asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that, because of the wide variance in the methods adopted by local authorities in allocating available housing accommodation, many persons in urgent need of accommodation find themselves unable to get admittance on to any housing list; and whether he will advise all local authorities on the adoption of sonic uniform scheme of allocation.

No. Local authorities are expected to deal with applications on the basis of housing need. They were given advice in 1949 in a Report of a Sub-Committee of the Central Housing Advisory Committee. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Report. The Sub-Committee did not consider that it would be practicable for a uniform method of selection to be adopted by all local authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will provide information, not contained in the published quarterly Housing Returns, regarding the number of licences for the building of private houses in England and Wales, issued during 1952, which were returned by the licensee or not proceeded with.

Information in this form is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Labour what action has been taken by his Department on the recommendations of the specialist industrial education and training teams, training of operatives, training of supervisors, universities and industry, education for management, which visited the United States of America under the auspices of the Anglo-American Council on Productivity.

The recommendations of most direct interest to the Ministry of Labour are those relating to the training of operatives and the training of supervisors. These are directed to industry itself rather than to the Government, but the Ministry has brought them prominently to the notice of those concerned and has urged their consideration. This has been done, notably by convening the Conference on Human Relations in Industry last March, by partaking in other conferences, by calling the attention of a number of industries to the need for a review of their training arrangements, and by undertaking to convene a group for the study of future developments in the training of supervisors.

asked the Minister of Labour what number of men and women, respectively, are registered at Cardiff as unemployed and the comparable number for January, 1952.

Two thousand one hundred and four males and 651 females at 12th January, 1953, compared with 1,864 males and 708 females at 14th January, 1952.

asked the Minister of Labour how many dockers in each of the Humber ports have claimed their release from the active register.

Thirty-three at Hull, four at Grimsby and Immingham, and none at Goole.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps have been taken by his Department, in conjunction with the President of the Board of Trade, to introduce ancillary industries into Midlothian in order to counter the high incidence of unemployment existing there.

Some fresh employment has been introduced in Midlothian and until August last year the numbers unemployed were small. There has since been some increase in the numbers registered as unemployed, and my right hon. and learned Friend will continue to co-operate with the President of the Board of Trade in encouraging industrialists who wish to set up additional industry in Midlothian.

asked the Minister of Labour when he proposes to publish draft regulations for iron foundries in accordance with the statutory procedure laid down in the Factory Act, 1951.

On Friday next.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will now make a further statement on the dispute between the National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants and the firm of D. C. Thomson.

The House will be aware from the answers given on 11th November and 18th December last that my right hon. and learned Friend has been continuing his efforts to find a solution to the outstanding difficulty regarding the men who came out on strike at Glasgow last April.In response to further approaches, the firm have now made it clear that they are not prepared to depart in any way from their decision not to re-engage any of the men concerned. To do so would, in their view, be contrary to the interests of the firm and its staff, and of the men themselves.It is a matter of great regret to my right hon. and learned Friend that all efforts to find a mutually acceptable arrangement which would finally settle this protracted dispute have failed, but in view of the reply now received from the firm there would appear to be no further suggestion for a settlement which could usefully be explored.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women registering as unemployed at the Borough Employment Exchange for each month from and including December, 1951, up to and including December, 1952.

The following table gives the information desired.

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF THE BOROUGH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AT THE UNDERMENTIONED DATES
Date	Males	Females	Total
10th December, 1951	522	317	839
14th January, 1952	797	362	1,159
11th February, 1952	973	372	1,345
17th March, 1952	941	394	1,335
21st April, 1952	916	301	1,217
12th May, 1952	794	389	1,183
16th June, 1952	733	357	1,090
14th July, 1952	688	362	1,050
11th August, 1952	714	334	1,048
15th September, 1952	735	270	1,005
13th October, 1952	1,016	407	1,423
10th November, 1952	1,120	458	1,578
8th December, 1952	1,117	358	1,475

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give each of the items together with their present prices, which are taken into consideration in calculating the cost-of-living index figure.

