asked the Secretary of State for War in view of the extra expenditure the Armed Forces are incurring while serving in the British Army of the Rhine, what steps are being taken to provide them with a local overseas allowance.

I am satisfied that, at the moment, there is no case for local overseas allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a statement on the use of manpower in the Army; to what extent he has been able to replace military personnel in sedentary and non-essential jobs with civilian and female labour; and whether he can give an assurance that it is his policy to cut down manpower in the Army commensurate with the maintenance of an adequate fighting force.

It is my object to release as many fit and active men as possible for fighting by reducing the tail and by the wider employment in static jobs both of civilian staff, including retired officers, and of members of the Women's Royal Army Corps. To this effect, Headquarters have been cut, about 10,000 men have been combed from the tail and an increased number of women and civilians are now employed by the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War why, in the Army Estimates for 1953–54, the post of Progress Officer, Printing, is shown as temporary when, in fact, it is permanent; and why this post is necessary, since Army contracts for printing forms and books contain a clause requiring punctual delivery.

The word "temporary" refers to the individual and not the post. The Army depends on a large number of printers; and direct liaison on a wide variety of matters in addition to punctual delivery has been found to be necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is intended, during the current Session of Parliament, to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Copyright.

My right hon. Friend cannot promise legislation during the present Session.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate extra cost to the Treasury if he caused post-war credits to be paid next year to men at 64 years and women at 59 years of age or alternatively, to men at 63 years and women at 58 years of age.

About £17 million and £34 million respectively in 1954–55. In addition, the cost of repayment in subsequent years would be slightly increased, by about £¼ million and £½ million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the distribution will take place of former Roumanian property in the United Kingdom to persons having claims against Roumania.

I very much regret the delay over this. Difficulties have arisen in getting agreement on a scheme acceptable to all the major interests concerned. We are doing our best to solve these difficulties and expedite a settlement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he refused to answer the letter he received from the Old Age Pensioners' Association.

There was no such refusal. As the letter dealt with questions which are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, my right hon. Friend followed the proper course of sending it to him for reply. My right hon. Friend further informed the Association that he was in agreement with the Minister's answer.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement showing the progress made by the Air Pollution Committee.

The Committee has presented an Interim Report, which will be published next week.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he will take to enable local authorities to make up unmade roads which have remained in a dangerous or disagreeable condition since 1939, or earlier; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend realises the importance of this problem and he is allowing as much work as he can consistently with other demands on labour and materials. More work has been authorised this year than last for the making up of private streets, and he hopes that it will be possible to continue this progress.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the quarry at Whitecliffe Farm, which he has authorised for reopening, is only a few miles east of the upper reaches of Dovedale; and whether he will fix a five-mile limit in connection with this National Park within which quarrying will in no circumstances be permitted.

In making decisions recently regarding the opening or extension of quarries in North-West Derbyshire my right hon. Friend has tried to strike a fair balance between the claims of amenity and economic advantage, including employment. The decisions must be judged as a whole.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now allow the Walsingham Rural District Council, Norfolk, to proceed with the Great and Little Walsingham Sewerage Scheme, approved by his Department in 1950, following a local inquiry and details of tenders submitted in 1951.

Compared with many other sewerage schemes which are still having to be deferred, the Great and Little Walsingham Scheme does not seem to be of the first urgency. My right hon. Friend has however, asked the Council for further evidence in support of their request for early authorisation of the Scheme and, when he has received this, he will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he proposes to take on the report of the committee appointed to investigate the operation of the exchequer equalisation grants in England and Wales.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 10th November to the hon. Members for Widnes (Mr. McColl) and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Blenkinsop).

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement about the recent fly plague at seaside resorts; what steps are being taken to stop a recurrence in the New Year; and, in view of the fact that these flies are now found at Mill Hill and other outskirts of London, what action his Department are taking to coordinate remedies on a national basis, as it is now clear that this is not a seaside plague only.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that separate and individual action by the various South coast boroughs affected by the coelopa fly pest is not likely to achieve the maximum effect; and whether he will take steps to co-ordinate the attack upon these flies, in view of the rapid rate at which they are breeding.

My right hon. Friend has arranged to provide the fullest technical advice to local authorities concerned with this problem. He hopes that this will help to secure co-ordinated measures for dealing with the flies. He understands that the outbreaks which have been reported in the London area are of a comparatively minor character.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he has given to local authorities as to the order of priorities for permanent accommodation which they should give to occupants of ex-Service huts, requisitioned dwellings and prefabricated houses.

