asked the Minister of Supply if he will introduce legislation to regularise the method of obtaining compensation for damage caused by supersonic bangs.

No. Compensation is already being paid for damage caused by sonic bangs on the same basis as if the Crown were legally liable.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that certain large stockholders of steel, order and obtain more steel than they require and thereby interfere with and reduce supplies of steel to smaller stockholders; and if he will take steps to control the allocation of steel.

Neither I, nor the Iron and Steel Board, have any evidence of action by large stockholders on the lines sugested in the hon. and learned Member's Question. I have asked the Board to inquire into the particular case to which he has drawn attention and will write to him as soon as I have its report. Although the high level of industrial demand for steel is causing some difficulties in supply, they are not on a scale to justify the inconvenience and expense of the reimposition of control.

asked the Minister of Supply how far the Iron and Steel Board, in its Report to him on the development of the iron and steel industry, has taken account of the recently announced plans for railway modernisation, for the construction of nuclear power stations, and for road construction.

If the hon. Member will refer to Chapter 2 of the Report, he will see that in its estimation of the demand for iron and steel products the Iron and Steel Board has taken many factors into account. With regard to the specific points raised by the hon. Member, I would refer him in particular to paragraph 20.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the widespread outbreak of smallpox in France, he will now insist on vaccination certificates being produced by arrivals from France in this country.

Travellers arriving in this country are not normally required to produce such certificates, and I am advised that the present situation in France does not justify such a requirement.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that there is sufficient non-professional representation on the committee which has been set up to inquire into medical manpower; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, and I are satisfied that the composition of the committee is well adapted to the work before it.

asked the Minister of Health in view of the concern at the shortage of sanitary inspectors, what action is to be taken to deal with the situation consequent upon his consideration of the recommendations of the Working Party on the recruitment, training and qualification of sanitary inspectors.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Blenkinsop), on 14th February.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board is anxious to put in hand work for essential plant replacement and other hospital repairs in the financial year 1955–56 in addition to work covered by its existing capital allocation; and why he has not already agreed to increase the capital allocation to avoid unnecessary delay.

I would again refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave him on 6th December.

asked the Minister of Health what additional allocation of capital expenditure for Newcastle Regional Hospital Board in the years 1955–56 and 1956–57,respectively, will result from the recently announced hospital building programme for those years.

As I indicated in my statement on 9th February, no change in the 1955–56 programme is proposed. It is too early yet to say what will be any particular board's share of the 1956–57 programme, but I hope that work on the new West Cumberland Hospital and the extension of the Prudhoe and Monkton mental deficiency hospital in the Newcastle Region will start in that year.

asked the Minister of Health the cost per week of keeping a patient in an ordinary hospital in 1940, 1950, and at the latest possible date; and the cost per week of keeping a patient in a mental hospital in 1940, 1950, and at the latest available date.

Information relating to 1940 is not available. For 1950–51 and 1953–54 the average weekly cost of maintaining a patient in, respectively, general and mental hospitals administerd by hospital management committees was as follows:

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking to deal adequately with the waiting lists for admission into mental hospitals; and how the present waiting lists compare with those of the last three years.

At the end of 1953, 666 persons were awaiting admission to mental hospitals. The corresponding figures for 1952 and 1951 respectively were 607 and 876. About 1,200 new beds have been provided since 1948 and the current building programme will provide a further 2,870.

asked the Minister of Health the minimum and maximum number of patients in one ward in a mental hospital, giving the size of such ward and the minimum amount of space allowed by his regulations to each patient.

Wards vary in size according to the type of patient and design of the hospitals, and there is no set maximum or minimum. Normal authorised standards of floor space vary between 40–50 superficial feet in day rooms; 50–70 feet in dormitories; and 65–100 feet in single rooms. Full details of these standards are set out in a circular sent to hospital authorities in November, 1953, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many mental clinics there are in Great Britain serving mental hospitals; how many patients attend such clinics; how many hospitals have no clinics; if he will state the number of psychiatrists serving these hospitals; and what steps he is taking to obtain more of these specialists for all patients in need of such treatment;(2) how many mental hospitals there are in Great Britain; what number of psychiatrists serve such hospitals; how far he is satisfied that such numbers are adequate; and what steps he is taking to improve the situation.

