asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the prescription books, Form E.C. 10, supplied to doctors have so little space for doctors to write on that they are being compelled to use two forms for one prescription and to sign each official form, and that the chemists are charging 2s. to the patients; and, in order to avoid these complications, if he will provide new forms with adequate spacing for prescriptions.

Each item ordered by a doctor is a prescription. The form gives ample space for writing at least two prescriptions.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to make available to persons suffering from cataract blindness the new cure discovered by the New York Cataract Institute in the use, by injection, of protein substances from the lenses of fishes' eyes.

None. I am advised that the claims made for this treatment are so far unsubstantiated.

asked the Minister of Health how many schemes for the building of health centres have been approved since October. 1951; and how many have been constructed in this period.

Since October, 1951, one scheme has been approved, and this centre and two others approved before that date have been completed.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will set up a panel of dental practitioners in Rugby who would always be available to give emergency dental treatment for children.

The Warwickshire Executive Council will assist any person wanting emergency dental treatment and unable to find a dentist.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the serious situation arising from the shortage of accommodation for both adult and child mental defectives in the area of the Sheffield Regional Board, where the waiting list for admission to institutions is considerably higher than any other area throughout the country; and whether he is giving any priority of attention to the needs of this area.

I am aware of the shortage, and steps are being taken to remedy it. The Regional Board has projects in hand which should provide an additional 750 beds within the next three years.

asked the Minister of Health the total sum of endowments and bequests to hospitals and other institutions, which were taken over by the State when the health service was nationalised.

About £31 million, against which must be set liabilities of about £11 million.

asked the Minister of Health what was the capital cost of new hospital construction and extensions, together with the number of additional beds to be provided, in schemes approved by his Department since October, 1951; and what were the comparative figures for the period October. 1950, to October, 1951.

The value of schemes authorised in England and Wales since October last is £5,114,958. The corresponding figure for the previous year was £7,486,640. I regret that the number of beds related to these figures is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Health whether the review of sick pay arrangements for hospital domestic staff has now been completed by the Ancillary Staffs Whitley Council; and what suggestions have been made about the qualification period for part-time staff.

I am informed that the revised sick pay scheme for workers within the scope of the Ancillary Staffs Council is to be considered at a meeting of the Council at the end of the month. I cannot therefore answer the second part of the Question. When the scheme is finally ratified and I have approved it, I will send a copy to the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Minister of Education to what extent there has been a falling-off at the begining of the school year 1952–53 in the number of pupils from the publicly-managed schools taking up places in the independent public schools; and what are the causes of the falling-off.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is considering the proposal to stagger school holidays; and whether she will make a statement.

School holidays are fixed at the discretion of the local education and school authorities to fit in so far as possible with local conditions. My Regulations also allow up to two weeks leave of absence to be granted in term time to enable pupils to accompany their parents on their annual holiday. But to be effective, any major change in the academic year would need to be endorsed by the universities and by the schools, over many of which I have no control.

asked the Minister of Education (1) if she is aware that, in cutting down the Northumberland school-building programme, five schools in the Wallsend Parliamentary Division, two primary schools and one modern school at Longbenton, and two grammar schools at Killingworth, will not be proceeded with; that this will result in short-time attendance at school in two years' time; and if she will reconsider this programme;(2) why the hon. Member for Wall-send has had no reply to his letter of 12th September, asking to what extent the school-building programme of the Northumberland County Council had been cut, and what the result would be on short-time attendance at school in two years' time.

I am aware that the five projects referred to were not included in the school-building programme for 1953–54. After hearing the views expressed by a deputation from the Northumberland education authority, which I was awaiting before answering the hon. Member's letter, I have decided to add to the programme one of the two grammar schools proposed at Killingworth. I have no evidence that there will be any need for short-time attendance in the area.

asked the Minister of Education whether she has now sanctioned the building of a new school at Fairwater, Cardiff; and when building operations will commence.

I have included a primary school at Fairwater in the educational building programme for 1952–53, but I have not yet been able to approve the building of the school because the cost on tender is excessive. The Cardiff local education authority have been asked to reconsider the cost.

asked the Minister of Education the number of new school kitchens and canteens which were provided in Wales during 1949, 1950 and 1951; and the number upon which construction has started since October, 1951.

The numbers of new school kitchens and canteens brought into use in Wales in each of the years ending October, 1949, 1950 and 1951 were respectively 103, 64 and 19. The number upon which construction is known to have started since October, 1951 is 19, but there may be others involving only minor building work of which authorities are not bound to notify my Department.

asked the Minister of Education how many children who are mentally retarded, defective, or ineducable are not now receiving any proper form of instruction in county of Buckingham.

