asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how far seeds imported into the United Kingdom under open general licence are inspected to ensure they conform to quality standards.

There is no official inspection of seeds on importation under open general licence.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he proposes to implement the provisions of the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Act, 1954.

This Act cannot be brought into operation until certain regulations replacing provisions of existing legislation have been considered by the Food Hygiene Advisory Council and are ready to be made. I understand that the Council proposes to consider the draft regulations early next month. The new Act will be put into force and the regulations made at the earliest date possible after I have received their advice.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the increasing use of diesel-engined cattle wagons for the transport of animals; that in many the exhausts are so placed as to pour gases continuously into the wagons, causing distress to the animals and harm to public health; and whether he will make regulations to ensure that exhaust gases pass over the roofs of such cattle wagons.

I was not aware of this problem. I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much reconstituted milk was consumed during the last 12 months, as revealed by his Food Consumption Survey.

During the calendar year 1954, which is the latest 12 months' period for which the information is available, the average household consumption of dried milk and condensed milk, according to the National Food Survey, amounted to the equivalent of about one-tenth and one-seventh of a pint, respectively, of liquid milk per person per week.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in setting up the Food Hygiene Advisory Committee; and in what way this committee is likely to influence the provision of clean and pure food to the consumer.

The Food Hygiene Advisory Council has already been set up, and I hope that its first meeting will be held early next month. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Health and I are confident that the advice of the Council will be of great value to us in administering the hygiene and other food provisions of the Food and Drugs Acts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to deal with the outbreak of hypomagnesaemia or Hereford disease.

Hypomagnesaemia, which appears to be unusually prevalent in cattle this year, is a condition associated with a deficiency of magnesium in the blood stream. The condition is well known to veterinary surgeons. I am advised that little can be done by way of prevention, since the trouble often arises out of an animal's apparent inability to absorb the whole of the magnesium content of its food into the blood stream. The reasons for this are as yet obscure, but research into this condition is continuing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes in recent months have been made in the prices which his Department charges for Danish and other imported bacon; and if he will explain his policy in this matter.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will take steps to enlarge the present Remploy factory in Aberdeen, owing to the long waiting list of disabled persons wishing to obtain employment in this factory.

I am afraid Remploy Limited are not yet in a position to enlarge their factory at Aberdeen. The number of unemployed disabled persons in Aberdeen has decreased slightly in the last 12 months, mostly as a result of placings in ordinary industry.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish in Hansard a table of figures showing the number of days of work lost through industrial disputes for each of the months from 1945 until the latest convenient date.

Details of the first-hand prices during recent months are given below. Imported bacon prices are fixed week by week in accordance with prevailing market conditions.

Detailed figures showing the number of days lost through industrial disputes are published each month in the Ministry of Labour Gazette, and annual summaries of these figures are published in a special article in the issue for May of each year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made for the payment of overtime for Criminal Investigation Department officers whose hours of duty have been extended in connection with the present emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now able to announce his decision regarding overtime payments to detective-constables and detective-sergeants of the Criminal Investigation Department during the present emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many provincial police have been drafted into London for the purposes of the railway strike; what hours all police in London have been working during the strike; what arrangements have been made for the payment of overtime in all cases, including the Criminal Investigation Department; and whether he will pay compensation to those members of the police forces who have had to cancel their holiday arrangements, because of strike duty, for any financial loss involved.

1,060 police officers from other forces have been assisting the Metropolitan police during the emergency. Apart from certain officers employed on specialised duties, all regular police officers, Metropolitan and others, below the rank of superintendent have been required to perform 12 hours duty a day in the Metropolitan police district. Officers of the rank of superintendent and above have a 24 hour responsibility. Weekly rest days were postponed at the beginning of the emergency, but were restored as far as practicable on 4th June. Uniform sergeants and constables are entitled to receive normal allowances for overtime worked during the emergency.Representations were made to the Commissioner of Police on Monday of this week on behalf of detective officers below the rank of superintendent, who receive a detective duty allowance in lieu of overtime and are not eligible for normal overtime payments. As soon as these representations were brought to my notice, I approved the grant of a special allowance to these officers in respect of each period of 12 hours' duty performed on any day during the emergency (other than a weekly rest day or a bank holiday for which they were already entitled to compensation). I also approved the grant of a similar allowance to inspectors and chief inspectors of the uniform branch. Deposits and other moneys forfeited unavoidably by officers unable to go on holiday as a result of the cancellation of their annual leave during the emergency will be reimbursed.I should like to take this opportunity of paying a tribute to the arduous and devoted work done by the Metropolitan police and by the members of provincial police forces who came to London to help them. They played an invaluable part, especially in dealing with the grave traffic problems created by the emergency, and I am sure that the House will wish to join me in expressing our warm appreciation of their services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to enable the postal vote to be allowed to those who are on holiday at the time of a General Election.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to permit persons on holiday during a General Election to register their votes.

