asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet in a position to state when the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment will make either an interim or final report.

I understand that the Royal Commission is not proposing to submit an interim report. As regards the final report, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given on 16th April to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Norfolk, Central (Brigadier Medlicott).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the fall in the value of money, he will review the maximum financial penalties laid down in Acts of Parliament passed before August, 1914, to satisfy himself that they still have a deterrent effect.

The question whether the maximum penalty for any particular offence should be changed is always considered when relevant legislation is amended, but it would be a formidable task to review the penalty provisions in all statutes enacted before August, 1914. Courts are required to take into account the means of an offender when fixing the amount of a fine to be imposed within the limits prescribed by the law, and I have no reason to believe that the existing limits are not generally adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has recently received from parents and teachers deploring the continued publication of American-style comics; and what evidence he has collected to show that the reading of these publications helps to cause juvenile delinquency.

During the last five years 89 representations in all have been received in relation to American-style comics—63 of these were received during 1952. The majority came from associations connected with parents or teachers. The factors leading to juvenile delinquency are many and varied but I am not prepared to assess the relative importance to those various causes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of police in the Metropolitan area who are employed in recovering stolen property; and what is the value of the property recovered last year.

It is the duty of all Metropolitan Police officers to do all that they can to recover stolen property, and no officers are employed solely on this task. The value of the property recovered in the Metropolitan Police district last year was £749,450.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered a request from the Association Football Players' and Trainers Union for him to refer certain matters to arbitration; and what action he proposes.

Yes. I am in communication with the Football Association and the Football League.

asked the Minister of Health the cost to the public of filling a child's tooth in a school clinic and in a dentist's surgery under the National Health Service, respectively.

I understand from my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Education, that the school dental service is not costed on the basis of individual items of work done, and on the second part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the scale of fees contained in Regulations.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the large waiting lists of patients for hospitals in every city in the country and that the present hospital services are inadequate to meet the needs of the people; and how he proposes to improve this position, in view of his recent instructions to reduce the staffs at hospitals by 5 per cent.

I am aware that in many parts of the country there are long waiting lists for admission, particularly in certain specialties, but they are showing signs of decreasing, and urgent cases are normally admitted without delay. My recent request for economy in manpower does not call for reductions in any case where they would result in curtailing essential services.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Alderman F. Warner has not been reappointed a member of the South Ockendon Hospital Management Committee, and that members of other management committees have not been reappointed by this Regional Hospital Board as they are supporters of the Labour Party; and if he will extend the terms of reference of the Committee he has recently appointed to inquire into the administration of the National Health Service to include that of political discrimination against membership of appointment and reappointment to hospital management committees.

I am aware that this Board, like others, has not reappointed all the members of management committees whose terms of office ended on 31st March this year, but I cannot accept that they were influenced by the political views of the individuals concerned. The answer to the last part of the Question is No.

asked the Minister of Health the cost for 1952 of maintaining the gardens, greenhouses, &c, at the Queen's Hotel, Harrogate, by the Leeds Regional Hospital Board; and whether this sum is included in the £569,087 deficit on hospital gardens and farms to which the Auditor General draws the notice of Parliament.

The answer to the first part of the Question is £1,158 6s. 5d.; and to the second part, No.

asked the Minister of Health if the Leeds Regional Hospital Board have yet found any use for the 68 empty rooms in the Queen's Hotel, Harrogate, which have remained empty for over two years; and if he will now instruct the Hospital Board to find more suitable and more convenient and appropriate accommodation.

The number of empty rooms, including 19 in attics, is now 52. I understand that the Board intend to use some of them to house nurses who will staff additional beds that are to be opened in the vicinity in October, and that others are likely to be occupied by the training school. I should not be justified in accepting my hon. and gallant Friend's proposal, but I shall continue to watch the position with the Board.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that there are now no abuses of the sick pay scheme by part-time domestic staff in hospitals.

No; but the new sick pay scheme of the Ancillary Staffs Council, of which my hon. and gallant Friend has details, contains provisions designed to limit abuse and its working is to be reviewed by the Whitley Council after a year's experience.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is prepared to reconsider the question of paying pensions to retired teachers, for convenience, on a monthly rather than a quarterly basis.

No.

asked die Minister of Education which education authorities have refused to grant children over 13 years of age a week's exemption from school attendance to help with the potato harvest.

I have no official information, but I understand from Press reports that three or four local education authorities may be unwilling to exempt pupils over 13 from school attendance to meet emergency needs during the potato harvest.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools have closed down through mining subsidence, brine pumping or similar reasons during the past five years; and what action is taken to replace such schools if they are a total loss.

I know of four cases. Such schools are replaced by new premises if alternative accommodation is not available.

asked the Minister of Education her policy towards proposals by a competent research organisation to investigate possible improvements in the teaching of reading by means of a system of simplified spelling.

