; and during what period he expects this programme to be completed.

One hundred and forty houses have been allocated to local authorities in Lanarkshire. While it is not possible to make any precise estimate of progress, I hope that the bulk of this programme will be completed by the end of 1953.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Committee on Land Registration in Scotland appointed on 4th March, 1948, last met, and when he expects the report on paragraph (b) of its remit to be published.

This Committee has not met since its Chairman, Lord Macmillan, resigned on account of illness in December, 1948. I am unable to say when its work will be resumed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Catto Report will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Report of the Catto Committee.

The Report is now being printed and I hope to publish it in the latter part of July.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what alteration he proposes in his plans for technical education, in view of the Government's recently-announced policy on the subject of higher technological education.

The system of central institutions which exists in Scotland is well-fitted to promote the development of higher technological education without any general alteration. Considerable provision for higher technological education is already made in these institutions, and I shall continue to encourage the expansion of their facilities in whatever direction seems desirable. The arrangements for grant-aiding the central institutions are sufficiently flexible to enable me to give the extra financial assistance which may be needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how the academic qualifications of mathematics and science teachers recruited in the last three years compare with the academic qualifications of mathematics and science teachers recruited in the three years immediately preceding the war.

The academic qualifications are virtually the same.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Civil Service posts he intends to abolish in the six months beginning 1st July; and in how many cases this will involve dismissals.

It is estimated that about 105 posts will be abolished in my Departments during the six months beginning 1st July, 1952. The dismissal of about 70 temporary officers may be involved.

asked the Minister of Pensions what steps he is taking to shorten the delay in the delivery of spare parts for pensioners' cars in Scotland.

The delivery of spare parts for the motor cars supplied by my Department to disabled pensioners in Scotland, as elsewhere, is under the control of the local agents of the manufacturers. If the hon. Member has in mind any particular instance of delay I should be glad to look into it.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the recent increase in the rate of pensions paid to disabled persons and to widows of deceased Service men, he will increase the parents' pensions paid by his Department.

I am looking into the question of parents' need pensions, but am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will increase the normal and exceptional rates of constant attendance allowance for badly disabled war pensioners to the higher rates now approved under the Industrial Injuries Act; and whether he will also revise the intermediate rates.

asked the Minister of Pensions what steps are being taken to revise the rates of allowances for certain dependants of war disability pensioners who will be affected by the higher rates of social service benefits.

I have these matters under consideration and hope to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will arrange that, in any further reprint of the form used for giving joining instructions to Z reservists, there will be an alteration in the unnecessarily imperative wording of the paragraph which demands the acknowledgment of the receipt of the form.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the average amount of notice of the date of call up which is now being given to Z reservists.

The preliminary warning notices were sent to all reservists required to train this year on or before 19th January. The notice to join for training is now being sent out 7–8 weeks before the date on which the reservist is required to join.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Z reservists applied for postponement or for withdrawal of their recall for service; how many of these were granted; and for what main reasons.

The numbers of applications for postponement or cancellation of training and of all cases in which a change in training dates has been arranged are not recorded centrally. Up to 19th June exemption had been granted this year to 51,726 Z reservists. Of these 35,527 were on medical grounds, 7,667 were for compassionate reasons and 8,532 for other reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for War if the assignment to prison camp duties on Koje Island of the 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, will delay this unit's return to the United Kingdom; and, approximately, how soon he expects that this will be.

The employment of one company on these duties will not affect the date, October this year, on which it is planned that this battalion should arrive back in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for War which Government Departments are either discouraging their employees from joining the Home Guard or precluding this; and whether he will take steps to ensure that any such regulations are revised, and to approach independent bodies, such as the boards of nationalised industries, with a view to securing their co-operation in inducing their employees to join the Home Guard.

I have no evidence that Government Departments have issued instructions calculated to discourage or prevent employees from joining the Home Guard, but there have been misunderstandings locally about the voluntary and part-time nature of the Home Guard. I am taking steps to dispel any doubts there may be, and to enlist the help of other Departments and boards of nationalised industries in the building up of the Home Guard and in the particular measures to be taken for the defence in emergency of their own installations.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will revise the Service pension scheme, so that Service men can have the option of declaring their wives to be joint beneficiaries.

The widows' pension scheme for the Forces is under review and such possibilities as that mentioned have already been considered in connection with that review.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many acres of Plymouth Hoe are claimed to be owned by the War Office; and what is the precise title on which the claim is based.

Some 47 acres of land at Plymouth Hoe were purchased by the Crown for military purposes in 1671. This land is part of the possessions of the Crown and vests in the Commissioners of Crown Lands, but is set apart for defence purposes and is placed in the charge of the War Department who administer the land and collect the revenue on behalf of the Commissioners. In addition two acres adjoining the Citadel were conveyed to the War Department in 1832.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the depression in the leather industry and the fact that no orders have been placed for the past six years, he will consider placing further orders for leather laces for Army boots.

