asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that, with the facilities now generally available to farmers, there is still a majority of the farming community against the continuing of Summer Time throughout the month of October.

I understand that the National Farmer's Union decided not to ask for any extension of the statutory period in 1955.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why past service in the Stroud Voluntary Fire Brigade does not count towards the Fire Brigade Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; and whether, in view of the general disquiet, he will amend the Royal Warrant to enable past services to be included.

The Fire Brigade Long Service and Good Conduct Medal has been instituted for paid and volunteer members of public fire services, and service in brigades which, like the Stroud Voluntary Fire Brigade, were not maintained by local authorities or Government Departments is not service within the meaning of the regulations. As the medal is intended as a reward for service in public brigades, I am not prepared to recommend the inclusion of service in other organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to What extent psychiatric treatment of prisoners has been extended over the past five years; and how far this has proved beneficial.

The amount of time given to the psychiatric treatment of prisoners by the visiting psychotherapists has increased, and there have been developments of technique. Arrangements have also been developed under which psychiatrists working under regional hospital boards interview short-sentence prisoners with a view to treatment being continued after release; and prison medical officers in appropriate establishments have been encouraged to give an appreciable amount of minor psychiatric treatment in cases not calling for more intensive treatment. The benefit derived, while not easily assessed, has been substantial.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange for the Boundary Commissioners for England to issue a supplementary report listing the objections received to their proposals and giving their comments thereon, as has been done by the Commissioners for Scotland and Wales.

No. It was entirely within the competence of the Commission to decide what information they should include in their Report. They have discharged the duty entrusted to them by Parliament, and I have no power or right to take any action in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to make a statement on the Report of the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement on the recommendations of the Royal Commission, but I hope that the House will have an opportunity of discussing these recommendations in the not too distant future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants from the West Indies have been admitted to this country during the nine months ended 30th September, 1954.

It is not possible under the existing law to ascertain the exact number of British subjects from overseas who enter the United Kingdom to settle, but information given by Colonial Governments to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies suggests that some 6,000 migrants left the West Indies for the United Kingdom during the first nine months of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the number of on-licences and off-licences for the sale of intoxicants in Wales and Monmouthshire.

The numbers on 30th June, 1953, were 4,939 on-licences and 663 off-licences, including 43 on-licences and one off-licence in suspense.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many occasional licences for the sale and supply of alcoholic drinks were granted during 1953 in Wales and Monmouthshire.

2,048.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement on the recruitment of mathematics and science teachers.

I am still not ready to make a statement on this subject, but will do so as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Education to what extent the incidence of nervous ill-health or withdrawal in respect of teachers in secondary modern schools in some areas has shown an increase in the last three years; to what extent classes have grown beyond the normal maximum; and what special consideration has been given to the teaching problems related to the children of 14 to 15 years.

I know of no significant change in the incidence of nervous ill-health among secondary modern school teachers in the last three years. The number of classes in these schools with more than 30 pupils decreased between January, 1951, and January, 1954, by 823. The teaching of children aged 14–15 is normally considered as part of the general question of planning secondary courses of various kinds.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that, in many cases, the Government deduct superannuation payments from teachers' salaries during the last year of their service, yet refuses to recognise that year if it falls short of a complete year; and if he will take steps to remove this anomaly.

I am aware that this may happen. This matter can be raised during the consultations with local authorities and teachers to which reference was made in the Gracious Speech.

asked the Minister of Education how the number of admissions to teacher training colleges in September, 1954, compares with previous years.

The total number of students admitted to teacher training colleges of all types and to the university departments of education for the current session is 15,462. The corresponding figures for the two previous sessions were 15,170 and 14,996.

asked the Minister of Education when he will issue a report on fuel consumption in post-war schools.

I hope that I shall be able to let local education authorities have some preliminary findings in two to three months.

asked the Minister of Education the local education authorities to which he has given permission to go ahead with schools in canvas marquees upon their new housing estates.

