asked the Minister of Education if he will list the schools which, in addition to the Oakfield County Primary School, Hyde, were deleted from the 1951–52 building programme because of the three months' moratorium and which have not been included in any subsequent programme.

There were twenty-three such proposed schools in England and Wales. I am sending the list to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education what plans he has for the replacing of slum schools within the next five years.

I want to see these schools replaced but at present I cannot give any date for starting this programme.

asked the Minister of Education how many primary and secondary pupils, respectively, were being taught in over-size classes, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on 1st July in each of the years 1952, 1953, and 1954.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Education what is his estimate of the additional number of teachers now required to enable classes to be reduced, in primary schools to a maximum size of 40 pupils per class, and in secondary schools to a maximum of 30 per class.

I have made no estimate of this kind because it would depend on many arbitrary assumptions. No increase in the number of teachers would by itself suffice to bring about the reduction suggested in the Question.

asked the Minister of Education the minimum educational requirements for students entering teachers' training colleges this year.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Circular which sets out these requirements.

asked the Minister of Education why he has not issued the Annual Report of his Department; and when he intends to do so.

The Report is published today. I regret that it is appearing rather later than usual.

asked the Minister of Education what action is to be taken to provide additional educational facilities for backward children in north-west Kent.

Besides increasing their boarding accommodation, which serves the whole county, the authority are acquiring a property near Farningham which will be adapted for use as a boarding and day school for educationally subnormal children. They are also to open at St. Paul's Cray a day special school for children of this sort in premises now used by a primary school. In the meantime, in January next, two special classes will be started in Dartford; others will be provided as conditions in the ordinary schools become easier.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the continuing tendency of many teachers to influence children in favour of classical grammar school training as opposed to following a scientific or technical career; and whether, in view of the importance of strengthening the scientific personnel resources of the country, he will issue a circular to local education authorities dealing with this matter.

I do not think it right that the local education authorities or I should seek to instruct teachers in this matter, especially as I have no evidence that they are trying to influence pupils improperly in the manner suggested. It is far better to look to public discussion and the spread of information to stimulate the wider interest in scientific and technological studies that we need.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement regarding the cost of providing equipment for the School Meals Service to local authorities as compared with the previous arrangement of supply by the specialist technical staff of his Department.

I regret that the information necessary for making such a comparison is not available.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools on the original black list are still in use; and how many of these were condemned as unsuitable for continued recognition and incapable of improvement.

Five hundred and sixty-seven and sixty-four respectively.

asked the Chancellor of Exchequer what profit was made by the Iron and Steel Holding and Realisation Agency on the sale of the shares of Hadfields Limited.

The sale of the shares and debentures of Hadfields Limited will bring in £4,638,000. The investment cost to the Agency was £4,342,000. This leaves a gross surplus of £296,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will appoint a committee to inquire into the effect of the Government's credit policy upon the Government housing programme, as a result of the decline in building society advances.

No.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the gross amount of pool betting and the amount of pool betting duty paid for the period from 1st January, 1955, to the nearest convenient date; and for a corresponding period in 1954.

The gross amount of pool betting, which would include certain activities not liable to pool betting duty, is not available. The amounts of pool betting duty paid and of the stake money in respect of which duty was paid during the period from 1st January to 31st May in 1954 and 1955 are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue was received in the years 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1954 from the tax on aviation fuel.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will now give further consideration to the possibility of removing Purchase Tax at present payable on both electric and gas geysers, having in mind the new food hygiene regulations which are likely to require all shopkeepers to provide constant hot water for their assistants.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will bear this point in mind, but it could not be regarded as a conclusive reason for exempting these appliances from tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the national income wages represented in the years 1938, 1945, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1954.

The following tables give estimate of wages expressed as a percentage of the gross national product. Figures for 1945 on a comparable basis are not available; figures for 1946 are given instead.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much real earnings of British workers have increased since 1948; and what was the increase in productivity for the same period.

Between 1948 and 1954 wages and salaries increased by 51 per cent. and the consumers' price index by 26 per cent.; this implies that in real terms wages and salaries increased by 20 per cent. In the industries covered by the index of industrial production (i.e. mining and quarrying, manufacturing, building and contracting, gas, electricity and water) output per man year increased by 15 per cent. during the same period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, when considering his next year's Budget proposals, he will bear in mind the financial hardship which is suffered by a married man who has to have a housekeeper to look after his invalid wife and receives no tax relief for the payments made, and if he will take steps to relieve this hardship.

The Royal Commission on the Taxation of Profits and Income made certain recommendations for relief from tax for persons who are totally disabled. These matters will be considered before next year's Finance Bill, together with the Royal Commission's other recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds Mr. Jaromir Chudy was detained by the immigration authorities at Harwich on 22nd July; and why he was subsequently given permission to land.

Mr. Chudy was detained on July 22nd pending inquiry into his means of support. A satisfactory assurance on this point was provided the following morning and Mr. Chudy was then granted leave to land for a visit of one fortnight.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Working Party on Hackney Carriage Law is now including among the subjects it will discuss the question of the restriction of the hours of duty of hackney carriage drivers.

The Working Party has already completed its task, but this subject was not within its terms of reference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to a recent case at Hampshire Assizes in which a medical practitioner, described by the jury as of high character and good record, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment on a charge of using an instrument with intent to procure a miscarriage; whether he is aware that in a number of similar cases the exact provisions of the law in this matter have been shown to be obscure; and if he will introduce legislation to clarify the present legal position.

Such reports as my right hon. and gallant Friend has been able to obtain in the time available do not suggest that this case indicates any need for an amendment of the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the law by which British nationality can in no circumstances be acquired from a British mother.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what respects the control and selection by the immigration authorities over visitors to this country bearing passports not needing visas differs from that exercised in granting visas to such applicants as need them.

Visas, in cases in which they are required, and leave to land in the United Kingdom are granted in accordance with the same general considerations of policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that capital punishment is no longer the penalty for murder in eleven out of the fifteen member States of the Council of Europe; and whether he will have a study made of the in- cidence of murder in these countries before and since capital punishment was abolished.

The Royal Commission on Capital Punishment collected and thoroughly analysed information from a number of countries in Europe and from the United States and parts of the Commonwealth. My right hon. and gallant Friend sees no need for a further inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce regulations to provide that policemen in the provinces on duty in exceptionally hot weather should be dressed more appropriately, as is the practice in the Services.

If what my hon. Friend has in mind is that police officers should be allowed to do duty in shirt-sleeves, my right hon. and gallant Friend considers that this is a matter which should be left to the discretion of chief officers of police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the balance between wastage and recruitment in each month from January to June, 1955, inclusive, in the police forces of England and Wales, giving separately the figures for the Metropolitan Police, all the county forces and all the police forces for cities and boroughs, showing the figures for men and women separately; and the total balance between wastage and recruitment in each group and sex for the period between 1st August, 1951, and 30th June, 1955.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the authorised establishment at the end of each month from January to June, 1955, inclusive, of the Metropolitan Police, all the county forces, and all the forces for cities and

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for the Metropolitan Special Constabulary to have new open-neck jackets like the Metropolitan Police and many provincial special constabularies, instead of used, choke-neck tunics as at present.

The cost of providing the Metropolitan Special Constabulary with new open-neck jackets, and the shirts, collars and ties which would have to be worn with the jackets, would not in my view be justified in present circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish a book in popular form setting out, among other things, what can be done to mitigate the effects of atomic bomb damage, as recommended by the Mabane Committee's Report of March, 1954.

The instruction of the public in the measures to be taken to mitigate the hazards of modern war is one of the most important aspects of civil defence; but the content of that instruction and the form in which it should be given cannot be finally settled until the Government's review of plans for home defence in general on the lines indicated in the "Statement on Defence, 1955" is further advanced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how far, in the current review of civil defence plans, account is being taken of the data made available by Dr. Willard Libby, of the United States Atomic Energy Commission, as to the effects of fall-out from a hydrogen bomb over an area of 100,000 square miles.

I am glad to have the opportunity of correcting misunderstandings that appear to have arisen from necessarily abbreviated summaries of Dr. Libby's remarks. The total fission products from bombs of the same type and power are always constant. Therefore the larger the area over which those fission products fall, the lower will be the average intensity of radiation. The full text of Dr. Libby's statement shows that he quoted the area of 100,000 square miles as a simple illustration. His calculations assumed the total contamination to be spread uniformly, which in practice could not occur.The result of assuming a uniform spread over such an area is that the degree of contamination would be everywhere lower—and therefore much less dangerous—than if the bulk of the fallout had been concentrated in a very much smaller area, as happened in the case of the Bikini test, where the area of high concentration was of the order of 7,000 square miles. Dr. Libby's theoretical calculations are not in any way inconsistent with the figures given in the February Report of the United States Atomic Energy Commission, on which civil defence plans are being worked out as part of the general review at present in hand.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that five people died and more than 1,000 were taken ill as a result of eating meat pies in north-west Lancashire; and what action is being taken to prevent a recurrence of these events.

Yes. My Department has published a full report on this; the report contains a number of recommendations which I hope will be helpful in ensuring the safety of meat pies.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in the cases of chiropody clinics in which there are long waiting lists and the need for extra sessions has been proved, he is prepared to sanction an increase in the number of sessions worked.

I will consider the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on the effect of the restriction of capital investment on the programme for new hospital building.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday last.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance in view of the increase in the cost of coal, gas and electricity, what consideration is being given to the need for increasing allowances to old-age pensioners.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to Questions on this subject on 18th July.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware that on her remarriage on 13th June last Mrs. H. J. Gibbons of Hove, formerly Mrs. A. M. L. Plumb, surrendered her widow's pension warrant book and has not yet received in exchange the old-age pension book to which she is entitled and has therefore been deprived of her pension for six weeks; and when she may expect to receive the book.

A retirement pension order book was sent to Mrs. Gibbons yesterday.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will introduce legislation so that those entering the Forces under the National Military Forces Scheme shall be exempt from the payment of National Insurance during their period of training and continued education, in view of the fact that few such men have sufficient income to contribute to this fund during this period.

No. I am writing to the hon. Member in reply to the letter which he has sent on this subject.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, in view of the substantial rise in the cost-of-living index for the four weeks ended 14th June, what consideration is being given to increasing the allowances to old-age pensioners.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newport (Mr. Peter Freeman) on Monday last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the dismay caused among smaller shipping companies in Mauritius by the proposal to sign a contract between the Government and one company, which grants a subsidy unduly favouring the company and amounting also to subsidy of shipping between Mauritius and French ports; and if he will make a statement.

I am consulting the Governor of Mauritius about this and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement upon the results of his deliberations with the official delegates of the Mauritius Legislative Council regarding constitutional advance for that Colony.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Fenner Brockway).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding proposals of the Government to end the fighting in Kenya following the withdrawal of the surrender terms on 10th July.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 20th July, 1955; Vol. 544, c. 363], supplied the following further information:The terms of the "Green Branch" surrender offer in Kenya, details of which are available in the Library, are, briefly, that Mau Mau gangsters who surrender voluntarily will not be executed for the capital offences of carrying arms or consorting with terrorists.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of European district and police officers in the Kikuyu, Meru, Embu and Wakamba reserves in Kenya, respectively, before the emergency; and what it is now.

I am asking the Governor for this information and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why Table 73 of the Kenya Government Sessional Paper No. 51 of 1955 contains no provision for more high schools.

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 221–224 on the previous page of the Sessional Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the nature of the community development work in Kenya listed under items 47, 48 and 49 on page 64 of the Sessional Paper No. 51 of 1955.

This information is to be found on pages 117 and 118 of the Sessional Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of Government officials who have settled in Kenya since retirement over the past twenty years.

Records for the last twenty years are not readily available. I will make inquiries and write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many executions during the course of the emergency in Kenya have been carried out in prison establishments not surrounded by a wall.

Executions in Kenya are carried out in prisons in the presence of official witnesses only. I do not know whether these prisons have walls but I am asking the Governor for information on this point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what facilities are afforded to Africans to study or be trained at the Egerton School of Agriculture.

None. The College was established on land donated by Lord Egerton to provide agricultural education for European students.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of European officers attached to the Kikuyu and other Home Guard units; how many have been recruited, respectively, from the United Kingdom and from the European population in Kenya; what are their ages; and what previous experience they have had of military or police duties.

I am asking the Governor for this information and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the amounts spent on native and European services, respectively, in connection with the figures given in Table 54 of the Kenya Government Sessional Paper No. 51 of 1955.

These figures cover the period 1954–57, and the total amounts spent are not yet known. Moreover certain items such as research and advisory services, are common to both.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what sums were spent, respectively, on soil conservation measures in African and European areas in Kenya during the last recorded year; and what is the nature of the schemes on which these sums have been spent.

I am not sure whether separate figures for expenditure in African and European areas, respectively, can be provided, but am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member. The work done in 1954 included farm planning, terracing, dam construction, drainage and advice on cultivation and grazing methods.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken by the Kenya Government for the feeding and health of mothers and children of non-surrendering Mau Mau who have been deprived of their lands.

Arrangements already exist for the provision of paid work on relief schemes for persons who cannot be cared for in accordance with tribal law and custom. For women with children this is supplemented by the issue of free food, which is also given to those who cannot work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Kikuyu women are now held in detention camps; and up to what age their children are detained with them.

I am asking the Governor for this information and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he has now completed his investigation into the low flying of a Royal Air Force aeroplane over Bartley Green, Birmingham, on Sunday, 17th July; what action he is taking; and whether he will now pay compensation to Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, 24, Cromwell Lane, for a broken window, ruined curtains, personal shock, cuts and injuries, long-distance telephone calls and lost time at work as a result of the shock.

The aircraft concerned were two Vampires of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, engaged on an authorised low-flying exercise. Pilots carrying out such exercises are instructed to maintain a minimum height of two thousand feet over built-up areas and I much regret that this was not observed. Since the Provost Marshal's report is now with the responsible Air Officer Commanding, the House will not expect me to comment further upon the facts at this stage. No claim for compensation has been received from Mr. and Mrs. Clarke.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the total amount of money made available annually for the award of compassionate pensions for good service to permanent Regular officers who are in need or who have met with misfortune; how many of such pensions have been issued in each year between 1949 and 1955; what is the highest and lowest amount paid; and how many of the recipients were in receipt of Service retired pay.

One thousand pounds. The pensions awarded range from £25 to £50 a year. All these pensions are additional to retired pay. The number of new awards of compassionate pensions for good service to retired Royal Air Force officers during the years 1949 to 1955 is as follows: 1949, 14; 1950, nil; 1951, nil; 1952, 20; 1953, 3; 1954, 1; and 1955, nil.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the percentage of Army vehicles which are petrol and diesel engined, respectively, at the latest available date; and what were the comparable figures for each of the previous five years.

Figures are available only for the three years beginning 1953. During these years the percentage of vehicles with diesel engines was 2·74 per cent., 2·91 per cent. and 3·08 per cent. respectively. The rest had petrol engines.

asked the Secretary of State for War the total cost of the general court-martial recently held at Dusseldorf, including the preliminary investigations.

Expenditure from public funds was about £2,300.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give an assurance that the standard Army respirators are proof against nerve gas; to what extent nerve gas penetrates the skin; and what kind of clothing is required to afford protection.

Army respirators, when properly put on, will give complete protection against nerve gas. Liquid nerve gas can penetrate the skin rapidly and cause casualties. Protective clothing would, therefore, be provided if necessary.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the total amount of money made available annually for the award of compassionate pensions for good service to permanent Regular officers who are in need or who have met with misfortune; how many such pensions have been issued in each year between 1949 and 1955; what is the highest and lowest amount paid; and how many of the recipients were in receipt of Service retired pay.

An annual amount of £4,000 is available for the award of naval compassionate pensions. One hundred and eight awards have been made since 1949, the numbers in individual years being: 1949–50, 24; 1950–51, 20; 1951–52, 7; 1952–53, 47; 1953–54, 4; 1954–55, 5; and 1955–56, 1. All awards have been at the rate of £50 a year, and eighty pensions are at present in issue. With three exceptions, the recipients were already in receipt of retired pay.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will permit members of the police force to wear a lighter uniform in warm weather.

As the existing Police Regulations do not specify the weight of uniform to be provided, this is a matter within the discretion of individual police authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) for how many schemes for building houses for owner-occupiers the East Kilbride Development Corporation have sought his approval; and what is the total number of houses involved;(2) why he has withheld approval for schemes to build homes for owner-occupiers put forward by the East Kilbride Development Corporation.

The East Kilbride Development Corporation have submitted general proposals for the building of 40 houses for sale, but would propose to proceed only with 12 of these immediately. I hope to give a decision on the proposals at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the balance between wastage and recruitment in each month from April, 1954, to June, 1955, inclusive, in the Glasgow City Police, the burgh police forces, and the county police forces, showing the figures for each group separately and for men and women separately; and the total balance between wastage and recruitment in each group and sex for the period between 1st August, 1951, and 30th June, 1955.

The following is the information requested:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the authorised establishment at the end of each month from April, 1954, to June, 1955, inclusive, of the Glasgow City Police, the burgh police forces and the county police forces, giving each group separately and showing the

The following is the information requested: