asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now completed his consultations with the Minister of Transport and with the local Governments on the question of the shipping services between the West Indian Colonies; and what conclusions have been reached.

No. I am still in consultation with the local Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now received proposals from the Governor of the Bahamas for the provision of an airport in Nassau suitable for use by Comet aircraft, so that British Overseas Airways Corporation may open a dollar earning service with these aircraft in the coming winter; and whether it has now been decided to reopen Windsor field for this purpose.

Provision has been made in the estimates of the Colony to extend the runway at Oakes Field to meet B.O.A.C. requirements for the Comet. No decision has yet been reached about Windsor field being reopened for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken in respect of criticism directed by Egba taxpayers against the Egba Native Authority in Nigeria; and whether an inquiry is to be held.

The Western Regional Minister of local Government has received a deputation of Egba taxpayers which asked that the accounts of the Egba Native Authority be audited, and was informed that the normal audit was, in fact, taking place. The Western Regional Executive Council will, presumably, consider whether any further inquiry is necessary when the results of the audit are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why African nurses who have qualified in this country and in some cases are appointed as sisters are compelled to nurse three years in West African hospitals before they can be appointed as sisters in those hospitals.

The condition was imposed in Nigeria because it was considered that the duties assigned to nursing sisters there were in some respects more responsible than those of a ward sister in this country, and that a period of experience of local conditions was necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why valid vaccination certificates against smallpox are required from all air passengers arriving in Malta from Lancashire and from all passengers arriving by sea from England, in view of the fact that the last alastrim case notified in the Rochdale area occurred on 17th April.

The restrictions to which the hon. Member refers were withdrawn by the Government of Malta on 9th June.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that No. 801 naval air squadron and similar squadrons will be engaged in active theatres of war, he will consider granting such squadrons foreign service status for less than 15 months' service in such theatres.

No. The regulation is devised to ensure the proper working of the different rosters. It would not be possible to cater for the many circumstances in which a ship or squadron normally based in home waters might encounter conditions approximating to active operations, without invalidating the general regulation.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why it has been decided to cancel the order for a new 10,000 ton hospital ship, whose keel has already been laid; and what is the estimated financial saving.

Because of the need at the present time to devote the limited resources available to improving the fighting efficiency of the Royal Navy.With regard to the latter part of the Question, it is not the practice to reveal the prices of individual contracts; in any event, I hope that it will be possible later to proceed with the building of a hospital ship so that the matter is one of deferring expenditure rather than an absolute saving.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applicants for the telephone service in

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applications were outstanding and how many

Three thousand six hundred and twenty-nine applications have been met during the two years ended 30th June, 1952, in the areas served by the Wembley and Arnold Exchanges. Three hundred and eighty-eight applications were outstanding on 30th June; the earliest of these was made on 11th February, 1947.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applications were outstanding and how many telephone installations, excluding party lines, were made in each of the years since 1945 in the borough of Batley and in the borough of Morley, respectively: and what are the corresponding figures at the latest convenient date for the year 1952.

The figures are as follow:telephone installations, excluding party lines, were made in each of the years since 1945, in the Parliamentary constituency of West Ham, North; and what are the corresponding figures at the latest convenient date for the year 1952.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he can now inform the House whether the British Broadcasting Corporation have decided to advance the date of the opening of the Wenvoe television transmitting station to coincide with the National Eisteddfod of Wales.

The B.B.C. has informed my noble Friend that even if the station were opened during the period of the Royal National Eisteddfod it would not be technically possible to transmit any programmes from Aberystwyth to Wenvoe and in all the circumstances the Corporation proposes to open on 15th August as already announced.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when he expects to announce the appointments to the Television Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make any statement.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he will consider moving the authorised low-flying area near Scarborough to somewhere less thickly populated.

The answer is as follows:

No. Low flying areas are essential if we are to train our Royal Air Force pilots properly; and this one has been carefully sited to cause the minimum inconvenience to the people of Yorkshire.Most of the low flying routes cannot be altered without increasing the danger to pilots of collision with high ground or other aircraft, but I am re-examining one cross-country route along the coast to see whether it can be altered to avoid the Scarborough beaches by a wider margin.All pilots are specially briefed to avoid the town of Scarborough.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Air what arrangements he has made for the provision of accommodation for families of Royal Air Force personnel who are returning from overseas and who have no home of their own; and what accommodation he has been able to secure in Blackpool for this purpose.

Most of these families are at present accommodated in Royal Air Force personnel transit centres, but a few of them are in hotels and boarding houses at Blackpool. I am glad to say that we hope eventually, as a result of the splendid co-operation we have had from the townspeople, to move to Blackpool nearly all those now accommodated in personnel transit centres.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what is the all-in cost per aircrew reservist in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve per annum.

About £600.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the tests made by the Bristol 171 helicopter on the South Bank site; when the tests will be completed; and if a Bristol-London service will be established when the tests have been completed.

No test has been made by the Bristol 171 helicopter on the South Bank site, though a trial flight has been made by a Sikorsky S.51 to view the various possible sites from the air.A series of tests will shortly be undertaken, some of which will be carried out in a Bristol 171. The series will cover 2–3 weeks.No inter-city helicopter services will be introduced until the twin-engined helicopter has been developed for commercal use.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation what schemes have been submitted to him for approval recently for increased transport between Scotland and Canada by air.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reductions in expenditure have been made by the British Middle East Office since April of this year; and what further economies are contemplated.

The cost of the British Middle East Office has been reduced by about £6,300 a year since April.Further savings amounting to about £6,400 a year are anticipated in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can give particulars about the team which the Food and Agriculture Organisation is sending to Korea next month to draw up a plan for the development of Korean agriculture; and what part Britain is taking in this mission.

The team is to consist of 12 experts in production, irrigation, food management and distribution, agricultural economics and statistics, marketing, rural sociology, forestry and fishery. Two United Kingdom experts have accepted invitations to join the team. They are Sir Geoffrey Clay, who will be Joint Chief of the Mission, and Sir Herbert Howard (Secretary of the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux), a specialist in forestry.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any further statement to make in respect of an early settlement of issues that have frustrated United Nations' efforts to secure a cease-fire in Korea.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the right hon. and learned Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. A. Henderson) on 21st July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government has had an observer at the recent political trials in South Korea; and whether a report has been received.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) on 21st July

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the estimated value of the floating dock, formerly in the harbour of Massawa, which has been sold to Pakistan; and how much was paid for it by the Pakistan authorities.

At the time of its purchase by the Pakistan Government, the floating dock at Massawa was the property of a British firm of contractors. I cannot therefore say what price was paid by the Pakistan Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what provision was made for the employment and sustenance of the former bandits who surrendered arms under the Amnesty Proclamation issued by the British Administration of Eritrea; how many men surrendered under this proclamation; and how many arrests and executions for banditry have since occurred.

As regards those bandits who actually gave up arms which they held at the time of surrender, those who surrendered firearms or other weapons, and who were able to return immediately to their homes, were given small cash grants to enable them to do so. Any who were unable or unwilling, from fear of revenge, to go back to their villages and tribes, or who, for security reasons, were not allowed to do so, were under the general scheme for resettlement of surrendered shifta, given temporary employment until they could be re-absorbed into the community. Such employment took the form of special agricultural and public works projects, such as maintenance of rural roads and irrigation, irrigation, and for such work the former bandits were paid by the British Administration at the local rate for unskilled labour.The number of men who surrendered under the Amnesty Proclamation was 1,498. The number subsequently arrested is 261, and the number of executions for banditry is 41.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) if he will name the members of the Executive Committee to be established by the British Administration before the date of the coming into force of the Eritrean Constitution; and what is the nature of the undertakings for which the future Eritrean Government is obliged by Article 100 of the Draft Constitution for Eritrea, to make itself responsible;(2) the nature of the obligations contracted by the British authorities, which are referred to in Article 99 of the Draft Constitution for Eritrea, under which the future Eritrean Government are obliged to bind themselves to carry such obligations into effect, without being informed of their nature.

The Executive Committee consists of 10 members elected by the Eritrean Assembly. The names of the members are listed below.The Article in the Draft Constitution, dealing with undertakings by the British Administration and by the Executive Committee is now No. 97.The undertakings will be those necessary to ensure the continuity of good government. As indicated in my reply of 16th July, they will include contracts with officials and for stores required after the transfer of power in September.The matter has been put to the Eritrean Assembly who have adopted the relevant Article of the Constitution without a dissenting vote and have duly elected the Executive Committee.When an Eritrean Government has been appointed under the Constitution and powers have been transferred to it, all such questions will be for them to decide.

asked the Minister of Food how many officials of his Department are at present in the Argentine; and for what period and for what purpose they have been there.

Apart from the staff of the British Food Mission in Buenos Aires there is, at present, only one official from my Department in Argentina. This official arrived in Buenos Aires at the beginning of April in order to assist the Ambassador in the conduct of the trade negotiations

asked the Minister of Food what steps have been taken to increase the capacity of sugar beet factories in this country; and to what extent he estimates the home production of sugar can be increased in 1953.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Renton) on 9th July. It is too early yet to estimate the volume of home sugar production in 1953, which will depend chiefly upon the size and quality of the beet crop.

asked the Minister of Food what inquiries are made to ascertain the consumption of rationed and other controlled foodstuffs by the various social groups; and what those inquiries indicate, regarding those foodstuffs separately, at the latest available date.

The best information available is that provided by the sample inquiries made under the National Food Survey for the quarter ended 31st March. This indicates that all social groups took up their full rations with the exception of bacon; for which the highest social group took up 93 per cent. of their ration entitlement and the lowest 98 per cent.For eggs, the Survey indicates that the average consumption varied from 3 per person per week in the lowest social group to nearly 3¾ in the highest social group and for milk from just over 4½ to 6 pints per week.

asked the Minister of Food how much sugar in the West Indian Colonies is now available for purchase; and at what price.

None. The whole exportable surplus of the West Indian Colonies, and of other Commonwealth exporting countries has been purchased by my Department at the price of £38 10s. per ton.

asked the Minister of Food how the £310 million to be provided in food subsidies during the current financial year will be split between the various commodities.

Following is the information:FOOD SUBSIDIES IN 1952–53

asked the Minister of Food how much of the £360,300,000 allotted in this year's estimates for food subsidies is in respect of milk and milk products.

My Department's revised estimate for 1952–53 shows total food subsidies at £308.8 million. Of this sum the subsidies on milk (including milk welfare schemes) and milk products account for £90.5 million and £21.3 million, respectively.

asked the Minister of Food what progress has been made in the provision of an alternative to the agene treatment of flour; what evidence on this subject has been obtained from the United States of America; and what have been the results of his consultations with the Medical Research Council and the Research Association of Flour Millers.

As I informed the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Dr. Stross) on 31st March, the wide scope of the investigations makes it unlikely that they will be completed before the end of the year, at the earliest.My Department and the other Departments concerned have from the outset maintained contact with the research and developments which have taken place in the United States of America.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a further statement on the progress made towards drafting measures to amend the Food and Drugs Act in respect of standards of hygiene in catering establishments.

I regret that I cannot yet add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. F Willey) on 30th June.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consult the Minister of Food with a view to prohibiting all further imports of plums until a date in September, 1952.

We do not propose to intensify the restrictions which we have already had to impose for balance of payments reasons. These restrictions will reduce imports of plums in the last seven months of this year to about 25 per cent. of the level of imports for the corresponding period last year. The quota of £170,000 represents less than 2 per cent. of estimated home production this year

asked the Minister of Transport whether the Government will give early consideration to the advisability of building a troop transport liner capable of recapturing the Blue Riband of the Atlantic; and if every facility to that end will be explored.

No. The arrangements which have been and are being made to meet trooping requirements are based solely on the needs of the Services and have not as their object the making of record trans-Atlantic crossings

asked the Minister of Health whether he will examine the circumstances in which Peter York, of 165 Collingwood Drive, Pheasey Estate, Birmingham, 22A, was first admitted to the Children's Hospital, Birmingham, in February, 1952, where he was found suffering from a restricted tuberculous lesion of the right upper lobe, and was then referred to in May, 1952, to the Stafford Chest Clinic; why the waiting period before treatment is now only assessed as two months: and when this child will be admitted for treatment.

I am informed that following examination of Peter York in February in the out-patients' department of the Children's Hospital, a period of two months' rest at home was advised During this time arrangements were made for him to be examined in May at the Shelfield Clinic, following which he was put on the waiting list for a sanatorium, continued rest at home meantime being advised. A further examination at the Clinic on 18th July showed that there was satisfactory progress. Admission to a sanatorium, which has not at any stage been regarded as a matter of urgency, is. I understand, likely to take place within a week or two.

asked the Minister of Health how many grading and similar disputes among the staffs of the National Health Service occurred in the years ended 31st March, 1950, 1951, and 1952, respectively.

In England and Wales up to 31st March, 1952, the total number of cases reported to the regional appeals committees which hear appeals on matters affecting conditions of service, including grading, was 630. This appeals machinery was not established until the end of 1950 and the number of cases reported before 31st March, 1951, would be small.

asked the Minister of Education which maintained secondary schools wholly or mainly provide board-

asked the Minister of Education how much is involved in the individual grants to each of the voluntary organisations for the year ending 31st

Following is the information:March, 1953, under Article (1,

Following are the figures:

asked the Minister of Education whether she will publish figures showing, area by area, what percentage of children, distinguishing between girls and boys, whose education is the responsibility of a local education authority, can be provided for in grammar schools.

I am sending the hon. Member the available information on this matter.

asked the Minister of Health what has been the total of grants to local authorities towards the cost of running the home help service in each of the last two financial years; and what has been the total outlay on the service by the local authorities.

The estimated total expenditure of local health authorities on the home help service was for the year 1950–51—£2,985,000, and for the year 1951–52—£3,628,000. The grant payable by the Exchequer towards the cost of the services is one half of the amount expended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what special arrangements it is proposed to make to ensure that those who are on leave in this country from the Colonies during the Coronation are accorded facilities for viewing the ceremonies; and whether the details of the arrangements will be made known in the Colonies well in advance.

Accommodation on official stands along the route of the Coronation Procession has not yet been allocated, but a substantial number of seats will be reserved for the Colonial Territories. Colonial Governments will be told as soon as possible after decisions have been taken

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that form P.F.87D sent to war widows last April by his Accountant General is unattractive, badly duplicated, and bears no date; and whether he will take steps to see that such a form is not used again.

The use of the neostyled form in question was a purely temporary arrangement and it was quickly replaced by a suitable printed form. I feel that the use of the neostyled form temporarily was justified for the purposes of informing widows with the least possible delay of their increased pensions.The forms were headed "Date as postmark" to save the manpower otherwise necessary to date the forms.