asked the Minister of Works the estimated number of skilled building workers who will be employed on the rebuilding of bombed buildings in the City of London under the £10 million permission he has given.

I cannot make such an estimate until I know when the new buildings will start and their rate of progress. Some of the buildings covered by the programme are outside the City area.

asked the Minister of Works how many sites and buildings had been completed, and how many were left incomplete, when the building programme for rehabilitation centres for ex-Service men was discontinued; what was the cost involved; whether he is satisfied that these sites and buildings are now being put to the best use; and how many of them have been handed over for development by private industry.

I assume that the Question refers to the building trades training centres which were set up after the last war to attract Service men into the building industry after demobilisation. The building programme for these centres consisted of the adaptation of 11 existing Government training centres and the provision of 32 new centres, 30 of which were entirely new buildings. The cost of the programme was about £6,400,000. No buildings were left incomplete when the programme was discontinued at the end of 1947, but a few were altered during the course of erection to fit them for other uses.Of the 43 centres, 10 have been sold or leased in whole or in part to private industry. In the remainder are accommodated 16 Remploy factories, 13 rehabilitation units for the disabled, and 16 Government training centres. The remaining space has been allocated for various Government purposes with a consequent considerable saving in rents,and building costs. I am satisfied that these centres are being put to the best possible use.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a man serving in the Merchant Service is exempted from National Service and a man serving in the police force is exempted from National Service, but an applicant for transfer from the Merchant Service to the police force is refused the transfer on the ground that he becomes eligible for National Service the moment he transfers; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this anomaly.

No. So far from members of police forces being exempt from National Service, the police forces do not normally recruit young men until they have discharged their National Service obligation. I see no anomaly in applying this practice to a young man whose call-up has been deferred during service in the Merchant Navy, when he decides to leave that service.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will take steps to ensure that conditions of National Service shall in future extend to the call up of men for duties with the Civil Defence mobile columns.

The experimental mobile column is being manned this year by volunteers from National Service men serving in the Army and the R.A.F. No decision has yet been taken about the future of the experimental mobile column, and it is not at present intended to establish any whole-time operational mobile columns in peace-time. There has, therefore, been no occasion to consider the suggestion in my hon. Friend's question.

asked the Minister of Labour to state the average monthly number during the past two years, of disabled ex-Service men registered for employment with the Disablement Resettlement Organisation, Tavistock Square; and the percentage found employment.

The average monthly number of disabled ex-Service men registered at the London Appointments Office during the last two years was 190, of whom 4.4 per cent. were found employment.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to reduce the redundancy among blind workers in Sunderland.

I understand that owing to lack of orders continuous employment cannot be provided for the blind in the Sunderland workshop. The main responsibility for providing such employment for the blind rests on the local authority but my Department has convened meetings of those interested who have suggested the formation of a joint marketing scheme to improve the position in this and other workshops. Discussions have proceeded since December, 1951, without bringing about the desired result.

asked the Minister of Labour to state the number of unemployed men and women registering at the Borough employment exchange for each of the months of January, February and March.

One thousand, two hundred and ninety-nine males and 358 females at 12th January, 1,178 males and 343 females at 16th February, and 1,092 males and 374 females at 16th March.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the financial problem facing Scottish local government; and what action he intends to take to assist the local authorities in meeting their statutory obligations.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the financial problems of Scottish local authorities and substantial grants are being given by the Government to assist them in meeting their expenditure. In 1950–51 the grants amounted to approximately £41 million and in 1951–52 to £47 million. The estimated receipts from rates in the same years were £32 million, and £37 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the number of spastic children in Scotland.

I regret that this information is not available, as separate figures are not obtained for spastic as distinct from other physically handicapped children.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what educational and hospital facilities are available in Scotland to meet the needs of spastic children.

There is one residential school which provides exclusively for spastic children, the Westerlea School of Spastics, Edinburgh. In addition there are five residential schools for physically handicapped pupils which take some spastic children. There is no hospital unit set aside solely for spastic children. Those who need hospital care are dealt with in local general hospitals or in orthopaedic units in larger central hospitals. Educational facilities are available to children who have to stay long in hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the local authorities in the county of Ayr which have not yet replied to the draft proposals sent to them on 2nd May, 1952, in connection with the establishment of a river purification board.

I understand that representatives of the local authorities mainly concerned approved the draft proposals without amendment at a meeting on 19th March, and my right hon. Friend expects to receive confirmation of the decision by the constituent authorities fairly soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the pulmonary tuberculosis mortality rate for Glasgow and for Scotland, excluding Glasgow, at the nearest convenient date.

In 1952, the death rate from respiratory tuberculosis was 49 per 100,000 population for Glasgow, and 22 for the rest of Scotland excluding Glasgow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis reported last year in the male and female age groups 18–25 and 26–35, respectively, for Glasgow and for Scotland, excluding Glasgow.

Notifications of respiratory tuberculosis were as follows:

PROVISIONAL FIGURES FOR 1952
Age		Glasgow		Rest of Scotland
		M	F	M	F
15–24	…	275	458	605	1,048
25–34	…	215	245	521	625

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many beds are at present at the disposal of the Western Regional Board for the treatment of tuberculosis; and what is the total number required.

At the end of 1952 there were in the Western region 3,303 staffed beds for respiratory tuberculosis. More beds could have been brought into use had there been nurses available to staff them. The waiting list for sanatorium treatment in the region at 28th February was 1,230. I am advised that half this number of additional beds would enable the waiting list to be cleared quite quickly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total expenditure for 1952, separately, of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health, the Scottish Home Department and the Scottish Education Department; and what is the total expenditure for 1952 from central funds on roads, the total 1952 expenditure of the Forestry Commission, and the total grants under the Development Commission for 1952.

(1) The gross estimates of my Departments for the current financial year were as follows:

	£
Department of Agriculture for Scotland	9,516,488
Department of Health for Scotland	71,273,230
Scottish Home Department	16,174,139
Scottish Education Department	31,158,237

(2) The gross estimated expenditure on roads in Scotland to be met from Government funds in the current year was:

		£
Ministry of Transport	…	3,522,000
Department of Agriculture for Scotland	…	61,000
Total	…	£3,583,000

(3) The gross estimated expenditure of the Forestry Commission in Scotland in the current year was £3,300,000.(4) The gross estimated expenditure in Scotland of the Development Commission in the current year amounted to £448,541 in respect of grants and £70,500 in respect of loans.NOTES1. The expenditure of £61,000 on roads by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland is also included in the expenditure of £9,516,488 by that Department.2. The Development Commission grants include appropriation-in-aid of £27,409 to the Department of Agriculture for Scotland and £55,000 to the Scottish Home Department.3. The figures given are gross estimates of Government expenditure and do not include local authority expenditure on grant-aided services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total number of staff employed in pricing offices in Scotland on 1st January, 1952, and on 1st January, 1953; and the total number of prescriptions dispensed under the National Health Service for the year 1952 priced in those offices both in respect of Scotland and as agent for Northern Ireland.

The staff employed was 202 at 1st January, 1952, and 218 at 1st January, 1953. Approximately 10,300,000 prescriptions, representing just over 50 per cent. of the total dispensed, were priced during 1952. No prescriptions from Northern Ireland have been priced in Scotland since 1948 when the agency agreement ceased.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the increasing demand for electricity in Scotland, he will take action to accelerate the work of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board.

The North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board are at present engaged on 13 constructional schemes which will have a total installed capacity of 286,800 kilowatts and an average annual output of 827 million units. The Board hope a start work on five more schemes in 1953, and they are carrying out preliminary work on 11 others. I am satisfied that the Board are pressing on with the provision of additional generating capacity, and with transmission and distribution schemes, as quickly as circumstances allow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total figures of abortions in Scotland known to the health authorities and police; and the figures for each city and county.

Apart from cases coming to their knowledge incidentally in other connections, local authorities have no information on the subject. Ten cases of procuring abortion were made known to the police in 1952 in the following police areas:

Aberdeen City	…	…	…	2
Edinburgh	…	…	…	1
Glasgow	…	…	…	4
Fife	…	…	…	1
Lanark County	…	…	…	2

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his regulations permit the granting of exemption from Territorial service to a mineworker where he has been called up during temporary absence from the mines, completed his two years' service and thereafter returned to work in the mines.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that parcels of newspapers sent from Bristol are not being received in Korea; and if he will inquire into this matter which is causing annoyance to both soldiers and their parents.

I have had no report of mails having gone astray but I shall be glad to look into this particular complaint if the hon. Member will let me have details.

asked the Secretary of State for War why two guardsmen, members of the Welsh Guards' Training Battalion at Pirbright, are detailed to act as servants for the Lieutenant-Governor of Windsor Castle; what are their duties; and in what respect is the Lieutenant-Governor of Windsor Castle their superior officer.

Brigadier-General The Earl of Gowrie is Colonel of the Welsh Guards. It is in this capacity that he is provided with two volunteers from the Welsh Guards to act as his driver and his orderly. Their duties are the normal duties of an officer's driver and orderly. Lord Gowrie is their superior officer as Colonel of the Welsh Guards.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that, after the last war, deputy lieutenants of counties were requested to, and did in fact, buy field-service dress with khaki cap; why they have now been required by his dress regulations to purchase new blue caps, costing 10 guineas; and if he will issue the necessary instruction to enable deputy lieutenants in possession of khaki caps to continue to wear them with Service dress.

The coloured forage cap with peak was, before the war, prescribed for wear with Service dress uniform for all officers of the Lieutenancy. At the beginning of the war instructions were given for the khaki cap to be worn during the war but officers who already had the coloured forage cap could continue to wear it. In 1949 reversion to the coloured forage cap which forms an essential part of the Lieutenancy No. 1 dress was approved. My right hon. Friend is looking into the suggestion made in the last part of the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men of the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers have been sentenced to periods of punishment since the regiment has been in Kenya.

Thirty-eight.

asked the Secretary of State for War on what date the special platoon was formed for the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers in Kenya; who prepared the schedule of duties; and when it was made known to the men concerned.

The decision to prepare for the formation of the special platoon was taken on 2nd March but the platoon was not formed until 7th March, when the four men joined. The schedule of duties, which is altogether different from that quoted in the letter sent to the hon. Member, was prepared by the Adjutant and approved by the Commanding Officer. It was sent to the companies as a confidential document and was never made known to the men concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for War why the pay account of 22487662 Guardsman Gunn, was incorrectly recorded on his statement of account on discharge from the Army on completion of his term of National Service; why the increase of pay of 1s. per day due on completion of six months' service from November, 1951, was never paid to him during his service; and why its omission only came to light after the soldier had written to his Member of Parliament and after the Regimental Paymaster had written to the soldier on 11th February, 1953, intimating that his statement of account had received further scrutiny and had been confirmed correct.

I have already written to my hon. Friend on the details of this case and have expressed my regret that a mistake occurred in handling it. On the specific questions, the soldier's account was correct apart from the failure to credit an increment of pay after six months' service. This increase is not automatic and unfortunately the omission was not detected when the soldier first complained because the pay office misunderstood the particular item which was not agreed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade his estimate of the number of British first-feature films which will be available for exhibition in the quota year beginning 1st October, 1953, on which he based his decision to leave the prescribed quota of 30 per cent.

My right hon. Friend has not made a precise estimate of the number of films of 6,500 feet and more in length which are likely to be made in the calendar year 1953. In view, however, of the statement on the future of the British Film Production Fund, which he made on 10th March, in reply to Questions on this subject, he thinks it reasonable to expect that the number of films which will be available in the quota year beginning on 1st October, 1953, will not be less than in recent years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much public money was spent in considering the recent application for a wood flour order, a report of which appeared in Command Paper No. 8796, under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926.

Apart from the time devoted by the Board of Trade, the cost of which it is not practicable to estimate, expenditure was limited to the sum of £59 9s. shown in the Report as the estimated cost of preparing and publishing it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what trade discussions are pending or have been concluded with Indonesia.

Discussions on trade matters take place from time to time between the Board of Trade and the Indonesian Embassy and also between our Embassy and the Indonesian authorities in Djakarta, but there have not been any recent discussions with a view to drawing up a new trade agreement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) when he expects to reach a decision on the deletion of certain passages of the Monopolies Commission's Report on the Match-manufacturing and Match-making Machinery Industries, as provided for in Section 9 of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Act, 1948;(2) if he will consider publishing without further delay the Monopolies Commission's Report on the Match-manufacturing and Match-making Machinery Industries, with the deletion of those passages which are in dispute as to whether their publication would be injurious to the public interest.

Without giving any undertaking, my right hon. Friend hopes to be able to lay the Report before Parliament in accordance with Section 9 soon after Easter.

	£ million
	At ad valorem rates		At specific rates (a)
	Net value of goods duty paid	Amount of duty	Amount of duty
Goods charged under the Import Duties Act, 1932 and falling within Class I (Food and drink) of the Import List, but excluding feeding stuffs for animals	134·80	14·74	1·54
Foodstuffs charged under the Ottawa Agreements Act, 1932, excluding linseed and linseed oil	14·17	2·04	2·84
Beef and Veal charged under the Beef and Veal Customs Duties Act, 1937	6·70	0·81	0·38
Sugar, molasses, glucose and saccharin, excluding manufactured articles not for food	—	—	14·72
Tea, cocoa, coffee and chicory	—	—	2·27
Dried Fruit	—	—	0·50
TOTALS	155·67	17·59	22·25
The value of the goods charged under the Import Duties Act, 1932, includes £5·33 million in respect of beef and veal also charged under the Beef and Veal Customs Duties Act, 1937.
Footnote (a):
The appropriate information as regards values of goods entered at specific rates of duty is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what special regulations

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to submit the subject of steel door frames to the Monopolies Commission, as within the scope of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948.

My right hon. Friend will bear this suggestion in mind in considering matters for reference to the Commission.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to give separately the value of import duties on food imported into the United Kingdom in 1952 chargeable on a specific basis and an ad valorem basis; and the import value of such dutiable food.

I am advised that the value of imported food which was entered for home consumption on payment of duty at ad valorem rates during the calendar year 1952 and the amount of duty charged at ad valorem and specific rates respectively were as follows:he is making to prevent a repetition this year of the imports of vegetables exceeding the quotas, as has happened in recent years, notably in the case of cauliflowers.

The Board of Trade announced on 15th July, 1952, that, as a result of an examination into the arrangements for operating the seasonal quotas for vegetables, certain improvements were being introduced to ensure that in future actual imports tally more closely with the quotas. The new arrangements provide for prompter and more accurate estimates of the volume of imports moving, for a more effective assessment of the quantity of goods in transit as the quotas near completion, and for speeding up the machinery for withdrawing licences. It is always difficult to achieve complete accuracy when dealing with seasonal and perishable produce, but I hope that in future these arrangements will secure a reasonable approximation between the quotas announced and the actual arrivals.It will, of course, be understood that quotas may have to be varied for supply reasons. For example, although the import of cauliflowers had already reached the current quota and been discontinued earlier this month, we are now having to allow further imports from the 26th to 31st March, because the weather has held back home supplies of green vegetables and there would otherwise have been a shortage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what additional factory building he expects to provide in Scotland in the year 1953–54.

13 new factories or extensions of a total area of 870,000 square feet are at present under construction or approved for construction by Scottish Industrial Estates Limited; and several applications are at present under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet decided to make a reference to the Monopolies Commission concerning the activities of the London Builders' Conference.

Yes. Certain tendering practices, including practices operated by the Conference, are the subject of a new reference made to the Commission on 27th March, 1953. The full text is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what total income will bring an additional £1,000 per annum net income to a person already receiving £10,000 per annum.

£41,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that there is a shortage of shillings in Reading; and if he will arrange for the issue of shillings from the Mint reserve to cover this local shortage.

If the banks in Reading cannot meet local demands for shillings the most helpful suggestion I can make is that they should apply to their head offices for additional supplies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give in pounds sterling the total of all United States and other foreign aid to Britain in the postwar years to date.

The gross sterling value of aid received by H.M. Government from abroad in the years 1946 to 1952 inclusive was £2,556 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give the surplus of receipts of dollars by the Colonies over payments of imports from the dollar areas in the years 1946 to 1952.

The transactions of the principal colonial areas with the dollar area from 1948 to 1951 are shown at paragraph 255 of Cmd. 8243 and paragraph 260 of Cmd. 8553. Figures for 1946 and 1947 have not been prepared on the same basis, but the net surplus of the dependent overseas territories, including British Protected States, is given for these years at page 22 of Cmd. 8201. The 1952 figures will be published in the 1952-53 Report on the Colonial Territories in June.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give the sterling balances for each year from 1945 to 1952 with the Colonial areas.

Figures of the sterling assets of the Colonies from 1946 to 1951, classified by principal holders, are given in paragraph 411 of Cmd. 7167, paragraphs 425–426 of Cmd. 7433, paragraph 504 of Cmd. 8243 and paragraph 520 of Cmd. 8553. The 1946 total includes the sterling assets of Ceylon and Palestine, without which the totals at the end of 1945 and 1946 were £530 million and £585 million respectively. The figures for the end of 1952 will be published in the 1952-53 Report on the Colonial Territories in June.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the preparation of his Budget, he will bear in mind the prevailing opinion among all denominations that Easter offerings to the clergy, and equivalent offerings, should be tax free.

The extent, nature and weight of prevailing opinion on this as on other matters must be ever present in a Chancellor's mind when he is framing his Budget proposals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date, under Rule 8 of the Rules applicable to Schedule E as laid down in the Ninth Schedule to the Income Tax Act, 1952, the Treasury fixed the sum for Members of Parliament as representing a fair equivalent of the average annual amount necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties; what was the amount allowed; and if he will publish in HANSARD a list showing to what extent, and at what dates this amount has varied since its inception.

The sum was fixed by the Treasury on 23rd October, 1913, in the amount of £100 under Section 3. Finance Act, 1913, the terms of which were similar to those of the provision which the hon. Member mentions. No subsequent change has taken place in the sum fixed; a Member who necessarily expends more in the performance of his duties than the amount of the fixed sum is, and always has been, entitled under the ordinary provisions of the law to have the amount of his actual expenditure deducted in computing his Income Tax liability.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider including in his Budget proposals arrangements for post-war credits to be paid to next-of-kin, on the date which the deceased persons would have drawn them had they lived.

The question of paying post-war credits to either general or particular classes of taxpayers is one of the matters which will be for consideration when I am framing my Budget proposals.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will publish a table showing the total number of civil servants in each Department; the numbers who are now allowed to take part in all political activities; the number allowed to take part in certain political activities and how this restriction applies; and the number who are not allowed to take part in any political activities at all as a result of Command Paper No. 8783.

I will consider this in due course.Information which is more detailed than the general statements made in the White Paper will not be available until instructions have been issued and Departments have had time to put the recent decisions into effect.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent population has been decentralised from the county of London and the inner urban areas of Greater London, respectively, since 1945: and what effect this has had upon overcrowding and congestion in those areas.

Up to the end of 1952 about 130,000 people had moved to the out-county estates of the London County Council, and the new towns—of whom the greater number came from the county of London. The effect has been to reduce the population of the built-up areas of Greater London from the level reached in 1949. I take 1949 instead of 1945 because in the first four post-war years the population increased substantially as a result of demobilisation, return of evacuees and excess of births over deaths.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the average price per acre at which the Bracknell New Town Development Corporation acquired the area of six and a half acres at Wick Hill, which they are now advertising for sale,

This information is not available. In any event it would not be proper for me to disclose details in a matter of this kind which involves negotiations with private individuals.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he can now announce what steps he proposes to take to render more habitable those rent-restricted dwellings now standing in urgent need of repair and maintenance.

My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many two-, three-, four- and five-roomed houses, respectively, were built by local authorities in England and Wales in each year from 1947 to 1952, inclusive; and what are the figures, expressed in percentages, of the total number of houses completed in each year.

The available figures are:

NEW PERMANENT DWELLINGS BUILT BV LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND NEW TOWNS IN ENGLAND AND WALES DURING THE YEARS 1948 TO 1952
Analysis of bedroom types
Year			1 bedroom		2 bedrooms		3 bedrooms		4 or more bedrooms		Total
			No.	Percentage of Total	No.	Percentage of Total	No.	Percentage of Total	No.	Percentage of Total
1948	…	…	5,768	3·4	22,245	13·2	135,932	80·4	5,026	3·0	168,971
1949	…	…	8,108	5·7	22,424	15·9	105,893	75·1	4,654	3·3	141,079
1950	…	…	10,269	7·4	31,846	22·9	92,089	66·2	4,954	3·5	139,158
1951	…	…	10,973	7·7	41,034	29·0	85,183	60·2	4,364	3·1	141,554
1952	…	…	12,397	7·5	58,141	35·1	90,426	54·6	4,542	2·8	165,506

asked the Minister of Transport if he is yet in a position to make a further and fuller statement as to the causes of the disaster during the recent great storm to the Fraserburgh lifeboat; and what steps he is taking to prevent the occurrence of another disaster of a similar character.

Yes. The Fraserburgh lifeboat went out on the afternoon of Monday, 9th February to escort fishing vessels into the harbour. At the time a very heavy swell was running and as the lifeboat was approaching the harbour entrance on her third return journey a heavy sea lifted her stern into the air and broke amidships. Almost immediately a second sea struck the lifeboat on the starboard quarter filling the cockpit and the space under the canopy. All the crew except the coxswain were swept forward against the engine controls under the canopy and the lifeboat capsized. One of the crew managed to escape from the lifeboat and swam ashore. The other six were drowned.While every step is taken to ensure the greatest possible safety for the crews that man the lifeboats round our coast I am afraid we shall never altogether overcome the risks that necessarily attend heroic and gallant service of this nature. Fortunately, however, tragedies of this nature are very rare.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has made an investigation in connection with his Department's driving tests in Leeds.

Yes. I have had an inquiry made on the spot by a senior officer of my Department, together with the Chief Driving Examiner, and find there is no evidence whatsoever to support these allegations. The Rev. Kenneth Fawcett, the Vicar of St. Mary's, Leeds, whose letter was mentioned by the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Pannell), when confronted with the gravity of his assertions unreservedly withdrew any suggestion of a "racket" and confined his complaint to his own individual test. I am glad to take this opportunity of expressing my complete confidence in the integrity of the Ministry's staff of driving examiners.

asked the Minister of Food what progress has been made in Scotland with the scheme for the display of price tags on meat in the shops; and what further action he proposes to take in this matter.

There is, as yet, nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Northfield (Mr. Chapman) on 18th February. The further review then announced is now in progress and I expect to have the result within the next two or three weeks.

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the public disquiet, he will consider setting up an inquiry into the methods of slaughtering cattle, sheep and pigs, and the planning and construction of abattoirs.

Regulation of the design of slaughterhouses and the facilities to be provided in them are within the reference of the inter-Departmental Committee the appointment of which I announced on 5th November last in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Speir). I do not think that any further inquiry is called for.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many fuel overseers are currently employed by his Department throughout the United Kingdom; what is their function; and what is the annual cost of rationing domestic coal supplies including all overhead costs carried by his Department.

The number of local fuel overseers who are employed by local authorities is 1,450, of whom nearly 1,100 are part-time. The principal function of local fuel overseers is to administer, subject to my right hon. Friend's direction, the Coal Distribution Order, 1943, which provides for the regulation of coal supplies to domestic, non-industrial and small industrial premises.The annual cost of the organisation, including local fuel overseers and their staffs, and Ministry headquarters and regional officers employed on the work of control, is about £1½ million.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will give the terms of his recent decontrol measure for Coalite; how far this includes all domestic processed fuels excluding only anthracite; and. besides house coal and anthracite, what other domestic solid fuels now remain under allocation or rationed by his Department.

The Direction given on 13th March, Statutory Instrument No. 423, derestricting Coalite allows it to be supplied in any quantity by any merchant licensed in the consumer's district. The fuels at present subject to restriction are all bituminous coal (other than low grades outside the National Coal Board's house coal quality groups), cannel coal, anthracite (other than duff), dry steam coal, coke (other than breeze) and carbonised manufactured fuels (other than Coalite).

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what aggregate quantity of coal was distributed in the United Kingdom domestic market in the 12 months to 15th March, 1953, compared with a similar period in the 12 months to 15th March. 1939; and by how much he estimates current demand for house coal exceeds per annum the tonnage being distributed.

Thirty-two million tons of house coal, anthracite and boiler fuel in the last 12 months. This is about three-quarters of the pre-war level of consumption and probably several million tons below the present demand.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many firms have been granted loans for industrial fuel efficiency equipment during the first 12 months of operation of the scheme ended 6th March, 1953, and in accordance with the announcement made on 7th March, 1952; what is the aggregate of such loans out of the £1 million authorised; how many applications for loans were received by his Department; how many were granted; how many rejected; and, in consideration of the expiry of the 12 months' trial period for the loans and the recommendation number 21 of the Ridley Report on National Policy for the use of Fuel and Power Resources, what proposals for continuance or amplification, or otherwise, of the loans scheme he will now put forward.

The Government loan scheme for fuel saving equipment started on 29th May, 1952, following my preliminary statement to the House on 7th March, 1952. The experimental scheme has still two months to run.The following particulars relate to the applications so far received:

—	Number	Amount
		£
Applications received	34	249,707
Applications withdrawn	8	35,447
Applications rejected	11	89,973
Loans granted	3	25,960

Recommendation No. 21 of the Report on National Policy for the Use of Fuel and Power Resources is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what prior consultations took place with his Department in connection with the £18 million Breadalbane project of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board.

It would be neither right nor in accordance with custom to disclose the details of inter-Departmental consultation preceding a Ministerial decision.

asked the Minister of Supply what steps have been taken to assist Messrs. Short Bros., Sunderland, in obtaining the steel plate they require.

I understand that the steel industry has taken steps, through the machinery which exists for this purpose, to help Messrs. Short Bros, to secure increased deliveries of steel plates.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air how many flying instructors displaced from flying schools by the policy of his Department have been offered positions in the Royal Air Force as pilots.

Fifty.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when a peas marketing scheme is to be introduced.

The draft Peas Marketing Scheme is still under consideration and no decision has yet been reached on it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give help to farmers to enable them to produce the additional £200,000,000 worth of home-produced food this year, as it takes approximately a £ of capital to meet each £ of expenses in this programme.

The Government have had in mind the capital requirements of the food production programme as well as other factors in the settlement of prices and production grants following this year's Annual Review, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the White Paper (Cmd. 8798) published on 20th March and to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries on 23rd March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will look into the existing arrangements regarding the notification by the Land Commissioner to owners and occupiers of land of proposed developments, to ascertain if they can be improved.

The new arrangements introduced just over a year ago seem to be working satisfactorily. If my hon. Friend has in mind any suggestions for improvement, I should be glad to consider them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, as the small number of officers available to certify calves for the calf subsidy is causing a considerable back-log, if he will increase the number until this back-log has been cleared up.

No. The appointment of Calf Certifying Officers for short periods is unsatisfactory. Moreover the present rate of progress shows that the arrears of applications for subsidy are being rapidly overtaken.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that when a reward was offered in Canada recently for the delivery of tails of undesirable pests, men were caught cutting off the tails of live animals and then letting them go again, so that they could continue breeding; and if he will therefore consider requiring those asking the reward for killing grey squirrels to deliver the entire carcase and not only the tails.

The importance of trapping squirrels in a humane manner has been stressed by the Forestry Commission in announcing the campaign, and reference to humane killing of trapped squirrels is made in the published leaflets. Further, it would be an offence under the Protection of Animals Act, 1911, to cut off the tail of a live squirrel. For these reasons I do not believe that the bounty scheme recently announced will have the effect feared, and I do not think the change suggested would be justified.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry' of Defence how many persons voluntarily enlisted in the Regular Forces in 1952; and how many at the time of enlisting were employed in agriculture and on housing, respectively.

The total number of men and boys who undertook voluntary engagements in the Forces during 1952 was 103,315. It is not possible without a disproportionate amount of work to say how many of these were employed in agriculture and on housing at the time of enlistment.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent all the statistical material already available about the health services is capable of being put to effective use; what further statistics are needed to promote administrative improvements to, or economies in, operation; and how the publication of such available material as is of practical benefit can be expedited.

The statistical material now obtained is needed to assist in the formulation of policy both locally and centrally, and in the consideration of administrative and financial problems by the responsible local bodies and by my Department. I am satisfied that it is effective for these purposes, but increasing experience has revealed and will continue to reveal the need for changes, and they will be made from time to time as the occasion arises. I anticipate that experience will also enable the time lag inseparable from the collation and publication of national figures to be further reduced.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will arrange to have a telephone kiosk and pillar-box erected on or near the old-age pensioners' estate, Stockbridge Lane, Huyton.

Two new kiosks are planned in the neighbourhood of the small crescent of houses forming this estate. One will be in Park Way, a little to the north and the other in Hillside Avenue, near Belton Road, a little to the south-east. The first will be provided in about three months. A pillar-box was provided on 21st March at the junction of Hillside Crescent and Hillside Avenue.