In England and Wales, there are approximately 650 psychiatric out-patient clinics. The total number of new patients attending them in 1953 was 111,326. I am not aware of any mental hospital which is not served by an out-patient clinic. There are 169 designated mental hospitals in England and Wales and the total whole-time medical staff at the end of 1953 was 1,031. In addition there were 362 part-time appointments. The general question of medical staffing of mental hospitals is at present under consideration. If information regarding Scotland is desired, the hon. Member will no doubt approach my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether his attention has been called to the report of the coroner at the inquests on Mr. Berrow and Mr. Clarke, of West Bromwich, in which it was stated that death was due to pneumoconiosis arising from exposure to industrial dust; and whether he will now consider making it compulsory for all men employed where there is industrial dust to undergo periodical X-rays.

I have seen reports on the two inquests but I do not think it would be practicable to institute a system of compulsory X-ray examination for everyone employed where there is industrial dust as suggested by the right hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the amount given in non-repayable grants to old-age pensioners for clothing in 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1954 by the National Assistance Board.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that separate figures regarding clothing grants for pensioners are not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what amount has been distributed to those on National Assistance in the form of non repayable clothing grants, including blankets and similar articles for 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1954, respectively.

The available figures are in the following table:

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware of the dissatisfaction amongst pensioners on the National Assistance scales at the increase of 2s. 6d. in their allowances; and if he will supplement this by clothing grants, non-repayable.

The improved rates of Assistance do more than maintain the purchasing power of past rates, and I am not prepared to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion for supplementary grants to all pensioners. The National Assistance Board will of course continue their existing practice of making clothing grants in cases of exceptional need.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the estimated annual cost to the National Insurance Fund of paying dependants' benefits for child dependants and all other dependants, respectively, in respect to sickness benefit, widows' benefit, unemployment benefit, and retirement benefit, respectively.

The following table gives the estimated cost under the provisions of the National Insurance Act, 1954, in the first full year:

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why, prior to the establishment of the German Federal Government the relatives and dependants of British Service men serving in Germany, were excluded from rights under the National Insurance Act, 1946, although living in an area considered home service by the War Office.

Because the people in question were absent from Great Britain and, in the absence of any special regulations, were accordingly disqualified for receiving benefit by Section 29 of the National Insurance Act, 1946.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the importance of the report of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the effects of world oil cartels on European economics and on the price of oil, if he will instruct his representative at the United Nations to request the Secretary General to publish it.

The decision whether or not to publish this document rests with the Governments which participate in the work of the Economic Commission for Europe, who will be considering it at the meeting of the Commission's Coal Committee on the 9th and 10th March. It is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to divulge their instructions to delegations to international conferences.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that the village of Khirbet Sikka in Jordan has been attacked by Israeli troops eight times in the last two months; and what steps, through the United Nations and other means, Her Majesty's Government proposes to take to prevent such breaches of the armistice in the future.

The village of Khirbet Sikka, which lies on the Jordan side of the armistice line west of Hebron, has been the scene of a number of incidents in the past two months. They have resulted in three fatal casualties and the wounding of several Israelis and Jordanians.The Israel-Jordan Mixed Armistice Commission, which is the body responsible in the first instance for handling such affairs, has held two meetings to consider these incidents and found both sides at fault. The trouble appears to have been at least partly due to uncertainty as to where the demarcation line runs and the Commission has agreed to clarify this to the villagers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement about the date when the South East Asia Defence Treaty will enter into effect.

As all the signatories, except Thailand, which deposited its Instrument of Ratification on 2nd December, deposited their Instruments of Ratification on 19th February, the South East Asia Collective Defence Treaty entered into force on that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will consider establishing in Northern Ireland a branch passport office or creating an agency there, in view of the inconvenience and delay caused to the general public by communicating with Liverpool.

These suggestions will receive consideration and I will communicate with my hon. Friend when a decision has been reached.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that there is a shortage of domestic coal in Huntingdonshire; and what immediate steps are to be taken in order to end this shortage.

I am making inquiries and will write to my hon. and learned Friend as early as possible.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the shortage of household coal in Grimsby and throughout the Midland Region; what steps he contemplates to ensure more regular deliveries, and what prospect he can offer of renewed supplies of unrationed coal to meet the present crisis.

