asked the Secretary of State for War what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the money proposed to be expended on the suggested gunsite at Trecastle, Breconshire, and the equipment proposed to be used there, is in accordance with modern scientific warfare.

I am satisfied that the money to be spent is justified.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many members of Anti-Aircraft Command will be affected by the decision to disband that formation.

All will be affected to some extent but just over a third will continue in anti-aircraft regiments or ancillary units.

asked the Secretary of State for War what modern languages are taught in the Army; and what numbers of officers and other ranks are proficient in the various foreign languages.

About 1,000 serving officers and other ranks have passed proficiency tests in the 14 languages which we are teaching today. In addition over 300 officers have qualified as interpreters in languages not taught by the Army. The commoner European languages, which can easily be learnt elsewhere, and less useful languages are not taught, and we concentrate on Oriental and Slavonic languages which fewer people learn as a matter of course.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the textile industry, bearing in mind the effect foreign imports are having.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my right hon. Friend's statement in answer to Questions on 3rd February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken, since the Indian Trade Agreement, to control the imports into the United Kingdom of jute textile goods from India.

Jute textile goods from India have, with minor exceptions, been centrally purchased by the Jute Control since the early days of the war. As the House was informed on 16th February, 1954, this public trading must continue until appropriate measures to safeguard the United Kingdom jute manufacturing industry under conditions conducive to efficiency can be worked out and introduced.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to improve Anglo-Braziliantrade and for inviting a group of Brazilian exporters to this country to enable them to study the British market.

It is a matter of regret to Her Majesty's Government that trade with Brazil, a country with which we have such long-established links, is passing through a difficult period, and we should much like to see an early improvement. In recent technical discussions held in Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian authorities agreed that greater flexibility in payments arrangements between Brazil and her trading partners was desirable so as to afford a basis for increasing trade between Brazil and the United Kingdom. The main factor in the situation is, however, Brazil's ability to sell her goods in this country and we for our part have taken all the necessary steps to free practically all Brazilian exports to this country from import restriction.As my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, there was last year a proposal that a mission of Brazilian exporters should visit this country so that they might discuss with United Kingdom traders ways of increasing Brazilian exports. I need hardly say that if the Brazilian authorities should decide to send such a mission it would be welcomed warmly by Her Majesty's Government, who would afford it every facility and assistance in establishing the necessary contacts. Her Majesty's Ambassador in Rio de Janeiro discussed this matter with the Brazilian Government at the time and gave them an assurance in this sense.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid by Her Majesty's Government in respect of the original purchase of shares in the Anglo-Persian Oil Company; what sums were paid subsequently for the purchase of further shares and how many free bonus shares were received in this company or its successors; and the value today of Her Majesty's Government's total shareholding in the British Petroleum Oil Company.

In 1914 the Government subscribed for two million £1 ordinary shares and one thousand £1 preference shares at par and, in 1919, for a further 3 million £1 ordinary shares at par. Bonus issues of ordinary shares received in 1926, 1937, and 1954 have totalled 51,250,000and have brought the nominal value of the Government's holding to £56,250,000 ordinary stock and £1,000 preference stock. The value of the Government's holding at close of business yesterday was just over £233 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total value of trade, the total wages paid and the total profits made for 1953 and 1954; the increase in wages and profits for the same years; and the same figures, ex pressed in percentages, of the total trade.

The information which my hon. Friend is asking for is not all available yet, and I must ask him to wait for the publication of the Economic Survey and the National Income White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated loss of revenue if the Purchase Tax on gloves was abolished.

Very approximately, about £1 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much taxation per head of the population was paid in 1938, 1950, and 1954.

Total Exchequer receipts from Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and motor vehicle duties, per head of the population of the United Kingdom, were £18 in 1937–38, £73 in 1949–50 and £82 in 1953–54.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the scheme for the implementation of the principle of equal pay for equal work in the Civil Service, he will provide for the pensions of women, now within seven years of retirement, to be reassessed on the basis of equal pay.

Under the scheme which I announced on 25th January, older women will advance to equal pay at the same rate as their younger colleagues. This scheme was produced by a Committee of the Civil Service National Whitley Council after long and sympathetic consideration of the possibility of including in it specially favourable treatment for older women. It has been recommended by the Staff Side to the executive committees of the several staff associations for their concurrence. I could not contemplate a scheme which increased the salary bill more steeply than it will be increased under that now holding the field, or one which departed from the principle of basing pensions on pay received.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet come to any decision regarding post-war credits with a view to extending concessions to those who produce medical certificates of serious illness and who are unable to work.

I cannot: anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of thefts that have occurred in the last 12 months from national museums and art galleries.

:Apart from two cases recently reported in the Press, there have, so far as I am aware, been no such thefts of museum objects within the last 12 months; nor do my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Education know of any thefts, other than one or two instances of petty pilfering, from the national institutions for which they are responsible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total consumption of home-produced Scotch whisky in 1954.

The home consumption of Scotch whisky in 1954 is estimated at approximately 4·6 million proof gallons.

asked the Prime Minister if he will amplify the report on the recent Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers; and how far agreement was reached to take common action on specific issues.

I have nothing to add to the agreed communiqués. I shall certainly not divulge the details of our discussions, which were both confidential and intimate.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce legislation to raise the limit of advances for house purchases made by local authorities to 95 per cent. of valuation, in similar cases to those in which building society advances are now guaranteed.

I will keep this suggestion in mind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many applications have been made for certificates of disrepair under the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, in Liverpool to the latest convenient date; and how many such certificates have been issued.

I am informed that up to 4th February Liverpool City Council had received 868 applications by tenants for certificates of disrepair. Of these 779 had been granted and one refused. The rest were still under consideration. Up to the same date, there had been 55 applications by landlords for the revocation of certificates of disrepair, upon the completion of the required repairs. All of these had been granted.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what approximately is the proportion of certificates of disrepair issued under the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, to the total number of applications for such certificates in England and Wales to the latest convenient date.

I regret that this information is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses Cannock Urban Council asked permission to build for the current year; and what allocation has been sanctioned.

:It is not usual to publish figures of housing allocations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many private houses are being built in the Cannock Urban Council area at the present time; and how many families have applied for loans from the council to help build their own homes, during the years 1950–54.

:At the beginning of January, 40 private enterprise houses were under construction in the district. I do not know how many applications for loans were made, but the number granted during the last three financial years was 28.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will reimburse the Birmingham City Council for the cost of soundproofing the floors on the Egghill Estate, Birmingham, since the faulty construction was to specifications of the Governments Building Research Station.

No. It would not be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is yet in a position to make

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board may expect a decision with regard to the proposed site for a mental hospital at Stevenage, which was the subject of an inquiry held by his Department on 7th August, 1953.

I hope to give my advice on the planning aspect of the proposal very shortly.

Not quite yet.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how far it is still the practice among local authorities to dismiss employees at the age of 60 or 65 years, even though they are fit and willing to work.

:A circular on this subject was sent to all local authorities in October last. The replies, so far received, show that authorities generally are not insisting on any fixed age for retirement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what stage has been reached in work at Bletchley, Swindon and Worsley under the Town Development Act, 1952; and whether house-building has yet started.

The following table of figures gives the answer:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government which areas affected by mining subsidence he visited during the Christmas Adjournment; and whether he will make a statement.

Owing to urgent Government business in London, I unfortunately had to cancel the visit I had arranged to make to Swadlincote last month but I hope to have another opportunity before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state for each academic year from 1949–50 how many Scottish students received supplemental awards from the Scottish Education Department to attend English universities; which Scottish schools they attended; how many awards were for

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the gross estimated cost of university bursaries, in cluding parents' contribution, for the academic year 1954–55; and the net estimated cost to local authorities and the Exchequer, respectively.

:The estimated cost of university bursaries awarded under the Education Authority Bursaries (Scotland) Regulations in 1954–55 amounts to £655,000; of this, approximately £262,000 will be met by education authorities from rates and £393,000 from grant under the Education Authorities (Scotland) Grant Regulations. It is estimated that parental contributions may amount to a further £180,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the present average cost of maintaining a child at a primary and a secondary school, respectively.

The reply can most conveniently be given in the form of the table of figures below. As the list of Scottish schools which the award holders attended is somewhat lengthy I am sending it to the hon. Member separately.

The returns made by education authorities do not separate expenditure on primary and secondary education and it is, therefore, not possible to give the actual average costs of educating a child in the primary and secondary stages. But on the basis of the charges made by Scottish education authorities for the education of pupils from other areas it is estimated that in 1953–54 the average costs were about £38 for a primary pupil and £65 for a secondary pupil.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that 600 children belonging to the Orphan Homes of Scotland, Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, have been used for the purpose of research into a new anti-tuberculosis vaccine; that this experiment has been going on for the last three years; that now, as a result, a number of the children are suffering from a chronic skin infection; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

:In the course of vaccinating these children against tuberculosis it was arranged, in the spring of 1951, between the Department of Health and the county council, with the consent and co-operation of the management, to use B.C.G. vaccine for some of the children and an alternative vaccine —the "vole"vaccine—for others. Earlier studies had suggested that vole vaccine was likely to give as good protection with less local reaction but late skin reactions on the site of the vaccination have been noted in 20 of 280 children who received this vaccine. I am assured that these reactions have been slight and are all clearing up, while the general health of the children has been entirely unaffected.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment in so far as they apply to the law, its practice and procedure, and the system of execution in Scotland.

A number of the Commission's recommendations have already been implemented, and action is proceeding on others. My right hon. Friend is considering the remainder, most of which would need legislation, in the light of the debate on 10th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of bankruptcies occurring in Scotland each year since 1945.

The number of persons declared bankrupt by the courts in Scotland in each of the years in question was:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what expenditure he has already sanctioned for provision of the civic centre of the new town at East Kilbride; on what specific objects the money will be spent; and when he expects completion.

My right hon. Friend has told the development corporation that he is prepared to approve expenditure estimated at £40,000, and he is awaiting specific proposals. The money will be spent on road works and other services, and I understand that the corporation hopes to complete the works by the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the members of the Scottish Advisory Committee appointed under the Protection of Birds Act, 1954.

The Committee's membership is as follows:

• Lord Dalhousie, M.C. (Chairman).
• Dr. J. W. Campbell, M.B.E.
• Mr. A. B. Duncan.
• Lieut-Colonel J. P. Grant, M.B.E.
• Major the Hon. Henry Douglas Home.
• Mr. J. L. Kinloch.
• Mr. R. W. L. McCaig.
• Mr. J. M. MacKellar.
• Mr. J. C. Wallace Mann.
• Lord Mansfield, D.L.
• Professor M. F. M. Meiklejohn.
• Bailie Bruce Russel.
• Mr. G. Waterston.
• Professor V. C. Wynne-Edwards.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which burghs and parishes have not been covered so far by the lists prepared under the Town and Country Planning Act.

:The following statement shows the extent of the provisional lists prepared under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, 1947, of buildings of special architectural or historic interest. With one or two exceptions these provisional lists have been sent to the local planning authorities for their observations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will issue as a White Paper details of the official arms pool proposals of the French Government and the British Government's counter proposals.

:These matters are the subject of confidential discussions between the seven Governments of the Western European Union. Her Majesty's Government hope that a satisfactory agreement will emerge. Any agreement will of course be presented to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will propose to the Powers concerned the correlation of immediate reconsideration of a measure of multilateral disarmament with present steps towards ratification of the Paris Agreements; and if he will further consider proposing the suspension of ratification provided there is evidence of a genuine effort to secure that measure of multilateral disarmament.

Her Majesty's Government are determined to press forward simultaneously with negotiations for general disarmament and with ratification of the Paris Agreements. There is no inconsistency between these two aims; nor indeed need the one wait upon the other.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish in HANSARD a list of convicted and sentenced Nazi war criminals who have been released from prison in the British Zone before the expiration of their sentence; the crimes and sentences in each case; and the reasons for the release in each case.

I have asked the United Kingdom High Commissioner for Germany whether it is possible to obtain this information without undue expenditure of time and labour.As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer to my reply of 20th October, 1954.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what progress has been made by the fuel research station in the study of the extent of pollution of the atmosphere by exhaust gases from motor vehicles in London streets.

:Since the summer of 1954, the staff of the Fuel Research Station have been taking measurements at a number of sites in London where the concentration of carbon monoxide from the exhaust fumes of motor vehicles is high but it is as yet too early to reach any definite conclusions. Methods of detecting other pollutants in the air from exhaust fumes are also being investigated.In addition, the Medical Research Council is working on new methods of determining gases present in the atmosphere and in the blood. It is hoped soon to apply these methods in London streets and in particular to do blood estimations on men who are exposed to vehicle exhaust fumes for long periods.So far as carbon monoxide is concerned the concentrations which have been recorded up to the present are comparatively slight, and are well below the levels which would constitute a danger to health.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, the capital expenditure for buildings of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in each of the years 1944–45 to 1953–54, inclusive, expressed in terms of 1946 values.

I have been asked to reply on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works. The figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Food the estimated subsidies, given separately, for each subsidised commodity for the purpose of the Supplementary Estimate, dated 7th February, 1955.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Food if he will propose to tea-producing countries a reciprocal agreement on trade by which this country could secure a reduction in the price of tea.

No; I do not think it would be either advantageous or practicable to deal with the situation as the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Minister of Food if the Food Hygiene Advisory Council has yet been constituted; and if he will state the names of those appointed to serve on the council.

Not yet; but I hope to be able to announce fairly soon the names of those appointed to serve.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how much has been raised in taxation on petrol and allocated to the Road Fund during the past five years; how much has been spent directly or indirectly on road-making and maintenance during the same period; and how much money from this fund has been spent on other purposes.

:No proceeds of taxation have been directly allocated to the Road Fund since 1st April, 1937. Since then it has received grants-in-aid voted annually by Parliament. For the allocation of the expenditure between various Road Fund services I would refer the hon. Member to the details published each year with the Estimates.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what distinction is made in Air Ministry Regulations between vaccinated and unvaccinated and inoculated and uninoculated men in the matter of hospital treatment when they are ill or pensions when they leave the Service; and how far the Regulations require officers to make formal inquiries into the reasons men refuse vaccination and inoculation.

:The Air Ministry Regulations on vaccination and inoculation contain no distinctions and require no formal inquiries such as the hon. Member has in mind. They do, however, specify that medical officers should interview those who refuse immunisation and explain to them the nature and value of the protection offered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many scholarships, and for what subjects in higher education generally, including technical education, are at present being enjoyed by West African students in this country; and the sources of these scholarships.

A total of 1,371 students from West Africa hold scholarships in this country.They come from the following territories:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Delegation to Kenya, a summary of which has been forwarded to him, have been implemented by the Kenya Government.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 20th October, 1954; Vol. 531, c. 1194-5], supplied the following further information:

Many of the items included in the summary of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Delegation to Kenya already form part of the Kenya Government's policy. The present position is:

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that the Anatomy Act, 1832, and the Corneal Grafting Act, 1952, adequately cover bequests of bodies and eyes, respectively, by testators; whether he will publish statistics revealing the trend in such bequests; in how many cases bequests have been overridden by the relations of deceased persons; and what action is being taken to advertise the need of bodies for purposes of research and of eyes for restoring sight to the blind.

:I have no reason to doubt that these Acts provide adequate authority for the collection of bodies and of material for corneal grafts. The following table shows the number of bodies received yearly over a period of 10 years as a result of bequests. I have no figures for the number of eyes offered, nor for cases in which bequests, whether of bodies

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the regulations for including Service voters on electoral registers so that a registration officer may remove or transfer the name of a Service voter who no

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of proceedings and convictions for drunkenness in the Metropolitan Police district and /or the county of London and in the City of London, respectively, during 1954; and the comparable figures for 1953.

The numbers for the County of London are not yet available. Those for the Metropolitan Police district and the City of London are as follows:longer has any connection with the address to which his name has been attached.

Legislation would be necessary to alter the law on this point, and I am not satisfied that there is a case for it.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many cases, involving permission or otherwise to hosiery finishers to sign back, have been referred to appeals tribunals by Basford Employment Exchange since Christmas, 1954; and how this figure compares with the normal average of such cases.

:The answer to the first part of the Question is two test cases covering 109 hosiery finishers. I regret that information which would be needed to answer the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the estimated cost of the extension to the Morleytelephone exchange; whether the work has started; and how many additional telephones will become available when the extension is completed.

The estimated cost of the additional equipment is £1,750. Preparatory work is in hand and installation will start in April. There are at present 82 applications for telephones which are held up for lack of exchange equipment, and these will be met before the middle of the year.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many of the 400,000 telephone lines connected to subscribers in the United Kingdom in the last 12 months were connected to subscribers in Scotland; and how many of the 350,000 in the previous year.

Thirty-three thousand telephones were installed in Scotland last year as compared with 28,000 in the previous year, an increase of 18 per cent. We plan to step up the supply this year to over 38,000.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will open an additional post office in the Hartsholme-Swanpool area of Lincoln.

The Swanpool Post Office is well situated to serve this area and the opening of another office could not be justifie