No. If this were done, I doubt whether it would be logically possible to stop short of allowing virtually anyone to vote by post who preferred to do so. An extension of postal voting on this scale could not be undertaken without very careful examination of its implications and full discussion between the parties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will send a circular to all electoral registration officers drawing their attention to the desirability of arranging that in future all electoral registers shall bear the appropriate style, Mr., Mrs. or Miss, in each case after the names of the registered voters.

No. I do not think that the cost of the extra work and printing involved would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suspected cases of heroin addiction are known to his Department at the present time; and how many persons were convicted of offences involving heroin, who are themselves known or believed to be addicted to the drug, during each of the last five years.

Fifty-two heroin addicts are known in England and Wales and two in Scotland. At the present time there are no persons in respect of whom addiction is suspected but not proved. Drug addiction is not compulsorily notifiable in this country, but I have no ground for thinking that there is any substantial hidden addiction. From 1st January, 1950, to date, 23 persons were convicted in respect of 24 offences involving heroin, one person having been convicted twice. Of these 23 persons, 15 are know heroin addicts and one person, who has since left the country, was suspected to be addicted to the drug.The following table gives the annual particulars for which the hon. Member asks:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been drawn to the recent court case concerning the murder of a man in Forest Gate, London, E.7, by the use of a stiletto; of the judge's view that the sale of these lethal weapons should be banned by law; and what action he proposes to take to make illegal the sale of these and similar dangerous weapons in shops.

I understand the jury recommended that knives such as that used in this killing should not be sold to the general public. The question of prohibiting the sale of dangerous knives has often been considered, but it has never been found practicable to make a legal distinction between those which ought to be prohibited and those which have a legitimate use. The Prevention of Crime Act, 1953, made it an offence to be in possession of an offensive weapon in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the duties of the Regional Civil Defence Officers; how many there will be in England and Wales; and when they will be appointed.

There will be a Regional Civil Defence Officer in each of the 10 English Regions and a Civil Defence Officer for Wales. Their duties will include liaison with Army Commands; the planning of exercises, including those between the Armed Forces and the Civil Defence Services; and the co-ordination of all other civil defence activities in the Regions. For the London post I have selected Captain K. L. Harkness, D.S.C., R.N. (Retd.), the present Principal Officer. The other posts will be filled as soon as possible by competitive selection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet in a position to make a statement concerning the setting up of a Royal Commission on Administration in Wales.

The arrangements for the conduct of Government business in relation to Wales are at present being examined by the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire and the Government do not, therefore, propose at present to advise the appointment of a Royal Commission.

asked the Minister of Education if he will make a statement on his proposals for additional educational facilities in special schools or otherwise for backward children in the north-west generally and in the area of Chester in particular.

Six special schools, to accommodate 800 educationally subnormal pupils, are at present being built by local education authorities in Lancashire and Cheshire; and work on four more, to accommodate 420 pupils, is expected to start during the current financial year. Further proposals are being considered. None of these schools will be in Chester, but two boarding schools, with accommodation for 200 pupils, are being provided in Cheshire by the Cheshire Authority.

asked the Minister of Education to state the figures for the increases in the primary and secondary school populations, respectively, between 1st April, 1945, and 1st April, 1955; and the numbers of new primary and secondary school places, respectively, provided by new building in this period, based upon the normal capacities of the schools constructed.

The number of pupils of primary and secondary school age in maintained and assisted schools (other than nursery and special schools) is estimated to have risen by 975,000 and 515,000 between January, 1946, and January, 1955, the nearest dates for which the information is available. Between the end of the war and January, 1955, 832,490 and 515,910 places were provided by new building in primary and secondary schools.

asked the Minister of Education to state the figures for the increases in the primary and secondary school populations, respectively, in the excepted district of Newcastle-under-Lyme between 1st April, 1945, and 1st April, 1955; and the numbers of new primary and secondary school places, respectively, provided by new building in this period, based upon the normal capacities of the schools constructed.

Between January, 1946, and January, 1955, the nearest dates for which the information is available, the numbers of pupils in maintained primary and secondary schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme increased by 1,650 and 1,375, respectively. Between the end of the war and January, 1955, the Staffordshire Local Education Authority provided about 1,120 new primary and about 1,450 new secondary school places.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware of the need for additional primary and secondary school places in the excepted district of Newcastle-under-Lyme; and if he will consider whether additional projects can be approved at an early date.