I am making inquiries and will write to the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will make a statement on the progress made in combating silicosis and pneumoconiosis amongst coal miners; to what extent the measures now taken are proving adequate; and what further measures are contemplated.

In South Wales, where full-scale dust suppression first started, the total number of new cases in 1953 was 1,069, as compared with 3,774 in 1949. Corresponding figures for the whole country were 4,048 in 1953 and 5,807 in 1949.I am advised that the National Coal Board is making substantial progress with its dust suppression programme, and further investigation is constantly proceeding, under the Board's "Twenty-pit" scheme and other types of research.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will now relax the restrictions imposed upon house holders in regard to changing their coal merchants.

Yes. Householders will this year be able to change their coal merchants after giving notice to their local fuel overseer at any time during the four-month period 1st April to 31st July. Notices received before 1st May will become effective from 1st May and those received during May, June, and July as soon as possible thereafter.

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.

98,000 tons on 19th February, compared with 145,000 tons a month ago and 96,000 tons a year ago.

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

717,000 tons on 19th February, compared with 1,087,000 tons a month ago and 880,000 tons a year ago.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the present allocation of coal to householders in the City of Birmingham is insufficient to meet their needs; that coal merchants in that city are unable to meet the present demands of their customers; and if he will consider increasing the allocation, and ensure that adequate stocks of coal are available to the merchants of that city in the shortest possible time.

As the hon. Member knows, I am looking carefully into this matter and I will write to him as soon as my inquiries are completed.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the increase in the use of explosives per 1,000 tons of coal produced over the past 20 years; and whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the relation between the increased use of explosives in coal getting and the increased incidence of silicosis and pneumoconiosis.

Rather more than 100 per cent. With the purpose of correcting this trend, investigations of alternative methods of coal getting are being vigorously pursued by my Department and the National Coal Board. In particular, the Board's "Twenty-pit scheme" is already taking account of shot-firing among other causes of dust production, and I do not think there would be any advantage in having a separate inquiry as proposed.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) the average scale of remuneration of local fuel officers; and the total annual cost of staff employed in those offices;

:There were 1,256 and 793 local fuel overseers on 31st December, 1951 and 31st December, 1954, respectively, whose salaries ranged from£465 to£1,050 per annum for full-time officers and from£100 to£200 per annum for part-time officers. The total cost to public funds of the salaries and wages of overseers and their staffs is currently estimated at about£800,000 per annum. The rental paid for accommodation was about£32.000 for 1951 and£33,500 for 1954.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will give a general direction to the British Electricity Authority to the effect that the extra cost of underground distribution of electricity in places of special beauty in national parks shall not be allowed to fall entirely on residents in the immediate neighbourhood.

No. But the electricity boards are consulting with the National Parks Commission on the whole question of electricity supplies in National Parks.

asked the Minister of Food to what extent horse meat is imported from Eire; and what steps he is taking to encourage this traffic to replace the import of live horses for slaughter.

H.M. Government removed restrictions on the import of horse meat into this country in August, 1954, but its export from Eire has not been permitted since 1941.

asked the Minister of Food how much the estimated profit of£6,600,000 on the sales of imported bacon by his Department during 1954–55 represents expressed in terms of amount per pound.

About 2¼d. per lb. on average over the whole year.

asked the Minister of Food why, for the purposes of the Supplementary Estimate dated 7th February, 1955, surplus receipts from the trading services of his Department to be paid to the Exchequer are now estimated at£70 million, whereas in the Estimate dated 31st March, 1954, it was estimated that£109,600,000 would be so paid to the Exchequer.

Because of lower realisation prices and reductions in quantities sold.

asked the Minister of Food in what circumstances his Department has incurred during 1954–55 a trading loss of£3,200,000 on sugar; and how much of this loss has been incurred on sales to foreign countries.

The estimated trading deficit is due to the considerable rise in freight rates and to the cost of holding and disposing of the stocks (now being rapidly reduced) which were necessarily acquired to ensure the success of sugar derationing. It would be difficult precisely to estimate in isolation the proportion of losses due to foreign sales.

asked the Minister of Food the average weight per head of the population of meat, bacon, and ham consumed for each of the years 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1954, respectively; and the cost.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Food the average weight of fish, excluding canned fish, consumed per head of the population for each of the years 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1954, respectively; and the values of the fish on first sales for the same period.

