asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the shortage of medical staff at the Royal Hospital, Wolverhampton; and what steps he is taking to fill the vacancies.

I cannot at present add to the reply which I gave on 23rd July to the hon. Member for Bilston (Mr. Nally).

asked the Minister of Health the cost during 1951 and 1952 of proprietary medicines now classed under 5 and 6 in the circular just issued to medical practitioners.

I regret that precise information is not available. An approximate estimate of the ingredient cost of these preparations where ordered under Part IV of the National Health Service Act, 1946, is £970,000 in 1951 and £1,120,000 in 1952, or about 3·5 per cent. of the ingredient cost of all preparations dispensed under that part of the Act in the respective years. Dispensing fees and container allowances would have to be added to the above figures.

asked the Minister of Health to publish in HANSARD the names, ages and qualifications of the present 25 members of the General Nursing Council, as required in the schedule to the Nurses Registration Act, 1919.

The names and qualifications of the present 34 members of the General Nursing Council who were elected or appointed in accordance with the Nurses Act, 1949, are listed below. Information about their ages is not available.1. (

asked the Minister of Health if he has any statement to make as to the causes of the recent food poisoning of schoolchildren in South London; and what preventative measures are being taken.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given today to the hon. and gallant Member for Brixton (Lieut.-Colonel Lipton).

asked the Minister of Education to what extent the appointment of an inspector of any category of school is confined to a choice among those who have had practical teaching experience in that category.

Inspectors are not assigned to work solely in one category of school. In filling vacancies, therefore, the field of choice is not restricted in the way implied in the Question. It is my general aim to secure in the Inspectorate as a whole adequate practical experience in all the types of school and establishment which fall to be inspected.

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware that a survey by the Shropshire school medical officer of 297 schools in the county, excluding grammar schools and technical colleges, shows that about 30 per cent. have unsatisfactory sanitary arrangements, 10·1 per cent. lack proper ventilation, 10·4 per cent. inadequate lighting, 13·1 per cent. inefficient heating, 8·8 per cent. no drainage, 11·5 per cent. lack drinking water, 12·5 per cent. lack washing water facilities, 18·5 per cent. have no cloakrooms, 67·7 per cent. cannot dry clothes and boots and 15·5 per cent. have no playgrounds; and what steps she is taking to deal with these conditions.

I have seen this survey and note that it also records improvements between 1951 and 1952 in almost all the conditions mentioned by the hon. Member. At the authority's request I recently increased by £10,000 their allocation for minor capital works for the financial year 1953–54 to enable them to carry out further improvements, especially to the sanitary facilities of their schools.

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware that since the increase in the price of school meals 400 schoolchildren have stopped taking them in Scunthorpe; and what she proposes to do about this.

My returns do not show separate figures for Scunthorpe. I have recently approved revised income scales submitted by the Lines, Lindsey local education authority for remission of charges to parents.

asked the Minister of Education the decline in the number of school meals taken in Rochester and Chatham out of the total decline of 247,822 from June, 1952, to June, 1953.

I have no separate information about the number of school meals taken in Rochester and Chatham. Returns of school dinners are only required from local education authorities and excepted districts.

asked the Minister of Education the daily average of dinners served in schools during June of this year; and how this compares with the same month in 1952.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 16th July to the hon. Member for Leicester, North-West (Mr. Janner). I have no information about the daily average number of dinners served during June of this year.

asked the Minister of Education how many children in Breconshire are on the register of handicapped children; how many are receiving education at home or at school; how many are not being provided with such facilities; how many are awaiting admission to special schools; and what provision exists for further education, if required, after school age within the county.

I understand from the local education authority for Breconshire that 50 handicapped children are known to require places in special schools. Of these, six are already at special schools and 40 of those awaiting places are attending ordinary schools; none are being educated at home. There is no special provision within the county for the further education of handicapped pupils over compulsory school age.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what alterations have been made in the revenue duties on rayon staple fibre since 1945; and when they took place;(2) since the original revenue duty imposed on rayon staple fibre under the Finance Act, 1925, has now merely become a protective duty and one on a raw material of growing importance to the cotton trade, if he will take steps for its removal.

The duty on rayon staple fibre has been 9d. per lb. weight since 1945, except between 14th June and 31st December, 1951, when this material was temporarily admitted without payment of duty. Since the duty was reimposed, I have received no representations from any organised body of users for its removal. If any such representations I were made, they would of course be carefully considered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the long delay in the delivery of glass to horticulturists; and whether, since the horticultural glass industry is a monopoly in the hands of a firm, the name of which has been sent to him, he will refer the matter to the Monopolies Commission.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Works is not aware of any difficulty in obtaining horticultural glass at present. In choosing matters for reference to the Monopolies Commission I shall, however, bear in mind the supply of flat glass.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the progress of the talks now taking place between representatives of Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Brazil.

Yes. As the House is aware, commercial arrears due by Brazil to the United Kingdom amount to some £60 million. Her Majesty's Government submitted proposals on 20th May to the Government of Brazil for a settlement of these arrears together with the maintenance of sterling trade at a level compatible with Brazil's foreign exchange position. Ministerial changes in Brazil delayed the negotiations and it was not until the 17th July that the Government of Brazil submitted their counter proposals, Her Majesty's Ambassador in Rio de Janeiro has now been given instructions for the continuance of the negotiations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in the discussion of impending trade agreements with European countries, he will bear in mind the possibility of reviving the export trade in sprats caught off the Essex coast, large quantities of which were exported to Northern Europe before the war; and if, in this connection, he will make representations to the British Transport Commission against the closing of the Brightlingsea branch line, which is likely to affect adversely the speedy transport of sprats from Brightlingsea to the ports of dispatch.

I will certainly bear the hon. Member's suggestion in mind. I would add, however, that under the liberalisation policy of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation some European countries already allow fish of all kinds to be imported freely; while with some others we have already negotiated quotas for our exports of fish. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Food gave him on 27th July.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the Special Register Information Service costs per annum; how many people are involved in preparing and supplying this service; and whether the £2 10s. per annum subscription to his export Department covers the postage.

IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM FROM MALTA*
£ (c.i.f.)
—	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	Jan.-June, 1953
Fresh fruit and vegetables	12,480	61,292	239,363	208,085	126,074	189,022
Metal ores and scrap	38,697	55,598	49,979	60,403	84,192	29,719
Machinery	4,307	4,147	11,960	15,001	13,747	7,056
Cotton yarns and manufactures	39,018	19,609	3,874	3,740	2,235	1,230
Woollen and worsted yams and manufactures	22,585	1,168	552	396	1,757	961
Apparel	31,157	25,938	24,018	26,049	57,354	29,118
Oils, fats and resins, manufactured	140	121	106	24,745	7432	2,044
Vehicles	10,961	14,563	10,922	22,668	32,689	14,585
Miscellaneous manufactured	74,100	75,850	66,145	66,667	49,771	9,775
All other Imports	102,283	115,729	97,271	112,354	154,839	50,666
Total Imports	335,728	374,015	504,190	540,108	530,090	334,176
* Including GOZO.

The cost of the Special Register Information Service for the year ending 30th June last was approximately £44,000; the number of people involved in preparing and supplying the service is 42. The subscription revenue much exceeds the total postage costs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now reached a decision on action by the Government arising out of the Monopoly Commission's Report on the match industry.

I hope to announce a decision when the House reassembles after the Recess.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will, before the House rises for the Summer Recess, make a comprehensive statement on the progress of trade and commerce between Britain and Malta in the year 1953 as compared with each of the preceding five years, indicating the rises and falls in the various items.

Following is the information:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give instructions that records are in future to be kept of the amount of Irish whiskey sent to the United States of America, whether from Northern Ireland, English, Welsh or Scottish ports.

I will consider the right hon. Gentleman's suggestion when we are next reviewing the export list, if I receive any evidence that substantial advantage would result from keeping separate records of exports of Irish whiskey.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what reply he has made to the offer of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics' Government made at the last meeting of the Economic Commission for Europe to have an exchange of goods to the value of £70 million each way.

When East-West trade problems were discussed in Geneva under the auspices of the Economic Commission for Europe in April, the representatives of the Soviet Union made no specific proposals for an exchange of goods with the United Kingdom to the value of £70 million each way. We made clear in Geneva, and subsequently in London, a wide range of engineering and consumer goods is freely available for export from this country, and we shall continue to try to expand trade in all non-strategic goods with the Soviet Union.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new factories have commenced to be built by the North-Eastern Trading Estates Limited during 1953; and if he will state the location of these new factories and their floor space, given separately, when completed.

