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

My Department is primarily concerned with those recommendations in the report which affect the work of technical colleges. There is a long-established tradition in this country of close co-operation betwen these colleges and industry, but these reports have certainly helped to encourage further cooperation in the provision of courses of all kinds, including management courses and courses for foremen and supervisors.

Is the right hon. Lady saying that it is now the policy of her Department to encourage in a positive fashion the establishment of departments of technical schools and colleges for supervisory and management studies?

Yes, certainly.

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware that her cuts in education costs have caused continuing closing of school swimming baths, the dismissal of qualified swimming teachers, members of the Swimming Teachers' Association, and diminution in facilities for school children learning and practising swimming; and if she will now reverse her policy so as to restore full facilities for swimming and other physical training for children.

I am not aware that any school swimming baths have been closed, though in a few areas there has been some diminution in the facilities for swimming instruction. I am not prepared to question this exercise by authorities of their discretion.

Is the Minister aware that if she makes inquiries she will find that quite a number of swimming baths have been closed, that there is great discontent among qualified teachers of swimming who are thereby being robbed of their livelihood for which they have studied, and that thousands of children are being deprived of this amenity?

Perhaps the hon. and learned Gentleman would send me a list of the swimming baths which he says have been closed.

asked the Minister of Education what number of teachers trained in Welsh colleges have obtained employment in Wales during the past year.

According to information supplied by Welsh local education authorities 363 newly trained teachers were appointed from Welsh training colleges to maintained and assisted schools in Wales during the year.

Is the Minister aware that for many years the great majority of these Welsh teachers have had to cross Offa's Dyke to educate the English? Is she further aware that despite the readiness of the Welsh people to give a helping hand where it is required, we want her, in view of the largely increased classes, to increase the quota of teachers allowed to local authorities?

I think the hon. Member knows that the quota of women teachers allowed to Welsh local education authorities is already generous compared with that allowed to English authorities.

asked the Minister of Education what steps she is taking to obtain the co-operation of industry to ensure that grammar school boys do not leave school before they take the general certificate examination to commence apprenticeships in industry, in view of the increasingly large number of boys who leave school on reaching the age of 16.

Some apprenticeship schemes allow young people with recognised educational qualifications to enter them later and complete their training in a shorter period. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour has suggested to a number of important industries that they should reconsider their schemes of apprenticeship so as to provide for more flexibility of this kind. I strongly support this, but my information does not bear out the suggestion that more boys are leaving grammar schools on reaching the age of 16.

asked the Minister of Education what advice she is giving to the local education authority regarding the communication which has been sent to the heads of all schools in Buckingham from the social committee of the Conservative Association asking them to make known among the children particulars of a free tea party to be given by the Association and inviting their cooperation in advising the Association of the number of children who wish to attend.

The local education authority have already made it quite clear to the committee that the school organisation should not be used in any way to promote the activities of any political party.

I appreciate the action of the Buckinghamshire Education Authority, but can the right hon. Lady publicly state that, nationally, she also adopts the principle that schools must not be used by political parties for such purposes?

Yes, certainly. I think this was a case of somebody doing something stupid. A party has been held every year and advertised in the Press. but the idea of bringing it more to the notice of the children was, I think we all agree, a stupid action.

asked the Minister of Education how much educational building work was carried out in London in 1951 and 1952, respectively.

The value of work done on major educational building projects carried out by the London County Council was about £2,402,000 in 1951 and about £2,990,000 in 1952. I regret that comparable figures are not available for minor projects.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the shortage of schools in London at the end of the war was very grave indeed? Does her answer mean that faster progress was made in 1952 than in any previous year?

Yes, Sir.

What Minister gave sanction to the projects that were actually completed in 1952?

I quite agree that sanction was given to projects. That is why I have tried over and over again to look at the work done and the projects carried out. This Question and my answer refer to actual work done, which I think is the best yardstick to use to enable people to see that we are speeding up building.

The right hon. Lady has not answered the simple question I put to her. Who was the Minister who sanctioned the work done in 1952?

I would have to have notice of that question because some of the work may have been due to the new starts which have taken place in London, but the majority of the work, will, naturally, have been begun in the year before.

Can the Minister say how many school places were provided in 1951 and 1952, respectively, because in view of the higher cost of construction brought about by the present Government those figures are not necessarily comparable?

I have not got those figures, but I would reassure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that as we are now building schools much more cheaply than before, more work is done for the same money.

Is the Minister telling the House that we are now building schools in something under 15 or 16 months?

One school in Coventry has been built in 13 months, but if the hon. Gentleman wants to know the time taken to build any particular school he likes to name, I will try to get the information for him.

asked the Minister of Education what representations she has made to the Cardiff education authority concerning the grants they award to students for university and non-university courses.

I have pointed out to the Cardiff authority that their rates for students' maintenance in term-time are in some respects below those which I have recommended, and, also, that their income scale calls for larger parental contributions than that suggested by me. I have asked them to review their arrangements in good time for the academic year 1953–54.

Is the Minister aware that the people of Cardiff much appreciate the rebuke which is included in her remarks to the education authority? Will she continue to show an interest so that our own people shall not be at a disadvantage?

I shall certainly continue to show an interest, but I do not think I would like to have the word "rebuke" used. I have suggested further progress in what I consider the right direction for next year.

Shameful.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware that children living at Fairwater, Cardiff, have to travel long distances to Canton and Ely to get to school; and whether emergency steps will be taken to provide temporary school accommodation pending the provision of a new school.

I am informed that some senior children from the Fairwater estate may be travelling up to 2¼ miles to school, but that all children of primary school age are enrolled at the Fairwater County Primary School. I have approved the use of the Fairwater Institute for two temporary classes, and the authority expect to occupy these premises on 2nd February.

Is the Minister aware that this reply will give much pleasure, because although 2¼ miles may not seem far when the right hon. Lady reads the answer to the House, it is a considerable distance for children of 11 years of age who have to go along very busy roads in the city?

asked the Minister of Education under what authority buildings provided under the Physical Training and Recreation Act, 1937, may be used for school purposes.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the proposed emergency use for school purposes of a community centre in his constituency, about which he wrote to me recently. The centre in question is owned and controlled by the local education authority and it is within their power to allow it to be used for school purposes. If the buildings had been provided by a voluntary organisation with the help of grant under the Physical Training and Recreation Act, 1937, they could be used for school purposes provided that this was not contrary to the trust under which the property was held.

Does not the right hon. Lady consider that it is a tragedy that community centres should have to be used for school purposes; if only for a temporary period? Is she aware that had there been a little more foresight school building programmes could have proceeded in accordance with need?

Yes, but I would point out to the hon. Gentleman that the foresight which could have produced schools this year would be the foresight of the late Government.

That is why we had so many houses last year.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that the housing site to be served by this community centre as a temporary school was started during the time that the present Government have been in office?

I do not think the hon. Gentleman is saying that he does not wish to have houses built. There would have been foresight if we were getting the houses and schools we are now getting.

Can the right hon. Lady assure us that her foresight will ensure that in future there will be no shortage of school buildings?

I hope my foresight is considerable, but I would not go so far as to give that assurance.

asked the Minister of Education (1) whether, on leaving school, Craig and Bentley were classifiable, respectively, as backward readers, including semi-illiterate, or illiterate, in terms of the definitions given by her experts on page 34 of her Department's Pamphlet No. 18, "Reading Ability," published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1950;

:s I do not think that I ought to give information about the records of individual pupils either in the matter of school attendance or of literacy.

Is the Minister aware that in a recently published Ministry of Education pamphlet it was established that in secondary modern schools the rate of backward readers was as high as 50 per cent. whereas in the grammar schools there were hardly any backward readers at all? Would she not agree that if these boys had had the opportunity of attending grammar schools they would have overcome their failure to be able to read, and so, possibly, would not have gone over to criminal pursuits?

As I have already stated, I would not like to go into discussion of individual pupils. I have not the pamphlet with me and I am not discussing the figure, but I think that it is quite natural that when local authorities are deciding what pupils should go to grammar schools and what to secondary modern schools they should select those who are able to read.

Considering that she will not answer in respect of individual cases, may I ask the Minister whether she will deal with the general case, which is brought up in connection with those two particular young people, and let us know if she has any information whether there is a correlation between backwardness in reading and delinquency and crime?

I should like my hon. Friend to put that Question on the Order Paper.

asked the Minister of Education if she will put in train arrangements in all cases of truancy from schools for the collection of information designed to establish what correlation there is between illiteracy and truancy.

No, Sir. Such a proposal would not, in my view, justify the work that would be imposed on schools and local education authorities.

Would the Minister agree that inability to read is the cause of absence and truancy because an inferiority complex is so developed that the children concerned are ashamed to attend?

I am quite sure that that is not universally true.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that her schools are so equipped that where an adolescent of 14 to 15 years is illiterate she is justified in compelling a parent to keep that child at school, even if the parent takes the view that attendance at school when the child cannot read at all is useless, that it induces idleness, and may even be really harmful to the child?

As my predecessor did, we are looking very carefully into the question of ability to read. I do not think that we can generalise about the whole subject. I certainly would not like to discuss, in answering a Question, all the regulations governing the attendance of children at schools as laid down in the 1944 Act.

Is the Minister not aware that one of the tremendous advantages of giving secondary education to all children means that the extra year provides an opportunity to learn to children who, otherwise, would leave school backward and illiterate?

That is what we want to do, but what the local authorities have to try to do in their schools is to see that, as far as possible, individual attention can be given to pupils who are particularly backward in one subject or another.

asked the Minister of Education whether she has any information arising from the report of the committee of experts set up by her predecessor in September, 1947, or from other sources as to whether there is greater incidence of backwardness in reading among those who came from schools where the reading was taught in classes of over 40, as compared with classes of under 40; and the percentages for backward readers in the categories of classes given in Table 9 of her 1951 Report.

I have no information on this point and I cannot therefore give the percentages asked for.

If my right hon. Friend is not satisfied that the present high degree of failure is in any way connected with the size of the class, will she give us an indication of the direction in which she intends to look for an improvement in this very important matter, about which she and her predecessors are and have been so greatly concerned?

There may be a case for further research by experts but not, in my view, for a collection on a national scale of statistics which might be of doubtful validity.

Would the Minister agree with me that the longer her party stays in power the bigger the size of classes will become? [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Yes, up to 1960. The Minister herself has said so. Would she not agree, therefore, that the longer she stays in her high office the greater is the chance of this backwardness and delinquency continuing?

I think I can reassure the hon. Member at once, because I am glad to say that although previously, quoting from the Report of the National Advisory Committee on Training and Supply of Teachers, I gave a figure of 229,000 teachers and the Report said that that figure would not be reached until 1954, that figure has been reached this year.

asked the Minister of Education when she intends to appoint the committee of experts to investigate the writing ability of children, as mentioned in the Report on Ability of Children prepared by a similarly appointed committee whose findings were published in 1950.

Two limited investigations into writing ability were carried out in 1949 and 1952. I am interested in any research that might be helpful, but I cannot say exactly what further investigations I shall want to encourage.

If that is so, and an investigation of writing ability has been carried out, will the Minister publish the report of the committee of experts in the same way that she published the report of the committee of experts who investigated reading ability?

The limited investigations which have been made already are not of a sufficient validity to justify publication. On a limited investigation the experts suggested that the standards were worse than before the war, but that they were improving.

Does the Minister agree that excessive training for intelligence tests is making the tasks of teachers very difficult and that we should have much more serenity in the classroom and an improvement in subjects like reading and writing if teachers were freed from the present passing fad which I think is now discredited by many of our most reliable authorities?

I am largely in agreement with what the hon. Lady says, and so, I think, are the great majority of teachers. I think that there was too great a swing of the pendulum from the practice under which children sat at their desks in rows and were occupied with reading, writing and the multiplication tables. I hope we are now getting near a just balance.

asked the Minister of Education if she will consult the Minister of Works with a view to providing a number of seats on the Coronation route for school children from the provinces.

No, Sir. I cannot encourage organised parties of school children to come to London from a distance on Coronation day.

Is the Minister not aware that organisations of all kinds are being provided with seats on the Coronation route and that the children in our great towns and cities have a right to be represented? Will she not agree that the difficulty could be overcome quite easily by giving the parents of school children in London a chance of providing billets for these children? Why should London school children have all the opportunities and the children in the provinces have none at all?

I quite understand, and I think that the hon. Member will understand, the difficulty and why it was that arrangements were made by London County Council only for children living within a radius of 15 miles of Charing Cross. I am speaking now, of course, of the local authorities. I would ask the hon. Member to consider the difficulty of bringing parties of children from a long distance and getting them into their places in time for the procession.

Is the right hon. Lady not aware that schools in this country arrange journeys overseas for a large number of school children on an exchange basis with foreign school children? Surely it ought to be possible for the London County Council schools to initiate something similar with the provincial schools.

London County Council are doing a very big job and have to deal with 20,000 children who have to be in their places at a very early hour of the morning. It would be difficult to bring large numbers of children a great distance and get them into their places in time.

May I add my plea to those already made to my right hon. Friend to give some consideration to country children? Is she aware that in the case of which I have sent her particulars the argument which she used about the difficulty does not arise, because that school have their children within a reasonable distance of London and can get them into their seats without any trouble or inconvenience to the public?

asked the Minister of Education whether the increase to 9d. in the price of school meals applies to all children of the same family receiving school meals.

Yes, Sir, except in the case of those families qualifying on the income scale of a local education authority for free or partially free meals.

Does not that statement mean that instead of increasing the price of school meals by 2d. the increase in a large number of cases has actually been 3d. because the second and third child of a family now obtain their meals at 1d. less than the full rate? Does not this mean an increase, for a family of three, of 3s. 4d. a week, and does not that impose a hardship on many families?

I think the hon. Member has misunderstood the matter. The scales remain the same and whatever arrangements have been made will continue; but I quite agree that more parents may come into the group which should not pay the full amount.

Will the right hon. Lady assure the House that if, after this increase becomes operative, she finds a substantial reduction in the number of children taking school meals, she will reintroduce the old charge?

I shall watch the situation very carefully and compare the figures for one year with those for another.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will permit local education authorities to let the contracts for the supply of school milk by competitive tender.

Expenditure on milk supplied under the milk in schools scheme is borne on the Vote of my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Food. The question of competitive tendering is at present under discussion between my Department and his.

Is it not a fact that that is soon to be transferred to the right hon. Lady's Department, and does she not consider that it would be possible to make considerable savings on the £9 million already spent on school milk by allowing authorities to put it out to tender? Would not that saving help to pay for the additional charge on school meals?

As I have said, it is the responsibility of the Minister of Food. If at any time any of the responsibility falls upon me, I will do my best to carry it out.

asked the Minister of Education what arrangements have been made this year with the National Camps Corporation, Ltd., in respect of children's camps; what financial economies have been imposed: and, in particular, whether Kennylands in Essex will be available.

Arrangements for the use of the National Camps Corporation's camps are made between the Corporation and individual local education authorities. I have not asked for economies in the use of these camps. Proposals by the Essex local education authority for the continued use of the Kennylands Camp are under consideration.

Does this mean that there are fewer facilities and that a fewer number of children are likely to go to camps this year than last year?

I have not asked for any economy here. It is entirely for the local authorities to decide.

asked the Minister of Education what steps she is taking to persuade local authorities in whose areas there is a very low percentage of grammar school places to provide more such places.

I would refer the hon. Member to the last part of the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Gorton (Mr. Oldfield) on 22nd January.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that Section 1 of the Education Act, 1944, says that it is the duty of the Minister to

"secure the effective execution by local authorities, under his control and direction, of the national policy for providing a varied and comprehensive educational service in every area"?

I referred the hon. Member to the answer that I had given previously. I laid down no hard and fast rules as to the percentage of grammar school places, but I did say that if I should find that the provision of grammar school places is likely to become insufficient in any area I shall take the matter up with the authorities.

asked the Minister of Education what steps she is taking to encourage a larger number of grammar school pupils to stay at school for a longer period.

I am asking the Central Advisory Council for Education (England) to look into this problem and to advise me.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when it is intended to recall the adjourned kgotla of the Bamangwato tribe in Bechuanaland to consider the appointment of a chief.

The kgotla was adjourned until after the planting season. As understood locally, this means until the lands have been ploughed and the crops sown and harvested. These operations will not be completed for a month or two, depending on weather conditions. A date for a further kgotla will then be settled.

Is it not the case that the kgotla was called in November to appoint a new chief, that the opinion of the tribal representatives was so overwhelmingly against the proposal that the kgotla had to be adjourned, and will it not he better to accept the tribe's desire that Seretse Khama should be allowed to go back as their chief?

The answer is "No, Sir," to both parts of that question. The opinion of the kgotla was not overwhelmingly in favour of Seretse Khama, and the Government stand firm on their decision.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make a statement concerning those standards agreed by the British Standards Institution for standard description of fibre content of wool cloths.

Discussions on this matter are proceeding between the British Standards Institution and those concerned in trade and industry, and I prefer not to make a statement at the present stage.

I know about those discussions. Is the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the wool textile delegation has repeatedly refused to consider giving the fibre content of mixture cloths, and is this not contrary to Government policy as already expressed?

I am most anxious that these discussions shall come to a satisfactory conclusion, but I am convinced that that would not happen if I were to make a further declaration on that subject today.

If the British Standards Institution do have difficulties, will the Minister give an assurance that the Government will take appropriate action with the manufacturers so that the information required is supplied?

One of the difficulties in the present case, as has been revealed in the correspondence in "The Times," is that they are not allowed to get on with their job without undue publicity being given to one side or the other while these discussions are proceeding.

Is the Minister aware that if there had not been this publicity a very disastrous decision might have been taken? Does he not know that the wool producers of the West Riding are adamantly refusing even now to consider naming fibre content of these cloths? Has not the public a right to know what it is buying?

I am sure the hon. Lady thinks that she is helping the cause which she desires to serve by not letting these discussions proceed a little longer. I sincerely take a different view. I do not believe that any useful purpose is served by insulting a great industry.

Will my hon. and learned Friend bear in mind that the consumers of these commodities have not the slightest curiosity about the amount of fibre or wool which is contained in any fabric?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the large credit balance which this country has in trade with Turkey, and, in view of the fact that we are no longer in debt with the European Payments Union, steps will be taken now to increase our purchases of products which Turkey has in some quantities to export.

I am glad to have this opportunity to stress the importance which Her Majesty's Government attach to the progressive development of trade between this country and Turkey.

In cases where Government Departments are involved in the purchase of Turkish products will the Minister do everything possible to increase the purchases in order to maintain our valuable export trade?

Yes, Sir; but, as I say, it is a matter of price. We have pointed this out to the Turks. They are sending an unofficial delegation over, and we shall do our best to help.

As the hon. Gentleman has mentioned tobacco, will he assure the House that the Government are taking serious steps to stimulate the import of Turkish tobacco and diminish the import of tobacco from across the Atlantic?

That is a matter for private purchasers and the public taste.

Is my hon. Friend aware that under the impact of more modern agricultural methods, the output of food and raw materials from Turkey is expanding rapidly and that the commercial representatives of other countries, particularly Germany, are very active? In the interests of our export trade and our imports, will my hon. Friend ensure that in any future negotiations long-term as well as short-term considerations are given the fullest possible weight?

Yes, Sir, but we must bear in mind that private individuals and Government buyers must buy at world prices.

Can the Minister say whether we are purchasing any coarse grains from Turkey this year?

I would not like to answer that. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will put that question to the Minister of Food.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent men's paper collars are being exported; and what are the total exports expected for the current year.

No statistics of exports are available, but I understand that paper collars are exported on a small scale, mainly to Commonwealth countries. The manufacturers expect to increase exports this year.

Would the lion. Gentleman say whether that expectation has been stimulated by his own strip-tease exhibition?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that it was an accident.

Can my hon. Friend say which use most imported raw material—paper or linen collars?

I have no idea.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what information he has received from the Coronation Accommodation Committee concerning the percentage price increase to be made by three London hotels, details of which were supplied to him by the hon. Member for Coventry, South.

I have now looked into these cases, but the hon. Member will appreciate that it would not be proper for me to single out particular hotels, and give information from which misleading inferences might be drawn. The facilities offered and the expenses incurred differ very greatly, and do not afford any reasonable basis of comparison.

I must protest about this matter. Is the Minister aware that I was wanting to thank him for his letter to me during the Recess informing me that I was quite right with regard to one of these matters? I mention that only because in a previous Question I gave him the names of three hotels and I was told I was wrong. The Minister then informed me that he would look into the matter. May I ask him, as I have done in this Question on the Order Paper, whether he can give me the results of his inquiries with regard to these three hotels, about one of which I was in the right?

I have not the least desire to be discourteous to the hon. Lady. Perhaps she will await the answer to Question No. 41.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied that hotel charges for the Coronation in all hotels have still not increased by more than 50 per cent.; and if he now has any further statement to make on the position.

I am much obliged to the hon. Member for affording me the opportunity to refer to my statement on 16th December, when I said that the Coronation Accommodation Committee had told me that their investigations suggested that even among the hotels on the Coronation route which are raising their charges the highest increase is 50 per cent. I gave this answer in good faith, and I now wish to inform the House that the Chairman of the Coronation Accommodation Committee tells me that, owing to an error which is greatly regretted, the information was inaccurate.

While appreciating the fact that the Minister has been able to obtain much more correct information, would he ask the Coronation Accommodation Committee to make representations to the Hotels and Restaurants Association to see that the prices and stipulations are much more reasonable? Could not he also state the percentage increases in hotel charges?

I am genuinely satisfied that percentages would not give a proper impression; and I have no statutory obligation to give them. The situation is that accommodation in Central London is fully booked, but there is a good deal of accommodation within one and a half hours' journey of London. If hon. Members who know of overseas visitors requiring accommodation will let me and the Committee know they will be put in touch with the hotels concerned. Those hotels will have been inspected to make certain that they are not charging exorbitant prices.

Does the Minister realise that what he has just said—that accommodation is available within one and a half hours' journey of London—takes one as far away as Ipswich?

I am sure that hotels in Ipswich and my own constituency will be very glad to offer accommodation.

What about Aberdeen?

Is the Minister aware that his answer will make people feel very suspicious that he is trying to cover something up? Cannot he tell the House, at any rate, what is the maximum percentage increase which is being charged by these hotels?

I cannot because very often these hotels do not have tariffs. It is impossible to get a percentage.

Would the Minister agree that it is a considerable trading asset, as well as being a matter of international courtesy, that people in this country should not have the reputation of being cheap-jacks and excessive profiteers? May we assume that most hotels will not behave in this way? If so, it should be possible by a device comparable to the machinery we set up to deal with excessive charges for furnished lodgings for British citizens or foreigners who are treated in an outrageous fashion to present their excessive bills so that the matter can be corrected?

If the inquiries for accommodation are made through the Coronation Accommodation Committee investigations will already have been made both as to suitability and prices charged; but if visitors make their own bookings in London and pay what they are asked it is not for me to interfere.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that at the time of the Olympic Games in Helsinki not only the hotels but all the other lodging keepers, shops and restaurants kept their prices at the normal level in order not to profiteer from the visiting public? Could not he try to get the same thing done here?

I was very much obliged for the information which the right hon. Gentleman kindly sent me on this subject; but our problem is a different one. I am satisfied that the vast majority of hotel-keepers will behave in a decent way in this matter.

rose—

Question No. 42.

On a point of order. I want to ask your guidance, Mr. Speaker. The Minister wrote to me in this matter. Would you allow me to put a supplementary question to Question No. 41?

We have spent a long time on this Question and in the interests of other hon. Members we should get on.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to announce the decision of the Coronation Accommodation Committee concerning the suggestion that hotels in London should publish a list of the charges they intend making over the Coronation period and show thereon the percentage increase over normal rates.

I appreciate the motives which have led the hon. Member to make this suggestion, but I am afraid that it is impracticable. I have no power to require hotels to publish their charges. Further, not only is the number of hotels very large but the range of accommodation offered, even in a particular hotel, is often very wide. I think that to quote percentage increases, even if this were practicable, would often convey a very misleading impression since the additional facilities offered by hotels during the Coronation period, and the expenses incurred, vary greatly.

I appreciate that the Minister is entirely dependent on the information given to him and I would not wish to be so ungenerous as to pursue that point. But could he tell me—as he assured me in writing he would—what increases have been made by the three hotels I named as making increases above those mentioned by the Coronation Accommodation Committee?

I do not think it is right that I should give information— [HON. MEMBERS: "Why not?"] I am trying to point out that I do not wish to impose commercial disadvantages on one or two hotels which have given information when others may have refused to do so.

On a point of order. May I ask for your help on this matter. Mr. Speaker? I was under the impression that when a Question was asked in this House an answer had to be given to an hon. Member unless good reasons against it were advanced. Could I have an answer to my Question?

Further to that point of order. I think I treated the House and the hon. Lady with the greatest courtesy. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] I do not think I have Ministerial responsibility for prices charged by hotels.

In answer to the point of order, I have frequently ruled—

On a point of order.

I must answer one point of order at a time. In reply to the point of order raised by the hon. Lady, I have frequently ruled that it is not within my power to secure answers from Ministers which are satisfactory to hon. Members. It seems to me, if I may suggest it, that this is a very big matter which might well be the subject of debate rather than be pursued by Questions and answers.

I understood the Minister to say, Sir, that he was not prepared to answer the Question, not because it would be to the disadvantage of anybody who is behaving fairly but because he did not want to give away people who were behaving unfairly. Surely that gives away the whole case. He ought to answer the Question.

I did not read that into it. There are many occasions when Ministers do not answer, and it does not lie in my power to compel them to do so.

As I understood, the Minister said earlier that when Question No. 41 was reached he would answer my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Miss Burton). I understand that that answer has not yet been given.

I am within the recollection of the House, but what I heard the Minister say was, "Perhaps the hon. Lady will wait until Question No. 41." She has waited and the result of her waiting does not seem to be satisfactory. but I cannot do anything about it.

May I put this point to you, Mr. Speaker? This is not a case where a Minister has exercised his right not to answer a Question. In fact, he answered a Question on this point, and at the Box this afternoon he has told the House that his answer was wrong and that he gave mistaken information, having been misled himself, and therefore, having unwittingly misled the House. In those circumstances, is there not an obligation upon him to give the House the correct information instead of the incorrect information?

It does not arise out of the original Question. The Minister has answered the original Question. He is now not satisfied that 50 per cent. was the limit. I think the matter probably requires another Question

May I ask my hon. Friend what responsibility, if any, the President of the Board of Trade has for the fixing or control of the prices of hotel accommodation?

As far as I am aware, none.

If that is the case, may I ask why these Questions are placed upon the Order Paper and why the Minister answers them?

As it is clear that this is a matter of great concern, may I point out that the Board of Trade has some responsibility; and in that connection, may I ask the Minister whether he will not ask the Travel and Holidays Association, for whom he is the Minister responsible in this House, to look into this matter and to report to him so that in due course he can make a further statement to the House?

As soon as the Coronation date was fixed, my right hon. Friend told the Association that he would look to them for assistance and advice.

On a point of order. Would I be in order in asking Questions about the hotels of British Railways?

So far, that question remains hypothetical.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what measures have been taken to extend the market in North America for British agricultural seeds; and what degree of success has been achieved.

The Agricultural Adviser in Ottawa and the Agricultural Attaché in Washington arrange for trials of United Kingdom seeds and give other technical advice and assistance, while the Trade Commissioners and the Commercial Diplomatic Officers report on general demand and specific inquiries for United Kingdom seeds as for other goods.

While thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask him whether something of a similar nature can be arranged in the United States to follow up the success in Canada?

I should like to look at that.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the peak world price of leather reached following the Korean war, the price today as a ratio of that maximum figure and the relative figures for retail footwear prices and boot and shoe repairs over the same period.

There is no single world price for leather. The wholesale prices index for leather for footwear in the United Kingdom published monthly in the Board of Trade Journal, reached a peak of 203.4 (with 30th June, 1949=100) in April, 1951. In December, 1952, this index stood at 127.1—a fall of 37.5 per cent.

As the Minister told us not very long ago, with his hon. Friends, what were the chief factors causing the hole in the purse; as one of the most serious holes in the housewife's purse is the cost of footwear; and as the fall in world prices for leather has not been reflected in the price of footwear or shoe repairs, is it not time that the Ministry took strong action on the line adopted by a leading boot manufacturer, the chairman of Bata Footwear, Ltd., who walked out of a trade meeting not long ago because of the action of the trade?

The hon. Member asked only for statistical information, but I may inform him that the peak figures for leather were never reflected in the prices of footwear.

The manufacturer referred to by the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. J. T. Price) was a manufacturer of rubber footwear and not of leather footwear. Is it not a fact that since the Korean war there have been two increases in wages in this industry and one increase in transport charges?

Is the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that one famous boot manufacturing company this week declared a dividend of 62 per cent.?

That question does not arise out of the Question on the Order Paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that unemployment at Hindley and Aspull, in the South Lancashire Development Area, is greatly in excess of the national average, having reached 8.7 per cent. and 10.4 per cent., respectively, in the month of December, 1952; and if he will use his powers under the Distribution of Industry Act to build Government-sponsored factories for rental in these districts.

I am aware— [Interruption.]

On a point of order. Arising from the clapping in the Gallery, Mr. Speaker, your predecessor once had occasion to warn people who made demonstrations from the Gallery. May I ask you to repeat those observations now —that you will restrain people in the Gallery, particularly in the front rows and the relatives of Members, from indulging in demonstrations.

It is quite out of order for any demonstration to take place in the Gallery.

The answer to the Question of the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. J. T. Price) is: I am aware that there were 312 persons wholly unemployed and 169 persons temporarily unemployed in these towns in December, 1952. The industrial estate established under the Distribution of Industry Acts at Lamberhead, in the Wigan district, of which these two towns form part, is not yet fully developed and accordingly there is no question at present of developing additional sites in the vicinity. Any application for the erection of a factory on this estate would be carefully considered.

I am much obliged to the hon. and learned Gentleman, but does he recognise that the towns which I have mentioned have a long history of some of the most bitter unemployment in this country and that when the inhabitants of Hindley and Aspull see the figures mounting to those which I have mentioned, they become apprehensive that they are on the slide again to those conditions?

I certainly appreciate what prompted the hon. Gentleman to put the Question down, but he will agree that I answered the Question on the Paper.

On a point of order. May I seek your guidance, Sir, on a matter which affects all Private Members? What remedy have Private Members who have put down Questions when something like 10 minutes is taken over one Question? Nearly 10 minutes were taken over one Question, and your patience, Mr. Speaker, was taxed to the limit. The Questions which follow are equally important.

There is no remedy in such a situation, except the good sense of hon. Members.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the inadequate publicity given to the closing date for application for Coronation pieces, he will extend the date.

On a point of order. Is it not possible, Sir, to get a reply from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to Question No. 55, which is about a matter which is causing great concern throughout the country? I put it down with the specific object of getting information for the people in my constituency.

The Question has not been reached, and the hon. Member must therefore be content with a Written answer.

May I ask the Leader of the House to state the business for next week?

Yes, Sir.

May I ask my right hon. Friend why a debate on agriculture is taking place on the Consolidated Fund Bill, which relates almost entirely to defence matters?

The answer to that is that it is not. The Second Reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill will be taken first, and then there will be a debate on an Opposition Motion.

Will the debate on agriculture cover agriculture in Wales and Scotland as well as in England?

The hon. Member must ask his own Front Bench. It is their Motion, not mine.