asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement about the extent of myxomatosis among tame and wild rabbits or other animals; and whether sufficient supplies of vaccine are available to meet the demand.

Very few cases of myxomatosis among tame rabbits have so far been brought to the notice of my Department. Regarding wild rabbits, myxomatosis is now present in all counties in England and Wales but one, and in 28 counties in Scotland. No animals other than the rabbit are known to have been been affected with myxomatosis in this country. I understand that the vaccine available commercially is equivalent to more than 12 months' supply at the present rate of demand.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will consider introducing legislation to make the wilful spreading of myxomatosis in this country a punishable offence.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I have given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Dudley Williams), and the hon. Members for Itchen (Mr. Morley) and Test (Dr. King).

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement on the incidence of myxomatosis in Sussex; what evidence he has that this disease is being spread deliberately along the South Downs; and what steps he proposes taking to make its wilful introduction illegal.

Myxomatosis is now established in the greater part of Sussex. With regard to the second and third parts of the Question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Dudley Williams) and the hon. Members for Itchen (Mr. Morley) and Test (Dr. King).

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Heneage Report; and, since this has now been in his hands for many months, when he intends to introduce the necessary legislation.

The recommendations of the Heneage Report raise a number of very complex issues, and I cannot say when it will be possible to reach a decision upon them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to give an estimate, county by county and year by year, of the numbers of farmworkers who have left the land in England and Wales in the past six years.

The Agricultural Returns do not show how many workers leave farms in a given period. I am sending the hon. Member a table compiled from 4th June returns showing, by counties, the net changes that took place in each of the past six years in the number of workers regularly employed by farmers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to state the wording on the original 2,200 forest name boards erected by the Forestry Commission at a cost of £7,000; what form the public criticism of this wording took; whether he will publish the names of the persons and organisations who complained of the wording; and what is the new wording on the 360 notice boards that have been erected, at a cost of £900, since 1952.

The original wording was in the form "Forestry Commission State Forest—Bedgebury Forest." This will be replaced by "Forestry Commission—Bedgebury." The local name of an individual wood which forms a part of the forest may be added, when appropriate. The criticism of the earlier wording was made in the local and national Press, and by a number of individuals. The chief criticisms were of the expression "State Forest," the unnecessary repetition of the word "forest." and the failure to use local names.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given to Civil Defence organisations concerning methods of protection against radio-activity in the light of the information he has received from Japan concerning the delayed action effect of atomic radiation on human beings; and what treatment he recommends for the victims of atomic radiation.

Information about methods of protection against radio-activity and the first-aid treatment of persons who suffer from radiation sickness is given in the Home Office Civil Defence Pamphlet on Atomic Warfare.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent he has supplied Civil Defence authorities with the latest information on the character and effects of hydrogen bomb explosions.

Local authorities will, no doubt, have taken note of the statements which my predecessor made in the House on 27th May last and during the debate on 5th July in which he referred to the general character and effects of hydrogen bomb explosions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to revise the scale of imprisonment in default of payment of fines in view of recent changes in the value of money.

There is no fixed scale of imprisonment in default of payment of fines. The Criminal Justice Act. 1948, and the Magistrates' Courts Act, 1952, lay down maxima within which the courts have discretion to fix such terms of imprisonment in default of payment of fines as they consider appropriate in all the circumstances, and I am not satisfied that there is any case for amending legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider postponing the termination of Summer Time next year until the third Sunday in October.

Since 1952, the period has been fixed by the Acts of 1922 and 1925. In 1955 this period will be from 17th April to 2nd October. The Government have decided that it would not be right to ask Parliament in future to consider the use of the special powers given by the Summer Time Act, 1947, to effect annual changes in the statutory period unless there are most exceptional reasons to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total sum collected by the Lord Mayor's National Flood and Tempest Distress Fund; and how much of this sum came from public funds and how much from charity.

I am informed by the chairman of the Lord Mayor's Fund that the total amount subscribed to the fund was £5,146,675. The total spent to date is £6,793,063. Public funds have been drawn on to meet the difference and there will be further calls until the work of the fund is completed.

asked the Minister of Education why he has refused to include a school for delicate and physically-handicapped children in Newcastle-under-Lyme in the proposed 1955–56 school-building programme for Staffordshire.

The Staffordshire Authority were asked to reconsider this proposal primarily because it was doubtful whether the number of delicate and physically handicapped children in the area requiring special school treatment was large enough to make an effective educational unit.

asked the Minister of Education how many projects, and of what value, have been submitted for his approval in the proposed 1955–56 school-building programme for Staffordshire; and how many of these projects, and of what value, he has refused to include in this programme.

Forty-three estimated to cost about £3,047,000. Of these three have been included in the 1954–55 programme, 15 in the 1955–56 programme and five in the 1955–56 reserve programme. The outstanding 20 projects ore estimated to cost about £1,499,000.

asked the Minister of Education how many new schools were under construction on the latest date for which figures are available and on the same date in 1953, 1952 and 1951; and how many new primary and secondary places, respectively, will be provided when the schools at present under construction are completed.

asked the Minister of Education the total capital expenditure for building programmes proposed by local education authorities for the current year's programme; and how many projects did not receive his sanction.

I cannot add to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Member for Moss Side (Dame Florence Horsbrugh) gave on 3rd June to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. G. Thomas).

asked the Minister of Education (1) the amount of the reserve retained by him for the purpose of granting supplementary allocations for minor capital projects under his Department's letter G892/11/1/3; what was the sum total of the supplementary allocations requested by local education authorities; and what was the total amount of the supplementary allocation granted;(2) how many local authorities made application for a supplementary allocation for minor capital projects under his Department's letter G892/11/1/3; and what are the names of those authorities who have had their requests granted in full, those who have had their requests granted in part, and those whose requests have been refused, respectively.

Up to 18th October last, 106 education authorities had requested supplementary allocations totalling £3,486,000. The allocations, which will total not less than those of last year, have

The following is the information requested.not yet been made, but I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have the remaining information for which he asks.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give instruction for the supply of milk to school children to be put to open competitive tender.

My Department's Circular 278, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend, asked local education authorities to introduce competitive tendering for the supply of milk to schools under the milk-in-schools scheme not later than 1st April, 1955. Some have done so already.

asked the Minister of Education the cost for the whole country of transporting children to and from schools for the last year.

The audited accounts of all authorities for the financial year 1953–54 will not be available for some time, but I have no reason to think that the estimate given to my hon. Friend on 24th June last will be found to be very far out.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the fact that county councils will shortly be considering their estimates for next year's Budget, he will expedite his decision in regard to the recommendations contained in the White Paper of the Report of a year's investigation by a committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Eric Ashby in which the committee criticise the disparity between payments made by adult students and suggest a district survey of fees.

I shall not be in a position to make a statement until I have had an opportunity of consulting the organisations concerned.

asked the Minister of Education how many technical State scholarships were awarded in 1953; and what were the number of applications for these.

120. There were 546 applicants.

asked the Minister of Education the numbers of classes of over 40 and over 50 pupils, respectively, in primary and secondary schools in Staffordshire in January, 1954; and how these figures compare with those for 1953 and 1952.

The relevant figures, referring to maintained and assisted primary and secondary schools in Staffordshire (other than nursery and special schools) are given in the following table:

asked the Minister of Education the numbers of classes of over 40 and over 50 pupils, respectively, in primary and secondary schools in England and Wales in January, 1954; and how these figures compare with those for 1953 and 1952.

The relevant figures referring to maintained and assisted primary and secondary schools (other than nursery and special schools) are given in the following table:

asked the Minister of Education the ratio of major to minor awards given by local education authorities for university students and technical college students, respectively.

The latest figures are those which are given in Table 98 of my Department's Annual Report for the year 1953 and relate to the academic year 1952–53. In that year the number of new local education authority awards taken up in England and Wales was as follows:

asked the Minister of Education if he will review the grants made to students undertaking the normal two-year training for teachers so that they can live at a reasonable level.

I am now reviewing the grants made to students in training colleges in consultation with representatives of the local education authorities.

asked the Minister of Education what progress has been made in his discussions with his right hon. Friends representing the three branches of the Armed Services on the general question of the education of Service men's children.

The discussions to which the hon. Member refers are making good progress, but it will be a little time before any statement can be made.

asked the Minister of Education if he will make a statement following his consideration of the report of the committee set up by resolution of the conference convened by the Federation of British Industries in January, 1954, on the shortage of science teachers at which his Department was represented.

I will make a statement on this matter as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Education the number of grammar schools for physically-handicapped children; the number of pupils in such schools; whether he is satisfied that the provision is adequate; or what steps he is taking to increase the provision.

There are no grammar schools for physically - handicapped children. A survey recently made by one of my medical officers in co-operation with Her Majesty's Inspectors shows that many of these children are successfully placed in ordinary grammar schools, but that special residential provision may be needed for some of the more seriously handicapped. I shall consider, in the light of the inquiries I am making of all local education authorities, whether the total requirement would justify this.

asked the Minister of Health when it is proposed to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the Crook Committee with regard to the registration of ophthalmic opticians.

My right hon. Friend regrets that he is unable to make a statement on this subject at present.

asked the Minister of Health if he will set up an inquiry to ascertain how many old-age pensioners, admitted to hospitals during the last 12 months, have been diagnosed as suffering from starvation or under- nourishment and to make recommendations to remove the causes of this starvation and under-nourishment.

Precise figures are not available, but it is known that a small number of old people on admission to hospital have shown signs of malnutrition associated with some other physical condition which has prevented them from caring for themselves. The problem of discovering old people in this condition is well known to the local authorities responsible for the domiciliary services for the care of old people, and my right hon. Friend does not consider that any special inquiry would assist in meeting it.

asked the Minister of Health the result of his request to hospitals to make greater efforts to achieve the registration of all cases of cancer.

The results have been generally encouraging, and I am satisfied that boards are doing their best. Progress depends largely on the co-operation of medical staffs, and also of general practitioners and medical officers of health for non-hospital cases, and boards are attempting to secure this. A number of hospitals have agreed to take part for the first time. Three more hospital regions have decided to set up central registration bureaux in order to collect records from all hospitals in the region and to stimulate hospitals to improve the standard of record keeping.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the disquiet at the substantial increase in cancer cases, what new processes resulting from advances in general scientific knowledge have been introduced in an effort to combat the problem.

The increase in deaths from all forms of cancer in 1953 over 1952 was not substantial and amounted only to 282 (87,924 in 1953 as compared with 87,642 in 1952), and the Comparative Mortality Index (which takes into account the increased age of the population) showed a decrease for women and remained stationary for men.Advances in general scientific knowledge have contributed to most of the new processes introduced to control cancer, such as developments in irradiation technique; the use of radioactive isotopes; and the introduction of hormones and chemotherapy in treatment. Diagnosis has been improved by the introduction of cytological methods and the wider use of radiography, particularly mass miniature X-rays. Apart from direct research into cancer, basic scientific research, such as on the chemistry of the normal living cell, is highly relevant, since greater knowledge of the working of the normal cell is likely to throw light on the nature of the abnormality leading to malignant changes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will introduce legislation to require that vendors of second-hand vehicles shall give a guarantee of serviceability for a given period.

No, this would not be practicable.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the road widening on A1 between Mill Hill Circus and Apex Corner, Hendon, will be completed; what is the total time spent on this work; how many men are employed on it; to what extent the programme has been delayed by bad weather; and why the dual carriageways at the Apex Corner end of the widening have been made so narrow.

I expect that this work will be completed before the end of December. The total time spent on it to date is nearly 10 months. Fifteen men are at present employed on the work; delay due to bad weather is estimated at about 10 days. It is intended to provide dual carriageways to the standard width of 22 ft. throughout the whole length and there is no reduction in width at Apex Corner.

asked the Minister of Defence to give an estimate of the annual cost to the British Treasury which will result from the proposed commitment to keep British forces permanently on the Continent put forward by the Foreign Secretary at the recent Nine-Power Conference.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 19th October to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to give an assurance that the United Kingdom is making its full contribution to the United Nations Expanded Technical Assistance Programme for 1955, 1956 and 1957; and whether he is aware that there is apprehension lest lack of funds should hamper technical aid to under-developed countries.

Subject to the annual approval of Parliament, Her Majesty's Government will continue to give the strongest possible support to this Technical Assistance Programme. They hope that other Governments will similarly continue their support and so remove any apprehension to which the right hon. Gentleman has referred.

asked the Minister of Labour what recent increases have been made in charges for accommodation in the Government hostels provided for industrial workers; and what is the extent to which the hostels are subsidised by the taxpayer.

The charges for accommodation in industrial hostels run by the National Service Hostels Corporation on my behalf were increased on 18th October by 7s. per week. The new charges are 54s. per week for men and 49s. per week for women at standard hostels, and 49s. and 44s. at sub-standard hostels where amenities fall somewhat short of the general standard. These charges cover, besides sleeping accommodation, two main meals a day on week days and three on Sundays, with common room, canteen, recreation and sick bay accommodation, and hot water and bathing facilities.During the financial year 1953–54 the income from charges fell short of the cost of providing the accommodation by about £930,000. It is estimated that the increase in charges will reduce the deficit by about £250,000 in a full year, on the basis of the same number of residents and assuming that costs remain steady.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if Her Majesty's Government have now taken steps to ascertain the number of immigrants from British Dependencies who are coming to Britain to settle down; and what is the extent to which they have applied for National Assistance on arrival and for Government housing.

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary informs me that it is not possible, under existing legislation, to ascertain the exact number of immigrants from British Dependencies who enter the United Kingdom to settle. It is, however, estimated that in the period January to September, 1954, about 6,000 migrant workers from the Caribbean area set out for the United Kingdom. They are eligible on the same terms as other British subjects for National Assistance, but there is no evidence that their requirements have been in any way abnormal. The question of special Government housing does not arise.