Since the 1st January, 1953, the North-Eastern Trading Estates Limited has started to build extensions to nine factories, as follows:

Location	Number of Projects	Area (square feet)
Jarrow Estate	1	4,350
Lanchester	1	8,790
Pallion Estate	1	63,540
Team Valley Estate	4	55,750
West Chirton Estate	1	20,000
East Middlesbrough Estate	1	8,100
Total	9	160,530

In addition, the building of four factories for new tenants and 25 extensions to existing factories have been approved since 1st January, 1953, but site work

has not yet started. The following are the details:

Location	Number of Projects	Area (squarefeet)
Aycliffe Estate	1	5,072
Bede Estate	1	1,300
Bedlington	2	3,698
Crook	1	10,000
East Middlesbrough Estate	2	18,900
Houghton-le-Spring Estate	1*	16,110
Lanchester	2	11,143
North Tees Estate	1	4,130
Peterlee	1*	70,000
Skelton Estate	1	18,325
South Shields Estate	1*	15,725
South Shields Estate	1	2,605
Team Valley Estate	1*	7,000
Team Valley Estate	8	124,065
West Auckland Estate	1	12,202
West Chirton Estate	4	18,082
Total	29	338,357
The four factories for new tenants are denoted by *.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what number of persons, men and women separately, were employed in North-Eastern Trading Company factories in Sunderland on the latest available date.

On 23rd May, 1953, the latest date for which official statistics are available, 1,566 men and boys and 3,613 women and girls, making a total of 5,179, were employed in these factories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many people, men and women, were employed in factories administered by the North Eastern Trading Estates Limited on the latest available date.

On the 23rd May, 1953, the latest date for which official statistics are available, 18,370 men and boys and 25,677 women and girls, making a total of 44,047, were employed in these factories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to ascertain how far the market for Scotch whisky in the United States of America has reached saturation point.

None; but an excellent test lies in the figures of our sales of whisky to the United States, and, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, exports are being well maintained. In the first six months of this year some 3·3 million proof gallons of whisky were exported from the United Kingdom to the United States.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make an announcement about the regional organisation of his Department.

Yes. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply and I have decided that in each of the English Regions the Regional Offices of the two Departments should henceforward be merged into a combined unit. We are satisfied that this step will result in a saving of expenditure on staff and overhead charges, without detriment to the service which the offices give to manufacturing industry, especially in the furtherance of overseas trade. The Regional Controllers will be responsible to each Minister for the work undertaken on his behalf, and I shall, of course, consult my right hon. Friend in making appointments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Committee which he appointed to review current procedures for consultation with industry in connection with bilateral trade negotiations has now reported.

Yes. The report of this Committee, which I received from my hon. Friend the Secretary for Overseas Trade on 2nd July, is being published today and I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Vote Office immediately. I should like to express my warm thanks to the Committee for their full and careful inquiry and report.The Committee recognise that the field of trade subject to bilateral agreements is a limited one, but have made a number of suggestions for improving consultation between Government and industry in those cases where it is necessary to negotiate such agreements. In particular they have recommended the appointment of a Standing Committee to ensure that arrangements for consultation are carried out smoothly and in good time to make them fully effective. I have considered the Committee's recommendations, which I gladly accept. I propose to arrange for the establishment of the proposed Standing Committee in the near future.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the present delays in the transfer of exchange in payment for goods exported to Turkey; and what steps he has taken, or proposes to take, to deal with this situation.

I am aware that, owing mainly to recent heavy imports under her industrial and agricultural development programme, Turkey has run into balance of payments difficulties and is in heavy deficit with the European Payments Union. This situation has shown itself in the prolonged delays to which my hon. Friend refers and which affect not only the United Kingdom but other member countries of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation as well.Turkey has recently announced her intention to restrict imports from her fellow members of O.E.E.C. in order to bring them, so far as possible, within her means of payment, and that Organisation is at present examining with Turkey the whole question of her future arrangements for imports from the other member countries. Meanwhile the Export Credits Guarantee Department has thought it wise to offer United Kingdom exporters cover for new exports to Turkey to only a limited extent and to raise its premium rates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the increasing difficulties which British exporters to Spain are encountering, due to that country's shortage of sterling, he will consider relaxing or removing the existing currency restrictions applicable to Spain.