128 educationally sub-normal children in Buckinghamshire are at present waiting for places in special schools. Many of these are receiving help in the meantime in ordinary schools. Mentally defective and ineducable children are the concern of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what exports of rubber and tin have been made from British territories to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and China, respectively, during the last four six-monthly periods.

The following are the figures:

asked the President of the Board of Trade for details of the retail price of all commodities coming within the price control of his Department on 1st October, 1951; and the price of these articles at the latest convenient stated date.

It is not possible to provide information of comparable retail prices in this detail. I would, however, point out that between October 1951, and September this year the prices of clothing and household durable goods included in the Interim Index of Retail Prices fell by about 2 per cent. in each case.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in detail actual imports for the first half of 1952, in relation to the goods and areas affected by the cuts notified to importers in Notice to Importers 467.

I give below a table showing imports into the United Kingdom during the first half of 1952 of the commodities covered by Notice to Importers No. 467 from the countries affected by it. Owing, however, to differences between the commodity classification

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a statement showing the quantity and value of goods bought from overseas by his Department and other Government Departments during 1951 and the first half of 1952, as compared with 1950 and showing the value of such goods bought from within and from outside the sterling area.

I am obtaining the desired information from the Government Departments concerned and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as it is available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why there were 2,660 fewer persons working in the factories administered by the North Eastern Trading Estates Limited on 30th August, 1952, than on 30th September, 1951; and what further steps he is taking to provide greater employment in these factories.

This decline in employment was the net result of decreases in factories making clothing, textiles, and miscellaneous consumer goods which was only partly offset by increases in the engineering, chemical, electrical and woodworking groups. Since May of this year the net decline has been only 187 or less than one-half of one per cent. of the number employed, and there have, in recent weeks, been indications of a significant decline in unemployment. We are continuing to give preference, wherever practicable, to the Development Areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many contracts for railway rolling stock or equipment for foreign countries or the Empire have been tendered for by British firms during the past year; how many such contracts have been lost; and what is the total value of such lost contracts.

Makers of railway equipment for overseas markets are free to tender for contracts as they think appropriate. I have no record of the tenders put forward nor of the value of contracts lost.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the import licences granted for fruit pulp in respect of the period ended 30th June, 1953, show an increase of more than double on the previous period; and whether he will reconsider this matter in order to prevent the hardship this will cause to home producers.

Licences have been issued for imports of fruit pulp in the 12 months ending 30th June, 1953, from the O.E.E.C. and certain other countries to which our import restrictions apply, to a value of some £1,250,000. There is no question of withdrawing these licences.The previous licensing period covered rather less than eight months, from 8th November, 1951, to 30th June, 1952, and the total value of licences issued was about £900,000; this figure included licences granted in excess of the published quota in order to permit the fulfilment of certain contracts concluded before the announcement of the restrictions. The rate of licensing in the present period is, therefore, lower than in the previous one.

asked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, why, in the first six months of 1952, there was a reduction in the consumption of cotton, sulphur, rubber and softwood, compared with the last six months of 1951.

Over a fairly wide range of industries there has been a fall in the intake and consumption of raw materials since the beginning of 1952. This has been due principally to some recission of demand for finished products and to the postponement of purchases of materials in a period of falling prices. The first reason applies particularly to cotton and sulphur; the second has especially affected the other materials to which the right hon. Member has referred. In the case of sulphur there have also been marked economies in use and progress in the development of substitutes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage reduction has been made in the Civil Service; and what further reduction is contemplated.

The number of non-industrial civil servants was reduced by 10,405 in the first six months of this year. This represents a reduction of 1.5 per cent. Taking the civil departments alone, excluding the Post Office, the percentage reduction was 3.5 per cent. The returns for 1st October, which are now being collected, should show a further reduction, but I cannot at present give any estimate of what it will be.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many temporary civil servants are still retained.

On 1st July, 1952, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 200,659 temporary civil servants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which groups of public employees, besides teachers, have their pensions paid quarterly; and what is the saving, in the case of each group, as against monthly payments.

Civil servants and retired officers of the Armed Forces have the option of quarterly or monthly payment of pension. The majority choose monthly payment. The second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount collected in the last financial year from the Purchase Tax on all furniture and domestic furniture, respectively.

It is estimated that £5 million was collected on all furniture, including garden furniture, in the financial year 1951–52. It is not possible to say how much of this was collected on domestic furniture.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information is available with regard to the capital expenditure by British firms during recent years on the construction of subsidiary factories to manufacture their products in overseas countries; what figures are available giving the amount of profits from such overseas establishments remitted annually to this country; and how far such information can be divided according to the trades concerned.

The information asked for is not recorded.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the provisions in his regulations as to foreign travel allowances which govern the taking of quantities of valuable personal jewelry out of this country.

