asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many men were granted commissions under the upper yard scheme during the year 1953–54 and each of the past five years.

Permanent commissions from the lower deck into the various branches of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines under the upper yardmen and Royal Marine cadet schemes over the past five years have been granted as follow:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware of a further incident involving damage to H.M.S. "Ocean"; and whether, in view of the frequency of such incidents in Her Majesty's ships, especially Her Majesty's aircraft carriers, in recent months, he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mr. J. J. Astor).

asked the Minister of Food when the White Paper of the Interdepartmental Committee on Slaughtering will be published.

asked the Minister of Food when he intends to publish the report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Slaughtering.

The Interim Report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Slaughterhouses for England and Wales is being published today.My right hon. Friend has asked me to say that an Interim Report by the Inter- departmental Committee for Slaughterhouses for Scotland is also being published today. These Reports contain the Committees' recommendations about the arrangements for slaughtering on the decontrol of meat and livestock this summer.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to be able to allow work to begin upon the reconstruction of Lewisham Hospital.

I cannot yet give any date.

asked the Minister of Health how many people were detained in mental hospitals, homes and hostels under his control at 31st December. 1953; and how this figure compares with 31st December. 1939.

Figures for 1953 are not available; the December, 1952, figures are:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why publication of the Bracknell New Town Report was not made until eight months after receipt.

Although the first to be received this year, the Bracknell Development Corporation Report is one of 12 and for the convenience of Parliament it has been the practice to lay them at the same time. I will, however, consider whether a change is desirable.

asked the hon. Member for Woolwich, West, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, if he will publish in Hansard a table of figures showing the charges for the various snacks and meals supplied in the Members' Tea Room; the prices paid for these commodities by the Kitchen Committee; and how these charges and costs compared with a given date in each of the last six years.

It is regretted that records of prices charged for the various snacks and meals supplied in the Members' Tea Room during the past six years are not available, other than those given in my reply to a Written Question on 23rd November, 1953.I understand that no menus, showing prices charged in the Members' Tea Room during that period, have been printed, as prices have often been altered daily to allow for fluctuating costs.In regard to prices paid, it is not the normal practice, either for a Government Department or a trading concern, to disclose these figures even if they are available.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in view of the fact that if effective measures are to be introduced to deal with oil pollution of the sea it will be necessary to develop efficient separating apparatus for use in ships and harbours, he will consult the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research as to what steps should be taken to stimulate research and development in this country of apparatus and methods in this connection.

The Faulkner Committee referred in their Report to tests carried out at their request on various makes of oily water separators, of which considerable numbers are now fitted in ships, and also to methods of disposal and treatment of oily residue ashore. They concluded that the majority of separators on the market in this country can, with proper use, be relied on to give a satisfactory performance, although there is scope for improvement. I am considering the desirability of drawing up a performance specification for the guidance of manufacturers and ship owners.