asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the cost of building repairs for the years 1920, 1924, 1930, 1939, 1945 and 1952, respectively, expressed as percentage increases of the cost for 1914.

If the cost of house repairs in Scotland in 1914 is taken as 100, the approximate index figures are as follow: 1920, 250; 1939, 193.The figure for 1952 as the White Paper explains is three times the 1939 figure, that is, 579.I have no reliable information for the other years, but I have no reason to believe that the figures for 1924 and 1930 would differ much from the figure for 1939.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what method is adopted in deciding the percentage of Government grant towards the cost of water schemes in Scotland.

The factors taken into account in deciding the amount of grant for any particular scheme are its cost and the existing and foreseeable rate burdens in the locality.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence if, in the light of the recent award of increased pay and pensions to executive civil servants by the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal, he will now bring forward proposals to increase the retired pay of officers of the three Services.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to this Question on 21st October last.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence if he will now establish an independent commission of inquiry on the working of the National Service scheme.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether troops evacuated from Trieste are able to claim disturbance allowance.

Yes. All men who are evacuated and qualified will be able to claim disturbance allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the amount of the allowance for use of their own cars on Army business by doctors doing Territorial Army service is inadequate; and if he will take steps to increase the allowance so that such doctors may not be out of pocket.

I have already had evidence that certain of the present rates are causing dissatisfaction and I am giving consideration to that problem.

asked the Secretary of State for War why National Service men who are declared unfit for the Territorial Army on discharge from their National Service, are called up for 15 days' training with the Supplementary Reserve; whether he is aware that 22399061 Rifleman T. C. Nokes, Royal Ulster Rifles, of whom he has been informed, who was discharged after service in Korea with one ear-drum burst and the other seriously damaged, and rejected by the Territorial Army, has now been called up for 15 days' training; and whether he will take steps to cancel this.

There is no question of calling up for training any National Service man who has been discharged from the Army. I have looked into this particular case and find that this soldier was medically downgraded whilst serving in the Territorial Army and transferred to duties on which men of lower medical category can be employed. He will be medically examined before he is required to train.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is now able to give a reply to the hon. Member for Lanark, North, concerning the inquiries she has made on behalf of 22730263 Craftsman A. Kelly.

Yes. I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) if he is aware that 22288898 M. Brennan, I/R/Norfolks, B.A.P.O.I., was discharged as sergeant from the Paratroop Regiment as a permanent mental case including hysteria, 20 per cent. Cat. E, in September, 1948, after serving since 1945; that he rejoined without disclosing his disability, was passed fit, served in Pusan in the Tank Regiment, Royal Ulster Rifles and the Norfolks, and in Hong Kong, felt the mental strain, reported his previous discharge and asked for his release, but has been harshly treated in Hong Kong, court-martialled and sentenced to six months imprisonment and dishonourable discharge; and if, in view of the unsatisfactory features of this case, he will institute a full inquiry;(2) if he has yet had an opportunity of studying the proceedings of the court-martial in the case of 22288898 M. Brennan, I/R/Norfolks, B.A.P.O.I.; and what conclusion he has reached.

The court-martial proceedings in this case have now been received, but I cannot comment on them until the psychiatric reports made on this soldier are also available. As soon as I have them, I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Army is supplied with electronic equipment designed to operate in the 41–68 m/cs. frequency band.

We do not disclose our frequencies.

asked the Secretary of State for War the duties of the Welfare Specialist (Temporary) attached to the staff of the Adjutant-General to the Forces.

He arranges, on medical recommendation, for relatives to visit men overseas who are dangerously ill. He also deals with difficult personal problems of other ranks and officers and keeps in touch with the voluntary organisations concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for War what time limit is proposed for the temporary appointment of the progress officer, printing, temporary, in the Department of the Permanent Under-Secretary of State.

