asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will announce the Government's short and long-term policies in respect of horticulture.

The consideration of a large part of the case for revision of horticultural tariffs put forward by the National Farmers 'Unions is now almost completed, and I hope that it will not be long before a statement can be made on this subject. My right hon. Friend has no further announcement on horticultural policy to make at present.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how much money has been paid in subsidies to near and middle water fishing trawlers; and how the allocation is divided among the different ports.

The total amount of subsidy paid to the near and middle water sections of the white fish industry in Great Britain during the 25 months from 31st July, 1950, the date on which the subsidy was introduced, to 31st August, 1952, was £2,207,996.The figures for the principal near and middle water fishing ports up to 31st August, 1952, are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the experience of the Straffen case, he will arrange to review and overhaul the criminal laws relating to insanity.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday to a Question by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for York (Mr Hylton-Foster).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can now state the outcome of his undertaking to reconsider his decision to discontinue the grant to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

I have informed the Society that a further payment of £1,500 will be made during the next financial year as the fifth and final instalment of the grant which it was decided in 1948 to make for the purpose of assisting the Society in developing their home safety work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total number of experiments on living animals performed in 1951 under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876; how many were performed without any anaesthetics; and how many were performed on cats, dogs and horses.

The total number of experiments performed in 1951 was 1,919,424. Of these, 1,665,120 experiments not involving any procedure more severe than simple inoculation or superficial venesection were performed without anaesthetics. Cats, dogs, horses, asses or mules were used in 10,262 experiments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the annual return for 1951 of the experiments performed under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, will be available; why this return is so long delayed; and whether he will arrange for it to be available within the first three months of each year in future.

The return has been presented and will be on sale within a few days. Its preparation involves collecting and assembling information from all the licensees under the Act, and while every effort is made to have it available as early as possible, I cannot give the assurance which the hon. Member seeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has noted that a Glasgow youth in possession of three revolvers shot two police constables, killing one and severely wounding the other before shooting himself; that there is reason to believe that he obtained these firearms and ammunition in Eire which he had visited immediately prior to the incident; and if he will strengthen the steps taken to ensure that firearms are not improperly brought into this country.

My information is that the relevant law and practice of the Irish Republic are similar to those of the United Kingdom. It seems probable that Finlay smuggled the weapons into the United Kingdom concealed on his person since his baggage was thoroughly examined and no firearms or ammunition found. Customs officers are fully alive to the importance of preventing unlawful importation of firearms, and short of personal search of all persons entering the country I do not see that the steps taken to that end can be strengthened.The circumstances of this case do not disclose any grounds for any representations to the Government of the Irish Republic.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are now serving sentences in Her Majesty's prisons for failing to comply with an order relating to reporting for military service or for medical examination and in respect of which a claim to conscientious objection has been made.

There are 20 such persons in prisons in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will grant a visa to Si Allal el Fassi, the Leader of the Liberation Movement in Morocco, so that he may visit this country on his way to the United Nations meeting at Lake Success.

No. Si Allal el Fassi does not need to visit the United Kingdom in order to reach the United States, and as I have already informed the hon. Member, I am not prepared to allow him to visit this country to pursue his campaign against France in Morocco.

asked the Secretary of State for Home Department whether he will consider the suggestion that, in order to help and speed on their way travellers to and from France, the examination of passports, luggage and currency by the authorities of both countries should take place at one end of the journey.

My colleagues and I are always anxious to reduce the time spent by travellers in the essential controls, subject to the maintenance of efficiency. Proposals of the kind mentioned by my hon. Friend have been carefully investigated on a number of previous occasions but they all require a dispersal of staff which might well add to the time spent in the various controls, and they involve other practical difficulties outweighing the possible advantages.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what paste is now available to protect the face and eyes from flash burns from atomic explosions.

None, but various simple methods of screening the faces and hands of those who may have to be out of doors are under investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special officers have been appointed by local authorities to ensure the effective carrying out of the provisions of the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act, 1925; and by which authorities.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when an Order in Council will be made under Section 65 of the Reserve and Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act, 1951, extending the benefits of that Act to Service men from Northern Ireland and conferring on them the same protection as is given to their comrades from other parts of the United Kingdom.

I regret I cannot forecast when this will be ready, but it is in an advanced stage of drafting and the desirability of making the Order as early as possible is fully appreciated both by Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and by the Government of Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what pension will be granted to the widow of John Macleod, the police officer killed on duty in Glasgow.

In respect of the first 13 weeks of her widowhood, Mrs. Macleod is entitled to 80s. 6d. a week by way of Police Widow's Special Pension, Police Child's Special Allowance and National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Death Benefit for herself and her child, and 75s. a week thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans the Nigerian Government has for the development of the Man o' War Bay scheme for training in citizenship.

The future of this scheme is being considered by the Nigerian Government in consultation with the Regional Governments. There are difficulties concerning both finance and organisation, and I understand that it will be some time before decisions are taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, since it takes at least three days for English newspapers to reach Nairobi and only "The Times" and the "Daily Telegraph" can usually be purchased at bookstalls there, he will consider employing a public relations officer for Kenya in London to give factual information and to correct promptly any exaggerated statements appearing in the London Press; and whether he will arrange Press conferences at the Colonial Office to discuss Kenya questions and how often this will be done.

The employment of a public relations officer for Kenya in London is a matter for the Kenya Government who have, in fact, sent an experienced journalist to London to make available to the Press factual information about the present situation in Kenya. The Press officers of the Colonial Office have also dealt with many inquiries. There is no indication at the moment that regular Press conferences to discuss Kenya questions are desired by the Press, but I am always prepared to give any special help if it is needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what opportunities were afforded to women's organisations to meet him and his Under-Secretaries during recent visits to Colonial Territories.

In West Africa I had a full programme of consultations with Ministers and Members of Legislatures, and I was never more than two days in the same place. Unfortunately I therefore met only a few representatives of local organisations and none specifically concerned with women's interests.In South-East Asia no requests for meetings were received from women's organisations.My Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State when in the West Indies made his time freely available for talks with members of the public and representatives of organisations, including one women's organisation in Trinidad.The programme arranged for the visit of the Minister of State to Central Africa did not include separate talks with members of women's organisations but many women attended meetings at which he spoke.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what report has been made by the Mission to Jamaica of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

I understand that the Bank will present the Mission's report to the Governor of Jamaica later this year and will publish it.

asked the Minister of Labour how many registered disabled persons were unemployed in Newcastle-under-Lyme at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of them had been unemployed for more than six, and more than 12 months respectively.

At 15th September, 1952, the number in the borough and rural district was 168, including 40 unemployed for between six and 12 months, and 54 unemployed for more than 12 months.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take to assist the agricultural industry to obtain the additional working capital needed to carry out successfully the present food production drive.

As I informed hon. Members on 10th March in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Wembley, North (Wing Commander Bullus) I have taken steps to make it clear to the banks that in applying their advances policy they should give full weight to the importance of agricultural production. I am confident that the banks are co-operating fully in carrying out the Government's policy in this respect.