asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of Members of Parliament who refused to accept a salary of £1,000 per annum in 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively.

The number of Members who refused to accept the whole or a part of their Parliamentary salary in each of the years referred to is:

1946	10
1947	11
1948	11
1949	7
1950	9
1951	6
1952	5

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the shortage of shillings in Glasgow owing to the gas and electricity boards installing one shilling prepayment meters; that street vendors are selling one-shilling pieces for 15 pence; and if he will instruct the Mint to arrange for the issue of more shillings in Glasgow in order to put an end to this undesirable practice.

Coins are issued by and at the request of the head offices of the banks whose branches are in the areas concerned. The head office of the Glasgow bank asked on 13th February for a further supply of shillings to be sent direct to its Glasgow branch, and arrangements to do this were at once made.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Liverpool Observatory and Tidal Institute, as agents for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, claims the right to charge, and does, in fact, charge the Press and local authorities an annual fee on publication of tidal predictions; and whether, having regard to the recent flood disasters and to the need for a knowledge of the times of high tides for the safety of persons living in coastal areas, he will direct that no such fees shall be charged to the press and local authorities.

The fees charged by this body as agents for Her Majesty's Stationery Office are the same as those charged by it for its own predictions. I have no evidence that the imposition of these fees results in any restriction in the dissemination of the information.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number and value of loans made in Scotland under Section 4 of the Distribution of Industry Act, 1946, in the years 1950, 1951 and 1952.

The loans made to companies operating in Scotland were as follows:—

—	Number of Companies	Amount
		£
1950	5	74,000
1951	5	125,850
1952	3	22,000

Three of the companies which had received loans in 1950 received further advances in 1951, and two of the companies which received loans in 1951

received further advances in 1952. The total number of companies involved in the three years was eight.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the dividend and wage restraint policy enunciated by his two predecessors.

The policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to both dividends and wages is one of continued voluntary restraint.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer now to extend the tax concessions which have been made to Harrods, Buenos Aires. to all companies who are placed in a similar position; and how far such concessions will apply to countries other than Argentina.

Similar treatment will, of course, be given to all British companies similarly situated. In general the situation is similar in the case of companies operating in the Argentine and in Brazil.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a further statement about the incidence of foot-and-mouth disease in Wales.

There have been 11 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Wales this month, nine in Glamorgan and two in Monmouthshire. One hundred and twelve cattle, 261 sheep and 63 pigs have been slaughtered. One of the outbreaks in Glamorgan was a primary outbreak, and eight others resulted from the local spread of the infection caused by the movement of pigs. Inquiries into the source of infection in the primary outbreak and the two remaining cases are continuing. The usual movement restrictions have been imposed around the infected premises and I hope that there will not be any spread of the disease.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to ensure the availability of large quantities of gypsum for use on farmland which has been inundated by the recent floods; and whether he will consider making gypsum available free of charge for all farmland which has so suffered.

The principal suppliers have assured me that adequate supplies of gypsum are available. In conjunction with my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I am considering the desirability and practicability of giving financial assistance to farmers in appropriate cases towards the purchase of gypsum

asked the Minister of Agriculture to state, in appropriate categories, the number of those civil servants in his Department who are receiving improved salary scales, which necessitated the Supplementary Estimate for £100.000.

The Supplementary Estimate is a net figure. I am circulating below details of the numbers and groups of my Department's staff whose pay increase affects this Estimate.

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE TO VOTE (CLASS VI 8) FOR 1952–53
Numbers and Groups of staff receiving pay increases
National Agricultural Advisory Service staff	1,543
National Milk Testing Service staff	108
Lay Inseminators	21
Professional Accountants	20
Agricultural Land Service staff:
Farm Building Advisory Officers	8
Land Commissioners	2
Temporary Assistant Land Commissioners	6
	16
	1,708

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he proposes to take when common land, now cultivated by county agricultural committees, is derequisitioned, in order to prevent the land reverting to its original state which, in general, was of little use to either the commoner or the nation.

I have no powers to compel commoners to keep their commons in good condition once they are de-requisitioned, and common land cannot in the normal way be fenced or cultivated. For that reason commons are de-requisitioned in grass. The commoners can, however, maintain and improve the grazing by voluntary co-operation, and I hope that many will do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why he failed to make adequate provision for food production services in 1952–53, necessitating a supplementary estimate of £2,632,500.

This Supplementary Estimate is required mainly to provide for expenditure on the grants under the Agriculture (Calf Subsidies) Act, 1952, which had not been presented to Parliament when the original estimates were prepared. In addition, the response to the schemes under the Agriculture (Ploughing Grants) Act, 1952, has been greater than originally expected. Conditions in the White Fish Industry have also involved larger payments of assistance to inshore and near and middle water fishermen.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many farmers in 1952 sold their farms or their small-holdings whilst under a supervision order and subjected to direction.

I regret that the information is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many licences for clear felling timber in Hampshire, and separately in England, were issued in 1952; and in how many cases was a condition to replant attached to such licences.

In 1952. 63 such licences were issued in Hampshire and 1,375 in England. Restocking conditions were attached to 46 and 1,107 of those licences respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture his estimate of timber felled in Hampshire, and separately in England, in 1952 under the licence-free provisions.

I regret that it is not possible to give separate figures for England or for any particular county. In Great Britain, the Forestry Commission estimate that the total volume of timber felled by private woodland owners each year may be as much as 7 million cubic feet.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the absence of sufficient police volunteers, what methods are proposed to reduce crimes of violence.

I do not think that there is anything I can usefully add to what I said in the course of the debate on the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill on 13th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange for the prison population to be given the test for reading ability used for the report in the Minister of Education's pamphlet No. 18; if he will report the findings and, in particular, whether those prisoners found to have a leading ability of 11 years, or less, are proportionately less, or more, than the 30 per cent. of the school population of 15 years of age in 1948 as therein reported by the Minister of Education; if he will arrange similarly to test the reading ability of every new prisoner and obtain the records of school attendance; and if he will report on any correlation for the prison population between failure at school to learn to read fluently and absence and truancy from school and between truancy and crime.

No. I am advised that the reading test to which my hon. Friend refers would be unsuitable for application to the adult prison population. A project of research such as is suggested in the third and fourth parts of the Question could not be undertaken by my Department, but I should be prepared to afford facilities to any properly qualified organisation that might wish to undertake it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring to the notice of returning officers the desirability of offering employment during the forthcoming local elections to suitable disabled ex-Service men and women.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, at last year's local government elections, some nomination papers were declared invalid because of technical errors in filling them up; and whether he will send a circular advising returning officers to help candidates to make sure that their papers are properly completed.

The decision on the validity of a nomination paper rests with the returning officer, or at borough council elections outside London with the mayor, who is bound by the statutory rules, to which the attention of candidates and electors is drawn in the notice of election and in the form of nomination paper. The returning officer or town clerk is required by the rules to prepare for signature a nomination paper at the request of any elector, and my information is that they are generally willing to give further informal help if asked, for instance by checking a completed nomination paper informally before it is formally submitted. I see no objection to this practice provided all candidates are treated alike. I have no power to give instructions about this, but I will bring this Question and answer to the notice of returning officers and town clerks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that Class Z reservists are debarred from enrolment in the Metropolitan Special Constabulary; and if, in view of the urgent need for more special constables, he will consider the modification of this rule.

Under arrangements brought into effect last October Z reservists are eligible to become Special Constables unless they are likely to be recalled to Her Majesty's Forces in the event of war, and I should not feel justified in proposing any further modification in these arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is proposed to open a detention centre for juvenile delinquents between the ages of 17 and 21.

Premises are in course of adaptation at Goudhurst, Kent. for this purpose, and I hope they will be open early in 1954.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the development of the Civil Defence mobile column.

The contingents from the Army and Royal Air Force by which the column is being manned, reported for duty on 1st January. They have made good progress with their initial training and by the beginning of May they should be ready to take part in exercises with the Civil Defence services of local authorities. An extensive tour programme, which includes most of the larger cities in England, Scotland and Wales, has been worked out for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on the naturalisation of ex-enemy prisoners of war.

Yes. As from 1st June, 1953, I shall be ready to consider applications from ex-enemy prisoners of war who have resided in the United Kingdom for five years from the date of their obtaining civilian status. Poles who assisted the enemy may also apply, or draw further attention to their cases, as from the same date including those individuals who have been informed by my Department that they may not do so until some later date. Applications will be dealt with as quickly as possible, but there may be some delay as the resources for making the necessary inquiries are limited.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what compensation is to be made available to those who have sustained loss or damage of houses or farm buildings in the recent floods, where they are not protected by private insurance.

It would not be possible, within the compass of a reply to a Parliamentary Question, to deal adequately with this point, and I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statements made on behalf of the Government in the debate today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make arrangements for immediate interim payment to victims of the flood who are now trying to make their homes habitable of sufficient funds to enable them to. purchase such urgent necessaries as coal to dry their homes and floor covering, beds and bedding.

I am informed that the Lord Mayor of London has made funds available to the Lords Lieutenant of the affected counties for this very purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the next meeting of the Police Council will be held; and if he expects that at that meeting the still unresolved questions arising from the second part of the Oaksey Committee's Report will be resolved between the various interests represented on the council.

It is proposed to hold the next meeting of the Police Council in the middle of March. The question of negotiating machinery will be further considered at that meeting, but I do not think I should attempt to forecast the outcome of the discussion.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Remploy factories there are throughout the country; how many men are employed in them; and how many of these men are able-bodied.

There are 90 Remploy factories employing 7,582 workers, including staff. Of these, 6,130 are severely disabled and among the remaining 1,452 is a substantial number of less severely disabled persons.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of men engaged in administrative and supervisory duties in Remploy factories; and what percentage of them is disabled.

The total number of men and women engaged as managers, clerks, foremen, charge-hands, storekeepers and canteen workers is 1,109, of whom 237 or 21 per cent. are disabled.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers have registered at the employment exchanges after being declared redundant at the British Insulated Callender Cable factories in Prescot and Huyton in the past three months; and what notification he has received of further anticipated redundancies at these factories.

About 80 registered. No notice of further redundancies. has been received.

asked the Minister of Labour how many able-bodied men signed on for unemployment benefit in the South-Eastern Region for the two weeks ended 14th February, 1953.

Figures for February are not yet available. At 12th January the total number of men aged 18 and over, other than registered disabled persons, registered as unemployed, at employment exchanges in the South-Eastern Region, excluding Greater London, was 10,887. The figure includes applicants for national assistance as well as claimants for unemployment benefit and a small number of persons not claiming benefit or assistance.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent the placing services of his Department have been able to meet the special demands created in the flooded areas.

I am glad to say that the employment exchanges have successfully met the labour requirements notified to them, and during the last fortnight have supplied about 4,500 workers for employment in connection with the flood damage.

asked the Minister of Labour the average number of dock workers signing on in Glasgow Docks for whom no work was available in the week ended 24th January, 1953; and the comparative figures for the same week in 1951 and 1952, respectively.

In the week ending 24th January, 1953, the average daily number of dock workers surplus to requirements at the Glasgow docks was 508. The comparative figures for 1951 and 1952 were 2 and 14, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) to circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the members of the four committees that are to be established under the Licensed Residential and Catering Establishments Board; the chairman of each committee; and also which members of each committee are drawn from Scotland;

(2) if he is now in a position to make a statement about the four committees that are to be set up under the jurisdiction of the Licensed Residential and Catering Establishments Board.

I am still awaiting the nominations from the trade union side, but I am assured that they will be sent to me within the next few days and the four committees will then he appointed forthwith.

asked the Minister of Labour to arrange not to call up forestry workers in the North-East of Scotland until the timber blown down in the recent gale has been dealt with.

Yes. In the quite exceptional circumstances, I am prepared to suspend the calling up of essential forestry workers from this area for six months. Details will be announced locally.

asked the Minister of Labour how many building workers employed on housing were called up for military service in 1952; and how many of these were from Scotland.

It is estimated that in 1952 the number of building trade workers employed on housing work who were called up for National Service was 11,000, of whom 1,200 were from Scotland.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in his review of the National Service Acts, he will consider exempting building workers from the call-up.

No.

asked the Minister of Health if he is yet in a position to make a statement on the researches made by his Department into cancer of the lung and the possible contributory effect of smoking.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet received the report of his Standing Advisory Committee on Cancer and Radiotherapy; and if he will now make a statement on the theory that smoking may be a cause of cancer of the lung.

No. My Standing Advisory Committee on Cancer and Radiotherapy have not yet finished their study of the available evidence on this difficult problem

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the abnormally high incidence of tuberculosis among persons from abroad who have taken up residence in the St. Pancras area, as disclosed in a report of the St. Pancras chest clinic to the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board; what information he has with regard to other parts of London; and if he will institute a nation-wide survey of this problem.

I am aware that such a report has been made to the Regional Hospital Board, but I have not yet received the Board's recommendations on it. I have no comparable information for other parts of London, but the general problem has already been referred to my Standing Tuberculosis Advisory Committee.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that under the supplementary ophthalmic services the restriction to nickel frames of the free range of glasses available for children of 12 to 16 years of age, and for older boys and girls in full attendance at a school, is seriously affecting the sight of many children owing to their refraining from wearing them when away from parental supervision because they are made sensitive by children whose parents are able to afford more attractive frames; and if he will consider the provision, free of charge, of more attractive frames for such children.

My right hon. Friend has no evidence of the serious effect to which the hon. Member refers. The free range of children's spectacles (these all have coloured coverings) was selected on the advice of his Ophthalmic Advisory Committee, and in present circumstances cannot be extended.

asked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take to reduce the cost to the National Health Service of proprietary medicines.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General with regard to the heavy prescribing of expensive proprietary drugs; and what action he proposes to take in order to reduce this expenditure in tht future.

All doctors have been urged to help to keep this cost down by prescribing standard drugs wherever appropriate and by not prescribing proprietary drugs which are advertised direct to the public—and lists of the latter have been supplied to them. In the last resort it is in the power of the doctors themselves to help most in this considerable problem, and I am sure that we can count on them to do so. For my part, I am considering what further steps can be taken.

asked the Minister of Health the chemical formula of the proprietary brand of drug used for slimming which, when prescribed under the National Health Service, cost the taxpayer £400,000 in 1951; and what would be the approximate saving if all proprietary drugs, of which the formula is known, were prescribed under their standard names.

I am informed that the tablets in question are made of dexamphetamine sulphate. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Minister of Health what sum was paid by his Department to pharmacists for National Health Service prescriptions for the last available month; and how this compares with that for the corresponding month a year ago.

The amount paid from National Health Service funds in England and Wales to chemists in January, 1953, was about £3,520,000. The amount paid in January, 1952 (which was before charges for prescriptions had been introduced) was £3,172,360. The payments made to chemists each month represent about 90 per cent. of the value of the prescriptions dispensed in the previous month, together with balances due in respect of earlier months

asked the Minister of Health how many minor repairs were carried out to Medresco hearing aids by technicians employed at hospitals and clinics up to 31st December, 1951.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many visits, per annum, are made on an average by each Medresco user to technicians employed by hospitals and clinics for the purpose of having minor repairs done to their Medresco hearing aids.

A survey carried out in August, 1950, concluded that I visits had been made per patient year. No later information is available.

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to designate the site of the proposed new general hospital at Bangor.

This is primarily a matter for the local planning authority, and I understand that they are designating the site on the development plan now being prepared for submission to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government for confirmation.

asked the Minister of Health (1) the number of pigs kept on hospital farms under his control in the United Kingdom for the years 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952;(2) the number and names of hospital farms under his control in the United Kingdom that keep pedigree stock; and the number of such stock on each farm;(3) how many pigs from hospital farms under his control in the United Kingdom have been slaughtered for the benefit of the hospitals; and how many have been sent to Ministry of Food slaughterhouses for slaughter during the years 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952.

None of the information asked for is at present available, but I am at present conducting a special inquiry into hospital farming generally.

asked the Minister of Health the number of whole-time chaplains employed in hospitals within the National Health Service and the conditions on which hospital management committees decide to employ whole-time chaplains.

One hundred and eleven at the end of 1951, the latest date for which figures are available. Hospital management committees are authorised to appoint full-time chaplains if the average number of patients to be served in the denomination in question is not less than 750, unless there are exceptional circumstances justifying such appointments for smaller units.

asked the Minister of Health by how many the numbers of men and women, respectively, employed on the administrative side of hospitals and other health services have increased since the date on which they were nationalised; and what the increase in cost has been.

I regret that the information asked for is not available, as I have no figures for administrative and clerical staff on the appointed day.

asked the Minister of Health if he can yet make a statement about the future of the five remaining day nurseries in Kent.

My right hon. Friend is awaiting further information from the county council following their meeting at the end of the month.

asked the Minister of Health, whether, having regard to the fact that the enumerated population on 8th April, 1951, was 76,000 less than that which had been estimated by the Registrar General, he will institute an inquiry to discover whether this deficiency is due to inaccuracy in the birth and death rate statistics or in the migration statistics.

The 76,000 difference represents little more than one-fifth of one per cent. of the births, deaths and migration of the period between the Censuses of 1931 and 1951. I am advised that an attempt to apportion it in the manner suggested in the Question would probably be inconclusive and would in any case serve no useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will instruct local education authorities to ignore family allowances in assessing family income in deciding eligibility for free meals when the new charges for school dinners come into operation.

No

Minister of Education the number of occasions on which she has, under Section 88 of the 1944 Act, exercised the power to exclude names from the list of those proposed for selection as chief education officer of a local education authority.

Once.

asked the Minister of Education what percentage of the total expenditure of her Department has been devoted to assisting the provision of education for adults in each of the last five years; and what is her estimate of this percentage for the coming year.

I am not in a position to calculate the percentages asked for in the Question because the returns which I receive from local education authorities do not enable me to assess how much Exchequer grant is attracted by the expenditure of authorities in this particular part of the field of further education.

asked the Minister of Education to what extent the 10 per cent. cut in adult education applies to residential colleges.

I have made no proposals for a 10 per cent. reduction in grants to local education authorities or other bodies that maintain residential colleges of adult education. I cannot say exactly what my grants will be for these colleges in the coming year.

asked the Minister of Education details of the yearly grants made to the University Council for Adult Education and the Workers' Educational Association for each year from 1945.

I do not make grants to the Universities Council for Adult Education. My grants for liberal adult education are made to the individual university extra-mural departments and the Workers' Educational Association districts which together with certain smaller bodies are the responsible bodies for classes in adult education. The following table gives details of my grants to these bodies for the financial years 1945–52.

Year	University Extra Mural Departments	W.E.A. Districts	Other Responsible Bodies
	£	£	£
1945–46	102,681	35,280	2,193
1946–47	129,302	42,801	3,966
1947–48	172,887	49,584	3,796
1948–49	207,585	56,875	3,599
1949–50	232,052	64,812	3,928
1950–51	258,955	63,188	4,515
1951–52	266,026	66,770	5,386
1952–53	267,000	67,600	5,600

asked the Minister of Education how many new State supplementary awards have been made in the current academic year and in the year 1951–52: and if he will state the number of such awards for which provision was made in the estimates of her Department for the financial year 1952–53.

1,145 new State scholarships of the supplementary type were taken up in the academic year 1951–52, and 1,065 in 1952–53. It is not practicable to relate the provision made in my estimates to an exact number of awards of a particular type of State scholarship to be taken up in a particular year.

asked the Minister of Education which local education authorities have not adopted the scales recommended in A.M. 425 and Circular 252; whether their awards are above or below the scale; and which local education authorities still make a practice of making loans to students.

I am sending this information to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education the number of school dental officers employed by local authorities for the years 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively and make a statement on the present position of this service.

I cannot add anything by way of a general statement to what I said in answer to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Barkston Ash (Sir L. Ropner) on 4th December last.

asked the Minister of Education what are the prospects of a group hearing aid and an aursotometer being made available to children in the Residential School for Deaf Children in Wales.

A group hearing aid and an audiometer are part of the normal equipment of a school for the deaf, and I should not expect the authority responsible for this school to find any difficulty in securing suitable instruments.

asked the Under. Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations to what extent his regulations provide that retired servants of the Crown in India who are domiciled in Eire may qualify for benefit under the Pensions (Increases) Acts.

Pensioners of the Government of India who are living in the Republic of Ireland whose pensions are expressed in sterling are eligible for the benefit of the Pensions (Increase) Acts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what cover has been provided by the Export Credit Guarantees Department for the recently-completed raw cotton and Meteor aircraft barter contract.

None

asked the President of the Board of Trade to make a further statement on the entry of Japan into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and especially on the safeguards to protect British industries and Commonwealth trade against disruptive competition.

The Intersessional Committee of the Contracting Parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade has just submitted to Governments for their consideration a report on the matters which it was asked to consider, including the question of safeguards against disruptive competition. The text of the communiqué issued at the conclusion of the meeting of the Committee, which has already been reported in the Press, will also be published in this week's Board of Trade Journal, and I cannot make any further statement at this stage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much new factory building was started in Development Areas and non-development areas, respectively, in Scotland in 1952; how many new jobs such factory building is expected to provide; and what were the

NEW INDUSTRIAL BUILDING AND EXTENSIONS STARTED IN SCOTLAND FROM 1945 TO 1952 DEVELOPMENT AREA
Year	Number of Projects	Area	Value	Potential Employment as estimated at 31st December, 1952			Actual Employment as at 29th November, 1952
				Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
		'000 sq. ft.	£'000
1945	19	878	964	2,356	1,258	3,614	1,772	1,024	2,796
1946	214	4,246	6,018	9,641	10,551	20,192	8,155	9,696	17,851
1947	132	4,443	6,606	8,509	4,908	13,417	6,958	3,454	10,412
1948	34	712	1,328	757	283	1,040	491	529	1,020
1949	62	1,485	5,634	2,391	753	3,144	1,137	321	1,458
1950	48	1,079	2,046	2,348	616	2,964	1,445	309	1,754
1951	63	2,793	7,807	8,812	3,235	12,047	1,346	238	1,584
1952	23	718	1962	1,846	555	2,401	11	8	19
Total	595	16,354	32,365	36,660	22,159	58,819	21,315	15,579	36,894

REST OF SCOTLAND
1945	8	202	164	375	432	807	392	305	697
1946	39	812	788	1,482	475	1,957	741	453	1,194
1947	53	787	871	1,666	1,448	3,114	1,107	768	1,875
1948	21	243	268	358	102	460	265	96	361
1949	42	1,986	11,826	1,787	293	2,080	1,621	240	1,861
1950	47	695	1,009	1,008	328	1,336	628	80	708
1951	40	657	2,231	861	496	1,357	183	83	266
1952	16	232	341	165	33	198	—	—	—
Total	266	5,614	17,498	7,702	3,607	11,309	4,937	2,025	6,962
NOTES:
1. These figures relate to new factories and extensions to existing factories of 5,000 sq. ft. and over.
2. The value is the cost of the work as estimated at the date of issue of the Industrial Development Certificates.
3. In most cases estimated costs exclude plant and machinery; for certain major schemes, however, the estimated costs included in the table cover both buildings and plant.
4. The figures of potential employment are based on those given by the firms concerned.
5. The table is based on information available up to 31st December, 1952. Amendments are constantly being received and the information about the more recent periods in all such tables is often necessarily incomplete.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has seen the members of the United Kingdom Mission to Venezuela, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Mexico since their

The information requested by the hon. Member is given in the following table. I have included the actual employment provided by the factories, since the employers' estimates of potential employment have, in many cases, not yet been achieved.return to this country; and when he expects to receive the Mission's report.

Yes. I expect to receive the Mission's report shortly. The Mission have meanwhile told me of their broad conclusions, which I know the House will be interested to hear. Since their return, the Mission have had consultations with a large number of trade associations about the opportunities which are open to United Kingdom exporters and how best they can take full advantage of them.The Mission are convinced, from the warmth of their reception everywhere, the replies to their inquiries (which covered a very wide range), and the many contacts which they made, that there is great good will towards the United Kingdom in these dollar account countries in the Caribbean, and a genuine interest in, and willingness to buy, our goods. The Mission see no reason, if only sufficient effort is made by all concerned. why our exports should not win an increased and enduring share in the trade of these countries.The Mission have been impressed particularly by the excellent openings for the United Kingdom engineering industry which are being created by the rapid large-scale development of natural resources and the construction of public works in these countries. They consider that an important step would he for some of our consulting engineers to establish themselves in these countries and especially in Venezuela and Colombia. The Mission also believe that exports of consumer goods including general merchandise, textiles and motor vehicles, can be increased if firm prices are quoted and prices are kept competitive and if closer personal attention is given to these markets in the form of regular visits to study the situation at first hand and to appoint more representatives and active agents on the spot.The Mission have also drawn attention to the fact that in certain cases it may be to our advantage, given the pressure to expand domestic production, for United Kingdom concerns to participate in the local manufacture of goods, and so to establish useful and profitable assets in the countries concerned.I should like to take this opportunity to express the Government's appreciation of the excellent work of Brigadier Crosland and his colleagues on the Mission and the admirable service which they have rendered to our export interests. They have submitted most valuable information and recommendations and their report will deserve the most careful study both by the Government and by industry.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he will arrange for mosaics of photographs taken during operation "Floodlight" to be available to Members in the Library together with photographic interpretations.

I have been glad to meet my hon. Friend's suggestion. A small selection of the many aerial photographs of the flooded areas taken by the Royal Air Force has been placed in the Library of the House. There are also some photographs taken over Holland. During operation "Floodlight" Royal Air Force aircraft took over 20,000 photographs, providing virtually a complete record of the affected areas on the East Coast.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the total value of trooping contracts awarded to civil air operators since January, 1951; and the estimated value of such contracts for the year 1953.

The value of trooping contracts let in 1951 and 1952 was about £5,100,000. The estimated value for 1953 is about £1,300,000. Some of the contracts let in 1951 and 1952 cover work to be done in 1953.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that in dry seasons many cities have to curtail their domestic water supply because of a shortage; and what steps are being taken to conserve our water supplies for periods of drought.

The problem is one on which steady progress is being made as general economic conditions permit.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what sums were received by the authorities of Birkenhead, Bolton, Oldham, Salford, Southampton, Sunderland, Wolverhampton and Swansea, respectively, during the year ended 31st March, 1952.

If the hon. Member has in mind the Exchequer Equalisation Grants, the figures are as follows:

	£
Birkenhead	95,202
Bolton	142,504
Oldham	191,444
Salford	26,634
Southampton	Nil
Sunderland	322,858
Wolverhampton	163,702
Swansea	201,767

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the danger that will arise when the present egg marketing scheme comes to an end; and if he will now state what steps he is taking to provide for an orderly change over and to prevent an increase in the prices.

I would refer the hon. Member to the announcement made by my right hon. and gallant Friend to the House yesterday.

asked the Minister of Food when he proposes to introduce an egg marketing scheme; and if he will give ample notice of this proposal, so that it can be fully discussed and reported upon by those who will be affected by it.

The arrangements to be introduced when price control and allocation end on the 26th March next have already been announced. It is open to producers at any time to submit to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture proposals for an egg marketing scheme under the Agricultural Marketing Acts, which specifically provide for representations from all the interests concerned to be heard.

asked the Secretary of State for War the estimated number of Army personnel who are posted within one year between the United Kingdom and overseas stations, or between one overseas station and another.

The number of Army personnel posted as individuals to theatres outside the United Kingdom during 1952 was just under 110,000. Postings of individuals between overseas theatres were few, except for the transfer of some 4,000 infantry reinforcements to the Korean theatre from Hong Kong where they had completed their training.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he now has any further information about the explosions which occurred at Bedenham and Gibraltar on 14th July, 1950, and 27th April, 1951, respectively.

The precise causes of these explosions are not known, nor are they ever likely to be established beyond doubt. Investigations at the time into the first explosion produced strong presumptive evidence that it was due to sabotage. It is still not possible to rule out sabotage as a possible cause of either incident. Both explosions started from the ignition of depth charges and consequently a team of scientists was assigned to examine the composition of these charges. Their researches have shown that the combination of a certain type of filling, container and interior coating can produce phenomena similar to those observed when the explosions took place. These chemical reactions, which were of course not known to those responsible for earlier inquiries, now make it probable that both explosions were accidental. All precautions to prevent a recurrence have been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what loans to native co-operative organisations have been made during the last three years by the Uganda Credit and Savings Bank.

pursuant to his reply of 22nd January [OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 510, c. 58], supplied the following information:One such loan, for £1,250, has been made in this period

asked the Minister of National Insurance how much unemployment benefit was paid in Scotland in 1952; and the comparable figures for each of the last six years.

The approximate amounts paid in Scotland in the years 1947–52 were:

	£
1947	4,100,000
1948	3,700,000
1949	3,900,000
1950	3,900,000
1951	3,000,000
1952	4,500,000

The amount for 1952 includes payments at the increased rates of benefit from 24th July, 1952.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to reduce the losses on the farming of agricultural land by his Department.

The latest available trading and profit and loss accounts show a surplus on the farming of agricultural land by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland during the year ended 31st March, 1952. The accounts for the four years to March, 1952, show a total net profit of £39,034.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been received by local authorities for grants for the reconditioning of agricultural cottages in terms of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1952; and how many have been rejected.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities are refusing to entertain applications for the reconditioning of agricultural cottages in terms of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1952.

Returns show that all the county councils and more than half the town councils are approving applications for improvement grants but they do not show the various types of property covered.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the average cost of each new school place provided in 1952; and the corresponding figures for each of the last six years.

The information is given in the following table.

COST OF SCHOOL PLACES
Year	Type of Construction	Cost per Place
		Primary Schools	Secondary Schools
		£	£
1952	Traditional	165	—
	Non-Traditional	143	113
1951	Traditional	194	241
	Non-Traditional	140	—
1950	Traditional	144	—
	Non-Traditional	126	169
1949	Traditional	165	—
	Huts	48	—
1948	Huts	41	—
1947	Huts	56	—
The figures relate only to places in new schools begun and completed since the war.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the opposition of the teaching profession to his present proposals in connection with superannuation, what modifications he contemplates in these proposals.

The representations made by the teaching profession are being considered, but I cannot at present say whether any changes will be made in the proposals.