Although the present holder of this appointment is temporary, the post is not.

asked the Secretary of State for War when he will return to its owner land at Maryfield, Holywood, County Down, adjoining the Palace Barracks, at present loaned to the War Department.

I am sorry that this land cannot be released since it is needed for military purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is able to make a statement with regard to the scheme suggested to him by the hon. Member for Colchester for providing facilities for house purchase at the termination of their service for Regular officers and other ranks.

Yes. I have carefully reviewed the existing arrangements for saving in the Army and also the provision for resettlement in civil life. I cannot, however, see any immediate prospect of any wider scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the battle honours for the last war have been decided; and by what date a list will be published.

No. This task involves much research and detailed examination of the part played in the last war by all the Commonwealth Forces. I should not, therefore, like to forecast the date by which it will be completed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the trade mission of prominent business men who are to visit the Middle East countries in November will include Israel and Persia in their itinerary.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what additional facilities can be given to obtain the increase in the export trade which is hoped for as a result of sending a special trade mission of prominent business men in November to the Middle East countries.

I think we should await the Mission's report on their visit before considering what further facilities can usefully be provded for the promotion of our trade with Middle East countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the forthcoming trade mission to the Middle East.

As the House is aware, the oil producing regions of the Middle East are very important export markets and Her Majesty's Government have decided to send a trade mission of prominent business men to those countries and to Syria and Lebanon in the immediate future. The team has now been constituted under the leadership of Sir Edward Benthall, and I should like to take this opportunity of expressing the gratitude of Her Majesty's Government to these gentlemen for volunteering their services.The mission will leave in a few days' time and will visit, over a period of about five weeks, Bagdad, Kuwait, Damascus, Beirut and Jedda as well as other important commercial centres in the countries in question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what grant is being paid to the Welsh Tourist Board.

No direct grant is made to the Welsh Tourist Board, but the British Travel and Holidays Association, which is a grant-aided body, pays the Board £3,500 for its sevices in the field of overseas publicity.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the coal mines in the Durham, Northwest, division are giving out; that this is causing anxiety to miners and their families and to business people; and what steps he will take to remedy this by the setting up of new factories in this area, or otherwise.

I am aware that a decline is expected in the West Durham coalfield in the years ahead. I understand that few workers are at present redundant, and that some of those affected can be employed elsewhere in the mining industry. The powers of the Distribution of Industry Acts are already being used in the area, and the Departments concerned are closely in touch with the National Coal Board.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the restrictive practices which prevail in the production of domestic fuel-saving appliances, he will refer this industry to the Monopolies Commission.

My right hon. Friend would only consider making such a reference if he had evidence that conditions to which the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948, applied prevailed in this trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why, under Statutory Instrument No. 1536, the protectionist duty on parts of, and accessories to, concertinas and accordions has been reduced from 33⅓ per cent. to 25 per cent.

This Order was made on the recommendation of the Board of Trade after full consideration of an application from a firm of manufacturers and importers of accordions that the duty on parts of, and accessories to, accordions should be reduced from 33⅓ per cent. ad valorem to 25 per cent. ad valorem, which is the duty on the complete article. Full opportunity was given to all interested parties to express their view on this application.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has considered inviting the Soviet trade Minister, M. Mikoyan, to this country to talk over matters of common interest.

Board of Trade officials are in close touch with the Soviet Trade Delegation in London, and my right hon. Friend sees no sufficient reason at this stage to approach the Soviet Trade Minister in the sense suggested by the right hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the report on the Second Tucker Committee on Pensions and Superannuation Funds will be published; and whether an interim report can be published.

I understand that the report will be sent to the printers in a day or two.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make post-war credits transferable by sale and purchase.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give consideration to incorporating in his next Budget provisions allowing for the repayment of post-war credits to the heirs or executors of persons who have died before reaching the age at which repayment is normally made.

This and other suggestions for the payment of post-war credits will be considered when I am framing my Budget proposals, but I cannot, of course, say what the result of this consideration will be.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has considered details which have been sent to him of the difficulties experienced by the shipping industry; and, in view of the fact that this industry plays a vital part in our national recovery, if he will go into the matter and do all in his power to meet their difficulties in the next Budget.

I have considered the details sent to me, but my hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate the Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the purchasing value of the £ sterling at the latest convenient date compared with its purchasing power in October, 1951.

The internal purchasing power of the £ is estimated to have been about 18s. 10d. in September, 1953, as compared with 20s. in October, 1951. This calculation is based on the price index for all consumer goods and services, calculated annually for national income purposes, for the years 1951 and 1952, and the Interim Index of Retail Prices since then.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the guidance given by the Inland Revenue to valuers as to how they shall apply the revised basis of valuation for some residential property contained in the Valuation for Rating Act, 1953, will be available to the public.

No. In accordance with usual practice such instructions are not published.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will arrange that next year there should be included in table 35 of the Monthly Digest of Statistics a sub-division of absenteeism in the coal mines into voluntary and involuntary absenteeism.

I will see that the hon. Baronet's suggestion is taken into account in the next revision of the Monthly Digest of Statistics.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many adult persons, including retirement pensioners, are in receipt of less than £4 per week on the latest date for which figures are available.

It is estimated that about 7¼ million persons were in receipt of incomes of less than £4 a week in 1952. This figure is based on the estimate of 9·09 million incomes of less than £250 per annum given in Table 16 of "National Income and Expenditure, 1946–1952," and includes juveniles as well as adults. Separate figures for adults are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many wage earners are now receiving less than £4, £6, £8 and £10 per week, respectively, at the lastest date for which figures are available.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury the total amount of hard currency which has so far been earned by the British films of the Coronation.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer his estimate of the reduction that would be possible from January, 1952, onwards in the number of civil servants; and how the actual reduction up to the latest convenient date compares with his estimate.

On 29th January, 1952, I forecast a reduction in the number of civil servants of 10,000 in the first half of that year, to be followed by further reductions in the second half of the year. In the event, a reduction of 10,405 was achieved by 30th June and

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why service in British Army of the Rhine for members of the Civil Service entitles them to foreign service allowances while such service for members of the Armed Forces

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many staff employed by his Department in 1946 were in receipt of £1,000 per annum; and what has been their average percentage increase in salary since 1946 to the latest date;(2) the number of staff employed by his Department who were in receipt of a salary scale of £1,000 per annum in 1946 that have not had an increase in this scale since that date; and how many of these have to meet the cost of their public expenses, such as, postage, paper, travel, telephone, secretarial, office and living-away-from-home expenses out of this salary.

On 1st April, 1946, there were 100 civil servants in the Treasury in receipt of salaries of £1,000 per annum or more. A number of these officers have since retired. Salary scales which, in 1946, included £1,000 within their range have been increased by percentages which vary both as between different grades and as between different points on the scales of these grades. I set out the increases obtained in two typical grades employed in the Treasury which may be of interest to the hon. Member. No civil servant normally has to meet from his salary the expenses mentioned in the latter part of his second question.

As the conditions of service of civil servants and members of the Armed Forces and their emoluments, in cash and kind, are quite different, simple comparisons are misleading. Members of the Armed Forces are given local overseas allowances when their normal pay and allowances are insufficient to meet their extra expenditure at stations outside the United Kingdom, but there is no evidence that a local overseas allowance is justified in present circumstances for forces in B.A.O.R.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the grant to the Arts Council of Great Britain has been increased to £785,000 for 1953–54, from £675,000 for 1952–53.

To enable the Arts Council to maintain their activities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the grant to the Soane Museum has been increased to £4,400 for 1953–54, from £2,950 for 1952–53.

To cover the cost of repairs to the building, some redecoration and a reprint of the guide to the collection.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the number of messengers at the British Museum has increased from 78 in 1952–53 to 84 in 1953–54.