Our present stocks would not justify further orders at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he has any information regarding the explosion which took place at Combermere Barracks, Windsor, on 17th June; and if he will make a statement.

A court of inquiry on this accident is to be held as soon as those injured are able to give evidence. The first report shows that a squad of 19 Regular recruits of the Household Cavalry were receiving instruction from a fully qualified instructor in the use of grenades, detonators and gun-cotton. Most unfortunately, as a result of an accidental explosion, one trooper was killed and the instructor and 12 troopers were injured. I would take this opportunity of expressing my sympathy with these men and their relatives.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the case of Sergeant W. Morgan, now serving in Korea, he will take steps to see that the authorities concerned are informed of the correct method of finding out at a soldier's request whether a near relative is or is not dangerously ill.

The procedure is well known to all concerned. In this particu- lar case, the request received by the War Office was for the investigation of the illness of an unspecified near relative of this soldier and further details had therefore to be obtained from the Command in which he was serving. We have pointed out that in all cases full particulars must be given.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he has considered complaints of damage and inconvenience caused by tanks in the streets of Dunbar; and whether he will explore the possibilities of a parking place which, without interfering with the military curriculum, would be more satisfactory to all concerned.

Yes, but I have nothing to add to my hon. Friend's letter of 19th March this year.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many boys, enlisted with the Army since 1946, have been discharged, by purchase, on compassionate grounds and for other reasons; what amount has to be paid for purchase; and, in view of the immaturity of boys of 15 or 16 years of age, whether he is satisfied that this fact is adequately recognised so as to allow them to choose for themselves whether they desire to continue in the Army or otherwise when they reach a more mature age.

Separate records are not kept of the discharge of enlisted boys and to get this information would require a special examination of all discharge documents for this period. The payment for discharge within three months of enlistment, under Section 82 of the Army Act, is £20. At present discharge by purchase otherwise is only allowed on compassionate grounds. The amount to be paid for boys so discharged does not exceed £150 and this is usually reduced according to the circumstances of the case and ability to pay.As regards the third part of the Question, these boys have been given an expensive training and some undertaking for future service must be obtained, but the exact period is under review.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make representations to the Imperial War Graves Commission on the subject of their proposed annexation of further space on Plymouth Hoe; and whether he will invite the Commission to hold up all work on this project pending fresh consultations with representative bodies of the City of Plymouth on the matter.

No. In accordance with the undertaking given to the House on 16th November, 1948, by the then Secretary of State for War, the Commission and the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, have been in consultation with Plymouth City Council since the inception of the scheme. Examination of the site with members and officers of the Council led to modifications which satisfied them that the project would in no way mar the amenities of the Hoe. The City Council approved the project in 1950, but at their request the Commission postponed the building of the memorial until September, 1952, to avoid building operations during the holiday months.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what arrangements exist, in the case of a man who has successfully taken an examination for the Civil Service some months before being demobilised from Her Majesty's Forces, to start his employment in the Civil Service as early as possible after demobilisation and thus avoid an interim period of enforced unemployment.

I am satisfied that adequate arrangements exist to ensure that a man who has successfully taken an examination for the Civil Service some months before being demobilised from Her Majesty's Forces can be certificated and assigned immediately after he produces formal evidence of his discharge with a satisfactory record. If he has any individual cases of difficulty in mind I should be glad if he would send me the particulars.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the percentage increase in the cost of living since he introduced his Budget and his estimate of what the full percentage increase will be when his Budget proposals become fully effective.

The Ministry of Labour's Retail Price Index was 133 on 11th March, June, 1947, being 100. The latest date for which the index is available is 13th May, when it was 135.I stated in reply to a question on 18th March that the full effect of the reduction in food subsidies would be to raise the Index by about 4½ points. Between March and May the Index rose by 1 point on account of the reduction in subsidies, so that the full effect after May will be a further increase of about 3½ points.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of the £ Scots, in English currency, for the purposes of the qualification of the General Commissioners of Income Tax.

One-twelfth of a pound sterling.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total number of persons paying Income Tax in the year ended April, 1952; and what number he anticipates this will be reduced to in the year ending April, 1953, by reason of the implementation of his Budget proposals.

On the level of incomes ruling in April, 1952, the total number of persons paying Income Tax would have been 16 million. The Budget proposals will reduce this to 14 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of claims approved for compensation for loss of development value arising from the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947; and when he proposes that such claims shall be paid.

