asked the President of the Board of Trade why cloth, which can be made and sold at comparable prices in this country, is permitted to be imported from Italy, thus adversely affecting our own textile areas where there is at present considerable unemployment.

Imports of cloth from Italy, as from all other countries outside the sterling area, are subject to quota restrictions. These restrictions are, however, imposed to safeguard the balance of payments and not to protect United Kingdom industries from foreign competition. If we were to cut our traditional imports of cloth more severely than our payments position warrants, we should damage our commercial relations with the supplying countries and endanger the markets which they provide for our exports of manufactured goods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will set up an export sales council to investigate overseas markets.

I doubt whether the establishment of a general body of this kind would be of material assistance. The study of individual overseas markets seems to me to be best carried out by industry itself, through trade organisations or individual firms, by trade missions such as that which has just left for Central America, and by the commercial services maintained overseas by the Foreign Office and the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the amount of time, money and executive ability which has to be consumed upon compiling the Census of Production; and, in view of the fact that the results of the census are not sufficiently necessary, accurate and up-to-date to compensate for the deflection of such effort from productivity, if he will discontinue this census.

Censuses of production, which have been taken in this country since 1907, provide information valuable to Government and industry. The information is kept up to date by the annual census which the Statistics of Trade Act, 1947, requires and the results are published as early as possible. In order to reduce statistical work to the minimum required to meet essential needs, the censuses for the years 1952 and 1953 will be based on sampling methods, as a result of which a large proportion of the smaller and medium-sized establishments will not have to make returns.

asked the President of the Board of Trade by how much the consumption of Oriental tobacco has increased in 1951 and in 1952, to the latest convenient date, compared with 1950; what are the respective figures for Greek tobacco and Turkish tobacco; and what steps Her Majesty's Government is taking, in order to save dollars and to stimulate trade with non-dollar members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, to increase the consumption of Oriental tobacco.

In 1951, tobacco and cigarette manufacturers used 898,000 lb. more Oriental tobacco than in 1950. In the nine months ended September, 1952, they used 382,000 lb. more than in the corresponding nine months of 1950. The respective changes for Greek and Turkish tobacco were as follows:In 1951, as compared with 1950, there was an increase of 1,155,000 lb. in the use of Greek tobacco and a decrease of 332,000 lb. in the use of Turkish tobacco. For the first nine months of 1952, as compared with the first nine months of 1950, there was an increase of 312,000 lb. in the use of Greek tobacco and a decrease of 51,000 lb. in the use of Turkish tobacco. The import of dollar tobacco is restricted to the minimum, and that should encourage the use of other kinds of leaf; but no special steps are taken to encourage the use of Greek and Turkish tobacco in preference to tobacco from the sterling area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount paid in gold to the European Payments Union in respect of imports of fondant, sugar/fat mixtures and piping jelly during the year ended 31st December, 1951.

Over any given period the gold payable to or receivable from the European Payments Union by the United Kingdom depends upon the cumulative surplus or deficit of the United Kingdom with the Union during that period. I regret that I am unable to say over any such period what part of the gold paid to (or credit receivable from) the European Payments Union, or, conversely, the gold received from (or credit extendable to) the Union, it would be proper to attribute to any particular import or export.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total area of factory space in use in the North-Eastern Trading Estates.

About 10 million square feet.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how far he proposes to increase the revenue from the Purchase Tax on furniture.

The revenue to be collected from furniture after the introduction of a D scheme would depend largely on the level at which the D figures were set. I must therefore ask the hon. Member to await an announcement about the scheme, as I cannot anticipate changes in taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that Customs and Excise levy Purchase Tax on cosmetics on the inclusive retail price in the case of manufacturers who do not supply the wholesale trade and who carry all the distributive costs of a normal wholesaler; and if he will give instructions that this practice shall cease.

In law, Purchase Tax is chargeable on the wholesale value, and in certain cases it is appropriate to arrive at that value by making a deduction from the retail price to allow for the retailers' margin. But if my hon. Friend would send me particulars of any such cases where acceptance of another basis would be justified, I will look into them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he estimates it would cost to repay the post-war credits to the estates of those who, but for previous death, would have reached the age for payment in the current financial year.

£2 million. If those who would have reached the age for payment in previous years are included, the cost would be £15 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in order to encourage house ownership, he will consider allowing the use of post-war credits as security for deposit on new houses.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will use his powers under Section (4) of the Bank of England Act, 1946, to direct that the existing issue of £1 and 10s. notes shall be replaced, as soon as may be during the Coronation year, with notes of a new design incorporating the image of the reigning Sovereign.

