asked the President of the Board of Trade which consumer interests he consulted before issuing his proposals in Command Paper No.9018, for increased import duties on fruit and vegetables.

Full publicity has been given to the applications made for increased horticultural tariffs, and comments were invited. Representations were, in fact, received from various classes of consumers which included manufacturing industries using imported horticultural products and other consumer interests.I am circulating in the Official Report a list of the organisations which made representations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his Department is represented on the Consultative Group Co-operation Committee in Paris that supervised the embargoes on trade with Eastern Europe and China.

My Department is fully associated with the work of the Consultative Group on East-West trade and Board of Trade officials frequently attend its meetings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of orders for goods for which British manufacturers are at present seeking licences for export to Eastern countries.

The hon. Member does not say which particular countries he has in mind, but it would in any case not be possible to extract the value of applications for export licences outstanding at any given date without a great deal of research, which would not be justified. Moreover, the number of applications is not an accurate indication of orders placed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the reasons for holding up the delivery of an iron lung to the Northern Ireland Hospitals Authority at Goraghwood Customs post for a period of six weeks; and if he will have this matter fully investigated, with a view to having medical appliances of this kind exempted from delay under the same conditions as apply to fire engines and ambulances.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Londonderry (Mr. Wellwood) on 1st December. As to the second part, special temporary importation arrangements are made for fire engines and ambulances entering Northern Ireland in an emergency, but these temporary importation arrange- ments cannot be applied to medical appliances which, as in this case, are being permanently imported into Northern Ireland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to restore the full Government contribution to the National Insurance Scheme; and what increase he estimates will then be made in the basic rate of retirement pension.

The full amount of Exchequer contribution, calculated in accordance with Section 2 (3) of the National Insurance Act, 1946 (as amended by Section 1 of the National Insurance Act, 1951, and by Section 4 of the Family

CREMATORIA—ENGLAND AND WALES
1. Where proposals have been made
Crematorium									Old Rateable Value	Proposed Rateable Value
									£	£
Mortlake Crematorium Board, Barnes				…	…	…	…	…	15	2,500
Headingley cum Burley Burial Board, Leeds					…	…	…	…	*200	*6,000
Oxford Crematorium Ltd., Bullingdon				…	…	…	…	…	900	2,000
Newcastle Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*175	*6,000
Great Southern Cemetery and Crematorium Co,Ltd.,Mitchan							…	…	*3,000	*4,800
Kent County Crematorium Co., Charing				…	…	…	…	…	1,000	2,000
Southend Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	Nil	400
Camberwell Corporation, Honor Oak				…	…	…	…	…	Nil	Under consideration
Croydon Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*122	*2,500
Reading Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*138	*200
Darlington Cremation Society, Ltd			…	…	…	…	…	…	12	500
Wandsworth Corporation		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*50	*2,750
Cheltenham Corporation		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	Nil	1,000
Bradford Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*106	*3,200
Tottenham and Wood Green. Buria1 Board, Enfield						…	…	…	66	4,500
Plymouth Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*90	*2,000
City of LondonBurial Board, East Ham				…	…	…	…	…	*332	*3,300
Sheffield Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*100	*1,450
Ipswich Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	Nil	750
Brighton Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*33	*650
Islington Corporation, Finchley			…	…	…	…	…	…	*88	*225
St. Marylebone Corporation, Finchley				…	…	…	…	…	*64	*1,600
Leicester Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*116	*1,116
Birkenhead Corporation		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	Nil	*700
Pontypridd Burial Board and Cremation Authority						…	…	…	Nil	2,000
Liverpool Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	23	1,750
Harrogate Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*23	*525
Birmingham Corporation (Yardley Road)				…	…	…	…	…	Nil	163
Skipton Corporation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	*47	*167
Kingston Corporation, Malden and Coombe					…	…	…	…	Nil	315
Kingston-upon-Hull Corporation			…	…	…	…	…	…	129	*1,575
Middleton Corporation		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	Nil	180
Gloucester Corporation		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	Nil	135
* Figures include a cemetery.					†Assessment agreed by ratepayer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a list showing the present and the proposed valuations for rating of all crematoria in England and Wales.

The figures are as follow:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many dollars have been expended in 1953 up to the beginning of December on the purchase of Canadian barley.

I cannot give more detailed information about our balance of payments than is published in the periodical Command Papers. The recorded c.i.f. value of imports of barley into the United Kingdom from Canada in the first 10 months of 1953 was £13·3 million.

asked the Chancellor Of the Exchequer in what circumstances and under what conditions post-war credits are accepted in payment of tax obligations; and what proposals he has for extending this procedure.

Post-war credits not yet due for payment cannot in general be accepted in satisfaction of taxation obligations. But under the arrangement referred to in the House on 29th October, 1946, by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Dalton), the post-war credit for the one year 1945–46 was set off against arrears of tax outstanding under P.A.Y.E. at the end of that year. I do not propose to extend this arrangement.In the special case of a bankrupt person, his post-war credits may fall to be set off under the bankruptcy law against tax due from him.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give the names of the Kent Rent Tribunal; how long each has served on a rent tribunal; and why it was decided not to reappoint Mr. Dan Frankel as a member of the tribunal, in view of his record of service on rent tribunals in Kent and the fact that he is only 53 years of age.

The members of this tribunal are Mr. F. J. Earles, Mr. E. B. Hammond and Mrs. L. E. Fever. They have served on rent tribunals from 20th February, 1947, 1st May, 1953, and 24th June, 1949, respectively.As to the last part of the Question, it is my right hon. Friend's duty to make such appointments as he, in the exercise of his responsibility, considers desirable and he acted accordingly in this case.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many rent tribunals have been closed down since 1st January, 1952; and how many tribunals are scheduled for closing down in the future.

In 18 cases tribunals have been amalgamated. This is planned in one further case. The tribunals are now peripatetic.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government his policy for the disposal of prefabricated houses when they have been occupied for 10 years.

Clause 14 of the Housing Repairs and Rents Bill deals with those on open spaces. There is no statutory limit to the retention of the others. If any local authority wanted them removed my right hon. Friend's principal concern would be the housing needs of the area.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will gather from local authorites and make available to Members the figures showing the numbers of certificates of disrepair issued by sanitary authorities for each year, 1924 to 1952, on houses covered by the Rent and Mortgage Restrictions Acts,1920 to 1938.

In view of the labour involved. I do not think I would be justified in calling for this return.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he proposes to take arising from the recommendation in the Second Interim Report of the Working Party on Requisitioned Properties in use for housing in relation to local authorities who have more than 6·0 families per 1,000 of their population in requisitioned premises.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Hay) on 10th November.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he proposes to take on the recommendation of the second Working Party Report on Requisitioned Property to waive the recovery of enhancement value arising from works of conversion or improvement during the requisitioning.

My right hon. Friend is not yet ready to comment upon the recommendations contained in this Report, but he seeks to adopt a generous attitude in the type of case to which the hon. Lady refers.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he has given to local housing authorities on the allocation of council houses to police officers who have to vacate an official police house on retirement

My right hon. Friend has not thought it right to give specific advice. The local authorities deal with ex-police men's housing applications, as with all others on the basis of relative housing need.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when, and why, he reduced the minimum height of habitable rooms in Model Byelaw (Buildings) 77 from eight feet to seven feet six inches; in how many cases he has refused to approve byelaws requiring eight feet; and why he refuses to allow local authorities to enforce, within their own areas, a standard higher in this respect than that now prescribed by the model byelaws.

The minimum height of habitable rooms was first reduced to 7 feet 6 inches in the Model Byelaws issued in November, 1952. and it was so reduced for the reasons that since 1945 many local authorities had either amended or relaxed their byelaws to permit the building of houses with rooms of that height, that such height is regarded as adequate on both hygienic and architectural grounds, and that it was recommended by the advisory committee which assisted in the preparation of the model.I have refused approval to a byelaw requiring a greater height in about 100 cases, and in most of them the model has now been adopted.As regards the last part of the Question, I think it unreasonable to enforce as a penal requirement a height greater than that which well-informed opinion regards as adequate.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that the Cleethorpes Borough Council desire to maintain the highest possible standard for house building in their area; and if he will grant their request that the new local byelaws may require an 8 ft. minimum ceiling height instead of the 7ft. 6 in. ceiling height that has been proposed.

The answer to the first part of the Question is Yes, and to the second part No. I am satisfied on the advice I have received that a minimum height of 7 ft. 6 in. is generally satisfactory, and I know of no special conditions in Cleethorpes which make it unsatisfactory there.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of his decision that all local byelaws must permit houses to be built with a minimum 7 ft. 6 in. ceiling height instead of the previous 8 ft. minimum, he will give an undertaking that local authorities who wish to build up to the 8 ft. ceiling height will be granted the necessary consent to borrow.

I am satisfied—as was my predecessor—that a 7 ft. 6 in. ceiling height is adequate. Authoritative opinion is that it is in no way detrimental to health. It is generally welcomed by architects as giving better elevational proportions. Many local authorities have adopted this ceiling height and have thereby saved building materials and costs, and so kept their rents down. I would expect local authorities wanting to borrow to provide higher ceilings to show cause.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, under Section 10 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, he will give consent to sanitary authorities to increase staffs sufficiently to deal with the proposals made in the Housing Repairs and Rents Bill.

No Ministerial consent is necessary.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has considered a petition from the Willesden Borough Council, signed by over 3,000 residents of the Neasden area, in which they ask him, in association with the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation and the London Transport Executive to take immediate steps to eliminate the nuisance and danger to health occasioned by the emission of smoke, grit and particles of combustible fuel from the power station situated at the junction of Chesham Street and Quainton Street, Neasden; and what has been done in regard thereto.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the number of claims in the city of Exeter invalidated because they were made under Section 59 (2) (b) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, instead of under Section 58; and what was the total sum involved.

Twenty-one. Since the claims were invalid their development value has not been assessed, but it is not likely to be considerable.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many development claims relating to cost of work compulsorily acquired in England and Wales have been made under Section 58 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947; and how many of these were from Exeter.

Claims made under Section 58 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, were not classified according to whether they related to cost-of-works properties or not. It is unlikely that there would be much development value in claims relating to such properties, since by virtue of Section 91 (3) of the same Act they would have to be assessed on the footing that the war damage had been fully made good.There are 16 successful claims under Section 58 relating to properties in Exeter which have been compulsorily acquired.

asked the Minister of Works what reply has been received from the film companies which were given facilities to film the Coronation in the Abbey, to the suggestion by the right hon. Member for Vauxhall, conveyed to them by the Government, that they should contribute part of the profits derived from those films to the Abbey Restoration Fund.

asked the Minister of Works whether the film companies have replied to his letter forwarding the suggestion that a proportion of the profits from the Coronation film be contributed to the Abbey repair fund by the companies which were given special facilities to film the ceremony in the Abbey.

I understand that contributions have been made by, or on behalf of, the three companies.

asked the Minister of Works the area and the present-day value of the Porta Pia site in Rome.

The area of the Porta Pia site is 6½ acres. I cannot say what its present day value is.

asked the Minister of Works what steps he proposes to take to secure that the unlicensed building of industrial projects under £25,000 does not hamper the major building projects of war-damaged cities.

asked the Minister of Works (1) how many building workers were engaged on reconstruction in the Plymouth City centre at the most recent convenient date;

asked the Minister of Works when he proposes to announce the building licence allocations for the war-damaged cities for 1954.

I would refer hon. Members to the statement of my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to Ministry of Housing and Local Government on 1st December, about work in the provincial blitzed cities under the new licensing arrangements.Under the new system allocations are no longer necessary. Work will be licensed up to the capacity of the building industry in each area. On this basis I expect to issue licences for the blitzed cities as a whole to approximately double the value of the 1953 allocation. Local authorities of blitzed cities are being advised to push forward negotiations with prospective developers and to keep up to date the programme of work they would like to see put in hand.At Plymouth, 362 building workers were employed on reconstruction of the centre in September. Next year I am prepared to license double the amount allocated last year, and if applications for this sum come forward the total will substantially exceed the level of 1951.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is satisfied that current brick production is sufficient to meet the demands of the building programme including the repair of older houses; whether he considers the present stock position satisfactory; and if he will make a statement.