The increase in the Estimate provision, to which my hon. Friend refers, relates to housemen who are responsible for cleaning. This staff was reduced from 95 in 1951–52, but experience showed that the reduced staff were insufficient.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consult the museum authorities with a view to devising a scheme whereby pictures and objects of art which have not been exhibited for many years may be hired by public and private institutions, subject to appropriate safeguards.

Almost all the national museums and galleries already have powers of lending, which vary according to the scope and nature of the collections. It would be difficult to frame a general scheme appropriate to such widely differing institutions as the British Museum, the Imperial War Museum and the picture galleries, but I will bring the suggestion to the notice of the individual museum authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what figure he proposes to raise his annual housing target, in view of the report of the National Housing and Town Planning Council that about one million houses in England and Wales are unfit to live in and cannot economically be repaired.

I would refer the hon. Member to the White Paper entitled "Houses, the Next Step." (Cmd. 8996.)

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he proposes to take in the light of the Second Interim Report of the Working Party on Requisitioned Properties in use for Housing.

As my right hon. Friend said in the Circular which he sent to local authorities together with the Second Interim Report, he is considering the whole question of requisitioned properties.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses the Corporation of Gillingham will be permitted to build in 1954, both of traditional and the new traditional type.

The council's housing programme for 1954 is at present under discussion between the council and the Department's regional officers.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government in how many cases in 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively, county courts have suspended the increase of 15 per cent. and for the increase for repairs in respect of applications made by tenants or sanitary authorities on the grounds that the house is not in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation or is otherwise not in a reasonable state of repair, under the provisions of the Rent and Mortgage Restriction Acts, 1920 to 1938.

My right hon. Friend assumes that the hon. Member refers to the 25 per cent. increase. The information asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether a larger allocation of timber per house can now be sanctioned.

My right hon. Friend is consulting my noble Friend the Minister of Materials on this matter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many rent tribunals have been closed down; and if he will give particulars of those which have been closed, including the dates of their closing, respectively, and of those he has decided to close in the future.

The total number of tribunals closed to date is 17. Following are particulars:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many certificates were issued in 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively, by sanitary authorities, that the house in which the tenants of dwelling houses, covered by the Rent and Mortgage Restrictions Acts, 1920 to 1938, live, is not in a reasonable state of repair.

This information is not available, since local authorities make no return to the Department of the number issued.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proportion, approximately, of all land in England and Wales which has development value over £20 an acre is land in respect of which no claim has been submitted under Part VI of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will take steps to amend the London rate equalisation scheme.

This and kindred questions about equalisation grants have been investigated by a committee. My right hon. Friend awaits the final conclusions of the various associations, including the London authorities. The scheme suggested for London would, of course, need legislation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what grounds certain illuminated signs in Trafalgar Square have been banned as seriously prejudicial to amenity; why some have been allowed to remain for a limited period; and what is his long-term policy.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the letter of 21st August, addressed to the Westminster City Council, which sets out in each case the reasons for my right hon. Friend's decision and indicates the general policy on which the decisions rest. Under the Regulations all consents must be for a fixed term, usually three years, so that planning authorities may in due course review the position in the light of any change of circumstances.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that there are no powers within the framework of existing legislation which will enable borough councils to control the future use of factory premises vacated by industrial undertakings transferred to the new and expanded towns; that this makes it practically impossible for any reduction in the over-industrialisation of such boroughs; and if he will give an assurance that this problem is receiving his consideration.

Local planning authorities have power, under Section 26 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, to insist on any use being discontinued, if there are good planning reasons for doing so, subject to payment of compensation. In addition local authorities can buy vacated industrial premises and clear them in the process of redevelopment. The difficulty is cost. Industrial premises are apt to be very expensive. I fear, therefore, that, while many vacated factories in fact cease to be used as such, the process of extinguishing their use must be slow.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he proposes to issue a White Paper on equalisation grants.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to carry out the recommendations of the committee appointed by him to investigate the operation of the Exchequer equalisation grants in England and Wales.

The procedure is to consult the associations of local authorities and then lay a White Paper. My right hon. Friend has asked the associations to amplify the provisional conclusions of their Committees and he cannot at this stage give a date for the White Paper.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the fact that the Private Street Works Act was passed in days when there was little vehicular travel on the roads, and private streets were essentially an amenity enjoyed by the private tenant, if he will, now that such streets are used by all and sundry, amend the Act to make the provision of private street works a charge upon the General Road Fund.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has now secured information in respect of the number of county councils that have taken steps to ensure effective signposting of public footpaths; and, in view of the responsibilities of county councils in respect of footpaths, what action he has taken to encourage county councils to fulfil their obligations in this respect.

As my right hon. Friend has explained to the hon. Member on previous occasions, he can exhort local authorities to erect signposts, but he has no power to require or control their erection, or to obtain information about them. In his opinion, moreover, this is a matter which is properly left to local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will expedite the modernisation and redecoration of Brook House Maternity Home, Solihull, in view of the shortage of beds in the district.

I hope that this home will be ready for re-occupation later this month.

asked the Attorney-General when he expects to receive the final report of the Royal Commission on Marriage and Divorce.

I regret that I am not yet in a position to say when the Report of the Royal Commission is likely to be received. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Brixton (Lieut.-Colonel Lipton), on 22nd October.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the fact that ship-repair work in Liverpool is being diverted to other ports and to the Continent causing unemployment on Merseyside; and if he will take action to procure regular repair work for this port.

I am aware that there has been a recession in employment in Merseyside shipyards but I hope that employment will rise again as soon as the programme of winter overhaul of liners starts.I have no detailed information about the diversion of ship-repair work from Liverpool to other ports, including Continental ports, as controls over the location of merchant ship-repair ended in 1949. My right hon. Friend has no powers to direct merchant repair work to Liverpool.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that in the 12 months period to 30th September, orders for 166 ships of 510,000 tons, were received, compared with 310 ships of 1,858,000 tons in the previous year and 730 ships of 3,997,000 tons in the year to the end of September, 1951; and how Her Majesty's Government propose to meet the present situation in the shipbuilding industry.

Yes. I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the statement on this subject made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 6th November, during the debate on the Address.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he has considered reports made to his Department by miners' representatives regarding delays on examinations and consideration of cases by the Stoke-on-Trent Pneumoconiosis Board; what is the explanation for the delays; and what action he intends to take.

My right hon. Friend very much regrets the delays to which the hon. Member refers and is doing all he can to prevent them. They are, however, principally due to our inability to obtain the services of sufficient doctors with the qualifications needed for the work.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why he has refused to grant a retirement pension to Miss H. M. Lester, of Bernwood, Ring-wood Road, Ferndown, Dorset.

The Poole local tribunal, on 21st August, dismissed the appeal of Miss H. M. Lester, of Bernwood, Ring-wood Road, Ferndown, Dorset, in connection with her claim to a retirement pension, and their decision is final.

asked the Minister of Food what steps are being taken to ensure that all the Departments concerned with the recommendations of the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Slaughter of Horses are co-operating so as to ensure that these recommendations are implemented at the earliest possible opportunity; whether legislation will be introduced by Her Majesty's Government on this subject during the current Session; and whether he will give an assurance that Government support and assistance will be given to any Private Member who may himself introduce an unofficial Public Bill for this purpose.

The views of the Departments concerned are being co-ordinated by my Department and my right hon. and gallant Friend hopes shortly to make a statement of the Government's intentions. It would be premature at this stage for me to express any view of the Government's attitude towards any Private Member's Bill on the subject that might be introduced.

asked the Minister of Food when the proposed Food and Drugs Bill is to be presented to Parliament.

It is being introduced today in another place.