Details of the items included in the Interim Index of Retail Prices are given in the Stationery Office publication, "Interim Index of Retail Prices: Method of Construction and Calculation." The index covers nearly 250 items and each month's index figure is based on many thousands of price quotations. It would be impracticable to give details of all these prices.

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated cost of the inquiry into the spending habits of the people of Great Britain; why it is necessary to offer £1 for the filling up of forms; and if the £1 is offered to each family or to each person.

The total cost of the inquiry, including the payments to those completing inquiry forms, is estimated at £125,000. Payment for the filling up of the inquiry forms is made as some recompense for the trouble and loss of time involved in keeping the detailed records which are being asked for. Experience has shown that such payments secure better results and reduce the number of visits required to achieve the necessary response.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the report of the Crofting Commission.

I hope that the Report may be ready some time this year, but I understand that the Commission's work has not yet reached the stage at which any definite forecast can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of applications for licences to build private houses which were made to Edinburgh Corporation during 1952; the number of such applications which were granted; and the number of such licences which were returned by the licensee or not proceeded with.

In 1952, the Corporation issued licences for 419 houses. Licences for seven houses were returned. While precise information is not available, the corporation estimate that 120 applications were refused during the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide the information, not contained in the published quarterly Housing Returns, regarding the number of licences for the building of private houses issued by local authorities in Scotland during 1952 which were returned by the licensee or not proceeded with.

The information asked for could be obtained only by a special return and I hesitate to put the additional work involved on local authorities at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for permission to build private dwelling-houses in Aberdeenshire were considered by the Aberdeen County Council on 16th January; how many were granted; and how many refused.

On 16th January Aberdeen County Council considered 31 applications for licences to build 33 private houses and granted eight licences for 10 houses. The remaining applications were deferred for further consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the estimated annual saving expected from the recently announced increase in the price of school meals.

The annual saving expected in Scotland is about £250,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now completed his examination of local authorities' education estimates; what discussions he has had with education authorities about their estimates; and what suggestions he has made to those authorities which have proposed no economies.

Yes. I have not found it necessary to have any discussions with the authorities. I have made no suggestions to those authorities which originally proposed no economies because they show reductions on several heads of their estimates for rating purposes compared with their expenditure for the previous year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how soon can the townships of Carbost and Port-na-Long expect to receive water supplies.

Work on the public water supply for Carbost and Port-na-Long is scheduled by Inverness County Council for a start in 1955. A public water supply should be available in the townships about 1957.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is yet in a position to make a further statement regarding the possible extension of the qualifications for the payment of a grant from Japanese assets in the United Kingdom to cover dependants, other than widows, of prisoners of war who died in Japanese hands.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in reply to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewes (Major Beamish) on 20th January.

asked the Secretary of State for War why there are no Expeditionary Forces message telegram facilities for Her Majesty's Forces in Malaya as there are in Korea; and whether he will consult the Postmaster-General with a view to this service being provided, in view of the demand for it.

These wartime facilities for men serving overseas, which involved a subsidy, were withdrawn in 1948 after a general review of similar concessions. The service was reintroduced in 1951 for those serving in Korea and Japan because of the special conditions there.My right hon. Friend is, however, now examining the possibility of extending the Expeditionary Forces message telegraph service, on a self-supporting basis, to other theatres overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will arrange for a pontoon or similar crossing of a temporary character to be erected across the River Forth as a military exercise, as was done for the Festival of Britain with Bailey bridges to ease traffic for the Edinburgh Festival.

The two engineering problems are not comparable and I regret that for a number of reasons it would be impracticable to erect temporary bridging across the River Forth.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will grant a free travel warrant to all officers and other ranks allowed time off to celebrate the Coronation of Her Majesty, or a cash payment in lieu thereof.