The total development value of the claims on the £300 million reported to the Central Land Board up to 31st May, 1952, was just over £240 million. About 15 per cent. of the claims had then still to be reported, and there is no reason to modify the estimate already given that the final total development value will be of the order of £345-£350 million. I hope that the Government will be able to state their intentions about the payment of claims before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in the interests of increasing the exportable surplus of rice from Burma under the terms of the Colombo Plan, he will instruct the United Kingdom representative on its Consultative Committee to inquire into the possibility of steps being taken within the framework of the Colombo Plan to ascertain whether ploughing bullocks, suitable for paddy-field work, can be exported to Burma in order to rectify the shortage of these animals in that country due to the slaughter policy of the Japanese occupation troops.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of each class of hydrocarbon oils retained for home consumption during the year ended 31st March, 1952; and the net amount received in respect of duty thereon, showing, in particular, the amounts received in respect of motor spirit and heavy oils used as fuel in road vehicles.

The answer is as follows:

The Consultative Committee of the Colombo Plan, which is not a permanent body, is not expected to meet again until next year and this question is not one which can be suitably dealt with within the framework of the Colombo Plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has made a request to the United Nations organisation for direct British representation on the Korean Armistice Commission; and if he will now make a statement.

I hope that it will be possible to make a full statement at an early date after the return of my noble Friend the Minister of Defence and my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State on all aspects of the Korean question investigated by them.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what is the status in the Bamangwato tribal organisation of the prominent African men who have advised the District Commissioner to bar the holding of meetings in Serowe and in other districts in the Reserve.

In many African tribes there exist a body of responsible elders and prominent men, who, without necessarily holding any official position, customarily advise the native authority and are frequently consulted by the Administration. In this case a number of these elders and other tribesmen called on the District Commissioner to apologise for and to dissociate themselves from the rowdyism which occurred at the kgotla on 26th May, when the District Commissioner was prevented from speaking.The District Commissioner's subsequent decision to prohibit all meetings in Serowe without his permission was taken primarily because the deliberate attempt which had been made by a minority to frustrate authority and to prevent the communication of Government policy to the tribe could not be tolerated. In reaching this decision the District Commissioner would, of course, take into account views expressed by those persons who had called on him in the interval following the kgotla of 26th May.

asked the Minister of Transport what representations have been made by his Department to the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation of the United Nations on the subject of the pollution of the sea and of beaches by oil; and what has been the result of these representations.

The Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation has not yet been established because the necessary number of acceptances of the Convention have not yet been deposited with the United Nations. The Secretary-General of the United Nations has, however, asked member States to undertake studies of the pollution of the sea by oil and to communicate their results to him not later than 1st September. 1952.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is satisfied that everything possible is being done to increase the home supplies of iron and steel scrap.

I have recently been examining with the Scrap Drive Organisation set up by the steel and scrap industries methods of further intensifying their efforts to collect ferrous scrap with the object of increasing the output of steel.I have today sent a personal letter to the managing directors of some 13,000 engineering and other firms appealing to them to turn out as quickly as possible any obsolete machinery or other unwanted ferrous metal which they may have in or around their works.The National Farmers' Union, who have been most co-operative, have, in conjunction with the Scrap Drive Organition, devised a special scheme to encourage farmers to hand in scrap metal. Under this scheme, which is already working in many counties, farmers are entitled to be paid £3 per ton for their scrap free of transport costs. A special appeal is also being made to the agricultural industry through the June issue of the "British Farmer." This appeal is being accompanied by pre-paid reply postcards on which farmers are invited to give information about any scrap they may have for disposal.Local authorities throughout the country are also helping by organising civic scrap drives, several of which are in progress at this moment. In addition, the Scrap Drive Organisation is offering financial assistance for the recovery of dis-used tram rails and tins or other metal from domestic refuse.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that the present balustrade is temporary only, a permanent balustrade and lamp standards are to be added to Waterloo Bridge; and when.

I understand that the London County Council intend to add a permanent balustrade and lamp standards to Waterloo Bridge in due course, but this work cannot be regarded as immediately essential and could not be approved in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Education the percentage of grammar school places for boys and girls, respectively, in the county of Surrey.

In January, 1951, 23.8 per cent. of the boys and 24.5 per cent. of the girls aged 13 in schools maintained by the Surrey authority were receiving a grammar school education. These figures also cover free places awarded by the authority at direct grant schools.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what considerations led to the dismissal and repatriation of Italian workers at considerable financial cost at a time when coal exports are urgently required to assist the country's economic recovery.

The National Coal Board had a contractual obligation to repatriate certain of the Italian workers. The circumstances which made repatriation necessary were described by the National Coal Board in a statement to the Press on 15th May, and I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now remove domestic dustbins from the prohibited list contained in Statutory Instrument, 1951, No. 275, entitled the Copper and Zinc Prohibited Uses (Board of Trade) Order, 1951.

We are considering whether we can relax the present prohibition on the manufacture of galvanised dustbins and other articles containing zinc, but not copper.