Any such organisation could rely on my interest and good will for their proposal, as for any proposal designed to investigate possible improvements in this field of education. Such interest and good will would not imply any prospect of additional grant. It would be for the organisation concerned to secure the willing co-operation of local education authorities, teachers and parents, as these must in my view remain free to decide with what particular forms of research they wish to associate themselves. All concerned in any such researches could rest assured of my good wishes for their work.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what further communications he has received from the Government of the Union of South Africa in respect of Bechuanaland, Basutoland and Swaziland.

The hon. Member no doubt has in mind communications regarding the future of these Territories. As I am informed the right hon. Member for Smethwick (Mr. Gordon Walker) on 10th December, 1952, there have been no developments in this matter since 1939. The records of discussions which took place up to that date between Her Majesty's Governments in the United Kingdom and the Union of South Africa were published in the recent White Paper (Cmd. 8707).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations for what reasons additional European District Officers are being appointed in Bechuanaland; and under what powers headmen who do not obey requests by the district commissioners to call at their offices are arrested and prosecuted.

There have been no recent additions to the number of European district officers in the Bechuanaland Protectorate. Two European and one African administrative officer were posted last year to the Bamangwato Reserve, in addition to those normally stationed there, to assist the district commissioner in the discharge of the additional responsibilities borne by him while acting as Native Authority. These officers were found from within the existing establishment of the Protectorate.Under the law of the Bechuanaland Protectorate it is an offence to neglect or refuse, without reasonable excuse, to attend before a Native Authority when so directed by it. Six senior tribesmen who did not comply with such directions lawfully issued by the district commissioner to attend meetings at Serowe about normal tribal business were recently convicted under this provision.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he will take, in conjunction with the British Travel and Holidays Association, to pre-vent the recurrence of the incident of colour discrimination against an American coloured officer at the hotel, of which particulars have been sent to him.

Without expressing any opinion on the matters alleged in this particular case, my right hon. Friend very much deplores discrimination on grounds of colour. He fully supports the British Travel and Holidays Association in the importance it has always attached to hotels and catering establishments extending a courteous welcome to all visitors.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many tons of imported asparagus have been allowed into this country since the quota date from when the 150 tons' allowance began to run:(2) how the returns are made to enable him to keep a check on the amount of asparagus imported into this country during the quota period of the 150 tons' allowance.

The quota for imports of asparagus during the period 16th April to 30th June, 1953, is 50 tons and not 150 tons. Holders of import licences are required to submit weekly returns to the Ministry of Food showing their actual imports during the previous week and their expected imports during the next week. These returns show that imports from 16th April to 2nd May, amounted to 29 tons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the implications of the Brazilian Exchange Law, which came into force on 22nd February, 1953, under Ministerial Decree 32285, on British goods already exported to Brazil, for which payment is still awaited and on future trade with Brazil, respectively.

The Brazilian Government have assured Her Majesty's Ambassador in Rio de Janeiro that it is their intention to pay sterling arrears at the official rate of exchange. The Brazilian exchange law which institutes a free exchange market does not, therefore, affect United Kingdom goods already exported for which sterling exchange has not yet been provided. I hope that one result of the free market will be to cheapen exports from Brazil and thus have a favourable effect on future trade between Brazil and the sterling area.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons bought admission tickets to football matches on which Entertainments Duty was levied; what was the total yield of such duty to the Revenue in respect of the year ended 5th April, 1953; how many persons bought admission tickets to cricket matches on which Entertainments Duty was levied; what was the total yield of such duty to the Revenue in respect of the year ended 5th April, 1953; and what are the comparable anticipated figures for the year to 5th April. 1954.

Receipts of Entertainments Duty from football and cricket in 1952–53 were approximately £1.34 million and £36,000 respectively. The estimated yields for 1953–54 are about £1½ million for football and nil for cricket. Records of chargeable admission are not compiled but the estimated figure for football is in the region of 80 million a year and the corresponding figure for cricket would be about four million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what variations have been made in the policy stated by his predecessors on 11th June, 1947, and 22nd July, 1948, in regard to the practice of the Special Commissioners of Income Tax in not issuing directions under Section 245 of the Income Tax Act, 1952, to companies which pursue a policy of dividend limitation; and what dates such variations took place;(2) what departures have been made contrary to the assurance given by the Solicitor-General on 22nd June, 1948, that the Special Commissioners of Income Tax would not issue directions under Part IX, Chapter III, of the Income Tax Act, 1952, in respect of the final period of accounting of companies going into liquidation for the purposes of reconstruction or amalgamation; and upon what date the practice was altered.

There have been no changes in the general practices to which my hon. Friend refers. If he has any particular cases in mind I shall be glad to look into them if he will write to me about them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that Warwickshire farmers are experiencing difficulty because of his financial policy; and what steps he is taking to allow them more capital.

As my right hon. Friend has already informed the House, he has taken steps to make it clear to the banks that in applying their advances policy they should give full weight to the importance of agricultural production. I am confident that the banks are co-operating fully in carrying out the Government's policy in this respect. This applies to Warwickshire as well as to all other counties.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what conditions are laid down as to the age of retirement for male and female civil servants.

