asked the Minister of Education how many schools were completed in 1954; how many school places were provided; and what was the cost.

During the year ending 1st February, 1955, 560 new schools were completed, and 190,225 school places were taken into use. The total value of contracts completed at primary and secondary schools during the same period was £48·2 million.

asked the Minister of Education the combined expenditure of Government and local authorities on education per child of school age in 1938 and 1954, respectively; and by what amount the figure for 1954 would be increased or decreased if it represented the same proportion of the national income as the figure for 1938.

The total expenditure per child from rates and taxes combined on the whole educational service within my Department's purview amounted in 1937–38 to rather over £17. On the basis of the revised estimates of authorities and my Department's vote, the corresponding figure in 1954–55 was about £60. The latter figure would be decreased to about £52·5 if it represented the same proportion per child of the gross national product as did £17 in 1937–38.These figures do not reveal the great increase that has taken place in local authorities' capital expenditure which in 1937–38 was nearly £12½ million and which in 1954–55 had risen to about £62 million.

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

Four new schools have either recently been completed or are soon to be built in the Sandfields area of Glamorgan. The information required is as follows:

asked the Minister of Education how many children of secondary school age in Cornwall are still in all-age schools.

In January, 1954, there were 2,836 senior children in all-age schools and departments. This number is being continuously reduced as new secondary schools are completed.

asked the Minister of Education how many of the schools completed in Great Britain in 1952, 1953 and 1954, had had plans approved by his Department prior to 31st October, 1951.

1,154 in England and Wales.

asked the Minister of Education if he will consider the possibility of distributing home-grown apples to schoolchildren on the lines of the school milk scheme, in view of their importance as a preventive to dental decay.

My right hon. Friend has considered this suggestion but does not think it would be practicable.

asked the Minister of Education how many classes over 40 pupils there were in primary schools in Cornwall at the beginning of the school year 1954–55, or at the latest convenient date.

In January, 1954, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 99 infant and junior classes in Cornwall with more than 40 pupils on the registers.

asked the Minister of Education how many classes over 30 pupils there were in secondary schools in Cornwall at the beginning of the school year 1954–55, or at the latest convenient date.

In January, 1954, there were 161 senior classes in Cornwall with more than 30 pupils on the registers.

asked the Minister of Education how many children were getting school meals in Cornwall at the last three counts; when they were taken; and what was the total school population at the time.

The following is the information asked for:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans have been considered in his Department for encouraging the establishment in Lincoln of light industries.

We try to encourage the establishment of light industries in all suitable localities, but there is very little unemployment in Lincoln and there are at the moment other areas with greater need.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what changes have been notified to him in Soviet buying policy, as far as this country is concerned; what cancellations of definite orders have been notified to him; and what penalty payments are involved in such agreements.

None. On the second part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the right hon. Member for Belper (Mr. G. Brown) on 7th April.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in what ways the new General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade will benefit the horticultural industry.

No amendments have been made to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade which have particular reference to horticulture. The hon. Member will, however, recall that under a waiver which I obtained in 1953, and which has now been somewhat extended, I was able, after appropriate inquiry, to introduce a number of tariff increases of benefit to the horticultural industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from organisations representing employers and trade unions in the furniture industry regarding recession of trade and resulting unemployment; and what reply he has made thereto.

A deputation from the British Furniture Trade Joint Industrial Council was received by the Board of Trade on Monday. We are urgently considering their representations that the recession in the furniture trade is due to the hire-purchase restrictions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, under his policy of moderate concentration of slaughterhouses, he will arrange for one to be sited in Camborne-Redruth to serve that part of West Cornwall.

Before deciding on the location of slaughterhouses under that policy we must await the Report of the Inter - Departmental Committee on Slaughterhouses.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what machinery at present exists to ensure that

Our National Agricultural Advisory Service, through publications, individual advice, and other activities, provides the chief means of keeping horticulturists in touch with the progress and results of research.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the indices of net agricultural output from 1944–45 to date; and the average annual increase from 1944–45 to 1950–51.

I am setting out in parallel columns all the relevant figures:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that the price of herring, fixed by the Herring Board, has resulted in lack of buyers at North Shields; and whether he will investigate the matter, with a view to safeguarding the herring trade at this port.

We are aware of, and shall continue to watch, the position. I hope the buyers at North Shields will re-consider their decision. The minimum price was approved as fair to all after full consideration of representations from different sections of the trade.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to give an estimate of the cost of additional subsidies which would be needed today to restore food prices to the level of October, 1951.

The additional cost would be between £500-£600 million in respect of the main foods subsidised in 1951.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that in some parts of the country there is difficulty in obtaining certified seed potatoes in fulfilment of outstanding orders; and if he will take action to improve this situation.

Some orders for seed potatoes have been held up because loading in Scotland and Northern Ireland could not take place in the early part of the year owing to the exceptional weather conditions. In recent weeks rapid progress has been made with deliveries and it is expected that all available supplies of certified seed will have been sent forward by the end of next week.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give consideration to dispensing at an early date with the clean area policy for poultry disease control, in favour of an emergency policy on the lines followed in cases of foot-and-mouth disease.

Mainly because of the constant and widespread traffic in poultry, fowl pest cannot be dealt with successfully on the lines of foot-and-mouth disease, save where an outbreak appears to be purely local in character. The clean area policy, which has the support of the poultry industry generally, has contributed very greatly to the reduction in the incidence of disease, and I am satisfied that it should be retained until after next winter, so as to include the period when movements of poultry are at their peak.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in Norfolk were first provided with electricity during the years 1951 to 1954, inclusive.

I understand that no separate figures are available for the county of Norfolk, but that in the Norfolk sub-area, which I am informed covers about 90 per cent. of the county, the number of farms first provided with electricity during each of the five years was:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement on the proposed setting up of a producers' marketing scheme for eggs.

No formal proposals for a producers' marketing scheme for eggs have yet been received.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent wholesale prices of imported beef have fallen since the beginning of the year.

The following table shows that between January and April wholesale prices of imported Argentine beef fell about 6 per cent. and Australian and

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the scientific and medical evidence which has become available since the post-war Loaf Conference in 1945, he will arrange for an authoritative assessment to be made of the differences in composition and nutritional value of flour of varying extraction rates.

Yes. I have decided, in conjunction with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Health, to arrange for an independent authoritative review of the scientific and medical evidence now available in regard to this matter.At my request Lord Adrian, President of the Royal Society, has been good enough to nominate for the conduct of this review a panel of persons of accepted authority representative of scientific and medical opinion. They are as follows:Professor Sir Henry Cohen, M.D., F.R.C.P., J.P., Professor of Medicine, University of Liverpool (

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about further administration of agriculture research.

The organisation of Agricultural Research has recently been under review, and I am making the following statement with the agreement of my noble Friend the Lord President of the Council, who is responsible for the Agricultural Research Council, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Government have had regard to the views expressed by the Select Committee on Estimates in their Report on Agricultural Research (Session 1953–54), and to the observations on this matter contained in the Report of the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for the years 1953 and 1954 the number of candidates who qualified for the Central Training Council's Certificate in the residential care of children; the number who failed to complete the training course; the number who completed the course but failed to obtain the certificate; the number of persons holding the certificate now employed in children's homes and the average cost of training each student who completed the course; and if he will make a statement on the work of the Central Training Council.

In 1953, 176 students qualified for the Central Training Council's Certificate in the residential care of children; 17 failed to complete the course; four completed but failed to qualify; and as far as is known 119 who obtained the Certificate are employed in children's homes. The average cost of training students completing the course was £300. The corresponding figures for 1954 were, 138 qualified, 15 failed to complete, two completed and failed to qualify, 114 employed in children's homes. In 1954 the average cost was £320.Courses of training are provided, for staff undertaking boarding out and kindred social work with children in the care of local authorities and voluntary organisations, and for staff of children's homes. Refresher courses are also provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to publish the next Report on the work of the Children's Department.

The preparation of the Report is well advanced, with a view to publication in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detention cells there are in the Approved Schools for Senior Girls at Exeter; and to what extent they are used.

There are three detention rooms at the school in question, which accepts specially difficult senior girls. During the six months ended 31st March, 1955, the rooms were used on 51 occasions, for periods varying from half an hour to 36 hours. Their use, which is governed by the relevant provisions of the Approved School Rules, is under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, having read the further statements of witnesses submitted to him by the right hon. Member for Southwark in the case of Christopher Edward Wilson, he now proposes to institute an inquiry to see whether any miscarriage of justice occurred.

I have carefully considered the representations which the right hon. Gentleman has brought to my notice and have had inquiries made, but I can find no grounds for further action on my part.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will give an assurance that the increased parents' pensions, due on the new scale, will be made retrospective to a date in line with other war pensions increases.

