asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the average annual amount of Income Tax collected from professional footballers' benefits in the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the average annual amount which would be collected if professional cricketers' benefits were taxed.

I regret that the figures asked for in the first part of the Question are not available, nor has any estimate been made of the amount that might be collected if cricketers' benefits were made taxable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Her Majesty's Government are now in a position to make a statement regarding some modification or amendment of their capital investment programme, with special reference to the effect of the programme on the rebuilding of the City of London.

It is the practice of the Government to undertake a review of investment at about this period of each year and I am not able to anticipate the outcome of the current review. As regards the rebuilding of the City of London, our decision, in principle, to issue further licences was announced recently, as my hon. Friend is aware. I understand that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works is already in touch with the City authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the present functions of the Economic Planning Board; how often it meets; and whether any of its decisions may now be made public;(2) the present composition of the Economic Planning Board; and details of the qualifications of its members.

The functions of the Economic Planning Board are unchanged; they are "to advise Her Majesty's Government on the best use of our economic resources." The Board meets frequently. Below is a list of the present members. As my hon. Friend will see, the Board is composed of experienced representatives of both sides of industry and senior Government officials. Since the Board is advisory the last part of the first Question by my hon. Friend does not arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the National Theatre Act, 1949, is likely to be implemented now that the plans for the development of the South Bank have been announced.

I cannot yet say when conditions will make it possible to authorise a start on this project.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the admission of the principle of equal pay, he will announce corresponding measures of increased family allowances and, or, mothers' endowments.

I do not think that the grant of equal pay is necessarily and inevitably linked with an increase in family allowances and similar benefits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that we have spent already this year over £13 million of dollars on the importation of Canadian barley, and that there are surpluses of barley in the non-dollar area, he will restrict further importations of Canadian barley.

No. It is the Government's policy that barley and all types of grain for consumption in the United Kingdom may be imported freely from any part of the world.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will publish as a White Paper an up-to-date comprehensive list of all members appointed to central and regional nationalised boards of a commercial character with details of individual salaries, pensions, and expenses allowed, together with a separate list showing all individuals holding more than one appointment; and what those appointments are.

A White Paper of this character will be published very shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the approximate cost annually of extending the tobacco duty relief scheme to Army, Navy and Air Force pensioners over 60 years of age.

No estimate is possible, since it is not known how many of these pensioners are also receiving other pensions which entitle them to tobacco duty relief under the present scheme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to continue this year the extra-statutory concession under which Savings Certificates given by employers to employees as Christmas presents in lieu of customary gifts in kind are not charged to income tax.

Yes. As the hon. Member will be aware, Christmas bonuses paid to employees are, under the law, liable to Income Tax whether the payment is made in cash or in something such as Savings Certificates which can be turned into cash. An extra-statutory concession was, however, introduced during the war under which tax was not charged on gifts in the form of Savings Certificates, Savings stamps, National Savings gift tokens or direct credits to employees' Savings Bank accounts made to subordinate employees by employers who had previously been in the habit of making Christmas presents in goods of an equivalent value.I have authorised the application of this concession to gifts made this Christmas, but the special conditions which justified the concession during the war and in post-war years have largely ceased to exist, and I shall not be able to authorise its continuance for future years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give local authorities permissive powers to exceed the remuneration for sanitary and housing inspectors, fixed by the National Joint Council for local authority staffs.

There is no specific provision requiring my approval of the salaries paid to sanitary and housing inspectors. If a local authority considers that the scales fixed by the National Joint Council are inadequate, their proper course is to take it up with their Association or with the Council direct.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why his Department circulated to all Members for Welsh constituencies a statement of the Advisory Council for Wales and Monmouthshire critical of Her Majesty's Government in general, and the Minister for Welsh Affairs in particular; whether this statement was printed at the public expense; what was the cost of distribution; and what other advisory councils are afforded similar facilities by his Department.

The statement in question was circulated by the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire and not by my Department. I provide secretarial facilities for the Council and the statement was printed in my Welsh Office. By direction of the Council it was handed by their secretary to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Watkins) for distribution.The answer to the last part of my hon. Friend's Question is "None."

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proportion of local government expenditure in the last convenient year falling on public funds was met by central Government grants in the case of each class of local authority.

