asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres of land were ploughed in Wales for which payment will be made under the Agriculture (Ploughing Grants) Act, 1952; and what are the figures for each of the Welsh counties.

Around 100,000 acres of grassland ploughed up in Wales this spring may qualify for the £5 per acre ploughing up subsidy. Final figures will not be available until claims have been examined and payments completed.The county estimates are as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to replace the number of cattle, sheep and pigs slaughtered through foot-and-mouth disease; and what progress was made up to 31st March, 1952.

The number of these animals slaughtered is so small compared with the total numbers in the country—less than 1½ per cent.—that I do not think that any special steps are needed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will now consider permitting the farm-to-farm sale of barley, in view of the heavy stocks on many farms in Norfolk and other counties.

As I told my hon. Friends the Members for Aberdeenshire, West (Mr. Spence) and Morecambe and Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser) in reply to Questions on the 17th July, I am most anxious to bring rationing to an end as soon as possible, but to permit farm-to-farm sales of barley, without completely derationing it, would cause a state of confusion. Some transactions would need coupons, others would not.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total amount paid to farmers under the Hill Cattle Subsidy in 1951.

Payments of the 1951 Hill Cattle Subsidy started in December, 1951, and up to 30th June, 1952, total payments amounted to £550,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many county agricultural executive committees have served directions under the Tillage (Maximum Pasture Acreage) Order.

Twenty.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stray dogs were brought to police stations in the Metropolitan area as lost or in need of protection in 1951; how long they are maintained at stations; how many were restored to their owners; whether separate accommodation is provided for dogs and bitches when the latter are in season; how many were destroyed; what is the method of slaughtering; how much per week a police station is allowed for maintenance of a dog; and what action he is taking in this matter.

In the Metropolitan Police District stray dogs are not usually kept at police stations for more than 24 hours as the two dogs' homes (Battersea and North London), appointed under the Dogs Act, 1906, collect dogs from stations daily except on Sundays. Many dogs are claimed by their owners whilst at the police station, but no precise figures are readily available. In 1951, 18,517 dogs were sent to the two dogs' homes where they are kept for at least seven days 3,967 were restored to their owners, 10,441 were destroyed by an electrical process and the remainder were sold by the homes. Bitches in season are given separate accommodation at both stations and the homes and biscuits and water for dogs are provided at all police stations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the independent committee has yet been appointed to consider the economic circumstances of the London taxicab service; and how long it will be before the committee will begin their inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can yet state the date when the independent committee will be appointed to consider the economic circumstances of the London taxicab service; and how long it will be before the committee begin their inquiry.

Lord Runciman has accepted the invitation issued on behalf of Her Majesty's Government by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to be Chairman of the Committee. The constitution of the Committee has not yet been settled, but I hope that it will be possible to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has now completed his review and will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's attitude on the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee on Night Baking which reported in October, 1951, Command Paper No. 8378.

The Government have given very full consideration to the recommendations of the Committee and have decided to accept them in principle with certain modifications. Subject to the requirements of the legislative programme, the Government will introduce legislation for the purpose at a convenient opportunity. I am circulating below a fuller statement on the Government's attitude:

The Government have given very full consideration to the recommendations of the Committee, and I should like to express their thanks to the Committee for making a most careful and valuable examination of the problem. In reaching a decision on this matter, the Government have also taken careful account of the comments which all sides of the baking industry have furnished on the Committee's proposals.

The House will be aware that the abolition of night baking is a problem of a very long standing and has been the subject of two inquiries since 1919, neither of which led to a solution. While only a minority of baking operatives are engaged on night work and only 14,000–17,000 operatives work permanently at night, the Government recognise that these workers, particularly the latter, suffer certain hardship which if possible ought to be alleviated.

The recommendations of the Rees Committee, which were unanimous, represent a compromise between the extremes of total abolition of night work and the continuance of the present system. They have the advantage of flexibility and take account of the differing needs of the various sections of the baking industry. The Government believe that the adoption of the recommendations would remove the worst hardships arising from continuous night work, and that given goodwill they could for the most part be made to work without detriment to this important industry or to the public which it serves.

