asked the Secretary of State for War if he will announce a date when the liability of recall for service will be abolished for members of the Z Reserve.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many National Service men are undergoing their basic training at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne military depot; and how many Regulars are in the training section.

Twenty-three Regular soldiers are at present employed in training 120 National Service men and 56 Regular recruits.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether as a means of attracting more recruits for the Regular Army he will increase the pay.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the ratio of military and civilian staff to students at the Military College of Science.

The ratio of instructional staff to students is one to one.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent the stores and ammunition depot at Tel el Kebir is being maintained; and the cost of maintenance.

The base ordnance depot at Tel el Kebir holds large quantities of mobilisation equipment and war reserves, including vehicles, and carries out the repair of general stores for the whole Middle East garrison. An estimate of the current running costs is being prepared locally, and I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the overseas allowance is paid to officers and other ranks while serving in Belgium; and whether this also applies to service in Germany.

Local overseas allowance is paid to officers and other ranks serving in Belgium. It is not paid to those in Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for War the cost of moving the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, to Kenya; and how far the charges in this connection will be borne by War Office Votes.

This battalion was moved to Kenya in aircraft of the Royal Air Force. The cost of the move was about £83,000 and this will not be borne by Army Votes.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many National Service men are at present serving with the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, in Kenya.

On 31st October this year, the latest date for which figures are available, seven officers and 292 other ranks in this unit were National Service men.

asked the Secretary of State for War the total acreage of land held by his Department in North Staffordshire.

My Department holds in Staffordshire some 2,200 acres, freehold, leasehold or requisitioned under Defence Regulation 51. In addition, some 600 acres are held on lease by the Staffordshire Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many mass radiography units are now available for the examination of serving men and recruits; and how many men, per 10,000 examined, are found to be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis.

The majority of recruits and National Service men are examined by Ministry of Health units before entry. The Army uses nine teams to examine men where this has not already been done. During the first nine months of this year the Army teams found that in each 10,000 examined 13 had signs of healed tuberculosis and 6.6 signs of active tuberculosis.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Army List gives no indication that an officer who has won a bar to a decoration has, in fact, done so; and whether he will correct this omission of relevant information by the addition of a small numeral or asterisk.

I am grateful to my hon. and gallant Friend for his suggestion. The award of bars to decorations will be shown in the April, 1953, and later editions of the Army List.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether free travel warrants granted to military personnel travelling on leave includes free travel by omnibus where no railway service exists.

No. Where it is necessary to travel by bus for more than 5 miles in these circumstances a special warrant is issued or fares are refunded later. Special arrangements are made to re-imburse those travelling to remoter parts of the country which are not served by public transport.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will take steps to exclude members of the Communist Party from the Army.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many high-ranking officers receiving £1,000 a year or over are employed in the administration and organisation of the Home Guard.

One.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many guns, during the past 12 months, have been sent for repair to the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers Workshops, Greenford, having been found unfit for use after a supposed overhaul by a private contractor.

Forty-six guns were involved and the circumstances are at present under investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that No. 1 Central Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers Workshops, Ashford, is working well below its productive capacity; and why, in these circumstances, work suitable for these workshops is being let out to private contractors.

This workshop is at present carrying out a programme for the overhaul of some 400 Ford vehicles and a further programme of 450 similar vehicles is planned. There is plenty of work for the men employed there, but occasionally short time is worked in a particular section owing to temporary shortage of spare parts or because of an unusual number of vehicles sharing the same defect.

asked the Secretary of State for War why the collection and delivery of War Department vehicles is being undertaken by Car-Collection, Limited, when War Department drivers are available for this work.

The collection of vehicles from production is carried out under Ministry of Supply arrangements. Normally Army drivers are employed to deliver vehicles from Ordnance depots, but during the Reserve and Territorial Army training this year we had to enlist the help of a civilian firm to cope with the number of vehicles to be issued.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what location the former British garrison in Bermuda has now been transferred; and what financial aid is now being made by Her Majesty's Government to the defence of the Colony.

The withdrawal of the British garrison will not be completed until 1st May next year. It will not be transferred elsewhere as a unit, but the men released will be absorbed into existing units. No financial aid towards the defence of Bermuda will be made.

asked the Secretary of State for War what fire-fighting organisations have been established in the home Forces; and whether any of these are earmarked for co-operation with Civil Defence in an emergency.