This matter has been considered but there are obvious difficulties, as the hon. Member will appreciate, in treating Spain more favourably than O.E.E.C. countries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the error made by the War Damage Commission in assessing the war damage claim by Mr. T. Boto, 26, Basildon Road, Abbey Wood, S.E.2; why this error was only revealed after eight months of questioning by Mr. Boto; and what payment he now proposes should be made to Mr. Boto.

The hon. Member wrote to me on this point on Monday. I am looking into the case and will write to him when I have done so.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury why Ulster motorists going south and Eire motorists coming north on new triptyques, outside the prescribed hours, will have to pay increased charges from 31st July amounting to 8s. per hour with a minimum of 24s. from Monday till Saturday and 9s. per hour on Sundays and Bank Holidays with a minimum of 27s., where the equivalent charge by the Eire Customs is only 2s. per hour for a similar service; and why extra charges are necessary when Customs officials are on duty in the Northern Ireland Customs posts up to 9 p.m.

A free service is provided between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, but a charge is levied to help to cover the cost of attendance of Customs officers outside these hours. This charge, which relates only to first and last crossings on a triptyque, is to be increased to help to cover additional costs. It has now been decided that the charge shall be 7s. 6d. for each private vehicle dealt with between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays. The system employed by the Republic of Ireland is different and no useful comparison can be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of repaying up to £100 of post-war credits to each person entitled, regardless of age.

About £500 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture under what authority the area known as Lammas or Commoners Land, Shenstone, Staffordshire, is administered; by what deed this administration is carried out; and what access for recreation or pasturage is available to the area for the people of Shenstone.

The land in question is apparently owned partly by the Church Commissioners and is partly in private hands. In an Inclosure Award Map of 1818 this land is shown as Lammas Land, but no trace has been found of any deed or document governing its administration. Nor have I any evidence that the public have any legal right of access to this land for recreation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has yet to come to a decision about the sterilisation of imported bone meal and bones, with a view to minimising the danger of anthrax; and if he will make a statement.

In the light of the discussions that have taken place with the trade and in view of the sustained fall in the number of outbreaks of anthrax since last autumn I do not feel I should be justified at present in requiring imported bone meal and bones to be sterilised against anthrax. Such a requirement might well have a disproportionate effect on supplies of essential fertilisers. I shall continue to watch the situation, and where necessary my officers will continue to advise manufacturers on the steps they can take to avoid any danger of animal feedingstuffs becoming contaminated.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the machinery in his Department for dealing with applications for permission to convert forestry land into agricultural land.

Where trees were felled before the passing of the Forestry Act, 1951, no permission is required to convert the land to agriculture. As from 1st October, 1951, a licence is necessary under the Forestry Act, 1951, to fell trees and the Forestry Commissioners are empowered to require the replanting of the land as a condition of the licence. Where an owner applies for a licence to fell trees in order to convert the land to agriculture the Forestry Commission consult my Department as to the best use of the land in the national interest.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement before the summer Recess regarding the progress of the reconstruction of sea defences; and whether he is satisfied that the coast, under his jurisdiction, will be fully protected by 30th September, 1953.

Very good progress is being made with restoration and improvement works along the thousand miles of coastline that were affected by last winter's floods and for which the East Coast river boards are responsible. As a result of the great exertions of all concerned, I am satisfied that the defences will, by the end of September, be materially stronger than they were before the floods occurred and that substantial progress will have been made by then with works that will afford still further improvement to the protection of areas of special importance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of dairy cattle in Dorset at the last convenient date, the number of cattle over two years old, the number of cattle under two years old, the number of sheep, and the number of pigs; and how these figures compare with the two previous years.

The figures show increases in all the categories mentioned by my hon. Friend, except for sheep. The figures are as follows:The provisional results of the June, 1953, census in Dorset are shown in the following table, together with figures for the two previous years:

——	1951	1952	1953 (Provisional)
Total dairy cattle	93,300	95,000	95,900
Cattle over 2 years old	13,000	13,200	14,000
Cattle under 2 years old	49,900	48,700	51,000
Total sheep	45,800	45,600	42,000
Total pigs	37,400	51,000	54,000

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of tractors and combine harvesters in Dorset; and how this figure compares with the previous census.

In January, 1952, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 4,476 agricultural tractors and 268 combine harvesters in Dorset. Figures for the previous census in January, 1950, were 4,060 and 187 respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of approved applicants for Dorset County Council smallholdings; and how many have been satisfied in the last 12 months.

The number of approved applicants for Dorset County Council smallholdings is 117. The Council settled five applicants in the last 12 months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres in Cornwall have qualified for the £10 per acre ploughing grant in the past 12 months, and if he is satisfied with the progress of reclamation in the county.

One thousand seven hundred and forty-seven acres, which, I think, is a useful start.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what quantity of lime has been applied in Cornwall during the last 12 months; how this compares with the quantity applied in the previous years; and how the present scheme is working in Cornwall, compared with other counties.

Farmers in Cornwall applied about 186,000 tons of liming materials in the last twelve months. Comparative figures for 1951–52 and 1950–51 were 179,000 tons and 207,000 tons. The increase over last year was 5 per cent. as compared with 15 per cent. for the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many calves have been reared in Cornwall during the past 12 months; and what were the numbers for the corresponding periods in 1950, 1951 and 1952.

The only statistics available are those of the number of calves on farms at census dates and these do not indicate how many are being reared. The provisional results of the June, 1953, census show that there were 61,000 calves on farms in Cornwall. Corresponding figures for 1950, 1951 and 1952 were 65,600, 57,200 and 54,700 respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres in Devonshire have qualified for the plouging grant in the past year.

19,355 acres for the grant of £5 per acre, and 2,442 acres for the grant of £10 per acre.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many calves there were on farms in Devonshire at the last census date; and how many there were in 1951.

The provisional results of the June, 1953, census indicate that there were 95,000 calves on farms in Devonshire. The corresponding figure for 1951 was 89,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what quantity of lime has been applied in Devonshire for each of the last two years.

Farmers in Devon applied about 150,000 tons of lime during the last twelve months and 136,000 tons during the corresponding period in the previous year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will now outline the future arrangements for the marketing of cereals, milk, eggs, potatoes and fat stock with price guarantees; and if he will define the responsibilities that will fall on producers' marketing boards.

In association with the interests concerned the Government are working on arrangements for the marketing of the main farm products and the continuance of guarantees to home producers under the Agriculture Act, 1947, to become effective when the Ministry of Food is no longer the purchaser. No time will be lost in making decisions, but many complicated problems have to be solved and time is needed for detailed discussions with the producers and traders concerned. As regards cereals I hope to make an announcement next month setting out the arrangements for the 1954 crops, and further statements will follow.Producers' marketing boards can help to meet the requirements of efficient and economical marketing of some products. As I said in reply to my hon. Friend on 13th November last, each case would need to be considered on its merits.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when the Report of the Land Commissioner appointed by his Department on the suitability of agricultural land in the Blean area for housing development will be made available to the Bridge-Blean Rural District Council, within whose authority this area lies.

My hon. Friend is under a misapprehension and I am writing to him to explain the position in greater detail.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what quantity of lime has been applied in Glamorgan, and in the Principality of Wales, respectively, in each of the last two years.

The quantity of lime applied by farmers in Glamorgan during the twelve months ended 30th June, 1953, was 23,000 tons and for the previous year 19,000 tons; the corresponding figures for Wales were 289,000 tons and 279,000 tons respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres in Wales and in Glamorgan, respectively, have qualified for the ploughing grant in the past year; and how these figures compare with the results in England.

The information is given in the following statement:

	Acreage approved Year ended 30th June, 1953
	Wales	Glamorgan	England
*£5 per acre ploughing grant	67,041	4,074	488,868
£10 per acre ploughing grant	8,682	1,283	50,095
* Figures relate to applications approved and passed for payment under the Ploughing Grants (No. 2) Scheme, 1952, and do not include outstanding claims.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when the hon. Member for Orpington may expect to receive a considered reply to the letter and enclosure sent to him on 26th June, 1953, with regard to dispossessed farmers.

I regret the delay in replying to my hon. Friend's letter of 26th June. I wanted to study this most carefully, together with the lengthy documents he enclosed. I have now written to my hon. Friend to assure him that the correspondence does not raise any new points of principle which were not covered in my letter to him on 9th June last year and subsequent communications.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many subjects for investigation and report under Section 84 of the Agriculture Act, 1947, have been referred to the Agricultural Land Commission; in how many cases, when the Commission's report has been sent to him, he has accepted the findings of the Commission; in how many cases he has accepted the findings, but not acted upon them and for what reasons; and what evidence was made available to him which persuaded him to override their findings.

Eight cases have been referred to the Agricultural Land Commission for investigation and report under Section 84 of the Agriculture Act, 1947. Reports from the Commission have been received on seven cases. In one the recommendation was that no land should be purchased and in the remainder the Commission recommended that the whole or part of the land referred to in the reports should be purchased. In three cases I decided on grounds of financial stringency not to purchase. In one case I have decided to proceed with purchase and the remaining two cases are still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been called to the case of two ex-Service men, brothers, named Crouch, who are threatened with dispossession by the East Sussex Agricultural Executive Committee after 34 years' tenure; in view of their production record, what recent events have induced this action; and if he will make a statement.

As my hon. Friend is aware, the Crouch brothers have appealed to the Agricultural Land Tribunal against the proposal to dispossess them. The matter is therefore sub judice and I cannot make any statement on the merits of the case.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what has been the rise in forestry workers' wages, expressed as a percentage during the last three years.

Since July, 1950, the statutory minimum wage for forestry workers has risen by 20 per cent. in England and Wales, and by 15 per cent. in Scotland. During the same period the weekly wage paid to the lowest paid worker in Forestry Commission employment has risen by 22 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the average f.o.r. prices over the last three years, of peeled soft wood home-grown pit-props.

I regret it is not possible to give figures for three years since there was no national agreement before 1st January, 1952, in England and Wales. The information available is as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will confer with the Secretary of State for War with a view to amending the present unsatisfactory arrangement whereby the War Department fell timber without having to obtain previously a licence, though the amount so felled has to be included in the total figure allowed to the Conservancy by the Forestry Commission.

The Forestry Act, 1951, places on the Forestry Commissioners the duty of establishing and maintaining in Great Britain adequate reserves of growing trees, and to this end a yearly quota of fellings is fixed in consultation with the Home Grown Timber Advisory Committee on which private woodland owners and timber merchants are represented. Under the Act licences are not required for the felling of trees on Government-owned land but special arrangements have been made with the War Office and the other Government Departments concerned. The Departments have agreed to notify the respective Forestry Commission Conservators about fellings they carry out so that the yearly quota of all fellings is not exceeded. As far as I am aware this arrangement is working satisfactorily.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will review the sentence of three years' imprisonment passed upon Mrs. M. McPhie on 12th June, 1952, at Durham Assizes for her first offence, in respect of which a petition of over 5,000 signatures has been sent to him.

I have considered this case on a number of occasions, but the only conclusion I can reach is that there are no grounds on which I should be justified in recommending any interference with the sentence which the court thought it right to pass on Mrs. McPhie and with which the Court of Criminal Appeal declined to interfere.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that on 1st July, 1953, at Hailsham police court, Mr. James Percival Moore, of 69, Maresfield Road, Brighton, who was convicted of an offence of exceeding the speed limit, was wrongly stated by the police to have had a criminal record; and whether he will grant appropriate compensation to Mr. Moore.

I understand that Mr. Moore challenged the list of convictions read out by a police officer, and that the chairman of the bench subsequently made it clear that the court, in assessing the fine, had paid no regard to the convictions which had been read out in court. The chief constable regrets that this mistake was made; but, as the chairman made clear, it did not in any way affect the decision of the court, and I can find no grounds for further action on my part.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many aliens or Stateless persons are at present held under his executive order in Her Majesty's prisons; from what countries they came; and for what length of time they have been held.

On 22nd July, 11 aliens were being detained in prison under the Aliens Order, 1920 (as

ALIENS DETAINED IN PRISON UNDER THE ALIENS ORDER, 1920 (AS AMENDED) ON 22ND JULY, 1953
Grounds for detention	Nationality		Country from which alien came to U.K.		No. of days in detention on 22nd July
Seamen deserters detained under Article 3 (3) of the Aliens Order, 1920 (as amended) pending their removal by the owners of the ship which brought them to the United Kingdom.	Norwegian	…	Norway	…	12
	Norwegian	…	Norway	…	12
Stowaways awaiting removal by the owners of the ship which brought them to the United Kingdom. Detained in prison under Article 3 (4) (a) of the Aliens Order, 1920, as an alternative to detention on board ship, at the request of the master of the ship.	Spaniard	…	Spain	…	12
	Uncertain	…	Eritrea	…	23
	Uncertain	…	Nigeria	…	34
Seamen refused leave to land in the United Kingdom and detained under Article 3 (4) (b) of the Aliens Order, 1920, pending their removal by the owners of the ship on which they arrived.	Uncertain	…	Chile	…	5
	Spaniard	…	Spain	…	8
Alien detained under Article 12 (4) of the Aliens Order, 1920, after a recommendation by a court, pending a decision on his deportation.	U.S.	…	U.S.A.	…	5
Aliens in whose case a deportation order has been made, detained under Article 12 (4) of the Aliens Order while arrangements are being made for the order to be enforced.	German	…	Germany	…	13
	Polish	…	Italy	…	17
	Hungarian	…	Austria	…	72

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreigners it is proposed to admit to the United Kingdom between 1st July and 31st December, 1953.

Admission to this country is not based on a system of quotas and no maximum is fixed. It is impossible to say in advance how many foreigners wishing to come to this country will qualify for admission under current policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has given instructions to the Metropolitan Police to refuse permission to artists to paint or draw in Trafalgar Square.

Painting and drawing are not specifically prohibited by the Trafalgar Square Regulations, 1952, and no instructions have been issued to the police to forbid these activities. An artist who caused obstruction to free passage, and had not received written

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will inform the House of the progress made in their inquiries by the Committee on Coastal Flooding under the chairmanship of Lord Waverley.

Lord Waverley's Committee has made an interim Report on the subject of a flood warning system which is being studied. The Report is being printed and will be published next week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can now make a statement as to the progress of the work of the committee on coastal flooding, in view of the possibility of further severe storms later in the year.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I have given today to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Sudbury and Woodbridge (Mr. Hare).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now made an order to transfer the magistrates' court from Coventry to Nuneaton; and why no local inquiry has been held.

I have not yet made an order confirming the proposals of the Warwickshire Magistrates' Courts Committee, but have announced my intention of doing so shortly. The question whether a local inquiry should be held is one for my discretion, and after full consideration of the objections submitted to me I decided that it was not necessary to hold one in this instance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it has yet been possible to issue guidance about the relationship between Civil Defence units in industrial and commercial premises and the Civil Defence Corps.

Yes. Civil Defence Industrial Bulletin No. 2 has been printed and is in process of distribution to those concerned. The Bulletin contains guidance about the formation of the Industrial Civil Defence Service and its relationship with the Civil Defence Corps, with particular regard to the ways in which the two services will work together during operations. Copies of the Bulletin are available in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to increase the remuneration payable to counsel and solicitors who undertake the defence of persons who are granted legal aid in criminal cases.

The General Council of the Bar and the Law Society have represented to me that the present fees are inadequate and have asked that the provisions of Sections 21 to 23 of the Legal Aid and Advice Act, 1949, should be brought into force. The Government would not at present feel justified in bringing these provisions into force, but recognise that a case has been made out for an increase in the existing fees. I have decided, as a temporary measure, to increase the existing fees under the existing Acts by 50 per cent., and also to provide, where a trial lasts for more than two full days at quarter sessions or assizes, for the payment of a daily fee after the second day of seven guineas to leading counsel, five guineas to junior counsel and four guineas to solicitors. The associations of local authorities have agreed on behalf of the local authorities, on whom the cost of legal aid now falls, to these proposals, and the necessary amending regulations will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Boundary Commissions have yet decided when to start the next general review of constituencies.

Section 2 (2) of the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act, 1949, requires the four Boundary Commissions to submit their next general reports by the 30th July, 1955, but provides that a report by a Commission stating that no alteration is required in the part of the United Kingdom with which it is concerned must not be submitted before the 30th July, 1954. Within these limits the Commissions have discretion when to start a general review. The Commissions for England, Scotland and Wales, in exercise of their discretion, have given notice this week of their intention to commence forthwith general reviews of constituencies in their respective countries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement on the Government's proposals to fix the closing time for shops.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now able to indicate the Government's proposals as to the closing time for retail shops.

I assume that my hon. Friend's Question refers to the suggested provisions for amending shops legislation which were circulated to interested organisations for comments in March. These suggestions were intended merely as a basis for discussion, and no firm decisions will be taken on them until all comments have been received and considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it took nearly six months to print the 80-page Report of the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why there was a long delay in the publication of the most recent Report of the Council for Wales; and what representations he will make to ensure that future Reports may be published more expeditiously.

My hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State indicated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. C. Hughes) on 11th May that the Report was unlikely to be ready for publication before the end of June. I regret that, in the event, the delay was rather longer than I had hoped.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consult with the other Ministers concerned with a view to ensuring that separate returns and separate data of the work of their Departments in Wales are provided whenever possible.

The annual Reports of Government Action in Wales and Monmouthshire already contain much information of this kind but I am considering whether it can be supplemented in any way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it has proved impossible to enforce the 20 miles per hour speed limit of goods vehicles of over three tons unladen weight; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

I am not aware that the police have found it impossible to enforce this particular speed limit. There have been in each of the last three years over 30,000 prosecutions for such offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the practice of allowing payment in lieu of leave for overtime duties by the Metropolitan Police Force was stopped; and whether the custom followed during the previous administration can now be restored.

The Police Regulations provide that compensation for overtime is to take the form of time off, but that overtime payments may be made if time off cannot be granted within three months or such shorter period as the chief officer of police may fix. As a special measure, the practice of making immediate payments was introduced in the Metropolitan Police Force in 1946, but the Commissioner of Police decided last year to revert to the general practice and to make it the normal rule to give time off rather than to make a monetary payment. He sees no reason for modifying this decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of robbery with violence known to the police there were in the first six months of each of the years from 1946 to 1953.

The number of offences under Section 23 (1) of the Larceny Act, 1916, known to the police in England and Wales in the first six months of each of the years in question was as follows:

1946	…	…	…	…	422
1947	…	…	…	…	416
1948	…	…	…	…	502
1949	…	…	…	…	391
1950	…	…	…	…	456
1951	…	…	…	…	328
1952	…	…	…	…	359
1953	…	…	…	…	427

The figures for the first six months of the year are not a reliable guide to the probable figures for the whole year.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to secure agreement between the interested trades unions and others, in the matter of removing the 20 miles per hour limit on certain heavy goods road vehicles, with a view to increasing efficiency and production.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 9th July to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Marylebone (Sir W. Wakefield), to which there is nothing to add at this time.

asked the Minister of Labour what reports he has received from the factory inspectorate about the incidence of cancer of the skin amongst workers in coal briquetting plants in the United Kingdom; and what action is being taken to reduce this occupational risk, with particular reference to the likely expansion of these plants because of the coal shortage.

The reports indicate that, despite the much increased activity in these plants since 1943, the incidence of skin cancer has not increased. This is attributable to the stringent requirements as to medical supervision, including periodical medical examinations, exhaust ventilation, washing facilities and skin protection, laid down in the Patent Fuel Manufacture (Health and Welfare) Special Regulations made under the Factories Acts. The Factory Inspectorate is continuing to give close attention to conditions in the industry.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the agreement between his Department and the Variety Artistes' Federation, limiting the employment of foreign cabaret artistes to a 60 per cent. quota, has not yet been accepted by the British Hoteliers and Restaurant Proprietors' Association; what reason has been given to him for this by the Association; and what steps he will take to bring this quota into effect.

Except as regards performances in hotels and restaurants, the employment of variety acts is regulated by a quota agreement between the parties concerned. Similar arrangements have not so far proved acceptable to the British Hotels and Restaurants Association, which has urged that a quota system is inappropriate to the employment of foreign cabaret artistes in hotels and restaurants.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why an interval of over four months elapsed between the obtaining of a confession from Mrs. M. McPhie and the preferment of a charge.

The interval was about 2½ months. Mrs. McPhie signed a statement on 14th February, 1952, admitting offences against the Post Office. Thereafter further evidence relative to the case had to be collected, and summonses against her were issued on 28th April, 1952.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if it is possible for parcels addressed to members of the Armed Forces, serving in Egypt, to be registered.

Parcels for Forces' addresses in Egypt for despatch by surface transport may be insured—not registered—for a value not exceeding £50.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the number of new telephone connections made to the Canonbury exchange during the last two years; and the number of applications now outstanding.

One thousand and nine new telephones have been provided and 701 applications are outstanding.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will indicate the date upon which a telephone kiosk will be provided at Llanbadarn-y-Garreg, Radnorshire; and whether he is aware that this kiosk was promised in 1951.

The kiosk was provided on 21st June.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the Hay Rural District Council submitted that a telephone kiosk should be provided at Capel-y-Ffin, Breconshire, in 1949 and that the application has been renewed annually but rejected; and when a kiosk will be provided, in view of the distance of four miles to the nearest kiosk.