asked the Minister of Agriculture, as the knowledge of suitable control measures for apple scab is still insufficient, if he will have this problem treated as a high research priority, and provide greater facilities for investigation into it.

Research on the control of apple scab has had high priority at East Mailing and Long Ashton Research Stations for a number of years, and is following a variety of lines. It has recently been expanded by the appointment of physical chemists in the chemistry and entomology sections at Long Ashton and by collaboration between East Mailing and the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering in the development of a spraying machine for the application of concentrated lime sulphur.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will extend the time within which the special drainage grant of 75 per cent. is available for work in the areas affected by the East Coast flooding of January-February, 1953.

The time limit for this special drainage grant has already been extended to cover all approved schemes of work completed by 31st October. 1955.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will include the county of Kent in the eradication area for tuberculosis in cattle proposed for certain counties in the south of England.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge (Mr. G. Williams).

asked the Minister of Agriculture in view of the fodder situation in various parts of the country, what steps his Department is taking to give assistance to rectify the situation.

I am watching the situation carefully but see no evidence at present that the requirements for extra hay or alternative feedingstuffs will not be met in the normal way through trade channels. Meanwhile, the National Agricultural Advisory Service has been active in advising farmers in the areas concerned on such points as the best methods of salvaging hay, making autumn silage and the most economical method of making up their winter feeding rations from the fodder available.County agricultural executive committees in upland districts, where the situation is worst, have been reminded that(1) the Agricultural Goods and Services Scheme enables them to purchase fodder and supply it to a farmer on credit if it is clear that he is creditworthy and is unable to purchase fodder for cash or on credit through normal trade channels;(2) they have discretion not to require a farmer to spend part of his hill cow subsidy on improving his land if they think that the whole of it would be better spent on winter keep. In addition, the committees have been given authority for this year only, to exercise the same discretion with the hill cattle subsidy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the Sixth Report of the Select Committee on Estimates; and whether he will make a statement.

In view of the many changes in conditions during recent years, and bearing in mind the Select Committee's Report, I have decided to appoint a committee of independent persons to review the provincial and local organisation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries; and, in the light of the decision to amalgamate that Department and the Ministry of Food, to have regard to the remaining similar organisations of the Ministry of Food also. This review will include the examination of the organisation and methods adopted within the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Agricultural Land Commission for dealing with transactions in agricultural land which has already been announced. Sir Arton Wilson, K.B.E., C.B., has agreed to act as Chairman, and I will announce in due course the names of the other members of the committee.

asked the Attorney General whether he is aware of the demand in South Wales for the evidence given before the Leasehold Committee to be published; and whether he will reconsider the decision not to publish it.

I am not aware of any general demand for publication. I have reconsidered my predecessor's decision and see no reason to alter it.

asked the Minister of Health the number and value of merit awards for each year since 1948 for England and Wales classified by category of award, age, sex and speciality of recipient, and the proportion of these awards granted to full- and part-time specialists, respectively.

Information is not available on the proportion of awards made to whole-time and part-time consultants respectively. The other information is being compiled and I will send it to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, in addition to a charge against hospital patients, admitted as casualty cases, of un to £20 a week for the use of a private ward, the use of such a ward can automatically deprive the patient of his right to free treatment, and authorise the hospital surgeon to make substantial charges for his own services and those of his anaesthetist; and whether he will amend his regulations so that the use of a private ward in such circumstances does not automatically entitle the surgeon to charge.

No amendment to the Regulations appears necessary. A patient needing urgent admission may be admitted to a pay bed without charge if other suitable accommodation is not available. A patient who is in need of privacy on medical grounds is entitled to receive it under the National Health Service without charge, and would be admitted to a pay bed only at his own request or that of his representative. A patient who so elects to be admitted to a pay bed normally receives his medical treatment under private arrangements and is, therefore, liable to pay medical fees as well as hospital charges.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce new regulations to govern the opening of licensed clubs and for the better control of such clubs.

I have no power to make regulations, and I regret that I cannot hold out any early prospect of legislation on this contentious subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to amend the Welsh Sunday Closing Act so as to bring licensed clubs within its orbit.

No.

asked the Minister of Works if he is now in a position to say when the pamphlet, now in preparation, dealing with the history of Monk Bretton Priory, will be completed.

This is one of a large number of guide books which are in preparation. There is heavy pressure of work on my small staff of archaeologists and I regret I can give no firm date for publication of the book for Monk Bretton Priory.

asked the Minister of Works what improvement has been noted in the Royal Parks consequent upon the special efforts made to obtain the cooperation of the public in dealing with the problem of litter.

There has been a marked improvement. More litter has been put in baskets and less left on the ground. This is due to the co-operation of the Press and the public and to the work of the Committee on Litter in the Royal Parks. I hope shortly to receive a report from the Committee on the results of their work.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the cost to the Treasury of granting life assurance relief for 1938–39 and 1949–50 or for a later year for which figures are available, in respect of all persons, of persons with net incomes of £135-£499, and of persons with net incomes of £2,000-£7,999, respectively.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will make a statement, giving details of the experiments at the Building Research Station, Garston, Hertfordshire, in making bricks from the fine ash left after burning the pulverised fuel at power stations.

The Building Research Station, in collaboration with the British Electricity Authority, has been conducting experiments which have shown that good quality bricks can be made from mixtures of 85 per cent. pulverised fuel ash and 15 per cent. clay. The station has also worked out details of the practical application of this process. The ash necessarily contains small amounts of unburnt coal which burns in the firing processes producing heat and thus reducing the amount of fuel needed to fire the bricks.