I am satisfied that the powers in question are not appropriate for this purpose, and regret that the hon. Member's suggestion is not practicable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will permit the Hawker Siddeley Aircraft Company's earnings of Brazilian currency arising from the sale of jet aircraft to be applied to the payment of a specified future importation of Brazilian cotton by the Raw Cotton Commission.

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, in his statement to the House on 13th November, explained the scope and limits of the responsibility of Her Majesty's Government in this matter. The Raw Cotton Commission have discretion to make purchases outside the sterling area within an approved total amount, and on the other hand the aircraft exported will have to be paid for in accordance with the appropriate regulations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now make the £ sterling freely convertible.

I would refer my hon. Friend to what my right hon. Friend said during his speech in the House on 11th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is prepared to allocate the sum of £5 million from the Imperial Contribution Fund to the Government of Northern Ireland for the carrying out of relief schemes to assist the unemployed in this coming winter.

It is not possible to deal adequately with the question of unemployment in Northern Ireland in answer to a Question, but the answer to this Question is, No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it will be possible to withdraw the restrictions on imports which were imposed to correct the adverse balance of payments.

I cannot say when it will be possible to withdraw the restrictions on imports imposed during the past year. Much depends on the continuation of the improvement in our balance of payments and the level of our gold and dollar reserves.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied that the present method of distributing impounded nylon stockings does not assist unscrupulous traders and encourage the black market in nylon hose; and if he will make alternative arrangements which do not have this effect.

The answer to the first part of the Question is Yes, and to the second therefore, No.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that it takes approximately three times as much capital now to finance a farm than it did before the war; and what steps he proposes to aid farmers so as to avoid good farms falling back in production due to the difficulty of obtaining credit.

My right hon. Friend has 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.

asked the Minister of Transport what developments there have been further to his Department's advice that a wider raised footpath be constructed at Newbold, Rugby, in view of the originally suggested construction of a new bridge.

The possibility of constructing a wider raised footpath has been discussed between the borough surveyor and our divisional road engineer. Even this scheme would cost about £10,000 and, as financial assistance could not be given to it at present, the borough council have taken no further action.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent consultations between representatives of the Treasury and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and United States officials on the question of the provision of married quarters for United States Service men stationed in the United Kingdom; and what plans are now being made for providing such accommodation without the use of building labour and materials that would otherwise be available for local authority housing.

These were preliminary consultations, and no final plans have yet been made. The proposal is that temporary prefabricated buildings should be put up, of a type already available for export. Their erection requires little use of ordinary building labour.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why he is spending this year £400,000 on bringing land under the Agriculture Act, 1947, as compared with £270,000 in 1951–52.

The increase in estimated expenditure this year over last year arises mainly from earlier decisions under Section 85 of the Act to purchase requisitioned land so as to secure or maintain its full and efficient use for agriculture. The balance of the expenditure relates to land acquired for experimental purposes and miscellaneous purchases. Actual expenditure in 1951–52 was less than estimated, and this may be true for the current year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what action he is contemplating to deal with owners of dogs which worry sheep.

Civil proceedings for damages can be taken against the owners of dogs that injure sheep. Such dogs may be dealt with as dangerous dogs under the Dogs Acts and ordered by a court to be kept under proper control or destroyed. I do not think that there is any need to provide additional methods for dealing with owners of dogs that worry sheep and my recent consideration of the problem has been directed rather to securing that dogs are kept under control in areas where they might cause harm to livestock.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what action he proposes to take to reduce effectively the number of cases of sheep-worrying by dogs.

Until it is possible to introduce new legislation there is very little more that can be done by the Government to reduce sheep-worrying, but I intend to continue to try to bring home to dog owners the importance of preventing their dogs from worrying livestock. I am glad to say that I have been promised the full support of a number of the animal welfare societies in these efforts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps are being taken to increase the capacity of the cattle quarantine stations so as to facilitate the export of pedigree stock to the Dominions and other overseas countries; and how many animals are at present awaiting shipment.

I have arranged for an extension to the Glasgow Quarantine Station to be put in hand, if it is stilt necessary, when we know the intentions of the Canadian Government regarding the resumption of livestock imports from this country. The quarantine facilities at the other two stations in London and Liverpool are adequate. I understand from the Livestock Export Group that about 900 cattle and 60 head of small stock are at present awaiting shipment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what percentage of the milch cows in Great Britain have been shown, by test, to be now free from tuberculosis; and how this figure compares with corresponding figures for last year and the year before.