Average consumption per head of fresh, frozen and cured fish in each of the years 1951 to 1954 was, respectively, 22·1, 20·8, 18·8, and 19·0 lb. The value of fish (excluding canned fish) on first sale in each of these years was, respectively, 57, 53, 49 and 51 million pounds sterling.

asked the; Minister of Food if he will take immediate steps to relieve the acute shortage of Danish butter; and if he will ensure that this much preferred item of food is distributed to the trade while it is in a fresh condition.

All the Danish butter is distributed immediately on arrival. It is unlikely that there will be any increase in shipments from Denmark until the end of March, but plenty of Commonwealth butter is available.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make an inquiry into the supply of Danish bacon, as supplies are restricted in the County Borough of Gateshead.

Supplies of Danish bacon are not restricted; there is plenty for everyone but if the hon. Member will let me have further particulars I will have inquiries made.

asked the Minister of Food if he will now make a statement of policy in relation to the siting of slaughterhouses.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dodds) on 21st February.

asked the Minister of Food if, in the interests of the British consumer, he will make representations to the countries concerned to abolish or reduce the export duty on tea sent to this country when the market price of tea falls to such an extent that exporters must pass on this export duty or part of it to the consumer in Britain if they are not to sell their tea at a loss.

My right hon. Friend understands that legislation is to be introduced in India to provide a sliding scale of export duty to accord with major changes in the export price of tea. He feels sure that other tea producing countries are aware of the importance of tea exports to their economy and of the effect of an export tax upon the sales of their teas on a falling market.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that following publicity in the Press and elsewhere advising housewives how to purchase and cook cheaper joints of meat such as shin of beef which was priced at 2s. 2d. per pound, some butchers have raised the price to 3s. following greater demand; and if he will take action by price control or otherwise in such cases to prevent such practices.

I welcome the recent publicity about the cheaper cuts of meat and would deplore any unwarranted increase in retail prices. Ample supplies of frozen imported meat are available at lower prices to counterbalance the higher prices of fresh meat resulting from the usual seasonal decline in production. The answer to the last part of the question is "No."

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of people employed in each of the Remploy

asked the Minister of Labour the number of people registering as unemployed at his offices in Dumbarton, Alexandria, Helensburgh, and Clydebank on the latest available date as compared with same time last year.

The numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of the specified Employment Exchanges at factories in Wales at the present time; the number employed 12 months ago; the number of administrative staff; the number of men over 60 years of age; and the number of able-bodied men declared redundant within the last six months.

The number of people employed in each of the Remploy factories in Wales at 5th January, 1954, and at 4th January, 1955, together with the number of severely disabled employees over 60 years of age employed at these factories on 7th December, 1954, are shown in the table below.15th February, 1954, and 14th February, 1955, were as follows:

asked the Minister of Labour when the award of the arbitration court on nurses' salaries will be available to the House.

A copy of the award has been put in the Library.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the heavy financial burden that will fall upon many small local authorities who have to pay the costs of clearing the snow during this abnormal winter; and if he will arrange for grants to be made to meet this expenditure.

I recognise that snow clearance places an additional burden on the services of local authorities. Expenditure in respect of classified roads is eligible for grant. I have no power to pay grants towards the cost incurred in respect of other roads.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the continued delay by his Department in publishing the new edition of the booklet on the chemical analysis of sewage and sewage effluents is an obstacle to river boards in making the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act, 1951, fully effective; and whether he is now in a position to give a firm assurance as to the date of publication.

I am sorry that I cannot as yet give a firm publication date for the booklet but if any river board is in difficulty for lack of it my Department will shortly be able to give it access to a draft.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has now given his approval to the Essex County Council Order establishing new local government boundaries for Harlow.

I have not yet confirmed this Order but I have indicated to the authorities concerned that I propose to do so, subject to certain modifications.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many tenants are occupying requisitioned houses in Cardiff.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses were completed and occupied during the last 12 months for the Whitehaven Borough, the Ennerdale Rural District Council, and the Millom Rural District Council, respectively; and how many have been built by private enterprise in each authority for sale and for rental.

The answer to the first part of the Question may be obtained from Appendix B of the quarterly Housing Returns. I regret that information on the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses have been allocated for building for the next financial year; and how many were applied for by the Whitehaven Borough, Ennerdale Rural District Council, and Millom Rural District Council, respectively.

It is not usual to publish information of this kind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many old-age pensioners make use of tobacco vouchers and how many do not; and if he will give an estimate of the approximate cost of providing for the latter milk vouchers of similar value to the tobacco voucher.

About 2,300,000 old age pensioners at present receive tobacco tokens and this figure represents about one half of the pensioners in the categories covered by the scheme. To give equivalent benefit to the 2,300,000 pensioners who do not get tobacco tokens would cost about£14 million a year. I would remind the hon. Member that the tobacco token scheme relieves old age pensioners from some part of the post-war increases in Tobacco Duty, and the scheme could not therefore be extended to milk on which no tax or duty is payable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) the average number of locomotives and the proportion, to total available, out of action and awaiting repairs on the Nigerian Railways in 1952 and 1954;(2) the average monthly number of locomotives given general repairs in the workshops of Nigerian Railways during 1952 and 1954.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th February,

asked the Prime Minister to circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the Royal Commissions which have been set up since

asked the Minister of Defence to publish in the Official Report the division of the defence budget under the principal headings for the financial years 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55. separate figures for each financial year, to show if possible the actual figures and when this is not possible to show the most up-to-date estimates.

The information is as follows:1945, indicating those which have not yet made their report.

The following are details of the Royal Commissions which have been set up since 1945:

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of total imports of cotton yarn and cloth from India, expressed as a percentage of total imports of manufactured goods from India for 1953 and 1954, respectively.

Imports of cotton yarn and fabrics from India were 3 per cent. in 1953 and 18 per cent. in 1954 of total imports of manufactures (Class D in the trade statistics).

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of imports from India for 1953 and 1954, respectively, of cotton yarns and fabrics, jute yarns and fabrics, and all other manufactured goods, respectively.

Imports from India were valued as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will circulate in the Official Report the provisions in the Anglo-Indian commercial agreement and other trade agreements which limit Her Majesty's Government's ability to impose tariffs or quotas on imports of piece-goods from India and the provisions in those documents relating to dumping.

The following provisions of the Trade Agreement of 20th March, 1939, (Cmd. 5966) refer:

Article 1. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom undertake that goods grown, produced or manufactured in India and consigned from any part of the British Empire which are now free of duty shall continue to enjoy entry free of customs duty into the United Kingdom.

Article 2. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom undertake, in respect of the goods the growth, produce or manufacture of India enumerated in Schedule 1 to this Agreement, that the difference between the rates of the duties of customs on such goods on importation into the United Kingdom when consigned from any part of the British Empire and the rates upon similar goods the growth, produce or manufacture of any foreign country shall not be less than the rates set out in that schedule.

Schedule 1.

(c) Preferences at a rate of 20 per cent.^* ad valorem. Manufactures wholly cotton, the following:—

Tissues and like materials.

Household goods and similar articles for non-domestic use.

Blankets, shawls, coverlets and travelling rugs.

Handkerchiefs.

In addition Articles I, II, VI, XI, and XIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade are relevant. These are set out in Cmd. 8048.

^* Subsequently reduced with assent of Indian Government to 17½per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in tabular form the number of applications received for licences to export machine tools to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the number granted, the value and weight in hundredweights for those refused and granted, respectively, for each year up to the latest date, since the restrictions were imposed; and the same figures for the three highest pre-war years.

:The information asked for could be extracted only at the cost of time and labour which would not be justified. Moreover, the information would give no true indication of the volume of actual trade, or of trade which was frustrated. As to the last part of the Question, export licences were not required for machine tools before the war.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in tabular form typical examples in description, value and weight in hundredweights, of applications for licences refused for exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of engineering products.

I do not think that such a statement would be helpful since it would give no true indication of the volume of trade affected. Moreover any analysis of export licence applications involves a considerable diversion of time and labour from the current work of the Export Licensing Branch. The lists published in the Board of Trade Journal on 16th October last show the classes of engineering goods which are subject to restriction if intended for export to the U.S.S.R.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to set out in tabular form up to the latest date and for 1946, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, and the three highest pre-war years, the value and weight in hundredweights, of engineering products exported to China, the number of applications for licences to export, and the number refused since 1950.

The table below shows the value of exports to China, for the years in question (since 1926) of engineering products comprised by Divisions D 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 22 of the trade classification as shown in the Trade and Navigation Accounts. Comprehensive figures of weight are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications he has received from the Rank Organisation and the Associated British Picture Corporation for permission to acquire more cinemas.

One application for an exhibitor's licence has been received from the Rank Organisation in respect of a theatre recently acquired.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he does not allow duty-free licences for the import of machinery of a consignment value of less than£2,000; if he is aware that these are required by many small firms; and whether, in view of the importance to the national economy that small firms of manufacturers should be competitive in our export trade, he will reconsider his decision.

The£2,000 limit was introduced on the recommendation of the Wilson Smith Committee which was set up to examine whether and on what conditions the duty-free licensing of machinery should be resumed. The Committee's Report was published last July. They gave most thorough consideration to the effect on smaller firms of this limit, but concluded that it was both essential and reasonable. As stated in my reply of 29th July to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Arbuthnot) the Government accepted all the recommendations in this Report except one which would have required legislation. If the recommendation on the value limit had not been accepted, the whole question of the resumption of duty-free licensing would have had to have been reexamined.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much newsprint and other grades of paper were consumed by magazines and periodicals, respectively, in 1939 and 1954.

Consumption of newsprint by magazines and periodicals together is estimated to have been 100,000 tons in 1939. In 1954, it was 80,300 tons. I regret that I am unable to show separate figures for magazines and periodicals, and that no figures are available for the consumption of paper other than newsprint by this group of users.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why it is not possible to dial a subscriber on the Byron Exchange from a call-box on the Mill Hill Exchange, whereas it is possible to dial subscribers on Greenwich, Forest Hill, Gipsy Hill, and Streatham Exchanges from a Mill Hill call-box; and the approximate distance and the cost of a call from a Mill Hill call-box to each of these other five exchanges.

For technical reasons, only three penny calls can at present be dialled from call offices; call office calls from Mill Hill to Byron cost 4d. and to Greenwich, Forest Hill, Gipsy Hill and Streatham, 3d.Usually 3d. is the charge for calls up to five miles from an exchange, and 4d. for calls between five and 7½ miles. But London subscribers pay higher telephone rentals than other subscribers, and in compensation the five-mile circle around Oxford Circus is ignored in reckoning the chargeable distance for calls. Greenwich, Forest Hill, Gipsy Hill and Streatham are roughly 14 to 15 miles from Mill Hill but are all within 1¾ miles of the circumference of the five-mile circle. Mill Hill is less than 3¼ miles from the circumference and accordingly the distance charged for is taken as not more than five miles. Byron is 5½ miles chargeable distance from Mill Hill and a 4d. charge is therefore appropriate.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when the television mast at Old Meldrum will be erected.

It is hoped that the mast will be erected at Old Meldrum, and the permanent television station there opened for service, before the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what countries have not yet become parties to the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic.

In addition to the United Kingdom the following are the European countries which have not yet become parties to the Convention:

• Albania.
• Austria.
• Bulgaria.
• Denmark.
• Finland.
• Germany, Federal Republic.
• Germany, Soviet Zone.
• Hungary.
• Ireland, Republic of.
• Norway.
• Poland.
• Rumania.
• Spain.
• Switzerland.
• Yugoslavia.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give an assurance that he will consider the claims of the various interested angling and boating societies before using his powers to authorise the discontinuance of a canal waterway in Great Britain.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to assist farmers to reduce the risk of damage by foxes to farm stock, particularly in areas not hunted by any pack of fox hounds.

I have consulted the interests concerned and I propose, for the next three months, to increase the Ministry's share of the bonuses paid by fox destruction societies from 7s. 6d. to 10s. for an adult fox and from 2s. 6d. to 5s. for a cub, provided the societies contribute similar amounts.