The Government therefore accept the recommendations in principle and, subject to the requirements of the legislative programme, will introduce legislation at a convenient opportunity to give effect to them with certain modifications.

They propose that this legislation should apply to the whole of Great Britain. Where, however, an effective voluntary national agreement exists between the two sides of the baking industry, the terms of which, in the view of the Minister of Labour, eliminate the need for legislative restriction of night baking so far as the parties to that agreement are concerned, provision will be made to exempt those parties from the scope of the legislation. This will both render the application of the legislation unnecessary where there is effective agreement and will also, it is hoped, stimulate the conclusion of effective voluntary agreements where none now exists.

The Government also think it essential to give the industry sufficient time to prepare for the changes which legislation will entail. The Committee proposed an interval of two years between the passing of legislation and its coming into force. The Government appreciate that this period may not be enough and the proposed legislation will therefore allow it to be extended to three years if necessary.

In addition, the Government recognise that the recommendations may cause some difficulties for three-shift plant bakeries. They are therefore prepared to discuss with both sides of the Industry the desirability of a modification of the recommendations which would meet the position of this type of bakery without derogating from the basic principle that no baker should work at night more than half his time. They will also be very ready to receive the views of the industry when they come to draft the detailed provisions of the proposed legislation.

In addition to these exceptions, the Government will, of course, give effect to all the exemptions proposed by the Committee. This will mean, inter alia, that master bakers will be excluded from the scope of the legislation.

The Government in taking this decision are making a sincere effort to dispose once and for all of a problem which has occupied this House on many occasions in the past, and which has done much to hinder the development of really satisfactory relationships in the baking industry. It is, therefore, their earnest hope that both sides of the industry will co-operate fully in the steps which they propose to take.

asked the Minister of Labour, in order to minimise the risk of exposure of mule spinners to spinners cancer, what action is being taken to ensure that oils used for lubricating mule spindles conform to a specification as recommended in the Second Interim Report of the Joint Advisory Committee of the Cotton Industry.

Progress has been made in preparing a provisional draft of Regulations on the subject, but the technicalities present some difficulty and are still the subject of consultation with certain organisations concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated number of people at present engaged in producing goods for the export trade; and into what industries they fall.

A firm estimate is difficult to make, but the total is probably something of the order of 2 million. An industrial analysis is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the serious results which will follow from not implementing the proposals of joint wages councils, what action he is taking to see that the decisions jointly agreed upon are carried out.

As I stated in the House on 21st July, the proposals recently referred back to wages councils were, in a number of cases, not agreed proposals. The next step in all these cases is for the wages council concerned. There is no further action that I can properly take at present.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that his action in referring back to the wages council the wages awards has undermined the confidence of the workpeople in the wage-fixing machinery which has been set up for settling industrial disputes; and what action he will now take to restore this confidence.

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. Wages councils do not deal with industrial disputes. I hope that nothing which I have done in the performance of my statutory duty will impair confidence in the wage negotiating machinery of the country.

asked the Minister of Labour what written representations were sent to the wages councils, whose agreed proposals he recently sent back to them for reconsideration, by persons affected thereby objecting to the proposals which the councils had submitted to him; who made them and what was their purport.

Wages councils are independent statutory authorities and, in accordance with Section 10 (3) of the Wages Councils Act, 1945, representations are made to the councils and not to me. The nature of the representations made is accordingly a matter for the wages councils.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the wages councils' proposals recently referred back by him for reconsideration were submitted to him without being amended as a result of representations provided for under Section 10 of the Wages Councils Act, 1945, from persons affected by the proposals.

In two cases the proposals were amended by the councils concerned in the light of representations received. In neither case did the amendment concern rates of wages.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has considered the letter from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, concerning the employment of tally clerks in the London docks; and whether he will make a statement in connection with the points raised in this communication.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary gave to him on 22nd July. I am writing to the hon. Member about the points raised in the letter he sent to me.

asked the Minister of Health the average cost a day for food for each patient at the Darenth Park Mental Hospital at the last available date; and how this compares with 12 months previously.

There are no separate figures for patients' food, but in the Hospital Costing Returns for 1950–51, which give the average cost of maintaining a patient for a week, the cost of provisions (including provisions for staff) is shown as 14s. 2d., or slightly more than 2s. a day. The corresponding figure for 1951–52 is 15s. 4d., or slightly more than 2s. 2d. a day.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to receive the report of the King Edward's Hospital Fund on its hospital costing investigation; and what arrangements he will make for publication.

I am informed that the report of the King Edward's Hospital Fund and the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust is likely to be ready next month. My right hon. Friend will consider the question of publication when he receives it.

asked the Minister of Health the estimated additional cost of milk to the hospitals of England and Wales consequent upon price increases announced since the Budget, based on a full year's consumption at last year's rate.

The information from which such an estimate could be calculated is not available.

asked the Minister of Health the number of State enrolled assistant nurses working in hospitals at the latest convenient stated date.

11,648 whole-time and 5,277 part-time in England and Wales at 31st March, 1952.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the long and inconvenient journey relatives of deceased persons have to make to register a death, when the death occurs in the Newsham General Hospital, Liverpool; and how soon the Registrar General can remedy this difficulty.

I understand that Liverpool City Council, as the authority responsible in the first instance for the division of their area into suitable registration districts, are expected shortly to reach a decision concerning the appointment of a registrar specially for the Newsham General Hospital.

asked the Minister of Health how many wards there are in the Merston Mental Hospital, near Leeds; what is the total number of patients in the hospital; and the number of patients in the biggest ward.

There are 36 wards. The total number of patients is 2.548 and the number of patients in the biggest ward is 112.

asked the Minister of Health how many patients are now on the waiting list for admission to children's wards in general hospitals within the London area; and how this figure compares with that for the same period of a year ago.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many beds in hospitals in the London area were reserved for the treatment of infectious disease at any convenient date in 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively; and how many of these were occupied.

The following figures are for beds allocated to the treatment of infectious diseases in hospitals in the London Postal Area. I have no figures for 1948 and 1952.

asked the Minister of Health if he has yet considered the Report of the Committee, presided over by Mr. Scott Henderson, on the subject of Broadmoor; what decisions he has made; what action he is taking; and when the Report will be available to Members of the House.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which my right hon. Friend made on 30th June.

asked the Minister of Health the number of hearing aids supplied under the National Health Service Act, since its inception, to persons resident in the county borough of West Ham: what was the total cost; and what variation there has been in application for, and supply of, these hearing aids, since the inception of the health charges scheme

This information is not available as records are not kept on a local authority basis. There are nc charges for hearing aids.

asked the Minister of Health the number of finished estimates submitted by dentists for patients under 21 years of age in the years 1948–49 1949–50, 1950–51 and 1951–52, respectively.

For the years 1950–51 and 1951–52, it is estimated that the numbers—excluding emergency treatment—were of the order of 1,300,000 and 1,600,000, respectively. My right hon. Friend has no comparable figures for the earlier two years.

asked the Minister of Health the number of expectant mothers receiving dental treatment by general dental practitioners annually since June, 1948.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health why the London Executive Council sent a notification to Mr. Thomas Clarke, of 40, Tasman Road, Brixton, on 1st July last, that his name had been removed from the list of the doctor with whom he had been registered for medical treatment, in view of the fact that this man died in 1930.

This name should of course have been removed from the doctors list at the time of death by the appropriate insurance committee. Executive councils are now examining their registers with a view to eliminating all inaccurate entries.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the Report of the World Health Organisation that Britain has the highest cancer mortality rate in the world, he will consult with the Medical Research Council as to the possibility of substantially increasing the volume of research work at present being carried out in this field.

The extension of cancer research is constantly under review in consultation with the Medical Research Council. But I would point out that it is made clear in this Report that no firm conclusions about comparative cancer mortality in different countries can safely be based on the figures in it.

asked the Minister of Health how much money has so far been collected as a result of the new 1s. charge on prescriptions.

Full information is not yet available, but the gross amount accruing from the charge on prescriptions dispensed by chemists in June, 1952, is likely to be of the order of £418,000.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of poliomyelitis have been reported during this year; and how this compares with the same period in 1951.

The number of cases notified in the 28 weeks to 12th July, 1952, was 1,014, compared with 1,027 in the first 28 weeks of 1951.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking in view of the report on food poisoning contained in Command Paper No. 8582.

The relevant reports of the Working Parties on Hygiene in the Catering Trade, and on Manufactured Meat Products and the Report of the Committee on Meat Inspection are still under consideration. As regards the legislation which may be involved, I can not add to the reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food to the hon. Member on the 30th June, but I can assure the hon. Member that food poisoning and the whole subject of food hygiene have the close attention of my right hon. Friend, and my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Food.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will revise Administrative Memorandum No. 425 (Maintenance Rates for Students at Universities) by restoring the previous lowest income at which parents are expected to make a contribution towards a child's university education.

No. I think it reasonable that this group of parents should be asked to make a small contribution towards the cost of their children's university education that would otherwise fall on public funds.

asked the Minister of Education when work will be commenced upon the building of the schools for the Shrub End Housing Estate, Colchester, and for the North East Essex Technical College, Colchester.

I understand that the local education authority are reviewing the need for additional primary school accommodation in the North Eastern Division of Essex, and are likely to submit proposals to me in the near future. Work on the North East Technical College started on 11th December, 1951.

asked the Minister of Education when the building of the Red House County Junior School and the St. Cuthbert's Roman Catholic Primary School in Sunderland will be commenced.

I understand from the local education authority that they hope these projects will be started in December and in August next, respectively.

asked the Minister of Education if she has considered the protests from the parents of children attending the Cheltenham Grammar School and from other local organisations against a decision of the governors of the school leading to the resignation of the headmaster; and what action she proposes to take.

I have received two protests about the resignation of the headmaster of Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham. On my present information I do not regard any action on my part as necessary or desirable.

asked the Minister of Education which local education authorities make flat-rate grants to parents who wish to send their children to independent schools, irrespective of the parent's means; and under what regulations such payments are made.

The only circumstances in which I consider that authorities may pay independent school fees without regard to parents' means are where the authority's own provision is educationally insufficient. Otherwise, in view of the terms of Section 81 of the Education Act, 1944, any assistance with such fees should be on an income basis, and I understand that this principle is now being generally observed.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will sponsor the construction of a swimming bath at Eton College, in view of its importance from a health point of view.

No. I can sponsor only a limited amount of licensed building, and in considering the many applications which I receive from independent and direct grant schools, it is my policy to apply broadly the same criteria as I do for building projects proposed by local education authorities.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will take steps to prevent the closing of further village schools in Norfolk; and whether, in cases where schools have already been closed and small children have to travel to neighbouring villages each day, she will ensure that adequate transport is provided.

With regard to the first part of the Question, I would refer to the reply I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash (Sir L. Ropner) on 6th December last. On the second, I understand the authority's transport arrangements are in line with the advice I gave in paragraph 5 of Circular 242.

asked the Minister of Education what decision she has made as to the exercise of her powers under Section 68 of the Education Act, 1944, in connection with the pending dismissal of Mr. Johnson Ball, principal of the Halesowen County Technical School, by the county education authority, the Worcestershire County Council, in view of the fact that an appeal has been made to her against the unreasonable action of the local authority in this case.

I do not think it appropriate that I should use my powers under Section 68 to determine such questions as this one which arise out of the dismissal or proposed dismissal of a teacher and, in so far as they affect the rights of a teacher under the terms of his contract or otherwise, would more properly be determined by a court of law.

asked the Minister of Education how many British representatives comprise the British delegation which will attend the International Conference of Artists organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in collaboration with the Biennale of Venice, which is to be held in Venice from 22nd to 28th September, 1952; and what will be the cost of this trip to the British taxpayer.

The British delegation will consist of three persons. The cost to the British taxpayer will be approximately £113.

asked the Minister of Education how the artists designated by Great Britain as a Member State of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to attend the forthcoming International Conference of Artists in Venice, will be selected; and by whom.

The artists were selected by the Executive Committee of the National Co-operating Body for Arts and Letters of the United Kingdom National Commission for U.N.E.S.C.O.

asked the Minister of Education when communicating with county education authorities on the subject of transport of children to schools, if she will take into consideration the difficulties in the rural areas and the danger to young children who have to walk long distances along busy roads, as in Norfolk.

As the hon. Member will know, I do not regard the provision of transport for distances less than the statutory limits laid down in Section 39 (5) of the Education Act, 1944, as normally justifiable in present circumstances. It is, however, open to authorities to propose more generous arrangements to meet special difficulties in particular cases.

asked the Minister of Education if, in implementing Circular 242, it is with her agreement that local education authorities have instituted a means test to recover part of the cost of transport incurred in travelling to denominational schools.

I regard it as reasonable in present circumstances that when children require transport to attend a school of their parents' choice which is not the nearest to their homes the parents should be asked to contribute towards the cost if they can afford to do so.

asked the Minister of Education what steps she proposes to take following the explanation of their estimates recently given by the Sunderland Education Authority.

I am considering the explanation given in the authority's recent letter which shows that they have thoroughly reviewed their estimated expenditure for the current financial year, and I do not expect that any further action will be necessary in this case.

asked the Minister of Education the number of letters and resolutions of protest she has received against the education cuts, giving details of the organisations and persons sending these protests and what was the nature of her replies.

if the hon. Member has in mind my Circular on economies in educational expenditure, the answer is about 420, over three-quarters of them from local labour parties, trades councils, individual trades unions and their branches and local Co-operative associations. If would require an undue expenditure of time and labour to give further details. Few called for any reply beyond acknowledgment.

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware that the Halifax Education Authority has reduced the amount to be expended on university scholarships by £1,000 and what action she proposes to take.

My concern is with the authority's general arrangements rather than with actual amounts of expenditure, and this authority have recently told me that they will not be able to give me definite information about their proposals for awards to students at universities, etc., until early in September

asked the Minister of Education the numbers of blacklisted school buildings for 1952, 1942 and 1932, respectively.

Of the 2,827 schools blacklisted in 1925, 1,360 were in use at the end of 1932, 710 in 1942, and 598 at the beginning of this year.

asked the Minister of Education if she will allow courses in plastics to be placed on the list of approved courses in advanced technology at technical colleges which are to rank for grant at 75 per cent. instead of 60.

Yes, if they fulfil the conditions which will apply to all courses to be approved for this purpose.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he is aware that a British subject, details of whom have been sent to him, although provided with certificates that the state of her health made it dangerous for her to be vaccinated and that she had not been in contact with smallpox, was ordered by Canadian quarantine authorities to be vaccinated or undergo quarantine; and whether, in view of the assurance of the Canadian quarantine authorities that persons holding certificates that vaccination will injure their health, will be admitted to Canada without having to submit to vaccination, he will request the Canadian Government to inquire into the case.

It appears that the person concerned was not compelled to be vaccinated, but voluntarily chose vaccination as an alternative to a short period of quarantine. In these circumstances, I see no grounds for any approach to the Canadian authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the importance of expediting provision of a spot market for raw cotton, he can now make a statement with regard to consignment cotton.

Details of the procedure for the private import of cotton, including arrangements for the import of cotton on consignment, have now been worked out by the Cotton Import Advisory Panel, which contains representatives 'of the spinners, merchants, trade unions and the Raw Cotton Commission. I will arrange for a copy of the circular which will be going to users of raw cotton and merchants in the next few days, to be sent to my hon. Friend and for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.The new arrangements for the import of cotton on consignment are simple, and broadly as follows. No special arrangements will be necessary for sterling cotton on consignment as distinct from ordinary imports, as there is to be no limit to the amount of raw cotton which may be purchased from the sterling area. In the case of cotton which does not originate in the sterling area, it is the intention of grant open individual licences to

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many established or temporary civil servants are employed at the National Museum of Wales and the Welsh Folk Museum; what is the number of such civil servants in each establishment and their classes or grades; and what are the particular Government Department or Departments on whose strength such civil servants are borne.

None. The National Museum of Wales, of which the Welsh Folk Museum is a part, is an independent institution in receipt of a grant-in-aid borne on the Science and Arts Vote, Class IV 10 F.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now in a position to make a further statement in regard to the committees which he proposes to set up in connection with the question of the treatment of taxed stocks on a reduction of Purchase Tax and with the question of valuation of goods for Purchase Tax purposes.

Yes. I am now in a position to announce the setting up of a Committee on the question of taxed stocks, under the Chairmanship of Sir Maurice Hutton, C.M.G. Members of the Committee will be:

• Mr. Basil Blackwell, J.P.,
• Mr. C. Eustace Davies,
• Mr. J. Lawrie,
• Mr. W. K. M. Slimmings,
• Mr. A. Whittaker,
• Mr. G. D. N. Worswick.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the statement in the July Bulletin for Industry, published by the Treasury, that the export drive must therefore be given priority means that it is to have priority over defence.

I must ask the right hon. Gentleman to look forward to the economic debate next week.

asked the Minister of Food why pigs are taken from the Brandon Urban District Council area to be slaughtered at Carlisle; if he is aware there is a slaughterhouse in this area doing useful work at the present time; and if he will take steps to cut out this waste of transport and unnecessary expense.

The Brandon slaughterhouse is already being used to normal capacity for fresh meat. Bacon pigs from the Brandon area are sent to the nearest bacon factory in Carlisle. This is the most economical arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the importance of the Colonies in the economic life of the Commonwealth, he will consider recommending to the colonial administrations the creation of a permanent colonial council with headquarters in London for the purpose of co-ordinating the economic activities of the Colonies.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statement of my predecessor when replying to the debate on a Private Member's Motion on 2nd February, 1951.The variety of economic conditions and the differing stages of development in the Colonies set limits to the scope for central co-ordination of economic activities. Where it can be usefully done such co-ordination is already being effectively carried out by my Department, either through normal administrative channels or by periodic conferences. The addition of new permanent machinery of the kind proposed by the right hon. Gentleman would not be practicable.

asked the Minister of Labour how many deferments from National Service have been granted for the maximum period; and what percentage of the total call-up this represents.

I assume that the hon. and gallant Member's Question relates to the number of deferments granted without limit of time to coalminers, merchant seamen and, until recently, to agricultural workers so long as they remain in those employments.The approximate number of such deferments granted up to 23rd April to men in the 1929 to 1933 age classes was 129,000, representing 8.8 per cent. of the number registered for National Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that many of the town councils of small burghs in Scotland wish to arrange celebrations for the Coronation next year, but that their restricted rating powers and yield will hamper them in so doing; and if he will give them guidance in this matter, or authority to levy a special rate within reasonable limits for the purpose.

A circular on this subject is in preparation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total number of awards made during 1950–51 and 1951–52 by local education authorities in Scotland to students attending universities, students attending training colleges and students attending central institutions, respectively; and what was the average award made in each of these three categories.

Figures are not yet available for 1951–52. Figures for 1950–51 are given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses were completed in the Highlands and Islands during the month of June; and how many were under construction at the end of that month in that area.

Complete returns are not yet available, but present information suggests that about 170 houses were completed in the Highlands and Islands in June, bringing the number completed in the area during the first half of 1952 up to about 660. About 2,058 houses were under construction at the end of June.

asked the Minister of Transport what number of railway branch lines for passenger services in Wales and Monmouthshire have been closed, or are in the course of being closed since 1949; upon how many occasions has the Transport Users' Consultative Committee heard objections to the closing down proposals; and in how many instances the consultative committees objected against the Railway Executive's proposals.

The British Transport Commission have authorised the closing of 12 railway branch lines for passenger services in Wales and Monmouthshire since the end of 1949. On 13 occasions the Transport Users' Consultative Committee for Wales have heard objections in respect of six of these proposals. In all these cases they endorsed the Railway Executive's proposals.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can give an assurance that recruits are informed before a parade for vaccination and inoculation is called that these operations are voluntary.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Viant) on 11th March.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he can give an assurance that recruits are informed before a parade for vaccination and inoculation is called that these operations are voluntary.

Arrangements exist for informing recruits that acceptance of vaccination and inoculation is voluntary.