Following are the approximate proportions of all revenue grants (including reimbursement of the costs of requisitioned housing) in respect of the financial year 1951–52:

Class of Local Authority	Approximate Percentage of Exchequer Grants to Total Revenue Expenditure after deducting specific income
London County Council	38
Metropolitan Boroughs and City of London	22
County Councils excluding London County Council	67
County Borough Councils	46
Non-County Borough Councils	17
Urban District Councils	21
Rural District Councils	34
Miscellaneous bodies including Metropolitan Police	52
The Exchequer equalisation grant payable to a county council is based on the aggregate expenditure of all the local authorities in the administrative county. The figures for county councils therefore relate in part to equalisation grant paid in respect of the expenditure of non-county borough and urban and rural district councils.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether his attention has been drawn to the proposals of the Metropolitan Water Board to make an increase in the charges for metered water; and if he will give an undertaking that, before approving these increased charges, he will hold a public inquiry.

The answer to both parts of the Question is "Yes."

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many district heating schemes have been authorised; how many are in operation; and how many have been abandoned.

In England and Wales seven schemes have been authorised and are in operation. Some of these are smaller than originally intended. At least 15 other schemes have been considered, but have not proceeded.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now refrain from closing any further rent tribunals, particularly in view of the Government's proposals to increase their functions.

No. I shall continue in the interests of economy and efficiency to relate the number of tribunals to the work which may be expected to come before them.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is now prepared to annul the Notification of Vacancies Order, January, 1952.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers), last Thursday.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the placing of an appointments officer for blind persons in Scotland.

I understand that the local authorities concerned have just completed their inquiries. The individual reports are being studied prior to a further meeting of interested bodies. I will let the hon. Member know as soon as the date for this meeting is fixed.

asked the Minister of Labour how many accidents, excluding fatal accidents, have occurred in industry as a result of apparatus coming in contact with overhead electric cables in 1938, 1946, 1950, 1951 and 1952, respectively.

The numbers of non-fatal accidents of this kind that occurred on premises subject to the Factories Acts were as follows: 1938, 1; 1946, nil; 1950, 5; 1951, nil; 1952, 6.

asked the Minister of Works what steps are being taken to overcome the shortage of bricks and scaffolding in Dagenham.

I am not aware of any shortage of scaffolding in Dagenham. There is some shortage of bricks in the area, but I am hopeful that it will prove temporary.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that there has been no tribunal for conscientious objectors in Leeds since August; and whether he will make arrangements for it to sit again as soon as possible in order to avoid the inconvenience to conscientious objectors of having to attend in Birmingham or Manchester.

Yes, and I am taking steps which, I hope, will result in the sittings being resumed.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to ensure that when the new retail price index is adopted the present retail price index shall be retained for purposes of comparison between future and past years.

The object my hon. Friend has in mind may possibly be achieved by some process of linking the figures shown by the new index, when in operation, with the earlier figures shown by the present index, but I must await the advice of the Cost of Living Advisory Committee on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children of school age and how many children under school age there are resident on the Fintry housing estate in Dundee.

1,887 of school age and 935 under school age.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school places have been provided on the Fintry housing estate, Dundee, for children resident there; how many places it is planned to provide; and what are the approximate dates for which it is estimated these places will be ready.

No places have yet been provided, but 270 will be provided early next year when the Mains of Fintry Infant School is completed. Sufficient accommodation for the remaining primary pupils from the Fintry estate will be available in the adjacent areas of Linlathen and Mid Craigie when the existing provision in these areas is supplemented by the completion early in 1955 of two schools at present under construction in Linlathen. Secondary pupils will continue to attend schools in the City.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Scottish Special Housing Association expects to provide fences for the Atholl steel houses on the Fintry housing estate, Dundee.

Permanent fences have already been erected at the front gardens of all these houses. A trip wire fence was all that could be provided for division and back garden boundaries when the first 120 houses were completed in 1949, but the Association hope soon to replace this with the better type of rear fencing provided for the remaining 80 houses in the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take action to ensure the making good of the damage done to the foreshore at Findhorn, Morayshire, by the gale of February last, having regard to the failure of the Morayshire and Nairnshire County Council to protect rated property below the salmon fishing station.

