asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an estimate of the total amount outstanding on hire-purchase payments as from the latest convenient date.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to secure the collection and publication of statistics relating to all hire-purchase contracts similar to those already available for contracts relating to motor cars.

Sufficient information is not available from which to derive a reliable estimate of the total amount outstanding on hire-purchase payments. I will consider the suggestions made by the hon. Member for Stechford, but I must weigh the value of the information against the additional work it would put on traders.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total import of monkeys into the United Kingdom for the year 1954, given in terms of numbers and value; and what respective proportions were re-exported.

I regret that the information is not available. Monkeys are not separately recorded in the trade accounts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied with the balance of trade between Britain and Poland; and whether he will endeavour to obtain Polish agreement to take a greater quantity of cotton yarn to off-set the considerable quantities of Polish foods taken by Britain.

Yes, after account has also been taken of the debt settlement and trade with the rest of the sterling area. More than half our exports to Poland, including in 1954 some cotton yarn, are sold outside the agreed quotas. I will bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now completed his consideration, undertaken in consultation with the Minister of Supply, regarding any further action which can be taken to help overcome the current shortage of nickel; and whether he will now make a statement.

Yes. In consultation with industry, consideration has been given to ways of helping to overcome the shortage of nickel, and steps are being taken which should reduce the expected shortage during 1955. Supplies are still, however, unlikely to be sufficient to meet demand, and, while no doubt all concerned will do their utmost to increase them, it will be necessary to economise in the use of nickel for some time to come.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to lower the tax on petrol and diesel oils in his next Budget, in order to reduce the cost of living.

My hon. and gallant Friend will not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to consider in his next Budget the abolition of Purchase Tax on all non-luxury articles.

The question of what is a luxury is so much a matter of personal opinion that my right hon. Friend would have difficulty in complying with my hon. and gallant Friend's request.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates to have been the level of net investment in fixed capital in industry, including transport and public utilities, during 1954.

No information is at present available which would enable any estimate of net investment in industry in 1954 to be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make the tobacco tokens issued to pensioners available alternatively for purchase of tea, so that smokers and non-smokers can benefit equally.

The Tobacco Token Scheme relieves old-age pensioners from some part of the post-war increases in Tobacco Duty. Most tea is duty-free, and therefore the Tobacco Duty relief could not be extended to tea, for the reasons I stated in reply to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. G. M. Thomson) on 28th October.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost to the Exchequer if, in place of the fixed allowance of £85 per child, an earned income child allowance were introduced, based on one-tenth of the parents' income, rising to a maximum allowance per child which would not exceed £150 per annum.

I assume my hon. Friend intends that the present allowance of £85 should be retained as a minimum applicable to incomes below £850. On this basis, the cost of increasing the child allowance for incomes above that level to 10 per cent. of income, with a maximum of £150, would be about £21 million in a full year. If, on the other hand, the allowance were restricted to 10 per cent. at all income levels, so that those with incomes below £850 received a smaller allowance than at present, there would actually be a net gain to the Exchequer of about £5 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if. as a contribution to easing the unemployment situation in Northern Ireland, he will revise the Purchase Tax on linen goods.

I cannot go further than to say that full consideration will be given to the position of the Northern Ireland linen industry whenever a time may come to revise the tax on textiles.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) to give an undertaking that he will decline to sanction any further arrangements with the United States of America, similar to the recent shipments of coal and of apples, whereby payment is allowed in sterling on condition that the goods are carried in United States ships; and whether, for any necessary imports, he will make dollars available in order to prevent this country being a party to flag discrimination;(2) whether, in support of protests against flag discrimination by other countries, he will refuse to licence the import of goods, the shipment of which has been made conditional upon their carriage in ships of the country of export.

For several years it has been a requirement of United States law that at least 50 per cent. of aid cargoes should be carried in United States ships, and the United Kingdom has throughout accepted United States aid on this basis. It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to make use of every opportunity, including trade negotiations, for resisting flag discrimination in normal trade. The machinery of import licensing would not, however, be a suitable instrument for this purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to now withdraw his Department's request to bankers not to cash, for their customers, cheques drawn upon other bankers.

I do not think it advisable to withdraw this request. I am not sure whether my hon. Friend realises that the present practice is of real value in countering tax evasion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make a statement on the recent meeting of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave to the Member for Stechford (Mr. Roy Jenkins) the day before yesterday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports he receives on the expenditure of the University Grants Committee; and what safeguards are employed by him to ensure the proper use of public funds.

