asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to obtain information as to the number of houses unfit for human habitation and the number annually coming into this category.

This information could be obtained only by asking each local housing authority to survey their area. As was said in answering the hon. Member for Clapham (Mr. Gibson) on 28th April, I am studying the whole question of unfitness and disrepair with a view to a comprehensive plan. I am not yet in a position to add to that answer.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that shortage of bricks is threatening a hold up of Dagenham's housing programme; and what action he is taking to deal with the matter.

I am aware that there have been shortages of bricks on housing sites at Dagenham, but deliveries are improving.

asked the Minister of Labour why the Ystrad Mynach miners' hostel is classified as a full standard hostel when all the sleeping accommodation consists of Nissen huts.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to provide sites for new houses by demolition of old properties rather than by taking good agricultural land; and whether he will compensate such authorities for the additional cost so incurred.

Local authorities have been regularly advised to avoid, where possible, the use of good agricultural land as housing sites, and the use of cleared areas has obvious advantages where progress with new building justifies the demolition of existing dwellings. Exchequer assistance is already available for clearance and redevelopment work under the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1950, and under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking, in conjunction with other Departments, to ensure that a sufficient number of additional harvest workers will be available, either of Service personnel, European voluntary workers or of other helpers; and how his estimated figures compare with those of last year.

Assessments have been made of the extra harvest labour likely to be needed in the different areas. Arrangements are in hand to provide this labour on the same lines as last year and to approximately the same extent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what outlets, by way of reduction to oil and meal and export, are available for Shetland herring; and whether he will instruct the Herring Industry Board that landings of herring shall not be limited.

The sales of cured herring which the Herring Industry Board expect to make have enabled them to arrange with curers in Shetland to cure as many herring of suitable quality as they can. Herring surplus to requirements of the curers and other buyers, including the Board's quick-freezing and kippering factory, are purchased by the Board for reduction to oil and meal up to the capacity of the reduction factory —some 2,300 crans per week with storage for an additional 3,150 crans.The Board have a duty under the Herring Industry Scheme, 1951, to regulate the fishing when supplies are likely to exceed available outlets and I could not, therefore, instruct the Board not to do so when circumstances demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how far the Guillebaud Committee on the National Health Service has power to examine conditions in the Highlands and Islands.

The Committee's terms of reference give them full scope to carry out all relevant inquiries, and I have no doubt that they will have due regard to conditions in the Highlands and Islands.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the quarrying of the Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, continues to the detriment of the amenity of the capital; and if he will take steps to stop this destruction of one of the public open spaces of the city.

There is an appeal before me at present against the local planning authority's refusal to give permission for an extension of the quarry. I have caused an inquiry to be held and I hope to be able to announce my decision shortly. My hon. Friend will appreciate that while the appeal is sub judice I cannot comment on the question of future action.

asked the Secretary of State for War what tests with B.C.G. vaccine are being carried out by the Army medical services; and when he expects them to be completed.

This vaccine is not under test, but is already in use by the Army. Members of the Royal Army Medical Corps and Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps who, on testing by the Mantoux technique, appear to be susceptible to tuberculosis are offered this form of vaccination and may not be employed in a tuberculosis ward or laboratory unless, following the treatment, a further test gives a satisfactory reaction.

asked the Secretary of State for War what orders he has issued to make sure that no serving officer, non-commissioned officer or man will be required to make good out of his own pocket the cost of damage done to his uniform by the rain which fell on Coronation day.

Generally speaking, the No. 1 dress was not damaged by the rain. Damage done to the full dress, and in particular the scarlet tunics, was much less than expected. Full dress is now worn only by the Household Brigade and is all public property: any damage to it will, therefore, be made good at public expense.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what alterations in horticultural tariffs he proposes to make in response to the National Farmers' Union representations.

The question of revising import duties on horticultural produce is still under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade his present plans for bringing new industries to Aberdeen.

The Government recognise the need for some additional industry in Aberdeen and my right hon. Friend will certainly encourage the expansion or establishment of suitable industry there. The hon. and learned Member will recognise, however, that its needs must be considered in relation to those of other places.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of our balance of payments problem and the feelings expressed by parents, teachers and magistrates, he will give instructions prohibiting the use of dollars for the purchase of matrices to be used in the printing of American-style comics sold in this country.