I regret that the figures which the hon. Member asks for are not available, but about 53 per cent. of the milk now sold in Great Britain comes from cows that have passed an official tuberculin test, compared with about 46 per cent. a year ago and 38 per cent. two years ago.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has considered abolishing the Fowl Pest Order, which does not allow less than 25 head of poultry to be brought to market in one lot, in view of the fact that fowl pest is not as prevalent as it was.

I regret that it is not yet possible to withdraw the Order to which my hon. Friend refers. There have been over 200 outbreaks of fowl pest this year, of which 65 occurred in the last three months, and we cannot yet relax our precautions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture which official institutes are experimenting in regard to the particular effect of toxic sprays and their danger to animal and insect life in regard to the long-term effects on agriculture.

Research on the long-term effects of the use of toxic sprays in agriculture is being carried out at the East Mailing Research Station. The Imperial college of Science is also engaged on one aspect of this problem with the aid of grants from the agricultural Research Council and the Nature Conservancy. Much research on shorter term aspects is being done by research institutes, universities and chemical firms, including a search for insecticides less toxic to animal life than those now in use. This latter research will eventually contribute towards a proper assessment of long-term effects.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what acreage in Kent has qualified for grant under the Ploughing Grant Scheme to the earliest convenient date; and what is the sum involved.

About 10,000 acres involving payment of grants of £50,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many B and C farms are at present registered in Kent; and if he will state the number which have been under supervision for more than 12 months.

One thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight farms have been graded B and 182 C during the current farm survey. Forty-seven husbandry supervision orders have been in force for more than 12 months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress has been made in closing down the pool labour scheme; what machinery has thereby become redundant; and how such machinery is being disposed of.

Arrangements have been made for closing the pool labour service in all counties by the end of the present financial year. This service is quite separate from the machinery contract service operated by county agricultural executive committees, and the second and third parts of the Question do not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is satisfied that the collection of quarterly returns of crops and livestock is justified; and what saving in the staff and cost of his Department would be effected by reverting to the pre-war practice of collecting complete returns from farmers once a year.

After consultation with the Agricultural Statistics Advisory Committee I have decided, with effect from March, 1953, to collect the agricultural returns for March, September and December in each year on the basis of a sample of one-third of all the agricultural holdings. All occupiers of holdings will be allocated at random to three groups who will respectively be required to complete returns each year in March, September and December. The June return will continue to be collected on a 100 per cent. basis as hitherto, and the effect of the new system will be to halve the load of form filling by farmers, thus reverting approximately to the pre-war position.Nevertheless, I am advised that the degree of accuracy that can be expected from one-third sample is such that there should be no material weakening in the supply of up-to-date statistical information necessary to measure the progress of the agricultural production drive, to formulate agricultural policy, and to conduct the statutory Annual Review of the economic condition and prospects of the agricultural industry. The March, September and December censuses, although reduced to one-third, will continue to be compulsory, and a prompt response by all the farmers to whom the forms are addressed will become even more important than now, so that the new system, which will be so much to the benefit of farmers, may fully succeed. Special measures may be necessary to secure the supply of information on the progress of horticultural crops in England and Wales, and I am arranging for discussions to take place with the National Farmers' Union.I am glad to inform the House that the new arrangements are expected to reduce the number of staff employed in my Department by about 100 persons, and to effect a saving of at least £50,000 a year.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will also be reducing by one-half the number of compulsory returns from the farmer but will do so by discontinuing the March and September censuses. Northern Ireland operates its own Agricultural Returns Act, but I understand from the Minister of Agriculture there that changes will be made similar to those in Scotland.Further details of the new arrangements will be issued later.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider introducing amending legislation to grant the Agricultural Land Commission and the Welsh sub-commission power to institute inquiries other than those referred to them by the Minister.

No. I see no reason to disturb the present arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can yet make a statement on the draft apple and pear marketing scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is now able to make a statement about the apples and pears marketing scheme.

Yes. I have informed the promoters that I am prepared to lay the draft Apples and Pears Scheme before Parliament for approval, subject to agreement being reached on certain proposed modifications which are now being discussed between the promoters and my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why in this year he is spending £313,000 on the item Supplementary Labour Scheme and Miscellaneous.

£228,000 is the estimated gross cost to the Department of providing essential supplementary labour, mainly at volunteer agricultural camps, for this year's harvest, and particularly for the potato harvest. £65,000 is for compensation in respect of playing fields, gold-courses and other land ploughed up under directions during the war, and £20,000 for various minor services.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why he is lending £250,000 to the White Fish Authority.

I am not making any loan to the White Fish Authority.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what schemes the White Fish Authority has submitted for the betterment of the white fishing industry.

After securing Ministerial approval on 10th May last, the Authority announced arrangements for loans of up to 60 per cent. of the cost of building or improving fishing vessels not exceeding 140 feet in length. I have also had their close co-operation in preparing legislation for grants for the same purpose, and I hope shortly to lay this before the House. I understand that the Authority have in an advanced state of preparation schemes for the encouragement of fish freezing and for the better marketing of fish at the small ports.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of money which the White Fish Authority has collected to date as levy and the use to which the money is being put.

Up to 15th November, 1952, the White Fish Authority have collected £252,591, and have spent £65,912 on general administrative expenses, and on training grants, research and experiment and export promotion. The balance is being held for expenditure on projects which the Authority will be undertaking under the powers conferred on them by Section 4 of the Sea Fish Industry Act, 1951.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to give figures showing how far the daily landings of fish at Grimsby and Hull, respectively, have decreased since the refusal of landing facilities to Icelandic trawlers; and what is the percentage by which they have decreased in comparison with the same period last year.

During the past 14 weeks, covering the period in question, landings of white fish at Grimsby were 9 per cent. less and at Hull 1 per cent. less than in the corresponding period of last year. Daily landings fluctuate greatly and cannot usefully be compared.There are many factors influencing the volume of landings from one year or period of a year to another, and it is not possible to isolate the effects of a particular factor. The following are the detail figures of supplies:

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has considered representations made to the Forestry Commission by the East Ashford Rural District Council to the effect that the Commission, in addition to paying the rates of foresters occupying rent-free houses direct to local authorities, should also pay direct the rates of foresters who pay rent to the Commission and rates to their local authority, thereby enabling all foresters to discharge their rates in an inclusive rental instead of on a bi-annual demand note from the local authority.

I am aware of these representations, but no final decision has yet been taken on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to prohibit the sale of toy weapons such as coshes, daggers and guns.

I am unable at present to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) on 11th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the expenses incurred on the Departmental vehicles on his Vote went up from £34,000 in 1951–52 to £53,000 in 1952–53; and whether this increase includes the transfer in 1951–52 of £6,000 from general administration to another Sub-head of his Estimates.

The increase of £19,000 in the Estimate for 1952–53 is due to the expenditure of £11,000 on the purchase of 24 load-carrying vehicles for use at Civil Defence stores, and to an increase of £8,000 in the cost of repairs to vehicles for which my Department is responsible. The answer to the second part of the Question is No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations the Boundary Commission have made regarding constituency alterations in parts of County Durham.

During the last two years the Commission have recommended minor adjustments of constituency boundaries in County Durham in consequence of extensions of the boroughs of South Shields, Sunderland and Stockton-on-Tees; and they are now considering recommending similar adjustments in consequence of an extension of the borough of West Hartlepool.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider arranging for a sample investigation into the background of a representative number of persons who have been convicted of crimes with violence.

An analysis of of cases of persons convicted of robbery with violence and kindred offences under Section 23 (1) of the Larceny Act, 1916, during the period 1931 to 1940 was given in a Return to an Address in another place in July, 1951. A similar analysis for the period 1921 to 1930 was included in the Report of the Departmental Committee on Corporal Punishment. Proposals for a wider inquiry into crimes of violence are at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent his decision to extend the working hours of prisoners will result in a diversion in the supply of work from Government Departments away from Remploy factories.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Labour and I, in consultation with the other Departments concerned, are collaborating with a view to securing a greater volume of work for priority suppliers such as the Prison Commission and Remploy. We do not expect that an extension of prisoners' working hours would have any such effect as the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what number of county boroughs in England and Wales out of the total, and what number of boroughs out of the total now permit the Sunday opening of cinemas.

There is power to permit the Sunday opening of cinemas in 79 of 83 county borough and in 215 of 309 non-county boroughs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total population of the areas in England and Wales now permitting Sunday opening of cinemas; and what percentage this is of the total population.

According to the most recent figures available, about 29 million, or 68 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will devise some means of prohibiting stilettos and other dangerous weapons being sold to young men or boys.

I recognise that there is public concern in this matter, but there are considerable difficulties in the way of dealing with the problem by legislation, including the difficulty of definition. I have this matter, together with related problems, under review; and if my hon. Friend has any specific proposals, I shall be happy to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to state the total cost this year of the Fire Service College, and the cost per student per annum, respectively.

The estimated cost of the college for the present financial year is £48,200. The estimated cost per student week is £21 10s. 0d.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to make a statement regarding the new detention centre for juvenile offenders near Kidlington.