With a few exceptions the minimum age of retirement for established civil servants is 60, both for men and for women. It is the Government's policy that staff should be retained beyond the minimum retiring age for as long as practicable consistently with the needs of the work and the fitness and efficiency of the individual. Each individual case is considered on its own merits and there is no differentiation in the treatment of men and women civil servants in this respect.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many distant fishing trawlers, operating from Hull and Grimsby, are now laid up; and how many have ceased fishing this year owing to their inability to meet costs.

At 4th May, 21 Hull and Grimsby distant-water vessels were laid up. I understand that 18 of these were undergoing refit or survey. I have no information as to the reasons for laying-up the remaining three.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when the horticultural experimental farm for East Anglia, the establishment of which has already been approved in principle, will be opened; and what action is being taken at the present time.

The proposed horticultural experimental station will be set up as soon as we can provide the money. This may not be for some time. Within the present financial limitations my right hon. Friend thinks it best to concentrate on the development of the centres which are in hand. Meanwhile the results of the work of the existing horticultural and experimental centres are available to all growers.

asked the Minister of Works how much accommodation is available in the front windows of Government Departments for viewing the ceremony of Trooping the Colour; and who is responsible for its allocation.

It is estimated that there is room for about 1,000 people to see the Trooping the Colour from the windows of Government buildings overlooking the parade ground. The Departments occupying the buildings control the use of the windows.

asked the Minister of Works what arrangements he has made to enable retired and aged persons to see the Coronation procession.

The National Council of Social Service has agreed to distribute a number of seats in Government stands among retired and aged persons through the National Old People's Welfare Committee and the county and local old people's welfare committees. The local committees are, in many cases, bearing the cost of the seats, travelling expenses and sleeping accommodation.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the present number of cadets at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, from Commonwealth and other countries outside Great Britain; and to what extent the cost of their education at this college is borne by the Admiralty.

Twenty-two cadets, all from Commonwealth countries, are at present at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. Their instruction there lasts for one term for which purpose they join up with the R.N. special entry cadets who enter the Navy at age 18 and who spend one term only at Dartmouth. The amount payable by Commonwealth and foreign Governments for the instruction (including accommodation) of their naval officers, is the average, on an extra cost basis, for all courses provided by the Royal Navy except those which involve flying. This average rate is about £95 per term at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has yet appointed an inspector to police the killing of elephant seals in South Georgia; and how far his duties are to cover humanitarian requirements.

I do not consider that the appointment of inspectors is required. One inspector would be unable to supervise the activities of parties operating at different points. I understand that instances of cruelty in the killing of elephant seals are now infrequent and that published accounts may have described conditions some time ago. It should be sufficient if a clause were included in the sealers' annual licence requiring the use of humane killing methods, and I have asked the Acting Governor to consider this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much of the £140,000,000 available under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts has been spent; and how much is now ear-marked for expenditure.

£136,314,632 has been allocated, i.e. committed for expenditure: of this, £70.804,840 has been spent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much of the sums available under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts have been spent in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, British Guiana, British Honduras, Barbados, Windward Islands and Leeward Islands, respectively; and how much has been ear-marked for expenditure.

The following table shows (a) the amounts allocated for expenditure in the territories mentioned, and (b) the amounts actually spent: —

	(a)	(b)
	£	£
Jamaica (including the dependencies and University College of the West Indies)	9,085,825	6,129,873
Trinidad and Tobago (including the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture)	2,226,700	1,376,927
British Guiana	3,712,700	2,379,515
British Honduras	2,341,100	1,365,981
Barbados	834,000	567,185
Windward Islands	3,473,080	2,357,585
Leeward Islands	1,525,330	625,630

These territories benefit also from sums totalling £1,511,020 which have been allocated to the Caribbean Colonies on a regional basis. Expenditure from these sums is included in the figures in column (

asked the Minister of National Insurance what would be the additional annual cost of granting family allowances up to the age of 18 in respect of second and subsequent children receiving full-time education.

About £1 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many tenants of the Department of Agriculture are working plots at Coalburn, Lanarkshire; what is the total area so worked; and how many tenants have been given notice to quit.

Five tenants are working plots at Coalburn, Lanarkshire. The area so worked is four and a half acres. All the tenants have been given notice of resumption as at Whit Sunday, 1953.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the terms of tenancy by which plotholders at Coalburn, Lanarkshire, hold land from the Department of Agriculture.

The land was leased by the Department of Agriculture from a private proprietor and was let by them to the plotholders on yearly tenancy, with reservation to the Department of the right to resume at any time, subject to at least one month's notice in writing, any plot or part of a plot required by the proprietor for sale or feuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the net losses of agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes, and the net gains of land brought into use for agriculture, in Scotland in each year since 1947.

According to the agricultural returns submitted by farmers the net gains and losses in the area of crops and grass in Scotland in each year between June, 1947, and June. 1952, were as follows:

	Acres.
June, 1947—June, 1948	+ 3,187
June, 1948—June, 1949	—451
June, 1949—June, 1950	— 3,709
June, 1950— June, 1951	—5,052
June, 1951—June, 1952	— 2,464

The aggregate net loss over the five years in question represented rather less than 0.2 per cent. of the total area of crops and grass in Scotland.