asked the Minister of Food if he will arrange for continuing the supply of cheap milk to children over five years of age until such time as they can be found places in school and obtain free milk.

Unfortunately the cost and complication of such an arrangement would outweigh its benefit.

asked the Minister of Food the amount of full price fresh milk consumed during November.

This information will not be available until the third week of this month.

asked the Minister of Food under what powers he continues to control the zoning of potato supplies; and when he proposes to free the movement of potatoes so that the people of South Wales can again buy potatoes from Lincolnshire.

Under Regulation 55 of the Defence (General) Regulations, 1939. Zoning is an essential element in the present arrangements for providing guarantees to U.K. potato growers under the Agriculture Act, 1947. Future potato marketing arrangements are now being reviewed in consultation with the interests concerned.

asked the Minister of Food what items of food have fallen in price four months in succession.

Vegetables and fruit as a group have fallen in price for four months in succession. Other items contributing to the steady fall in the Food Prices Index have varied from month to month; they include bacon, ham and some manufactured foods.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that the increase of pension of 3s. per week, which men are entitled to if they continue at work after having attained the age of 65 years, is now being taken into consideration in assessing the amount of supplementary pensions by the National Assistance Boards; and whether he will advise the Board to reconsider this practice.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will advise the National Assistance Board to disregard the increased pensions payable to men over 65 years of age, after they have worked for one year or more, when assessing their claims for supplementary pensions.

No. The National Assistance Act makes no provision for disregarding any part of a retirement pension, whether it is payable at the basic or at an increased rate.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will review the basis of war pension awards for loss of, or loss of use of, a limb, eye or other paired organ, in cases where serious disablement arises from non-service causes in the remaining limb or organ, and which renders the war disablement a much greater handicap than is reflected in the normal pension assessment.

This matter is under review but my right hon. Friend regrets that he is not in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to state to the latest convenient date, the total number of persons in Wales who are in receipt of retirement pensions; and how many of these pensioners are also in receipt of supplements from the National Assistance Board.

At the end of September, 1953, there were about 224,000 retirement pensioners in Wales, of whom 65,000 were receiving regular weekly grants of National Assistance. Some of the grants covered the needs of a household containing more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that the policy of the National Assistance Board with regard to the payment of a maximum of 15s. towards the rent of needy persons will compel local authorities to make up the balance by way of a rebate; that this is relieving the taxpayers at the expense of the rate payers; and if he will now instruct the Board to reverse this decision.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to arrangements regarding certain Corporation houses at Bristol under which, I gather from the National Assistance Board, tenants in receipt of Assistance pay as much by way of rent as, and in some cases more than, other tenants with comparable incomes not derived from Assistance. These arrangements seem to be sensible; but in any case I have no power to issue directions to the Board about them.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the reasons for the change in the policy of the National Assistance Board by which they will discontinue the payment of full rent for needy tenants and will now only pay up to 15s. weekly.

There has been no change in the policy of the Board who, in the great majority of cases, are still meeting the full rent, often amounting to more than the figure mentioned.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will take steps to permit a larger maxi mum contribution towards the rent of needy persons to be paid by the National Assistance Board in proper cases; and if he will make a statement.

There is no fixed limit such as my hon. Friend implies. Rent will always be allowed in full in appropriate cases.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is now in a position to give a reply to the points put to him by the deputation from the General Council of the Old-Age Pensioners Associations which met him on 4th November, 1953.

I hope to be in a position to write to the General Council of the Associations shortly.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many appeals there have been in Lanarkshire against decisions of the National Insurance officer; and how many of them have been successful.

I regret that there are no separate statistics of appeals for counties.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that there is redundancy in his Departmental supply at Greenhill Estate, Coatbridge; and if he will make a statement on this matter.

I understand that between March and July this year the number of persons employed at the Ministry of Supply Vehicle Repair Depot at Coatbridge, which is managed by a contractor, was reduced from about 350 to about 300. This was due to changes in the types of vehicle under repair. I am informed that no further reductions are expected.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that on Friday, 4th December, two heavy explosions from the direction of the River Thames shook many houses in East London and Essex districts; that these explosions were part of an experiment on the heavy artillery range at Woolwich Arsenal; and, as these explosions trouble residents for many miles around the Woolwich area, if he will give an assurance that, in future, such trials or tests will be carried out on Salisbury Plain or some other area away from residential premises.