The first detention centre, at Campsfield House, Kidlington, was opened on 25th August last. It is for boys over 14 years of age and under 17. It is at present available for use by courts in the Metropolitan Police District, the Home Counties, and the counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire (except Birmingham), Worcestershire and the Black Country portion of Staffordshire. Fifty-one boys have so far been committed to the centre, and 40 are there now. Thirty-five of the boys received were committed for 3 months, 7 for shorter terms and 9 for longer. It is too early as yet for any assessment of the results of this new form of sentence of which I personally have high hopes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the intention of the Government to allow Regulation 55C to lapse, he has in mind to introduce permanent legislation to control and regulate the licensing of clubs.

I will certainly keep in view the possibility of permanent legislation to strengthen the law relating to registered clubs, but I regret that I can hold out no prospect of early legislation on this difficult and controversial subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the cost of the police training centres rose from £215,680 in 1951–52 to £236,775 in 1952–53; and why the cost of the police college rose from £43,270 to £48,830.

The Estimates for the police training centres for 1951–52 included £29,000 in respect of arrears of rent and rates for previous years, and those for 1952–53 included £21,000 for a new centre which in the event has not been provided. The comparable figures for the two years are therefore £186,680 and £215,775, the increase being caused mainly by an increase in the number of students, the provision of three new motor coaches, and the increased cost of repairs, maintenance, fuel, light and food. The increase for the police college is due mainly to the higher cost of fuel, light and food.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the result of his further consultations with the Police Council and with particular interests represented thereon on the possibility of implementing the second part of the Oaksey Committee's Report; and on what subjects there remains a cleavage of opinion.

A valuable discussion on the subject of police negotiating machinery took place at the Police Council over which I presided on 5th November. A few questions are still at issue, but I am encouraged to think that even on these questions the differences of view were considerably narrowed, although I would not wish to suggest that anything like complete agreement has yet been reached. The central and local government authorities are now reexamining their attitude to the outstanding questions in the light of the discussions at the Council, and at this stage I would prefer to avoid any risk of prejudicing the position by referring to any particular subjects as still revealing a cleavage of opinion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that the number of private cars in London now greatly exceeds garage accommodation, he will ask the Metropolitan Police to use their discretion in regard to cars being left without lights in well-lit streets.

The Commissioner of Police has given consent to vehicles standing without lights at certain authorised street parking places. As regards the lighting of vehicles standing elsewhere, the police have a duty to enforce the law, and while they carry out this duty with discretion, too great a latitude would be likely to result in increased and indiscriminate parking of unlit vehicles throughout the hours of darkness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulations he intends to issue in regard to street collections or house-to-house collections made for the purpose of local Coronation celebrations in the Metropolitan Police area.

The question whether a collection for a local Coronation celebration is a charitable collection within the meaning of the House to House Collections Act, 1939, is a question of law which could be decided only by a court on the facts of a particular case. I understand that the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis takes the view that no police permission is required for collections which involve no more than the collaboration of a group of neighbours to raise funds for a joint celebration. I see no reason to dissent from this view.This does not apply to collections from passers-by in the street, which are governed by Regulations made under the Police Factories, etc. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1916, which applies to collections for all purposes.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the average figure of daily unemployment rose among London dockworkers from 5,935 in the week ended 4th October, 1952, to 6,275 in the week ended 11th October, to 5,940 in the week ended 18th October, with an average unemployment figure of 6,050 during this period, against an average of 525 for the corresponding period in 1951; what was the reason for this absolute increase from 1951–52 of 5,525; and what action he proposes to take to improve the position.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. and learned Friend on 18th November and to the hon. Member for Deptford (Sir L. Plummer).

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will reconsider his decision to open a youth employment office in Solihull, in view of the fact that there is no juvenile unemployment in this district.

A youth employment office in Solihull is being opened by the Warwickshire Education Authority in accordance with their scheme for the provision of a youth employment service approved by my right hon. and learned Friend, who is satisfied that there is a need for an office in Solihull to provide an effective service for employers and young persons in this area.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has studied the details which have been sent to him concerning the efforts of a certain firm to increase output, eliminate waste and to reduce prices; and if he will make this known to all industrial organisations.

My right hon. and learned Friend is aware of the excellent work done by this particular firm in giving information about its production problems both to employees and customers and will certainly see that every opportunity is taken to make known the advantages of giving such information in order to create an atmosphere of mutual confidence and co-operation between employers and workpeople.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the incidence of tuberculosis is higher on the Tyneside than in any other part of the country; and what steps he proposes to take to assist the health authorities in that area to deal with the problem.

I know that the incidence of tuberculosis on Tyneside is higher than that for England and Wales as a whole. The regional hospital board has already made great improvements and extensions in their hospital and clinic services and I am always ready to consider with them what further steps may be required.

asked the Minister of Health when the new surgical block at Seaham for tuberculosis patients will be fully used.

As soon as the necessary staff has been recruited.

asked the Minister of Health (1) why many non-teaching hospitals in the Sheffield regional hospital area are excluded from the list of approved hospitals and institutions and recognised house officer posts under the Medical Act, 1950, having regard to the inclusion in the list of hospitals of comparable size and status in the other region;(2) what advice he gave to the licensing body in the Sheffield region relating to the list of approved hospitals and recognised house officer posts which resulted in the adopting of criteria different from those applied in other regions, as evidenced by the abnormally low proportion of posts approved in that region;(3) whether he is aware of the damage to the prestige of many major non-teaching hospitals in the Sheffield region and to their ability to attract medical staff which will be caused by their exclusion from the first published list of hospitals and institutions approved under the Medical Act, 1950.

Section 2 of the Medical Act, 1950, gives me no jurisdiction in the approval of these posts. The Act leaves the approval of posts for this purpose entirely to the licensing bodies, i.e., the universities and, in England, the Conjoint Board of England (representing the Royal Colleges) and the Society of Apothecaries.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements there are with the area of the Welsh Regional Hospital Board for chiropody treatment for old-age pensioners.

In Wales, chiropody at the public charge is not available to old age pensioners except in so far as they are hospital patients needing this service as an ancillary to some other form of treatment.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there is often a delay of several years before a vacancy can be found in any institution for a mentally deficient child; and what action he is taking to improve matters.

I am aware of un- fortunate delays which are caused by the serious shortage of staffed beds. There are about 3,000 more mentally defective patients in hospitals now than in 1948 including about 1,400 more children. Building work to provide another 970 beds of which about one-third are for children is in progress and there will be further development as far as capital and other resources permit.

asked the Minister of Health what is the approximate number of male nurses employed in general, fever and sanatoria hospitals in England; and how many hospital boards of management have refused to employ male nurses.

About 7,000, of whom 5,500 are in general hospitals, 400 in fever hospitals and 1,100 in sanatoria. I have no information as to the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Health upon what grounds the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board have sought an interview with him.

To discuss their capital programme.

asked the Minister of Health why he has cut the capital building allocation of £480,000 of the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board by 20 per cent.; and which projects will have to be deleted from the programme.

No such cut has been imposed; the total amount the board are authorised to spend on capital works during the current financial year never exceeded £408,000. In January of this year they were informed that it must not exceed £384,000 but it later proved possible to authorise the expenditure of £28,000 more. Their capital programme is to be discussed shortly with the regional hospital board.

asked the Minister of Health how many mental hospitals are working with depleted staffs, both male and female; and what steps are being taken to ease the position.

Of the 294 mental hospitals and mental deficiency institutions in the National Health Service 235 reported shortages of nursing staff at 30th September last. 162 were short of male staff and 220 of female staff. The question is being closely studied by my Mental Health Advisory Committee, and I hope to be able shortly to take measures designed to relieve the situation.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement in view of the widespread concern at the suggestion by his Department to regional hospital boards for reducing hospital staff levels and the changed policy in the recruitment of nurses.

I am anxious that all proper economy should be observed in staffing the hospitals, and am considering what further guidance I should give on this subject to employing boards and committees. As regards the recruitment of nurses, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his other Question on today's Order Paper.

asked the Minister of Health what changes he proposes to make following the notification from the Dartford Hospital Management Committee that to adhere to the terms of his Department's memorandum in respect to the recruitment of nurses would inevitably and rapidly close the hospitals in this important group.

I have informed the hospital management committee that advertisements for student nurses need not be confined to the local papers of their immediate neighbourhood.

asked the Minister of Health how many mental hospitals there are in the country and under the supervision of regional hospital boards which are overcrowded; and where they are situated.

All but 12 of the 107 mental hospitals in England and Wales are overcrowded.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospitals have no night casualty service and have to refer accidents to other hospitals, in many cases, great distances away; and if he will look into this important matter.

The information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available. I have no evidence that insufficient provision is made for the casualty service, but if the hon. Member knows of particular areas in which the service is inadequate, I shall be glad to look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can yet give a date for the commencing of the alterations to the Park Hospital, Heinsham Park, Liverpool, in order that the much-needed accommodation for chronic cases can be used.

I am informed that the regional hospital board have invited tenders for this work, but it is not yet possible to say when the work will begin.

asked the Minister of Health why, in view of the special importance of the report on maternity and obstetric research at the Mill Road Maternity Hospital, Liverpool, he insists on the cost of its printing being taken from free moneys instead of it being a charge on the service.

The publication of research reports of this kind is in my view an object of expenditure particularly appropriate to free moneys.

asked the Minister of Health what improvements have been made by local authorities in the training of ambulance personnel since his Department's circular to local authorities 50/51, dated 9th July, 1951; if he will now consider the recognition of the certificates of the Institute of Certified Ambulance Personnel which has the highest standards of any examining body in this field; and, in view of the expansion of the health services and the growing need for skilled personnel in ambulance work, what plans he has for the State registration of ambulance workers.

I have no reason to doubt that local health authorities generally are acting upon the advice offered them in Circular 30/51. They are at liberty to have regard to any certificate possessed by their ambulance men, and no recognition by me is required. The answer to the last part of the Question is "No."

asked the Minister of Health what steps he intends taking to provide residential accommodation to house evicted families in the Stanley, County Durham area.

The provision of accommodation for evicted families who cannot find homes for themselves is primarily a matter for consideration by the local authorities.

asked the Minister of Education the estimated increase in the cost of school meals this year due to the reduction in the subsidy.

I estimate that the adjustment of the food subsidies will, over the whole of the current financial year, increase the cost per meal by an average of about 7d. and the charge on my Department's Vote by about £1.7 million.

asked the Minister of Education the price per meal supplied to each child under the supervision of the Durham County Education Committee; and the average cost per meal per child for the country generally.

The average gross cost per school dinner supplied by the Durham local education authority in 1951–52 was 14.58d., as compared with an average for England and Wales of 15.10d.

asked the Minister of Education to state the number of local education authorities in England and Wales, respectively, who have reduced the amount of grant awarded to students proceeding to the university.

Only two authorities, both in England, have so far submitted schemes involving general reduction in rates of grant. In one case the reductions were substantial. I am taking the matter up with the authority concerned.

asked the Minister of Education the total number of children in Stoke-on-Trent in elementary and in secondary schools; and what number, in each case, are receiving free milk each day.

In January last there were 45,520 pupils on the registers of maintained primary and secondary schools in Stoke-on-Trent. The last return shows that of the pupils attending school on a day in June, 1952, 100 per cent. in nursery schools, 91.7 per cent. in other primary schools, and 75.3 per cent. in secondary schools received free milk.

asked the Minister of Education how many classes in elementary schools in Stoke-on-Trent have more than 40 children in each class; and, of these, how many are in non-provided schools.

In January, 1952, the number of classes with more than 40 children in primary schools maintained by the Stoke-on-Trent local education authority was 290, of which 88 were in voluntary schools.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools are blacklisted in the city of Stoke-on-Trent; and what progress is being made to replace them.

One. I have already approved the authority's proposal to demolish the old premises, which had become dangerous owing to mining subsidence, and to replace them. The work should start early in the new year.

asked the Minister of Education the number of projects approved for further education and welfare during 1952; and the corresponding number for last year.

Expenditure by local education authorities on these services does not require my specific approval, and I cannot therefore give detailed information of their expenditure under these heads. Offers of direct grant from my Department for welfare projects have been as follows:1.

asked the Minister of Education how many pupils are being removed from grammar schools after the age of 15 and before they have completed the syllabus; and what happens to the places which are thus vacated.

During the educational year 1950–51, the latest for which figures are available, about 65 per cent. of the boys and 67 per cent. of the girls in grant-aided grammar schools left before their seventeenth birthdays. It does not necessarily follow that accommodation is left vacant.

asked the Minister of Education in which counties or county boroughs the nine comprehensive schools under construction on 30th September, 1952, are situated.

Six in London, two in Coventry and one in Oldham.

asked the Minister of Education what steps she is taking to make the work of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation more widely known in this country.

The most important means to this end are the sale of the Organisation's publications through H.M. Stationery Office, the circulation of day to day information to the Press by my Department, and the work of the National Commission. I shall continue to help and encourage all these activities as opportunity offers.

asked the Minister of Education how many of the 1,297 newly-trained teachers who were still seeking posts on 10th September held special qualifications in art.

The figure of 1,297 related to teachers who left training colleges and university departments last summer and included some who were qualified to teach art. It did not include teachers who gained the art teachers' diploma at an approved centre. The number of the latter still seeking permanent posts is 111.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the very large classes in many parts of the country, she will now take action to reduce the number of trained qualified teachers who are still without posts.

