Written Answers To Questions
Friday, 12th November, 1954
China (Municipal Debenture Holders)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that there is now an accredited Minister to the Chinese People's Republic, he will initiate negotiations with a view to assisting the municipal debenture holders.
Her Majesty's Government will certainly bear this question in mind and will consider raising it through Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Peking at an opportune time.
Home Department
Licensed Premises (War Damage)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of licensed premises which under the provisions of Part III (War Damaged Areas) of the Licensing Act, 1953, have been granted licences and the number which have had their licences extinguished; and for an estimate of the number of premises which suffered war damage and regarding which applications for removal to licensing planning areas are pending or may be expected.
The number of new licences granted and of suspended licences coming into force again in licensing planning areas from 1st January, 1948, to 30th June, 1952 (the latest date for which complete returns are available) was 1,835 on-licences and 613 off-licences. These figures include fuller licences granted for premises which previously had restricted licences, and regrants on the expiration of term licences. The number of licences extinguished or not renewed in licensing planning areas during the same period was 689 on-licences and 149 off-licences. The number of licences still in suspense in respect of those areas on 30th June, 1952, is estimated to have been 1,336 on-licences and 350 off-licences. I regret that I am not in a position to say how many of these may be expected to come into force again.
Doctors (Prosecutions Of Impostors)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of prosecutions against persons posing as medical men in the last three years; and how many of these were successful.
The number of recorded prosecutions and convictions in England and Wales under Section 40 of the Medical Practitioners Act, 1858, for falsely pretending to be a doctor of medicine were in 1951, 1952 and 1953 as follows:
| — | Prosecuted | Found guilty | ||
| 1951 | … | … | 2 | 1 |
| 1952 | … | … | 4 | 3 |
| 1953 | … | … | 3 | 1 |
Old-Age And Retirement Pensioners (National Assistance)
asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the average amount paid in supplementary allowances to retirement pensioners and non-contributory old-age pensioners in Scotland, as compared with England and Wales, for 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953 and for the latest available date in 1954.
The information asked for so far as it is at present available is as follows:
| ESTIMATED AVERAGE AMOUNT OF NATIONAL ASSISTANCE GRANT PAID TO RETIREMENT PENSIONERS AND NON-CONTRIBUTORY OLD-AGE PENSIONERS | |||||
| Date | Scotland | England and Wales | |||
| s. | d. | s. | d. | ||
| 26th September, 1950 | … | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| 14th November, 1951 | … | 10 | 1 | 11 | 11 |
| 5th November, 1952 | … | 13 | 5 | 14 | 10 |
| 4th November, 1953 | … | 12 | 11 | 15 | 1 |
Note.—These figures are based on a sample inquiry taken from the whole of Great Britain. The number of cases from Scotland included in the sample may be insufficient to guarantee the accuracy of the separate figures for that country. Similar estimates are not available for 1954.
asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the percentages of retirement pensioners and non-contributory old-age pensioners in receipt of supplementary allowances in Scotland, as compared with England and Wales, for 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953 and for the latest available date in 1954.
The following table gives the information required.
| PERCENTAGES OF RETIREMENT AND NON-CONTRIBUTORY OLD-AGE PENSIONERS COVERED BY REGULAR WEEKLY GRANTS OF NATIONAL ASSISTANCE | |||
| Date | England and Wales | Scotland | |
| December, 1950 | … | 21 | 15½ |
| December, 1951 | … | 23½ | 18½ |
| December, 1952 | … | 26½ | 21 |
| December, 1953 | … | 28 | 23 |
| September, 1954 | … | 28½ | 24 |
asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the average amount paid for rent by recipients of National Assistance in Scotland and in England and Wales, respectively, during 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953.
The amounts at the dates stated are as follows:
| Date | Scotland | England and Wales | |||
| s. | d. | s. | d. | ||
| 26th September, 1950 | … | 8 | 2 | 10 | 11 |
| 14th November, 1951 | … | 8 | 5 | 11 | 3 |
| 5th November, 1952 | … | 9 | 0 | 11 | 9 |
| 4th November, 1953 | … | 9 | 7 | 12 | 5 |
Note.—These figures are based on a sample inquiry taken from the whole of Great Britain. The number of cases from Scotland included in the sample may be insufficient to guarantee the accuracy of the separate figures for that country.
Flooding, South-West Scotland
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the concern in Ayrshire at the recurring flooding of parts of the county; and whether he is satisfied with present arrangements of responsibility for drainage and flood-preventive measures.
I am aware of the difficulties and personal hardship which flooding has caused in recent weeks especially in south-west Scotland. My Department will, of course, be very willing to discuss the position in any particular locality with the local authority concerned.As has been indicated in replies to previous Questions about agricultural drainage, I have been in consultation with the organisations concerned as to the possibility of revising the legislation on this subject.