My right hon. Friend looks to the University Grants Committee, which is appointed by him and in which he has full confidence, to supervise the use made by the universities of the grants made to them by the Treasury on the Committee's recommendation. These grants are borne on the Universities and Colleges Vote, for which the Treasury accounts. The Committee publishes a five-yearly review of university development, and an annual summary of the statistical and financial returns made to it by universities and colleges. The Committee also reports fully to my right hon. Friend on the occasion of his quinquennial review of university finance, as well as on any special problems on which he may require its advice from time to time.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury why it is any longer necessary to continue to employ private valuers on contract to do special work on valuation for rating in view of the postponement of the deposit of the new valuation lists until April, 1956, and the resulting slackening of work in the Valuation Office.

The question of Inland Revenue staff taking over this special work will not arise until the contracts with private surveyors expire on 31st March, 1958.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many contracts have been placed with private valuers for special work for the Valuation Office; and what is the estimated cost in fees for the 10 years' duration of these contracts.

One hundred and nineteen contracts with 58 firms. The contracts run from 1st February, 1950, or later, until 31st March, 1958. On the best estimates that can at present be made, the fees for the whole period may amount to about £3½ million.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury on what basis the fees are paid to private valuers for special work for the Valuation Office; and what limitations the terms of the contracts place upon their freedom to engage in private professional work directly or indirectly on behalf of appellants against their own valuations for rating.

In general, the fees are related to net annual values as finally determined after any objections and appeals have been settled. They are paid in accordance with scales negotiated with the professional bodies representing the private surveyors.The contracts require the private surveyors to deal on behalf of the Inland Revenue with objections and appeals arising from their own valuations but, in accordance with ordinary professional practice, leave the private surveyors free to act for the ratepayer in any case in which they are not acting for the Inland Revenue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what change there has been in the policy announced by his predecessor in dealing with the dollar securities which were pledged when the loan from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation was contracted and released when that loan was repaid.

I have no intention at present of making any radical change in the policy announced by my predecessor of retaining these securities in Treasury ownership. I have, however, made certain minor changes in the portfolio from time to time. I shall be arranging for the sale during the next few months of about $15 million worth of these securities on the London market, and I may make similar sales from time to time in the future.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) to state the total expenses incurred by the Iron and Steel Realisation and Holding Agency, including the underwriting commission paid to the consortium, in selling

Company	Number of Shares offered	Total Expenses incurred by the Agency	Number of applications
		£
The United Steel Companies Ltd.	14,000,000 Ordinary at 25s. a share.	483,541	52,380
The Lancashire Steel Corporation Ltd.	4,500,000 Preference at 21s. a share	248,987	3,594
	4,500,000 Ordinary at 22s. a share		2,032
Stewarts and Lloyds Ltd.	10,000,000 Ordinary at 35s. a share	488,304	12,859
John Summers & Sons Ltd.	9,000,000 Ordinary at 24s. 6d. a share	315,000	12,576
		315,000 (Estimated)
Dorman, Long & Co. Ltd.	15,000,000 Ordinary at 22s. 6d. a share	487,500 (Estimated)	52,391
Colvilles Ltd.	10,000,000 Ordinary at 26s. a share	370,000(Estmated)	159,931 (certain Multiple applications were treated as single applications)

The basis of acceptance of applications differed according to the response to the Offer. In general, all applications received before the closing of the application lists were accepted—either in full or in part, depending on the size of the application.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how far it is his practice in the campaign to eradicate fowl pest to consult regularly with the auctioneers and poultry dealers to ensure that diseased birds are not sold in the open market.

The sale in markets of ailing or unfit poultry is prohibited, and all markets at which poultry is sold must be licensed by the local authority and the shares in the steel companies for which public offers of sales have been made;(2) how many applications to purchase were accepted for each of the steel companies whose shares have been offered for sale to the public by the Iron and Steel Realisation and Holding Agency.

The information asked for is as follows:are subject to conditions designed to prevent the spread of fowl pest. In view of these provisions (which are enforced by local authorities and the police), no special consultation with auctioneers or dealers has been thought necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the names, qualifications and positions held of the delegation sponsored by his Department who recently visited the agricultural exhibition in Moscow; whether he will publish in HANSARD the official speeches made by these delegates in Moscow and on their return to London concerning this exhibition; and whether he will publish in HANSARD a report by the delegation on this agricultural exhibition.

