asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were registered as unemployed on 1st March, 1938, 1950 and 1953, respectively, at the Lichfield employment exchange.

The available figures relate to a date in the middle of each month. The figures for 14th February, 1938, 13th February, 1950, and 16th February, 1953, were 201, 16 and 66, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) how many persons were registered as unemployed in Tam-worth, Staffordshire, on the latest convenient date and on the corresponding date in 1950;(2) how many persons were unemployed in the tape industry in Tamworth and Fazely, Staffordshire, on the latest convenient date and on the corresponding date in 1950.

The total number of unemployed persons on the registers of the Tamworth Employment Exchange and Youth Employment Office at 16th February, 1953, was 88, compared with 45 at 13th February, 1950. These figures did not include any workpeople whose last employment had been in the tape industry.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number employed and unemployed in Newport in December, 1952, and at the latest known date; and what action he proposes to take, in view of the increase in the unemployed figure.

Statistics of employment in local areas are available only for the end of May in each year. At the end of May, 1952, the number employed in the Newport (Mon.) area was approximately 57,700. The total number registered as unemployed on 8th December, 1952, was 677 and on 16th February, 1953, 1,037. Newport, which is part of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Development Area, normally enjoys a high level of employment, but recently suffered a setback in orders for steel sheet and light alloys. There was a decided improvement in February, and I shall watch the position very closely.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the modification of the stoking apparatus designed to abate the nuisance caused by grit emitted from the chimney stack of St. Woolos Hospital, Newport, which was certified by the chief sanitary inspector as a public nuisance six months ago, has not had the desired effect; and what further action he proposes to take.

Further modifications, made recently, are now being checked. If the result is not satisfactory, other measures will follow

asked the Minister of Health whether, on all forms issued by his Department and handled by the public in relation to the health services, he will cause to be printed a statement to the effect that the health services are not free but that the cost is borne principally by the taxpayer.

While agreeing with my hon. Friend that this fact cannot be too widely known, I do not think that the form of publicity he suggests would be practicable.

asked the Minister of Health what success is being achieved by the encouragement he is giving to the greater use of voluntary help for the hospitals.

It is too early to attempt to assess results, but signs of development are most encouraging, and I am confident that the hospitals and voluntary workers will continue to co-operate further to the great advantage of the patients.

asked the Minister of Education how many independent schools were inspected by Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools in 1952; and in how many cases standards of staffing and accommodation were adversely criticised in their reports.

In 1952, 691 independent schools were reported on by H.M. Inspectors. I could not answer the second part of the Question without analysing the individual reports.

asked the Minister of Education if she will cause an independent inquiry to be made into the administration of the Cranfield College of Aeronautics where the cost per student averaged over £2,200 in 1951–52, and where the number of persons on the college staff was more than three times the number of students in attendance.

No. The expenditure of the college is kept under close review by the governors and by my Department, and I consider that no useful purpose would be served by an independent inquiry.

asked the Minister of Education (1) how many special schools are provided for spastic children by her Department and by voluntary organisation; what sums are provided for the training and education of such children by her Department; and how such sums are allocated;(2) how many children of under 16 years of age are registered as spastics in Great Britain; and for how many educational and training facilities are provided by her Department.

There is no general register of spastic children, and I do not collect separate figures for spastic as distinct from other physically handicapped children. Educable spastic children may be sent by local education authorities to ordinary schools or to special schools for the physically handicapped. There are four special schools in England, of which three are maintained by voluntary organisations and one by a local education authority, specifically for children suffering from cerebral palsy, and a number of others make special arrangements for them.

asked the Minister of Education (1) how many educable spastic children are sent by the Cardiff education authority to special schools in England;(2) the number of spastic children in Cardiff who receive instruction in their own homes from peripatetic teachers.

As I explained in my answer on 26th February, I do not collect separate figures for spastic as distinct from other physically handicapped children. I would advise the hon. Member to ask the local education authority for this information

asked the Minister of Education if, instead of spending considerable sums on the provision of hutments from time to time, she will sanction the building of a new grammar school for girls at Sittingbourne.

No. I regret that the building resources at my disposal do not allow of the replacement of schools like this at the present time.

asked the Minister of Education whether her attention has been drawn to the recommendations concerning schools, colleges and universities made by the International Study Conference on the Atlantic Community held at Oxford in September, 1952, a copy of which has been sent to her; and whether she will communicate these recommendations to the local education authorities for their consideration.

I am aware of the recommendations concerning schools, colleges and universites made by this Conference. I welcome the initiative of the organisers, but I do not think my intervention is needed to secure consideration of the recommendations by local education authorities or other interested bodies.

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware of the lack of facilities for technical education in North Wales; and what steps she is taking to improve the position.

There is no serious lack of facilities for technical education in North Wales, but in my view the right way to meet the needs of this sparsely populated area more fully is by greater co-operation between the local education authorities concerned in providing and improving those facilities. My efforts are being directed towards this.

asked the Minister of Education whether all the bodies concerned have now sent the information she requested; and if she is now in a position to make a statement on the reduction of grants for adult education.

asked the Minister of Education if she has now completed her discussions with the Workers Education Association and other interested bodies concerning the proposed cuts in education.

I have not yet received all the information for which I asked nor completed my discussions with the bodies concerned. I am therefore not yet able to make any further statement.

asked the Minister of Education when the hon. and gallant Member for Buckingham may expect a reply to his letter of 26th January dealing with the subject of teachers' pensions.

I hope to be able to reply to this shortly.

asked the Minister of Education the estimated effects of local authority rate increases in the education services of the country.

On the basis of the expenditure of local education authorities assumed for the purposes of my Estimates for 1953–54. I estimate that the total rate-borne charge for education within the purview of my Department will show an increase of about £7.6 million as compared with the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Education the total value of educational buildings completed in England and Wales in 1951 and 1952, respectively.

The value of educational building contracts completed during 1951 was £34.6 million, and during 1952 £47.5 million.

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware that a number of schools do not have regular fire drills for their pupils; and whether, in the interests of public safety, she will take the necessary action to ensure that every school has a regular periodical fire drill for its pupils.

Fire precautions in schools are the responsibility of local education and other school authorities, and I do not require to be informed of their arrangements. I am, however, glad of this opportunity to call attention to the importance of arranging regular fire drills in all schools.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the fact that the 1953 Anglo-Argentina Trade Protocol, by reason of its emphasis on the exchange of raw materials and fuel for meat, has failed to take into account the benefits which Britain would receive from selling a higher proportion of manufactured goods; and what action he is taking to revise the Protocol.

The main purpose of the negotiations for the new Trade Protocol with Argentina was to obtain satisfactory undertakings about supplies of meat, and in that we were successful. We were also able to secure the promise of the Argentine Government that they would issue import licences for £3 million worth of what are known as less essential exports from the United Kingdom. This quota is obviously not the limit of the exports of manufactured goods which we can hope to sell. Argentina will certainly wish to buy her essential and medium essential requirements from the United Kingdom to the extent that her sterling resources permit and that our goods are competitive. I see no reason, therefore, to seek to revise an agreement which has been so recently concluded.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has prolonged the existence of the Cotton Commission for one year.

The life of the Raw Cotton Commission is not prolonged from year to year by my right hon. Friend. It is governed by statute.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations the Government have made, or intend to make, to the Australian Government about increases in Australian tariffs on certain imported United Kingdom textiles and internal combustion engines, detailed in a new schedule presented to the Australian Parliament on 5th March.

The steep increase in the preferential duty on one type of furnishing fabrics is a necessary correction of an earlier oversight by the Australian Government. The matter was fully discussed with the Australian authorities and with representatives of the United Kingdom exporters concerned. It affects a trade which, at its peak, was of the order of £8,000 a year. But my right hon. Friend is seriously concerned about the increases in the duties on internal combustion engines (excluding vehicle engines). These increases are the result of inquiries held by the Australian Tariff Board, at which our exporters were represented, and my right hon. Friend will consider whether representations would be appropriate when he has examined the Tariff Board's Report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) who are the members of the Import Duties Advisory Committee; and when they last sat to consider whether reductions in any tariffs might be desirable:

The Import Duties Advisory Committee ceased to function at the outbreak of war. By virtue of the Import Duties (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1939, the Treasury were empowered to act as from 7th September, 1939, without a recommendation of the Committee. The Board of Trade, as the Department with the general responsibility for the United Kingdom protective tariff, now carries out the functions of that Committee in considering applications both for increasing and reducing the duties of Customs imposed under the Import Duties Act, 1932. As regards the second Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 3rd March regarding the Government's policy on import duties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has refused the request of the New Zealand Government to float a loan in the city of London to defray the cost of the construction of a bridge over Auckland Harbour by Messrs. Dorman Long and Company.

The reasons why we were unable to meet the request of the New Zealand Government have been set out very fully in a personal message from my right hon. Friend to the Prime Minister of New Zealand. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the text of this message, which has also been released for publication in New Zealand.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state the revenue derived from Purchase Tax charged on shot-gun cartridges during each of the last three years.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he now has any statement to make on the political activities of civil servants.

Yes. Following on the conclusions of the National Whitley discussions, the Government have reached decisions on this subject. These are set out in a White Paper, which will be available in the Vote Office this afternoon.The subject is too complex satisfactorily to be dealt with in a reply to a Question, and I would ask hon. Members to study the White Paper. The conclusions reached provide for freedom to take part in certain political activities for substantially more civil servants than under the existing regulations without, in the view of the Government, prejudicing in any way the political impartiality of the Civil Service, to the maintenance of which the Government attach the greatest importance. As an appendix to the White Paper there is printed the report of a Committee composed of members of both sides of the National Whitley Council, whose discussions have been of great value to the Government in coming to a conclusion on this important subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he has taken during 1952 and will be taking in 1953, to reduce substantially the administrative costs of his Department.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) on 27th November last. Between 1st January, 1952, and 1st March, 1953, the total staff of my Department has been reduced by 1,056, and I expect to secure a further reduction of over 800 in 1953.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many outbreaks of fowl pest there have been since the present epidemic started last autumn; how many birds have been destroyed; what has been the amount of compensation paid; if he will give a list of the counties that have been affected; and if he is satisfied with the co-operation he is receiving from poultry keepers with regard to the necessary notification of the outbreak of the disease.

Since 28th November last there have been 442 outbreaks of fowl pest. About 199,000 birds have been destroyed; the compensation payable is about £264,000. Outbreaks have occurred in 43 counties in England and Wales—I am circulating a list below. In general, poultry farmers are reporting the disease reasonably promptly, although there have been one or two cases of undue delay.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that the delay in certification under the Calf Subsidy Scheme is causing inconvenience; and if he will consider increasing his staff of certifying officers.

Some delay has so far been unavoidable owing to the large number of applications for subsidy. This was because the Scheme approved by the House last December applied to calves born during the preceding 14 months. This is a temporary difficulty which is being rapidly overcome, but I am watching the situation closely and am ready to appoint more certifying officers where there is a real need.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when licences in respect of bulls and boars are refused, if he will state the reason to the owners.

Yes. The Acts governing the licensing of bulls and boars require that the grounds for the refusal of a licence shall be given. The letter sent to applicants informing them that a licence has been refused includes a statement giving the reason for the refusal.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Tomato and Cucumber Marketing Board is included in the negotiations taking place from time to time with regard to tariffs, quotas, etc., affecting this branch of the horticultural industry.

The Tomato and Cucumber Marketing Board is associated with the National Farmers' Unions in that part of their application for a revision of the existing tariff on horticultural produce which relates to tomatoes and cucumbers. The Board's representatives have taken part in discussions with the Departments concerned on this and other questions relating to the import of tomatoes and cucumbers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is satisfied that sufficient monies are being made available for research into American and European foul brood disease in bees.

Research into American and European foul brood disease in bees is limited at present by the difficulty of finding suitable bacteriologists to undertake this work rather than by any shortage of funds.

asked the Minister of Agriculture in how many cases fines have been imposed under Section 14(4) of the Agriculture Act, 1947, in each of the last five years.

One, in 1951.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why he has refused to grant to the opponents of the Apple and Pear Marketing Scheme the same facilities for circularising growers as he has granted to the sponsors of the scheme.

I am required by the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, to supply the Apple and Pear Marketing Board with a list of growers in order to help them to compile a register for the purposes of the initial poll on the scheme. This list is based on the agricultural returns, and under Section 80 of the Agriculture Act, 1947, I may not divulge such information except in specified circumstances which include the provision of such information to a marketing board. At present, I am advised that I have no authority to give similar information to any other persons in connection with the initial poll of a marketing scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the loss or profit per resident per week for hostels run by his Department for the financial year 1951–52.

The hostels run by my Department for agricultural workers are small ones. In these hostels there was a loss of 30s. 8d. per resident per week. This includes the cost of administration and of Ministry of Works services. During the year the number of hostels was reduced from 253 to 114, and the calculations include costs incurred during the period of closing down.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the anxiety felt by farmers whose land has been flooded and who cannot crop it this year, in regard to their financial position; and if he will make a further statement indicating in detail the ways in which the Government propose to help.

Yes. I hope to be able to make a statement very soon.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will take steps to ensure that imported bone meal is efficiently sterilised before distribution, in view of the fact that it is a known source of anthrax.

I cannot, at present, add to the reply I gave on 22nd January to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Knutsford (Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport).

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, in view of the extent to which the protection of the public against flooding resulting from a failure to maintain river banks now rests only upon what may be done by individual riparian owners, he will consider introducing legislation to make the maintenance of river banks the responsibility of the appropriate river board.

No. River boards are already empowered to execute works for the maintenance or improvement of the banks of channels defined as main river. When, in their opinion, damage to banks gives rise to a threat of flooding, they do any necessary works.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the breach at Nor Pits has not yet been closed although it was made several weeks ago; and what action he is proposing to take to deal with the situation.

With the help of Service personnel, this breach was closed last Friday, 6th March, and the bank is now being strengthened.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is satisfied that permanent repairs to sea defences, which must replace the temporary sand-bagging, will be completed before the high tides are due next autumn.

I am satisfied that the most effective measures have been, and are being, devised and that these are being executed with the utmost energy. But bad weather, particularly if it coincided with a high spring tide, might set the programme back many weeks.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement on proposals for afforestation in the Lleyn Peninsula, Caernarvonshire.

In the Lleyn Peninsula the Forestry Commission acquired 210 acres of plantable land in 1951, and about half of this will have been planted by the end of the current planting season. Negotiations are in progress for the acquisition of a further 700 acres (mostly old woodland), and it is planned to increase the annual planting programme to 100 acres from 1954.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can yet give the statistics of juvenile crime in 1952 and the comparable figures for 1951.

Provisional figures for 1952 show that at all courts in England and Wales 26,212 children under the age of 14 and 18,866 young persons aged 14 and under 17 were found guilty of indictable offences. The comparable figures for 1951 were 28,578 and 18,895.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the Police Council last met; when the next meeting takes place; and what are the differences still outstanding on the question of the negotiating machinery for pay and conditions for the police force.

The answer to the first part of the Question is 5th November, 1952, and to the second part next Wednesday. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20th November, 1952, to a Question by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for South Shields (Mr. Ede).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total number of animals subjected to experiments by vivisection since the records were first kept; and of these how many were horses, dogs and cats, separately.

Records are not kept of the number of animals used, but the total number of experiments for the years 1885 to 1951 inclusive is 26,511,783, including 7,570 experiments on horses, asses and mules, and 113,422 experiments on cats and dogs. The figures for horses, asses, mules, cats and dogs do not include experiments where the animal was killed while still under anaesthesia since separate records were not kept before 1949; nor do they include certain experiments on cats and dogs in 1940 and 1941 since the records were destroyed by enemy action.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the increasing number of parents who abandon their children, he will give consideration to the desirability of the revision and consolidation of existing legislation against such practices.

Available figures show that the numbers of children received into care under the Children Act as abandoned or lost were 1,449 in the 12 months to November, 1950, and 1,364 in the 12 months to November. 1951. When opportunity for amending legislation occurs, consideration will be given to the need to strengthen the existing law.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that his Circular 5/53, issued on 10th February, 1953, seeks to encourage local authorities to disregard the fair wage Resolution passed by the House of Commons in 1946; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

I think that the hon. Gentleman is under a misapprehension. The Circular does not have the effect suggested, since the provisions it deals with never formed part of the Resolution to which the hon. Gentleman refers.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will consider in the national interest making a stand-still order holding up the proposed new coal price increases, pending an inquiry.

The recent increase in the pit-head price of coal was no more than was necessary to enable the National Coal Board to balance their revenue and expenditure over the year 1953. The Board started the year with a substantial accumulated deficit and, having regard to their statutory duty to balance revenue and expenditure over good years and bad, they were bound to take steps to avoid the large addition to that deficit which would have been inevitable without an immediate increase in coal prices.The Government consider that an inquiry at the present time would serve no useful purpose and would hinder the joint efforts now being made by the Board and the National Union of Mineworkers to secure that increased production on which the future of the industry depends.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the address to which claims against the Lord Mayor's National Flood and Tempest Distress Fund are to be sent.

In most areas in Scotland applications for assistance from the Lord Mayor's Fund should be submitted to the county clerk of the area concerned, but in Sutherland they should be sent to the Secretary, Lord Lieutenant's Relief Committee, County Planning Office, Dornoch; in Aberdeenshire to the Clerk, Lord Lieutenant's Relief Committee, Canada House, 201, Union Street, Aberdeen; and in Caithness to the Chief Welfare Officer, County Offices, Wick. There are special arrangements for dealing with agricultural claims; and applicants should apply to the Department of Agriculture for Scotland, St. Andrew's House, Edinburgh, for information.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is now in a position to give further information with regard to the case of Robert Fraser in respect of his pensionable disability.

Yes. As some misleading statements have been made with regard to this case, I am glad to have an opportunity of stating the essential facts. Mr. Fraser was severely wounded in both legs in May, 1918. His right leg was amputated above the knee. In January, 1919, he was invalided from the army and pensioned at the 100 per cent. rate.In October, 1922, a medical board stated that his wounds were healed, that his disabilities were in a final and stationary condition and that his degree of disablement was 90 per cent. In March, 1923, accordingly, his pension was declared statutorily final at 90 per cent. Mr. Fraser did not appeal either to the Ministry or to the pensions appeal tribunal. Between then and November, 1950, Mr. Fraser sent in his artificial limb for repairs from time to time.In September, 1947, Mr. Fraser, in acknowledging a leaflet setting out the various allowances available to the war disabled, merely queried his wife's allowance of 9s. He made no claim that his condition had deteriorated. In 1949, Mr. Fraser was sent the "Are you Sure?" leaflet with a covering letter from the Ministry saying that it was found that pensioners who were entitled to some of the additional benefits were not always aware of them and asking him to write to the welfare officer if he felt he was entitled to something more. Mr. Fraser did not reply to this letter.On 20th June, 1952, a member of the North-East Scotland War Pensions Committee wrote to the Aberdeen office of my Department saying that his attention had been called to the case of Robert Fraser whose leg wound had opened up again and that he considered Mr. Fraser was entitled to the constant attendance and unemployability allowances. On the 28th June, 1952, a medical officer of my Department examined Mr. Fraser at his home. He found an ulcer on one of the scars of the left thigh which was being dressed daily by Mrs. Fraser. Mr. Fraser could only walk short distances with a stick. Several efforts were made by various doctors to get Mr. Fraser to accept hospital treatment but he refused.On 8th September, 1952, Mr. Fraser's pension was raised to the 100 per cent. rate with effect from the 20th June, 1952, the date of the representations to the Ministry. On 22nd January, 1953, my welfare officer, and on 12th February a medical officer, visited Mr. Fraser in connection with his appeal for constant attendance allowance. On 5th March constant attendance allowance was, on reconsideration, awarded with effect from 20th June, 1952.Mr. Fraser is at present receiving disability pension and allowance of £4 10s. 0d. a week and retirement pension of £2 4s. 0d. a week, making £6 14s. 0d. in all. I have been considering the possibility of awarding him any further allowances, and I am now satisfied that he is eligible for the unemployability supplement. He cannot, however, draw this supplement while he is drawing retirement pension, but as the former would be to his advantage because it would attract a comforts allowance of 10s. a week, I am awarding it to him in substitution. He will, therefore, get pension and allowances of £7 6s. 6d. a week from my Department.The charge made in this House of gross neglect of Mr. Fraser by my Department over the 30 years from 1922 to 1952 is clearly unfounded.