asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in introducing the date for day light saving in 1955, he will arrange for this to come into force the week before Easter in view of the advantage to many industrial and other workers and especially those working on allotments and in gardening.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 21st October to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. E. Wakefield).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can yet state what action is to be taken to deal with the problem of horror comics.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to Questions on this subject on 18th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the desirability of founding a special prison or prisons for the treatment of prisoners convicted of offences involving homosexuality.

My predecessor recently appointed a Committee to consider, among other things, the treatment of persons convicted by the courts of homosexual offences. The practicability and desirability of segregating such offenders in special prisons is an aspect of the problem which will no doubt be considered by the Committee. I may add that a number of prisoners convicted of offences involving homosexuality will probably be found suitable for treatment in the special prison which it is proposed to build at Grendon Underwood, Buckinghamshire, for prisoners who are not certifiable as insane or mentally defective but need psychiatric treatment or supervision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases ambulance drivers have been prosecuted for exceeding the 30 miles-per-hour speed limit when engaged on their duties.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department approximately how many absconded from remand homes and approved schools in the last available year, and how many delinquent juveniles or young persons in the same period were sent to private institutions approved by the Home Office.

During 1953, the number of absconders from remand homes was 849, and from approved schools 1,338. Information is not available about the number of delinquent children and young persons accommodated in institutions other than those maintained from public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South will receive a reply to her letter of 28th October.

I have written to the hon. Member today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the existing law enables persons convicted for the illegal operation of clubs to start up again immediately under a different name; and when he proposes to introduce legislation which will safeguard both the public and the legitimate club.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. T. W. Jones) on 29th October.

asked the Minister of Education the number of all-age schools, county-aided and controlled in January, 1954; and how many children they contained.

In January, 1954, there were 1,554 county all-age departments with 303,120 children, 1,334 aided all-age departments with 262,425 children, and 845 controlled all-age departments with 99,319 children. In addition, there was one special agreement all-age school with 363 children, and the status of 223 voluntary all-age departments, with 28,399 children, had not then been determined.

asked the Minister of Education if he will include in next year's school building programme an extra allocation for building necessary for the reorganisation of all-age schools.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 11th November.

asked the Minister of Education how many pupils over the age of 15 years were, in January, 1954, receiving secondary education by voluntarily staying in secondary modern schools beyond the compulsory school age; and what was the comparable figure for January, 1953.

The number in January, 1954, was 24,682 compared with 22,461 in January, 1953.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that it was agreed in 1938 that a grant should be offered under the Physical Training and Recreation Act, 1937, for the construction of a swimming bath in High Wycombe, but that the outbreak of war prevented the scheme being carried into effect; and if he is now in position to make such a grant.

I am aware of the history of this proposal, but I regret that I am not at present in a position to make such a grant.

asked the Minister of Education how many primary classes there are in Birmingham with more than 40 children; and what steps he proposes to take to reduce the present state of overcrowding in Birmingham primary schools.

In January, 1954, there were 2,078 junior classes in Birmingham with more than 40 pupils. As new schools are completed and the primary school numbers pass their peak the pressure on these classes should ease. This improvement must depend partly on the ability of the Authority to recruit the necessary teachers. I shall do what I can to assist them and other hard pressed authorities in this matter.

asked the Minister of Education how many secondary classes there are in Birmingham; how many classes are oversized; whether he is aware that the present overcrowded conditions are the worst within the West Midland region; and what action he in tends to take to remedy this position.

In January, 1954, there were 1,566 senior classes in Birmingham schools of which 1,295 had more than 30 pupils. This proportion of oversize senior classes is the highest in England and Wales. It has however been falling and, provided that the authority can recruit the necessary teachers, it will continue to fall as Secondary School projects now under construction or included in building programmes are completed.

asked the Minister of Education if he will raise at once the permitted cost-per-place of new school buildings.

I have no evidence that the current cost limits are inadequate to preserve satisfactory educational and structural standards.

asked the Minister of Education the number of State scholarships awarded in the years 1952, 1953 and 1954; and how many of these were not reduced in any way by the means test for those years, respectively.

The numbers of State scholarships of all types (including supplemental State Scholarships) taken up in the years in question were: 1952, 3,048; 1953, 3,278; 1954, 3,349 (provisional). The information asked for in the second part of the Question is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Education which parts of Circular 245 he now considers to be out of date.

I would ask my hon. and gallant Friend to await a general statement on educational building which I hope shortly to make.

asked the Minister of Education how soon he will be able to make a statement about Circular 245.

Shortly, I hope.

asked the Minister of Education how many extra secondary school places he estimates will be needed from 1955–60; and what are his plans for providing these places.

I have made no such estimate for the reasons given in my answer to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) on 18th November. I hope to make a statement shortly about the educational building programme.

asked the Minister of Education what further steps have been taken to secure approximate equalisation of grants from local education authorities to university students.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 28th October to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Arundel and Shoreham (Captain Kerby).

asked the Minister of Education (1) when he intends to publish the Report of the National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers;

The National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers have made no formal report on this subject; they have recommended that an increase in the annual supply of trained teachers of technical subjects from about 270 to about 350 is desirable, although they were doubtful whether enough suitable candidates would be forthcoming to achieve such an increase during the next few years. I agree with the council's views, and hope to reach a decision about the future of Bolton Training College very shortly.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has considered the resolution passed by the Rye Branch of the National Fanners Union on the subject of the project of the East Sussex County Council to establish a secondary school which would provide instruction in agriculture, details of which have been sent to him; and whether he will make a statement.

I have considered this resolution. The proposal by the East Sussex Local Education Authority to establish a course in agriculture at Rye Grammar School was approved by my predecessor after very careful examination of all the aspects of the scheme. I see no grounds for reconsidering her decision.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how the British delegate on the Political Committee of the United Nations voted on the proposal that South Africa, India and Pakistan, with the assistance of an independent nation, should open negotiations on the status of persons of Indian origin in the South African Union.

The United Kingdom delegate abstained from voting on this resolution. Although Her Majesty's Government endorse the principle of direct negotiation embodied in the resolution, they could not subscribe to other provisions in the resolution which asserted the competence of the United Nations Organisation and which recommended action under United Nations auspices in a matter which appears to fall within South Africa's domestic jurisdiction.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the practice of traders who reduce the weight of packet and tinned goods without proportionately reducing the price; and if he will introduce measures to ensure that every packet bears the weight mark appropriate to its contents.

Nearly all pre-packed foods are required under Weights and Measures law to be marked with the minimum net content by weight or volume. Some prepacked foods must be sold in specified amounts. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps she will send us details.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is able to say what progress has been made in securing more equitable conditions for the exporters of British textiles to India.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Knutsford (Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport) on 19th October last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for implementing the recommendations in paragraphs 225 and 226 of the Report of the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs, that co-operation between the Board of Trade and the Scottish Home Department regarding administration of the industrial estates and execution of the Distribution of Industry Act could and should be improved.

Both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are satisfied that our respective Departments fully appreciate the importance of working in close cooperation on distribution of industry matters, and we intend that they should continue to do so.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to give further details of the composition of the trade mission which is to visit Egypt, the Sudan and Ethiopia next year.

Yes. The Mission will consist of the following, who have been chosen as generally representative of British industry:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that British exports of cycles to the United States of America are being held up because of the shortage of British three-speed gears and British tyres, of which details have been sent him, at a time when these two accessories are being exported to Germany, and then re-exported to the United States of America on German cycles in cut-price competition; and whether he will make a statement on the steps he is taking to assist British cycle exporters on this point.

The details referred to by my hon. Friend have not reached me. The information at my disposal does not suggest that United Kingdom exports of bicycles to the U.S.A. are being held up by a shortage of tyres. I am aware that the large and gratifying increase of United Kingdom bicycle exports had led to a heavy demand for variable hub gears which still cannot be satisfied in full. I have, however, no reason to believe that the United Kingdom bicycle industry in general is dissatisfied with the distribution arrangements of the gear producers who, I understand, are taking measures to expand production still further.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give an assurance that for the present he will sanction applications not only from landlords but from tenant-farmers and shooting tenants to shoot rabbits by night in England and Wales, in view of his expressed desire to eliminate the rabbit from agricultural and forest land; and if he will introduce legislation to eliminate the necessity for such applications for the future.

I have no jurisdiction in regard to the shooting of rabbits at night. The rights of landlords and others depend on the general law on this subject and in particular on Section 6 of the Ground Game Act, 1880.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether agreement has now been reached on the standardisation in England and Scotland of the definition of "overshot jaws," which will now allow free interchange of bulls licensed on either side of the border, and thus do away with the necessity for a relicensing, which is causing irritation and uncertainty.

My night hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has recently adopted a new definition of "over-shot jaws" for the propose of bull licensing. This will permit uniformity of practice throughout Great Britain to be established and will avoid any risk of a bull licensed in one country being refused a licence on grounds of this particular defect on transfer across the Border.

asked the Minister of Agriculture in view of the closer linking of his Department with the Ministry of Food, what steps are to be taken to review the present organisation of the various agricultural advisory services with a view to greater simplification and efficiency.

This matter will come within the scope of the review of provincial and local organisation which, as I announced on 29th October in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Berwick and East Lothian (Major Anstruther-Gray), is to be conducted by a committee of independent persons under the chairmanship of Sir Arton Wilson, K.B.E., C.B.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now in a position to state what are the Government's intentions with regard to the requisitioned land at Peacehaven, which is in course of being purchased under Section 85 of the Agriculture Act.

This land is divided into innumerable small plots many of which are in no known ownership. The planning authorities are of the opinion that this land should remain in agricultural use and that building development should not be permitted. In these circumstances I am satisfied, after a personal visit to the area, that if this land were to be derequisitioned, it would become largely unproductive. Moreover, purchase proceedings are already far advanced. The Government have therefore decided, after very careful consideration of all the circumstances, that the purchase of this land should be completed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has had from the National Chamber of Trade, about the alleged unfairness of the provision in the Valuation for Rating Act, 1953, by which offices, shops and business premises are valued for rating purposes on current rental values whereas other properties are rated on 1939 values; and what steps he proposes to take to meet this grievance.

I have received a letter from the National Chamber of Trade urging that all properties should be valued on the same basis. I am sending them a full reply, a copy of which I will forward to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the local feeling in Cheltenham concerning the proposals for the sandpit at Arle Road and Alstone Lane, and that many people consider they have not had the opportunity of adequately expressing their views on the matter; and whether, in view of this, he will authorise a public inquiry concerning the proposals.

The proposals were discussed at the inquiry into the development plan, and subsequently with a deputation from the Cheltenham Borough Council. My right hon. Friend has reviewed all the information available and he sees no need for another inquiry.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will examine the system of issuing permits for building in Scotland with a view to the possibility of applying the same system in London and other large cities in England.

Yes. I must, however, make clear that the question raised has been examined exhaustively in the past and it has not so far been found possible to recommend a combined form of application for by-law consent and planning permission.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he anticipates the village of Aust, Gloucestershire, will have a piped water supply.

The West Gloucestershire Water Company tell me that they hope that water will be available in the village of Aust in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he anticipates the village of Tytherington, Gloucestershire, will have a mains water supply.

No scheme has yet been submitted to me.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will arrange for his officials to consult with those of other Departments concerned and with local authorities, to consider the desirability of requiring that in large buildings in the future whose users will require parking space in the immediate vicinity of that building, provision should be made for this in an upper basement in the original drawings submitted for planning approval.

It is already the practice of planning authorities to require parking space to be provided in appropriate cases. I am giving further study to the whole matter in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation and with the local authorities most closely concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken by the Government of Kenya to increase wages of agricultural workers; and whether he is aware that about half of them are now earning less than 25s a month.

The published Report of the Committee on African Wages included a recommendation to set up a rural wages advisory board and area wages committee to examine wages in rural areas. The Kenya Government are at present considering the Committee's recommendations. Although the Report stated that 48 per cent. of monthly contract labour in non-plantation agriculture received a cash wage of less than 25s. a month, it also pointed out that the value of rations and housing should be added to this amount to provide a general picture of the wage structure in non-plantation agriculture.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Kenya Government has restricted the African farmer to 100 trees per farmer growing coffee.

I am not aware of any such restriction, but I will consult the Governor and write to the hen. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Civil Service pensions, commencing before 31st March, 1952, are ineligible for increase under the Pensions (Increase) Acts of 1944, 1947 and 1954; and how many of these pensions are also debarred from increase under the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1952, because of their amount or the total income of the pensioners from all sources.

About 23,000 and 4,500, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide a list of the organisations which have been granted exemption from payment of Entertainments Duty by the Customs and Excise authorities under those Sections of the Finance Acts which lay down that where the entertainment is not conducted for profit and is provided by an organisation whose aims are partly educational, no tax shall be charged.

Entertainments provided by several thousand organisations have been granted exemption under this provision. I hope my hon. and gallant Friend will agree that the expenditure of staff time necessary to prepare and publish a list of this magnitude would not be justified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the recent strike of newspaper operatives, which prevented the publication of entertainment advertisements in the London daily Press on 11th October, affected the normal daily revenue received by his Department from Entertainment Duty.

The flow of duty receipts over such a short period is subject to variation for a number of reasons, and it is not possible to say what effect, if any, this particular factor may have had.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the number of amendments that have been issued, he will now arrange for a new edition of the United Kingdom Tariff List to be published.

The latest edition of the Customs and Excise Tariff was issued on 1st November, 1954, and since then there have been only a very few minor amendments. The latest edition of the Customs and Excise Tariff Supplement Relating to Key Industry Duty was issued on 1st November, 1953, and only two lists of amendments thereto have been issued. In these circumstances, I do not think it necessary to publish new editions of either of these books yet.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, taking the purchasing power of the £ sterling as 20s. on 1st October, 1946, what was its value on 1st October, 1951, and 1st October, 1954.

Monthly statistics on a comparable basis are not available for the period before June, 1947. Taking the average purchasing power of the £ sterling for the calendar year 1946 as 20s., the corresponding figure for October, 1951, is estimated to have been 14s. 7d. and for October, 1954, 13s. 7d. This estimate is based on the consumer price index and the Interim Index of Retail Prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table giving particulars of the £169 million committed for the financial year 1954–55 for under-developed countries and for international organisations working in under-developed countries, so as to show, for each item of £1 million or over,

STERLING MADE AVAILABLE TO UNDER-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES*, 1953–54 and 1954–55 (0·0 signifies less than 0·05; — signifies none)
£ million
	1953–54	1954–55 (Estimate)
Colonial Development and Welfare	18·0	18·0
Overseas Food Corporation	1·1	0·3
Colonial Development Corporation	5·5	6·0
Colombo Plan (Technical Co-operation Scheme)	0·4	0·8
London Market Loans (to Colonial Governments and to Governments of Ceylon and the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland)	31·3	37·0
I.B.R.D. sterling releases (to India and Pakistan)	10·0	3·8
Sterling Balances (to India, Pakistan and Ceylon)	42·0	42·0
Special E.C.G.D. credit (Pakistan)	10	—
Foreign Office Grants and Services Vote (including U.N. Agencies):
Jordan (Grant in Aid)	8·4	8·5
Jordan (Loan)	0·9	1·6
Libya (Grant in Aid)	3·9	3·7
Security Force in Persian Gulf	0·3	0·3
Yugoslavia (Economic Assistance—Grant in Aid)	1·8	2·5
Relief of Palestine refugees (Grant in Aid to U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East)	1·8	2·0
Reconstruction in Korea (grant in aid to U.N. Reconstruction Agency)	4·8	3·0
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)	0·1	0·2
U.K. Contribution to U.N. Technical Assistance	0·6	0·5
Colonial Services Vote	24·1	39·2
Assistance to the Maldives	—	0·0
	165·0	169·4
* These figures do not include

(

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the improved economic position of the country, he will now release a limited quantity of gold to craftsmen jewellers in order that traditional skills may be maintained.

It is still necessary to husband our gold reserves; but supplies of new gold are released to replace gold used in the manufacture of jewellery and goldsmiths' wares for export, and the trade are able to use scrap gold which comes into their possession for the manufacture of new articles. the sum involved, the country or organisation for whose benefit the commitment has been made, the general purpose, and whether the sum is by way of grant, loan or sterling balance release.

I regret the information is not available in the precise form requested. The table below shows the components of the totals for 1953–54 and 1954–55.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated amount invested in equity capital and of fixed interest capital, including Government and corporation stocks, building society and Trustee Bank savings; and what has been the percentage increase in the annual remuneration on all capital since 1945.

I regret that the available information is insufficient to enable me to give a useful estimate in answer to either part of the Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the percentage increase for each year separately since 1945 of wages, dividends, and the cost of living,

	Percentage increase from previous year								Percentage increase between 1946 and 1953
	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953
1. Average weekly earnings per head of wage earners	2	9	9	4	5	10	8	6	64
2. Total wage bill	…	13	12	5	5	11	6	6	76
3. Total interest and dividends paid by companies and public corporations	…	6	3	1	4	11	5	12	50
4. Retail prices: working-class households	…	…	8	3	3	9	9	3	40*
5. Retail prices of all consumers' goods and services	3	6	8	3	3	9	6	2	43

Notes:For several series, comparable figures are not available for 1945, so that no percentage change can be given for 1946. For this reason, the last column shows the percentage increase between 1946 and 1953.Line 1: Statistics of average earnings of operatives in manufacturing and a number of other industries in certain weeks of each year published in Ministry of Labour Gazette.Line 2: From "National Income and Expenditure 1946 to 1953", Table 2.Line 3: From "National Income and Expenditure 1946 to 1953", Table 3.Line 4: Interim Index of Retail Prices published in Ministry of Labour Gazette. Relates to changes in prices paid by working-class households since June, 1947. The figure for 1948 shows the percentage change from June, 1947.Line 5: From "National Income and Expenditure 1946 to 1953", Table 20.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of Pool Betting Duty for football pools collected for each of the months August, September and October, 1954.

The figures are as follows:

		£
August	…	265,389
September	…	1,990,179
October	…	2,725,422 (provisional)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the loss of revenue in 1953–54 arising from the initial allowances; and what is the estimated loss in 1954–55.

The cost of restoring initial allowances was nil in 1953–54 and is estimated at £50 million in 1954–55. and what is the cumulative total increase in each case.

The following is the reply:

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many people are still on the waiting list for telephones in the borough of Mitcham; and what percentage of these have been waiting for more than two, four and six years, respectively.

Two thousand two hundred and six applications are outstanding; 23 per cent. have been waiting between two and four years, 20 per cent. between four and six years and 20 per cent. over six years. Additional plant is being provided and there should be a considerable improvement in the position during the next 12 months.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many new subscribers have been provided with telephone service in the borough of Mitcham in 1954 to the latest convenient date; and how the average monthly rate of new installations in 1954 compares with 1953.

Two hundred and sixteen telephones were installed during the first nine months of this year and the average monthly rate of installation was 24 compared with 16 for the corresponding period in 1953. It is hoped to connect 1,500 during the next 12 months.

asked the Assistant Postmaster General how many new subscribers have been provided with telephone service in the borough of Beddington and Wallington in 1954 to the latest convenient date; and how the average monthly rate of new installations in 1954 compares with 1953.

Five hundred and seventy-six telephones were connected during the first nine months of this year. The average monthly rate of installation was 64 compared with 49 for the corresponding period in 1953.

asked the Assistant Postmaster General how many people are still on the waiting list for telephones in the borough of Beddington and Wallington; and what percentage of these have been waiting for more than two, four and six years, respectively.

Two hundred and sixty-nine applications are outstanding. Of these 23 per cent. have been waiting between two and four years, 6 per cent. between four and six years and 1 per cent. over six years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the names of the county councils in Scotland who have a superannuation scheme for manual workers.

Information specifically relating to manual workers is not available, but all county councils in Scotland excepting those of Aberdeen, Inverness, Peebles, Ross and Cromarty, Selkirk and Sutherland have, by resolution, admitted one or more classes or descriptions of "servants" in their employment to participate in the benefits of their superannuation fund. (The Local Government Superannuation (Scotland) Act, 1937, defines "servant" as meaning an employee who is not an officer and defines "officer" as meaning an employee whose duties are mainly administrative, professional, or clerical, or one whose remuneration is greater than £250 per annum and whose employment is not by way of manual labour.) The extent to which the manual workers in the employment of any particular county council are so admitted depends on the terms of that council's resolutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has considered the complaints by parents living in the Mains West area of East Kilbride about the delay in providing a bus service to take their children to school owing to a dispute between Scottish Motor Traction and Messrs. Laurie as to which firm should provide the service; whether he has considered written representations in this regard forwarded to the Scottish Office by the hon. Member for Lanark; and how many parents have, so far, withheld their children from school in protest.

Yes. I have been considering these complaints in consultation with the Lanarkshire Education Authority. Arrangements have been made whereby no child in the district has to walk more than one-and-a-half miles to school. This is well within the statutory limit and the education authority are under no obligation to provide school transport. I understand that the Western S.M.T. Company's application for a licence to operate in the Mains West district of East Kilbride is under consideration by the licensing authority for public service vehicles, and that the hearing will be completed very shortly. No parents have withheld their children from school in protest against the present lack of a bus service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Government will implement the recommendation of paragraph 261 of the Report of the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs that there should be an inter- change of senior civil servants between Whitehall and Edinburgh.

The Government are in agreement with the Royal Commission's recommendation in favour of the planned interchange of civil servants, and arrangements for the exchange of officers serving in my Departments and in London will be considered as and when suitable opportunities offer.

I.—APPOINTMENTS MADE BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Scottish Denial Estimates Board (Appointed under Section 39 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947).
Chairman (full-time)	£2,200 a year
5 members (part-time)	7 guineas a day.
Scottish Medical Practices Committee (Appointed under Section 35 (2) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947).
Chairman (part-time)	£1,000 a year.
5 members	7 guineas a day.
National Health Service Tribunal (Appointed under Section 43 (1) of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947).
A small panel of members	7 guineas a session.
Appeal Tribunal (Appointed under Milk (Special Designations) (Scotland) Order. 1951).
Chairman	10 guineas a day.
2 members	7 guineas a day.
Assessor of Public Undertakings.
Assessor	£1,900 a year.
New Towns Development Corporations (Appointed under Section 2 (1) as applied by Section 25 of the New Towns Act, 1946).
2 Chairmen	£1,500 a year.
2 Deputy Chairmen	£750 a year.
12 Members	£400 a year.
One Chairman draws only £500 and the other £350 a year.
One Deputy Chairman draws only £400 a year.
10 Members are serving: 2 do not draw any salary.
Stipendiary Magistrates (Appointed under Section 455 of the Burgh Police (Scotland) Act, 1892).
1 in Glasgow	£1,500–£1,750a year.
Clerks of the Peace.
37 (one for each County and each County of a Fees prescribed by Act of Sederunt. City).
Rent Tribunals (Appointed under Section 1 of and the Schedule to the Rent of Furnished Houses Control (Scotland) Act, 1943)
29 Chairmen	2–3 guineas a sitting.
58 Full Members	1½—2 guineas a sitting.
38 Reserve Members
Legal Aid Central Committee (Appointed under Section 8 (4) of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act, 1949)
2 Members	2½ guineas a session.
Transport Tribunal (Special Panel) (Appointed under the Transport Act, 1947)
2 Members	10 guineas a day.
Tribunals (Under Section 24 and 25 of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946)
2 Members of Commercial Panel	Fees: Maximum of 12 guineas per day.
2 Members of Commercial Panel
Panel of Arbiters (Appointed under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946)
4 Members	Fees: 15 guineas per day.
Agricultural Wages Board
Chairman	6 guineas a day when the Board is sitting.
4 Members	4 guineas a day when the Board is sitting.
Milk Marketing Boards
6 Members	Salaries are fixed by Producers at their Annual General Meeting and are paid out of the Board's Funds

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many paid appointments to posts outside the Civil Service he is responsible for making; what is the nature of each appointment; and what salary is payable in each case.

The appointments are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of appeals against decisions of the local planning authority which have been decided by him in the years 1952, 1953 and 1954, respectively; and the number of cases in which he has upheld an appeal.

The numbers are as follows:

Year	Appeals decided	Appeals sustained
1952	63	29
1953	94	49
1954 (to 19th November)	84	51

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will approve for grant purposes, as a local activity within the terms of Circular No. 690, dated 14th May, 1953, the production and publication of a road safety textbook, covering all the aspects of road safety, by the council of the metropolitan borough of Hackney.

No. I have in mind the possibility of preparing a book on this subject, and in these circumstances, much, as I appreciate the initiative of the Metropolitan Borough of Hackney, I do not think it would be appropriate to apply public funds to a project of the sort suggested.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, when he distributes the Highway Code, he will send out with it to all holders of licences for motor bicycles a special appeal to them to wear crash helmets, in view of the continuing unnecessary fatalities from head injuries.

I will continue to do everything I can to encourage all motor cyclists to wear helmets, and will include suitable advice on this question in road safety publicity at appropriate times. I doubt whether the particular occasion suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend offers the best opportunity, but I will bear the point in mind.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that Command Paper No. 6712 of December, 1945, stated that it was the policy of the Government of that day to require the air corporations to fly British types of aircraft and whether he will give an assurance that this remains the policy of the present Government.

I am aware of the general policy stated in Command 6712 which has not been changed. Its application of course depends on the availability of suitable British aircraft for the route in question.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of men who entered into three-year Regular Army engagements in the months of November and December, 1951, and January, February and March, 1952; the number who have extended their service; and the number who will be due for transfer to the Army Reserve on the expiration of their three-year engagement, separate figures being given for each month.

The monthly totals of enlistments for three years with the Colours and four with the Reserve recorded from November, 1951, to March, 1952, were 422, 1,522, 2,771, 4,058 and 4,549, making a total of 13,322. There were 484 prolongations of service from this engagement from December, 1952, to September, 1954, of which 366 were to 12 years or more. If allowance is made for normal wastage, etc., these figures indicate the numbers due for transfer to the Reserve, but nearly all these men have still an opportunity to extend their service, and I hope that many of them will do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publish as a White Paper or otherwise the text of the messages sent in 1945 by the Prime Minister to General Eisenhower relating to the storing and preservation of German armaments with a view to their re-issue to German armed forces in certain eventualities.

The relevant message to General Eisenhower has already been published. I included it in Volume VI of "The Second World War" (page 499). It reads as follows:

May 9, 1945. "I have heard with some concern that the Germans are to destroy all their aircraft in situ. I hope that this policy will not be adopted in regard to weapons and other forms of equipment. We may have great need of these some day, and even now they might be of use, both in France and especially in Italy. I think we ought to keep everything worth keeping. The heavy cannon I preserved from the last war fired constantly from the heights of Dover in this war.

There is great joy here."

I may also direct the hon. Member's attention to the reference to the situation in Denmark made in a message sent a few days earlier to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, of which the following extract was published on page 469 of the same Volume.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the evacuation of the Army unit occupying the Dürkopp-werke, Kunselbach, West Germany, will take place.

When satisfactory alternative accommodation has been provided.

asked the Secretary of State for War how much of the 13,000 reduction in the strength of the Army this financial year and of the 20,000 reduction in 1955–56 is due to soldiers serving on Regular engagements.

The reduction this financial year relates to National Service men. The further estimated reduction in 1955–56 will be mainly due to a fall in the Regular content.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if a decision has been reached concerning the closing down of his Department's regional offices.

Yes. It has been decided for the present not to close down the regional offices of my Department. However, a substantial reduction in the scope of their functions and in the size of their staffs will be effected.