By statute local authorities must give a reasonable preference in choosing their tenants to families living in bad conditions; subject to this only they can decide with their local knowledge which particular families ought to be given new houses first.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is satisfied with the speed of de requisitioning dwellinghouses; and whether he can now estimate the termination of this form of occupation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to paragraphs 2 and 3 of Circular 59/53 issued to local authorities on 28th October, 1953, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of tenants in Cardiff who are likely to pay an increased rent as a result of his proposed legislation.

It is not possible to make an estimate, since it depends on the level of existing rents and the number of houses which will have to be repaired or improved.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what changes he has made in the personnel of rent tribunals in London in 1953; and what is the policy which governs the choice of chairmen.

My right hon. Friend's policy in regard to the choice of chairmen of rent tribunals is to make the best possible appointments.Following is the answer to the first part of the Question:RENT TRIBUNALS

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many cases where dealt with by the Hammersmith Rent Tribunal from June, 1946, to 1st September, 1953;and how many cases taken to the High Court during that period were lost by the tribunal.

From 26th June, 1946, to 30th September, 1953, the Hammersmith Rent Tribunal decided 5,176 cases. During that period the tribunal has lost eight cases in the High Court, all of them in the last three years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether his regulations under the Housing Act, 1949, permit a local authority to make an improvement grant to an owner-occupier who proposes to improve his property by the installation of a bathroom.

Yes, provided that the statutory conditions and the prescribed standard as regards structural condition and amenity are satisfied. The standard was laid down in a Circular issued in 1949 and has remained unchanged ever since. My right hon. Friend is at present considering how it can be made less rigid in its operation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that many local authorities are reluctant to make the grants for modernisation and improvements under the Housing Act, 1949; and what steps he will take to enable such local authorities to implement the provisions of this Act more fully.

I have no power to compel local authorities to make these grants. They can be administered successfully only with the local authorities' good will. The scope of these operations needs to be extended or many houses structurally sound will become slums prematurely. I am confident that I can persuade local authorities to share this view. I propose to issue fresh guidance to them on this matter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many applications for modernisation or improvement grants under the Housing Act, 1949, have been approved in England and Wales, respectively; and how many such applications have been approved in the county of Glamorgan.

4,817 in England; 510 in Wales; 58 in Glamorgan.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the number of town development schemes which have been promoted under the Town Development Act, 1952, and the total population to be rehoused thereby.

A number of schemes are under discussion between local authorities. Three have reached the stage of submission of concrete proposals to my Department, and these make provision for the rehousing of 46,500 people.

asked the Minister of Works whether St. Stephen's Hall can be cleaned down to bring it to the same standard of cleanliness now obtained in the Central Lobby.

I hope to clean St. Stephen's Hall when the scaffolding is in position for the restoration work on the main arches and ceiling. The restoration of external stonework at the Palace of Westminster must, however, be done first and it is unlikely that we shall be able to start on the interior of St. Stephen's Hall before 1955.

asked the Minister of Works the causes of the shortage of bricks at Bedworth, Warwickshire; and what steps he is taking to remedy it

I am not aware of a serious shortage of bricks at Bedworth, Warwickshire. The only complaint in recent months in this area was by the urban district council, whose housing sites are now being reasonably well supplied.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is satisfield that the hostel system, costing £980,000, is still justified; and when it is to be terminated.

Yes. It is still essential to provide hostel accommodation to retain workers in priority employment, particularly on export and defence work. The provision is being curtailed as rapidly as the need allows and in spite of rising costs this year's estimated charge to the Exchequer is 15 per cent. below the actual cost last year. I cannot venture to forecast when the need for industrial hostels will have ceased altogether.

asked the Minister of Labour the precise duties of the two leading illustrators in the factory branch of his Department.

They are engaged on making drawings for safety pamphlets and other similar work in connection with the administration of the Factories Acts.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the present unemployment figures for Congleton, Cheshire.

At 12th October the numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of the Congleton Employment Exchange were 30 males and 73 females.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the threat of redundancy at the British Overseas Airways Corporation, Treforest Trading Estate; and what emergency steps he is taking to ensure employment for the skilled and unskilled labour concerned.

Although no redundancy has been declared, my Department is in touch with the management, who will notify us in advance should discharges become necessary. The employment exchanges will, of course, take every possible step to place in other suitable employment any workers who may become redundant.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give, for the last four registrations for National Service, the number registered, the number deferred, the number exempted on medical grounds, and the number available for service with the Forces.

Figures are not available covering the last four registrations. Figures are, however, available in respect of the six registrations between 2nd February, 1952, and 7th March, 1953 (inclusive), which covered the men in the 1934 and the first half of the 1935 age classes.At 12th October, 1953, these were:

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons whose period of deferment ended in 1952; and how many of these have been called up for National Service.

The estimated number of persons whose period of deferment ended in 1952 was about 80,000, of whom some 54,000 have been called up for National Service. In addition, about 11,000 volunteered for regular service.

asked the Minister of Labour how many young agricultural workers in each of the Welsh counties have been granted deferment of call-up since February, 1951; how many have changed their employment since their first deferment; and in how many cases notices of call-up have been issued because of the change of employer.

The information asked for in the first two parts of the Question is not available and could not be obtained without a special inquiry involving a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour. Taking Wales as a whole, however, the number of persons deferred was 3,427 up to 30th September last. In reply to the last part of the Question continued deferment was refused in 79 recent cases following change of employment, but in all these cases call-up has been suspended.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent, and under what conditions, doctors in the National Health Service are allowed to prescribe Roter tablets to patients suffering from stomach trouble.

A doctor may prescribe under the National Health Service any drug he considers necessary for the treatment of a patient. Roter tablets have, however, been classified by an independent professional committee as being of doubtful therapeutic value, and a doctor who prescribes them may be asked to justify his action before his colleagues on the local medical committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the areas in which an effort is being made to reduce dental decay by the application of solutions of sodium fluoride; and what knowledge has been gained from these efforts.

Work of this kind has been carried out among school children in Dundee, Edinburgh and Fife. While it promises to afford a measure of protection against dental decay, it will be some years before final conclusions can be drawn as to its place in preventive dentistry.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what financial or material aid has been given by Her Majesty's Government to the Indian Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for people affected by the floods in Andhra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Her Majesty's Government have felt deep sympathy with the unfortunate victims of these disasters, but with the numerous calls upon their resources they did not themselves feel able to contribute to the Indian Prime Minister's Fund.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will now introduce legislation to give effect to the recommendation of the Monopolies Commission, with regard to the supply of insulated electric wires and cables, that exclusive dealing provisions in agreements with wholesalers should be brought to an end.

My right hon. Friend hopes to be in a position to make a full statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give a list of the members of the State Council in British Guiana immediately before the suspension of the Constitution, giving the positions occupied by each, either in Government service or in trade or commerce, at the time of his appointment.

The Members of the State Council were:U. A. Fingal, former employee of Government Transport and Harbours Department.G. L. Robertson, Commission Agent.P. A. Cummings, Barrister.Sir Frank McDayid, formerly Financial Secretary of British Guiana.R. B. Gajraj, Merchant.Dr. A. J. Knight, Archbishop of the West Indies.L. A. Luckhoo, Barrister and President of the Manpower Citizens' Association (Trade Union).W. A. Macnie, Managing Director, Sugar Producers' Association, andW. J. Raatgever, Merchant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the strength of the regular police force in British Guiana at the time of the introduction of the new Constitution; what was its strength at the time of the suspension of the Constitution; and how many resignations have been received from the police force by persons intimating a desire to enrol in the People's Police Force.

The force consisted of 22 officers and 1,078 other ranks when the new Constitution was introduced and 27 officers and 1,080 other ranks when the decision to suspend the Constitution was announced. The answer to the third part of the Question is, "None."

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies under what rule or ordinance operative in British Guiana members of the police force dissatisfied with their terms and conditions of service are prohibited from making representations to members of the House of Assembly or to Ministers.

There is, of course, no such rule or ordinance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what information he has on the steps that had been taken at the time of the suspension of the Constitution to recruit a People's Police Force in British Guiana; how many enrolments had been made; and what were the terms and conditions of service offered.

A proposal for the formation of a voluntary police force in rural areas, which was clearly intended to form the basis of the People's Police, was made to the Commissioner of Police by Dr. Jagan. The proposal was later submitted by the Minister of Local Government to the Governor who rejected it. No recruitment, therefore, took place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give a list of the publications excluded from British Guiana during the most recent period of 12 months for which information is available.

The Undesirable Publications (Prohibition of Importation) Ordinance, empowering the Governor in Executive Council to exclude certain publications from British Guiana, became law on 13th March, 1953. No publications were excluded under that law up to the date on which the P.P.P. Ministers introduced a Bill to repeal it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the nature and quantities of Communist literature stated in Command Paper No. 8980 to have been poured into British Guiana after the introduction of the Bill to repeal the Undesirable Publications Ordinance in the House of Assembly in British Guiana.

Precise details are not available, but since the introduction of the Bill to repeal the Undesirable Publications Ordinance more than 700 different Communist publications have been observed, of which over 10,000 copies are estimated to have been distributed. They include standard Communist works, international Communist periodicals, and publications of Communist world organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will place in the Library of the House of Commons a copy of the Bill to repeal the Undesirable Publications Ordinance, introduced into the House of Assembly in British Guiana.

A copy is being obtained and will be placed in the Library when it is received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state, in detail, the nature of Her Majesty's Government's objections to the Bill to repeal the Undesirable Publications Ordinance, introduced into the House of Assembly in British Guiana; and if he is aware that this represents a departure by Her Majesty's Government from the principles of the Atlantic Charter.

The Bill to repeal the British Guiana Undesirable Publications Ordinance sought to abolish the power of the Governor in Executive Council to prohibit the importation of undesirable publications, as well as to jeopardise retrospectively public officers for their actions performed in the course of their duties.As indicated in the White Paper (Cmd. 8980) Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom consider that the introduction of this Bill, together with the other actions of the then Ministers, threatened the progress of the Colony as an orderly State. The relevance to this matter of the Atlantic Charter is not evident.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give a list of the Bills introduced into the House of Assembly in British Guiana since April, 1953, stating the stages reached in each Bill at the time of the suspension of the Constitution.

Following are the Bills introduced into the House of Assembly in British Guiana since April, 1953, and the stage reached by each on 9th October:

(1) The State Council and House of Assembly (Payment to Members) Bill, 1953—passed by House of Assembly on 25th June, but deferred by State Council.

(2) Undesirable Publications (Prohibition of Importation) (Repeal) Bill, 1953—passed by House of Assembly on 24th July, amended by State Council on 10th August and one amendment by State Council rejected by House of Assembly on 28th August. No further action possible until lapse of one year.

(3) Georgetown Town Council (Special Powers) Water Supply Bill, 1953—passed by House of Assembly on 28th August, passed by State Council with minor amendments on 1st September. Bill as amended by State Council was returned to House of Assembly, who agreed on 29th September to defer consideration.

(4) Rice Farmers (Security of Tenure) (Amendment) Bill, 1953—passed by House of Assembly on 4th September, but rejected by State Council on second reading on 23rd September. The rejection by State Council was reported to House on 29th September, 1953, but not further action was taken.

(5) Local Government (Bartica Voters Register Continuance) Bill, 1953—passed by both Houses. The Governor gave his assent on 28th October.

(6) Antibiotics (Amendment) Bill, 1953—introduced in House of Assembly on 29th September, and given first reading. No further action has been taken.

(7) Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment) Bill, 1953—passed by both Houses. The Governor gave his assent on 28th October.

(8) Credit Banks (Amendment) Bill, 1953—passed by House of Assembly on 8th October. No further action has been taken.

(9) Labour Relations Bill, 1953—passed by House of Assembly on 8th October. No further action to be taken.

(10) Moneylenders Bill, 1953—given first reading by House of Assembly on 29th September. No further action taken.

(11) Trade Disputes (Essential Services) (Repeal) Bill, 1953—published on 3rd October and introduced by Minister of Labour and given first reading on 7th October. No further action has been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Africans in North Rhodesia have passed the General Education Certificate, or its equivalent, over the past three years; and how many scholarships for higher education in university or technical courses in the United Kingdom have been given in the same time.

In the years 1950 to 1952, 56 Africans passed the Cambridge School Certificate and nine were awarded scholarships for higher education in the United Kingdom, in addition to 17 in South Africa and six to Makerere.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will reduce the rate of employer contributions due in respect of old-age pensioner employees who work for a period of less than 10 hours per week.

No. This suggestion conflicts with the principle on which the National Insurance Scheme is based.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many retirement pensioners there were in Scotland in each of the last seven years; how many of these were in receipt of National Assistance in each year; and what was the total sum paid in such assistance in each year.

Retirement pensions were paid from July, 1948, and I would refer the hon. Member to the figures for that year and succeeding years I gave him on 13th July this year. Details of the total amounts of National Assistance grants paid to pensioners in Scotland are not available.

asked the the Minister of Food what proportion of sheep and cattle which were graded in Tain and Dingwall in 1950, 1951 and 1952 were allocated locally.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Food the numbers of sheep and cattle graded in Tain and Dingwall in 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively; the numbers in February, March and April, respectively, in each of those years, and also in 1953.

Following is the information: