asked the Minister of Food what action he took during the year ended December, 1954, to stabilise and reduce food prices; and whether he will give details as to the number of food items that fell in price due to the action taken by his Department; arid to what extent these prices fell below the level operating in the years 1953, 1952 and 1951.

Her Majesty's Government are confident that their policy has brought greater benefits to the consumer and the economy generally than a continuation of state trading controls and rationing could ever have done. It is significant that actual increases in wages and forthcoming increases in old-age pensions have more than kept pace with increases in retail prices.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that since January, 1952, food prices have risen by 18·2 per cent. up to December, 1954; that in December, 1954, the price of potatoes rose, and there were also increases in the prices of tomatoes, cooking apples, most kinds of meat and fish, and butter; and if he will reimpose price control for these items of food.

The prices of most of these foods vary seasonally, and the only reliable measure of price change is the Interim Index of Retail Prices. The answer to the last part of the Question is No.

asked the Minister of Food if he will now make a statement on the siting of slaughterhouses.

I must await the Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee.

asked the Minister of Food what action he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Food Standards Committee that no food for human consumption shall contain colouring matter derived from coal tar.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Batley and Morley (Dr. Broughton) on 14th February.

asked the Minister of Health which regional hospital boards now have contractual arrangements with private nursing homes for either general or maternity beds; and if he will state the average fees paid by the boards for such a bed.

At 31st December, 1953, the latest date for which information is available, the regional hospital boards which had contractual arrangements with profit-making institutions which had remained outside the National Health Service, and the average weekly charge paid for them by each board, were as follows:

General Beds		£	s.	d.
South West Metropolitan	…	8	19	8
South Western	…	13	13	0
Maternity Beds
Sheffield	…	9	14	5
South East Metropolitan	…	7	18	5
Oxford	…	13	15	4
South Western	…	14	14	0

asked the Minister of Health to state the number of persons in Wales known to be suffering from tuberculosis; the number waiting for admission to sanatoria; the number of vacant beds in these sanatoria; and whether he will make a statement.

The number at present on tuberculosis clinic registers is 22,915, including many in whom the disease is no longer active; 500 patients await admission to hospital; apart from beds temporarily not available there are 170 beds empty owing to lack of staff. I am satisfied that progress in this field is being maintained.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the anxiety in the West Midlands, due to the shortage of accommodation for mentally deficient children; and when it is hoped that the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board will build the three new 50-bedded wards that are planned.

Yes. The Board has started to build one of these 50-bedded units and has obtained tenders for the other two.

asked the Minister of Health to give an undertaking that the needs of the small hospitals which serve rural areas will not be overlooked in his new programme for rebuilding and modernising.

I am sure regional hospital boards can be relied on to give due weight to the needs of these hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has studied the Amsterdam Municipal Scheme of psychiatric service, details of which have been sent to him; and whether he will institute an experiment on these lines to combat the overcrowding of our mental hospitals.

The Amsterdam service has been studied; it differs from our own in the emphasis on certain aspects of care rather than fundamental principles. The continued development of our own system of out-patient and domiciliary services, in which the Amsterdam experience is valuable, is preferable to an experiment on identical lines.

asked the Minister of Health what schemes of hospital building or substantial extension he intends to sanction, or has recently sanctioned, for the counties of Nottingham, Derby and Lincoln.

I assume the hon. Member has major projects in mind. Work is in progress on the provision of over 800 beds at Balderton Hall Mental Deficiency Hospital, near Newark, and a scheme of major extensions at Aston Hall Mental Deficiency Hospital is in preparation with a view to its inclusion in the 1956–58 programme. I cannot say what other major schemes will be included in that programme until I have consulted further with the Regional Hospital Board concerned but in my statement I mentioned a new hospital for Boston, Lincolnshire, as one that I hoped would start in the next few years.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that waiting time in hospital out-patients' departments has been reduced as a result of his circular in June, 1954; and if he will make a statement.

I have asked for a progress report, but I am not yet able to make any general assessment of results as some hospital authorities have asked for more time to reply.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospital beds are available within a five-mile radius of the county borough of Stock-port; and how many this is per thousand of the population.

Within a five-mile radius from the centre of the county borough there were on 31st December, 1954, 4,011 available hospital beds. Figures of the population within that area, which includes a substantial part of the City of Manchester, are not readily ascertainable.

asked the Minister of Health on what grounds the regional hospital board is at present unable to staff and maintain the 44 beds in hospitals in the area of the Sunderland Management Committee which are at present unoccupied.

These beds were ready to be brought into operation earlier than was anticipated, and they had not been provided for in the Regional Hospital Board's estimates. It is hoped that they will be brought into use in the coming financial year.

asked the Minister of Health the average provisions cost, per patient per week, in the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, the Llandough Hospital, the St. David's Hospital, Cardiff, and the East Glamorgan Hospital, respectively.

HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE ON PROVISIONS, 1953–54
——	Cardiff Royal Infirmary			Llandough Hospital			St. David's Hospital			East Glamorgan Hospital
	£	s	d	£	s	d	£	s	d	£	s	d
1.Average cost per week of provisions, included in gross average cost per week of maintaining an in-patient	2	9	8	2	8	0	1	17	2	2	1	3
2.Average weekly cost of provisions per person fed	1	6	11	1	9	6	1	3	6	1	4	2

NOTE: Comparison of the figures in item 1 may be misleading because these are gross figures, unadjusted for differences in out-patient expenditure and staff ratios. The figures in item 2 have been included because they eliminate the effect of these differences.

asked the Minister of Health (1) the cost, per patient week, of the net total standing charges in the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, the St. David's Hospital, Llandough Hospital, and the East Glamorgan Hospital, respectively;

HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE, 1953–54
——	Cardiff Royal Infirmary			St. David's Hospital			Llandough Hospital			East Glamorgan Hospital
	£	s	d	£	s	d	£	s	D	£	s	d
1.Average net cost per week of maintaining an in-patient (adjusted for notional outpatient expenditure)	17	9	1	11	15	8	19	2	10	14	18	1
2.Average cost per week, included in gross average cost per week of maintaining an in-patient, of net total standing charges	22	2	10	9	15	4	14	4	3	12	15	3

NOTES:

1. Cardiff Royal Infirmary and Llandough Hospital are general teaching hospitals. East Glamorgan is a non-teaching general hospital, and St. David's a non-teaching mainly general hospital.

2. The figures in item 2 are gross figures unadjusted for out-patient expenditure and comparison of costs may be misleading unless allowance is made for the relative proportion of out-patient to in-patient work. (At Llandough Hospital there were no out-patients.) For the rest, differences in cost may arise from differences in the kind and variety of treatment provided and, in the case of teaching hospitals, the extra responsibilities arising from their teaching work.

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many cases of lead poisoning among children have been notified in the past five years; how many proved fatal, and how many evidenced signs of lead encephalopathy; and whether he will state the materials or articles which infants and children may use or come into contact with, which cause poisoning;

The following is the information:(2) what is the in-patient cost, per patient per week, in the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, the St. David's Hospital, Cardiff, the Llandough Hospital, and the East Glamorgan Hospital, respectively.

The following is the information:(2) whether he is satisfied that the public appreciates the danger of using paint containing lead on any woodwork which infants and young children may handle or come into contact with; and what action he proposes to take to protect infants and children from contracting poisoning by this metal;(3) whether he has noted that recently two children have died in the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital from lead poisoning; and what evidence he has as to how these children aged, respectively,

Such cases are not notifiable; there were eleven deaths among children ascribed to lead poisoning in the five years ending September, 1954. Of the seven deaths from 1952 to 1954, none was reported as showing signs of lead encephalopathy; information is not available for the other deaths. Serious danger arises only when in rare cases a child develops a peculiar appetite for chewing articles containing lead which results in cumulative poisoning. Lead paint has been the most frequent reported cause, apart from one recent outbreak due to the use of old battery cases as fuel on domestic fires.One of the two children who died in the Manchester Hospital was stated to have chewed furniture and toys and the source of poisoning was paint; information on the second case could not be obtained. The Department has issued notes to a number of widely read journals suggesting that their readers should be warned of the danger, particularly when repainting furniture, or walls and my right hon. Friend is glad of this further opportunity of making known this occasional hazard.

asked the Minister of Health to make a statement on the progress of discussions between his Department and the pharmaceutical industry on future arrangements for cost investigations.

I have nothing at present to add to the replies given to the hon. Member on 25th October, 1954, and to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Vaughan-Morgan) on 31st January last.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that health visitors are required to possess two more obligatory qualifications than hospital sisters, but receive less remuneration than hospital sisters; and what steps he is taking to improve the salaries, pensions and conditions of service of health visitors.

Yes, but the present salaries and conditions of service were determined by the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council, and any revision would be a matter for that Council.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to reduce the cost of the ambulance service in England and Wales.

Each local health authority is responsible for meeting the demands made upon its ambulance service in the most economical way: a costing return is published annually. Rules for the proper use of the service have been circulated to hospitals and general practitioners. Local advisory surveys by my right hon. Friend's officers have led to economies in some areas.

asked the Minister of Health to state the number of hearing aids supplied during the years 1951, 1953, and 1954.

The number of aids supplied to new patients in the four years 1951–54 was 56,997, 87,925, 85,093 and 67,534, respectively. In addition, 36,457, 66,519, 96,726 and 116,878 aids were supplied in replacement of aids withdrawn for repair.

asked the Minister of Health to give the names of those local health authorities which provide a chiropody service for retired pensioners.

A limited chiropody service is provided by London, Middlesex and Essex County Councils and by Smethwick County Borough Council. It is not restricted to retired pensioners.

asked the Minister of Health to consider setting up a chiropody service for old people within the National Health Service.

I would like to see a service available for all who would benefit from it, but financial considerations at present rule out any extension of the existing limited facilities.

asked the Minister of Health what precautions are taken to ensure that immigrants from Ireland and elsewhere are not carriers of infectious pulmonary tuberculosis; and what inquiries are made to ascertain whether such immigrants have or have not been inoculated against this disease.

Every person, British or alien, coming to this country is subject to the ordinary health control at the port of entry. An alien immigrant is in addition examined by a medical inspector of aliens: if tuberculosis is discovered or suspected, the medical inspector would issue a certificate to that effect and permission to land would normally be refused. Citizens of the Republic of Ireland are not aliens. The answer to the second part of the question is "None."

asked the Minister of Health to give the figures of legitimate and illegitimate births, respectively, in England and Wales for the years 1953 and 1954, specifying the numbers in respect of each year of age where the mother, at the time of maternity, was aged between 12 and 20 years, inclusive, and the total where the mother's age was 21 years and over.

I am informed that the figures requested are not yet available for 1954. Those for 1953 are as follows:

Age of mother at maternity (last birthday)		Legitimate births (live and still)	Illegitimate births (lire and still)
12	…	—	—
13	…	—	10
14	…	—	46
15	…	1	169
16	…	446	519
17	…	2,737	1,025
18	…	7,603	1,604
19	…	14,719	2,130
20	…	23,160	2,149
21 and over	…	617,884	25,851
ALL AGES	…	666,550	33,503

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied with present attendance at the mobile radiography units; and how far the resultant tuberculosis diagnoses are showing an increase.

Yes; the service has steadily expanded and units are doing very fine work; they examined more than three million people last year. The proportion of people examined who are found to have active tuberculosis shows a fairly steady decrease.

asked the Minister of Health to inquire into the number of doctors likely to be engaged in medical practice in the future and the intake of medical students that will therefore be needed.

The Secretary of State for Scotland and I are setting up a committee with the following terms of reference:

"To estimate, on a long-term basis and with due regard to all relevant considerations, the number of medical practitioners likely to be engaged in all branches of the profession in the future, and the consequential intake of medical students required."

The committee will be under the chairmanship of the Rt. Hon. Henry Willink, M.C., Q.C., and the other members will be:J. T. Baldwin, Esq., M.B., Ch.B.Sir Harold Boldero, D.M., F.R.C.P.Sir John Charles, M.D., F.R.C.P., D.P.H.Professor Sir Henry Cohen, M.D., F.R.C.P., J.P.Sir Andrew Davidson, M.D., F.R.C.P.Ed., D.P.H.A. B. Davies, Esq., Ch.B.J. P. Dodds, Esq., MB., C.B.Professor Sir Geoffrey Jefferson, C.B.E., M.S., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.S., F.R.S.L. G. K. Starke, Esq., C.B.E., F.I.A., and A. B. Taylor, Esq., D.Litt.The Secretary to the committee will be Mr. P. V. Muston of the Ministry of Health.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how recently he has reviewed the list of disregards used for calculating non-contributory old-age pensions; and whether he will bring it into line with disregards for other pension and National Assistance purposes.

:The statutory provisions relating to non-contributory pensions were reviewed in 1946, and the National Insurance Act, 1946, by limiting the period during which these pensions can be granted, clearly recognised their transitional character. In the circumstances, I am not prepared to introduce legislation modifying the rules and conditions.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to state the cost of granting to all old-age pensioners a lump sum of 86s. 8d. in the case of a single pensioner and 158s. 8d. in the case of a married couple to compensate them for the average loss in the purchasing value of their pensions since October, 1951, due to the increased cost of living.

As a matter of arithmetic, it would cost nearly £19 million to pay 86s. 8d. to each single pensioner and 158s. 8d. to each married couple. I cannot, however, agree that these amounts have any practical significance.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to state the number of retirement pensioners in Barry; the approximate number who will receive the maximum increase of 11s. per week for a married couple; and how many will receive the maximum increase of 7s. 6d. per week for a single person after the implementation of the National Insurance Act, 1954.

I regret that separate figures for particular localities are not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to state the total number of retirement pensioners in Wales; the approximate number who will receive the maximum increase of 11s. per week for a married couple; and how many will receive the maximum increase of 7s. 6d. per week for a single person, after the implementation of the National Insurance Act, 1954.

There are about 235,000 retirement pensioners in Wales; rather more than 45,000 married couples will receive the increase of 11s.; and about 140,000 pensioners, including wives on their own insurance, will get 7s. 6d.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many pensioners will benefit only to the extent of 2s. 6d. weekly as a result of pension increases; and what steps he proposes to alleviate hardship among them.

It is estimated that of the retirement pensioners receiving supplementary assistance about 700,000 are single persons whose assistance rate has been increased by 2s. 6d. a week and whose total income will not be increased further when the new pension rates come into force. I cannot accept the view that persons receiving assistance on the new rates recently approved by Parliament are suffering hardship.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) to state the total number of retirement pensioners in Cardiff; the number who will receive a net increase of 2s. 6d. a week in their income as a result of the National Assistance Regulations approved by Parliament in December, 1954; and the comparative figures for persons in receipt of a non-contributory pension;(2) the number of old-age pensioners in Wales who will receive an addition of 2s. 6d. a week in their, income as a result of the Government's National Assistance Regulations approved in December, 1954.

I regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many persons suffering from pneumoconiosis in the South Wales region of the National Coal Board died in 1954; and in how many cases death was solely due to pneumoconiosis.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to state the number of applications made to the Silicosis Medical Board in 1953 for certificates that the death of coalminers was caused, or accelerated, by silicosis or pneumoconiosis; and the numbers in which such certificates were given and refused, respectively.

In 1953, the Silicosis Medical Board dealt with 465 applications under the Workmen's Compensation Acts for certificates of death in respect of coalminers; in 330 of these cases it was certified that death was due to silicosis or pneumoconiosis, and in 135 cases it was certified that death was not due to the disease.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how much money has been spent, to the last convenient date, in meeting rent increases under the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, payable on behalf of persons in receipt of national assistance.

:The National Assistance Board informs me that it regrets the information asked for is not available, but that up to 25th January about 8,600 assistance allowances had been increased, by an average of 3s. 2d. a week, on account of the rent increases referred to.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance when he proposes to introduce the necessary legislation to enable in educable children to receive family allowances up to the age of 16 years.

I cannot give a date at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will have placed in the Library of the House of Commons extracts from copies of the monitoring reports on broadcasts from Radio Athens which dealt with Cyprus over the last three months.

Copies of these monitoring reports have already been placed in the Library, but for convenience I have arranged for some representative extracts to be placed there in addition.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a Commissioner for the Saar charged with representing the interests of the Saar in foreign affairs, in defence and in the Council of Europe, has now been appointed and who he is.

No Commissioner has yet been appointed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the present strength and composition of German forces, military anl quasi-military, in East Germany.

Apart from the fact that I understand preparations are being made for the introduction of conscription, I have nothing to add to the information about the East German police and military forces contained in Command Paper No. 9213 of July last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will arrange in future for a report to be submitted to Parliament for debate following each session of the Council of Europe, so that the House may be fully informed and fully consulted regarding the activities of the Council.

It has been the practice of Her Majesty's Government to issue a factual report on each session of the Council of Europe Consultative Assembly. A report on the 1954 Session covering the meetings of May, September and December is in course of preparation.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much coal production was lost as the result of industrial disputes in 1954.

1·2 million tons of coal were lost as a result of the shifts not actually worked owing to industrial disputes.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is satisfied that smokeless fuel will be available in sufficiently increased quantities to meet the new demands created by the passing of legislation with regard to the greater use of this fuel.

Yes. Sufficient quantities of the various smokeless fuels will be made available to match these new demands.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give an approximate estimate of the amount of sulphur oxides produced on complete combustion of an equal weight of coal, coke, and the principal varieties of smokeless fuels now on sale.

For coal, coke and other manufactured smokeless fuels about 3 per cent. by weight, and for anthracite rather less.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the present level of domestic coal stocks in Scotland, compared with the figures one month ago and one year ago.

109,000 tons on 12th February compared with 164,000 tons a month ago and 109,000 tons a year ago.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that there is no anthracite in Manchester; that none has been delivered in that area from South Wales for something like six weeks; and why South Wales anthracite is sent to other areas and not to Manchester.

Supplies of anthracite are not enough to meet demand and new pits are therefore being sunk. Distribution of what is available is made as fairly as possible throughout the country, but I will inquire about recent deliveries to Manchester and write to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will now make available in Devon greater supplies of anthracite and Phurnacite.

Though new anthracite pits are being sunk and existing Phurnacite plant extended, supplies of neither of these fuels can at present match demand, but January deliveries to Devon were no smaller this year than last.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power from what countries, other than the sterling area and Western Europe, there are no quantitative limitations on the import of lubricating oil.

As there are many such countries I am sending my hon. Friend a Summary of Import Licensing Regulations which contain the information asked for.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) what is his general trade policy which governs the imports of lubricating oil from sources, other than the sterling area, Western Europe, and certain other non-sterling countries from which there are no quantitative restrictions on imports of lubricating oil;(2) whether he will make a statement on the balance of payments considerations concerning the limitation of imports of lubricating oil.

Shortages of United Kingdom supplies of particular grades of lubricating oils are made good by imports, subject to such limitation of dollars expenditure as is required by the balance of payments position.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will publish the report of the Area Consultative Council appointed under the Gas Act, 1948, dealing with Tyneside, which was made after its meeting on 15th February complaining of the failure of gas pressure in the northern area during a recent cold spell.

I understand that the Council's Tyneside Divisional Committee passed a resolution on 15th February which will be considered by the full Council on 7th March. The Council's meetings are open to the Press and publication of any statement that may result is entirely a matter for the Council.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give a general direction to the British Electricity Authority and the Area Gas Boards to consider jointly the advisability of introducing a meter, in all premises using gas and electricity which would measure the consumption of gas and electricity on the one meter, and thus save the necessity of employing two meter readers.

No. Such a service would not be practicable.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will reinstall the 35 mm. projector in the Grand Committee Room, Westminster Hall, in the near future so as to enable hon. Members to witness the screening of films connected with their parliamentary duties.

:The authorities of the House consider that having the projector in the Grand Committee Room itself interferes with the convenience of Committees. My right hon. Friend proposes therefore to build a projection room over the entrance to the Committee Room when roof repairs are carried out later this year. This work should be finished early in 1956 and it will then be possible to show 35 mm. films in the Grand Committee Room.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will name the sites surveyed in Wales and found unsuitable for the erection of atomic plants; and whether he will ensure that at least one of the proposed new plants will be situated in Wales.

I presume the hon. Member's Question relates to the nuclear-powered electricity generating stations which are referred to in the White Paper on the "Programme of Nuclear Power" issued last week. The location of these stations will be a matter for the British Electricity Authority.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how far agreement has been reached on the line of the new London-Birmingham motor way; and when accurate maps of the proposed route will be made available for inspection at local authority offices.

I assume my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind the first section of the London-Yorkshire motor road, which is to have connection with Birmingham. A provisional line has been fixed in consultation with various interests concerned, including local highway and planning authorities whose final comments on it are now awaited. I shall then have to publish a draft scheme under the Special Roads Act, 1949, which will include maps available for inspection by the public. I hope to do this by the end of the summer.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the cost of removing the roundabout at Neasden Circus on the North Circular Road and carrying out the necessary road improvements, and also the cost of installing traffic signals.

The cost of removing the roundabout and carrying out the necessary road improvements was £23,950, and the cost of installing traffic signals £1,954.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation on what day he received from the Lincoln City Council the scheme for the Pelham Bridge.

This application is at present with the divisional road engineer who, I understand, hopes to be able to submit it to me this week.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the progress in the improvement of the ferry services over the Forth; and how soon such improvements will be completed.

I am informed by the British Transport Commission that the position remains as I indicated in my reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Berwick and East Lothian (Major Anstruther-Gray) on 20th October last.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what application the British Overseas Airways Corporation have made for authority to buy the Britannia 300LR.

I have no statement to make at present on this subject.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what airfields within a radius of 30 miles of Central London apart from those mentioned in the White Paper on London's Airports, Command Paper No. 8902, are now controlled either wholly or in part by his Department; when it is proposed to relinquish control over them; and what action is to be taken regarding their disposal.

None, apart from what remains of the old Heston Airport, which is no longer in flying use and is in process of disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to state the number of cases in which the prosecution had relied upon evidence of ex-police commandant Derek Searle; how many of these cases have resulted in sentences of death; and how many men are still undergoing punishment.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 15th December, 1954, Vol. 535, c. 140] supplied the following further information:Derek Lawrence Searle has given evidence for the prosecution in one capital case only. In that case there was a conviction, but it was quashed on appeal. He may also have appeared in other minor cases, but this cannot be ascertained without an examination of all case files.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations of the Evans Commission in respect to British Honduras and British Guiana; what schemes have been launched and abandoned, and by whom; and what economic and social projects are in contemplation.

Investigations and developments since the Commission reported have shown that there are no immediate prospects for settlement in the two territories. The schemes recommended by the Commission have been taken into account in current development plans and the present position is as follows.BRITISH GUIANA

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that some Army reservists who are not very likely to be called up are anxious to serve the country in the Royal Observer Corps; and if he will now arrange for the Royal Observer Corps to accept volunteers with Army Reserve obligations.

:Yes. It has now been agreed between the War Office and ourselves that Army Reservists, but not volunteers in the Territorial Army, can be accepted for peace-time service in the Royal Observer Corps.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the approximate cost to the Treasury of exempting cinemas from entertainment tax to the extent of the first £75, £100 and £150, re-respectively of weekly receipts.

PRESENT INDIAN IMPORT DUTIES ON COTTON PIECE GOODS
——	Standard Rate	Preferential Rate applicable to goods of United Kingdom manufacture
	Per cent. ad valorem	Per cent. ad valorem
Cotton fabrics, not otherwise specified, containing more than 90per cent. cotton:
(a) Grey piece goods (excluding bordered grey chadars, dhoties, saris and scarves)	100	65
(b) Printed piece goods and fabrics	100	60
(c) Piece goods and fabrics, not otherwise specified	100	60
Cotton sateens including Italians of sateen weaves, velvets and velveteens and embroidered all-overs:
Printed	100	80
Others	100	75
Fabrics, not otherwise specified, containing not more than 10 per cent. silk or artificial silk or wool but containing more than 50 per cent. and not more than 90 per cent. cotton	100	70

About £5 million, £7 million and £10 million a year, respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the rate of duty imposed on Indian cotton textiles entering the United Kingdom, and the rate of duty imposed on United Kingdom cotton textiles entering India; and which United Kingdom industries receive compensating advantages for the disadvantages imposed on the Lancashire cotton textile industry by the Indian Trade Agreement.

Indian cotton textiles enter the United Kingdom free of duty. The duties on United Kingdom cotton piece goods entering India are set out below. The effect of Article 1 of that Agreement is to accord duty-free entry to virtually all imports from India and not only to cotton textiles. The Fourth Schedule to the Agreement sets out the contractual preferences in India for United Kingdom goods. These represent useful advantages for the industries concerned. As indicated in the table below, cotton textiles, as well as artificial silk piece goods and certain classes of iron and steel products, enjoy preferences which are not specifically provided for in the Agreement.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how far his Department has been successful in meeting the demand for telephones in the county of Lanark.

Our ability to meet the demand at any particular moment must depend upon the number of new applicants which in the county of Lanark (excluding Glasgow) was last year an all time record figure of 2,504 as compared with 1,959 for 1952. 1,779 telephones were connected during 1954. We hope to supply over 2,000 this year