The production of bricks is steadily increasing. Demand next year may be greater, but if recommended economies are followed the demand should be met. The supply position of bricks cannot be judged by the size of stocks which, because of double handling charges, are always low. I hope, however, there will be some improvement this winter.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is satisfied that current cement production is sufficient to meet the demands of the building programme; whether he considers the present stock position satisfactory; and if he will make a statement.

The cement requirements of the building programme are in the main being met. Production will continue to increase and will, I hope, enable the stock position to be improved.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether he will make a statement as to the Government's future policies in respect of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what decisions have been reached with regard to the representations made to him last year by the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee with regard to the need to increase the financial resources of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and, in particular, to enable that Department to base its plans on firm budgetary expectations for several years; and when it is proposed to submit these decisions to Parliament for approval.

As stated on 12th November by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for St. Marylebone (Sir W. Wakefield), a general understanding has been reached between the Department and the Treasury. This agreement provides for the gradual expansion of the Department's activities over the next five years, subject, of course, to necessary reservations, in particular to this House voting the necessary funds.Plans for the development of the work of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and for the expansion of its resources were described in the Annual Report of the Department for 1947–48 (Cmd. 7761). For a variety of reasons the expansion which has so far taken place is less than was then envisaged.The recent understanding provides for a programme for the next five years on the basis of which the total resources of the Department should by 1959 be adequate to cover some 95 per cent. of the activities projected in the plans covered by its 1947–48 Report, together with some additional responsibilities which it has since taken over from other Departments. Its principal provisions are for an increase of staff over five years of 1,000 (bringing the total in 1959 to about 5,100); for an increase of about £900,000, or about 20 per cent., in the annual net Vote of the Department over that period (exclusive of provisions now made or to be made for certain services which are not a permanent part of the Department's activities or which may be added thereto as additional liabilities); and for a building programme (the cost of which will be borne on the Vote of the Ministry of Works) of about £6 million.The financial provisions are, of course, subject to the necessary funds being voted annually by Parliament and must be subject, also, to review in the event of a marked change in the economic situation or of major changes in costs. Moreover, since the incidence of expenditure on many projects cannot be forecast with precision as between one financial year and another regard will be had to the finance of the arrangement as a whole. Ways and means will be sought for making good in later years of the plan any deficiencies in expenditure in its earlier years which may have resulted from unforseeable delays in the fulfilment of planned development. The new arrangement does not involve any change in Parliamentary practice and the Estimates of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research will accordingly be presented to Parliament in the usual way.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he now proposes to exempt from National Service all those employed as student nurses in mental hospitals, in view of the shortage of mental hospital staff.

No, but the call up of such students can be deferred until they have completed their training.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any change can yet be announced that will enable a young man called up for National Service to opt for a three-year period in the Regular Army in order to remain at his own trade, and still retain his rights to reinstatement in his civil occupation.

As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, this could not be done without legislation. The proposal raises some difficult questions which I am examining, and I hope to write to him shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of men who had been deferred and were called up for National Service during the years 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952.

The numbers are estimated to be 22,000, 1948; 44,000 in 1949;62,000 in 1950; 57.000 in 1951; and 54,000 in 1952.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of foreign mining experts, employed by the National Coal Board, to whom he has given permission to come to this country to take up employment.

Two, one of whom is engaged as a consultant on a part-time basis only.

asked the Minister of Labour what factors have caused the in crease of 597 in the number of unemployed persons in Sunderland.

The increase is mainly accounted for by a rise in the number of unemployed men in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry, and of unemployed women in the clothing industry.

asked the Minister of Labour the average weekly earnings of the engineering and shipbuilding workers, respectively, who were concerned in the recent one-day strike; what were their average weekly earnings in 1946;and if he will give the estimated value of their present average earnings in terms of 1939 values.

Information about the current weekly earnings of the workers actually involved in this stoppage is not available, but statistics of the average weekly earnings of manual wage-earners in various branches of the engineering, shipbuilding, vehicle manufacture and other metal industries in April, 1953, are given in the September, 1953, issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette.Similar details for January and October, 1946, are given in the issues of the Gazette for July, 1946, and April, 1947. I regret that no satisfactory basis exists for expressing these figures in terms of 1939 values.

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated value of production lost through the recent one day strike of engineering and shipbuilding workers; what is the estimated proportion of this production which was designed for export abroad; and if he will make a statement.

I am afraid I have no means of making the estimates for which my hon. Friend asks.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons, male and female, are being trained in establishments coming under the authority of his Department; and what are the numbers and principal courses for which training is given.

There were at 9th November, 1953, 2,917 men and 216 women undergoing courses of vocational training for open employment in establishments which are either directly administered or grant-aided by my Department. At the date in question, the numbers in the principal training courses at Government training centres and residential colleges for the disabled were as follow:

—	Men	Women
Government Training Centres:
Building and civil engineering	292	—
Engineering:
Draughtsmen	285	—
Others	966	—
Agricultural machinery	41	—
Boot and shoe repairing	35	—
Clerical, inc. shorthand typists	24	108
Hairdressing	97	—
Motor repairs	105	—
Typewriter mechanics	139	—
Vehicle building and painting	42	—
Watch and clock repairing	200	—
Miscellaneous trades	255	17
	2,481	125
Residential Colleges for the Disabled:
Carpentry	19	—
Clerical, inc. shorthand typists	116	43
Telephone operators	18	11
Watch and clock repairing and making	51	—
Miscellaneous trades	232	37
	436	91

In addition, severely disabled persons requiring sheltered employment are under training in sheltered conditions at institutions grant-aided by my Department. The number of trainees and the trades concerned is as follows:

asked the Minister of Labour the minimum and the maximum age limit for an appointment as Her Majesty's Inspector of Factories.

The minimum is 21 and the normal maximum 30. For exceptionally well qualified candidates this maximum may be raised to 34 or, for candidates with regular service in H.M. Forces, to 30 plus the period of such service.

asked the Minister of Labour how many prosecutions were brought for offences committed under the Factories Acts in 1950; how many of these prosecutions were brought after an accident had taken place; and how many where there had been no accident.

Seven hundred and ninety-seven prosecutions were brought for offences committed under the Factories Acts in 1950. Of the 574 prosecutions which were in respect of contraventions of safety requirements, 359 were brought after an accident had taken place and 215 where there had been no accident.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to increase the output of fish meal and fish oil in Scotland.

The Herring Industry Board, with the aid of Exchequer grant, are providing additional factory capacity and buy surplus herring at a subsidised price for reduction to oil and meal. Both they and the White Fish Authority are prepared to consider applications from private concerns for loans for the provision or extension of processing plants.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, under the proposed Bill on rent and repairs, he intends that tenants shall be obliged to pay the extra 40 per cent. on rent, whilst awaiting delivery of the certificate from the sanitary authority regarding the condition of their dwelling houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, under the proposals of the forthcoming Housing (Repairs and Rents) (Scotland) Bill, tenants who are not in possession of a repairs certificate due to delay or inattention on the part of a sanitary inspector will be called upon to pay the proposed 40 per cent. increase in rent.

The Bill provides that no increase of rent will be payable until four weeks after the date of service of the notice of increase on the tenant. I hope that it will normally be possible for the local authority to decide within that period whether a certificate of disrepair or unfitness should be granted, but I shall be glad to consider the position in Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now give the detailed figures up to the end of October, 1953, showing the effect of the most recent increase in the price of school meals.

The daily number of school meals served to pupils in education authority schools in Scotland in February, 1953, prior to the increase in the charge was 270,322: the figure for October, 1953, is 245,861 or 91 per cent. of the February figure.I am circulating In the OFFICIAL REPORT corresponding figures for the different education authority areas.

NUMBER OF PUPILS TAKING MEALS IN EDUCATION AUTHORITY SCHOOLS IN SCOTLAND
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Education Authority	February, 1953	October, 1953	3 as a percentage of 2
Aberdeen (County)	9,792	10,022	102·3
Angus	4,964	4,670	94·1
Argyll	3,370	3,317	98·4
Ayr	17,621	17,620	100·0
Banff	2,884	3,030	105·1
Berwick	1,800	2,007	111·5
Bute	550	477	86·7
Caithness	1,596	1,440	90·2
Clackmannan	1,563	1,166	74·6
Dumfries	5,159	5,273	102·2
Dunbarton	7,267	6,992	96·2
East Lothian	2,480	2,214	89·3
Fife	15,613	13,262	84·9
Inverness	7,688	6,437	83·7
Kincardine	2,383	2,601	109·1
Kirkcudbright	3,214	3,218	100·1
Lanark	35,052	29,401	83·9
Midlothian	4,992	3,886	77·8
Moray and Nairn	3,946	3,679	93·2
Orkney	1,078	1,113	103·2
Peebles	793	751	94·7
Perth and Kinross	8,207	8,215	100·1
Renfrew	15,201	13,543	89·1
Ross and Cromarty	4,873	5,029	103·2
Roxburgh	2,301	2,106	91·5
Selkirk	807	738	91·4
Stirling	5,339	5,916	110·8
Sutherland	1,524	1,572	103·1
West Lothian	3,130	2,567	82·0
Wigtown	2,430	2,144	88·2
Zetland	1,561	1,663	106·5
Burghs—
Aberdeen	5,622	4,529	80·6
Dundee	8,840	7,743	87·6
Edinburgh	17,859	15,412	86·3
Glasgow	58,823	52,108	88·6
SCOTLAND	270,322	245,861	91·0

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will assist producers of fat and store cattle and sheep over freight charges when the proposed marketing arrangements come into force.

The new marketing arrangements only concern fatstock and they provide for producers of such stock to receive at least the minimum guaranteed price at the certification centres.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will hold an inquiry into police methods and the use of agents provocateurs in Scotland.

I have no knowledge of the use by the Scottish police of agents provocateurs and I have no evidence which would justify an inquiry into police methods.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many of the 392,000 persons existing on retirement pensions in Scotland were also in receipt of supplementary payments from the National Assistance Board at the end of October, 1953.

On 29th September, 1953, the latest date for which the information is available, about 71,000 regular weekly grants of National Assistance were being paid to retirement pensioners in Scotland. Some of the grants covered the needs of a household containing more than one pensioner.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence why Kenya is not included in the scheme for sending free Christmas parcels to Service men serving abroad.

Her Majesty's Government do not consider that this additional concession would be justified.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence if he will extend the post-free Christmas gift parcel scheme, so that the comparatively small number of persons in this country who wish to send such parcels to relatives or friends serving in the United Nations forces in Korea, other than Her Majesty's forces, may do so.

No.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence how many of the 336 surviving officers who retired under the 1919 scale, and whose retired pay has not been increased since the rates were anchored in 1935 at 9½ per cent. below the 1919 rates, served in the first Great War.

So far as can be ascertained at short notice, all the surviving officers served in the first Great War.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence what rate of pension was awarded to an officer retiring with the rank of major in 1922, after 19 years and 10 months' service; and what is the pension such an officer would receive today.

If the officer had served for five years in the rank of major his retired pay in 1922 would have been £270 a year. Today, such an officer's retired pay would vary between £268 15s. 8d. a year and £330 7s. a year according to his entitlement under the Pensions (Increase) Schemes 1944, 1947 and 1952.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence what average pension is received today by officers who retired with the rank of major in 1922, 1932, 1942 and 1952, respectively.

I regret that I cannot give averages. Majors who retired in 1922 and 1932 now draw not more than £440 a year: those who retired in 1942 not more than £457 10s. a year; and those who retired in 1952 not more than £800 a year. These figures would be increased in the case of officers who retired before the late war but were re-employed during it. The figures do not take into account increases under the Pensions (Increase) Schemes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence how the £200,000 which is the cost of restoring in full the 9½ per cent. cut made in 1935 in the retired pay of officers who retired under the 1919 scale, is made up; and whether he will publish a statement setting out, to the nearest convenient figures, the different ranges of retired pay which would be increased, the number of officers in each range who would benefit, and by how much.

The information which my hon. Friend requires is published below. The figure of £200,000 to which he refers is the estimate of the total amount of the benefits referred to in the statement accompanying the table.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether, in view of the widespread interest in the question, he will publish in the Official Report the statement of how many officers of the Armed Forces who retired under the 1919 code are still receiving pensions less than the amount they would have received but for the 1935 stabilisation, excluding for the purposes of this calculation increments earned by additional years of service by those who had retired prior to 1st September, 1939, but rejoined after that date, which information he has under- taken to send to the hon. and learned Member for Hove.

The answer to the first part of the Question is between 16,000 and 17,000.As to the second part, exact information could not be given without exhaustive search among the records of the Service Departments. The approximate numbers of each rank are, however, as follows:

(ARMY RANKS AND EQUIVALENTS IN THE OTHER SERVICES)
Captain and below	8,100
Major	2,800
Lieut.-Colonel	3,300
Colonel (including captain R.N. and air commodore)	1,600
General officers	750
	16,550

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence the total number of officers affected by the Government's decision not to improve retired officers' stabilised retired pay, excluding the 359 retired officers for whom a specific increase has recently been refused; the lowest amount of retired pay being drawn by any of these officers; their approximate average age; and the average amount by which they would benefit if the £200,000 per annum, which would be required for the specific increase mentioned, was allocated annually to increase the weekly rates of retired pay.

The total number of officers concerned is rather over 16,000 and the average age of the British Service officers is about 64. If £200,000 were divided equally among them each would receive a little less than 5s. a week. The lowest normal scale of retired pay among them is £140 a year, though in exceptional circumstances individuals may be receiving considerably less.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence how many retired officers would be affected by the £200,000 per annum mentioned as the approximate cost of restoring the 9½ per cent. cut of 1935.

About 16,500.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence the average amounts drawn in pensions annually at existing rates of those retired officers, excluding the 336 who are senior officers and who have suffered a total cut of 9½ per cent.

The average retired pay of those officers whose pensions were stabilised in 1935 at 9½ per cent. below the 1919 code rates, and who have not had that "cut" restored fully under the various Pensions (Increase) schemes is about £420 a year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence why the Belgian light automatic rifle known as the F.N. has been adopted as the new standard rifle for the British Army and other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Forces.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Aston (Mr. Wyatt) on 26th November, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence what numbers of unskilled labour, of Egyptian nationality, from East Africa, from Mauritius, and of other nationalities, respectively, are now employed by Her Majesty's Government in the Suez Canal Zone.

The numbers are as follow:

Egyptians	7,447
Cypriots	59
Mauritians	366
E. Africans	4,371
Greeks	12
Total	12,255

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he is aware of the dangers to industry contained in the practice of refusing to allow an apprentice called-up for National Service to continue learning his trade unless he agrees to serve for a longer period in the forces; and what steps he will take to remedy this matter.

The implication in the hon. Member's question is incorrect. In certain Service trades where vacancies are limited, preference is given, in the interests of the Services, to men serving on Regular engagements.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in studying the typescript of the court-martial of Captain Griffiths, he will consider whether Captain Griffiths should be charged with the murder of the second African for whose murder he was arrested.

The hon. and learned Member can be sure that, in studying the proceedings of this court-martial, every aspect of the case will be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for War what future assignment he proposes for Captain Griffiths, who was recently serving in Kenya.

My right hon. Friend cannot say what further employment, if any, will be given to this officer until all the facts available, including the court-martial proceedings, have been studied.

asked the Secretary of State for War how far Captain Griffiths, now or recently serving in Kenya, is, or was then, in command of National Service men.

This officer is not and, at the time of the incidents which led to his court-martial, was not in command of National Service other ranks. One National Service officer was serving under him at the time in question.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that 22536723 Private F. Reavey, who was granted free discharge on compassionate grounds, has no clothes of his own to go home in, and is also being required to hand in this Army clothes and pay the sum of £40 18s. 6d., which is claimed by his Department as owing to them; and, in view of the distressing conditions which brought about Private Reavey's discharge, if he will issue a civilian outfit and cancel the demand for £40 18s. 6d.

Yes. He will get civilian clothing, or an equivalent grant if he so prefers, and the claim for this sum will be dropped.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a statement giving the circumstances in which 22896797 Craftsman Peter Charles Frederick Huggett, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, died following wounds, whilst on guard duty in the Suez Canal zone on 29th November, 1953.

This soldier, while on guard duty on 29th November, was wounded by a comrade who accidentally discharged a rifle he was handling. I deeply regret that he died of his wounds while being taken to hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of recruits to the Army are found to require a preliminary education course; and whether he is satisfied that a sufficient number of such courses are available.

Last year 1,380 Regular recruits, that is about 3'9 per cent. of those entering from civil life, were found to require preliminary education courses. The necessary courses are provided.

asked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of the Regular soldiers have taken first-, second- or third-class certificates of education; what disparity exists between the figures for home as against overseas stations; and whether he is satisfied with the facilities available.

Separate statistics for Regular soldiers are not maintained. The percentages of both Regular soldiers and National Service men with Army Certificates of Education in May this year were as follows. At home; first class 8·4, second class 9·9, third class 13·6: and overseas; first class 6·7, second class 10·3, third class 17·5. The only significant disparity arises over the third-class certificate and is due to this certificate being in many cases a prerequisite for overseas posting. My right hon. Friend considers that facilities both at home and overseas are adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the sentence of imprisonment now being served, despite the desire of the court-martial to avoid this, by Gunner D. Holton, who had been engaged in active service in Malaya, but who later refused to obey a military order on grounds of religious conscientious objection, whether he will reconsider existing regulations so as to avoid preliminary imprisonment in cases of this character before they can be considered by a tribunal.

No. My right hon. Friend is convinced that there are good grounds for maintaining the present arrangements.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the importation of fish meal into this country last year cost £1,150,000; and what steps he is taking to increase home production.

Yes, but it is for the trades concerned to determine their own production policy in this matter.

asked the Minister of Food how much it would cost to permit all old age pensioners to purchase one pint of milk per day under the welfare milk scheme at 1½ per pint.

Over £30 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the export trade of Hong Kong to China fell from £9,500,000 in the third quarter of 1952 to £4,400,000 in the third quarter of this year; and what steps he will take to prevent the continuance of this downward trend in Hong Kong's export trade to China.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Statement which I made in reply to a Question by the Hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) on 25th November, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what improvement has been achieved in the health of the people of British Guiana in recent years.

Of the major communicable diseases in British Guiana, malaria has decreased substantially from 15,490 notified cases and 290 deaths, in 1947, to 181 cases and 28 death in 1952. There has also been a decline in the number of notified cases of enteric fever and pulmonary tuberculosis. Other detailed improvements are too complex to summarise, but over the past eight years the infant mortality rate has fallen from 101 per thousand live births to 82, and over approximately the same period the expectation of life at births has increased by four years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in education in British Guiana in recent years.

A school-building programme has increased accommodation in primary schools by 12,129 places or 21 per cent. during the period 1945–52. The cost was largely met by a Colonial Development and Welfare grant of $699,998. A complementary scheme for providing teachers' houses for the new schools cost $125,040 and was financed from the same source. During the same period the number of primary school teachers has increased by 275.A new building for the Government secondary school, Queens College, was completed in 1951 at a cost of $562,000. In the same year a new technical institute was also opened; expenditure on this building was $150,000The following table which gives the total expenditure (including Colonial Development and Welfare funds) by the Education Department shows that expenditure has more than doubled since the end of the war:

	$
1945	1,240,848
1946	1,382,464
1947	1,532,438
1948	1,684,939
1949	2,049,040
1950	2,607,088
1951	2,716,975
1952	2.966,612

In addition to these sums, the Government also provided money for the running of the two Government secondary schools (Queens College (Boys) and Bishops' High School (Girls)), made a contribution to the University College of the West Indies, and provided various scholarships and training grants. In 1952 these items amounted to $232,871.Education has, therefore, made substantial progress in the territory since the war, but there is a great deal still to be done. Primary schools are still over crowded and with the rapidly growing population many more places are needed. This problem was examined by a local committee in 1952 and its report was put before the P.P.P. Ministers. This was, however, one of the many problems of the Territory that they never attempted to tackle. The International Bank Mission has recommended the expenditure of $875,000 during the next five years on school buildings and $100,000 on the housing of rural teachers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what special tasks have required the new appointments of four Horticultural Crop Intelligence Officers.