asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of the 19,300 staff whose services are no longer required as a result of dispensing with State trading in food and the rationing system have been transferred to other Departments.

7,666 redundant members of the staff of the Ministry of Food have been absorbed into vacancies in the approved complements of other Departments.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to reduce the number of farm accidents due to electric shock by requiring all electrical equipment used in agricultural work to be properly grounded, even if it is only being used temporarily.

A leaflet published by my Department emphasises that electrical equipment should be efficiently earthed. My hon. Friend will recall that I have already announced the Government's intentions with regard to legislation on safety precautions, on 1st April, 1955—OFFICIAL REPORT, C. 749–57.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the acreage under tillage for 1953 and 1954, respectively.

The June census returns show that the acreage under tillage (crops and bare fallow) in the United Kingdom was 12,304,000 acres in 1953 and 11,832,000 acres in 1954.

asked the Minister of Health to make a statement indicating the trend in the consumption of welfare foods since responsibility for their distribution was transferred to local authorities.

There has been a downward trend, and further particulars are given in the table below. These foods are, of course, intended for those whose diet might otherwise be deficient and the arrangements of the local authorities are well adapted to concentrate attention on this group. In the community as a whole the downward trend may well continue with the continuing improvement in the general diet and standard of living. The Department will maintain a close watch on developments.

asked the Minister of Health how much he estimates it would cost the Exchequer to provide for England and Wales a chiropody service for old people, similar to that provided in Scotland.

I regret that it is not possible to give a reliable estimate owing to the rather different basis of the Scottish Service.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons granted surgical shoes in Cardiff in each of the years since the National Health Scheme came into operation.

The numbers are shown in the following table:

asked the Minister of Health what steps he has now taken to help the Cardiff lady, whose name has been supplied to him, who has been waiting five years for a refitting of her two artificial legs; and, in view of the urgency of the matter, whether he will give priority to this case.

I cannot accept the facts given. This patient was provided with one pair of limbs in 1949 and a duplicate pair in 1950. New limbs ordered in February, 1955, were fitted on 29th April, and completion and delivery will take place as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health what experiments have been made in the use of the substance known as H.11 in the treatment of cancer; and whether he will make this treatment available to sufferers of cancer through the National Health doctors.

asked the Minister of Health for what reasons H.11 treatment is not made readily available through all National Health Service doctors to sufferers from cancer.

As a result of claims made, the Medical Research Council appointed, in June, 1944, a Committee to investigate. It made a careful study of the clinical records of patients treated with this substance and itself initiated animal experiments. It was unable to confirm the claims of the makers, and the Council has since received no new evidence which would make it revise these conclusions.General practitioners have a right to prescribe it under the National Health Service if they consider it necessary in an individual case but they have been advised of the opinion of the Joint Committee on Prescribing that it is a preparation which has not been proved of therapeutic value and have been asked in general not to prescribe preparations in this category.

asked the Minister of Health the number of hospital beds unoccupied through shortage of staff for 1951 and each subsequent yearly period to the nearest convenient date, together with the number in each year of new health centres provided.

On 31st December in each year from 1951 to 1954 inclusive, the figures were 27,812; 23,013; 18,874 and 17,049, the last being provisional. The number of new health centres provided under the National Health Service Acts in each of the years 1951 to 1954 were one, three, none and one.

asked the Minister of Health the capital cost of new hospital construction and extensions, together with the number of additional beds provided, in schemes approved between 1st October, 1950, and 30th September, 1951, and each subsequent yearly period, to the nearest convenient date.

Figures for the value of building schemes approved are given below. I cannot readily supply figures of the additional beds provided by these schemes.

asked the Minister of Health what guidance he has issued to hospital boards concerning the use by consultants of surgical instruments and other equipment belonging to hospitals for the purpose of operating upon private patients in private nursing homes.

None.

asked the Minister of Health why the Leeds Regional Hospital Board took no action before the auditors reported that at Stapleton Park Farm livestock were purchased at excessive prices, that inadequate records and accounts were kept, that excessive use was made of direct labour and that machinery and labour was loaned to other farms without authority in view of the fact that the Chairman of the Regional Hospital Board was at the same time a member of the responsible sub-Committee.

I am making inquiries and will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Minister of Health the purpose of his recent circular to hospital committees and local authorities asking for cuts in medical, surgical and other treatment; and whether he will place a copy of this circular in the Library of the House of Commons.

Perhaps the hon. Member will let me know what circular he has in mind, as I am afraid I cannot identify it. All circulars are placed in the Library.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of widows in Cardiff who are granted a 10s. weekly pension, and who are required to pay the full National Insurance contribution; and what steps he is taking to assist these widows.

I regret that the information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available; as regards the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Awbery) on 4th April.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how much the rates of retirement pension and the corresponding rates of National Assistance, respectively, have been increased since 1946.

Retirement pension rates have been increased by 14s. single and 23s. for a married couple. The corresponding figures for Assistance are 17s. 6d. and 28s.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many pensioners in Cardiff have not yet sent in their books to be stamped with the new rates of pensions; and how, in terms of purchasing power, these rates now compare with those existing in October, 1951, taking into account any subsequent increase in the cost of living.

I regret that the information requested in the first part of the Question is not available. As regards the second part, after taking into account the change in the Retail Prices' Index, the new standard rates of 40s. (single person) and 65s. (married couple) are worth about 16 per cent. more than were the 30s. and 50s. rates introduced in October, 1951, for the older pensioners. They are worth about 36 per cent. more than were the 26s. and 42s. which then remained in force for the younger pensioners.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if, in view of the recommendation contained in the Phillips Report, he will average earnings over a period, of pensioners who undertake part-time employment.

I am not aware of any such recommendation.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will take every step to assist the dependants of the men who lost their lives and of the survivors when the Grimsby trawler "Remindo" sank off the Faroes.

Yes. My local office is dealing with the situation with urgency and sympathetic understanding.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many old-age pensioners were receiving supplementary grants from the National Assistance Board offices at Camberwell New Road and Brixton at the latest available date; and what the figure was at the same date in 1952.

7,064 on 29th March, 1955, and 6,528 on 25th March, 1952. Some of the grants provided for the requirements of a household with more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many old-age pensioners are resident in the City of Edinburgh; and how many are in receipt of National Assistance allowances, as a supplement to their retirement pensions.

I regret that the numbers of retirement pensioners are not available for localities. I am informed by the National Assistance Board that at 29th March, 1955, 8,244 regular weekly Assistance grants were being paid to retirement pensioners living in the area covered by the National Assistance Board's offices in Edinburgh, which extends considerably beyond the city boundaries. Some of the grants provided for the requirements of a household with more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many letters were sent from his Department notifying war pensioners that because of altered insurance rates their war pension allowances would be reduced; and in how many cases they were mothers of sons killed.

I do not know precisely how many of these letters there were, but I would refer the hon. Member to my statement on this subject in the House today.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the amount of money he expects to save by the reductions now being made in war dependants' pensions.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will review the determination of needs scales governing the award of dependants' pensions so that recipients will not be deprived of the recent increases in other pensions allowances.

I would refer the hon. Members to my statement on this subject in the House today.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of people whom his Department has informed of a reduction in both the war dependant's pension and in their National Asistance benefit, due to the alteration in the basic retirement pensions; and how much money he expects to save by this process.

I do not know precisely how many of these cases there may have been, but I would refer the hon. Member to my statement on this subject in the House today.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why he is reducing the war dependant's pension and the National Assistance allowance of a Cardiff lady, whose name has been supplied to him, despite the fact that her only change of circumstance is the altered basic retirement pension; and whether he will reconsider his present policy.

The reduction in the war dependant's pension in this particular case was due to a mistake. I am sorry that this occurred and I should like to thank the hon. Member for bringing the case to my notice. The original pension is being restored.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will take steps to ensure that the fair wages clause is included in every contract placed by his Department with Scottish Aviation Limited.

The fair wages clause is included in all contracts placed by the Ministry of Supply.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will make a statement on the changes in his production programme at Armstrong Whitworths, Baginton, Coventry, which are causing a redundancy of 200 workers.

Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Ltd. at present manufactures at its works at Baginton, Coventry, Sea Hawk and Hunter fighters against Ministry of Supply and American off-shore contracts. The Admiralty recently decided to reduce slightly its total requirements of Sea Hawk aircraft, because new equipment and technique, such as the mirror landing sight and the angled deck on its aircraft carriers, should materially reduce the accident rate and consequent wastage of aircraft in service. As a result of this cut in requirements, Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft's production of Sea Hawks finishes a few months earlier and the firm has dismissed about 150 workers, and may reduce its labour force by a further 50 in the near future. I have every hope that these men will have no difficulty in finding employment with other firms in the Coventry area engaged in work of national importance.