asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to the learned judge's observation in giving judgment in the case, Weinmann versus Moreton, that the case should never have been brought; and what charge on public funds will thereby accrue.

I have seen newspaper reports of the remarks made by the learned judge. I think I should point out that those reports omit to state that he also said that no blame attached to the committee which granted legal aid. It is not possible to say exactly what the charge on public funds will be until the costs have been taxed; but as legal aid was not granted to the plaintiff until immediately before the hearing of the action I do not expect that it will be very large.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can yet make a statement of progress made in settling the fisheries dispute with the Icelandic Government.

I have at present nothing to add to the reply given of 29th April to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Air Commodore Harvey).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will consider calling a Commonwealth peace conference to put forward concrete and united British Commonwealth proposals to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United States of America and the United Nations Organisation.

Her Majesty's Government do not think that there is any occasion for a special conference for the purpose suggested. We are in close and constant touch with the other members of the Commonwealth and also the United States on all major matters affecting world peace. Further opportunity to discuss these matters will arise at the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' meeting next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to give an estimate of sick or wounded British subjects still held prisoner in Communist countries in the Far East.

Yes. According to reports at present received, 17 British soldiers still in prisoner-of-war camps in North Korea are believed to be seriously sick or wounded. This information is provisional, and further inquiries are being made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, at the appropriate time, he will publish any letters or other communications passing between Nazis in Germany and Fascists in Britain which were seized during the Naumann case investigations.

I will certainly bear this suggestion in mind.

asked the Minister of Food why ss. "Riverton" chartered by his Department has lain idle at Vancouver, B.C., since 25th March; and why the offer of the owners, made to him on 25th February, to divert her to the United States Gulf of Mexico to load grain for the United Kingdom, was not accepted.

The vessel has been idle because of the strike of elevator workers at Vancouver. There would have been no purpose in diverting it as we had sufficient tonnage in the Gulf of Mexico for several weeks.

asked the Minister of Food when, and at what price, he last purchased lard from the United States of America; how much more he would have to purchase to-day to satisfy normal demand; what it would cost; and how far the extra supplies are now available.

On 8th April, 1953, at a price of £107 per ton c. & f. If all fats were freed our requirements of lard from the United States would probably cost not less than £10 million in dollars per annum. Supplies should be sufficient.

asked the Minister of Food by how much, in tons, the United Kingdom butter stocks fell in 1951, and increased in 1952; how much lower, in tons, consumption was in 1952 than in 1951; and how much more butter was available outside dollar sources, which he was unable to purchase owing to lack of funds.

It has never been the practice to give stock figures. What can be said is that in 1951 stocks fell and in 1952 they rose. Consumption of buttter in 1952 was lower by 83,000 tons than in 1951. Last year we bought all the non-dollar butter of suitable quality available at reasonable prices.

asked the Minister of Food how far his offer of $2 a bushel for wheat under the International Wheat Agreement is still in force; and, in view of the probable slump in wheat prices owing to the world surpluses, if he will now withdraw both his minimum and maximum price offers.

Our offer was made in the course of the negotiations at Washington. The negotiations ended with the tabling of a draft agreement now before the signatory countries for ratification. The question of withdrawing our offers therefore does not arise.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the continued increase in tea prices since derationing; and whether he will re-impose price control.

Several firms increased the price of their blends by about 4d. per lb. this April. It was the first increase in retail prices since decontrol, and there had previously been some reductions. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No."

asked the Minister of Food the approximate annual cost of restoring the food subsidies this year to a level which would reduce the price of all foodstuffs, rationed in March, 1949, to their level in that month, basing the calculation on the estimated consumption of such foodstuffs this year; and how this figure compares with the total cost of subsidies this year.

Including bread, flour and milk, which were subsidised but not rationed in March, 1949, about £900 million. The Department's Estimate forecasts the cost of food subsidies at £221.5 million this year.

asked the Minister of Food, as regards the recent substantial purchases of surplus Cuban sugar, what steps were taken to ascertain to what extent supplies would be obtainable from Brazil; and to what extent sugar from Brazil is now available at the new free exchange rates.

Brazil consumes most of the sugar produced there, and no substantial quantity has been available for export since my Department purchased 80,000 tons last January.

asked the Minister of Transport what contribution is made by his Department to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents; for what special purposes; and what steps are taken to ensure that these contributions are spent on purposes which have his approval.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents received £72,317 from the Road Fund for 1952–53. Most of this was spent on the society's area organisation which assists local authorities to organise road safety education. The estimates of the society relating to such expenditure are subject to the approval of my Department and the accounts of actual expenditure are examined by my officers.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the recent series of accidents in which vehicles of abnormal size and weight have been involved; and whether he will consider modifying the present regulations governing the movement of such vehicles on the road.

I am not aware that there has been a series of accidents of this kind. My hon. Friend may have particularly in mind the one which occurred at Ardrossan on 26th April, 1953, when a bridge over a railway line collapsed when being crossed by a very heavy load. An inquiry into this accident is to be held by an inspecting officer of railways, and my hon. Friend will not expect me to make any further statement until I have received and considered his report.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet considered the Report of the Committee on Road Safety on motor cycle accidents: and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I have considered the report and I am generally in agreement with its recommendations. I am attracted by the suggestion that the motor cycling driving test should be conducted by examiners on motor cycles as suggested by the committee, but I am not yet satisfied that the practical difficulties which this would involve can be overcome.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will reconsider his decision not to accede to the request of the Spondon Parish Council for the extension of the 30-miles-per-hour speed limit on the Derby—Nottingham trunk road A52 to cover the short distance which is now unrestricted and lying within the area of that parish council.

We have considered this proposal very carefully, but cannot regard the extension of the speed limit here as justified.

asked the Minister of Transport how many projects for bridge construction have been approved for Scotland since 1951; what is their location; and when it is anticipated, and in what order, these projects will be commenced.

The following projects of new bridge construction in Scotland have been approved since the beginning of 1951:

asked the Minister of Transport what plans are under contemplation for an all-round Scotland coastal trunk road as an addition to Scottish tourist attractions and to meet the needs of visitors from Canada, Australia and the United States of America.

There are no plans to add to the existing coastal trunk roads which cover almost the whole of the East Coast and part of the West Coast of Scotland.

asked the Minister of Transport the expenditure in Scotland on trunk roads in 1947 and 1950; and what is the estimated expenditure for 1953.

Payments out of the Road Fund in respect of trunk roads in Scotland in 1947–48 were £1,177,172 and in 1949–50 £929,867. Payments in 1953–54 are expected to be about £1,300,000.

asked the Minister of Transport to what extent the amount of capital expenditure sanctioned by him for road improvements for the London County Council area for 1951, 1952 and 1953, include such items as surfacing, removal of tram tracks, alignment of kerbs and other minor improvements; and what proportion is attributable to specific items of pew construction.

The amounts attributable to minor improvements out of the totals sanctioned are £350,000 out of £840,000 in 1951, £1,535,000 out of £1,630,000 in 1952 and £830,000 out of £850,000 in the first quarter of 1953. The balances relate to major improvements of the nature of widenings, junction improvement, provision of roundabouts, etc. There were no complete schemes of new construction.

asked the Minister of Transport how many applications for the operation of omnibus services have been disallowed in the county of Brecon because of improvement schemes being required for the roads; and whether he will indicate the schemes of improvement for which grants have been refused.

Two, one in respect of a service between Ystradgynlais and Penwyllt and the other in respect of a service between Builth Wells and Brecon. The scheme of road improvement affecting the former route was designed to give better visibility at four bends, to provide passing places and haunching and to eliminate excessive camber on the road between Penwyllt and the junction with the Swansea-Brecon road (A.4067). The scheme affecting the latter route was designed to improve three bends on the road between Erwood and Llaneglwys.

asked the Minister of Supply, in view of the recent judgment of the Lord Chief Justice in the case of the Defiant Cycle Company versus Newell, why his Department failed to issue a certificate dispensing with the printing of Schedules to the Iron and Steel Prices Order, 1951; and why no reasonable steps were taken to bring the Schedules to the notice of persons likely to be affected by the Order.

The answer to the first part is that they thought they had. The answer to the second part is that they did.