asked the Minister of Pensions, if he will consider extending the increase of £26 per annum to all war disability pensions, irrespective of the amount and the date of the pension.

I understand that the hon. Member has in mind wounds pensions awarded to certain officers of the 1914 war. Many of the officers who were awarded these pensions have been transferred to standard rates as these have, owing to the recent improvements, become more favourable. The pensions of the remainder of these officers are still higher than the new standard rates, and I do not, therefore, feel justified in increasing them.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that there has been correspondence since May, 1952, between his Blackpool and Nottingham offices and the parent, a war widow, with regard to the continuance of education grant number W3/29963 and that the parent, having submitted forms MPB 532 and MPJ 105A, has now added thereto similar information on form MPB 541; and whether he will review the multiplicity of his forms and continue the grant.

In May, 1952, the widow was receiving from my Department £60 a year for fees and £8 a year for expenses in respect of her son's education, in addition to the normal child's allowance paid with her pension. Particulars on forms MPB 532 and MPJ 105A, which she completed in September, were required for the purpose of a review of the grant of education expenses, the rate of which has been raised from £8 to £20 a year for the autumn term.On 17th November she was asked to complete MPB 541, the purpose of which was to confirm that her son would be continuing his education after 3rd January, 1953, his 16th birthday, at which time a child's allowance normally terminates. The completed form was received on 24th November and this enables me to continue the child's allowance and the education allowances up to the end of the summer term, 1953.I am always anxious to simplify and reduce the number of forms and I will see whether anything further can be done in connection with these particular forms.

asked the Secretary of State for War why it is estimated that 722 persons will be employed in connection with War Department railways and inland water transport.

The majority of these civilian employees are needed for duties under No. 1 Railway (Home) Group, which maintains and operates the railways in some 45 War Department depots, and at Cairnryan Military Port, which handles ammunition and explosives for the three Services. The remainder are employed at the Transportation Centre, R.E. and at the Headquarters Army Emergency Reserve (Transportation and Movement Control).

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the urgent need for newly constructed military hospitals; and if he will take steps to ensure that at least one more is constructed in this country or Northern Ireland in the near future.

Yes. There is a programme for the construction of seven new military hospitals in the United Kingdom, but there is little possibility of building more than one during the next year or so. This I hope to do. Everything possible is being done to carry out alterations and improvements to existing hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for War why, according to the Army Estimates, 1952–53, 34 persons are to be employed in the Home Section of the British Army News Unit; and what are the duties of these persons.

This civilian staff is employed on a news service for Army newspapers, the Forces Broadcast Network, etc., overseas; in the distribution of United Kingdom newspapers to overseas commands; and in the production and distribution of the Army magazine "Soldier." The cost of about 14 of this staff is met from the sales of this magazine, which is self-supporting.

asked the Secretary of State for War why, according to the Army Estimates, 1952–53, 93 clerical and industrial staff are to be employed at Veterinary and Remount Establishments, while no provision is made for technical staff in those establishments.

Apart from two of this staff who are employed on technical duties, the technical staff is provided by the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps he has taken during 1952, and what steps he will be taking in 1953, in order to reduce substantially the administrative costs of his Department.

The War Office staff is being reduced by over 700 during this year. Attempts to achieve economy and reductions will continue.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is issuing gloves to go with the overcoats for the Home Guard.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for War the total number of military attaches employed by his Department; and what is their cost for pay and expenses.

There are 49 military attaches and assistant military attaches at the present time. The cost of their pay and allowances is some £236,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent the estimated rise in the cost of Army food and ration allowances from £32,424,000 in 1951–52 to £41,610,000 in 1952–53 is due to a rise in prices; to what extent to an increase in the Army; and to what extent to an addition to the rations.

Of the increase of some £9 million for these services, just under £3 million arises on supplies purchased for other Government Departments, etc., for which my Department is re-imbursed. Of the increase on the Army's account, some £1½ million is due to the increased Army strength and the remainder is due to a rise in prices and to larger numbers serving overseas where ration costs and allowances are higher than in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the discussion that took place on Tuesday, 25th November, between the British Ambassador, the Commercial Attaché and the Argentine Foreign Minister on the new Anglo-Argentine Trade Treaty.