No. I am satisfied that it would be undesirable to use the provisions of the exchange control for this purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state, in tabulated form in the OFFICIAL REPORT, the revenue he budgets upon raising during the fiscal year 1953–54 from each sport that remains subject to Entertainments Duty; and the total Entertainments Duty he budgets upon raising from sport, only, during the fiscal year 1953–54.

The estimate of £3½ million for the receipts of duty from sports and games can be sub-divided approximately as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the revenue he budgets on raising during the fiscal year 1953…54 from football pools tax; and by how much this tax would require to be increased, per cent., to compensate for withdrawal of Entertainments Duty on all sport.

About £20½ million and 5 per cent. (or rather more in so far as such an increase in the rate of duty might reduce this form of betting).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the regulation which permits the opening of parcels for examination by Her Majesty's Customs is intended to cover private correspondence.

The opening of letters in the overseas mails is authorised by the Foreign Postal Packets (Customs) Warrant, 1948.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will improve the arrangements for the collection of Income Tax from members of the theatrical profession so that they may pay their tax more promptly and more easily.

The Inland Revenue have continuously under review the question of the most effective and convenient means of assessing and collecting tax due from this and all other professions and occupations. If the hon. Member has any suggestion that he would like to make, I shall be glad to consider it.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the comparative figures for deep-mined coal production, and for coal exports, for five calendar months to 31st May, 1952, and for five calendar months to 31st May, 1953, on the nearest dates that can provide a reliable basis for statistical comparison; and to what extent the prospective loss of 4,500,000 tons arising from the miners' second week's holiday and the Coronation holiday, both in 1953, have been made good by any excess of coal production in the first five calendar months of 1953 over production during the equivalent period in 1952.

During the first 20 weeks of this year, deep-mined output of coal has been 86·1, and total exports 5·3 million tons, compared with 85·2 and 3·9 million tons respectively in the corresponding weeks of last year. Production during the last few weeks has shown an improvement, but it is too early to say how far the loss of output due to the additional holidays will be made good.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will now free firms which use only solid fuel and receive twice-yearly allocations fixed by his Department from the necessity of rendering weekly fuel returns to the Ministry of Supply.

I have arranged that as from 3rd May last the majority of the smaller industrial consumers of coal should make monthly instead of weekly returns and I regret that supplies of solid fuel are not sufficient to justify a further relaxation at the present time.

asked the Minister of Transport why he has reduced the road maintenance grant to Staffordshire for 1953–54.

Owing to the need for economy in Government expenditure, grants for road maintenance in 1953–54 have had to be reduced. We have done our best to give Staffordshire a fair share of the money available.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will make a statement about the fatal accident which occurred recently at his Department's Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment.

I regret that on 6th May L.A.C. Ronald Maddison died from the effects of asphyxia after taking part in a trial with war gas at the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment, at Porton.In addition to the coroner's inquest, I ordered a full technical investigation into the circumstances of the accident. The report shows that all the same precautions had been observed as in the many thousands of previous trials carried out over a considerable number of years. The report raises one or two points of a technical character which are being studied. Meanwhile, further trials of this kind have been suspended.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether, before granting the British Broadcasting Corporation the extra £2 million of licence revenue for which the Corporation is now asking, he will ask the Corporation to consider what economies could be made if their three Home, Light and Third sound Programmes were telescoped into two programmes.

The Government are not contemplating any immediate change in the amount of net licence revenue received by the B.B.C. It has not been the practice for the Government to interfere with the B.B.C. as to the manner in which their income is spent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the British Broadcasting Corporation have recently turned down an offer of £1 million for the lease of their television transmitters during the hours when they are not being used for their television service; and if he will bear this in mind when considering their application for the extra £2 million of the licence revenue.

