asked the Minister of Health how many pairs of elastic stockings were supplied through the National Health Service on the prescription of general practitioners in the six months June-November, 1952; and what were the corresponding figures for each year since the inception of the service.

I regret that when I answered the hon. Member's previous Question on 18th December I omitted to make it clear that the figures I gave were for the hospital service only. Precise figures are not available, but it is estimated that the number of orders for elastic hosiery supplied on the prescription of general medical practitioners is at least 10 times the number supplied through the hospital service.

asked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take regarding the recommendations of the Inter-Departmental Committee on the Statutory Registration of Opticians.

In conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland I propose to discuss the Committee's findings with the bodies concerned, with a view to preparing proposals to be laid in due course before the House. It should not be inferred that the Government accept all the detailed recommendations of the Committee.

asked the Minister of Health how many people in Somerset are now awaiting supply of hearing aids; what is the average length of time taken to supply them; and to what extent there has been any recent improvement in this respect.

Precise figures are not available, but it is estimated that about 1,650 people who live in Somerset are still waiting. The waiting time varies according to local circumstances and to the patient's priority and average figures are not calculable. The new centres recently opened at Gloucester, Bath and Taunton should, however, reduce it considerably.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent the danger of sulphur dioxide and other noxious products of the burning of coal and coal products in foggy weather is reduced by the use of slow-combustion stoves.

As far as is known there is no reduction in the amount of sulphur dioxide emitted to the atmosphere when coal and coal products are burnt in slow, combustion stoves, but probably a little less smoke is formed from coal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the relative purchasing power of a Member of Parliament's salary actually received in 1938, 1946 and at the latest available date, using as the basis the price index for national income purposes between 1938 and December, 1951, and the Ministry of Labour's Interim Index of Retail Prices for the year 1952.

Taking the purchasing power in 1938 as 100, it would have been 105 in 1946, when the salary was raised from £600 to £1,000, and 72 at 31st December, 1952.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the itemised amounts he allowed for the necessary expenses incurred by a Member of Parliament to meet the cost of postage, travelling, telephone, secretarial and living away from home; and what was the percentage increase in each case allowed for when computing his purchasing value of a Member of Parliament's salary as £685 in December, 1952, as against £1,000 in April, 1946.

No. The calculation was based on total consumer expenditure over the whole range of goods and services. Material is not available form which a calculation could be made in relation to any particular individual or class.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the percentage increase in salary of those civil servants who were,

Grade	Salary Point	1946	1953	Approximate percentage increase
		£	£ s.
Chief Executive Officer	Minimum of scale	1,055	1,177 9	17·2
Chief Executive Officer	Maximum of scale	1,157	1,408 3	21·7
Administrative Principal	Minimum of scale	892	1,075 1	20·5
Administrative Principal	Maximum of scale	1,220	1,456 7	19·6
Works Group (Senior Grade)	Minimum of scale	1,055	1,331 7	26·2
Works Group (Senior Grade)	Maximum of scale	1,270	1,536 3	21
Chief Accountant (Professional)	Minimum of scale	1,005	1,228 13	22·3
Chief Accountant (Professional)	Maximum of scale	1,157	1,433 15	23·9

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the average percentage increase in the salaries of the 8,504 established civil servants who were, in 1947, in receipt of salaries of £1,000 per year or more.

There is nothing I can usefully add to the answers I have given the hon. Member for today and on 29th January, 1953.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated annual cost to his Department of abolishing Schedule A on all freehold house property whose rateable value is under £100; and whether he will consider removing this penalty for house ownership in his next Budget.

£27 million, on the assumption that the question relates to owner-occupied houses. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the negative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the purchasing power of the £ sterling for each of the years from 1938, taking the year 1938 as 100; in 1946, within the £1,000 per annum range.

Salary scales which in 1946 included £1,000 within thier range have been increased by percentages which vary both as between different grades and as between different points on the scales of these grades. The following examples which are fairly typical may, however, be of interest to the hon. Member:(2) the purchasing power of the £ sterling for each of the years from 1945, taking the year 1945 as 100.

The figures are as follow:

1938	…	100
1939	…	97
1940	…	83
1941	…	75
1942	…	70
1943	…	68
1944	…	67
1945	…	65	…	100
1946	…	63	…	97
1947	…	59	…	91
1948	…	55	…	85
1949	…	53	…	82
1950	…	52	…	80
1951	…	48	…	74
1952	…	44	…	68

Between 1938 and 1951, the price index for all consumers' goods and services, calculated annually for national income purposes, is used. The figure for 1952 is a provisional estimate, based on the movement of the Ministry of Labour's interim index of retail prices during that year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many tenants of council houses in Cardiff, Glamorgan, and Wales have bought their homes and become freeholders and leaseholders for 99 years; how many local authorities in Wales have denied facilities for purchase to council house tenants; and whether he will consider taking steps to make it obligatory for local authorities to sell council houses on fair terms to every would-be house-owning tenant.

I have not yet any information as to the sale of council houses by authorities in Wales. The third part of the Question, therefore. does not arise.

asked the Minister of Transport if he can provide an up-to-date list of road and bridge construction schemes costing over £10,000 on which substantial expenditure has been incurred but the completion of which has been held up owing to various reasons, together with figures indicating the approximate amount of expenditure which would have to be incurred to complete them.

I am arranging for a list to be prepared and will let my hon. and gallant Friend have it as soon as it is ready.

asked the Minister of Transport what percentage of the mileage of Class A roads has cat's-eye reflectors down the middle of the road.

This information is not immediately available, but I am making inquiries and will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many pupils he expects to have at Welbeck Abbey School; and how many teachers.

When it reaches full strength, Welbeck College will consist of 150 boys and 15 masters. When it opens in September next there will be 50 boys and nine masters. The college will be organised in two houses each under a housemaster.