I have nothing at present to add to the reply which was given to the hon. Member on 13th November.

asked the Minister of Education how much of the £17,750,000 capital expenditure for work on major school building in England and Wales during the first six months of 1952 was allocated before 1st November, 1951.

During the first six months of 1952 capital expenditure totalling about £16.85 million was incurred in respect of work done on major school building projects started before 1st November, 1951.

asked the Minister of Education the number of new school buildings commenced to be built since October, 1951, and completed to the latest convenient stated date; and similar figures for the same period during 1951.

Between the 1st October, 1951, and 30th September, 1952, the building of 305 new schools was started and 432 were completed. The comparable figures for the period 1st October, 1950–30th September, 1951, are 557 and 323.

asked the Minister of Education what agreement she has now reached with the Cardiff Education Committee with regard to the provision of a new school at Fairwater, Cardiff.

The project was approved on 24th October last, and was awarded an immediate starting date.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will have special attention given to the smoke poured out from the Victoria Works, Fenton, the tileries in Trent Vale, Blurton and Longton and from some of the potteries in Stoke, Fenton and Longton.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action has been taken to reduce the smoke poured out over the City of Stoke-on-Trent since the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, last raised the matter in question.

Smoke from the potteries has been reduced by installating gas and electrically fired ovens in place of solid fuel firing, and this process is continuing. The City Council, who are primarily responsible for smoke abatement in their area, have been active in the matter and my right hon. Friend understands that they are attending to the particular cases referred to.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to give the local authorities more power to deal with the pollution of the air by smoke.

My right hon. Friend thinks that the present powers are adequate. The difficulties are practical rather than legal.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of complaints from the residents at Castleside, County Durham, about inconvenience caused by a nearby smelting factory; if he is further aware that there is dissatisfaction in the area; and if he will endeavour to have such a nuisance removed at the earliest possible moment.

My right hon. Friend is making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government his policy with regard to the revocation of Defence (General) Regulation 68CA which is proposed in a footnote to Command Paper No. 8686.

My right hon. Friend would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 18th November to the hon. Member for Paddington, North (Mr. Field).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will have prepared plans for either terrace houses or multi-storied flats for use in semi-rural areas, similar to his proposals for the People's House, so as to economise in the use of land in places where this type of construction will be satisfactory.

Further plans are being worked out for publication next year. I think they will meet the needs my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will require all local authorities desiring to build houses first to use up the bombed sites or other available unoccupied spaces where the facilities, water, gas, electricity, drains, etc., are already available.

I would refer my hon. Friend to a Circular (65/52) I addressed to local authorities on 30th August. I am sending him a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the United States military authorities are calling to the United States Service men who have taken up residence in that country and who have already undertaken National Service in the United Kingdom; and whether it is intended to approach the United States Government on the matter.

Yes. This matter has been brought to the attention of the United States State Department who, I am informed, already have under consideration certain amendments to the United States Universal Military Training and Service Act, which are intended to take account of service in the armed forces of Allied countries.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how far industrial requirements for gas are being met in the West Midlands, with particular reference to the pottery industry.

My right hon. Friend is informed that there are many industrialists in the West Midlands who desire to obtain additional supplies of gas, largely in place of other forms of fuel. The Area Board has in hand projects which, when completed, will fully meet this additional demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to a decision of the Nurses Whitley Council not to deal with matrons and deputy-matrons of institutions administered by local authorities; and what steps he is taking to see that the interests of these matrons will be brought within the jurisdiction of the Scottish Local Authority Industrial Council without delay.

The decision of the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council was reached with the concurrence of the Scottish local authority associations who are represented on it. I understand that the Employers' Side of the Scottish Joint Industrial Council for Local Authority Services are now to consider how the salaries and conditions of service of the staff in question may best be dealt with.

asked the Minister of Works the estimated cost of the proposed extension to the British Museum Library in Bloomsbury.

I regret that the information is not available. The erection of a new British Museum Library is a long-term project which will be carried out in stages, and it is not intended to plan the building in detail until a decision has been reached on the designation of the proposed site.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many people are now serving sentences for political offences in British Somaliland and what the offences are.

There are no persons serving sentences for political offences in the Somaliland Protectorate.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will publish the evidence given to the Leasehold Committee in order to assist the House and the country to assess the basis of its recommendations; and, in particular, whether he will publish the evidence of the 10 Government Departments, each of whom gave evidence against leasehold enfranchisement.

The Report of the Leasehold Committee contains extensive and detailed comments on the evidence. In view of this, I do not think that the very considerable cost of publishing the evidence can be justified.