The desired particulars about the composition of the delegation are given below. I should like to express my appreciation of the invitation to send the delegation and of the generous hospitality accorded by the Soviet authorities. Two official speeches of thanks were made in Moscow, of which there is no record. None was made on their return. It is not the practice for a delegation of this kind to make a report for publication.The following is the list of members of the delegation:

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will now make a further statement about the Government's proposal to introduce legislation to make grants for the maintenance of Welsh farm roads.

I regret that I cannot yet indicate when legislation will be introduced, but I hope this will not be long delayed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the terms of reference of the Committee of Inquiry into the horticultural industry; and when it is expected that the Committee will begin its investigations.

I am very glad to say that Viscount Runciman has agreed to act as Chairman of the Committee of Inquiry into Horticultural Marketing. The Committee's terms of reference will be:

"To investigate the present facilities for and methods of marketing home-produced and imported vegetables, fruit and flowers; to consider whether the marketing and distribution of such produce can be improved; and to make recommendations."

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will look into the varying restrictions placed by water undertakings on the use of gathering grounds for agriculture, and approach those undertakers who impose unreasonable restrictions, with a view to their relaxation in the interest of increased agricultural production.

Where such restrictions appear unjustified, I am prepared to cause the matter to be taken up with the water undertaking concerned. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind, I should be glad if he would send me details.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what plans he has for wholly exterminating rabbits by humane means in areas badly affected by myxomatosis.

The responsibility for exterminating rabbits rests with the occupier of the land. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Horncastle (Commander Maitland) on 27th January.

asked the Minister of agriculture, as it is an offence to spread myxomatosis deliberately, if he will also take steps to make it an offence to immunise wild rabbits against the disease.

I have no evidence that the practice of inoculating wild rabbits against myxomatosis is widespread, but in any case I am advised that it provides only a temporory protection against the disease.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the Scottish Milk Board's plan to make adjustment in the price when the milk supplied to it falls below a given percentage of butter fat; and whether he is satisfied that the method of payment in force in England gives sufficient encouragement and reward to producers of milk, other than Channel Island milk, with a butter-fat percentage which is above the average.

I am aware of the Scottish Board's arrangements, and it is within the discretion of the Milk Marketing Board for England and Wales to relate payment for milk to its butter-fat content. I understand that the Joint Milk Quality Control Committee, a body representative of the Milk Marketing Board, milk producers and distributors, is at present considering methods for improving the compositional quality of milk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give consideration to the continuance of the Milk Production Bonus for one more year at the present rate.

It is for the Milk Marketing Board to decide whether the Production Bonus should be continued in 1955–6 and, if so, at what rates.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement on the marketing or eggs.

I have at present nothing to add to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Aitken) on 26th January.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will arrange with the British Broadcasting Corporation for the continuance of regular broadcasting of agricultural prices as this is most useful for farmers.

I am informed that this question is at present under consideration by the B.B.C.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of restrictive practices by trawler owners to keep up the prices of fish; and whether he will take steps to prevent such practices, which are harmful to the consumer.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement on his proposals regarding the restrictive activities of the British trawler owners.

I understand that the distant-water trawler owners have decided to continue in operation the Distant-Water Vessels Development Scheme to which the hon. Members presumably refer. I am asking the owners to discuss the position further with both the White Fish Authority and my Department.

asked the Minister of Labour what instructions are given by his Department to employment exchanges with regard to assisting discharged prisoners in obtaining employment.

Special arrangements are made at employment exchanges to assist discharged prisoners to find employment. These are described in paras. 51–59 and Appendix D of the Report on Discharged Prisoners Aid Societies that was presented by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to Parliament in June, 1953, and I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are registered as unemployed in the county of Caernarvon; and how many were so registered in January, 1952.

2,372 at 10th January, 1955, and 2,247 at 14th January, 1952.

asked the Minister of Labour the retail prices of butter, bacon, carcase meat, sugar, tea, coffee, cocoa, flour, and milk in October, 1951, as used in the cost-of-living index; and the comparable figures for October, 1954.

I would refer the hon. Member to the written reply I gave on 1st February to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dodds).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he hopes to present the Bill relating to obscene publications.

I have nothing at present to add to the answer I gave on 18th November to a Question by the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. K. Robinson).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total number of emigrants to this country from the West Indies for the year 1954, expressed on a monthly basis; and, in view of difficulties which will arise in consequence of this unrestricted entry, what steps he proposes to take to bring the policy of Her Majesty's Government into line with that of other parts of the British Commonwealth.

Precise figures cannot be given, but it is estimated that over 9,000 migrants left the West Indies for the United Kingdom during 1954. I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies that the only monthly figures which can be given are in respect of intended departures from Jamaica. which are given below. No restriction could be placed upon the entry of British subjects to the United Kingdom without legislation.

Intended departures from Jamaica for emigration to the United Kingdom during 1954
January	…	…	…	242
February	…	…	…	293
March	…	…	…	434
April	…	…	…	937
May	…	…	…	367
June	…	…	…	327
July	…	…	…	464
August	…	…	…	452
September	…	…	…	824
October	…	…	…	1,398
November	…	…	…	1,101
December	…	…	…	911
				7,750

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends taking to control the further immigration of Jamaica's 150,000 unemployed into the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he has any statement to make about the continued flow of Jamaicans into this country;

Her Majesty's Government have these matters under consideration. I regret that I am unable to make any statement at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made with the proposal to establish a separate court for Dagenham.

The primary responsibility for initiating any changes in the Essex petty sessional boundaries and for providing new court accommodation rests with the county magistrates' courts committee. I understand that the committee have no immediate intention of submitting proposals to me on either subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grant was made by Her Majesty's Government during the last financial year to the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society.

In 1953–54 Government grants totalling £22,108 were paid to the National Association of Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies and its affiliated societies. Under the revised scheme of grants proposed by the Committee on Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies in 1953, provision has been made for payment during the current year of grants of about £34,500.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the investigation by the Prison Commissioners into the recent hunger strike in Dartmoor Prison.

There are some 660 men in Dartmoor prison. On Friday, 21st January, about 90 men dining in association, mainly in one hall, did not eat their dinners in the hall, though many of them ate them later in their cells. Sporadic refusals of food, sometimes of one meal, sometimes of another, continued for some days on a diminishing scale.Forty-two men engaged in what might be called a hunger-strike, in that they refused all food for over 48 hours. They were then seen by the medical officer, when all but one desisted. On Saturday, 29th January, the remaining man desisted. No prisoner had to be artificially fed. I understand, however, that one prisoner has begun this week to refuse all food.The cause of this demonstration can only be surmised. None of the prisoners taking part has made any formal complaint or said anything to explain it. The day before it started an Assistant Commissioner visited the prison and heard applications from prisoners who wished to see him. Only one prisoner complained about food. It is believed that a baseless rumour was circulating in the prison that the proper quantities were not being issued, and that this was used by troublemakers to foment discontent.In fact, the quantity and quality of the meals, and their preparation and service, are of a good standard, and no question of any special action will arise unless some significant number of complaints is made through a proper channel and shown to have some prima facie justification.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the Report of the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment.

I shall make a statement in the course of the proposed debate on the Report of the Royal Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been convicted for offences in connection with their police work in the last five years for which figures are available.

During the 12 months ended 30th September, 1954, 49 members of police forces in England and Wales were convicted of offences. For the 12 months ended 30th September, 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953, the numbers were, respectively, 31, 33, 38 and 42. I cannot say how many of these offences were in connection with police work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it was decided to exclude service of former volunteer firemen from counting towards the Fire Brigade Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Service as a volunteer in a public fire service counts towards the award of the Medal. As regards service in other organisations, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to his Question on 10th December, 1954.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what cooperation his Department offered to the Permanent Central Opium Board in the preparation of its recent report, published by the United Nations, on the spread of illicit drug traffic in Western Europe; to what extent this traffic has increased in Britain since the war; and what evidence he has of the effect of the current immigration of West Indians into Britain upon the illicit traffic in drugs, especially marihuana, in this country.

The preparation of the Permanent Central Opium Board's report is the responsibility of the Board, who rely for their information on reports submitted by Governments. Her Majesty's Government have always cooperated wholeheartedly with the Board. In the United Kingdom, both before and since the war, the illicit traffic in dangerous drugs has been small. There is virtually no traffic in manufactured drugs and, since the war, traffic in opium appears to have declined. There has, however, been some increase in the traffic in Indian hemp (sometimes called marihuana), and a particularly close watch is being kept on this problem. Those convicted of offences in respect of this drug in recent years include a small number of West Indians, but none of these was a very recent immigrant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the date of the latest circular letter from his Department containing advice on the procedure for the recovery of penalties under Section 28 of the Town Police Clauses Act, 1847; and whether he will now give fresh advice in view of subsequent decisions of the courts.

I cannot find that a circular letter has been issued by the Home Office on this subject. I am not aware that there is need for general guidance, but if my hon. Friend will let me know of any difficulties which have been brought to his notice, I shall be glad to examine them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what occasions during the last 20 years police under the control of his Department have forbidden access to the Palace of Westminster to people having appointments to see their Member of Parliament.

I can find no record of any occasion on which the police have forbidden access to citizens having appointments to see their Member in the Palace of Westminster. On 31st January, 1939, and on 25th January, 1955, the police, in pursuance of their obligations under the Sessional Order, dispersed a disorderly and obstructive crowd of demonstrators, many of whom said that they wished to interview their Member of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking on the recommendation of the Committee on Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies for the appointment of prison welfare officers at local prisons.

After consideration of the views which have been expressed by the local Aid Societies on this recommendation, I have authorised the Prison Commissioners, in consultation with the National Association of Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies, to initiate during the coming financial year an experimental pilot scheme which will provide for the appointment of prison welfare officers, as recommended by the Committee, at three or four selected local prisons at which the local Aid Society would welcome such an appointment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Council for Wales Report on the Welsh ports will be published.

Today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he refused to receive a deputation concerning pockets of unemployment in Wales.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to a request made by the Llanelly Trades Council. The right hon. Gentleman the Member for Llanelly had previously brought to my notice representations which the Council had made to him on a number of matters relating to employment in the Llanelly area. After carefully considering the matter in consultation with those of my colleagues within whose executive responsibilities these matters fall, I wrote to the right hon. Member at considerable length. I have nothing to add to the information contained in that letter, and I did not think that any useful purpose would be served by my receiving a deputation.

asked the Minister of Education the total cost to the country of permitting all winners of State scholarships to receive the full value of their awards; and what is the present cost of State scholarships.

At present the annual cost of State scholarships is about £2½ million. If parents contributed nothing this would be increased by about £800,000.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has yet made any further consideration regarding the amendment of the means test for State scholarships.

Yes, I am considering this matter carefully, but I am not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Education to cease to impose a means test on the parents of research students who apply to him for financial assistance in the form of State scholarships of supplemental type after they have been awarded university post-graduate studentships of low annual value; and if, in future, he will consider the cases of such students independently of their parents' financial position.

In consultation with the other Departments concerned, I am reviewing the whole question of awards made by my Department. In the course of this review, I shall be considering the case for assessing differently different types of award.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is now able to state the number of classes in primary schools in Cardiff which had more than 40 children and 50 children, respectively, on their registers in October, 1954; and the comparative numbers for 1953 and 1951.

In January, 1954, the latest date for which information is available, there were 279 junior classes in Cardiff with more than 40 pupils, including 3 with more than 50. The comparable figures for January, 1953, were 238 and 12, and for January, 1951, 210 and 13 respectively.

asked the Minister of Education the total number of teachers employed in primary and secondary schools, respectively, in Cardiff in January, 1955; and what were the comparative numbers for 1953 and 1951.

The latest available figures show that in January, 1954, there were 857 full-time teachers in primary schools and 542 in secondary schools maintained by the Cardiff Authority. The comparable figures for January, 1953, were 838 and 548, and for January, 1951, 836 and 470, respectively.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the anxiety of Cardiff teachers at the state of education in Cardiff in view of the proposed cuts in the education estimates for that city; and whether he will make a statement.

The answer to both parts of the question is "No." The forecast submitted to me by the authority for 1955–56 shows an increase of nearly 8 per cent. over the corresponding expenditure shown in their revised estimates for the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Education what restrictions are imposed on the earnings of school teachers who continue to teach after reaching retiring age.

No restrictions are imposed on account of age. If a teacher who has retired on pension returns to full-time teaching, his pension ceases for the time being. If he returns to part-time teaching and his salary is aided from Government funds, then his pension together with his salary cannot in any quarter amount to more than he earned as a full-time teacher.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is now able to announce the results of his inquiry into the conditions and amount granted for various professional purposes for further education.

I am conducting no such general inquiry. If the hon. Member will tell me in what points he is specially interested, I will see whether I have any information that I can give him.

asked the Minister of Education the current annual cost of maintaining a child at an elementary school and at a secondary school.

The latest figures available show that in 1953–54 the cost was about £32 in primary schools and £59 in secondary schools.

asked the Minister of Education to publish an up-to-date list of those local authorities whose development plans for secondary education have not yet been approved by his Department.

The development plans for primary and secondary schools submitted by the following authorities under Section 11 of the Education Act, 1944, have not yet been approved:

asked the Minister of Education what response he has received from county education authorities to the proposals for rural reorganisation made in paragraph 5 of Circular 283.

The county education authorities have done even better than I hoped. It is already clear that they are determined to get all these projects started well within the five years which I have suggested. They have proposed to add to the 1955–56 building programme about 140 new schools or major enlargements needed for rural reorganisation. The completion of these will provide about 40,000 school places, and will make possible the reorganisation as junior schools of some 775 all-age schools in rural districts.

asked the Minister of Education the number of county borough education authorities which have sought permission to complete reorganisation schemes in their areas; and the number to whom permission has not yet been granted.

Four authorities have made proposals to add building projects to the 1955–56 programme for the purpose of carrying out urban reorganisation. For reasons which I have explained in Circular 283, I have not approved these proposals.

asked the Minister of Education (1) to make a statement concerning his plans for reorganisation of schools in urban areas; and by what date he hopes to complete these plans;(2) the number of school places needed to complete reorganisation of schools in urban areas.

In January, 1954, there were 149,000 children in the senior classes of all-age schools and departments in urban areas. As I have explained in paragraph 5 of Circular 283, I expect that this number will continue to be reduced by school building undertaken primarily for other purposes. I cannot yet say how much building will eventually be needed for the specific purpose of completing reorganisation in urban areas or when it will be possible to carry it out.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the shortage of teachers and the fact that school grant regulations permit teachers to continue at work after the age of 65 years, he will recommend to local education authorities that they should not normally insist on the retirement of head or assistant teachers at that age.

Local authorities are aware of Government policy on the continued employment of older people. In the light of this policy my own advice to authorities is that they should consider the case of each teacher individually and should be ready to retain the services of any who are fit and willing to carry on and who are needed in the schools. The number of teachers over the age of 65 has been increasing in recent years.

asked the Minister of Education to give a list of the rural schools in Radnorshire to which the local education committee have been asked to pay or have paid capital contributions for the supply of electricity as well as a list of the rural schools which have been supplied with electricity for which capital contributions have not been paid.

This information is not available in my Department.

asked the Minister of Education to state the capitation allowances for primary schools made by each of the Welsh local education authorities; and whether he will state the maximum and minimum allowances, respectively, made by English local authorities.

This information is not available in my Department.

asked the Minister of Food what arrangements have now been made for the payment of grain subsidy in cases where it has been impossible to harvest the grain because of the weather.

As already announced, any acreage deficiency payments that become due for barley, oats and mixed corn will be made on unharvested acreages if failure to harvest was not due to bad husbandry or negligence by the grower.

asked the Minister of Food when he proposes to publish the final report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Slaughterhouses.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dodds) on 20th December, 1954.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the impending sale of the St. James's Theatre for the erection of offices on its site; and whether he will take action to preserve this building as a theatre for the public service.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North on 31st January.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government which towns, whose building space within their boundaries has been used up, are now sharing in the overall deficit of the new town required to meet their housing needs, and at the same time paying a contribution in respect of every house allotted to persons on their waiting list.

In the news towns in England and Wales housing operations are self-balancing. The question of contributions to a deficit does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is satisfied with the response of local authorities to his circular of April, 1954, urging them to encourage fuller use of the grants for house improvement; and what proportion of local authorities are now making grants at the full 50 per cent. rate as Parliament intended.

Up to the end of December, 1954, 927 local authorities in England and Wales had made improvement grants. The increase of 109 over the figures at the end of October, 1954, is encouraging: but I am continuing my efforts to persuade the remaining authorities to adopt these provisions. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the question is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to give details of the number of appeals by advertising interests dealt with during 1954 under the Control of Advertisements Regulations, 1948; how many of these appeals were dealt with at public hearings and by correspondence, respectively; how many, in each group referred, respectively, to posters, including bulletin boards but not trade signs, public information panels, and to trade signs on the premises of the occupiers concerned; and how many of each separate category were rejected or allowed.

Type of Advertisement		Total Number of appeals decided	Number dealt with by hearing		Number dealt with by correspondence (a)
			Dismissed	Allowed	Dismissed	Allowed
Posters	…	1,163	110	38	684	331
Public Information Panels	…	87	—	—	29	58
Trade Signs (b)	…	512	18	18	205	271
		(77)	(—)	(—)	(44)	(31)
TOTALS	…	1,762	184		1,578

NOTES.—(

asked the Minister of Health what steps he has taken to ensure that the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Dental Goods) Order, 1951, is being observed.

Complaints alleging contravention of the Order have been received and investigated, but in no case has evidence justifying civil proceedings by the Crown been produced.

asked the Minister of Health whether Anglesey water authority has yet investigated for fluorine content the urine of the area in which fluoridation is to be introduced and the urine of the control area; how many persons participated in this investigation and what were their ages; how far the condition of teeth of infants and older children in the areas has been ascertained; what were the ages of those whose teeth were examined; how many had their teeth examined for this investigation; and if he will ensure that accurate and consecutive records of fluorine content of urine and condition of teeth are kept in the two areas.

A pilot study of urinary excretion of fluoride in children in this country confirms the result of work done in the United States and New

The total number of appeals decided during 1954 was 1,762. Details are as follows:Zealand and makes it clear that more exclusive studies need not be undertaken before fluoridation in Anglesey is begun. Arrangements are now being made to examine the teeth of samples of children in each age group up to and including 15 years (and to some extent of adults) and consecutive records will, of course, be kept of all the most relevant facts.

asked the Minister of Health how many Section 5 pay-beds there are in the teaching and general hospitals, respectively, under his control; and what was the daily average occupation in each of these by paying and nonpaying patients during 1954 or the latest convenient 12 months.

Figures for 1954 are not yet available. At 31st December, 1953, the number of beds in England and Wales designated under Section 5 of the National Service Act, 1946, was 1,550 in teaching hospitals and 3,697 in other non-mental hospitals. The average daily occupancy during 1953 was:

—	Teaching hospitals	Other non-mental hospitals
Paying patients	967·5	1,630
Non-paying patients	217	720

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will place proposals before the present Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers for a policy of planned migration within the Commonwealth.

It is not the practice to give information about particular subjects which are or are not being discussed at Prime Ministers' Meetings. To do so would impair the informal and private nature of the meetings.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will publish the results of the traffic census at Abington in the county of Lanark; and if he will state the density of Glasgow-bound traffic through Hamilton and East Kilbride, respectively.

The records of the traffic census taken in August last show that at the census point on A.74 South of Abington total traffic passing in both directions averaged 3,741 vehicles for a 16-hour day. North of Hamilton the corresponding figures were 5,151 on A.74 and 3,500 on A.724, and North of East Kilbride 2,270 on A.749; it is estimated that approximately half these figures would represent Glasgow-bound traffic.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many applications for the installation of telephones are on his waiting list; and at what rate he expects to reduce this list.

Three hundred and fifty-eight thousand applications are on hand, of which about a third are in course of being met or are under inquiry. We supplied 411,000 people with telephones in 1954 and the number should exceed 450,000 this year, but the extent to which the order list will fall will depend of course on the level of new demand.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what steps are being taken to provide additional plant for the telephone service in the borough of Morley; and when the completion of the work may be expected.

An extension of the exchange is in hand and it should be finished by the middle of the year. This will enable most of the waiting applicants to be connected.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, the nature of the experiments being carried out to prevent the common cold; and what progress has been made.

The work of the Common Cold Research Unit at Salisbury has the general aim of identifying the cause of the infection, as a preliminary to developing vaccine for its prevention. At present they are trying to find how the virus can be consistently grown and studied outside the body, but as I informed the hon. Member on 25th January, he must not expect immediate results.The Medical Research Council is also interested in preventing the spread of the common cold by improving air hygiene by disinfection and ventilation. Experiments have shown that disinfection of air in schools by ultra-violet light reduced the bacterial content of the air, but, unfortunately, it was also found that the minor infections among the children in these schools were not less than among children at other schools. Trials involving the use of hexylresorcinol also gave a negative answer. Other trials are now in progress.