No such proposal has been made to me.

asked the Minister of Education why advanced studies in commerce and management in technical colleges, are not eligible for recognition for an increased grant of 75 per cent. under his Department's Circular 255.

These increased grants are given because courses in advanced technology usually require specially heavy expenditure, especially on laboratories and equipment. This does not apply to advanced courses in commerce and management.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is now in a position to make a statement about the future of the Bolton Technical Teachers' Training College.

After careful consideration, I have concluded that the Bolton Technical Teachers' Training College should continue and that the necessary capital development should proceed.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he has taken to keep in touch with the educational requirements of apprentices.

My Department is represented on the education committees of a large number of joint industrial councils and other bodies which deal with the educational needs of apprentices.

asked the Minister of Education whether, having regard to paragraph 9 of Circular 283 on additional educational building, particularly in rural areas, he will make a statement of the possible modifications to development plans.

The Education Acts do not provide for the formal revision of development plans. It was, however, always contemplated that particular proposals contained in the plans might need to be modified when the time came for giving effect to them. Now that more work is to be done in the rural areas, I hope the parties concerned will look again at those proposals which either of them consider might with advantage be modified.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is satisfied with the provision of books in maintained and assisted schools; and what action he is taking to keep the supply up to the necessary standard.

No; it is difficult to generalise, but the position needs to be improved in some areas, particularly as regards school libraries. This is primarily the responsibility of individual local education authorities, and I have asked them to look at their arrangements.

asked the Minister of Education what advice he has received from the National Advisory Council on Education for Industry and Commerce in response to his predecessor's request to the council to investigate the need for sandwich courses among certain blocks of industry.

The National Advisory Council are still investigating this matter and have not yet submitted their recommendations to me.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of three Departments having responsibilities for problem families, he will arrange for a Departmental inquiry with a view, in the interest of economy and efficiency, to concentrating on one Department as being responsible.

No. Problem families cannot be dealt with in isolation from the rest of the community. Several Departments have general powers which can be used to assist them or to prevent their difficulties arising, and it is right and proper that this should be so.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of India concerning the pensions of United Kingdom members of the former Indian government services.

Representations have been made from time to time on various aspects of military and civil pensions of members of the former Indian Government Services.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will press the Indian Government to authorise an immediate anticipatory payment in respect of the widow's pension due to Mrs. J. A. D. Riordan, of 94, Tavistock Road, Plymouth, because, owing to the delay in paying the balance of the pension and gratuity due to her husband, the late Mr. J. A. D. Riordan, she is now unable to exist without National Assistance.

I am glad to be able to inform my hon. Friend that a special payment of Rs.75 per month has now been sanctioned in favour of the widow pending final settlement of her husband's dues.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what restrictions are now in operation in respect of immigrating citizens of the United Kingdom into other Commonwealth countries.

It would not be convenient to give, in answer to a Question, a detailed account of the practice of each member of the Commonwealth, but in most cases their Governments have powers to restrict the entrance of United Kingdom immigrants.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations which territories in Africa have been invited to send representatives to the Commonwealth Conference in January; by whom invitations are issued; and on what basis the participating countries are determined.

The forthcoming meeting was arranged in consultation with the Prime Ministers of the other Members of the Commonwealth, which include, of course, the Union of South Africa. The Prime Minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland has been invited to join them in view of the concern of the Federation in many of the matters which will be under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has completed his investigations concerning the dress purchased by Mrs. Green at Weston-super-Mare, details of which were supplied to him by the hon. Member for Coventry, South on 26th October last; and what action is contemplated under the Merchandise Marks Acts.

The investigations have been completed and steps have already been taken to institute proceedings for an offence against the Merchandise Marks Acts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now considered the evidence submitted to him that the embargo on certain standard types of scientific instruments, by encouraging Eastern European countries to manufacture for themselves, causes damage to British export trade; and what action he will take.

Yes. There is evidence that in the field of scientific instruments, as in other sectors, some items on the embargo list are manufactured in East Germany or elsewhere in the Soviet bloc. This is not, however, a conclusive argument for removing them from the embargo list.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to make a statement on the import of gloves from Hong Kong into the United Kingdom.

I have given full and sympathetic consideration to the arguments adduced by the industries affected by these imports. However, as I have said on a previous occasion, it is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to restrict imports of colonial goods by imposing quota restrictions, nor to impose duties on them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from Lancashire cotton workers with regard to ending the importation of shirts from Czechoslovakia.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will, during the present Session of Parliament, introduce legislation to amend the Copyright Act, 1911, in order to ratify the Universal Copyright Convention.

I cannot promise such legislation during the present Session.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the continuing decline in Britain's exports to Brazil, he will give fresh consideration to revising the current debt settlement with Brazil to make possible an expansion of Anglo-Brazilian trade.

I share my hon. Friend's concern at the decline in the level of our exports to Brazil; but I do not consider that the right way to remedy this situation would be to revise the terms of the debt settlement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what detailed consideration has been given by his Department to the overall economic position of Durham County; and what plans have been made to ensure full employment in the future.

Against the background of the Government's successful economic and financial policies, the problems of particular areas are continually under review in consultation with the other Departments concerned. We are continuing our efforts to introduce new industry to the places of need.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now prepared to introduce legislation to implement the Report of the Committee on Weights and Measures legislation, having regard to the difficulties created for all concerned by the legislation now in force.

Work is proceeding as quickly as possible on this complex subject, but I cannot say when it will be possible to introduce legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what types of goods are to be delivered to Persia under the recently-announced loan agreement.

Detailed matters concerning the application of the credit are at present under negotiation with the Persian Government. The credit which is granted under the Export Guarantees Acts, 1949 to 1952, may be used by the Persian Government to make payments for any goods which are wholly or partly produced and manufactured in the United Kingdom, or for sterling services provided from the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many motor cars have been imported from the United States of America under the token imports scheme for each of the last three years; and how many were imported in each of the three pre-war years.

Motor cars are not included in the token import scheme, but special arrangements have existed for imports in connection with the Motor Show. The total imports of new cars from the United States of America were 94, 102 and 128, respectively, in the years 1951, 1952 and 1953. Imports in 1936, 1937 and 1938 were respectively 7,642, 7,073 and 3,596.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number and value of greyhounds imported from Ireland in 1953.

4,239 greyhounds valued at £453,415 were imported into the United Kingdom from the Irish Republic in 1953. These figures include greyhounds imported temporarily, for example, for racing.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will describe the official indices available for calculating changes in the purchasing power of the £ sterling and the cost of living.

There are three official indices available. These are:

(a) The Cost of Living Index, compiled monthly from July, 1914, to June, 1947, by the Ministry of Labour, and then discontinued. This index was designed to measure the average changes in the cost of maintaining the standard of living prevalent in working-class households in 1914.

(b) The Interim Index of Retail Prices, compiled monthly since June, 1947, by the Ministry of Labour. A wide range of goods and services bought by households of wage earners and others with relatively small incomes is used. Changes in weighting and coverage were introduced in January, 1952, to keep the index up-to-date. It will be further reviewed when the results of the 1953–54 household Expenditure Inquiry become available.

(c) The Price Index of all Consumer Goods and Services, compiled for each calendar year since 1938 by the Central Statistical Office. This index covers the whole range of goods and services purchased by consumers.

It has been the practice both of this Government, and of the last, to answer questions relating to the purchasing power of the £ sterling by reference to the Price Index of all Consumer Goods and Services, wherever possible. But since this index is compiled only for complete calendar years, the Interim Index of Retail Prices is used to bring the calculation up-to-date from the last complete calendar year for which figures are available. When reference is made to years before 1938, the Cost of Living Index is used. Questions which relate to changes in the cost of living are answered by reference to the Interim Index of Retail Prices for periods after June, 1947, or, for earlier dates, by reference to the Cost of Living Index.It is the practice for answers to questions relating to the purchasing power of the £ sterling or the cost of living to state specifically the indices on which the calculations are based.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that over 30 of the remaining theatres in this country have recently been sold or converted, or are being offered for sale or conversion; and whether, in view of the importance of preserving the living stage in the public interest, he will undertake as a mattes of urgency to review the effects of the Entertainment Duty on the living theatre.