No. I do not consider that it would contribute to the successful development of the negotiations to issue reports on the matters under discussion at any particular meeting.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken during 1952, and what steps he will be taking in 1953, to reduce substantially the administrative costs of his Department.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) on 25th November.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many Governments which are parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade have introduced discriminatory tax reliefs in favour of the exhibition of home-produced films; and what action Her Majesty's Government will take.

As far as I am aware only one country. We would be prepared to consider raising the matter with the country concerned if there was any indication that our own industry was suffering.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the minimum figure to which the import of dollar tobacco is restricted; on what basis this figure is calculated; and what is the maximum figure for sterling area tobacco and Greek and Turkish tobacco, respectively, to which imports are limited.

In view of our balance of payments, the Government's policy is to import as little dollar tobacco as is compatible with maintaining the home and export trades and keeping commercial stocks at a reasonable level. There is no fixed figure to which imports of dollar tobacco are restricted, since the amount imported in any year depends not only on the estimated volume of home and export trade but on the level of stocks and on the availability of suitable non-dollar tobaccos. Manufacturers may import from the sterling area and from Greece and Turkey as much tobacco as they wish.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will announce the quota for the import of dried bulbs for forcing and for dry sale during 1953.

Arrangements for the import of flower bulbs, corms, and tubers in the first six months of 1953 were announced on 13th November in Notice to Importers No. 524. Arrangements for the second half of 1953 will be announced in due course.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action has been taken to regulate the import of Canary tomatoes during the present period, in view of the effects on the British growers of the abnormally early and large crop produced in the Canary Islands this season.

During 1952 the open general licence for imports of tomatoes from Western Europe and certain other non-sterling sources was suspended from 16th June to 15th October. The arrangements for 1953 will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give detailed information of the Government's present policy for increasing our national output; and what steps the Government have taken to implement this policy.

I would refer the hon. Member to what I said in my speech in the House on 11th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how far his Exchange Control Regulations permit the implementation of barter deals on the lines of the recently announced jet aircraft/raw cotton deal with Brazil.

There is nothing in Exchange Control Regulations prohibiting such deals provided that the importer has authority, under current import policy, to import the goods concerned and provided that payment for the export is made in the proper amount and manner.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will review Purchase Tax on articles approved as suitable Coronation gifts for children, and thus enable local authorities and education committees to give gifts worthy of the occasion;(2) if he is aware that approved souvenir articles carrying 33⅓ per cent. Purchase Tax are increased to 100 per cent. if surmounted with a Crown; and why this is so.

I am considering how far I can go to meet these difficulties, and I hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sum was collected in the form of tithe redemption annuities from tenants, or owners of agricultural land during the year ended 1951.

The total sum collected during the year was about £2½ million. Of this amount about 95 per cent. is estimated to have been paid by owners of agricultural land; the annuities are not payable by tenants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, when framing his Budget proposals, he will consider a revision of the existing law concerning the aggregation of trusts and estates for assessing the rates of Estate Duty, bearing in mind the present existing anomalies.

I note my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion; but he will not expect me to anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the National Debt is held by Government Departments, by Government-controlled organisations and by the nationalised industries, respectively.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the National Debt return and to the annual accounts of these bodies. I regret that I cannot add to the published information.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has studied a pamphlet on a dollar-sterling alliance published by the United States Chamber of Commerce in London, a copy of which has been sent to him; if he will implement as far as practicable the recommendations therein contained; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, I have studied this interesting pamphlet, but I have nothing to add to the statement I made in the House on 11th November in the debate on the Address.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when a reply may be expected to the letter of 9th September last, concerning the case of Squadron Leader Ramsden.

I am afraid that inquiries in this case have been both complex and protracted, but I have now written to my hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, if he has considered the renewed representations of the Borough Council of Stretford, the Urmston Urban District Council and the Borough Council of Sale as to the urgent need for a crematorium to serve their combined area; and whether he will now authorise the three authorities to proceed with their scheme to provide a crematorium at Sale.

My right hon. Friend has considered this proposal, but cannot authorise it at present.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has yet consulted the Secretary of State for the Colonies concerning the circumstances which led to Cardiff being given the opportunity to stage the Empire Games in 1958; and whether he will make a statement about the prospect of Cardiff Corporation being granted permission to build a swimming bath of international standards.

Yes, but it will be some time before my right hon. Friend can make any statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the shortage of metal water pipes in the County of Durham; that such shortage is holding up the completion of houses; and what steps he is taking to speed up supplies.

My right hon. Friend is aware that difficulties have arisen and is taking steps to deal with them.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what instructions or advice he has given to local authorities about the collection of salvage.

My right hon. Friend is sending my hon. Friend a copy of a circular issued to local authorities about the recovery of iron and steel scrap.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the growing resentment among local government authorities at the substantial relief from rates granted to industrial hereditaments since the Local Government Act, 1929, became law, and if he will, in the light of existing financial conditions, introduce legislation to ensure that industrial establishments are required to make an equitable contribution to the rates.

My right hon. Friend would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Dr. Jeger) on 21st October.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent his proposed £2,500,000 new work for 1953 for bombed towns represents new work to be completed in 1953 or permits for new work to be started in 1953.

The additional £2,500,000 represents the value of the work to be carried out in 1953 on new projects which will be licensed during the year. The total value of the new projects to be licensed during the year will be greater than £2,500,000 since some of the work will not be completed till 1954. What will be the total value of the new licences issued during 1953 I cannot say until I know what projects the local authorities concerned wish me to sponsor.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many planning authorities have now submitted their development plans to his Department; and how many of them have been approved.

114 local planning authorities have submitted development plans to me for approval. I have approved 12 plans covering the whole of the areas concerned and two plans which relate to small parts only of the counties of Cheshire and West Sussex.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses have been demolished since designation or are scheduled to be demolished in each of the new towns.

Following are the figures:

New Town		Houses demolished	Houses acquired or being acquired for demolition
Aycliffe	…	5	4
Basildon	…	14	25
Bracknell	…	6	13
Corby	…	0	1
Crawley	…	0	16
Cwmbran	…	0	3*
Harlow	…	1	1
Hemel Hempstead	…	25	40
Peterlee	…	0	2
Stevenage	…	1	14
Welwyn/Hatfield	…	0	0
* One derelict and unoccupied.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what special steps he is taking in the county of Middlesex to avert hardship to those families who are evicted and who are unable to find alternative accommodation.

If the existing half-way house accommodation is used to the best advantage my right hon. Friend does not think any special steps are called for.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to review the Rent Restriction Acts.

I have this matter under consideration.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how much Exchequer aid it is estimated will be granted in a full year's operation of the Town Development Act, 1952.

The amount of these grants will depend on the number and cost of the schemes put forward, the financial circumstances of the local authorities concerned and the rate of progress of the schemes. The information available at this stage is not sufficient to enable any reliable estimate to be made.

asked the Minister of Works why the staff of his account department increased from 673 in 1951–52 to 827 in 1952–53.

The accounting system is being re-organised and in this process, work which was previously carried by other divisions of the Ministry is being transferred to the Accounts Division. The staff attributed to the Accounts Division, therefore, shows an increase, but there will be a net saving in the numbers employed in the Ministry on accounting duties.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is now able to make a statement in regard to the future of Fitzharris House, Abingdon.

I have consulted the Ancient Monuments Board for England about Fitzharris House. They have said in their report that they regret that the house was allowed to get into its present neglected state and would gladly have seen it preserved in good condition, but that in view of the present state of decay of the house they do not consider that there is now any justification for spending money from the Ancient Monuments Vote upon its preservation. They concur with the suggestion that the house should be demolished.My right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply has, therefore, given instructions for its demolition.

asked the Minister of Works the cause of the recent fire at Hampton Court Palace; and what special fire precautions are taken in buildings of special historic and artistic importance.

A full inquiry has been held and a fire research report made by the Chief Fire Officer, Middlesex. This suggests possible causes of the fire, but the actual cause cannot be stated with certainty. My Department has a Fire Surveyor who advises on fire precautions in all the buildings in my charge, and a staff of fire inspectors to ensure that proper precautions are taken. Special attention is given to buildings of historic or artistic importance; and resident fire brigades, fire patrols and alarm systems are provided according to the importance and requirements of the building.

asked the Minister of Works to give details of the accommodation which will be allocated to hon. Members on the occasion of the Coronation of Her Majesty.

I cannot at present add anything to the answer I gave on 11th November to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis).

asked the Minister of Works the approximate expenditure he proposes to incur in connection with the Coronation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) on 27th November, 1952.

asked the Minister of Works when a plaque to commemorate the Lying-in-State of His late Majesty King George VI will be placed in Westminster Hall.

The plaque will be placed in position during the Christmas Recess.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, when the detailed results of the investigations concerning the nutritional value of different types of flour and bread, asked for by the flour-milling industry, and conducted by Professor McCance and Dr. Widdowson on behalf of the Medical Research Council, at Wuppertal, in Germany, in 1946–47, will be published.

Professor McCance and Dr. Widdowson are at present engaged in writing-up the results of their investigations. No date for publication can yet be given.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will consider granting deferment from military service to young men wishing, and able, to take one year courses at agricultural institutes.

My right hon. and learned Friend is considering this question in consultation with his right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture and the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he has taken to discuss with the trade unions and employers the proposed workers' charter; and when the proposals contained in this charter will be brought before Parliament for the purpose of legislative action thereon.

My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to put before the National Joint Advisory Council proposals for an Industrial Code, the aim of which would be to encourage the adoption of enlightened standards in industry. It is not the Government's intention to introduce legislation on this subject, though I hope that in due course Parliament may give its approval to the standards recommended in the Code.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total expenditure made by the education authorities in Scotland under the heading of further education in the last full year for which figures are available; and what subjects are covered by further education.

If education in universities and training colleges is excluded the total expenditure of education authorities in the financial year 1951–52 on further education, including assistance to pupils, was £2,025,000.For a detailed list of the subjects covered I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to pages 99–105 of the Report on Education in Scotland in 1951 (Cmd. 8515).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he is doing to assist Scottish fishermen to buy fishing gear and repair their boats, in view of the increasing cost of gear and repairs.

While a fall in the cost of imported raw materials has reduced prices for certain ropes and nets, I am aware that the cost of gear and repairs is a heavy item. White fish catchers in inshore and near and middle waters at present receive a subsidy and herring fishermen are assisted directly through the herring oil and meal scheme and indirectly through grants to the Herring Industry Board for other purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will circularise regional hospital boards making it clear that accommodation for private patients under Section 5 (2) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947, is subject to the same provisos as accommodation made available under Section 5 (1).

I have written to the hon. Member about the point that I understand he has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that farmers occupying land adjoining planted Forestry Commission lands are now unwilling to undertake burning where it is required on account of the risk involved; and whether he will take steps to ensure that the Forestry Commission give greater assistance where burning takes place.

The risk to plantations if muir fires get out of control is obviously great and foresters have been instructed to co-operate with farmers who are carrying out their statutory obligations. Labour is lent to neighbours to the greatest extent possible and the Commission post their own men on their boundaries. I understand that these arrangements have, in the main, worked satisfactorily.

asked the Lord Advocate whether, in view of the contravention of the Protection of Animals Act, 1911 and of the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act, 1925, further details of which have now been sent to him, he will now institute proceedings against Richard Chipperfield and Edward Jonsson in connection with the mauling of an elephant by a tigress at a public performance in Glasgow on 25th June last.

No. I have considered all the information put before me and I have decided not to institute proceedings in connection with the incident at the circus performance in Glasgow on 25th June last.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will appoint a committee to re-examine the Scottish system of rating and equalisation grants in the light of present economic circumstances.

An investigation into the working of the Exchequer equalisation grant arrangements in Scotland has already begun and the result of it will be reported to Parliament in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the inefficient landlords who have received notices that they have failed to carry out their responsibilities for increasing food production under the Agriculture (Scotland) Act, 1948; and who are the landlords against whom these notices are still in force.

A warning notice, as the name implies, is intended to give the landlord concerned a reasonable opportunity to remedy defects in his estate management. This object would not be furthered by publicity of the kind suggested by the hon. Member and I am, accordingly, not prepared to give the information he desires.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much cement has been imported from abroad direct into Scotland during the first 10 months of this year; and the total landed value.

Imports of cement of all kinds through Scottish ports recorded during January to October, 1952, amounted to 46,354 tons valued at £330,915 (c.i.f.).

asked the Minister of Labour the figures of registered unemployed at Kilmarnock and Newmilns employment exchanges at latest date; the number of those who have been unemployed for at least three months; and equivalent figures for 1950 and 1951, respectively.

The total numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of the Kilmarnock and Newmilns employment exchanges at 10th November. 1952, were 612 and 99 respectively. An analysis according to duration of unemployment is obtained only at quarterly intervals and the latest date for which figures are available is 15th September, 1952.

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF KILMARNOCK AND NEWMILNS EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AT THE DATES SPECIFIED WHO HAD, AT THOSE DATES, BEEN CONTINUOUSLY UNEMPLOYED FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS
—			Kilmarnock		Newmilns
			Number	Percentage of total unemployed	Number	Percentage of total unemployed
11th September, 1950	…	…	89	21	17	35
17th September, 1951	…	…	58	22	9	17
15th September, 1952	…	…	154	34	37	28

asked the Minister of Labour how many of Scotland's unemployed have been out of work for more than three months; and how this compares with October, 1951.

An analysis of the number of unemployed persons by duration of unemployment is obtained only at quarterly intervals and the latest date for which figures are available is 15th September, 1952, when there were 24,622, or 37 per cent. of the total for Scotland, who had been unemployed for more than three months. The corresponding figures for 17th September, 1951, were 16,844 or 35 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now able to give an estimate of the expenditure to be incurred in rehabilitating the barracks and other quarters at The Morne, St. Lucia, for the reception of the newly formed British West India Regiment; and whether he will have regard to the fact that it is desirable to relate these works to the Castries reconstruction, so as to make the best use of the building force available on the island.

Expenditure is estimated at £125,000, spread over three years. The proposal to revive the British West India Regiment is still under consideration by the colonial Governments concerned and is unlikely to be settled by the date when the reconstruction of Castries should be finished.

asked the Minister of Materials the estimated cost for the current year in respect of the controls operated by the Ministry of Supply.

The estimated cost for the current year in respect of the control of non-ferrous metals, operated by my Ministry on behalf of the Ministry of Supply, is £4,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what German military and para-military forces now exist in East Germany.

On 12th May last, I announced that the East German paramilitary police forces were estimated at a strength of 53,000 men. These forces were first established as long ago as 1948. According to the most recent information available these forces are now being transformed into an army which at present numbers nearly 100,000 men. The strength of the East German so-called "Air Police" is rapidly approaching 5,000 men, while that of the naval force exceeds 4,000 trained men.Some of the East German land forces have already been organised in a corps composed of three divisions; and there are indications that further corps are being organised on similar lines. The corps at present in existence possesses at least 350 Soviet T/34 tanks and 200 artillery weapons of various calibres.Although it will no doubt take time for the reorganisation and training of this force to be completed, the steps recently taken mark the decisive transition from an armed police force to an effective military machine. Para-military training and political indoctrination for youth are provided on a large scale by the "Free German Youth," the "Service for Germany" Organisation, and the "Sport and Technical" Organisation.I am making available in the Library copies of a recent Foreign Office statement on East German re-armament.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will reconcile the figure of 1,040,000 acres of pasture, which qualified for a ploughing subsidy under the first scheme, with the 4th June returns 1952, which shows an increase for the year of 49,000 acres of arable land whilst the decrease of temporary pasture is given as 65,000 acres only and the decrease of permanent grass as 50,000 only; and publish the figure of net increase of arable land for the year 1951–52.

The table below gives for each country the latest estimated area of land under grass that qualified for the first scheme of ploughing grants:

		('000 acres)
England and Wales	…	610
Scotland	…	288
Northern Ireland	…	150
Total (U.K.)	…	1,048

The whole of this acreage, except for an insignificant area re-seeded, was sown to approved grain and fodder crops.The net increase in 1952 in arable in the United Kingdom is provisionally put at 79,000 acreas, but the increase in crops is as much as 234,000 acres. I cannot say how much of the 814,000 acres, representing the difference between the acres earning grant and the increase in crops, would have been ploughed and sown without the grant nor how much would have gone out of cultivation.

asked the Minister of Food the cost to his Department of the present collecting centres and chairman of auctioneers system.

£1,460,508 for the year ended 31st March, 1952.

asked the Minister of Health how far his regulations compel a patient to pay another shilling if the bottle of drops ordered by a doctor proves ineffective after use for a day or two.

A charge is payable on each occasion that the prescription or prescriptions ordered by a doctor on any one prescription form are dispensed by a chemist, or on each occasion that medicine is dispensed by a doctor who dispenses his own medicine.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet received a report from the Advisory Committee on Publicity and Recruitment for the Civil Defence and Allied Services.

My hon. and gallant Friend will no doubt have received by now a copy of the Committee's First Report, which was recently submitted to my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Minister of Health and myself, and was published as a Command Paper (Cmd. 8708) yesterday.