asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to secure a review of petty sessional divisions in London; and when he intends to make an order to carry this review into effect.

I understand that the Magistrates' Courts Committee have reviewed the division of the county of London into petty sessional divisions, and intend to submit a draft order to me in due course proposing certain alterations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Departmental report on the adoption of children; and what action he proposes to take on the recommendation contained therein.

The report has not yet been received.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will consider granting exemption from National Service to men who have served for two years or more in the Merchant Navy.

No. The call-up of a merchant seaman can only be deferred so long as he remains so employed. If a man ceases to serve in the Merchant Navy before attaining the age of 26, he becomes available for call-up if medically fit, in the same way as a coalminer does.

asked the Minister of Labour why he has granted exemption from National Service to a young man, details of whose case have been sent to him; and whether he will make a statement.

The young man has been granted deferment of call-up under normal arrangements to enable him to complete training as an engineering fitter apprentice. I have no further statement to make.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of cases during the past year in which deferment of National Service has been refused to part-time stockmen on the ground that the proportion of their time spent tending stock amounted to less than 70 per cent.; and if he will give separate figures for Scotland.

I regret that this information is not available: it could only be obtained by the expenditure of a quite disproportionate amount of time and labour.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of women over the age of 50 years registered as unemployed in England and Wales on the last date for which figures are available; and the corresponding figures at the same time in 1953.

Nineteen thousand, five hundred and sixty-one at 7th December, 1953, and 23,417 at 8th December, 1952. Age-analyses are obtained at half-yearly intervals, and 7th December is the latest date for which figures are available. The figures relate to persons who were registered as wholly unemployed.

asked the Minister of Labour how many limbless ex-Service men are on the unemployment register in Sunderland; and how many have been unemployed for more than six months.

On 17th February, nine limbless ex-Service men resident in the county borough of Sunderland were registered as unemployed. Four of them: had been registered as unemployed for more than six months.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered as unemployed in Cardiff at the latest convenient date, and the comparative figures for 1952 and 1953.

Two thousand, eight hundred and fifteen at 11th January, 1954; 2,755 at 12th January, 1953; 2,572 at 14th January, 1952.

asked the Minister of Labour to give figures to show in terms of a £1 of constant purchasing power, the rise or fall of average weekly wage rates in the two periods between June, 1947, and October, 1951, and October, 1951, and the latest convenient date, respectively.

Between June, 1947, and October, 1951, the average level of weekly wage rates rose by 22 per cent., while the Index of Retail Prices rose by 29 per cent. Between October, 1951, and January, 1954, wage rates rose by 13 per cent, and retail prices by 9 per cent. On the basis of movements in these two indices it is estimated that in terms of constant purchasing power of the £, wage rates fell by about 5 per cent, during the first period and rose by 4 per cent, during the second period.

asked the Minister of Labour the increase since April, 1953, in the average weekly earnings of manual workers.

The average weekly earnings in the last pay week of October, 1953, of all manual workers in the industries covered by my Department's six-monthly inquiry are provisionally estimated at 160s. Id. This compares with an average of 157s. 7d. in April․a rise of 2s. 6d. per week or 16 per cent. Full details will be published towards the end of March in the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

asked the Minister of Health how far it is proposed to extend the accommodation in mental hospitals in the Sheffield regional area; and the number of beds which will be provided by the extension.

The regional hospital board hope to begin six schemes in 1954–55, which will provide 412 additional beds. Their long-term programme includes additional units at four existing hospitals which would provide a further 265 beds; and two new hospitals, each of 800 beds.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the recent case of typhoid germs being discovered in tinned food, he is prepared to use his powers to prevent the import of tinned foods from Ireland pending proper investigations.

My right hon. Friend does not think that the circumstances call for this.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that in the recent case of typhoid germs being discovered in tinned food, the tins were labelled, pure, homogenised and sterilised, but the statement from the makers only referred to pasteurisation; and if he will make inquiries.

My right hon. Friend's officers have a tin of the cream so labelled and he has seen Press reports of a statement by the makers that the cream was twice pasteurised. Inquiries at the creamery are being made by the health authorities in Ireland.

asked the Minister of Health what inspections, under Section 39 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, have been carried out at Sunset House, Montpelier Road, Ealing; and with what result.

My right hon. Friend understands that periodical unannounced inspections were made from time to time since registration in June, 1950, by officers of the Middlesex County Council, and that the general conditions and care of the residents were quite satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements exist for the inspection of disabled persons' and old persons' homes, as provided for in Section 39 of the National Assistance Act, 1948.