No. I have no evidence that the county council is failing in its duty as coast protection authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with the local authorities, and other interested bodies, on the question of the infilling of the Monkland Canal and the provision of safety measures at the Forthand Clyde canals, in order to reduce the number of fatal and non-fatal occurrences at these canals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many children have been drowned in the past two years in the waterway bordering on North-East Glasgow, known locally as the Monkland Canal;(2) what proposals he is considering for substituting water mains for the existing open waterway, known as Monkland Canal, in the North-East of Glasgow, to remove this menace to the lives of children in the neighbourhood.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will convene a conference of representatives of the British Transport Commission, the local authority and other responsible bodies in Glasgow, to consider the provision of adequate and efficient barriers at recognised dangerous sites of the Forth and Clyde and Monkland canals adjacent to public thoroughfares in the city; and if he will take early action, in view of public disquiet at the frequent losses of children's lives by drowning.

One child was drowned in the Monkland Canal in 1951, two in 1952, and none this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his attention has been drawn to the recent trial of Duncan Watt and others in the High Court at Edinburgh; and if, in view of the use made of police agents for the obtaining of evidence, he will cause an inquiry to be made into the practice, especially in cases where the accused are comparatively young, and make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the concern at the use of agents provocateurs in the case of the four youths recently convicted in Edinburgh, and in view of the previous case in which such methods were used in Edinburgh in 1951, he will cause an independent inquiry to be held into this practice of the police.

Proceedings in the case referred to were brought by the Lord Advocate in the exercise of his sole discretion after consideration of the available evidence. I have discussed the case with him and I am quite satisfied, as I indicated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond), on 8th December, that no use was made by the police of agents provocateurs and that no inquiry into police methods is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department has had recently with the fishing industry in Scotland regarding the production of fish-meal and oil; and if he will make a statement.

The production of fish meal from surplus white fish was mentioned in the course of wider discussions at a recent meeting with trawler owners but no specific proposals were put forward. The scheme for producing oil and meal from surplus herring is under constant review in consultation with the Herring Industry Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement regarding the incidence of hard-pad in Scotland, comparing the present position with that of the previous two years.

Hard-pad is not a notifiable disease and accordingly no statistics are available. My information is, however, that the disease is certainly not more prevalent now than it was two years ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why Hugh Green, 119, W. George Street, Coatbridge, who was arrested on 22nd November and sentenced to 60 days' imprisonment on 23rd November, was not permitted by the police to instruct his relatives regarding his defence; and why his wife, and parents, were refused permission to interview him regarding these instructions.

According to my information, the permissions referred to were not refused. I am writing to the hon. Member about the circumstances of the case.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the rates of incidence and the death rates for multiple sclerosis in Scotland for the years 1938 to 1952.

Multiple sclerosis is not a notifiable disease, and I regret there is no statistical information about its incidence. The death rate has been returned as 3 per 100,000 of the population for each year from 1938 to 1952, except in 1943 when it was returned as 4 per 100,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the proportion of administrative staff to the total staff of the fire services.

At 31st December, 1952, the non-operational staff of the fire service in Scotland (including those employed in stores and workshops) numbered 128. The operational strength was 1,709 whole-time firemen, 2,027 retained firemen and 472 volunteers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total of hours spent in attendance at fires by the fire services in 1950 to 1952.

Between 1950 and 1952 members of local authority fire brigades attended 28,811 fires. The time of attendance varied from a few minutes to many hours, but I regret that information about the total number of hours spent in attendance at fires is not included in the available statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the proportion of motor fuel used by the fire services in attending fires in 1951 and 1952 to the total motor fuel consumption of the services; and the total amount in gallons used in each of those years.

I regret that the information is not available since no central record is kept of the fuel consumed by the local authority fire brigades.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which local authority organisations have expressed agreement with the financial provisions of the Housing (Repairs and Rents) (Scotland) BUI.

As I mentioned during the debate on 9th December, I am anxious to give the local authorities the fullest opportunity for considering the financial provisions of the Bill and I am having further discussions on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what approach has been made to him for planning permission to build a village of stone houses at Contin in Ross-shire.

Informal discussions have taken place between representatives of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board and the county council and officers of my Department about the possibility of building a village of stone houses at Contin. I have not yet received any formal proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to threatened evictions from partly-furnished rented accommodation in Dundee; and whether he will act to give tenants of partly-furnished accommodation the right of appeal to the rent tribunal against notices to leave.

My attention has been drawn to these cases but I have no authority to act in the sense suggested. Tenants of furnished accommodation who receive notice to quit after applying to the rent tribunal can be granted temporary security of tenure by the tribunal. Any extension of the tribunals' powers to cover cases where the tenant receives the notice to quit before he applies would require legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new schools were started in Scotland in each year from 1950 to 1952, inclusive; how many have been started to date in 1953;and how many more starts can be expected before the end of the year.

The figures are given in the following table:

1950	47
1951	37
1952	28
1953 (11 months)	42

Ten more schools are due to start in December, 1953.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much technical education building work was started, and completed, in each financial year from 1946 to 1953, inclusive; how much building for such technical education has been begun in the current financial year; and what specific proposals he has in mind to encourage local education authorities to spend more on this type of education.

The estimated value of the technical education building work started or completed in each financial year since 1946 is:

	Started	Completed
	£	£
1946–47	19,500	—
1947–48	48,282	6,923
1948–49	122,767	38,368
1949–50	154,637	65,897
1950–51	918,442	173,722
1951–52	143,935	156,919
1952–53	504,476	192,612

The estimated value of work started in the period April to December, 1953, is £101,137. Education authorities already know that proposals for the provision of new buildings to meet present and prospective needs for technical education will be favourably considered; and if an education authority in submitting either a particular project or a further education scheme does not appear to have taken full account of these needs they are asked to reconsider their proposals.

asked the Secretary of State how many new schools were completed in 1952 and to date in 1953, respectively; and how many of such schools were begun in 1951.

Twenty-four new schools were completed in 1952 and 20 in the first nine months of 1953. Sixteen of these schools were started in 1951.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total estimated value of new schools started in 1953;and the estimated value of extensions and other new work started in the same period.

In the first eleven months of the year, £4,637,000 and £1,533,000, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schoolchildren have undergone radiographic inspection in each year since 1948, including the figures available for the current year; what are the factors limiting an extension of this service: and what steps he has in mind to reach the goal of an annual inspection for each child.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many radiographic machines are owned by local authorities in Scotland; how many authorities are without such a unit; and to what extent the machines are used for examining schoolchildren.

The number of children under the age of 15 examined by mass radiography units in Scotland have been as follows:

1948	21,349
1949	34,675
1950	30,031
1951	39,448
1952	43,669
1953 (to 30th June)	28,928

Annual routine examinations of all schoolchildren would be an unprofitable use of diagnostic resources, but it is reasonable to aim at examining every child once before the age of 15. This would involve some 80,000 examinations a year.There are at present eight mass radiography units in Scotland, and these will shortly be increased to 10, with a total capacity of the order of 400,000 examinations a year. These are operated, not by local authorities, but by. regional hospital boards. The groups for examination are, however, selected in consultation with local health and education authorities throughout the country, and boards are ready to co-operate with education authorities in providing as full as possible an examination service for schoolchildren on the basis indicated above.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities exist for the training of teachers doing work in central institutions and other technical education institutions; and what proposals he has in mind for extending such facilities.

The staff of central institutions who give instruction, similar to that given at universities, to adult students at advanced levels are not required to have trained as teachers. For persons engaged in technical instruction at all other levels courses are provided at the training colleges in mathematics, science, economics and engineering leading to the Teacher's Special Certificate and in commercial subjects, music, art, domestic subjects, engineering and handwork leading to the Teacher's Technical Certificate. For persons engaged in teaching certain branches of commerce or trades (bricklaying, carpentry, etc.) special courses are held at Jordanhill College, Glasgow, leading also to the Teacher's Technical Certificate.In addition part-time courses in teaching methods are provided during holidays and at weekends for persons already engaged in further education. Some courses of this kind have been run in close association with H.M. inspectors of schools for technical subjects who are paying special attention to the development of facilities for training for further education. The National Committee for the Training of Teachers are willing to promote other courses as need arises, and I have urged education authorities to arrange for further opportunities of training to be provided for their staffs, either in conjunction with the training colleges, or at their own hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new school places have been provided by new schools begun and completed since October, 1951; and what is the estimated increase in the school population in the same period.

Between 1st October, 1951, and 30th September, 1953, 35,081 new school places were completed. 20,076 (comprising 10,710 in new schools and 9,366 in extensions) were in buildings begun after 1st October, 1951, and 15,005 in buildings begun before that date. The estimated increase in the school population between 1st October, 1951, and 30th September, 1953, is 34,900. No exact comparison can be made between new places provided and increases in the school population because sometimes new places are provided to meet movements of population as well as increases and sometimes places for additional children can be found in existing schools without new buildings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total cost of repair and maintenance of schools in the financial year 1952–53; and the estimated figure for the current financial year.

In 1952–53 education authorities spent £1,512,610 on the repair and maintenance of schools: it is estimated that in 1953–54 their expenditure will be £1,653,389.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence how many 1939–45 war-time deserters are still unaccounted for.

10,932 wartime deserters are still unaccounted for. This figure includes men with addresses in the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere overseas.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence how many men in the three Services took advantage of the amnesty granted to deserters.

3,068, including 524 men who were granted protecting certificates in accordance with the concession announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary on 1st April, 1953.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether all National Service men serving in Malaya are entitled to the free parcel concession for Christmas; and why the General Post Office are refusing certain Christmas parcels.

I would refer the hon. Lady to the statement I made on 17th November, from which it is clear that the concession applies in respect of each member of the Armed Forces who left this country for Malaya after 5th November. The second part of her Question is a matter for the Postmaster-General.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he is aware of the confusion and misunderstanding with regard to the minimum and average pensions of retired officers of the Armed Forces; whether, before publishing any White Paper on the subject, Her Majesty's Government will receive a deputation from the officers concerned, so that the facts may be clarified; and whether he will provide opportunity for a debate on this subject.

Her Majesty's Government do not consider that any useful service would be rendered by Ministers receiving a deputation at this time. The question of a debate is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for War why Maurice William Cox was charged at a Greenwich court for failing to comply with a training notice served upon him under the National Service Act and subsequently charged under the Army Act for being absent without leave.

Failure to comply with a training notice is an offence punishable by either a civil court or a court-martial. The first appearance of Gunner Cox before the Greenwich Metropolitan Magistrates' Court was on his apprehension, with a view to his being handed over to the military authorities for trial by court-martial. I understand that the magistrate felt that he should be dealt with by the civil court for the offence of failing to comply with a training notice and remanded the case. On remand, Gunner Cox pleaded guilty to the offence and was dealt with accordingly. He was not subsequently charged under the Army Act with absence without leave, nor will he be charged with that offence.

asked the Secretary of State for War when, and where, a court of inquiry will be held to inquire into the death of 22896797 Craftsman Peter Charles Frederick Huggett; whether arrangements will be made for the parents to be legally represented at the expense of the War Office; and whether he will ensure that one of the matters to be considered at the court of inquiry will be the regimental orders issued concerning armed guard duty.

The court of inquiry into the death of this soldier assembled on 30th November and has completed its investigation. I have written fully to my hon. Friend about this sad accident, and, in particular, about the relevant regimental orders.

asked the Secretary of State for War why the non-industrial staff of his Department increased by 235 between 1st July and 1st October. 1953.

These quarterly figures reflect part of the increase in numbers envisaged for the financial year as a whole, for which I gave the reasons in my reply to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Perth and East Perthshire (Colonel Gomme-Duncan) on 17th November this year.

asked the Secretary of State for War what investigations he has made into the disappearance of a farm trailer and other War Department property from the Chilwell Ordnance Depot; what was the result of the investigations; and what further action he proposes to take in the matter.

I have made inquiries and no War Department property has disappeared from this depot.

asked the Secretary of State for War on what grounds the Home Guard has decided not to allow brevets gained by ex-aircrew members of the Royal Air Force during the war other than full pilot wings to be worn by its members.

This is in line with the established practice in the Regular and Territorial Armies.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will refer the evidence regarding other incidents of improper shooting of Africans to the court of inquiry in Kenya.

This court of inquiry will consider all evidence relevant to its task.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in the negotiations with Cuba on the trade arrangements for the coming year, he will, in the interests of the Commonwealth and the sterling area, bear in mind the necessity of maintaining the position of the Jamaican cigar industry.

The discussions in Havana touch upon various matters of concern to colonial interests and I can assure my hon. Friend that those interests are being fully borne in mind by Her Majesty's Government. So far as cigars are concerned, our import restrictions are imposed for currency reasons, and whether any relaxation in respect of Cuba is possible must depend on the state of our Balance of payments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what progress has been made with the Brazilian Government concerning the expansion of trade with this country;(2) when he expects to receive the first payment on the outstanding debts from Brazil to exporters in this country.

A Brazilian delegation is at present in London to discuss arrangements for carrying out the agreement already reached between the two Governments on the payment of commercial debts; and, as soon as arrangements are agreed, I would expect payments to be started within a few weeks.As regards trade with Brazil, I trust, as my right hon. Friend said on 8th December in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Walton, (Mr. K. Thompson) that the effect of the debt settlement will be a gradual improvement of this trade from its present regrettably low level.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the shortage of phthalic anhydride which is causing difficulties to synthetic resin manufacturers; what is the reason for the shortage; what quantity has been exported during 1953; what quantity has been imported during the same period; and if he will relieve this product of key-industry duty during periods of shortage.

Growing demand for this material and large scale American purchases in Europe have caused a temporary shortage, which should be ended next year by new capacity coming into production. I regret that figures of imports and exports during 1953 are not available, since this material is not separately distinguished in the trade returns. The possibility of temporary exemption such as was made between 1950 and 1952 is at present under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to promote the increase of our share of world exports of manufactures.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. George Craddock) on 8th December.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken to recover the £200 million to £250 million British capital that was lost in China; how much has been recovered; and whether he will consider making a small levy on all future Anglo-Chinese trade in order to recoup what has been lost.

British property in China falls into the two categories of physical assets and investments in Chinese bonds. The former were largely lost during the years of Japanese aggression, were recovered in 1945, and are now suffering in various ways because of the difficulties of operating in China at the present time, including requisitioning by the Chinese Government. As regards bonds, nearly all payments have ceased since 1938.I cannot accept as accurate the figures quoted in my hon. Friend's Question. Her Majesty's Government have made representations to the Chinese Government; but, so far, no compensation has been paid in respect of expropriation and there has been no easement of the difficulties imposed. Nevertheless, my right hon. Friend could not agree to the suggestion made in the third part of my hon. Friend's Question. Her Majesty's Government will, however, continue to do all they can to protect British interests in China.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now urge our allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to establish an Atlantic consultative assembly.

Her Majesty's Government are supporting the efforts which the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is now making to find ways of bringing Members of Parliament in the 14 countries into closer touch with its work. But they do not feel that the time is ripe for the establishment of an Atlantic consultative assembly.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the quantities of coke which the United Kingdom is permitted to export to Europe under the Geneva Committee Trade Agreement.

Unlimited quantities. I presume that my hon. Friend has in mind the arrangements for the quarterly allocation of solid fuel exports worked through the Coal Distribution Committees of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation and the Economic Commission for Europe. These arrangements are designed to secure an equitable distribution of available supplies between member countries and impose no limits on quantities exported.

asked the Under secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the length of time which must elapse before new transport aircraft can come into service, he is satisfied that, in addition to the projected Beverley freighter, new types of aircraft are likely to be available for general purposes to provide the necessary mobility for our airborne forces and strategic reserves.

I can assure my hon. Friend that the importance of obtaining modern transport aircraft for Service purposes is fully appreciated. In any major emergency the full potential of British civil aviation could be made available, in addition to the resources of the Royal Air Force, to provide mobility for our forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will appoint an independent commission of inquiry into the circumstances associated with the deaths of 11 Africans and the injury and arrest of many others during recent disturbances in the Southern Province of Nyasaland, following the incidents at Luchenza and Cholo, which have already been the subject of inquiry.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the Questions on this subject from the hon. Members for Deptford (Sir L. Plummer) and Leyton (Mr. Sorensen) on 2nd December.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will introduce legislation to amend the law which forbids payment of sickness benefit to an insured industrial worker where, for a portion of the day, however small, he has been at work.

No. Sickness benefit has never been provided for periods of incapacity of less than a day, and my right hon. Friend sees no reason to introduce amending legislation on this point.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many persons are receiving non-contributory pensions; and how many of them are married couples, single men and single women, respectively.

In October, 1953, about 348,000 persons were receiving non-contributory old age pensions. The details asked for are not available but it is known that the total consists of 103,000 men, 212,000 single women or widows and 33,000 married women, whose husbands may or may not be receiving non-contributory pensions.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will give an estimate of the number of men over 65 and women over 60 years of age who are not at present qualified for retirement pension and not in receipt of a non-contributory pension; and how many of these men and women are receiving National Assistance.

There are about 22 million men over 65 and women over 60 who are not in receipt of either retirement pension or non-contributory old age pension: of these about 100,000 are receiving National Assistance.About 1·1 million of them can expect to qualify for retirement pensions later on.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) how many widows, not being persons insured in their own right, are drawing retirement pensions; and how many of them are between 60 and 65 years of age and how many are over 65 years old, respectively;(2) the total number of women insured in their own right and qualified to draw retirement pensions; how many between 60 and 65 years of age are still at work and therefore not drawing pension; how many between 60 and 65 years of age have already retired; how many over 65 years of age are still working; how many have retired; and how many are married, widows or single persons, respectively;(3) the total number of men qualified to draw retirement pensions; how many between 65 and 70 years of age are still at work and therefore not drawing pension; how many between 65 and 70 years

—	Drawing Retirement Pension				Entitled to draw pension when they retire
	Age 60–64	Age 65–69	Age 70 or over	Total	Age 60–64	Age 65–69	Age 70 or over	Total
Men (1)	—	420	1,005	1,425	—	300	—	300
Women on own insurance (1) (4)	340	600		940	95	—	—	95
Wives on husbands' insurance (2) (3)	140	595		735	155			155
Widows on husbands' insurance	160	1,015		1,175	—	—	—	—
Total				4,275				550
				4,825
NOTES:
1. Men aged 70 and women aged 65 are deemed to have retired whether or not they are working. No information is therefore available as to the number of those still at work.
2. The figure of 735,000, representing wives of retirement pensioners who are drawing retirement pensions by virtue of their husband's insurance, cannot be divided according to the age of the husbands.
3. The figures do not show that an increase of retirement pension is paid in respect of their wives aged under 60, to some 35,000 men aged 65 to 69 and to some 25,000 aged 70 or over.
4. Information is not available about the marital status of women insured in their own right and qualified to draw retirement pension.

asked the Minister of Health, for the years 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1952, the number of cases notified of diphtheria in children under 15 years; the number of cases of diphtheria in which children had been immunised; the number of cases of diphtheria in children who

Year			Cases Notified	Cases Immunised	Cases not Immunised	Number of deaths	Number of cases in preceding column in which children were immunised	Number of cases not immunised
1948	…	…	2,426	788	1,638	134	6	128
1949	…	…	1,317	435	882	67	4	63
1950	…	…	653	202	451	35	7	28
1952	…	…	255	89	166	17	1	16

The following table gives the estimated figures on the basis of the latest available information:had not been immunised;the number of deaths from diphtheria of children under 15; the number of fatal cases of diphtheria among children who had been immunised; and the number of deaths from diphtheria of those not immunised.

The following table gives the information for children under 15:

asked the Under-secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether, in view of the generosity shown towards this country by other countries in the floods which occurred in January and February of this year, Her Majesty's Government will reconsider the decision not to make any grant to the Indian Prime Minister's relief fund for people affected by the floods in Andhra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member on 24th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the original estimate of £1,467, for the adaptation of the control centre, Sheerness, submitted by the Sheerness Urban District Council, was increased to £4,500 by his Department.

The district council are adapting and strengthening the existing control centre on behalf of the county council who will meet the cost with the help of Exchequer grant at the rate of 75 per cent. The district council's original plans were incomplete, and, among other items, made no provision for ventilating plant. The minimum necessary modifications suggested by the county council and by my technical advisers have increased the estimated cost of the work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue uniforms to members of the Civil Defence Welfare Section.

I regret that the supplies available are not sufficient to enable this to be done at present, but the question will be kept under review.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will now specify the frequency channels in Band III to be allocated for competitive television.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer I gave on 25th November to the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. C. Hughes)