There are in this country 26 whole-time War Department fire brigades and eight Army fire brigades. There is close co-operation between these brigades and the National Fire Service, and they would be available to help the Civil Defence authorities in an emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are in force for co-operation between the home Forces and Civil Defence in an emergency.

Army planning staffs maintain close liaison with Civil Defence planning staffs on the subject of the Army's rendering third echelon support to Civil Defence. If the Civil Defence first and second echelons in any given area are unable to deal with the situation, it is accepted that the Army is available to give third echelon assistance.The extent to which such assistance will be made available can only be decided at the time in the light of the seriousness of the Civil Defence situation. Plans for the Army to render third echelon support to Civil Defence have been drawn up, and joint exercises are held from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Germans are employed by the British Forces in Germany.

There are some 22,000 men in the German Service Organisation. In addition, the British Army of the Rhine employs local labour for a variety of tasks as is the case in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many soldiers of the Black Watch, killed or wounded in the recent action in Korea, were National Service men under 21.

Six other ranks were killed and four officers and 40 other ranks wounded.

asked the Secretary of State for War to make a statement on the employment of South Koreans in the British Commonwealth Division in Korea.

The United Kingdom Government have received a proposal from the Commander-in-Chief, British Commonwealth Forces, Korea, that 1,000 Korean troops should be integrated into infantry units of the First Commonwealth Division with United Nations Forces in Korea.The United Kingdom Government have been in consultation with the other Commonwealth Governments concerned and there is agreement that, subject to settlement of detailed financial arrangements, the proposal should be approved. The reinforcement of the Commonwealth Division by South Korean troops will not affect the strength of British troops in Korea though it will allow them to be rested and relieved more frequently.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the importation into this country of cashmere scarves manufactured in Czechoslovakia by Centrotex. Limited, Prague.

The quota for the import of apparel from Czechoslovakia specifically excludes goods made of cashmere. If my hon. and gallant Friend has any evidence to suggest that cashmere scarves are, nevertheless, coming into this country I shall be glad to investigate it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that businessmen, now fixing up their accommodation in London for 1953, are finding that their usual hotel is refusing their booking for Tuesday, 2nd June; and if he will request the Coronation Accommodation Committee to bear this point in mind and to propose a solution to prevent discrimination against regular patrons.

I think this is a matter which is best left to the good sense of the hotel industry, and I am sure that they will recognise that it is in their interest to treat their regular patrons fairly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the refund of Purchase Tax allowed to hotels in proportion to the number of dollar-earning visitors they accommodated during the Festival of Britain year will be allowed for the Coronation year as well; how much money was claimed; and how much allowed for the Festival year.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No." Applications were made for grants of approximately £450,000 under the Hotel Grants Scheme, but the supporting evidence required to substantiate them is coming in so slowly that it is still not possible to say what the total allowed will be. It seems likely, however, that it will be of the order of £380.000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action is recommended by the Coronation Accommodation Committee on behalf of hotels which discover that accommodation reserved in their establishments is being offered at very high prices during the Coronation period; if he has considered the particular case given by the Agent-General of New South Wales to the hon. Member for Coventry, South, whereby he was offered as a favour to Commonwealth guests the invitation for two people of a two weeks' stay in a good hotel, plus seating elsewhere for the Coronation procession, at an inclusive charge of 550 guineas per person, excluding travel, of which he has received details; and what action he will take in the case in question.

I have written to the hon. Member about this case. The Coronation Accommodation Committee have investigated the offer made to the Agent-General of New South Wales and have found that the person making the offer has not secured reservations at either of the hotels mentioned by him.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what reduction in the staff of his regional organisation he is proposing to make, in view of the fact that there was no regional organisation before the war.

The present work of the Board of Trade makes a regional organisation necessary, but my right hon. Friend is determined to keep its numbers as low as possible. Notwithstanding additions to its work, its numbers have been continuously reduced and have fallen from 1,484 to 775 in the period since November, 1947.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the progress of the trade negotiations with Argentina.

The negotiations are continuing but, for reasons which have already been given to the House, I think it better not to make any detailed statement at this stage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now release the hire-purchase restrictions imposed on bicycles and other essential articles.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the hard-core of unemployment in Portsmouth, he will make every effort to encourage more factories to come to Portsmouth.

I am glad to say that it has been agreed in the last few months that two large new factories will be built in the Portsmouth area. These should materially improve the employment opportunities in the area over the next few years. We shall continue to watch the position.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will maintain control of retailers' margins in furniture when the Utility scheme is abolished.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why a licence is required for the export of black marine glue to South Africa.

This glue usually contains bitumen, supplies of which are insufficient to permit unrestricted exports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration has been given by his Department to the use of the South Bank site for a permanent London location for the British Industries Fair; and whether he will state the considered advantages or otherwise, of this arrangement compared with Earls Court.

This possibility has been examined, but it was found that the site would be too small unless a building with several storeys were erected. Such a building would be expensive and, in the opinion of many people, unsuitable for the Fair. There were other difficulties. also.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make representations to the appropriate authorities to improve communications for foreign buyers, between Earls Court, London, and Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham, by the use of fast through rail services between the two points, appropriately equipped with restaurant and buffet cars, and also by the use of aeroplane and helicopter services.

I am in touch with the appropriate authorities to see what can be done to improve communications between London and Castle Bromwich during the period of the British Industries Fair.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give particulars of such measures as have been taken in order to reduce the long inquiry forms previously sent in connection with the Census of Production.

In the Census of Production for 1952, which is to be taken on a sample basis, fewer questions will be asked than in any previous census. The census for 1953 will be on similar lines.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now completed his consideration of the report on the administration of the Development areas; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot yet add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member on 18th November.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many schemes submitted for approval in Development Areas in England since 1st July, 1952, have been endorsed; how many rejected; and what are the respective capital costs of such schemes.

38 applications for industrial development certificates in respect of projects for Development Areas in England were received between 1st July, 1952, and 31st October, 1952, and all were granted. The total capital cost of these building schemes is estimated by the promoters to be about £3¾ million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) why re-exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the first nine months of 1952 are £29,924,000 against £14,313,000 for 1951 and £952,000 for 1950; and in what classes of merchandise these big increases have taken place;(2) what are the main classes of goods imported from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the first nine months of 1952, costing £47,779,000, as compared with £39,497,000 in 1951 and £24,532,000 in 1950; and why exports and re-exports this year amount only to less than £32,000,000.

The increase in our re-exports to the U.S.S.R. is due almost entirely to a change in the Soviet Union's arrangements for the purchase of rubber. The Soviet Union has, since the beginning of 1951, bought more through the United Kingdom and less direct from Malaya.The imports from the U.S.S.R. in the first nine months of 1952 consisted mainly of grain. The other main items were timber, undressed furskins and canned fish.Our combined exports and re-exports to the U.S.S.R. are this year considerably higher than in 1951, but exports taken alone are about the same. Exports are not higher because some of our products have been denied for strategic reasons and because the Soviet Union declines to buy most of the products which we are ready and willing to sell.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much of the £6 million new orders for British goods for Eastern Europe, placed at the Moscow Economic Conference earlier this year, have so far been delivered; and what steps he is taking to encourage this East-West trade.

So far as I know, no orders for United Kingdom goods were placed at the Moscow Economic Conference and I have not heard of any deliveries which could be attributed to the agreements concluded there. After the Moscow Conference my right hon. Friend got in touch with the representatives in London of the Soviet Government and of the three Eastern European Governments with which agreements were concluded, but no new trade has resulted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the serious recession in trade from which the textile industry is only slowly recovering, he will undertake to give further consideration to the matter before increasing the import quota for textiles.

Textiles are of major importance to a number of Western European countries and are the principal item on the short list of goods for which all members of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation have undertaken to remove import licensing restrictions. It is naturally expected of us that, as our balance of payments position improves, we should relax our restrictions on such items and it is in our own interest to do so. We could not expect to go on selling large quantities of textiles and other manufactured goods to Western Europe if we were ourselves restricting imports more than is absolutely necessary to protect our balance of payments.Despite recent monthly surpluses, the United Kingdom is still heavily in debt to the European Payments Union and Her Majesty's Government consider that the relaxations of our import restrictions which have just been announced are the most which can be justified in present circumstances.Licences for almost the full amount of the new quotas have now been issued.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it has now been decided that the United Kingdom should ratify the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Agreement of 2nd November, 1950, concerning the importation of educational, scientific and cultural materials.

Yes. Her Majesty's Government have come to the conclusion that the carrying out of this Agreement would help to promote freer conditions over a small, but culturally and socially important, field. They are, therefore, now prepared to ratify the Agreement as soon as the necessary modifications in United Kingdom tariff and import regulations can be made. This work has been put in hand.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider taking steps to amend the Cinematograph Films Act, 1948, in order to protect workers in the film dubbing industry.

No evidence has been submitted to the Board of Trade to support the suggestion that special protection is needed for these workers; but my right hon. Friend will bear this matter in mind together with other suggestions for amendment of the Cinematograph Films Acts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of cases of bankruptcy reported each year since 1936, resulting from the non-payment of tithe redemption charges.

Cases of bankruptcy are not classified in such a way as to give this information; but I am informed by the Tithe Redemption Commission that 27 receiving orders have been made since 1936 on petitions presented by the Commission.The number in each year is as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take to prevent cutlery of foreign origin being stamped with a Coronation mark in this country and sold as souvenirs.

None. The import of cutlery marked so as to constitute Coronation souvenirs is already prohibited; we have no powers to prohibit the application of a Coronation mark after importation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the comments of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on the manner in which his Department launched a prosecution against Circuits Management Association for film quota default; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has studied the comments of the learned Chief Metropolitan Magistrate. He entirely agrees that the decision whether to prosecute in such a case is for the Board of Trade and not for the Cinematograph Films Council; but he considers that the decision to prosecute was rightly taken in this case.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to make it obligatory for business firms to advertise on their facia boards the name of their final controlling company.

The Board of Trade have received no representations on this subject and on present information I see no reason to legislate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the seizure by the United States postal authorities of a number of parcels of books and periodicals exported for sale in the United States of America by a British publisher, on the ground that the persons to whom they were addressed were not registered as agents of foreign principals, and that the parcels seized contained, besides Soviet and other Communist publications, such books as "Edwardian Heritage" and "Street Life in Medieval England"; and if he will make appropriate representations in order to prevent such restraint of trade

I am aware of a case of this kind. As regards the seizure of the political material contained in the parcels, this is a domestic matter for the United States Government. As to the non-political material, I understand that the difficulty arose because this material was included in a consignment of political material and was, therefore, seized by the authorities in accordance with Article 49 of the Universal Postal Union Convention.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his Trade Commissioners in Canada had informed him that an order for 300 Canadian National Railway passenger cars, valued at over $50,000,000, was recently opened for tender; arid if British firms were among those invited to tender.

The answer to both parts of the Question is "No." The Canadian National Railways did not put the order out to tender.The United Kingdom Senior Trade Commissioner in Canada has been instructed to ask the Canadian National Railways that United Kingdom firms may be given an opportunity to tender for similar business in the future.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of sugar were exported this year; to which countries; what type and quantities of goods were imported in exchange; and in what currencies.

The quantity of refined sugar exported from the United Kingdom in the period January to October, 1952, was 11,802,270 cwts. The list of countries to which this sugar was sold is too long for circulation in the OFFICIAL REPORT and I am sending it to my hon. Friend; it includes, in order of importance, Pakistan, Malaya and Singapore, Switzerland, Iraq, Western Germany and the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.These exports form part of the normal export trade of the United Kingdom which helps to pay for our imports, and there is no question of particular goods being imported in direct exchange.The last part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is in a position to make a statement concerning the broadening of the Merchandise Marks Act.

Legislation will be introduced soon.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many million pairs of nylon stockings were made available for the home market for the first 10 months of 1950. 1951 and 1952. respectively.

Figures for January. 1950, are not available, but for the 10 months February to November, 1950, and for the first 10 months of 1951 and 1952 the answer is 22. 33 and 64.39, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now authorise the export of books from Britain to Israel, to be paid for in Israeli currency.

I am prepared exceptionally to consider proposals which would allow a limited part of the payment for certain books to be made in Israeli currency.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the aggregate of the claims on the £300 million global fund which were rejected because they failed to comply with the de minimis provisions of Section 63 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, and the corresponding provisions of the Scottish Act.

Up to 30th November, 1952, the Central Land Board had prepared determinations for about 6,000 claims in England and Wales and 5,000 in Scotland as falling within the de minimis provisions of Sections 63 and 60 respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to amend the Gun Licenser Act, 1870, so that the maximum penalty for carrying a firearm without a licence shall include a prison sentence instead of the present penalty of £10.

No. I think that, having regard to the provisions of the Firearms Act, 1937, which envisage imprisonment in appropriate cases, an Excise penalty of £10 is adequate in respect of a breach of the Act of 1870.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how far his exchange control regulations permit an exporter to apply his earnings of foreign exchange to the payment of specific imports from the same country, whether made by him or another importer.

If, by foreign exchange, the hon. Member means foreign currency, then such action would require Treasury permission.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the increasing difficulty in maintaining our export trade in printing and photogravure inks because of the competition of lower-priced inks made in the United States of America, France and now Germany; if he is further aware that the price of the British product is substantially increased by the duty on light hydrocarbon oils; and if he will abolish this duty.

No. I cannot say that I have evidence that the duty on light hydrocarbon oils is handicapping the export trade in these inks. Printers' inks containing light hydrocarbon oil on which duty has been paid are already eligible on exportation for drawback of that duty.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is in a position to make a statement on the restoration of the financial cuts in the estimates for national museums, in view of the curtailment of archaeological research and the difficulty experienced in the maintenance of our museums.

The idea that there have been financial cuts in the museums is founded on a misapprehension. Government expenditure on museums in the current year exceeded the amount made available last year by £85,000. The Museum and Gallery Estimates for 1953–54 are now being considered and I cannot anticipate the results of that examination.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the revenue from pool betting duty paid by bookmakers for the individual months of January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October. 1951, and 1952. respectively.

If the Question relates to pool betting duty paid by bookmakers who also conduct pool betting operations, no separate figures are available. If, as I assume, it relates to the licence duties paid by bookmakers on greyhound tracks the figures are:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the fiduciary note issue.

Yes. In order to provide for the usual seasonal increase in the demand for notes, the Treasury yesterday authorised an increase of £50 million in the fiduciary note issue, bringing the total of the issue up to £1,550 million. The Treasury Minute will be laid before Parliament.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what reduction he expects to make in the public relations departments of all Ministries in 1952–53, in view of the fact that there has been a nearly 700 per cent. increase in the number of staff employed, compared with the year immediately preceding the outbreak of war.

Information staffs in the home Departments are expected to fall from 743 on 1st April, 1952. to under 700 by the end of the financial year. Most of the increase referred to by my hon. Friend, however, is in respect of the overseas information services; no very substantial change is likely here until the independent committee appointed to inquire into these services has completed its work.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in how many Departments of State recruitment to the Civil Service has been stopped.

None. No general instructions have been issued. In some Departments where no vacancies exist in certain grades recruitment to those grades has, of course, ceased.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take on the Report of the Committee on the Export of Works of Art.

I would like first to thank the noble Lord. Lord Waverley, and his colleagues on the Committee for their admirable Report. I propose to accept all their recommendations, except possibly on a few subsidiary points of which I need mention only two. First. the treatment of archives may have to be reconsidered when, very shortly, the Master of the Rolls has received the report of a committee which has long been considering the conservation of archives. Second, the limit of £1,000 below which the Committee propose that export licences should not be refused on grounds of national importance. When the requirements of exchange control are taken into account, it may be wise to fix a lower figure, subject to later review. Before I decide these points of doubt, they will be discussed between all the interests concerned on the advisory council which I am setting up.The Committee recommend that the annual purchase grants-in-aid of the national collections should be substantially increased. At this critical time, I cannot afford to give as much as I should like. But something must be done. I propose, in next year's Estimates, to allow an increase of 25 per cent. where this is needed. This will cost rather less than £20,000 in all. I shall look to the Trustees of the collections concerned to guard these extra funds carefully for the purposes envisaged in the Report.My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will announce in due course some relaxations of export control in this field. They will not be the same as the limits recommended in the Report, since the needs of exchange control also have to be taken into account; but they should help exporters considerably.I have appointed Professor Lionel Robbins, C.B., F.B.A., to be Chairman of the Reviewing Committee and of the Advisory Council which I am setting up, in accordance with the Committee's recommendations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any statement to make about the application of the D scheme to furniture.

Yes. The Treasury has now made the necessary Order. It is being laid before the House today and will come into operation next Monday.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities are carrying out the policy laid down by his Department by issuing licences for private building of houses up to the limit of their powers; and how many are not.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities are now issuing the maximum permitted proportion of private house building licences; how many are not doing so; and how many local authorities are still granting no private licences for the erection of houses.

My right hon. Friend has no complete information; although he is aware that there are variations of practice among local authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1), if he will permit electric washing machines, drying and laundry facilities to be provided by local authorities in all industrial areas where large numbers of women are engaged in industry;(2) if he will allow buildings to be built or converted so that adequate washing, drying and laundry facilities can be provided by local authorities on housing estates and in other cases within a reasonable radius of where large numbers of people live.

My right hon. Friend is willing to consider reasonable proposals from local authorities where the existing facilities are inadequate.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the statement contained in the Financial Memorandum to the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill that the 68 tribunals will continue to operate as at present, he will refrain from closing down any further tribunals set up under the Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act.

The statement referred to was a financial estimate, not a statement of policy. My right hon. Friend will try to make economies when possible without loss of efficiency.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many council houses have been sold by local authorities for private ownership since the issue of circular 64/52; and whether he will give the numbers for England and Wales and also for North Staffordshire.

My right hon. Friend has no information yet. Local authorities are not required to notify him before a sale under the general consent he gave in the circular is completed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the ultimate purpose of the survey, recently carried out by officials of his Department, of farms and residential properties in the Blean and Tyler Hill districts, near Canterbury.

There has been no survey, but certain tentative inquiries were made, such as are frequently being made in many parts of the country, relating to the selection of possible sites for housing, and the avoidance of injury to agriculture.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the distress caused by the working of Section 13 of the Rent Restriction (Amendment) Act, 1933, which is causing numerous evictions as a result of this succession Section; and if he will consider the introduction of legislation to extend protection from one succeeding tenancy to two or more.

This is one of the points we shall look at when we review the Rent Restrictions Acts.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that owners of houses and premises destroyed by enemy action are still forced to maintain safety and health standards of the derelict premises and to pay ground rent although unable to use the land; and if he will take steps to release these people from this obligation.

My right hon. Friend cannot relieve the owners of war damaged premises from their statutory responsibilities for preventing danger or nuisance to the public. With regard to the payment of ground rent, he would refer the hon. Member to the provisions of the Landlord and Tenant (War Damage) Acts, 1939 and 1941.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities have published information regarding the provisions of the Furnished Houses (Rent Controlled) Act, 1946, in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 (3) of that Act; what steps he has taken to encourage local authorities to make use of the powers conferred on them by that Section; and what he proposes to do to request those local authorities who have not yet published such information to do so.

All, so far as my right hon. Friend knows. No further exhortation seems to be called for, in view of the excellent co-operation of local authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what information and figures of half-way house accommodation available and of estimated cases of eviction he bases his decision that no further steps are required in the county of Middlesex to prevent hardship to homeless families this winter.

There are 76 half-way houses in Middlesex providing for 740 families. If the accommodation thus provided is used as a temporary expedient as has always been the intention, it should be sufficient for its purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will arrange for a scientific inquiry as to the effect of certain detergents, details of which have been sent to him. in corroding the metals used in sanitary fittings.

My right hon. Friend is looking into this matter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that, as a result of a decision to build a power station on the site of the newly completed Brereton sewerage works, it will be necessary to build not only a replacement sewerage works but also additional disposal capacity to cope with the sewage at present disposed of by the Rugeley works which will be rendered inoperative owing to subsidence danger; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

My right hon. Friend is considering future sewage disposal arrangements at Rugeley with the authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the Hackney Borough Council have a sewer in the Rendlesham Road area where the effluent is flowing back into the houses; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

My right hon. Friend understands that there is trouble with these 20 houses after heavy rain. He will do what he can, but there is a lot of work to be done and it cannot all be done at once.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many applications for grant under Section 3, Distribution of Industry Act, 1945, have been refused since June, 1952, from authorities in the North-East Development Area; and the estimated capital cost of the schemes concerned.

Eleven and £7 million respectively.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the rising rate demands by the Kent County Council and other local authorities, particulars of which have been sent to him, he will consult his colleagues with a view to devising some system to avoid any further demands on local authorities which would increase their rates.

Local expenditure, like national expenditure depends mainly upon decisions of policy. True economy requires a nice balance between what is desirable and what is practicable.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how much financial aid is available to local authorities in England who wish to avail themselves of the Town Development Act; and which local authorities have intimated a desire to operate the Act.

In reply to the first part I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. G. M. Thomson) on 2nd December, 1952.In reply to the second, several authorities are known to be considering action under the Town Development Act, but none has so far made formal proposals.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will take steps to include hotels in the higher licence-free limit as industrial buildings, so that hotel proprietors may expend on repairs and decoration, in time for the Coronation, sums of up to £2,000 per annum without licence.

I regret that in present circumstances I cannot extend to hotels the higher free limit which I announced on 18th November. Licences for essential repairs above the free limit are granted freely by my Department.

asked the Minister of Works why there are railings around the Albert Memorial to prevent children entering and playing round this memorial as they used to prior to 1939; and if he will arrange that this restriction is also abolished.

The railings are an integral part of the Memorial. Until war damage repairs can be completed the gates are being kept closed to protect the public against the possibility of injury from falling fragments. The remaining repairs will be carried out when resources can be made available and the gates will then be re-opened.

asked the Minister, of Works for what purpose he intends to develop the Scotland Green site at Tottenham; and when it is proposed to make a start.

The Scotland Green site wil be used for the erection of an employment exchange and offices for the Ministry of National Insurance. Building will be started as soon as economic conditions permit.

asked the Minister of Works what the cost of fuel-gas and electric current for public buildings, Class VII, 3, 1, at £4,850,000 in 1952–53 represents per head of the personnel accommodated in those buildings.

The public buildings concerned include Government offices, museums and galleries, certain Ministry of Pensions hospitals, certain training centres, research establishments of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, certain Ministry of Food and Stationery Office stores, coastguard stations and houses, the Tower of London, the Royal Mint, and, for solid fuel only, most Post Office buildings and prisons. I do not, therefore, think that it would be practicable to calculate the cost per head of the occupants.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he proposes to take, in view of the fact that Sunderland Youth Employment Office have announced that more than 500 young persons leaving school in Sunderland at Christmas will be unable to find employment in Wearside.

No such statement was made. The Youth Employment Office expects that the young persons in question will be placed in employment during January.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) how many cutlery and silverware workers, respectively, were registered as unemployed, or working on short-time at the Sheffield and Attercliffe employment exchanges on 1st November, 1951, 1st September, 1952, and nearest convenient date;

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish planning authorities have now submitted their development plans to his Department; and how many have been approved.

Fifteen Scottish planning authorities have submitted development plans; 12 of these cover the whole of the local authorities' areas and three relate to parts of areas. I have approved with modifications one part plan.

Separate figures are not available for the cutlery and silverware industries, the former being included in a group entitled "Tools and Cutlery" and the latter in "Jewellery, Plate and Refining of Precious Metals."Figures for these two groups, so far as they are available, are given in the table below:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for grant under Section 3 of the Distribution of Industry Act, 1945, have been refused in Scotland since June, 1952; and what is the estimated capital cost of the schemes concerned.

Twelve applications at an estimated capital cost of £1,956,200 have been refused, but five of them at an estimated capital cost of £1,369,800 are being considered for grant under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Act, 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish a paper showing the revenue from rates, the net block grant or equalisation grant and other revenue accruing to each local authority for the year 1946 and subsequent years.

Particulars showing the total revenue of each class of local authority in Scotland and the receipts from rates and Government grants are contained in the Local Financial Returns (Scotland), copies of which are laid before Parliament; and a return showing the rates levied by each authority and the total assessments collected in Scotland is published annually.I am sending the hon. Member copies of these returns, so far as they have been completed, for the years he mentions.

asked the Minister of Pensions when he proposes to provide facilities in South Wales for hospital treatment for ex-Service officers who now are required to travel to Roehampton.

Provision already exists for the admission to Rookwood Hospital of officers requiring urgent or special treatment, and I am examining whether it would be possible to extend these arrangements to cover the requirements of other officers who would prefer not to travel to Roehampton.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will review the fee paid under the Coroners' Amendment Act, 1926, to pathologists in respect of post-mortem examinations, in view of its inadequacy, having regard to present conditions.

Legislation would be necessary to increase the fees which may be paid to medical practitioners under Section 23 of the Coroners' (Amendment) Act, 1926, for making postmortem examinations, and I regret that I cannot say how soon it will be possible to introduce legislation for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how far the ships to be moored in the Thames as floating hotels for Coronation visitors will be subject to the same licensing laws as are applicable to other catering establishments.

These vessels will be subject to the ordinary law.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence how many Service men are undergoing terms of imprisonment for breaches of military discipline during the last war. 1939–45.

Ten.

asked the Minister of Materials what advice has been given by his Department to local authorities about the collection of waste paper.

Local authorities are now kept in touch with current questions of waste paper recovery through the representatives of their associations who attend conferences with representatives of the mills, the merchants, and the Ministry of Materials. This is a recent development which I cordially welcome, since it enables all those concerned to discuss their common problems in this important field.

asked the Minister of Materials what quantities of Scandinavian plywood he proposes to licence for private import into the United Kingdom during six months ending 30th June, 1953; how this figure compares with the six months ending 31st December, 1952; when private importers are to be told their quota levels for the six months ending 30th June, 1953; and why the announcement has been so long delayed.

Private importers will be free to choose for 1953 between a number of countries including Scandinavia; the second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise. I hope private importers will know within a fortnight of the precise arrangements for 1953 imports of plywood. I regret the delay but it was desirable to spend time in getting the best arrangements acceptable to all interested parties in this country.

asked the Minister of Materials whether he will give an estimate of the imports of softwoods during 1952, excluding pitwood and plywood; how this figure compares with 1951 imports; what is the approximate level of imports to be permitted in 1953; whether the stocks position continues to be satisfactory; and how far it will be necessary to continue softwoods licensing after 1st January, 1953.

It is estimated that about 1,060,000 standards of softwood excluding pitwood and plywood will be imported in 1952. This compares with 1,752,045 standards imported in 1951. We have decided for 1953 to give our importers as much freedom as possible in negotiation with overseas sellers; it is expected that the continued limitation of consumption by licensing will avoid the need to impose any precise limit on total imports. Stocks continue to be satisfactory. As practically all our softwood comes from non-sterling countries, control of consumption will certainly be essential throughout 1953, and it will be strictly enforced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he proposes to take to prevent the indiscriminate increase of land rents on the island of Antigua; and whether he will consider the establishment of rent control and so prevent the evictions from the land of the peasants, details of which have been sent to him.

This matter is in the first instance one for the Government of Antigua. I am consulting the Governor and will communicate with the hon. Member when I have his reply.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when the last meeting of the Sports Television Advisory Committee took place; and how far it is intended to use the services of this body to facilitate the broadcasting, on sound and television, of sporting events.

The Sports Television Advisory Committee, which last met in April, 1951, was set up as a fact-finding body, and I would refer to the statement of its conclusions which I gave on 5th March, 1952, in answer to a Question by the hon. Member for Hendon, North (Mr. C. I. Orr-Ewing). For the present my noble Friend does not think that the Committee's sphere of usefulness can be extended but that the most promising way of facilitating the broadcasting of sporting events is by free negotiation between the parties directly concerned.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what progress has been made in resolving the differences between the British Broadcasting Corporation and the sports authorities with regard to the televising of sporting events.

I am informed that the B.B.C. is engaged in discussions with representatives of the Association for the Protection of Copyright in Sport in order to work out a scheme for cooperation if legislation is introduced on the lines recommended by the Board of Trade Copyright Committee. They are also discussing the possibility of arriving at an agreement in the interim period. There are considerable practical difficulties to be resolved but the problems are being approached with good will on both sides.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is aware of the increased demand in Scotland that the Kirk O'Shotts radio station should be used to provide television for the people of North-East Scotland in time for Christmas and Hogmanay; and what steps he is taking so to use that station.

The B.B.C. informs me that whilst the service area of the high-power television station at Kirk O'Shotts, which is working on full power extends as far north as Montrose, this station cannot provide and was never intended to provide a reliable service in North-East Scotland.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many fraudulent withdrawals have been made from the Post Office Savings Bank during each of the years 1945 to 1951, inclusive; and what proportion fraudulent withdrawals were of total withdrawals in those years.

The numbers of fraudulent withdrawals from the Post Office Savings Bank for each of the years 1945 to 1951 inclusive, and the proportion of fraudulent withdrawals to total withdrawals during those years are shown in the table below: