asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware of the considerable increase in running costs of the A.C. invalid carriage for disabled persons, caused by the compulsory fitting of the new carburettor; and what steps he proposes to take to remove the hardship to the users of this carriage, caused by this compulsory fitting.

I am aware of some instances in which the fitting of the new type of carburettor has resulted in increased petrol consumption. In these cases steps have been taken, in consultation with the manufacturers, to make certain slight modifications which should reduce the petrol consumption and improve the general performance of the machines. I am watching the position closely.

asked the Minister of Pensions why his Department have refused to contribute to the cost of optical glasses supplied to Mr. J. T. Greaves of 118, Greengate Street, Oldham, a 100 per cent. disabled pensioner, suffering from injuries to the head, with left side optic atrophy.

In the special circumstances of the case I have authorised the refund to Mr. Greaves of the contribution paid by him toward the cost of his spectacles.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will grant a pension to a lady, now in hospital, of whom details have been sent to him, whose illness is the result of the air raids in 1941.

No. The hon. Member was informed by my Parliamentary Secretary on 15th September that I had been unable to accept the illness of the lady in question as having been caused by a war injury, and since then my decision to reject her claim has been confimed by an independent pensions appeal tribunal.

asked the Secretary of State for War on what grounds the proprietor of the Red Cross Inn, Skerton, Lancaster, was required by his Department to obliterate the Red Cross which has been the sign of the inn for at least 60 years.

They were not asked to obliterate the Red Cross sign but I understand that the use of the words "Red Cross" for trade purposes constitutes an infringement of the Geneva Convention Act, 1911.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many wives and children of serving officers and other ranks are at present in the Canal Zone.

On 31st January the numbers were 971 wives and 1,565 children.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of bankruptcies reported in Cardiff in 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively.

Ten, seven and 12 respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to make a statement on the future of the British Industries Fair.

My hon. Friend will be aware that there have been rumours that this year's British Industries Fair is to be the last. I can assure him that there is no foundation for them and that, immediately the Coronation Fair is over, work will begin on the 1954 Fair which will be held in London and Birmingham from 3rd May to 14th May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the fact that racing cars are free of Purchase Tax, he will also now free racing motorcycles that are used purely for racing.

No. The conditional relief for certain racing cars is based upon considerations which do not apply to racing motor-cycles.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the estimated life of non-traditional houses and of traditional houses, respectively.

Traditional houses and non-traditional houses of the types approved for local authorities' programmes are both accepted for loan and subsidy purposes as having a life of at least 60 years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many grants have been made for improvements by persons other than local authorities under Section 20 of the Housing Act, 1949; and what expenditure has been incurred, giving separate figures for each year.

Grants have been approved for 2,239 dwellings up to the end of 1952. Of these 526 were approved by the end of 1950, 851 in 1951 and 862 in 1952. I have not complete information on the expenditure involved since the claims I have received from local authorities to date cover only 623 dwellings. These total £106,640, the figures for each year being as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to estimate the number of flats of average size which could be provided by local authorities in London out of the building resources which will be required to construct the £10 million worth of office accommodation in Central London.

This would depend upon the design and method of construction of the flats.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has considered representations made to him from Leyton citizens, in respect of longstanding empty properties; and whether he will take action to ensure that houses remaining empty for over a month can be requisitioned by the local authority.

My right hon. Friend has received representations. He does not think that war-time requisitioning powers should be used save in exceptional circumstances. He is always ready to entertain compulsory purchase orders made by local authorities for the acquisition of suitable empty properties.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the difficulties that have arisen in the administration of the Public Health Acts by local authorities; if he will take steps to amend Section 103 (3) of the Public Health Act, 1936, to make clear the degree of smoke, fumes. &c., which constitutes a nuisance; and if he will appoint more inspectors to hasten the solution of this problem.

My right hon. Friend knows that there are practical difficulties in enforcing the smoke abatement provisions of the Public Health Act, 1936, but they are not such as could be resolved by legislation. Smoke of such colour, density or content as may be prescribed can already be regulated by byelaws under Section 104 of the Act. He does not appoint inspectors for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has considered the resolution passed by the Oxford City Council on Monday, 16th February, a copy of which has been sent to him, to the effect that the continued derating of industrial premises is inequitable and undesirable; and what reply he has made.

My right hon. Friend has considered the resolution and informed the Council that their views have been noted.

asked the Minister of Works why his Department refused an invitation to discuss the permanent loss of 40 per cent, of their brick-making capacity disclosed by the survey conducted by the Midland Federation of Brick Manufacturers; and whether, in view of the need, wherever possible, to expand brick production, he will order an official inquiry.

As I informed the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Wigg) on 10th February, there was no such refusal. I am going to Birmingham on Friday next to attend a meeting of the Area Brick and Tile Committee.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that delivery of bricks is at present taking anything from five to nine months from order: and what action he proposes in order to speed up deliveries in view of the building delays and added cost which is otherwise entailed.

No. Delivery periods vary, according to place and type of brick, from immediate delivery to four or five months from date of order, but are rarely so long as nine months. Prompt ordering and the greatest use of local bricks are the ways to avoid costly delays.

asked the Minister of Works why he has recently authorised the issue of licences totalling £10,000,000 for the erection of offices in Central London; and if he will reconsider this decision, in view of the need to concentrate the maximum building resources on the provision of flats and houses for Londoners.

Since housing sites in London are limited this programme will not suffer. It is of national importance to begin the rebuilding of the City of London and to licence certain other office buildings, which will add to the economic strength of the country.

asked the Minister of Works the values of building licences, excluding licences for houses and factories, granted in each of the years 1946 to 1952 in the City of London, London County Council, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and Bristol.

I regret that the information required cannot be provided without the expenditure of an unjustifiable amount of staff time.

asked the Minister of Works what is the estimated wastage on timber used for the erection of Coronation stands in both financial and utility value.

It is estimated that upon dismantling of the Government stands, 15 per cent. of the timber used in their construction will be unfit for further use in the building industry. I understand, however, that other uses will be found for most of this timber, which represents a value of about £27,500.

asked the Minister of Works why the covering of turf and the erection of stands in Parliament Square was not delayed until nearer the date of the Coronation; and how long after that date it is anticipated the stands on that site will be removed and the amenities restored.

Work began on the latest date which would enable a job of this size to be completed in time without undue expenditure. The stands will be removed by the middle of August, after which the site will be restored as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour when he hopes to put before the National Joint Advisory Council proposals for an industrial code; and if he will aim at putting such proposals before Parliament before the end of 1953.

My right hon. and learned Friend's proposals will be considered by the National Joint Advisory Council tomorrow. The future time-table will naturally depend on the deliberations of the Council, but it is our desire to press on with the matter as rapidly as is compatible with securing the considered views of industry.

asked the Minister of Labour how many disabled persons are registered in the city of Aberdeen as unemployed; how many such persons have the advantage of Remploy facilities there; and whether he is satisfied that such Remploy facilities are sufficient for the needs of the city.

At 19th January, 1953, there were 674 unemployed registered disabled persons in Aberdeen, of whom 51 were severely disabled persons eligible for consideration for sheltered employment. Thirty-four persons are employed in the Remploy factory and this figure will be increased to the full capacity of 50 when machinery now on order is installed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is yet in a position to report on the results of his tour of the areas of Scotland damaged by the recent great storm and on the details of the damage done; the cost of reparation and restoration; the nature and extent of compensation which will be available to persons who have sustained loss; and the means whereby they must apply for such compensation.

I cannot at present add to the statement I have already made about the damage in Scotland during the recent storm. As regards compensation to persons who have sustained losses, I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the statements made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary. He will have noted also that a statement has now been made about the arrangements for the distribution of the Lord Mayor's National Flood and Tempest Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the additional charge of £360,000 which would be incurred if teachers' pensions were paid monthly instead of quarterly in Scotland would only occur in the financial year in which the change took effect and would be offset by a corresponding diminution in the charge for the succeeding year; if he will accordingly disregard as invalid the fact that the additional charge will take place during the financial year in which the change is made; and if he will have regard to the economic needs of retired teachers in Scotland rather than to the embarrassment of making such a change in Scotland without making a corresponding change in England, in deciding whether such a change should be made.

The additional charge of £360,000 in the year in which this change took effect would not be offset by a corresponding reduction in the charge for the following year. As regards the last part of the Question, I regret that in present financial circumstances I can see no prospect of making the change suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many two, three, four and five-apartment houses,

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what decision he has made in his review of the date on which the recently announced policy of increased prices for school meals is to be implemented.

The introduction of the increase cannot be postponed beyond 1st March, but I have made it clear that where an education authority are unable to bring into full operation by that date a new or amended scheme of partial remission, they may during March give meals at the existing charge to any child whose parents have claimed remission under the scheme, pending the settlement of the claim.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the Report of the proceedings of the Scottish Land Court for 1951 has only now been published; and whether he will arrange for the 1952 report to be published more expeditiously.

The preparation of the Report of the proceedings of the Scottish respectively, were built by local authorities in each year from 1946 to 1952, inclusive.

The answer is given in the following table of figures:Land Court for 1951 was delayed both by pressure of work on the Court and by the indisposition of the Chairman. I am bringing to the notice of the Chairman the desirability of the 1952 report being published as soon as possible after the close of the year to which it relates.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to make a comprehensive statement on grants and loans made by his Department to fishermen since the end of the war, for the purchase of craft and engines, which will include the number and amount of grants and loans made and outstanding, and the number and amount of losses already incurred and in prospect.

Assistance under the Inshore Fishing Industry Act, 1945, for the acquisition of boats and engines given to Scottish fishermen in respect of 438 boats amounted to £1,619,833 (grants £589,317, loans £1,030,516). In 91 cases loans have been repaid in full, and the balance of loan outstanding is £476,409. A loss of £58,700 has been incurred in respect of 52 boats.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state the values of the 57 building projects submitted by regional hospital boards in Scotland which have been approved and started; the value of the 41 projects which have been approved but have not yet been started; and when these latter projects are likely to start.

The total value of the 57 projects under way is about £2,450,000, of which £800,000 is due to be carried out during 1953. The total value of the 41 other projects is about £1,700,000. I hope that regional boards will be able to start most of these during 1953, but resources cannot be made available for carrying out more than about £300,000 of work on them during the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state any way in which reimbursements made to persons who serve as members of tribunals under the jurisdiction of his Departments vary from the reimbursements made to persons serving as members of comparable tribunals in England and Wales.

Where compensation for loss of remunerative time is payable to members of Scottish bodies the maximum rates are the same as those applicable to persons serving on comparable bodies in England and Wales.

asked the Attorney-General what facilities are available to enable an applicant for a disability pension to pay for the reports of and attendance as witnesses of his medical advisers.

I assume that the Question refers to appeals to the pensions appeal tribunals. The Pensions Appeal Tribunals (England and Wales) Rules, 1943, as amended in 1949, provide that an appellant may be paid his expenses for obtaining a medical report or the attendance of a medical witness, if the president or chairman of the tribunal certifies that the production of the report or the attendance of the medical witness was reasonably necessary for the purposes of the appeal. The maximum sum allowable for the report is three guineas, and for the attendance of a medical witness three guineas, or, with the leave of the president in special cases, five guineas. The travelling expenses of the witness are also allowed.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that numerous sums of money have been raised from time to time for the purpose of relieving those who have suffered from disasters of various kinds; that much of this money still remains undistributed; and if he will consider the possibility of pooling these, by enactment or otherwise, thereby establishing a national fund from which those suffering from any disasters in the future can be assisted.

I am not aware that much of the money which has been raised from time to time to relieve those who have suffered from disasters remains undistributed. In a case where the objects of a charity cease to exist, the court or the Charity Commisioners have power, provided that, as is usually the case, there is a general charitable intention on the part of the donors, to make a scheme for applying the funds cy-près, that is to say, in a manner as near as possible to the original one.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to make a statement on the fluorine poisoning of cattle on the farms in and around Stoke-on-Trent; and what he estimates is the annual loss of cattle from this cause.

Only one case of fluorine poisoning of cattle around Stoke-on-Trent has been reported to my right hon. Friend's Department, where the farmer has lost four cattle in the last year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps are being taken to prevent the repetition this year of the deficit on the land drainage and water supply operations of the county agricultural executive committees.

The deficit for the financial year, 1951–52 was only £23,093, which was 1½ per cent. of turnover, excluding £22,139 received from sales of surplus machinery and spares. Results so far this year indicate that there should be no deficit. The main new feature has been the adoption of a standard costing procedure which helps in securing

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Joint Anglo-Argentina Committee of Inquiry into the compensations for the cases of the Anglo-Argentina Tramways and the Primitiva Gas Company has been set up under the provision of the protocol recently signed with the Argentine.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Mr. Teeling) on 23rd February. efficiency and economy in operations and in providing a more reliable basis for quoting for future work.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the amounts contributed, respectively, by the United States of America. the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, to the relief work of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration during the period of that organisation's activities.

The total contribution made by the United Kingdom, United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration from 9th November, 1943. to 31st March, 1949, were as follows:

asked the Minister of Food why the Confectionery (Records) Order, 1953. contained an error in the list although the reference on the explanatory note was correct: and what steps are taken to avoid such patent errors.

As the hon. Member is aware, all Orders are checked and counter-checked in my Department to secure accuracy, but an accident may occur despite the best safeguards, as the hon. Member will appreciate if he has noticed the error in his Question.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to make a statement on the explosion at the Portobello power station on Friday, 13th February, 1953.

The British Electricity Authority report that at 6.23 p.m. on Friday, 13th February, there was an explosion in a piece of apparatus connected with a transformer between the 132,000 and 33,000 volt portions of the system. The apparatus in question is designed to guard against the dangers that arise from sudden increases in the flow of current.In this case the probable cause was excess moisture from the atmosphere getting into the apparatus. The gases produced by the explosion caused short circuits at the 132,000 volt terminals more than 20 feet above the apparatus. All the automatic safety devices operated and isolated the Portobello power station together with the Edinburgh load from the main grid system.At the time Portobello was producing 107 megawatts and Edinburgh was consuming 127 megawatts. There was thus an overload of 20 megawatts on the station. The new 60 megawatt set was running at full output and had to be taken out of service to avoid damage. Most of the Edinburgh load had then to be shed. At 8 p.m. it was found possible to reconnect Edinburgh to the grid by an alternative route and all consumers were connected. The generator was brought back to full service by 8.40 p.m.The Authority are making detailed technical inquiries into the sequence of events and until these have been completed it will not be possible to say what action can be taken to avoid or minimise incidents of this kind in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to take the necessary steps to make compulsory the adoption of silencers for pneumatic drills when being used in built-up areas.

I have no power to impose such a requirement.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he will enable widows drawing attributable pensions to qualify for National Insurance pensions on the same basis as Service widows drawing non-attributable pensions.

No. The distinction referred to follows the recommendations of the National Insurance Advisory Committee regarding the non-duplication of payments from public funds and the reasons for it are explained in the Committee's Report House of Commons Paper, 1948, No. 36—a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.