An export licence is required to take jewelry out of the United Kingdom, but under an administrative concession United Kingdom residents making temporary visits to places outside the sterling area do not require licences for reasonable quantities of bona fide personal effects. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the notice which defines this concession.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer if cinemas which are now paying Entertainments Duty, with gross takings of not more than £150 per week, and not more than 400 seats, were exempt from Entertainments Duty.

The cost is conjectural, because it would depend on the extent to which other cinemas might find it profitable to adjust seating capacity or weekly takings to come within those limits, but it would probably be between £1 million and £2 million a year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the date on which his Department agreed to the request of the planning authority, that the frontage on field O.S. 244 at Tamworth be released from agriculture so that building development might proceed; why the farmer in question, Mr. P. H. Mercer, was not given proper notice; and why the release was not postponed until the crop had been reaped.

Houses had previously been built on adjoining land and the use of the frontage of this field, O.S. 244, for building was agreed in the spring of 1951 by the local planning authority in the light of general pressure from my Department that such gaps should be filled up whenever it was appropriate before any better farmland was absorbed. Specific agricultural clearance from my Department was not thought necessary.I do not know why the owner did not give the occupier notice of intention to enter the land, but as the hon. Member is aware, it is very doubtful whether a tenancy existed. I have no knowledge of any interference with the harvesting of a crop from this field, although there was some difficulty over field O.S. 237.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will take steps to amend the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1948, to provide sub-tenant farmers with the same right of appeal against notices to quit as tenant farmers in cases where the tenant's interest in the land is of working the mineral.

I am keeping under review the position of sub-tenants generally under the Act and will consider whether it should be amended in their favour when an opportunity for amendment occurs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the estimated production of potatoes, in tons, for 1952 and 1953.

The estimated production of potatoes in the United Kingdom from the 1952 crop is 7,267,000 tons. I am unable to give any estimate for the 1953 crop.

asked the Minister of Agriculture in view of the shortage of main crop potatoes, what steps he proposes to take to ensure that sufficient quantities of early potato seed will be order and planted to offset a possible potato famine in late May and early June.

Although it is not possible at this stage to forecast what supplies of main crop potatoes of the present year's crop will be available in May and June next year, I am advised by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food that on present indications there is no reason to expect a shortage. As regards next season's early potato crop my hon. Friend is aware that it has been decided that if the seasonal suspension of the open general licence is necessary in 1953, imports of early potatoes will be suspended from 16th May, subject to the supplies available from home production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what special steps he proposes to take to increase beef production for the next two years.

The extended calf subsidy will encourage the breeding and rearing of beef cattle but its main effect will not be felt until after 1954. Adjustments of the price schedule made last spring should encourage quicker and better fattening of beef animals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take steps to ensure that when both roads and railways fall into disuse the land is made available for agricultural purposes.

So far as can be foreseen, the resources likely to be available for work of this character will remain strictly limited. They can best be used for increasing production from land which will respond more readily and at much lower cost than the type of land mentioned by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to what extent there are vacant places at the farm institutes in England and Wales; and if he expects that these training facilities will be fully used next year.

There are at present about 390 places vacant out of a total of about 1,930. While I am most anxious that farm institute facilities should be fully used, I cannot forecast what may happen next year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has considered representations which have been sent to him about the battery system for poultry: and what is the Government's policy in this matter.

I have considered representations made to me on this subject but have no evidence to support the view put forward that the battery system of poultry keeping involves cruelty.The Government's policy is to encourage poultry farmers to use those methods of husbandry that are best suited to their holdings.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres of farming land will be absorbed if the present plan for the extension of Gatwick Airport materialises; and what does this represent in loss of food production to the nation in any one year.

The amount of land involved in the proposal to extend Gatwick Airport is some 700 acres. Not all of this will be lost to food production partly because cultivations will be possible between the runways. It is impracticable at this early stage to form a reliable estimate of the eventual loss of food production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when he proposes to approve the apples and pears marketing scheme.

Consideration of this scheme has not yet reached a point when I can make a statement about it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the acreage of four year and older grass ploughed out between 5th February, 1952, and 31st May, 1952, qualifying for grant; the anticipated yield from this acreage: and the aggregate grant payable.

Latest returns show that about 610,000 acres of grassland in England and Wales were ploughed and sown to approved crops for this harvest under the Ploughing Grants Scheme, 1952. Very roughly the output from the 610,000 acres will have been the equivalent of about 600,000 tons of grain. The total grant payable will be about £3 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider with the President of the Board of Trade the question of revising tariffs on horticultural imports to bring them into line with present-day values.