No

asked the Secretary of State for War why the "A" Battery, Field Wing, Depot Royal Artillery, who arrived in this country on 12th December after 18 months' service in Hong Kong, were not granted Christmas leave.

My information is that the men who returned from Hong Kong on 12th December and were posted to "A" Battery Field Wing, Depot Royal Artillery in this country were granted leave over Christmas. If, however, the hon. Member will let me have details of a specific case in which leave was not granted I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps he is taking to ensure that Scottish troops in Korea are supplied with a variety of Scottish Sunday newspapers.

The War Office is sending out the Sunday newspapers, including Scottish Sunday papers, for which the command has asked. I am, however, inquiring whether they wish to make any changes in the list.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Pulheems system of physical classification is now in use in the Army.

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of the published reports of the 1948 Census of Production, together with the number of copies of each publication which have been sold.

I am sending my hon. Friend this information.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the recent visit to Scandinavian countries of the Secretary for Overseas Trade.

Yes. The object of my visit to Denmark and Norway between 10th and 16th January was to stress, particularly to the trading communities of the two countries, the continuing importance which Her Majesty's Government attach to the development of United Kingdom exports to those markets.In the course of my visit, I addressed the British Import Union and the British Centre in Copenhagen and the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Oslo; a summary of my speech at Oslo was contained in the Board of Trade Journal of 24th January, a copy of which is available in the Library. I also had the opportunity for informal talks with Ministers in both countries and with a number of leading businessmen.I should like to say how impressed I was by the warmth of the good will shown by Danish and Norwegian businessmen towards our trade and by their obvious willingness to help us to expand it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in trade negotiations with France to enable British cars to enter the French market on the same terms as German.

It has not yet been possible to raise this question in trade negotiations with France. But we have under close review the whole question of our trade in motor cars with France and other countries of Western Europe.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the recommendations of the Committee on Weights and Measures.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for the Cities of London and Westminster on 11th November, 1952.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many branch factories in Scotland, of firms whose main production is elsewhere, closed down during 1952.

Records are available only of factories established since 1937. Eight branch factories of firms operating outside Scotland closed in 1952, but it is not known whether the main production was carried on in Scotland or elsewhere.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new factories have been established in the crofting counties since the war.

Five new factories have been completed in these counties since the war and Industrial Development Certificates have been issued for two others. In addition, 11 new industrial projects, of which one subsequently closed, have been established in existing premises.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of the licences that have been, and will be, issued for the import of fruit pulp in the year ending 30th June, 1953; and how much of this applies to varieties that compete directly with home-produced pulp.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Norfolk, Central (Brigadier Medlicott) on 20th January.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that during the year ended December, 1952, the prices of carpets increased by 16½ per cent., of decorated pottery by 50-75 per cent., of silver-plated cutlery by 25 per cent., of electric lamps by 15 per cent., of heavy kitchen equipment by 10-15 per cent., of light kitchen equipment by 15-20 per cent., of furniture by 9-15 per cent., and of washing soda by 20 per cent.; and whether he will therefore introduce or reintroduce price control on these articles.

Without accepting the hon. Member's figures, my right hon. Friend is aware that the prices of certain household goods rose during 1952, and that the prices of others fell, but does not consider that this calls for the imposition of price control.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, in the year ended December, 1952, detergents and cleansers have risen by 7 per cent., glassware has risen by 10 per cent., floor polishes have risen by 9 per cent., ink has risen by 50 per cent., laundry charges by 4½ per cent., linoleums and floor coverings by 7½ per cent., metal polishes 15 per cent., paints and distempers 7½ per cent., shoe polishes by 12½ per cent., and toilet soaps by 12½ per cent.; and whether he will, therefore, introduce or reintroduce price control on these articles.

Without accepting the hon. Member's figures, my right hon. Friend is aware that the prices of certain household goods rose during 1952, and that the prices of others fell, but does not consider that this calls for the imposition of price control. The maximum price of one article mentioned is still controlled.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the present shortage of shillings, owing to the increase of their use in gas and electric meters over the winter: how many shillings are at present in circulation; how many were minted last year; and what steps are being taken to augment the supply.

Over 500 million shillings are in circulation. This quantity was so far sufficient as to dispense with the need for any further issues from the Mint during 1952.If there is a local shortage of shillings which cannot be met by redistribution, the Mint will arrange for the issue of shillings from the reserve at its disposal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that aged people have to refuse gift parcels from sons and daughters living abroad because they are unable to pay the charges made; and if he will exempt from Customs duty and Purchase Tax gift parcels from abroad, up to a specified value, when sent by a near relative.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No." As to the second part, the hon. Member is probably aware of the general concession relating to gift food parcels and to the concession covering small value gifts sent home by members of the Forces serving abroad. It would not be practicable or equitable to add to this concession one in which the deciding factor was the relationship between donor and recipient.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that Brazilian cruzeiros accruing to this country are applied in the reduction of outstanding trade debts with United Kingdom firms.

Trade between Brazil and the sterling area is conducted in sterling and, therefore, the cruzeiros paid in by Brazilian importers to the Central Bank of Brazil do not accrue to this country, and we have no control over them.On the subject of the general difficulties of remittance due to Brazil's sterling shortage, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 22nd January by my hon. Friend the Secretary for Overseas Trade to the hon. Member for Walton (Mr. K. Thompson).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the annual cost year by year to the Treasury of the special Income Tax allowances given in respect of married women in employment since the relief was first put into operation.

An additional personal allowance in respect of earned income of married women has been given since 1920, but the statistics available are inadequate to estimate the cost of this allowance for years prior to 1947–48.The estimated annual cost from that year onward (including the cost of the separate reduced rate relief which has been given since 1948–49) is as follows:

					£ million
1947–48	…	…	…	…	50
1948–49	…	…	…	…	55
1949–50	…	…	…	…	55
1950–51	…	…	…	…	55
1951–52	…	…	…	…	60
1952–53	…	…	…	…	65

It does not follow that if these allowances were withdrawn the Exchequer would benefit to the extent of the cost shown, as many married women might stop working.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many persons who were entitled to receive an increase of pension from 1st October, 1952, under the provisions of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1952, are still awaiting payment of the increase.

No precise figures are available, but I understand that a substantial majority of pensions payable from the Exchequer and eligible for increase have now been increased. I have no information about pensions payable by other authorities.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what the proposed issue of Coronation coins will be; what orders have been received already by his Department for these coins; and whether, as demand has greatly exceeded supply, he will consider extending the issue.

As the statement issued by the Treasury to the Press on 25th November explained, issues will not be unlimited but it is hoped to meet orders placed with the banks by 31st December. Two-and-three-quarter million crowns and three-quarters of a million sets of coins had been ordered by that date. I have every hope that these orders will be met.My right hon. Friend proposes to review the position again in a few weeks' time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount received by his Department from the duty paid by bookmakers on greyhound racecourses for November and December, 1952, respectively.

The receipts from greyhound racecourse bookmakers licence duty in November, 1952, were £143,211, and in December, 1952, were £135,777 10s.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of the pool betting duty for football and similar pools collected each month for the year 1952; the amount of tax collected on the greyhound racing totalisator for November and December, 1952; and the amount of bookmakers' tax collected for November and December, 1952.

Receipts for pool betting duty on football and similar pools in 1952 were as follow:

Great Britain. January-December, 1952
		£	s.	d.
January	…	1,798,750	0	1
February	…	2,237,532	4	7
March	…	1,995,164	10	4
April	…	2,108,834	19	11
May	…	1,556,803	7	11
June	…	411,476	14	8
July	…	349,814	15	0
August	…	335,320	4	8
September	…	1,588,741	13	5
October	…	2,638,924	11	6
November	…	2,276,785	8	3
December	…	2,474,494	0	10
		£19,772,642	11	2

The amount of tax collected on greyhound racing totalisators for November

and December, 1952, in Great Britain was:

		£	s.	d.
November, 1952	…	440,013	16	3
December, 1952	…	401,188	9	7

The amount of bookmakers' licence duty collected in Great Britain for November and December, 1952, was as follows:

		£	s.
November, 1952	…	143,211	0
December, 1952	…	135,777	10

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the quantity of potable spirit produced in Great Britain, respectively, from malt and from malt and other materials during the year ended 30th September, 1952; and what quantities of these were made in Scotland.

The quantities of potable spirit produced in the United Kingdom and in Scotland during the year ended 30th September, 1952, were as follow:

—	Production (proof gallons)
	United Kingdom	Scotland
From malt	12,727,752	12,610,279
From malt and other materials	18,794,953	17,481,710

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he will now give consideration to the reduction of the period of qualification from 10 years to five for late entrants into National Insurance, or, alternatively, pay half the pension after five years and the full pension after 10 years.

No.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement on extra food allowances for the Coronation.

Yes. This historic occasion justifies some exceptional provision to help people to celebrate it in a traditionally festive spirit.To help with private entertaining in the home a special bonus of 1 lb. of sugar and ¼ lb. of margarine will be distributed during the Coronation period. This special sugar bonus will be additional to any sugar provided for domestic jam making during the year.Many public-spirited people will no doubt be planning street parties and similar entertainments. Bona-fide organisers of all such functions, which are neither private domestic parties nor run on commercial lines, will be able during Coronation week to obtain the full range of rationed foods, including meat, on the scales allowed to commercial caterers instead of the present limited allowances.Our normal arrangements are flexible enough to enable caterers to meet most of the extra demands that will be made on them. To help them provide breakfasts for the increased number of tourists that we hope will be visiting this country this year, there will be made available a little extra sugar during the new rationing year which begins in May in addition to what they receive under their allocation as reduced in 1951.Cakes, biscuits, ice cream, soft drinks, table jellies and other party fare will, of course, be in great demand. As the House will remember, the supplies of sugar to food manufacturers were reduced in November, 1951. This year, part of the sugar which was taken from them at that time will be restored by increasing the allocation to the main industries which have been suffering from reductions in their supplies of privately-imported sweeteners, such as fondant and sweetened fat. This, together with the increases in allocations of glucose and full cream milk powder already announced, should help manufacturers to cope with any exceptional demands at Coronation time. There will also be provided small quantities of sugar or fat needed to increase supplies of other items such as potato crisps, toffee apples, popcorn and candy floss which are so popular with children.My right hon. and gallant Friend has been asked if ox roasting will be allowed. While meat is still rationed, this is difficult. He is reluctant, however, to stand in the way of traditional festivities of this kind. He has, therefore, decided that any local authority, or other responsible body which has made a custom of ox roasting at Coronations, will be permitted to obtain an ox for this purpose during Coronation week provided the cooked meat is given away free to those at the festivity.In addition to these special arrangements, the meat ration should be reasonably satisfactory; there will be plenty of unrationed ham, sausages and canned meats; eggs will have been decontrolled and tea will be freely available.

asked the Minister of Food when he intends to restore branded margarine.

When I am satisfied that this can be done with advantage to the general public.

asked the Minister of Food the estimated reduction in the food subsidies for the year 1953–54 as the result of the decontrol of cereals and feeding-stuffs.

I am not prepared to anticipate my Department's Estimate for 1953–54.

asked the Minister of Food what effect the decontrol of cereals and feedingstuffs will have on the Government's policy of strategic stockpiling of foodstuffs.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the deduction of 55s. a ton for sub-standard ware potatoes indicates that it is not his policy to encourage production in areas where growers, through no fault of their own, run the risk of producing sub-standard potatoes.

It is the Government's policy to encourage the production of enough potatoes to satisfy consumer demand, and the arrangements for the guaranteed market for potatoes of the 1953 crop announced by my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Food on 5th January should enable growers in all areas to plan this season's planting programme with confidence.As stated in the announcement, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy, the price payable under the guarantee for sub-ware potatoes will be 40s. per ton below that payable for ware potatoes if the potatoes are offered to the Ministry of Food not later than 31st January, 1954, or 55s. below that price if they are offered between 1st February and 31st March, 1954.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the sum paid each year in the way of educational grants or otherwise through his Department, directly or indirectly, to the Cirencester Agricultural College.

Maintenance grants made by my Department to agricultural colleges vary from year to year according to circumstances. In the current academic year no grant is being paid to the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. Capital grants are made from time to time and about £900 will be paid to the college this year. Some students at agricultural colleges receive scholarships from local education authorities, expenditure on which is grant-aided by the Ministry of Education.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the feeling of injustice in some rural districts because of unfairness in the incidence of the drainage rate; and whether he will introduce legislation to enable rural councils to spread the rate as in urban areas.

Land is included in drainage districts because it derives benefit or avoids danger as a result of drainage works, and I would not accept that it is unfair that owners and occupiers of property within those districts should meet the cost of these works by paying drainage rates.As for the second part of the Question, the need for amending legislation on the lines suggested, has been considered by the Land Drainage Legislation Sub-Committee of the Central Advisory Water Committee. In paragraph 94 of their Report they have recommended to the effect that, in built-up areas of rural districts as well as in towns, it should be open to the local authority to meet sums due as drainage rates either out of a special rate or out of the general rate. This recommendation is under consideration along with numerous other recommendations in the Report.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to find suitable alternative employment for the civilian flying instructors employed by Airways, Limited, at Kirkton-in-Lindsey and Digby Royal Air Force training schools, who are being dismissed as a result of the decision of Her Majesty's Government to close down these and other similar schools as an economy measure.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the replies which I gave on 21st January to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Beswick) and my hon. Friends the Members for Macclesfield (Air Commodore Harvey) and Stroud and Thornbury (Mr. Perkins).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many National Service pilots and navigators have been trained in 1950 and 1951 specifying the number in each category.

107 National Service pilots completed their training to "Wings" standard in 1950 and 211 in 1951. Training of National Service navigators did not begin until the end of 1950; 43 completed their training to "Wings" standard during 1951.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many National Service pilots and navigators were trained during 1952 in the civilian training schools which are to be closed, specifying the number in each category.

In 1952, 625 National Service pilots and 156 navigators successfully completed their basic training at these schools.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation whether he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations with the Manchester Corporation about the future of Ringway Airport.

Ringway Airport is owned by the Manchester Corporation and is under their control. It was at one time proposed that the airport should be taken over by the State. Her Majesty's Government have, however, decided against this and we therefore intend, subject to a satisfactory agreement between the Corporation and the Government, that the airport shall remain under the ownership and control of the Manchester Corporation.Negotiations have been proceeding with this intention in mind for some time. Good progress has been made and I have now suggested terms of an agreement to the corporation.The general terms are that some of the State assets on the airport should be transferred, free of charge, to the Manchester Corporation, and that my Ministry should continue to provide all the technical and navigational services, and to contribute, in agreed proportions, to the cost of a programme of capital works now under way and of future capital works to be carried out with my consent. The Manchester Corporation would, for their part, retain ownership of the airport and would assume responsibility for its operation as an international airport.These terms are now being considered by the Manchester Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the closure of British firms in China.

Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Peking delivered on 8th January on instructions a further Note to the Chinese Government on the position of British firms in China.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, in view of the assurance by the Lord President of the Council on 11th June that he would take all possible action to ensure that the proposed Government science centre would in due course take shape on the site reserved for it on the South Bank by the London County Council, what progress has been made with those plans.

I have at present nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works on 17th December, 1952.