asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence if he will give an estimate of the cost of raising the retired pay of all officers of the three Services who retired before 1st September, 1950, to the new rates of 1951; whether he will give a percentage estimate of the increase which has taken place in the cost of living since these pensions were granted; and whether he will consider granting some increase in order to alleviate the hardship felt by many of these retired pensioners at the present time.

The cost of raising the retired pay of all officers of the three Services, including officers of the Indian Army, who retired before 1st September, 1950, to the rates applicable to officers who retired after that date would, on the latest estimates, be about £2,100,000 in the first year.It is not possible to make the estimate for which my hon. Friend asks in the second part of his Question, since the officers in question retired at various dates prior to 1st September, 1950, when the cost-of-living index stood at widely differing levels.Three pensions increase schemes have been introduced in recent years (the latest in 1952) with a view to alleviating hardship.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence if he will give the number of men enrolling for National Service periods for the six months ended 31st March, 1953, showing the number of men enrolled in the three Services separately.

The numbers of men who entered the Services under the National Service Acts during the period 1st October, 1952, to 31st March, 1953, were about:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why the supplies of steel to Messrs. William Doxford and Sons, Sunderland, are 16,000 tons compared with the average of 21,500 tons in 1947–50 under the previous system of steel allocation; and when it is expected that the level of 21,500 tons will again be reached.

Expressed as an annual rate and taking into account certain changes in the allocation system which were introduced when steel allocations were resumed in 1952, the current allocations of steel to Messrs. William Doxford & Sons, Ltd., Sunderland, for all purposes, that is for merchant ship construction, marine engines and merchant ship repairs, are very slightly greater than the average allocations made to the firm for the same purposes over the years 1947 to 1949. Steel allocations were discontinued in the early months of 1950.Messrs. Doxford's allocations represent their fair share of the amount of steel made available for merchant shipbuilding, marine engines and merchant ship repairs during the periods in question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that, as disclosed in a recent case at Darlington, County Durham, no records are kept of the amount of petrol used at the Royal Air Force station, Middleton St. George, and that it is used for cleaning floors and vehicles before inspections; and if he will take steps to ensure that the use of petrol is properly controlled in future.

I am aware that in a recent case at Darlington County Magistrates' Court certain allegations were made about the administration of R.A.F. Station, Middleton St. George. Preliminary investigations show that the regulations in force for the control of petrol were properly observed at the station.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what views have been expressed by African District Councils on the proposal of the African Affairs Committee in Kenya to establish rights of occupancy in land in African areas; and what action has been taken by the Government of Kenya.

As the information is pot available in this country I am consulting the Governor and will circulate the answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies at what dates the separate Whitley Councils were set up in the Civil Service in Northern Rhodesia; and how far the Government of Northern Rhodesia is working towards establishing an inter-racial Whitley Council, on the lines recommended in the report on this matter in 1947.

Separate Whitley Councils for Europeans and for Africans were set up on 7th July, 1949, and 17th October, 1951, respectively. The separate Councils are working satisfactorily and in the view of the Northern Rhodesian Government, the problems of European and African civil servants are not yet homogeneous enough to justify a change from that arrangement.

asked the Minister of National Insurance the total number of persons in receipt of retirement or old-age pensions.

At 31st December, 1952, about 4½ million persons in Great Britain were receiving retirement, contributory or non-contributory old-age pensions.