The Staffordshire Local Education Authority have included two primary schools and one secondary school in Newcastle-under-Lyme among their proposals for the 1956–57 school building programme, which I am now considering.

asked the Minister of Education if, in view of recent deaths caused by land mines, he will circularise all schools advising that periodical reminders be given to all school children, especially before the summer holiday each year, of the danger of tampering with unusual metal objects on beaches.

I am deeply sorry that these incidents occur. No doubt the wide publicity which they receive will serve as the most effective warning to all who have the care of children.

asked the Minister of Education under what conditions low interest borrowing facilities at the disposal of local education authorities, through the Public Works Loan Board, can be made available for the assistance of Roman Catholic school construction.

Section 105 of the Education Act sets out the circumstances in which I can make loans to the managers or governors of voluntary schools. The terms of such loans are similar to those on which loans are made available to local authorities through the Public Works Loan Board.

asked the Minister of Education how many visits, in accordance with the arrangements described in the Ministry's Circular 196, have been paid by Her Majesty's Inspectors to Wotton House School, Buckinghamshire; Aylesbury College, Aston Clinton; Rozate School, Stow-on-the-Wold; or Cotswold College.

Wotton House School was inspected in December, 1949, and another school which took over the buildings in September, 1953, was inspected the following March. Early in 1955 the school changed hands and moved to Aston Clinton under the name Aylesbury College, where it was visited three times by Her Majesty's Inspectors between 25th April and 23rd May. Rogate School, Stow-on-the-Wold (otherwise Cotswold College) was visited on 31st May and 6th June.

asked the Minister of Education what he has done to discourage education authorities providing children with reconstituted dried milk instead of fresh cow's milk.

I am sure that local education authorities are as anxious as my right hon. Friend to secure a satisfactory supply of fresh milk for all their schools. The use of dried milk is approved only where such a supply is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement as to his proposals for the completion of the ring road round Chester or as to any alternative proposals to deal with road traffic passing Chester from the north-west to North Wales and the Midlands.

It is necessary to modify the line established for this road by an Order made in 1941 because of development which has taken place since then and in order to avoid the severance of valuable agricultural land. Consultations to determine the new line are not yet concluded, but I hope to be able to publish an amending Order shortly. The alternative route from the north-west to North Wales and the Midland involves four trunk roads, and whilst certain improvements are under consideration on these roads, I am not yet in a position to say when they can be authorised.

asked the Minister of Health when it is proposed to start construction of the teaching hospital at the Heath, Cardiff.

This is one of the schemes I am considering for commencement within the next few years. But much preliminary work is involved, including a competition for the design and I am unable to give a precise starting date.

asked the Minister of Health the mortality in 1954 for cancer of the lung in men and women, respectively; what were the figures for the preceding year; and what advice he has received from his Standing Advisory Medical Committee as to the main factor which causes this disease.

Death rates from cancer of the lung per million population in England and Wales were:

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the dissatisfaction in Barnehurst, Kent, at the slowness in providing telephone services, when compared with many other surrounding areas; and if he will take steps to remedy this situation.

Yes. Work will shortly begin on the construction of a new telephone exchange, which when completed will adequately serve the needs of the district.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is now in a position to make a statement about the Sorn Report on Rating and Valuation in Scotland.

Yes. Her Majesty's Government have given most careful consideration to the far-reaching recommendations made in the Report and have consulted the local authority and other interests affected by them. As a result, they have decided to accept the Report in principle and, as announced in the Gracious Speech, it is their intention to introduce a Bill in the present Session to implement its main proposals. These include, in particular, the abolition of owners' rates, with a consequential reduction of the rents payable under current leases, and the adoption of a new basis of rateable value. The Bill will necessarily take some time to prepare.As regards the time-table for the proposed changes, the intention is to provide for the discontinuance of owners' rates on 16th May following the passing of the Bill. Thereafter a period of five years would, as the Committee propose, be required for a complete revaluation of all property on the new basis. The Committee contemplated that during that period the rateable values of property which had not been revalued would be determined by making an arithmetical adjustment in those existing at the beginning of it. The Government are not satisfied, however, that these interim arrangements are necessarily the best that can be made and they propose to give this matter further consideration.As regards the equalisation grant, the Government are prepared, in the light of the Report, to review the method of determining the grant at once in consultation with the associations of local authorities. I must make it clear, however, that the Government could not at present consider a claim that implementation of the Sorn Report would result in comparable levels of rateable value in Scotland and in England and Wales. When, however, the new methods of valuation recommended by the Sorn Committee are in full operation, they would be prepared to examine the basis of the grant again from this and other points of view.I have invited the three principal local authority associations to meet me in Edinburgh on 24th June to discuss the Government's proposals for amending the law of valuation and rating in Scotland and the arrangements to be made for a review of the equalisation grant.