Firings of this kind are essential to prove heavy ammunition before issue to the Royal Navy. For more than 30 years they have taken place at Woolwich where there are special facilities. There have been fewer firings in 1953 than in any other recent year. In view of the inconvenience caused to residents in the neighbourhood, my right hon. Friend has carefully considered whether he can set up facilities of this type for firing elsewhere. But the high cost involved and the fact that other proving ranges are fully employed make this impossible at present.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give a direction to the British Electricity Authority, under Section 5 of the British Electricity Act, 1947, that they should make uniform charges for electricity to all area boards.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give a direction to the British Electricity Authority, under Section 5 of the Electricity Act, 1947, that a uniform price should be charged to area boards for their electricity supplies.

The charges to each area board vary according to the cost of the coal used in the generating stations in that area. My right hon. Friend is not prepared to direct that this practice should be altered.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) if the global sum of compensation has yet been fully distributed; and if he will state the amounts the different colliery owners have received;(2) what amount of the global sum £164,600,000 has been paid to the former colliery owners, stating this in yearly figures since 1947.

Final payments amounting to £13,278,000 in respect of the global sum have been made in six out of the 21 districts. In the others, provisional payments have been made, but many of these cover subsidiary interests as well as the global sum and cannot be apportioned at this stage. It is not the practice to make public the valuations of individual claimants nor the amounts paid to them.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the total cost of assessing the individual colliery owners share of the global sum of compensation.

The cost of assessing individual owners' shares of the global sum cannot be separated from the total costs of administering the compensation provisions of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946. These costs amount at present to approximately £5,185,000 and are wholly borne by the Exchequer.

NUMBER OF PERSONS KILLED AND INJURED AT MINES AS DFFINED BY THE COAL MINES ACTS*
				Killed	Reportable injuries†	Total injuries‡	Total fatal and other injuries (1) + (3)
				(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
1900	…	…	…	1,012	Not available	Not available	Not available
1905	…	…	…	1,159	Not available	Not available	Not available
1910	…	…	…	1,775	5,737	159,042	160,817
1915	…	…	…	1,297	4,751	Not available	Not available
1920	…	…	…	1,103	4,287	117,302	118,405
1925	…	…	…	1,136	4,336	178,060	179,196
1930	…	…	…	1,013	3,812	166,281	167,294
1935	…	…	…	861	3,257	133,756	134,617
1940	…	…	…	923	3,237	146,388	147,311
1945	…	…	…	550	2,353	181,059	181,609
1946	…	…	…	543	2,335	167,210	167,753
1947	…	…	…	618	2,446	162,544	163,162
1948	…	…	…	468	2,391	182,566	183,034
1949	…	…	…	460	2,180	229,143	229,603
1950	…	…	…	493	2,020	237,833	238,326
1951	…	…	…	487	1,942	234,390	234,877
1952	…	…	…	420	2,109	238,500	238,920
1953(estimated)			…	400	1,960	239,000	239,400
* From 1925, the figures refer to Great Britain, while those for earlier years include Ireland.
† Injuries which are occasioned by accidents or dangerous occurrences immediately reportable to H.M. Inspectors of Mines either because of the severity of the resulting injury or the nature of the occurrence. Except for a very small number where the period of disablement was less than 4 days (8 days prior to 1925), the figures are included in column 3.
‡ For 1925 and subsequent years the figures relate to accidents disabling persons for more than 3 days; previously they relate to those disabling for more than 7 days.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when the payment of compensation will cease, in accordance with the Nationalisation Act, 1946, to the previous owners.

Payment of compensation under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946, cannot be completed until the determinations of value of all transferred interests have been certified. Valuations have been completed in some districts, but in others review proceedings are pending.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to state, in any convenient form, the recorded total of all casualties in the coal industry, fatal and non-fatal shown separately, during every fifth year from 1900 to 1945 and during each year from 1946 onwards, with an assessed figure for 1953, and arising from all causes.

The following is the answer:

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to state, in any convenient form, the recorded total of casualties in the coal industry arising from the silicosis and pneumoconiosis group of lung and associated diseases, during

NEW CASES OF PNEUMOCONIOSIS AND SILICOSIS
Year			Number of coal miners certified by the Silicosis Medical Board under the Workmen's Compensation Acts, 1925–1943	Number of coal miners diagnosed under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) General Regulations, 1948	Total
(1)			(2)	(3)	(4)
1932	…	…	143	—	143
1935	…	…	253	—	253
1940	…	…	484	—	484
1945	…	…	5,821	—	5,821
1946	…	…	4,440	—	4,440
1947	…	…	3,779	—	3,779
1948	…	…	2,349	1,935	4,284
1949	…	…	938	4,970	5,908
1950	…	…	648	3,628	4,276
1951	…	…	487	3,154	3,641
1952	…	…	254	3,143	3,397
1953 (estimated)		…	40	3,700	3,740
Notes:
1. The first statutory provision for the certification of coal miners was made in 1928, but men were not certified until 1931, and 1932 is the first full year for which particulars are available. Up to October, 1934, the Compensation Scheme applied only to certain processes in coal mining. Since then, all schemes have applied to any operation underground in any coal mine. The Coal Mining, Industry (Pneumoconiosis) Compensation Scheme, which came into force on 1st July, 1943, extended the application of the Scheme to certain classes of surface workers not previously covered, and empowered the Medical Boards to issue certificates in respect of pneumoconiosis, including the condition of the lungs known as dust-reticulation.
2. Certifications following deaths are included in column (2) but not in column (3).
3. The figures in column (2) for the years 1948–1953 refer to new cases among men who left the industry before the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations, 1948 came into force on 5th July, 1948.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to state, in any convenient form, the recorded total of casualties in the coal industry arising directly or indirectly from the use of electricity in mines and mining installations and having particular regard to statutory regulations issued upon the subject from time to time, during every fifth year from 1900 to 1945 and during each year from 1946 onwards, with an assessed figure for 1953.

I regret that records in the form asked for are not available.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the retail prices for the various grades of household coal in

The following is the answer:Northern Ireland; and, with regard to each grade, what percentage of the price is attributable to cross-channel freight charges.

The prices are fixed by the Ministry of Commerce for Northern Ireland under the Retail Coal Prices (Northern Ireland) Order, 1952, and I am asking that Ministry to communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to give the figures of the stocks of household coal in Northern Ireland at the nearest convenient date, together with the figures for the previous year.

These statistics are collected by the Northern Ireland Ministry of Commerce and I am asking them to write to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to publish in the Official Report a detailed statement concerning his Department's survey of Scottish coal merchants' distribution costs, showing the trend of those costs since 1945 and the margins of profit allowed to such merchants.

I am circulating below a statement showing at various dates the average margin allowed to merchants in Scotland to cover distribution costs and profit. The details of the surveys however are necessarily confidential between the merchants co-operating in them and my right hon. Friend's Department, and it would not be right for me to disclose them.

RETAIL COAL PRICES IN SCOTLAND: AVERAGE MERCHANTS' MARGINS ON SELECTED DATES
Date	Whole country (per ton)
	s.	d.
31st December, 1945	15	4
6th March, 1947	16	9
15th May, 1950	17	6

	Area "A"		Area "B"
	s.	d.	s.	d.
1st June, 1951	20	3	19	4
1st April, 1952	21	1	20	2
10th September, 1953	21	8	20	9
Area "A"—Counties of Renfrew, Dunbarton and North Lanark and the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen.
Area "B"—Rest of Scotland.

NOTES1. The margin shown covers all costs of distribution by the merchant as ascertained at the dates indicated.2. The margin includes an allowance for interest on capital, provisions for reserves, profit, etc. of 1s. per ton in 1945–1950, 1s. 6d. per ton in 1951 to 1953 and 2s. 3d. per ton in 1954.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the maximum retail price on rail or motor lorry, of the foreign coal at present being imported by the National Coal Board; and what is that of home-produced seaborne house coal of corresponding quality on rail or road at the same ports.

Under the arrangements made by the National Coal Board the maximum retail prices of imported house coals are the same as for English seaborne coals of comparable quality.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if demand notes for payment of the trans port levy have yet been issued; and how much he expects to receive during 1954.

The Transport levy is payable at the same time as vehicle Excise Duty. No special demand notes will be issued, but the licence application form shows the amount of levy payable. In addition, many registration and licensing authorities have, for convenience, sent a special notice to vehicle owners. I estimate that the yield from the levy in 1954 will be about £4 million.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the estimated number of vehicles that would pass annually over the proposed Tay road bridge and Forth road bridge and through the proposed Whiteinch tunnel.

For a bridge over the Tay near Dundee about 500,000; for the Forth Bridge about 1,000,000; for the Whiteinch Tunnel about 1,500,000.

asked thunder-secretary of State for Air what steps he is taking to offer compensation to Mr. George Bottomley, a member of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers, lately employed as a joiner at Padgate Royal Air Force Depot, in view of his having been deprived of his employment in error; and, in regard to such possible compensation, whether he will give due regard to loss of wages, and the imputations in regard to his character, that are likely to arise from the publicity given to his dismissal and the reason offered as justifying it.

Mr. Bottomley resumed work under the Air Ministry on 7th December. He will be regarded as having been continuously in our employment since 26th October, and he will be paid accordingly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will review the allocation of paper import licences to secure a distribution based on current conditions.

No. My right hon. Friend appreciates that the allocation of import licences for paper on the basis of past trade leads to difficulty in some cases, but he is satisfied that any other arrangement would lead to equal, if not greater, difficulties.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total amount of the commercial debts owing to this country by Brazil; how much is borne by the Export Credits Guarantee Department; and by how much these figures have been increased or reduced during the most recent convenient 12 months.

The total amount was on the 31st October about £56½ million of which about £26½ million was covered by policies issued by the Export Credits Guarantee Department. These amounts are respectively about £11 million and £5½ million higher than a year ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new factories have been established in the Highland Development Area in 1951, 1952 and to the latest available date in the present year; and what is the average number of people employed in these factories.

I have been asked to reply. According to the Board's industrial development records, which relate only to new factories and extensions of over 5,000 sq. ft., no new factories of this size or above were established in the years mentioned, though two small extensions were completed, one in 1952 and the other in 1953. There are no official statistics about factories of less than 5,000 sq. ft. I regret that I could not properly give figures of the numbers employed in the two extensions, since this would in effect disclose information about the individual firms, but I can say that the number of people employed is small.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now make a statement about the prospects for our exports to Spain, as a result of the Anglo-Spanish trade negotiations which were recently concluded at Madrid.

Yes. I am glad to inform the House that we have secured a satisfactory agreement with Spain as a result of these negotiations. A programme of imports into Spain, including substantial quantities of coal, chemicals, petroleum products and capital equipment has been agreed. It has also been arranged that imports into Spain of so-called "less essential" goods from the United Kingdom will be licensed each quarter on a sliding scale based on Spain's actual sterling receipts during the immediately preceding quarter. These arrangements will, I hope, improve the prospects of United Kingdom exporters to the Spanish market.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how far, under the new building licensing arrangements for 1954, it will still be necessary to apply to his Department for industrial development certificates.

The statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works on 30th November referred only to arrangements for building licences. The Board of Trade's responsibility under Section 14 (4) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, and Section 12 (4) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, 1947, for certifying that industrial building developments can be carried out consistently with the proper distribution of industry remains unchanged.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what improvement in the efficiency of the working of the general Division has been effected since an increased number of higher executive officers and executive officers have been employed.

The increased efficiency of the Division cannot be exactly assessed, but there is no doubt that the additional staff have enabled the Division to deal more effectively with the necessary increase in public relation work and also in the provision of technical information.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will help the Lancashire River Board and other authorities financially and otherwise to undertake the necessary work, including work between the confluence of the River Duddon with the River Lickle and Duddon Bridge, to avoid or minimise the flooding which has occurred in recent years and is doing damage to many interests, public and private.

It will be for the River Board in the first place to survey this area and consider what works are necessary. I will consider any proposals for improvement schemes that may be put to my Department for grant-aid under the Land Drainage Act, 1930.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that 22428762 Lance-Corporal Horn, having contracted malaria on service in Korea, was incapacitated by his illness, sent from camp with the 5th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment to hospital and remained unfit for work and under medical treatment at the hospital and subsequently at home from 22nd September to 23rd November, 1953; and when it is proposed to settle Lance-Corporal Horn's claim for Army sick pay from 28th September to 23rd November, which has been duly and punctually forwarded through regimental channels on or about 8th October.

A payment of £33 4s. 8d. covering the full period has now been made to this soldier. I much regret that, even though the case was not a straightforward one, it was not handled as quickly_: as it ought to have been.

asked the Secretary of State for War the percentage of regimental commands held by Regular commanding officers in the Territorial Army; and what is the policy in regard to selection for such commands as concerns the proportions from the Regular Army and Territorial Army, respectively.

At present about 22 per cent. of the lieutenant-colonels' commands of the Territorial Army are held by Regular officers. It is the policy to appoint a Territorial officer to command whenever a suitable officer is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his regulations permit that a British company operating abroad in any country in which the currency is blocked can use that currency for the purchase from the United Kingdom of consumable stores without such currency being regarded as the remittance of profits under Section 19 of the Finance Act, 1953.

I am not clear precisely what type of case the hon. Member has in mind. If he will write and let me know, I will look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Education the number of teachers in maintained and assisted primary and secondary schools in England and Wales in January 1951, 1952 and 1953, respectively.

Excluding teachers in nursery and special schools, the numbers were 215,045, 220,962 and 226,618.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the total number of staff engaged by the British Broadcasting Corporation, excluding artistes and those engaged in foreign service.

8,650 on 30th September last.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what alternative steps he will take, in addition to those described in his letter of 12th March, 1952, to the hon. Member for Fulham, East, to help Mr. Dunkley, 10, Walham Grove, S.W.6, to obtain possession of his house at Orpington.

I have already taken all steps within my power on behalf of Mr. Dunkley and regret that I cannot do more.