asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of a recent accident and previous accidents, he will consider, urgently, the erection of traffic lights at the intersection of Streetly Lane and Rosemary Hill Road, Streetly, Staffordshire.

If the highway authority make an application for traffic signals at this point, it will be carefully considered. I am advised, however, that the volume of traffic at this intersection is not such as would normally justify signals in addition to the warning signs on the minor road.

asked the Minister of Transport how much money has been spent on road repair and construction in Scotland and England, respectively, for the 12 months ended 31st October, 1952.

This information could only be provided by obtaining a special return from each of the many local authorities concerned. The financial years in Scotland and England are different and neither ends on the date mentioned by the hon. Member. In any case, we do not receive information about expenditure by local highway authorities in any financial year until some considerable time after it ends.

asked the Minister of Transport if, now that steel is more plentiful, he will indicate the possibility of proceeding to build the Severn bridge.

The expense of this great project makes it impossible for me to forecast when it can be begun. The complete scheme for the crossing of the River Severn provides for the construction of a new road from the Bristol-Gloucester trunk road, A38, near Almondsbury, crossing the Rivers Severn and Wye at Beachley peninsula and joining the Newport-Gloucester trunk road, A48, near Crick. The cost is estimated at present at about £15¼ million; the Severn bridge itself will cost nearly £10 million. Before construction of the bridge can begin the Army Apprentices School at Beachley must be removed. This will cost about £750,000 and take at least three years. Even this operation has had to be indefinitely postponed in view of the current need for economy.

asked the Minister of Supply the annual cost of research into the application of nuclear energy to industrial, transport and other peaceful purposes.

Work on the application of nuclear energy to peaceful purposes is so interwoven with the general body of work on atomic energy that it is impossible to make a separate assessment of the cost.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he is aware that, as a result of Decision, C.I. 125/50 (K.L.), recorded by the National Insurance Commissioner on 17th April, 1950, certain categories of insured contributors who suffer industrial disablement by the process of their employment now receive less favourable consideration than was recognised in such cases under the Workmen's Compensation Act; and if he will introduce amending legislation to provide that in all cases where disablement occurs as a result of, or is aggravated by, the conditions of employment, industrial injury benefit shall be payble under the contract of insurance for which premiums are payable by all workers.

I think that we must await the outcome of the inquiry promised by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary in the debate on 12th December.

asked the Minister of National Insurance (1) the number of deaths during the period 8th July, 1951, to 28th February, 1953, of men who were in receipt of either full compensation or partial compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Scheme, 1951;(2) the number of claims under the Workmen's Compensation Scheme, 1951, which were undecided at 28th February, 1953.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to his Question No. 36.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the total sales of nutty slack to date; how such sales compare with his estimate; and what is his policy on the summer sales of this fuel.

Some 277,000 tons up to the end of February. It was not possible to make an estimate of the demand. The National Coal Board have not yet decided whether they will continue to offer nutty slack during the summer.

asked the Minister of Transport in what general respect the current regulations governing the transport of abnormal loads by road differ from those in force before the war.

As the reply involves a detailed statement, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the fall in Britain's share of world shipping; and what steps he is taking to solve the national problems arising from this.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer I have given today to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Merton and Morden (Captain Ryder).

asked the Minister of Materials to what extent he is encouraging the use of Scottish timber blown down in the recent storm for box and packing-case making in reduction of the quantities of timber now being imported for such manufacturers.

Boxmakers who hold consumption licences can use them for windblown timber. As regards special measures to facilitate the disposal of this timber, I have already undertaken to make arrangements under the consumption licensing scheme for special licences, valid only for the use of home-grown softwood, to be issued to consumers at the appropriate time, where the case is sufficiently strong. The purposes for which these licences might be issued are now being considered as a matter of urgency. Additional use of home-grown timber will mean a saving in the use of imported softwood.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what grounds it has been decided to close the British Hospital in Paris.

No decision has yet been taken by the Committee of the hospital in regard to the hospital's future; but it is likely that it will have to be closed unless it can continue to be maintained either from local income or from donations from this country towards its running expenses.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is satisfied that the procedure for serving process by bailiff and levying executions is working satisfactorily; and what suggestions he has to improve matters in this connection.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the service of process and the levying of execution by bailiffs of the county courts. My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has no reason to believe that this procedure is not working satisfactorily, but if the hon. Member has any complaint about a particular matter I will have it looked into.

asked the Minister of Food to state the nutrient equivalent of food supplies per head per day moving into civilian consumption in the United Kingdom during 1952.

Following is the information.The nutrient equivalent of food supplies moving into civilian consumption in the United Kingdom during 1952 was as follows:

asked the Minister of Food if he will publish a statement showing the quantity and value of foodstuffs bought in bulk from overseas by his Department during 1951 and 1952, together with a statement of the respective deliveries.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what consultations he has had with representatives of India, Pakistan and Ceylon since his recent talks with Mr. Dulles on the subject of the shipment of strategic materials to China; and if he will make a statement.

Consultations on this subject are now taking place with the Governments of India, Pakistan and Ceylon, as well as with other Governments. Such consultations are, in accordance with established Commonwealth practice, confidential and I am not, therefore, in a position to make a statement.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what communications have passed between the Government of Eire and Her Majesty's Government within the past six months in regard

The information is given in the table below.to the question of eliminating unnecessary hardship and cruelty involved in the export of horses from Eire to Great Britain for food purposes.

I understand that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture has been in touch with the authorities of the Irish Republic during the period in question about those aspects of the export of horses from the Irish Republic to this country which are within their sphere of responsibility.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the receipts from cinema entertainment tax in Scotland for the years 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively.

Apart from small receipts from Entertainments Duty stamps sold through post offices, which cannot be specifically classified, the amounts were as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state the categories of articles on which Purchase Tax of 100 per cent is charged; the revenue derived from Purchase Tax on each of these categories for the financial years 1950–51 and

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total cost of repair and maintenance to schools in 1952; and what were the corresponding figures for each of the past five years.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much new hospital building was started in Scotland in 1952; how much was completed; and what were the corresponding figures for each of the last five years.

The main categories of goods now subject to Purchase Tax at the rate of 100 per cent., and the estimated yield of tax from these categories in 1950–51 and 1951–52, are as follows:

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider the establishment of a fish-meal factory at Mallaig as well as in Inverness and Ullapool.

The proposals of the Herring Industry Board now being examined include the provision of a factory at Mallaig. As regards Inverness and Ullapool, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to him on 3rd February and 2nd March last.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the density of new dwellings per acre built in each of the local authority housing schemes in Lanarkshire, and the average densities in other counties of Scotland.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health what inquiries he has made into the death of James Tucknitt, Horatio Street, Sunderland, who died three weeks and four days after he had been vaccinated in January, 1953, in preparation for his emigration to Canada.

I am advised that this was a death from natural causes unassociated with vaccination.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools in the country at the present time have made effective arrangements for linking-up with schools in France under the stimulus of the Anglo-French Cultural Convention; and what steps are being taken to increase this number.

425 schools and training colleges in the United Kingdom have effective links with schools in France and 34 more are in process of negotiation. I understand that 89 schools in this country are at present awaiting links.