The Government's policy on this matter remains as stated in the White Paper on Broadcasting (Cmd. 8550). The Corporation is forbidden by its Licence and Agreement to receive money in this way without my noble Friend's consent in writing, and this has not been sought.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many requests for telephones have not been met in the borough of Morpeth, the Morpeth rural area, in the urban districts of Ashington and Newbiggin; and what steps are being taken to meet these requests.

The figures are 79, 56, 81 and 11. Plans has been made to provide more plant, but I regret I cannot say when the waiting list will be cleared.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will reconsider his predecessor's refusal to grant a subsidy for winter beef, in order to encourage production.

At the 1952 Annual Review changes were made in the seasonal prices for beef cattle in order to encourage the production of more beef in the winter and spring. The position has shown some improvement this year, but it is too soon to judge whether further action to encourage winter beef production will be needed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the acreage of the unenclosed common land in Gloucestershire.

There is no reliable figure for the acreage of unenclosed common land in Gloucestershire. There has been no survey of common land since 1873 and the figures then compiled were believed to be inaccurate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many late applications for grassland fertiliser grants were accepted during 1951 and 1952, respectively; and the grounds on which these applications were accepted, giving a detailed list under each head.

In the first half year of the Grassland Fertiliser Scheme a closing date was not enforced, but in the second half year, for which the closing date was 31st July, 1951, 60 late applications were accepted. The administration of the scheme was delegated to agricultural executive committees in July, 1951, and records of individual applications received have been dispersed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the undesirable practice of burning gorse during the months of May and June and to the consequential destruction of bird life involved; and whether he will consider requesting agricultural executive committees to advise farmers to burn their gorse during periods of the year before or after the nesting season.

I understand that it is the normal practice for gorse to be burnt before the nesting season, but I am ready to take such steps as are possible to advise farmers to restrict the burning of gorse to the same period, namely, 1st November to 31st March, which is permitted for the burning of heather and grass under the Heather and Grass Burning Regulations, 1949.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many men left the agricultural industry in 1952; how many of them were under the age of 35 years; what effect he estimates this will have upon the production of food; what is the cause of the exodus from this essential industry; and what is being done to encourage workpeople to remain in it.

In December, 1952, there were 21,900 fewer men returned as regularly employed in agriculture in England and Wales compared with the year before. The December returns are normally less reliable than the June returns for comparative purposes because of seasonal effects, but the decline between 1951 and 1952 shown by the June returns was about the same as that shown by the December returns. The number of men under 35 is not known. There has been no comparable decline in casual and seasonal labour.The decline in the regular labour force has been outweighed by an increase in productivity per man, with the result that production has increased. About 8,000 men were called up in the year, and many of the remainder will have gone into other industries, which compete strongly for labour.

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.

pursuant to his reply of 24th April (OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 514, c. 85), supplied the following information:African District Councils have received this proposal with caution; some have rejected it out of hand, but others are prepared to give it a trial. The Kenya Government intend to start pilot schemes in selected areas within the framework of the Native Lands Trust Ordinance, while trying to make the idea familiar by constant explanation. The problem is also being examined by the Royal Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of newspapers and printing presses suppressed, the number of meetings banned and the number of schools closed down in Kenya, since 1st October, 1952.

pursuant to his reply of 25th February (OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 511, c. 2071–2), circulated the following information:No applications to hold public meetings have been refused since 1st October, 1952.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements he has made to provide wire and earth static defences for Kikuyu Home Guard posts.

pursuant to his reply of 19th May (OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 515, c. 128), supplied the following information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the population of Kuala Lumpur; the number of people paying rates in the town; the number on the electoral roll; and the percentage of the town council elected by ballot vote.

pursuant to his reply of 22nd April (OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 514, No. 93, c. 1169), supplied the following information:The number of properties assessed for rates in Kuala Lumpur is 10,264; and the number of people on the electoral roll is 13,503. The present population of the town is estimated at about 250,000.

asked the Minister of National Insurance how many disabled ex-Service pensioners were receiving assistance grants on the latest date for which figures are available; and how this figure compares with one and two years ago, respectively.

I regret that I cannot give figures for a later date than November, 1952, when the estimated number was 21,700. The corresponding number for November, 1951, was 18,500. The figure for November, 1950, is not available.