My right hon. Friend announced increased means standards for these pensions on 2nd May, and they will operate from the first pay day in May. Reductions on account of recent increases in other pensions are being restored.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the estimated administrative cost involved in the notification to a pensioner of an increase of one pension by one sum and the reduction of another pension received by the same pensioner of the same amount and the issue of two complete new pension books at the new rates and the withdrawal of the existing books.

The cost varies in individual cases. I cannot, therefore, put a figure upon it, but it is quite small.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people in Lincoln were in receipt of National Assistance on the most recent convenient date.

At 26th April, 1955, 3,845 regular weekly Assistance grants were being paid in the National Assistance Board's Lincoln area, which extends beyond the county borough boundary.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what the effect will be of the increase of 10s. 6d. a week in the pensions of war widows who were excepted from liability to pay National Insurance contributions on the ground of small income.

Under the provisions of the National Insurance (No. 2) Bill such widows, if they have no other income, will be eligible for exception; in the special circumstances, the increase in the pension will not meanwhile be treated as making them ineligible for exception.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the implementation of the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement of October, 1954.

Yes. Some changes have been agreed with the Egyptian Government in regard to living accommodation for the contractors who are to look after the base area. These arrangements have been recorded in an Exchange of Notes of 3rd May, 1955, which is published today as a White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in view of the long delay, what arrangements have been made for the payment of compensation to the families of those who were killed in recent years in Egypt, and in particular what provision is to be made in the case of the Taylor family of Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, referred originally to the Foreign Office by the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East.

Ex gratia payments in these cases are being considered and dealt with by Her Majesty's Government. It has been necessary to inquire into about 240 cases and these inquiries are nearing completion. It should be possible to start making payments in approved cases almost at once.As regards the second part of the Question, the case of Sapper Taylor is amongst those already dealt with and it should be possible to make a payment in this case within a few days

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the price paid for, or estimated cost of acquiring, land for the construction of the new maternity hospital to be erected at Bellshill, Kirkcaldy; the rateable value of the land; and the estimated cost of erecting the new building.

Negotiations are on the point of completion for the acquisition of two areas of land, extending to some 12 acres in all, adjacent to the existing maternity hospital at Bellshill, Lanarkshire; the cost of acquisition is not expected to exceed £500. The two areas are not at present separately assessed for rating purposes. The cost of erecting the proposed new maternity hospital, including nurses' accommodation, is estimated at £500,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total additional cost of administration in the National Health Service consequent on the imposition of the charges in 1952.

It is not possible to make any estimate of this cost, which is certainly very small in relation to the proceeds of the charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total amount paid in Health Service charges in each year from 1951 to 1954.

The total charges payable under the National Health Service in Scotland were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total amount paid by National Health Service patients in each of the last three years, consequent on the imposition of the shilling prescription charge in 1952.

The amounts payable in Scotland since the introduction of this charge on 1st June, 1952, are as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General how many public telephone kiosks he expects to provide in Berkshire this year; and how many requests are outstanding.

We plan to provide about 45 kiosks in Berkshire in the present financial year. Only one kiosk is outstanding from a previous year's programme.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the demand for telephones, especially by farmers and rural contractors, in the Botwnnog district of Caernarvonshire; and if he will expedite the provision of an additional cable at Botwnnog Exchange.

Yes. Measures to provide additional plant in the district are receiving urgent consideration and we hope to start the work next year.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he has ascertained what causes the heavy detonations on the firing range at Browndown that are concussing the local residents and their houses, especially on Friday afternoons; and to whom claims for damage to either should be presented.

A record has been kept of all explosions heard on the range, irrespective of whether or not they originated on it, but it contains no entry in recent months for any heavy explosion. As is the past, the firing of charges during Royal Marine training is only carried out on the part of the range furthest from houses and the maximum weight of these charges is less than 2 lb. In the past six months, exercises with explosives have taken place on 35 days, of which nine have been Fridays The Major General, Royal Marines, Portsmouth, is always prepared to give close attention to substantiated claims for damage arising from activities in establishments under his command. In the present case, however, it is not considered that any damage could be caused by the relatively small charges fired on the Browndown range.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if, in the interests of Royal naval dockyard personnel with terms of service overseas, he will arrange for all Election broadcasts to be broadcast in full at naval stations overseas.

The attention of all dockyard personnel overseas is being drawn to the dates and times at which the Election talks are being rebroadcast in the General Overseas Service and the North American Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that Mrs. Ada Bucknell, of Slough, is reimbused £29 paid in excess of rates owing to an error by an officer of the Inland Revenue Department.

The claim for reimbursement of rates is a matter for the local authority concerned, and my right hon. Friend has no power to intervene. No error was made by the Inland Revenue Department. It reduced Mrs. Bucknell's assessment for the current rate period as soon as it learned that she was not occupying the whole of the rated premises, but it has no power to reduce the assessment for earlier periods.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals have been entirely relieved of Income Tax and Pay As You Earn as a result of increased allowances abatements under each Budget since 1946.

The following table shows the numbers, as estimated at the dates of the successive Budgets, who were expected to be entirely relieved from tax as a result of increases in personal allowances and reliefs. These estimates were necessarily based on the levels of income then ruling. Subsequent increases in their incomes have no doubt brought back into the field of taxation numbers of those who had been entirely relieved from tax by earlier Budgets.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the rate of imports has been reduced below the previous level as a result of the import cuts made in July, 1951.

So far as I am aware, the only import cut made in July, 1951, related to cheese, and was estimated to be likely to save an expenditure of about S40 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in estimating at 15 per cent. of salary the value of the superannuation rights of the average new entrant to the Civil Service, the Treasury took account of the abatement of Civil Service pensions required by the National Insurance Acts.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent under his regulations retired civil servants and local government workers will be allowed to draw the increase in old-age pensions without having their increases in Government pensions, under the Pensions (Increase) Acts, 1944, 1947 and 1952, reduced by similar amounts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the increase in National Insurance benefits payable from 26th April will have on payments made under the Pensions (Increase) Acts, 1920–52.

National Insurance benefits, like any other means of a pensioner, count as income for the purpose of these Acts. Thus, under the Acts passed by successive Governments in 1944, 1947 and 1952, where a pensioner's total income is near to the income limits of these Acts the increase in National Insurance benefits may be wholly or partly offset by a reduction in the increase of pension. In a small number of cases the Pensions (Increase) Acts might operate so as to bring about a reduction in pensions increase slightly greater than the improvement in National Insurance benefits under the National Insurance Act, 1954. This would clearly be contrary to the intentions of Parliament, and my right hon. Friend is making arrangements forthwith to ensure that changes of income do not produce this anomalous result.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will now make a statement in regard to the further negotiations with the United States authorities for a programme of imports of surplus commodities under the United States Mutual Security Act and Public Law 480; and to what extent the 50 per cent. shipping requirement will apply to such transactions.

Agreement has now been reached on a programme under the Mutual Security Act amounting to $73· 9 million to be financed from the United States appropriations for 1954–55.The following is the composition of the programme:

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider appointing local advisory committees on the lines of boards of school managers to help in the administration of boys' units.

This suggestion will be among the proposals for control examined by the Standing Committee who are studying the reorganisation of boys' units.

asked the Secretary of State for War why Brian Chapman, Coleridge Gardens, Lincoln, a Regular soldier, was posted absent without leave; why the Lincoln City police were asked to search for him when, at the time, he was posted absent and at the time the police were searching for him, he was in a military hospital in north Wales; and whether he is aware of the distress caused to his parents, family and friends in Lincoln.

Gunner Chapman reported sick to the Medical Office of Tonfanau Camp without telling anyone in his unit, and the medical officer, after sending him to hospital, failed to notify the unit as he should have done. As a result they assumed that Gunner Chapman was absent without leave and notified the civil police in his home town in the usual way. As soon as the mistake was discovered the civil police were notified and the Adjutant wrote immediately to the soldier's mother explaining what had happened.I should like to express my regret for the anxiety and distress caused to Gunner Chapman's parents as a result of this mistake. Nevertheless it is a fact that had Gunner Chapman obeyed unit standing orders and told the duty non-commissioned officer that he was reporting sick this trouble would not have arisen.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps he proposes to take to remedy the hardship caused by the disbandment of Army Emergency Reserve annual training camp one week early on 30th April to those men who were granted by their employers two weeks' leave, without pay, thus having received no pay from any source for one week.

We will consider any claim where a member of the Army Emergency Reserve has been deprived of both military and civil pay for the week as a result of his premature return from camp. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind and will let me have details, I will look into it. Any bounties due will not be affected by the shortened camp.