asked the Minister of Health how many patients are taken to work at Stapleton Park Farm from Stanley Royd Hospital and other institutions; how long the journey is to and from Stapleton; how many hours' work were done in 1953 and 1954, respectively; and how much money this labour saved the farm.

I am informed that on average about eight patients per working day are brought a 35-minute journey by bus to the farm, on which they worked a total of 10,500 hours in 1953 and 11,000 hours in 1954. It is estimated that if this work were not done by patients the necessary additional staff would cost a little over £800 a year.

asked the Minister of Health if the Leeds Regional Hospital Board has yet found any use for the 30 empty rooms at the Queen's Hotel, Harrogate, which were empty last March; and how many years these rooms have been empty.

There are now 18 small attic rooms empty. These have been unused since 1951, but will shortly be occupied by the Preliminary Nurse Training School.

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many vacancies there are in the hospital pharmaceutical service; and how many locums are employed;(2) how many male pharmacists have been recruited to the permanent staff during the last three years; and how many have resigned other than on retirement pension.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given today to the hon. Member for the Test Division (Dr. King).

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to implement the Linstead Report, especially in relation to recruitment of staff, to permit of reforms in the pharmaceutical services.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to the hon. Member for Clapham (Mr. Gibson) and my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser).

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has received from the Guild of Public Pharmacists, South Wales Branch, concerning the pharmaceutical service in South Wales; and what steps he proposes to prevent the continuing loss to the service of experienced staff.

None. In reply to the second part of the Question I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply today to the hon. Member for Clapham (Mr. Gibson) and my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser).

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) if he is aware of the fact that persons in receipt of both widows' pensions and parent dependants' pensions are being officially informed that the parents' dependant pension is being reduced by an amount equal to the increase in widows' pension; and whether he will give the reason for this action;(2) whether he is aware that many persons in receipt of both retirement pension and parents' dependant pension from his Department are being advised that their parents' dependant pensions are being reduced by an amount equivalent to the authorised increase in retirement pension; and if he will explain the reason for this treatment.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many retirement pensioners have had, or have been advised that they will have, their war parents' pension cut when the increase in retirement pension takes effect; and what would be the cost of the additional payments.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether old-age pensioners in receipt of a war dependant's pension will have the increase in the old-age pension deducted from their dependants' pension, under his regulations.

The Royal Warrant places parents' pensions on a needs basis and it is, therefore, necessary to take changes of income into account, but I anticipate that in most cases in which a reduction in the need pension is made it will be less than the increase in the widow's or retirement pension. I cannot at present state how many retirement pensioners are concerned or what sum will be involved.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what complaints he has received from Wales concerning the reduction of parents' dependant pensions by an amount equivalent to the authorised increase in retirement pensions.

I have been unable to trace any such complaints.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware that the late Mr. J. T. Sanderson, Rishton, has died from the disability for which he was refused a pension; and whether, in the circumstances, a pension will be awarded to his widow.

I am awaiting a full report on the circumstances of Mr. Sanderson's death, and I can assure the hon. Member that no time will be lost in deciding the question of Mrs. Sanderson's eligibility for a war widow's pension. She is receiving a widow's allowance under the National Insurance Scheme and was paid a death grant of £20 on 19th April.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, in view of the need for financial assistance revealed amongst elderly persons in the recent Edinburgh survey, what steps are taken to ensure that all pensioners are fully informed as to payments to which they may make claim from the National Assistance Board.

As I informed the hon. Member on 4th April, I do not know on what basis these reports about financial need were made. Every retirement pensioner is advised about National Assistance by a note in his pension book, and that explanatory leaflets and application forms are available in post offices, local offices of my Ministry and elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of persons in receipt of old-age pensions and those in receipt of supplementary allowances, respectively, at the latest convenient stated date.

At the end of March, 1955, there were about 4,800,000 retirement and non-contributory old-age pensioners, of whom about 1,160,000 were also receiving National Assistance grants, some of which covered the needs of more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to give an estimate of the increase in the amount per week of the old-age pension which would be afforded by the expenditure of £155 million.

Spread over nearly 4½ million retirement pensions, it would mean an increase of about 14s. a week. In 25 years' time the cost would be £275 million a year and the annual deficit of the National Insurance Fund would be increased to £700 million.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the allocations and deliveries of coal to the City of Aberdeen are insufficient; if he will state the cause of this; and if he will remove the cause and take steps to ensure that users in that city receive sufficient coal for all domestic and industrial purposes.

My right hon. Friend has been making inquiries and is writing to the hon. and learned Member.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that, during the recent cold weather, two old-age pensioners in Oxenden, Northamptonshire, whose names have been communicated to him, had to wait three weeks without coal, because none was available in Market Harborough; whether he is satisfied that sufficient supplies are now available for that part of Northamptonshire; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot accept the facts as stated by the hon. and learned Gentleman but my right hon. Friend is writing to him fully about this case.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many officials are employed in rationing the distribution of domestic fuel supplies; and the total cost of administering that rationing system.

The total annual cost is about £1,200,000. 120 Ministry officials are at present engaged in this work. In addition full-time and part-time staff in the offices of local fuel overseers numbered 1,515 and 1,319 respectively on 1st October, 1954, but further economies have since been effected by amalgamation of local offices though comprehensive figures are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will reconsider his decision to close the Tamworth Fuel Office, since the public in Tamworth and district would have to travel to Sutton Coldfield or Cannock, to which places public transport is inconvenient, and also since miners entitled to coal concession allowance may, in the event of sickness, have to register for normal rations.

No decision has yet been taken, and the matter is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that a vessel arrived in a South Wales port a fortnight ago with 3,000 tons of coal from Rotterdam and loaded in the same dock 3,000 tons of coal to be taken to Rotterdam; the price of the coal received into this country; and the price of that which was exported.

Yes, but the imports were of United States gas coal urgently needed for gas making, whereas the exports were of Welsh steam coal of which supplies were available for export to Amsterdam. Prices of such cargoes are for commercial negotiation by the National Coal Board.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the shortage of household coal throughout Cardiff; what action will be taken to remedy the situation; and whether he will make a statement.

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

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will publish statistics of the increases in the retail price of coal, since vesting day, giving the date of each increase.

I regret that this would not be practicable for the reasons which my hon. Friend will see from the reply which I gave on 1st March, 1954, to my hon. Friend the Member for Louth (Mr. Osborne), a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will make a statement in regard to the financial aspects of the arrangement under which the United Kingdom has been able to buy United States coal for sterling.

Yes. The United States Government provide the dollars required for this transaction up to a maximum of $3· 97 million. Her Majesty's Government simultaneously place the sterling equivalent to the credit of the special account opened in pursuance of the Economic Co-operation Agreement between the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of 6th April, 1948.The United States Government wish the bulk of the sterling proceeds of this transaction to be transferred to a joint account held by the Jordan and United States Governments, known as "The Jordan-United States Economic Assistance Joint Fund," which will be used to give United States economic aid to Jordan. The United States Government further desire that any small remaining part of these sterling proceeds should be used for payments made at their request for non-dollar freights on aid cargoes for third countries.As none of these payments out of the special account is covered by Section 2 (2) of the American Aid and European Payments (Financial Provisions) Act, 1949, it will be necessary for them to be authorised by Vote of Parliament and in due course Supplementary Estimates will be presented for this purpose. In the meantime it is proposed to make the payments out of the Civil Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which Colonies the Regulations for de-tentive institutions provide for flogging as a punishment for three minor offences whilst in custody.

In the Federation of Malaya and in Singapore corporal punishment by caning (not flogging) may be awarded for a third minor offence against prison discipline. In Kenya, persons detained under the Emergency Regulations may be awarded corporal punishment for a third minor offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in how many Colonial Territories the practice of chaining certain prisoners is retained.

Fourteen. In accordance with an undertaking given by me to the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Manuel) on 8th December, 1954, a memorandum has been prepared setting out full particulars of the use of mechanical restraints in prisons in Colonial Territories and will be placed in the Library of the House. I will send the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will encourage members of the agricultural industry to hold first-aid classes to help them to deal with injuries caused by accidents on farms.

It is desirable that as many persons as possible engaged in agriculture should have a working knowledge of first-aid and I am considering how best to encourage the spread of this knowledge within the industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that bakers who are mainly concerned with delivering bread by retail cannot cover their costs under the present subsidy system; how many bakers were drawing the subsidy in 1945 compared with the number at the present time; and whether he will devise a more equitable system to enable retail bakers to make a reasonable profit.

The net cost of distributing bread by retail is brought into the calculation of the subsidy rate and there is provision for any baker to make a reasonable delivery charge. The recent increase in the profit margin took into account the problems of retail bakers. The number of bakers now drawing subsidy is about 13,500 compared with 18,254 in 1945.

asked the Minister of Education to give, in respect of Tividale School, Staffordshire, the area of land required for the school, the cost thereof, and its rateable value at the time of purchase.

Approval was given to the acquisition of 30 acres at a cost of £28,915, which included £14,000 as compensation for levelling previously carried out by the former owners. The land had no rateable value at the time of purchase.

asked the Minister of Education the number of scholarships to universities aided from public funds granted in 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1954; and the average amount of assistance from public funds granted in each year.

The information is given in the following tables:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give an assurance that he has taken effective measures to ensure that all those now serving shall be fully informed of their right to vote and that there shall be no obstacle to their doing so.

Yes, I can give this assurance. Instructions were issued by signal to all ships and establishments on 18th April drawing attention to the procedure and requiring that it should be brought to the notice of all personnel immediately.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what disciplinary action has been taken in H.M.S. "Ark Royal" in respect of the large escape of fuel oil from her recently; and how so large an escape was able to take place unperceived from on board.

The escape of oil fuel from H.M.S. "Ark Royal" was due to an unknown defect which was only made evident by the leakage of oil on 23rd March. It was caused by a fault below the waterline in a furnace oil fuel service tank. It was not the result of pumping out bilges or sullage tanks.Such a leak would only become apparent when the level of fuel in the tank was greater than the water level outside the ship. On the day in question conditions were abnormal in that the ship was in light condition and there was a strong tide and high wind which gave the ship a list of about 1½° and brought the faulty oil tank three feet higher than when the ship was on an even keel.The escape of oil was first noticed by the duty officer on deck at 9.30 a.m., but owing to the wind and tide the oil was breaking surface astern and to port of the ship where the full extent of the leakage was not readily observable. The leakage stopped after approximately half an hour. Steps were immediately taken to prevent a recurrence of the conditions causing the leakage until the fault in the tank could be repaired.It has not been possible to establish exactly when the leak started, but it is thought that it was between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. when the ship's personnel began to top up the service tanks. The leak would have started when the level of oil in the tank began to rise above sea level. Nor has it been possible to determine the exact quantity of oil involved. No abnormal consumption was observed in the ship but the best, though very approximate, estimate suggests that the amount was between 1 and 2 tons. The effects of this small amount of oil were magnified by the combined effect of the gale and the unusually high tide which produced a wider distribution of the oil than would have occurred in normal weather conditions.I do not consider that any question of disciplinary action arises. I would again express my regret at what happened and at the inconvenience caused but the incident could not have been foreseen and could happen in any oil-fired ship of similar design.