The primary responsibility rests upon the county and county borough councils, as the registration authorities, and the frequency of inspections is left to their discretion. From time to time my right hon. Friend's officers also carry out selective inspections in association with the registration authorities.

asked the Minister of Health why he refused the request of the Leeds Health Committee to provide a chiropody service for old people.

My right hon. Friend regrets that he has had to inform this and other local health authorities that financial considerations preclude any immediate extension of the limited chiropody service available under the National Health Service.

asked the Minister of Health who is responsible, under his regulations, for the disposal of still-born infants delivered in maternity units when the mother or family do not make the necessary arrangements.

There are no regulations governing this, but my right hon. Friend is advised that responsibility lies with the hospital management committee or in teaching 'hospitals with the Board of Governors.

asked the Minister of Health the number of notifications of diphtheria in 1953, and for comparison the corresponding figures for 1952 and 1935.

The number of original notifications of diphtheria in 1953 was 1,033 corrected to 266 confirmed cases, and in 1952, 1,431 corrected to 372. In 1935, when there was no regular provision for recording corrections, the number of cases notified was 65,084.

asked the Minister of Health the infantile mortality per 1,000 live births in England and Wales for 1953 and also for the county borough of Croydon.

The provisional infant mortality rate for England and Wales in 1953 was 27. The rate for the county borough of Croydon in 1953 is not yet available. The rate for Croydon in 1952 was 20 per thousand live births compared with 28 in the whole of England and Wales.

asked the Minister of Health the number of deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis in 1953, and for comparison the corresponding figures for 1952 and 1938.

The figure for 1953 is not yet known. The provisional figure for the first nine months of the year was 5,750, compared with 6,637 for the corresponding period of 1952. The number of deaths in the full year 1952 was 8,934. Figures for pulmonary tuberculosis were not distinguished from other forms of respiratory tuberculosis in 1938, when the total number of deaths was 21,282.

asked the Minister of Health if he will ensure that bread pro vided for hospitals shall contain an addition of fat-free milk solids to the flour normally used.

As most hospitals buy their bread from commercial bakers, this would not be practicable, and as the patients can be provided with any necessary milk products in other ways it would also seem to be unnecessary.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the boiler equipment in many hospitals is inefficient and wasteful; and if he will consider with the Minister of Fuel and Power the best means of providing modern heating installations that will save fuel and money.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the need to replace much of the equipment, and both his Department and the boards are well supplied with information about improved installations; but there are many other urgent demands on the limited resources available for capital development and it is not possible to give exclusive priority to boiler replacements.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the smoke nuisance periodically caused by the chimneys of St. Luke's Hospital in Rugby to householders in the vicinity is still continuing; and what further steps he is taking to obviate this nuisance.

My right hon. Friend understands that neither the regional hospital board nor the Coventry Hospital Management Committee have received any complaints about smoke at this hospital since June, 1951.

asked the Minister of Health which authorities at present are making no provision for the training of defective children.

Of 146 local health authorities in England and Wales the following have indicated in their returns that at 31st December, 1953, no training at an occupational centre or at home was provided in their area for mental defectives: Counties of Anglesey, Brecon, Caernarvon, Cardigan, Cornwall, Denbigh, Flint, Merioneth, Montgomery, Pembroke, Radnor, Rutland; Isles of Scilly; County Boroughs of Barrow-in-Furness, Merthyr Tydfil, South Shields, Tynemouth and Worcester. Most of these are small or very rural areas where there are often few, if any, defectives who might benefit.

asked the Minister of Health what provision is made in the county of Lincoln for the training of backward and defective children.

There are occupation and training centres at Boston, Louth and Skegness, and in the County Boroughs of Grimsby and Lincoln. Further centres are proposed at Scunthorpe, Gainsborough and Spalding. Some home training is also provided and will be extended when further staff are appointed.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give directions that a quarterly or monthly report be presented to each regional board and board of governors of a teaching hospital showing the percentage of Section V pay-beds in use by paying and non-paying patients, respectively.

No. It is for boards themselves to decide how best to discharge their responsibility for ensuring that these beds are fully used.

asked the Minister of Health the approximate annual cost to the nation of the travelling time of part-time hospital specialists.

My right hon. Friend would refer the hon. Member to the reply he gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Blenkinsop) on 18th February.

asked the Minister of Health how many part-time specialists are in attendance at five or more different hospitals under the control of his Department.

My right hon. Friend regrets that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in order to save time, he will give instructions to ophthalmic opticians providing supplementary ophthalmic services under the National Health Service Act, to refer cases needing further investigation direct to ophthalmic surgeons, at the same time notifying the general practitioner in charge of the case.

No. It is for the general practitioner to decide whether a patient requires specialist treatment, which will not always be that of an ophthalmologist. My right hon. Friend has no evidence that this causes needless delay.

asked the Minister of Education how many dentists have entered the school dental service in the last 12 months; and to what extent the service is now below establishment.

There was the equivalent of 928 full-time dentists working in the school dental service in October, 1953, compared with the equivalent of 827 in October, 1952. The figure of 928 is the highest yet reached, but because of the increase in the school roll the equivalent of over 1,000 additional full-time officers would still be needed to give a ratio of one dentist to 3,000 children for the present school population.

asked the Minister of Education what number of protests against the Teachers (Superannuation) Bill she has received.

I have received some 830 protests addressed to me or my Department, mainly from individual teachers and teachers' organisations. In addition, I have received a large number of letters through some 280 hon. Members of this House.

asked the Minister of Education what number of representations she has received from Cardiff concerning the Teachers (Superannuation) Bill; and whether she will make a statement.

I have received two letters from Cardiff protesting against the Teachers (Superannuation) Bill, including one from the local branch of the National Union of Teachers. I have no statement to make at this stage.

asked the Minister of Education to what extent the estimated deficit in the Teachers' Super annuation Fund would be met if future entrants only were required to pay an increased contribution of 6 per cent.

If the payment of 12 per cent, contribution were limited to new entrants after 31st March next, I am advised that, even if the number of teachers in service continues to increase at the present rate, the effect upon the estimated deficiency in the scheme would be very slight. The estimated deficiency of £194 million at 31st March next will, if not removed, increase at compound interest of 3½per cent., and the extra 2 per cent, contributions would fall far short of the amount of the annual growth of the deficiency.

asked the Minister of Education in what year she estimated that the Teachers' Superannuation Fund would show a deficit if the present rate of contribution were continued unchanged.

I am advised that, on the basis of the continuance of the 10 per cent, rate of contribution and of the present salary scales (including those to operate from 1st April next), and if no account is taken of the contributions and benefits payable in respect of entrants to the teaching profession since 1948 and future entrants, the balance on the scheme would become exhausted by about 1979. I have excluded from this calculation entrants and future entrants since 1948, since I have no data for making reliable estimates of the yearly number of entrants to the profession for a number of years ahead.

asked the Minister of Education what proposals she has received from the School Broadcasting Council regarding a further stage in the development of a schools television service; and what reply she has made.

None; but the School Broadcasting Council have written to me suggesting a discussion between representatives of the council and the Ministry and I am writing to accept this suggestion.

asked the Minister of Education what new proposals she is considering, in consequence of the recent discussions sponsored by the Federation of British Industries, at which her Department was represented, for remedying the shortage of science and mathematics teachers.

No specific proposals were submitted to me by the conference. But the discussions provided a valuable opportunity for an exchange of views, and a liaison committee is being established in order that close contact may be maintained between industry and the educational interests concerned while the Report of the National Advisory Council is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Education to give an estimate of the cost of implementing a policy of equal pay in respect of teachers.

Taking into account the recent recommendations of the Burnham Committee, I estimate the additional cost to public funds at rather over £14 million a year, as respects teachers serving in grant-aided schools and establishments within the purview of my Department.

asked the Minister of Education if she will ensure that bread provided for school canteens shall contain an addition of fat-free milk solids to the flour normally used.

No. Bread is not normally served with school dinners, but fresh milk and dried skimmed milk powder are used in their preparation.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will consult with Her Majesty's Government in Canada with a view to securing the interests of United Kingdom shipping companies in the redefining of Canadian coastal waters following the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The United Kingdom Government is in close touch with the Canadian Government on this as on all questions affecting United Kingdom interests in Canada.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Commonwealth Relations to what extent changes are to be made in the respective responsibilities of British Council representatives and of information officers on the staffs of United Kingdom High Commissioners in India, Pakistan and Ceylon.

No changes are to be made in India and Pakistan where the British Council and the United Kingdom information officers are doing invaluable work in their respective spheres. In Ceylon it has been decided that the position will be met most efficiently and economically by the appointment of an education officer on the staff of the U.K. High Commissioner, and that the British Council should be withdrawn as soon as arrangements can be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been drawn to the statement issued by the British Boxing Board of Control, a copy of which has been sent to him, showing that boxing promotions fell from 69 in October, 1951, to 53 in October, 1952, and 38 in October, 1953. due to the increased tax; and, in view of this fall, if he will reconsider the tax imposition in his coming Budget.

I have seen this statement, which will be borne in mind together with the other representations made to my right hon. Friend about taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much personal dollar expenditure in the United States of America was authorised last year for businessmen, for Members of Parliament and for students, respectively.

About £2½million was authorised last year for businessmen's personal dollar expenditure in the U.S.A. No comparable figures are available for the personal dollar expenditure of M.P.s or students but they must be very much smaller.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware of the hardship endured by those old-age pensioners whose sole income is their pension and who refuse to apply for National Assistance; whether he has yet received particulars of the position of these people from the National Federation of Old-Age Pensioners; and what action he is proposing to take to help them.

I have received no evidence from the National Federation or otherwise to suggest that there are many people in the position described by the hon. Member. But while I very much regret that anyone in need should decline to take advantage of the help available to them through the National Assistance Board, I do not think I can be held responsible for any consequential hardship.

asked the Minister of Food if the present subsidies on milk will be continued when he hands back the Milk Marketing Board to the producers; how much, per pint, milk now costs; and what is its annual cost.

The restoration of marketing powers to the Milk Marketing Boards does not necessarily affect the level of the milk subsidy. The estimated total subsidy on milk for 1953–54, including £10¾ million for the Attested Herds Scheme but excluding £39½ million for welfare milk and milk in schools, amounts to £54¼ million, which represents about 1⅛d. for every pint sold as full-price liquid milk.

asked the Minister of Food what safeguards he proposes for the distributive trade and the consumers in order that the Milk Marketing Board may be representative of these interests as well as the interests of producers.

I would refer the hon. Lady to the replies given to my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd), and the Member for Lichfield and Tam-worth (Mr. Snow) on 23rd and 24th February, respectively.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what proportion of boy entrants, who are offered the option of signing on for short-service commissions at the age of 18 years, do so.

About 75 per cent.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the proportion of Regulars signed on for short-service and 12-year commissions, respectively, in 1950, 1951. 1952 and 1953.

The proportions of Regular ratings and other ranks entered on special service (seven-year) and continuous service (12-year) engagements have been as follows:

—	7 years	12 years
	per cent.	per cent.
1950	38	62
1951	39	61
1952	13	87
1953	12	88

These figures are based on engagements at entry and thus do not take into account the numbers of transfers of boys from 12 to seven-year engagements subsequently. Adjustment for this factor would reduce the proportion of 12-year entrants shown above by about 15 per cent, in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many British Service personnel were on the voting lists for the recent Maltese General Election; and how many such persons are normally resident in the Colony for a period of 12 months or more.

To the best of my information six British Service personnel were on the voting lists for the recent Maltese General Election, having qualified for registration. Two of these are known to be men who had re-enlisted in Malta. I am making inquiries about the second part of the Question and will write to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recommendations have been made by the Advisory Panel (Highlands and Islands) since its inception; the dates when they were made; what action has been taken; and the date when such action was initiated.

The advice given by the Advisory Panel on the Highlands and Islands is not always in the form of a specific recommendation. I am, however, sending my noble Friend a copy of a statement of their main recommendations and of the action taken on them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the progress of moving timber from the wind-blown areas of Scotland in 1953.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) on 26th January, and to the statement circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT with that reply. Since then the amount of blown timber for which arrangements for working have not yet been made has been reduced to well under one million cubic feet.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the principal differences in the lists of goods the export of which is forbidden to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and China respectively.

The list of goods the export of which to China is forbidden was published in the Board of Trade Journal of 23rd June, 1951, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member; it covers about 480 items or categories of industrial equipment, in addition to arms, ammunition and atomic energy materials. The list of wholly banned exports to the U.S.S.R. is confined to about 250 items (in addition to arms, ammunition and atomic energy materials) of primary importance to Soviet war production; in addition, the export of some 100 items to the U.S.S.R. is subject to quantitative restriction.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about further references to the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission.

A new reference was made to the Commission on 24th February. The subject referred is the supply of standard metal windows and doors. The full text is as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the future of offices of his Department in Scotland and in Wales.

Yes. Following on the merging of the regional offices of the two Departments in England, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply and I have decided, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, that the offices of the two Departments in Scotland should be merged into a combined unit. We have also agreed with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and Minister for Welsh Affairs to effect a similar merger in Wales. We are satisfied that this step will reduce staff and overhead charges and can be taken without detriment to the services which the offices give to manufacturing industry in Scotland and Wales. The controller of the combined office will be responsible to each Minister for the work undertaken on his behalf.