asked the Minister of Labour (1) if he was consulted by the Hostels Corporation before they issued notice to the resident miners of a 7s. per week increase in hostel charges: and whether this action has his approval;(2) whether, in fixing the increase of 7s. per week in miners' hostel charges, regard was had to the recent 6s. per week increase in miners' wages due to the higher cost of living.

The answer to the first part of the first Question is, "No." Charges to be made by the Corporation to residents in miners' hostels are prescribed by the National Coal Board. The question of my approving those charges does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of able-bodied men and women registering at the employment exchange in the county borough of Gateshead; the average length of unemployment of the people unemployed; and how many of those on the register have been offered employment in the past three months.

The numbers of unemployed men and women on the registers of the Gateshead Employment Exchange at 13th April were 1,050 and 520, respectively. The average length of time for which they had been unemployed is not known, but the following table gives an analysis, according to duration of unemployment, of the numbers of wholly unemployed persons on the registers at 16th March (the latest date for which such an analysis is available):

Duration of Unemployment (in weeks)	Men	Women	Total
8 or less	368	349	717
Over 8 and up to 13	99	117	216
Over 13 and up to 26	146	79	225
Over 26 and up to 52	129	54	183
Over 52	316	48	364

It is not possible to say how many unemployed persons on the registers were offered jobs, but during the 12 weeks ended 8th April, 1,033 vacancies for men and 725 for women were filled by the Gateshead Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are on the disabled persons register in Spennymoor; and how many are employed in the Remploy factory at the latest available date.

The number of persons on the disabled persons register in Spennymoor at 19th January, 1953 was 810. At 16th March, 1953, there were 84 registered disabled persons unemployed including nine severely disabled persons classified as unlikely to obtain employment except under sheltered conditions. The number employed in the Remploy factory at present is 83.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of male, female and young workers registered as unemployed at the Hayes, Middlesex Employment Exchange on 30th April, 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953, respectively.

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF THE HAYES EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT THE UNDERMENTIONED DATES
Date					Men aged 18 and over	Boys under 18	Women aged 18 and over	Girls under 18	Total
17th April, 1950	…	…	…	…	139	22	57	12	230
16th April, 1951	…	…	…	…	57	18	52	8	135
21st April, 1952	…	…	…	…	108	29	96	15	248
13th April, 1953	…	…	…	…	137	15	112	24	288

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now make a statement on the negotiations in Moscow for the sale of herring to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

I regret that I am still not in a position to make a statement.

asked the Lord Advocate the nature of the information that was supplied to him by Largs Town Council regarding the sale of a house at a sum beyond the maximum permitted price, upon which he decided that legal action should not be taken.

An official of Largs Town Council reported to the Department of Health for Scotland circumstances which indicated that a house built under licence had been sold at a price exceeding the permitted selling price. As I stated in my written answer to the hon. Member on 4th May, the circumstances were fully investigated by me. It transpired that the sale took place in June, 1949. and no criminal proceedings were taken.

asked the Minister of Pensions why chief cashiers of banks, postmistresses, police sergeants, pensioned head teachers and physicians, are entitled to attest pension declarations whilst Members of Parliament are not; why this opportunity of usefulness to constituents is denied; and whether he will include Members of Parliament in

The following Table gives the information desired:the list of qualified persons when the next forms, 10/229, are printed.

The list of persons by whom war pensioners' life certificates may be attested is laid down by a Warrant of the Treasury issued under a provision of the Annual Appropriation Acts. I doubt whether the addition of Members of Parliament to this list would accord with the general wish of Members in view of the many calls on their time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when his Department will be ready to extend the number and scope of producer marketing boards for agricultural products.

The promotion of marketing schemes under the Agricultural Marketing Acts is a matter for the producers of the commodities concerned. As regards the attitude of the Government towards such schemes, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd) on 13th November, 1952.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if the Government will consider, in consultation with the National Farmers' Union, legislation for the establishment of a national farmers' and land bank, in order to develop to the full our agricultural resources and assist in the development of marginal land.

I am, of course, ready to consider suggestions of this nature from responsible sources, but as at present advised I see no need for the creation of new institutions for the provision of credit for the fanning industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture in how many of the schemes approved in principle under the Hill Farming Act, 1946, as extended by the Livestock Rearing Act, 1951, in the counties of Breconshire, Cardiganshire, Merionethshire, Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, applications have been made for improvements to roads and bridges; and what the estimated cost has been.

The following is the information:

County		Numbers of Schemes which include work on roads and bridges	Estimated cost of work on roads and bridges
			£
Brecon	…	147	32,489
Cardigan	…	93	18,399
Merioneth	…	194	26,191
Montgomery	…	157	35,955
Radnor	…	116	28,786
TOTAL	…	707	£141,820

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) what part Great Britain is taking in the investigation initiated on 16th-17th April at Geneva by the Economic Commission for Europe Coal Classification Working Party with a view to adopting a single commercial international system of coal classification;(2) what steps are being taken by the Economic Commission for Europe Coal Classification Working Party, with a view to the adoption of an international classification of coal by size.

The United Kingdom has throughout been represented on the Coal Classification Working Party of the Economic Commission for Europe set up in 1949. This Working Party has already formulated interim proposals, which are now under consideration by the member Governments, for a scientific system of international classification of hard coals by reference to certain qualities, such as volatile matter content, coking and caking properties, and calorific value. Besides investigating whether this scientific system can be applied commercially, they intend also to consider a classification of hard coals by size, and later by other characteristics such as ash content, sulphur content, etc., and to examine the possibility of classifying brown coals and lignites.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that in the Wollaton Park district of Nottingham, the Mining Subsidence Act, 1950, works in such a way as to afford compensation to some householders while denying it to others in the same road whose dwellings are above the statutory maximum; and if he will amend the Act to extend its scope.

It is hardly possible to prevent such cases from occurring since the purpose of the Act was to enable compensation to be paid in respect only of small dwelling houses. As my hon. Friend said on 11th May in reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler), I am not prepared at the present time to propose further legislation on this subject.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when it is intended that the television transmitter in the Isle of Wight is to be built.

The general programme for the extension of television broadcasting to new areas is now being reviewed by the Government, but I am not able to make any statement at present with regard to the Isle of Wight, or any other area not already covered.