As my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary indicated in reply to another Question on 16th October, I hope that it will not be long before a statement can be made about horticultural tariffs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the future of the Milk Marketing Board.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further approaches are being made to the Irish Government seeking their co-operation in the normal way between neighbouring countries to secure the capture of Richard Timmins so that he may complete the prison sentence passed on him for his part in the Irish Republican Army terrorist activities in Britain.

This man escaped from Leyhill prison as long ago as 1947 after serving rather more than seven years of his sentence. My right hon. and learned Friend does not think that any public interest would be served by taking any steps to try to secure his return to this country in order to complete the remainder of his sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the present prison accommodation in Great Britain for both sexes; how many prisoners are now undergoing sentence; what are the normal staffing requirements of our prisons and what is the present staff; how many new prisons are required to house the prison population; and what steps are being taken to obtain recruits for prison warders.

On 14th instant the last convenient date, there was accommodation in prisons in England and Wales for 18,714 men prisoners and 1,526 women prisoners and in Scotland for 2,188 men prisoners and 329 women prisoners. This includes every type of accommodation—not only cells, both ordinary and special, but also hospital wards, dormitories, rooms and huts. On the same date there were 19,613 men and 852 women in prison in England and Wales and 1,588 men and 73 women in Scotland. Of these 1,060 men and 47 women in England and Wales and 135 men and five women in Scotland were awaiting trial.Both the accommodation and the population figures are exclusive of Borstal Institutions and Detention Centres. The overcrowding of men's prisons in England and Wales is, however, much greater than appears from these figures, and it is for various reasons necessarily concentrated in certain local prisons in which 5,500 prisoners are sleeping three in a cell. This means that there is a present deficiency of approximately 4,000 cells.The present staff of officers of the basic grade in prisons in England and Wales is 2,915 (2,740 men and 175 women). In addition, there are 256 auxiliary officers (236 men and 20 women) under training. The normal and proper method of staffing a prison is by a three-shift system. This is at present in operation at nine prisons, and is about to be extended to two more. For this purpose and to meet the needs of increased population at certain local prisons, it is hoped to add another 100 officers by the end of the year.To extend the three-shift system to all prisons—which is the ultimate aim—it is estimated that at least a further 550 officers (500 men and 50 women) would be required. Advertising for prison officers is proceeding in the national and local Press, and the response to this, together with the assistance of the Ministry of Labour and National Service, is producing large numbers of applications and resulting in a steady increase in the staff.As regards Scotland, the authorised staff of officers of the basic grade in prisons is 487, and 487 officers are in post. In Scotland the three-shift system is in operation at three prisons including the two largest. To extend the system to all prisons would mean an addition of about 100 officers.

asked the Minister of Labour when he proposes to implement the recommendations about mule spinners' cancer contained in the Interim Reports of the Joint Advisory Committee of the Cotton Industry published in 1945 and 1952.

Effect has been given to the recommendations of the Joint Advisory Committee save those relating to the making of Regulations to control the type of oil used for lubricating mule spindles and the periodic medical examination of mule spinners. In considering the making of Regulations, certain technical difficulties have been encountered which have had to be referred back to the Committee for further advice.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish a statement showing, at the latest convenient stated date, the number of dock workers unemployed, nationally and for the Royal group of docks; and how this figure compares with 12 months ago.

I am sending the hon. Member the particulars for which he asks.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish a statement

asked the Minister of Labour how many building trade workers are unemployed in the county borough of Gateshead; and how the number compares with a year ago.

One hundred and live at 15th September, 1952, compared with 128 at 17th September, 1951.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements he will make to ensure that men and women called up for National Service receive the holiday pay which they would normally have received had they not been called up.

The arrangements for holiday payments are normally regulated by agreements between employers and employees or their organisations. Any question of payment in respect of accrued holidays to workers called up for National Service is a matter for settlement between the parties concerned. I understand that such payments are made under the arrangements in force in a number of industries.

I am sending the hon. Member the particulars for which he asks.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of registered fully and partially unemployed at 1st October, 1951, and at the latest convenient stated date; and similar figures for the county borough of West Ham.

The table below gives the information desired.

asked the Minister of Labour how many disabled persons in the county borough of Gateshead have been unemployed over 12 months; and what steps are being taken to provide suitable employment.

At 21st October, 1952, the number of disabled persons who had been unemployed for over 12 months was 125, of whom 32 were classified as unlikely to obtain employment except under sheltered conditions. Continuous efforts are being made by my local officers to assist them to find suitable employment. The Remploy Factory is fully manned.

asked the Minister of Labour which changes in legislation and in administrative practice materially affect the yearly figures of the comparisons between unfilled vacancies at employment exchanges and persons unemployed.

The changes in recent years were the revocation of the Control of Engagement Order in March, 1950, and the introduction of the Notification of Vacancies Order in February, 1952.