I have seen reports that over 30 theatres have been offered fox sale. These sales do not necessarily arise out of the incidence of Entertainments Duty. But this duty will be included in my right hon. Friend's general review of taxation before the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that cinema attendances are detrimentally affected by the developing practice of floodlit and televised evening football matches, he will give consideration to reducing the Entertainments Duty for cinemas to the same level as that for professional sport.

I cannot comment on the implication in the hon. Member's Question, but my right hon. Friend will bear this point in mind when considering the Entertainments Duty on cinemas in his general review of taxation before the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why his recent estimate of the total number of working people at various income levels is nearly 2 million greater than the official estimate of the working population.

I presume that my hon. Friend is referring to the estimate given in my reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. Hamilton) on 16th November, last.The figures in my reply covered all persons with incomes, whether working or not, and are comparable with those given in table 18 on page 29 of the Blue Book on National Income and Expenditure published in August, 1954. Unfortunately, the explanatory notes which should have accompanied the figures in my reply of 16th November were inadvertently omitted. As this seems to have led to some misapprehension of the figures, the full reply is repealed below:

The table below gives the estimated distribution of net incomes, after tax, for the year 1953.
Range of net annual income			Number of persons (millions)
Under £250	…	…	8·6
£250–£499	…	…	10·0
£500–£749	…	…	4·9
£750–£999	…	…	1·1
£1,000 and over	…	…	0·7

NOTES1. The figures refer to all incomes, whether earned or investment. Separate figures for earned income are not available.2. The group with net incomes below £250 consists mainly of pensioners and juveniles.3. The deduction for national insurance contributions has been limited to that part of the contribution which qualifies for income tax relief.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that the Arts Council will give greater support to provincial ventures.

As I stated in reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) on 26th October, my right hon. Friend would not wish to interfere with the discretion of the Arts Council in apportioning their resources. I pointed out, however, that the Council is this year spending outside London a much larger percentage of its expenditure on opera and ballet.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury when it is his intention to close down the War Damage Commission in the interests of economy.

As I stated in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Renfrew, East (Sir G. Lloyd) on 4th November, no date has been fixed for winding up the War Damage Commission. It is still paying out substantial amounts in compensation, expected to total £28 million in 1954–55, and £21 million in 1955–56.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give an estimate as to when the continuance of the present rate of increased pig production will make this country largely self-supporting so far as pork and bacon are concerned.

In order to make the estimate for which my hon. Friend asks, it would be necessary to make assumptions about a number of matters, such as the future demand and supply of meat and the costs of production, prices, capacity of curing factories and other matters. In the circumstances, any estimate which I could give would be too speculative to be of any value.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will include Hampshire in the clean area which he proposes to declare shortly under the Live Poultry (Restrictions) Order, 1954, in view of the fact that, as shown by his Department's figures, Hampshire is cleaner than any of the six adjoining counties proposed to be included in the order.

The proposed extension of the clean area does not include Hampshire. I have taken account of all relevant factors including the incidence and history of the disease in Hampshire and elsewhere and also ate need to avoid undue interference with the freedom of poultry keepers in the rest of the country to trade in live poultry. I will, however keep the matter under review

asked the Minister of Agriculture when legislation to provide special assistance towards the improvement of unclassified and unadopted roads in rural areas, as promised in the White Paper on Rural Wales, Command Paper No. 9014, will be forthcoming.

I would refer the hon. Member to what I said on this subject during the debate on the Address last Thursday.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the progress during recent years in connection with veterinary research and inoculations, steps can now be taken to curtail or dispense entirely with the arrangements under which dogs imported into this country have to be placed in quarantine for six months.

Inoculation cannot be relied upon to confer complete immunity against rabies, and I am satisfied that to rely on inoculation instead of quarantine would be an unjustfiable risk. As the incubation period of rabies may extend up to six months, I could not safely shorten the period of quarantine.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what action he is taking to assist local government authorities to trace responsibility for maintenance of river banks and to prevent flooding.

I am not aware of any general action that I could take to assist in this matter. If the hon. Member has in mind a particular case, perhaps he would let me have details.

asked the Minister of Labour why he refuses to grant to Mrs. Borchardt of 132, Gloucester Terrace, Lancaster Gate, W.2, a permit to employ foreign domestic servants.

I am not prepared to issue permits for the employment of foreign workers unless I am satisfied that the conditions of employment will be not less favourable than those commonly accorded to British workers. I am not so satisfied in this case.

asked the Minister of Health the number of people in South Wales certified as suffering from tuberculosis who have been waiting for six months or longer for admission to a sanatorium; and what action is being taken to reduce the waiting period.

258; every effort is being made to increase the number of hospital beds available for these patients and to recruit additional nursing staff. Facilities for thoracic surgery are being improved and two new surgical units are being established at Chepstow and Newport.

asked the Minister of Health the number of people who have been awaiting admission to the Rhyd-y-Llafr Hospital, Cardiff, for more than one year; and what steps he is taking to reduce the waiting period.

823; the additional facilities provided at this new hospital have already resulted in a considerable reduction in the waiting list accumulated over the years, and now that all the beds have been brought into use further reductions may be expected.

asked the Minister of Health how many children on the waiting list for tonsil operations at the Manchester Ear Hospital have been transferred to other hospitals since June, 1954; and how the children to be transferred were selected.

I am informed that no children who in June, 1954, were on the waiting list at the Manchester Ear Hospital for tonsil and adenoid operations have been transferred to other hospitals, but that since that month 133 children who would previously have been added to the waiting list there have been placed on the waiting list at Wythenshawe Hospital. The selection of these cases was done by the consultant responsible. Separate figures for tonsil operations only are not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many surgeons carrying out tonsil and adenoid operations on children are employed either full-time or part-time at the Manchester Ear Hospital; and how many operating sessions for child patients are held each week.

Two full-time and five part-time. None of the seven operating sessions a week is specifically reserved for children.

asked the Minister of Health the number of children on the waiting list for tonsil and adenoid operations at each of the nine Manchester hospitals where such operations are carried out; and whether he will state the waiting period at each hospital.

Hospital	July		August		September		October		November		Totals
	Chn.	Total	Chn.	Total	Chn.	Total	Chn.	Total	Chn.	Total	Chn.	Total
Manchester Royal Infirmary	8	16	12	19	13	17	16	24	11	14	60	90
Ancoats Hospital	89	97	31	37	36	40	45	48	44	49	245	271
Manchester Northern Hospital	30	47	30	38	26	26	46	56	29	31	161	198
Victoria Memorial Jewish Hospital	22	35	16	30	34	37	26	29	27	34	125	165
Wythenshawe Hospital	233	234	50	55	165	172	128	134	174	179	750	774
Duchess of York Hospital	12	12	21	21	12	12	14	14	24	24	83	83
Withington Hospital	2	7	2	6	2	9	4	13	8	11	18	46
Booth Hall Hospital	46	46	40	40	40	40	55	55	54	54	235	235
Manchester Ear Hospital	72	77	64	78	104	134	62	74	84	97	386	460

The figures on 7th December, 1954, were as follows:

Hospital	Number on Waiting List	Waiting time Months
Manchester Royal Infirmary	75	6–9
Ancoats Hospital	123	3
Manchester Northern Hospital	112	3
Victoria Memorial Jewish Hospital.	61	4–5
Wythenshawe Hospital	1,023	9
Duchess of York Hospital	53	8
Withington Hospital	2	1½–2
Booth Hall Hospital	519	4–13
Manchester Ear Hospital.	894	16
	2,862

asked the Minister of Health the number of tonsil and adenoid operations carried out at each of the nine Manchester hospitals in each month from July, 1954, to November, 1954, inclusive, showing in each case the number of operations performed on children of school age.

The numbers are as follows:

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the damage caused to the telephone system in Pembrokeshire by the recent gale; and what emergency steps he has taken to give assistance to the post office engineers in the area by drafting in temporary assistance from other post office areas that have not been affected so severely.

The recent severe and prolonged gales caused very considerable damage to telephone plant over a wide area. In Wales and the South-West of England about 35,000 subscribers' lines were affected, and about 100 small exchanges were isolated for short periods. The number of subscribers affected in Pembrokeshire was about 1,300. Eighteen exchanges in the county were isolated and considerable damage was done to important cables carrying junction and trunk circuits. Many other areas were also affected so that it was not possible to draft in staff, but the repair work has progressed quickly and conditions should be back to normal by the end of this week.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many men, being either naval ratings or civilian employees, are employed at Rosyth Dockyard at the present time; and what were the comparable figures for employment in the past five years.

The figures are as follows:

—		1949	1950	1951
Civilians	…	5,203	5,275	5,511
Naval Ratings	…	14	14	14
—		1952	1953	1954
Civilians	…	5,714	5,915	5,916
Naval Ratings	…	14	13	13

Women industrial workers, apprentices and other juvenile industrial workers are included in these figures. Civilians employed in a non-industrial capacity and naval officers are excluded.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can yet make an announcement about holidays in Admiralty industrial establishments in 1955.

Yes. The reports by establishments on the closed period in 1954 showed that it had considerable advantages as a means of promoting efficiency and economy. On the other hand, the representatives of the employees stressed the unpopularity of the closed period and the inconvenience caused by it to many individuals. After weighing all these considerations, the Admiralty have decided that the establishments should revert to "staggered" leave arrangements in 1955.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will make a statement on the decline in the recruitment of volunteers for the Services; and what steps he will take.

I will bear the Member's wishes in mind when the 1955 statement on defence is being prepared.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make a statement about the arrangements for cereals deficiency payments next year.

The Government propose to continue the cereals deficiency payments scheme for the 1955–56 crop year. It will be administered by the Cereals Deficiency Payments Unit of the Ministry of Food. The existing Advisory Committees representing the growers' and trade interests concerned will be consulted about the detailed arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many of the 422 men who entered into three-year Regular Army engagements with the Colours and four years with the Reserve in November, 1951, were transferred to the Army Reserve during November, 1954; and how many prolonged their service and consequently remain with the Colours.

The normal statistics of prolongations are not related to the precise month of enlistment and, even if a Special and lengthy examination were made, it could not provide a full answer to this Question. In any case, the prolongation rate can only be reasonably assessed over a period of months and it is still too early to get any worth while indication of the numbers likely to extend their three-year engagements.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will grant the higher contributory pensions to those who paid all their contri

RETIREMENT AND CONTRIBUTORY AND NON-CONTRIBUTORY OLD-AGE PENSIONS*
Year		Total number of pensioners at 31st December	Total amount paid to pensioners during financial year commencing 1st April (including supplementary pensions and National Assistance)	Total amount paid to pensioners by way of National Assistance during financial year commencing 1st April (included in col. (iii))
(i)		(ii)	(iii)	(iv)
		Thousands	£ million	£ million
1946†	…	3,775	191	—
1947†	…	4,000	237	—
1948†	…	4,550	265	11‡
1949	…	4,575	292	17
1950	…	4,575	297	23
1951	…	4,550	325	27
1952	…	4,550	375	37
1953	…	4,650	396	42

No. My right hon. Friend sees no reason to depart from the policy adopted on previous occasions when National Insurance pensions have been increased.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total amount paid to old-age pensioners, contributory and non-contributory; the total amount paid to them in the form of National Assistance; and the total number of such pensioners, in each year since 1946.

The following table gives the desired information: