asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the present strength of the Metropolitan Police Force; what strength he at present estimates it should attain; what steps he is taking to bring it up to that strength; and when he estimates that strength will be attained.

:The strength of the Metropolitan police on 31st January, 1954, was 15,854 men and 468 women, and the authorised establishment 19,704 men and 524 women. While Iam not in a position to prophesy when the strength of the Force is likely to reach the present establishment, steps which I hope will improve recruitment include a recent increase of pay, with consequential increases in overtime rates and detective duty allowances, and the doubling of the special allowance for constables and sergeants in London. More houses and flats are being provided, 778 having been completed during 1953. Advertising is continuing on a substantial scale. Information about the police service is being made available at schools and military depots, and recruiting inquiries at police stations are followed up.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to make a statement on recent changes in the organisation and constitution of the Metropolitan Police Force; what effect they have had on the present strength; and what effect he estimates they will have on the future strength of that Force.

In reply to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. and learned Member to my answer on 21st January to Questions by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Stockport, North (Wing Commander Hulbert) and the hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. Delargy). As regards the remaining parts of the Question, the indirect effect on the strength of the Force of measures which were designed primarily to improve its efficiency cannot readily be assessed, but I hope that one effect of these measures will be to check the resignation of younger men.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, when introducing amending legislation to safeguard the pension rights of widows of the Royal Irish Constabulary, he will also amend the regulations governing the pre-1948 British police widows, so that they may enjoy the weekly rate of 45s. now being paid to those ladies who became widows after 1948.

As I have previously explained, I have given sympathetic consideration to this proposal, but I regret to say that after a further review I do not feel able to depart from my conclusion that I should not be justified in proposing the same rates of pension for police widows whose husbands died before 5th July, 1948, as for those whose husbands died after that date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the necessary legislation will be introduced defining the section of the Civil Defence Corps which is to be responsible for the removal of casualties from a bombed area.

:Legislation is not required to place duties on a section of the Civil Defence Corps. Plans for the collection of casualties are being discussed with the representative associations of local authorities. When they have been agreed a draft regulation under the Civil Defence Act, 1948, will be laid before Parliament conferring on local authorities the function of organising this service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of units in the various Civil Defence services are fully equipped with radio-active measuring equipment for training purposes.

The issue to corps authorities of radiac equipment, except for the training version of the portable dose-rate meter, for the local training of members of all the Civil Defence and allied services was started in the autumn of 1952 and completed by the middle of last year, except in the case of five authorities who have not yet made the necessary arrangements for storage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give permission for the demolition of communal air-raid shelters in back streets in the Eston urban district because of the long-standing nuisance caused to residents and the unsuitability of such shelters for serious protection against aerial attack in the event of another war.

I am advised that the communal shelters at Eston would givemuch better protection than a house against an attack with either high explosive or atomic bombs, and I regret that I am unable to agree that they should be demolished.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals have been made to him from the decisions of police authorities in Wales who have refused to grant licences to the Parliament for Wales Petition Committee to organise local collections towards their campaign funds; what were the police authorities concerned; and how many appeals have succeeded.

:I am informed that some police authorities in Wales have taken the view and have so informed the committee that their applications were not within the scope of the House to House Collections Act, 1939, which relates to collections for charitable purposes. I am proposing to inform the committee, who brought the matter to my notice, that in these circumstances no question arises for my consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires have taken place at Colbren, Breconshire, during the last two years, at which the fire service attended; what was the estimated amount of damage; how far the fire service had sufficient water to deal with the outbreaks; and what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the fire service has a sufficient supply of water available in the event of any future outbreaks.

I aminformed that there have been three such fires in the Colbren district since January, 1952; that the estimated damage was £2,000, £10 and £500, respectively; and that sufficient water was available on each occasion. Under the Fire Services Act, 1947, the responsibility for ensuring an adequate supply of water for fire-fighting rests with the fire authority, in this case the Breconshire and Radnorshire Joint Fire Brigade Committee; and, on the information before me, the Committee is fully alive to that responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what organisations he has now been able to consult with regard to the recommendations of the Gowers Committee Report; when he expects to have completed consultations with interested organisations; and when he intends to introduce legislation to deal with the recommendations.

I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind the Gowers Committee's recommendations on health, welfare and safety in non-industrial employment. Below is a list of the organisations to which have been circulated the tentative proposals for legislation for which my Department is responsible.As regards the second and third parts of the Question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answers which I gave on 16th February to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. G. Thomas) and on 12th November to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Padley) and other hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to appoint a committee to inquire into the danger to public morale caused by wide publicity in the Press of gross and unnecessary details in cases of homosexuality, and to make recommendationsfor the protection of the public against repetition in the future.

:I have under consideration the general question of the law relating to sexual offences and of the treatment of sexual offenders. I will bear in mind the suggestion of the hon. Member, but I do not think that the appointment of a committee to consider this one aspect of the problem would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to give figures to show the comparative prevalence of sheep stealing in England in 1938, 1946 and 1953.

:I regret that separate figures for sheep stealing are not available. The number of offences of larceny of sheep, horses and cattle known to the police in England and Wales in 1938, 1946 and 1952 was 96, 241 and 349. The figures for 1953 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the Government's intentions for implementing the special arrangements referred to in paragraph 16 of the White Paper, Decontrol of Food and Marketing of Agricultural Produce, Command Paper No. 8989.

The special position of Northern Ireland in regard to the marketing of agricultural produce has been carefully considered by the Government, in consultation with the Government of Northern Ireland. Agriculture is by far the largest industry of Northern Ireland. Production there has been expanded much more rapidly than in the United Kingdom as a whole, and the industry not only made a vital contribu- tion to the economy of the United Kingdom during the war, but continues to do so. During the period of shortages and closely controlled marketing conditions farmers in Northern Ireland have in general received parity of prices with farmers in Great Britain. With the ending of scarcities and the return towards a free market there is no doubt that farmers in Northern Ireland will find themselves at a peculiar disadvantage because they have to market the larger part of their whole production in Great Britain.The Government do not expect Northern Ireland producers to carry the whole burden of a greater degree of price differentiation than that borne by other distant producers on the mainland. They have therefore decided that a financial adjustment should be made between the two Governments, a grant, the amount of which will be determined annually, being placed at the disposal of the Government of Northern Ireland to use for the purpose of assisting the agricultural industry. The following special arrangements will also be made to meet the particular difficulties arising in Northern Ireland in regard to the marketing of fatstock by reason of the absence of comprehensive marketing facilities:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many affiliation orders have been made by magistrates against American Service men since 1952; how many have been enforced; and what means exist for enforcement when the Service man leaves the country.

:I regret that the information asked for in the first two parts of the Question is not available. There is no means of enforcing an affiliation order made by a United Kingdomcourt against a person who has left this country, but the United States authorities do all they can to persuade Service men to comply with such orders.

asked the Minister of Agriculture on what basis of cost it was decided to make use of the Carlton House Terrace site as the new Foreign Office rather than have it developed as a commercial site for residential flats, hotels and offices, it being assumed the Nash front would not be materially altered in either case.

:I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to his Question on 11th February. As I explained, no final plans have yet been submitted to the Commissioners of Crown Lands. I would add further that under the County of London Development Plan the intention is that buildings in this area should be reserved for Governmental or institutional use.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what instructions he gave in regard to the grading of farms at the time ofthe Land Survey; whether farms which are producing 80 per cent. to 100 per cent, of the maximum are still graded A; whether those producing 60 per cent. to 80 per cent. are still graded B; and those producing less than 60 per cent. of the maximum are still graded C.

:The percentages quoted by my hon. Friend relate to the war-time farm survey that started in 1941 and no longer apply. Farm surveys were revised and remodelled in 1949, primarily as an aid to advisory work, and are still continuing. They are conducted by county agricultural executive committees who are no longer required to grade farmers and many in fact have ceased to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the practical basis of judgment upon which a farm is classed as C and placed under supervision; and how far it can be expressed in percentage terms of maximum efficiency.

There is a clear distinction between a C grading under the farm survey and placing a farmer under supervision. A C grading means that the standard of efficiency is low and that the farmer specially needs advice and help. A farmer can only be placed under supervision for failing to fulfil his responsibilities under the rules of good husbandry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what representations were made to him by the National Farmers'Union to import a reserve of cereals before the date of derationing animal feedingstuffs as a safeguard against shortage and a rise in price; and whether the amount actually imported was greater or less than the reserve asked for.

I received representations from several quarters that a very large reserve of feedingstuffs should be built up before derationing and a number of different figures were mentioned. The Government considered that the very much smaller stocks held by the Ministry of Food would provide an adequate reserve.

asked the Minister of Health how the number of over 4,000 persons on the waiting list for tonsil and adenoid operations at hospitals administered by Derby No. 1 Hospital Management Committee compares with similar hospital areas in the country; and to what extent the size of the list is due to shortage of doctors, hospital accommodation, nursing staff or to other causes.

The available information suggests that the waiting list in this area is unusually long. The number of beds is being increased and it is hoped to bring 18 more into use by 1st April, but there is some difficulty in recruiting nursing staff.

asked the Minister of Health which authorities have so far failed to set up occupational and training centres for backward children.

:Thirty-seven health authorities in England and Wales have not provided occupation centres. Local health authorities are not bound to provide centres and these are not the only means of providing training. According to my Department's records, only 18 local health authorities have made no formal provision for the training of defectives.

asked the Minister of Health whether he intends to introduce a dentists Bill this Session.

The Bill will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time permits.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to satisfy himself that there is no relationship between pneumoconiosis and cancer of the lung.

I am advised that there is no evidence of any such relationship.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give statistics showing the percentage of deaths from cancer of the lung amongst non-smokers, medium smokers and heavy smokers.

Such statistics are not available.

asked the Minister of Health to make a statement on the progress made in the costing of drugs and dressings commonly prescribed under the National Health Service.

It is too early to give details but the cost investigations are proceeding steadily and consequential discussions have been commenced with the industry on one part of the field covered by the inquiry.

asked the Minister of Health the estimated cost to the National Health Service in 1953 of payments by hospital authorities to part-time specialists and consultants for travelling time and domiciliary consultations.

:I regret that it is not possible to give an estimate of the cost of travelling time, as this is not paid for separately. Information about payments for domiciliary consultations is being obtained and I will send it to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education what estimate she has made of the extra cost to each of the Welsh education authorities if the L.E.A. contribution to teachers' superannuation is increased by one per cent.

No information on which to base such an estimate is yet available to me.

asked the Minister of Education in what year she estimates that the Teachers' superannuation scheme will pay out more money than is received by contributions.

It is estimated that in about five years'time, on the basis of present legislation, the annual outgoings from the superannuation account in a particular year (other than those for pre-contributory service and payments under the Pensions (Increase) Acts) will begin to exceed the revenue from contributions in that year. This estimate assumes that the number of teachers in service will increase roughly at the present rate during these years.

asked the Minister of Education what estimate she has made of what will be the net increase in contribution to be found by local education authorities when the 6 per cent. superannuation contribution is in operation.

:I estimate that in a full year the net extra charge to be met by local education authorities would be of the order of £1¾ million of which 40 per cent., or some £700,000, would fall on the rates.

asked the Minister of Education by what amount she estimates that the Teachers'superannuation scheme will be in balance during each of the next five years.

asked the Minister of Education the total accumulated surplus of contributions over benefits paid into the Teachers'Superannuation Fund to date.

On the basis of existing legislation, the credit balance in the Account is estimated to be approximately as follows:

31st March, 1954	£232 million
31st March, 1955	£244 million
31st March, 1956	£256 million
31st March, 1957	£267 million
31st March, 1958	£278 million

These estimates assume that during this period the number of teachers in service will increase roughly at the present rate.

asked the Minister of Education the total amount received by contributions to the Teachers'superannuation scheme since its inception; and the total expenditure to date.

It is provisionally estimated that, from the inception of the schemein June, 1922, up to 31st March, 1953, the contributions received amounted to some £213 million; these contributions attracted interest amounting to about £100 million. In this period the estimated total expenditure in respect of service onand after 1st June, 1922, amounted to about £93 million, and about £153 million was charged to the Exchequer in respect of service prior to 1st June, 1922.

asked the Minister of Education how many additional special school places have been provided for educationally sub-normal children during the past year both in the country generally and in the county of Chester in particular.

During 1953, 1,134 new special school places for educationally sub-normal children were provided in England and Wales. None of these were for children in the city of Chester or the county of Cheshire.

asked the Minister of Education the number of entrants into the teaching profession for 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953, respectively; and the total wastage due to death, retirement, marriage or other causes during those respective years.

The following are the approximate numbers entering upon teaching for the first time in maintained primary and secondary schools (other than special schools) in the years mentioned, together with the approximate net wastage from those schools. The latter figure allows for the return to the schools of teachers previously in teaching service.

Calendar year	Total recruitment	Net wastage
1950	18,500*	11,500
1951	14,500*	8,600
1952	13,250	7,550
1953 (estimate)	13,500	8,100
*Includes some teachers trained at emergency training colleges and the special courses for unqualified teachers.

asked the Minister of Education what grants have been made by the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organisation to the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges of Hamilton House, Blooms-bury.

asked the Minister of Education the number of children on the rolls in the schools under her jurisdiction for 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953, respectively; and the estimated numbers for 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 and 1960, respectively.

The latest available figures and estimates are set out on page 6 of my Department's Annual Report for 1952 with the modification that the actual number of children in January, 1953 was greater by 11,000 than the figure there estimated. The actual figure for January, 1954, will not be available until next June.

asked the Minister of Education whether she has reviewed the rule whereby a graduate teacher who does not attempt a course of teacher- training is regarded as qualified, while such a teacher who attempts the course and fails is then regarded as unqualified and suffers loss of salary;and what conclusion she has reached.

:I agree that this arrangement is open to criticism, but it is also not easy for me to disregard the judgment of the area training organisation responsible for such a man's course of training. Some monthsago I invited the National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers to review the matter and I hope shortly to have their advice before me so that I can reach a conclusion on it.

asked the Minister of Education in view of the number of representations made to her, if she will reconsider her decision not to vary the ruling of the Glamorgan education authority refusing transport facilities to children from the Colcot area of Barry who have to attend the Jenner Road School, Barry; and in particular if she will consider making some concession in favour of the youngest children affected; and if she will make a statement.

The matter is primarily for the local education authority for Glamorgan to consider, and as the distance which the children have to walk is less than the walking distance laid down in Section 39 (5) of the Education Act, 1944, I do not feel able to intervene.

asked the Minister of Education what representations she has received from the Staffordshire County Council on the subject of permission being granted to the council to revert to the school report scheme in operation prior to the issue of Circular 242.

I received a letter from the Staffordshire local education authority seeking my agreement to such a change. In my reply I explained that the need to economise in public expenditure has not diminished and that I cannot agree to any general relaxation of the measures I asked authorities to adopt in Circular 242. At the same time I reminded the authority that it is open to them to suggest concessions in exceptional cases where they consider that special justification exists.

asked the Minister of Education if she will consider certain information sent to her by the hon. Member for Lichfield and Tamworth; and, in view of this information, if she will now cancel the school transport restrictions imposed under her Circular No. 242.

I have read the article to which the hon. Gentleman has drawn my attention. I see no reason to modify the terms of Circular 242. It already stated that I am prepared to consider exceptional cases where the local education authority could satisfy me that special justification exists for the provision of free transport over distances less than the statutory minima. The circular specifically mentions traffic dangers as one of the possible grounds for such exceptional provision.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will withhold her consent to increases in school fees proposed by the Girls'Public Day School Trust in view of the fact that the yield from the increases will be in excess of the additional cost of the Trust of the recent Burnham award.

I have not received any proposals for increased fees in the upper schools of the Girls'Public Day School Trust, but if I do I will consider them on their merits. I have received proposals for increased fees in the junior schools of the Trust. Ipay no grant in respect of these junior schools but the increases proposed appear to be reasonable in relation to the increased cost which will have to be met if salaries in these schools are increased in accordance with the proposals of the Burnham Committee.

asked the Minister of Education the average cost per pupil per annum in primary schools for the whole country; and what it is for the county of Dorset.

On the basis of the revised estimates of authorities for the current financial year, the average cost per pupil in primary schools maintained by local education authorities in England and Wales is about £32. I cannot yet give a separate figure for Dorset for that year, butin 1952–53, when the corresponding figure for England and Wales was about £30, the average cost per pupil in maintained primary schools in Dorset was about £31.

asked the Minister of Education what percentage of school leavers from secondary modern schools and secondary grammar schools, respectively, enter the mining industry.

:I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power that in the calendaryear 1951, which is the only year for which the figures in question were recorded, 9,208 boys leaving secondary modern schools and 484 boys leaving secondary grammar schools, entered the coalmining industry. These represented about 5·1 per cent. and 1 per cent. respectively of boys leaving these schools in the educational year ending 31st July, 1951.

asked the Minister of Education why she is reducing the number of primary schools under construction at a time when the number of over crowded classes in the primary schools is increasing.

:The primary school population is now only some 80,000 short of the peak which it will reach in 1956. There are at present about 180,000 primary places under construction. Smaller annual programmes of new primary places than those of recent years should, therefore, more than suffice, with work already in hand, to keep pace with increasing numbers and new housing developments.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will cause an inquiry to be held into the qualifications, salaries, allowances and pensions of assistant masters of grammar schools, with a view to ensuring that high standards of teaching are maintained and that an adequate number of well-qualified assistant masters are forthcoming to meet the increasing needs of such schools.

No. I am as concerned as anyone to see that high standards of teaching continue and that theschools, including grammar schools, get sufficient well-qualified teachers but I do not think that a special inquiry such as is suggested in the question would serve these ends.

asked the Minister of Education whatamendment to Section 39 (5) of the Education Act, 1944, she will now introduce, following the action of the Lord Chief Justice in dismissing the appeal of a Kent parent convicted by a lower court for non-attendance of his six-year-old child, in order to make it clear that the words "nearest available route" shall mean "nearest available safe route."

None.

asked the Minister of Education the number of classes in the secondary schools under her jurisdiction which have more than 30 on the roll.

I have no more recent figures than those I circulated on 22nd October last in the Official Report in reply to the hon. Member's Question. Figures for January, 1954, will be available next October when the returns in respect of each school will have been analysed.

asked the Minister of Education what representations have been made by her Department to local education authorities concerning the remission in part or in total of past loans to students training to be teachers.

:None. Authorities are, I think, well aware of the position, which is that, whilst any general remission of loans would be of doubtful legal propriety, it is open to them to consider total or partial remission on the merits of any particular case.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many licences for the import of live animals, performing and otherwise, have been issued during each of the last six years.

:Since 1946 most kinds of live animals originating in and consigned from Commonwealth countries have been admissible under the open general licence. Since August, 1950, most live animals originating in and consigned from a number of foreign countries have also been covered by the open general licence. In addition, live zoological specimens have been admissible without payment under open individual licences held by certain zoos for various periods. Finally, 166 specific licences for the import of live animals were issued in 1950, 231 in 1951, 348 in 1952 and 220 in 1953. Comparable figures for 1948 and 1949 do not now exist.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he intends to protect the home-grown apple crap for the coming season.

:Our balance of payments difficulties will make it necessary to maintain quantitative restrictions on the import of apples during the present year. So far as the future is concerned, an application for the imposition of a protective duty on foreign apples is under examination.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the large number of road accidents which are caused by dogs, he will introduce legislation to place the responsibility for such accidents and for damage resulting there from upon the owners or persons in charge of the dogs concerned.The Attorney-General: Theamendment of the law of civil liability for damage done by animals is under consideration. It is not proposed to deal separately with the liability of owners of dogs.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works as representing the Lord President of the Council, the estimated cost of the recent inquiry into the relation between smoking and cancer; and to what extent its researches were hampered by lack of funds.

The statistical investigation into the relationship between smoking and cancer of the lung was carried out by Members of the Statistical Research Unit of the Medical Research Council during the years 1948–52 at a total cost of approximately £7,000.The investigation was not in any way hampered by lack of funds. Subsequently, a panel under the Government Actuary considered the results of the investigation: the cost of this was very small.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds the Kenya League, the Anti-Federation League, and the Mombasa Branch of the East African Students Federation, which are inter-racial in membership, have been banned in Kenya.

These organisations were refused registration under Section 5 (4, b) of the Societies Ordinance, 1952 as likely to be used for unlawful purposes or for purposes prejudicial to or incompatible with peace, welfare or good order in the Colony. They have been closely associated with other societies which have been treated as unlawful.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the average number of workers employed in growing tobacco and manufacturing cigars, respectively, in Jamaica in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12th February, 1954; Vol. 523, c. 171–2], supplied the following further information.The best available estimates are:

Year	Field workers	Factory workers
1949	4,800	1,850
1950	4,000	1,750
1951	2,250	1,600
1952	2,000	1,450
1953	1,400	1,300

The estimates of factory workers are reasonably reliable, but those of field workers are less so since they include peasant cultivators working with their families on smallholdings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what amount of capital has been invested in British Guiana by American interests over the last five years; and the total invested from other sources over the same period.

, pursuant to his right hon. Friend's reply [Official Report, 5th February, 1954; Vol. 523, c. 79–80], supplied the following further information.The estimated total investments in British Guiana by United States interests and other interests during the period 1948–52 were £1 million and £10·9 million respectively. Figures for 1953 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many collieries he expects to be worked out in Lanarkshire within the next 10 years; and how many persons they now employ.

I understand that a number of Lanarkshire pits may be closed within the next ten years because of the exhaustion of the economically workable coal resources. I would prefer not to give an estimate of the actual number of pits likely to be affected since any such estimate must in present circumstances be regarded as tentative.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects that a piped water supply will be available for the parish of Aust, Gloucestershire.

I am informed that a supply to the village of Aust may be available by the late summer or autumn.

asked the Minister of Labour to give the reasons for the recent rise in adult unemployment to 8,668 in the North Midlands region; and to what extent it is due to lack of orders in industry and seasonal causes.

:The increase of 549 in the number of adults on the unemployed register in the North Midlands region between November and December, 1953, which brought the total number unemployed (including young persons) to 8,668, was almost entirely accounted for by a seasonal rise in the numbers unemployed in agriculture and in building and civil engineering. A further rise of 1,452 in adult unemployment in January, 1954, was also due to seasonal factors, affecting the clothing and textile industries, and the distributive trades, as well as those already mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for War the conditions under which a member of the Territorial Army, who has been prevented from fulfilling the whole of his annual duties, can qualify for a part-bounty.

:The normal rules are set out in Regulations for the Territorial Army, 1952, of which, there is a copy in the Library of the House. The relevant paragraphs are 707, 708, 710 and 736. Exceptional cases are considered on their merits. If, however, my hon. Friend has any particular difficulty in mind, I am very ready to look into it.