asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will refrain from taking any action on the report of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission on the Process of Calico Printing in view of present circumstances.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what regulations are in force covering the import of toys marked "Empire Made."

Toys marked "Empire Made" may, as long as they are genuine, be imported without restrictions, apart from those which are imposed upon goods coming from dollar countries. The importation of toys with such marking, if they have not in fact been made in some part of the Commonwealth and Empire is, however, prohibited under Section 16 (1) of the Merchandise Marks Act, 1887.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is yet in a position to deal with the disparities in the salaries paid to university teachers, which compare unfavourably with those paid in industry and in comparable professions, including the Civil Service.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave him on 30th June to a similar Question on this subject.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the special difficulties of widows receiving pensions of 10s., he will arrange for them to be paid the post-war credits of their husbands.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Freeth) and to the hon. Member for Clapham (Mr. Gibson) on 30th June.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has issued directions to the Administrator of Enemy Property to extend the date for accepting claims in respect of Roumanian Bonds from 31st January to 30th June.

The extension was made because the announcement of the original closing date did not receive full Press publicity in some parts of the United Kingdom, particularly in Scotland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any Government Department has lodged claims in respect of Roumanian Bonds with the Administrator of Enemy Property since 31st January, 1955.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the negotiations with the Czechoslovak Government in respect of payments due from them since 30th June, 1954, under the Anglo-Czechoslovak Agreement, 1949, Command Paper No. 7797, so that the Foreign Compensation Commission can continue its own payments to various applicants.

The Czechoslovak Government were informed in a Note presented on 7th April, 1955, that Her Majesty's Government were ready to resume discussions on all outstanding debts and claims. The reply of the Czechoslovak Government was handed to Her Majesty's Chargé d' Affaires in Prague on 29th June, and has just been received in London. It is now being studied.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now sanction the issue of loan stock supported by Treasury guarantee to enable the nationalised industries to repay the advances they have received from the joint stock banks.

The financing of this capital expenditure by bank overdraft is a temporary measure; the Treasury will approve the issue of stock by the authorities concerned at the appropriate time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requests he has addressed to the nationalised industries with a view to assuring that they should assist the national economy by refraining from borrowing at the present time.

Borrowing by these bodies is necessary to finance commitments maturing under approved schemes of capital expenditure.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury why holders of passports travelling on no-passport day trips are forbidden to have the £10 permitted to be exchanged into francs for holders of the no-passport tickets, unless it is deducted from their £100 annual allowance; and if he will revoke this Regulation, which penalises holders of passports.

Any foreign currency provided ought strictly to count against the £100 basic travel allowance; but since the issue of the allowance is linked to the possession of a passport, I have made arrangements for persons going on these trips without passports to obtain a special allotment of francs. I do not consider that this penalises the passport holder. If I were to allow him the same facility I should be treating him more generously than the passport holder going to France for more than a day, who would be restricted to £100.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury whether he will amend his Regulations so as to allow returning passengers on the no-passport day trips to France to exchange what francs are left over from their £10 allowance later on at any bank in Great Britain, and thus avoid unnecessary queues for changing money on the boat.

No amendment is necessary; under existing Regulations returning passengers may bring their francs ashore and are then allowed, indeed are required, to offer them to a bank or other authorised dealer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much he estimates will be secured from Purchase Tax on handkerchiefs in 1955;

(2) at how much he estimates the cost to the Exchequer of raising the D level on linen handkerchiefs by 100 per cent.

(3) how much he estimates will be secured from Purchase Tax on linen handkerchiefs in 1955.

I estimate that the yield of Purchase Tax from handkerchiefs is of the order of £500,000. Of this total, I estimate that receipts from linen handkerchiefs account for less than £100,000. To double the existing D allowances for linen handkerchiefs would reduce the yield of tax from them by rather more than half.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury the latest estimated amount of the national income available for capital investment annually.

In both 1953 and 1954, gross domestic investment in fixed assets was about 16 per cent. of the gross national product.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury the latest approximate allocation of the national income available for capital investment annually as between nationalised industry and the free sector.

Estimates of domestic investment in fixed assets (including depreciation) by the nationalised industries, by the Government and local authorities, and by private industry and persons in 1954, are shown in the following table: GROSS DOMESTIC INVESTMENT IN FIXED ASSETS IN 1954 — £ million As a percentage of total domestic investment per cent. Nationalised industries 547 22 Centra] Government 175 7 Local authorities 589 24 Total public investment 1,311 53 Total private investment 1,173 47 Total gross investment in fixed assets 2,484 100

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury what proportion of the national income available for capital investment is now paid through banks, insurance, building societies, limited liability companies, private investors and National Savings organisations, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what date the joint water supply scheme for Penybont, Radnorshire, was received; the cause of the delay in proceeding with the scheme; what special action his Department has taken to expedite the carrying out of the scheme; and when Penybont will get a piped supply.

Full particulars of the revised scheme were received in October, 1954. The local authorities concerned agreed to proposals for the treatment of the water in February, 1955. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, who will be responsible for paying grant in this case, then had the scheme examined and informed the authorities on 22nd June what amount he could offer. If the local authorities now accept this offer I hope that this village will get a piped supply within the next two years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made by the Central Land Board in the payment of claims which have been established under Part VI of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, in respect of the private sale of land between 5th August, 1947, and 18th November, 1952, at a price which did not include the full development value of the land as established by the claim.

I am informed by the Board that, up to 24th June, it had made 307 payments amounting to about £447,000 in respect of private sales of land.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of recent deaths caused by land mines, he will circularise local authorities in coastal areas advising them to exhibit notices giving warnings against tampering with unusual metal objects found on or near the beaches.

I am sure that the local authorities concerned are fully alive to this problem and I doubt whether any advice from me is needed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has yet sanctioned a scheme for surface-water drainage in the St. Osmunds Road area, Poole.

Not yet. My right hon. Friend only recently received the scheme and will shortly be sending an engineering inspector to examine it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the number and value of schemes financially assisted under the Distribution of Industry Act for each of the years 1948 to 1954.

The number and value of the schemes in England and Wales are as follows: Number Value £ 1947–48 … … 32 526,627 1948–49 … … 49 1,153,843 1949–50 … … 49 2,683,521 1950–51 … … 29 1,655,407 1951–52 … … 42 2,985,872 1952–53 … … 11 1,033,678 1953–54 … … 8 130,742 1954–55 … … 3 7,845,879

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the number and value of schemes in the Development Area of South Wales that were grant-aided by his Department for each of the years 1948 to 1954.

The number and value of the schemes assisted under Section 3 of the Distribution of Industry Act, 1945, are as follows: Number Value £ 1947–48 … … 26 443,562 1948–49 … … 37 682,773 1949–50 … … 39 1,906,783 1950–51 … … 23 645,988 1951–52 … … 32 2,252,440 1952–53 … … 7 796,498 1953–54 … … 7 103,183 1954–55 … … 2 89,003

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many applications for loan sanction for making up private streets in the Borough of Poole he approved in 1953 and 1954, respectively; and how many applications he has authorised for this year.

One in 1953, two in 1954 and one so far this year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent his regulations empower the district auditor to surcharge members of local authorities if he considers the additional rate charge for housing is too high.

I have no power to make any regulations in this respect.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps are being taken to prevent continual pollution of the River Dean at Bollington, Cheshire.

My right hon. Friend understands that discussions are now taking place which will make it possible for trade wastes to be discharged into public sewers instead of into the river.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will call for a report on the hutments still occupied by many families on the aerodrome site at Little Snoring, Norfolk, with a view to the rehousing of these families by the local authority.

I already have full information about the position.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what provision is being made to rehouse families at present accommodated in hutments on the Stone Cross Estate, Down-ham Market.

That is a matter for the Downham Rural District Council.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will send a further circular to all housing authorities repeating his request to them to provide opportunities for their tenants to purchase houses occupied by them;

(2) how many housing authorities have offered their houses for sale to their tenants; and how many housing authorities have not provided their tenants with such opportunities.

Up to the end of May, 289 local authorities in England and Wales had sold 3,684 houses. I am doubtful whether a further circular is necessary; but I will certainly consider the suggestion.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the concern felt by local authorities at the present system of building allocations for house building; and whether he will discontinue this system and allow councils the same freedom in house building as that now enjoyed by private enterprise.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities have conveyed to him their special problems arising from those needing accommodation who have no prospect of securing this because their administrative area is virtually built-up and also in respect of those persons who are not on their or any municipal housing list because they accepted temporary inadequate accommodation outside that area where originally they were on a housing list.

This is part of the general housing problem. I am not aware of having received representations from local authorities directed specially towards this particular aspect of it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now authorise the Swaffham Rural District Council to proceed with the building of houses on the site at North Pickenham acquired mainly for the purpose of housing civilian employees of the Air Ministry.

The Air Ministry objections have now been withdrawn and the rural district council requires no further authority from me for the building of the houses.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken by his Department to deal with the shortage of scientific manpower, which is threatening the expansion of the industrial atomic energy programme.

There is no short cut to a solution of this problem. An increase in the supply of scientific manpower depends in the long run on an increase in the number of science students at our universities and higher technological institutions. As long as the shortage persists, it is for all employers of scientific manpower to make the most economical and effective use of the available supply.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the dock strike.

I explained the circumstances of this dispute to the House on 23rd June. The Disputes Committee of the Trades Union Congress subsequently decided that the National Amalgamated Stevedores and Dockers. should exclude from their organisation the members recruited by them in Hull, Birkenhead, Liverpool and Manchester, and the Executive Committee of the Union accepted that decision. A full resumption of work took place yesterday in all the ports affected.

asked the Minister of Labour with what representatives of the Stevedores Union he is now negotiating.

None. No meetings with representatives of the National Amalgamated Stevedores and Dockers have taken place since 16th June, when officers of my Department met the three principal officials of the union who were holding office at that time.

asked the Minister of Labour how many merchant seamen have been called up for National Service before accepting employment in another occupation, except in connection with an industrial dispute, during the last convenient twelve-monthly period.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to ensure that adequate scientific training the meet the needs of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's industrial group is given in technical colleges under his control in Scotland.

All the technical colleges have constantly before them the need to adapt their courses to meet the requirements of the latest forms of scientific work, including those in the atomic field. I know that the Atomic Energy Commission has already recruited students trained in various departments of the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, and the Governors of Robert Gordon's Technical College, Aberdeen, have indicated their willingness to provide higher level courses for any apprentices at Dounreay station who complete the more elementary courses which the education authority is planning to provide locally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the entry into Scotland, from England, of meat the import of which is prohibited under the Public Health (Imported Food) (Scotland) Regulations.

Different views have been taken by port authorities in England and Wales and in Scotland as to whether consignments of frozen chopped meat can properly be imported under the terms of the Imported Food Regulations, and the question whether any amendment of the Regulations is necessary in this respect is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now considered representations from the Border Burghs' Convention with regard to the Inter-Departmental Committee's Report on Slaughterhouses; what similar representations he has received from other bodies; and whether he will make a statement.

Representations recently received from the Border Burghs' Convention and others from certain individual town councils will be considered along with the views submitted by the three associations of local authorities. I propose to open discussions with the three associations as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Works for how many months work has now been in progress on the restoration of Chiswick House; when he expects this work to be completed; and for what purpose he intends to use the building.

The work on Chiswick House was started in October, 1948, and I expect it to be completed in about three years' time. The house will then be opened to the public.

I am advised by the Historic Buildings Council for England that because of its outstanding architectural merit the house could be preserved simply as a showplace but I will consider when the time comes whether a use can be found which will allow public access.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that a shortage of scientific manpower is threatening the expansion of the industrial atomic energy programme; and what steps are being taken now to attract trained men and women into the service of the Authority and to train promising students for future service.

As the House will know, there is a nation-wide shortage of certain types of scientists and engineers and the question of how to remedy this shortage is at present under urgent study. The Atomic Energy Authority is doing all that lies in its power to enlist the services of trained men and women in these classes and they encourage its junior staff to secure higher qualifications by assistance with fees and facilities for study in official time.

asked the Minister of Works the estimated capital expenditure by the Atomic Energy Authority on major productive schemes over the next five years; and how this expenditure is to be financed.

The expenditure of the Atomic Energy Authority is met from moneys provided by Parliament, details of which are in the Estimates.

asked the Minister of Works what progress has been made during the past twelve months in the release of properties held under requisition or otherwise by or on behalf of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

On 1st April, 1955, the latest date for which complete figures are available, my Department held 773 properties on requisition compared with 1,465 a year earlier. Negotiations are in hand for purchasing or leasing a large proportion of the remaining holdings and the others will be released as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Works to give an estimate of the numbers of men employed on housing repairs and new house building, respectively, as at the latest available date and twelve months previously.

The available figures are as follows, although figures collected since the end of building controls are not comparable with those of previous years: (Thousands) — Housing new work Housing repair and maintenance 1954 May … … 320 177 1955 April … … 349 171

These figures exclude the building trades workers directly employed by local authorities, public utilities and of some private firms in other industries. The figures for 1955 are subject to revision.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has been taken about the further renewal of the Anglo-Soviet Fisheries Agreement, 1930, which is due to expire at midnight 5th July.

Under the terms of the Anglo-Soviet Temporary Fisheries Agreement of 22nd May, 1930, British trawlers were enabled to fish up to three miles off the Northern Russian coast as far as longitude 48° East, despite the fact that the Soviet Government claims a 12-mile limit of territorial waters.

No term was fixed for the duration of the Agreement and it ran on until 5th January, 1953, when the Soviet Government invoked the clause enabling it to give six months notice of termination. After representations from Her Majesty's Government, the Soviet Government agreed to an extension for one year from 6th July, 1953, and again for a further year from 6th July, 1954.

However, on 24th June, 1955, the Soviet Government notified Her Majesty's Ambassador at Moscow that it could not renew the Agreement for a further period, but was willing to begin negotiations on the possibility of concluding a new Agreement.

The termination of the Fisheries Agreement by the Soviet Government is much regretted by Her Majesty's Government. Further representations have now been made to the Soviet Government that the Temporary Agreement should be allowed to run on during the proposed negotiations, which Her Majesty's Government have suggested should begin during this month.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered paragraph 29 of the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the Accounts of 1953–54 of Regional Hospital Boards, &c. and whether, in view of these comments, he will now take steps to employ some officers of the professional accountant class in the Civil Service to guide hospital authorities in connection with store accounting and inventory procedures.

I do not think my hon. Friend's suggestion would help. Adequate guidance has already been given at various times to hospital authorities on these matters, and progress has been made and is continuing so far as the resources available permit.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will consult with the authorities affected to ensure that the present haphazard procedure in ripping-up roadways at inconvenient times in the year, particularly when it is not necessary at that time, is stopped, and in its place, alterations and repairs to important London thoroughfares be carried out at the most convenient time.

I do not think that further steps as suggested are necessary. Under the London Traffic Act, 1924, I already make orders every six months laying down a programme of starting dates for road works on the main traffic routes in the London traffic area. Before these orders are made there is full consultation with all the highway authorities and statutory undertakers affected and with the police; I also obtain the advice of the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee. The orders ensure that there is a proper co-ordination of all works which affect more than one-third of the carriageway width, with the sole exception of emergency works.