asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction of parents with primary education in Allesley in the County of Warwick; and whether he will make a statement showing what temporary provision, and what permanent provision, is being made to improve matters there.

Yes, Sir. A hired room has been taken into temporary use for the Eastern Green Church of England School and children who cannot be accommodated there are attending the Berkswell Church of England School. I have recently approved the building of two new permanent classrooms at Eastern Green to replace these expedients.

Can the Minister give the House an assurance that these plans will not be affected by the lugubrious proposals of yesterday?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware of the dissatisfaction that exists amongst members of the National Association of Schoolmasters regarding their lack of representation on the Burnham Committee; and if he will take steps to overcome this.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is now in a position to make a further statement about the claims for representation on the Burnham Committee of the National Association of Schoolmasters.

I am aware of this dissatisfaction on the part of the National Association of Schoolmasters, but like all my predecessors I am convinced that the Teachers' Panel of the Burnham Committee, as at present constituted, adequately represents the teachers affected by the Committee's recommendation.

Whilst thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask if he is aware that the Incorporated Association of Assistant Masters, which has a membership of 18,500, has two representatives and the Incorporated Association of Assistant Mistresses, with 13,500 members, has two representatives? Why does my right hon. Friend persist in excluding any representation from the National Association of Schoolmasters, which has a total membership of 15,000?

The reason is that the constitution of the panel follows the pattern of our educational system, the pattern of the schools. If we were to introduce on to that panel representatives of special interests—for instance, of men teachers and then of women teachers—there really would be no end to that and I think we would complicate the whole affair to the detriment of good work.

Would not this body be of much greater service to the profession if it rejoined the National Union of Teachers instead of acting as a splinter group without ever having promulgated any effective educational proposals?

There can be no doubt that this is a responsible group, whether we like it or not. It is a group of teachers. The Minister has referred to what he called a pattern, but the pattern cannot possibly be right unless it includes comprehensive representation, and the refusal to give representation to this responsible body on the Committee is not right. I ask the Minister to reconsider the matter.

May I ask my right hon. Friend what possible harm there could be in giving representation to this particular body?

I must tell my hon. Friend that it would not end there. If I once started admitting on to the Burnham Committee bodies which represent special interests, there would be several others who would have at least as good a claim. Then I think the whole negotiating machinery—[Interruption.]

asked the Minister of Education how many authorities are paying the allowance of £30 per annum to all second-class honours graduates; and what proportion this is of all education authorities.

I am unable to answer this Question because I do not ask authorities to report to me how they use the discretion which the Burnham Report gives them on this subject.

asked the Minister of Education if he will negotiate with the managers of approved schools, now being closed, so as to provide accommodation for maladjusted children.

If any of these buildings appear to me to be suitable for use as special schools for maladjusted or other handicapped children for whom places are needed, my right hon. Friend will urge local authorities to use them in this way. Six such cases are now being investigated by my Department, and in a seventh case the school managers and the local education authority are already negotiating.

Will the hon. Gentleman allow me to express my very deep satisfaction at that reply, and will he hurry on in every sense because of the real urgency of this problem?

Yes, Sir.

In addition to using the accommodation at these schools, will my right hon. Friend take steps to try to keep together the admirable staffs of these schools so that they can carry on as a team the work which they carried out so satisfactorily under their previous entity?

I am aware of that aspect, but it is hardly a practical proposition to transfer the staffs in their entirety. My right hon. and gallant Friend the Home Secretary, however, is aware of the position, and I am in negotiation with him.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has completed his discussions with the direct grant schools about special allowances to the teaching staff; and whether the staffs can now expect comparable treatment to that accorded to the staffs of maintained secondary schools.

Yes, Sir. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a letter I sent to the governors of these schools on 6th July.

asked the Minister of Education how many new schools for handicapped children have been opened by his Department during 1955; and how many spastic children are being educated at these schools.

Excluding replacements, 11 new special schools have been opened so far in 1955. None of these is specifically for physically handicapped children.

Is the Minister aware that there is a very real need of schools for spastic children, and that the only school provided for them in Wales is due to private effort? I believe that the position is the same in England. Will the Minister make an effort to ensure that private enterprise does not have to satisfy a real public need?

As the hon. Member probably knows, there is already a school in the programme for South Wales, and there are others in England. Indeed, several schools for spastics are in the current programmes, and by 1958 there should be no need for any spastic child to be kept out of a special school.

Is it the policy of my hon. Friend's Department to discourage special residential schools for spastics only, and to group them with other handicapped children?

That is a rather large question. For the more severely handicapped spastic, I am sure that the special spastic school is the right answer; but for the less handicapped, the ordinary school for the physically handicapped will, I believe, be adequate.

asked the Minister of Education how many handicapped children are at present awaiting admission to special schools of a type appropriate to their particular disability.

In December, 1954, local education authorities report that nearly 19,000 children were waiting places in special schools, of whom over 12,000 were educationally subnormal children, but the great majority of these children were receiving education either in ordinary schools or at home.

Would the hon. Gentleman agree that these figures underline the necessity of expediting measures for making use of the premises and staff of former approved schools, as suggested in the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Salford, West (Mr. Royle)?

Yes, certainly, but it must be borne in mind that some of these schools are not premises suitable for educational purposes. We are looking into the matter at the moment.

Would it not save capital expenditure if some of these schools were used now instead of our waiting for the building of new schools?

I will look at that point, but some are eminently unsuitable for use even at the moment.

Are they not better than nothing?

In many cases the schools are still in use by the Home Office, and are not available.

Can my hon. Friend say how many of these children are awaiting admission to deaf schools?

Not without notice, but a very small proportion.

asked the Minister of Education if he has now closed the three comprehensive schools on the Manchester Corporation's Wythenshawe Estate, which opened after he had rejected the local education committee's plan.

After I had rejected its proposals, the Manchester authority discussed the whole question with me and subsequently decided to provide a modern school, two technical schools and a grammar school at Wythenshawe, in accordance with its earlier plans. The arrangements made for the current term were planned so that they could be readily changed.

asked the Minister of Education what action he has taken on the Report of the Central Advisory Council for Education.

This valuable Report has drawn attention to the problem of early leaving, and I am glad to say that more children appear to be staying on than ever before. Most of the recommendations in the Report do not call for direct action by me, but as my hon. and gallant Friend knows I have encouraged local education authorities to increase the number of their grammar school places where these are low.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the facilities and equipment for the teaching of science in schools are adequate?

No, Sir, I am not satisfied; but we are taking steps to improve these facilities and I hope shortly to have something to say about it.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that certain local authorities are issuing to schoolchildren milk tablets in place of fresh milk; to what extent this is in accordance with instructions from his Department; and whether he will publish in HANSARD details of the circular issued by his Department to education authorities on this subject.

asked the Minister of Education how many education authorities are now issuing milk in tablet form to schoolchildren and what steps are being taken to ensure the supply of liquid milk to such children.

Seventeen local education authorities are providing either dried milk or milk tablets, with the approval of my right hon. Friend, to ninety-six schools in all, for which they have been unable to make satisfactory arrangements for the supply of fresh milk. I am sending the hon. Members copies of the memorandum which I sent to local education authorities last March.

Have any investigations been made as to whether the nutritional value of the milk tablets is as good as that of the fresh milk? What particular difficulties have now occurred which prevent these authorities supplying fresh milk as against twelve or eighteen months ago, when they used to supply it?

There is no suggestion that milk tablets are as good as liquid milk, but they are an adequate substitute. In reply to the latter part of the question, there have always been a number of schools which on account of their remote situation have been unable to get a supply of liquid milk.

Is it the policy of the hon. Gentleman's Department actively to encourage or discourage the replacement of liquid milk supplies by the tablet form? Will the Minister undertake that steps will be taken in line with the recommendations of the Surrey County Council to break what it calls "milk rings" in the provision of liquid milk to schools?

I am aware of the question relating to Surrey but no application has yet been received by my right hon. Friend. It is important that, as well as getting a suitable supply, the supply shall be at a reasonable price. I am hopeful that the Surrey milk retailers will follow the example of their colleagues in Devonshire and Derbyshire and supply milk at a reasonable price, thus avoiding the use of milk tablets.

In view of the fact that the Minister has admitted that the nutritional value of tablets is not as good, will he state what steps his Department has taken or will take to try to encourage these local authorities to supply fresh milk?

All I said was that a supply of liquid milk was preferable, but there are some schools to which it would be extremely difficult to supply liquid milk.

asked the Minister of Education why he took his public relations officer to the recent Conservative Party Conference; what State duties this officer performed whilst at Bournemouth; and the total cost involved to Exchequer funds.

I needed the services of my chief Press officer because what I had to say at the conference on local government on Tuesday, 5th October, dealt with aspects of the work of my Department and was calculated to stimulate questions on the administration of the education service. The cost of subsistence and travelling expenses falling to the Vote of my Department was £11 14s. 9d.

Is this not a terrible thing that we have just heard? The Minister admits that he had some important matters which he wished to put before an outside conference which had no responsibility to this House. If he has important statements to make, why does he not make them in the House? Why should he go to this jamboree of non-responsible people, and irresponsible people, and use Government money in the process? Furthermore, did he consult the Chancellor of the Exchequer and his hon. Friends who have been clamouring for reductions in expenditure?

I did not make any new statements to the conference. I think the hon. Member will know that when one has several hundred members of local authorities to address about one's own service, there are likely to be a lot of questions about particular areas. I certainly do not know all the answers. Indeed, it was a great help to me to get the information to answer the questions.

Is it not well known that to attend a Conservative Party conference is in itself highly educational?

Had it been a conference of local government representatives, the right hon. Gentleman's answer would be applicable, but are we to understand now that civil servants, chargeable to the Exchequer, are to be used as an adjunct to Tory Party propaganda at their annual party conference?

As a matter of fact, there was practically no politics in this at all. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Hon. Members may have a copy of my speech if they like. It was an explanation of the capital investment programme and public relations in regard to teacher-parent associations.

As the right hon. Gentleman has embarked on this new venture, would he bring his public relations officer to the House occasionally so that his answers to Questions may give greater satisfaction than his answer to this one?

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Education the result of his discussions with the Minister of Health and the Minister of Labour concerning the possible exposure of schoolchildren and others to lead poisoning when engaged in glazing pottery: and what conclusions have been reached so as to avoid this danger.

My right hon. Friend is about to send a memorandum to local authorities and others offering advice on this subject. I will send a copy of this to the hon. Member, who was good enough to draw my attention to the need for it.

While thanking the Parliamentary Secretary for his reply, may I ask him this? In addition to the question of the dangers from using raw lead glazes for this purpose, does the memorandum contain anything concerning the use of finely powdered flints and other dangerous materials?

I hope that the hon. Member will look at the memorandum. If it is not satisfactory, perhaps he will have a word with me about it.

asked the Minister of Education why he has rejected the local education authority's proposal to open a nursery school in Silverdale in the excepted district of Newcastle-under-Lyme; and, in view of the availability of suitable premises, if he will reconsider his decision.

As I told the hon Member in my recent letter, the opening of new nursery schools would divert teachers from primary schools and so hinder our efforts to reduce the size of class. I cannot allow day nurseries which closed through lack of support to re-open as nursery schools.

Is the Minister not aware that his Department was prepared to consider a project, and that he asked the Staffordshire authority to show there was an industrial as well as an educational need for it, and that when the authority showed there was an industrial need he said it was irrelevant and rejected the project? Will he not consider again the overwhelming case for a nursery school from both the educational and industrial point of view, and consider whether the very small staff required can be provided for it?

I am quite willing to look at it again, but I am certain that our first duty is to cut down the size of classes in primary schools.

asked the Minister of Education if he has considered a letter from the education committee of the excepted district of Newcastle-under-Lyme about the inadequacy of the proposed 1956–57 school building programme; and what reply he will make.

Yes, Sir. I regret that I shall have to tell the Staffordshire local education authority and the excepted district that I am unable to approve any additions to the 1956–57 school building programme for Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Is the Minister not aware that this announcement has already shocked the members of the Newcastle-under-Lyme Education Committee, which has put up three projects as an absolute minimum for this year's programme? He has granted only one. Does he not know that this will lead inevitably to an increase of overcrowding and to insuperable difficulties for education authorities?

I am always willing to look at these things, but the Staffordshire programme for 1956 to 1957 is nearly £1,500,000, and I think it is doing very well, within what is an expanded programme for the country as a whole.

asked the Minister of Education, in view of the successful experiments in Kent by Enterprise Unlimited to recruit young women to be trained to be useful in emergencies, if he will give consideration to giving all possible support to enable the organisation to become an important young women's organisation on a national scale.

I am glad that the hon. Member thinks that Enterprise Unlimited is a success. It is for the voluntary organisation responsible for this scheme to decide how widely it wishes to develop it.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the need for this organisation to succeed? Does he not appreciate that, if it is to succeed, it needs financial help to enable it to develop its very much needed scheme?

Enterprise Unlimited is run by the Girls Training Corps, which is a constituent body of the National Association of Training Corps for Girls. I have offered the Association a grant of a little over £15,000 in the current year, and it has not asked me for any increase. I hope that it will not do so.

asked the Minister Education whether he will recommend to local education authorities that primary school headmasters' reports be taken into account when selecting children for grammar school places.

Most authorities do this. I think the practice is to be encouraged.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind the distressing circumstances in which my constituent, Mr. Ingram, about whom he has had correspondence, finds himself? Is he aware that it was through the failure of Essex Education Committee to apply this principle that those distressing circumstances arose and Mr. Ingram's daughter's career was jeopardised? Does he further recognise that, if he would urge all the education authorities to adopt this principle, it might prevent this sort of thing from happening in other parts of the country as well?

I have not yet had a reply from the Essex authority on the case to which my hon. Friend has referred. When I have received it I will write to him.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make an inquiry into the methods of ophthalmic inspection in schools; and, in particular, whether he will draw the attention of local education authorities to the importance of testing the vision of every child as soon as possible after entry to school.

In his latest Report, my Department's chief medical officer drew attention to the importance of testing the vision of every child as soon as possible after entry to school; and I am glad to say that in an increasing number of areas it is the practice to do this during the child's first year at school.

Has the hon. Gentleman noticed the comments on this matter in the Journal of the Association of Optical Practitioners? Will he see that the advice given in the Report to which he referred is followed by all authorities?

I cannot accept all that is contained in that article, but this Question will be helpful in bringing to the notice of local authorities again the importance of this matter.

asked the Minister of Education what conversation he had with the representatives of the National Union of Teachers before he decided to increase their rate of contribution to the Teachers' Superannuation Fund.

I have met representatives of the National Union of Teachers four times this year to discuss teachers' pensions. On the last occasion I put before them the Government's proposals and they undertook to consult their members on them.

Is it not a fact that the 6 per cent. contribution the Minister is now suggesting is exactly the same as that put forward last year by his predecessor, which was shelved in face of the unanimous opposition of all teaching unions? Does he intend to press on with what is virtually a wage cut in the teaching profession? Does he consider that this is an incentive to young teachers entering the profession?

Six per cent. is always 6 per cent., but in this case the benefits for the teachers are substantially greater than they were in the 1954 Bill. For example, the Government are undertaking to wipe off the whole of the accumulated deficiency up to next March, which is nearly £100 million more than was offered before. Secondly, the employers are taking on themselves the entire responsibility for any future deficiencies, which, if at any time teachers' salaries go up, or teachers happen to live longer than the actuary's forecast, are bound to recur.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will move to appoint a Select Committee to consider and report on examinations for secondary schools.

No, Sir. Interested bodies are now studying Circular 289 and I am awaiting their comments.

Would the Minister not agree that he has constantly been saying for months, if not years, now that the secondary modern school is the school of the future? Would it not help, in view of his hope to raise the school-leaving age to 16 in 1957—he hopes to raise it to 16 in 1957—if secondary modern schools had some examination in future?

I ought to say at once that no decision of any kind has been taken about raising the school-leaving age to 16—[Interruption]—not within the near future, anyway. [HON. MEMBERS: "Not now."] My own views on examinations were published in Circular 289 for discussion, and I think it is only fair that the many eminent bodies studying it should have a chance to comment on them.

asked the Minister of Education what reasons he gave the Manchester Education Committee for his refusal to approve its plans for secondary education.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the letter I wrote to the authority.

Could the right hon. Gentleman say whether or not in that letter he enunciates an entirely new principle and in fact says that no new comprehensive school will be established except in a new school specially built for the purpose and in an area where no grammar school exists? If that is his policy, how can there be any experimentation whatsoever in comprehensive schools?

The hon. Lady has, I think, seen the conditions for an experiment that I laid down at the Scarborough meeting of the N.U.T. last Easter. In fact, I have approved four comprehensive experiments this year, and I am genuinely anxious to see whether, in proper conditions, this experiment is a success. I am quite sure that the proposal at Manchester was not in conditions calculated to make a successful experiment.

This is an administrative decision of very great importance in relation to a very great city. Surely if my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, South-East (Miss Bacon) puts a Question on the Order Paper asking the Minister to indicate his reasons, he is answerable to the House. May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman ought not briefly to indicate what those reasons ate? If he has no time to think it up, he might consult his public relations officer, who is apparently mobilised at the public expense for party political service at Bournemouth.

The letter has been published already and I thought that hon. and right hon. Gentlemen opposite would have followed this case, to which they attach so much importance. If the right hon. Gentleman wishes it, I will, of course, publish the letter again. I will see if it can be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

In view of the tremendous discontent in the Wythenshawe district of Manchester, among parents of children in that area and among local authorities in Manchester, regarding this most arbitrary decision on the part of the Minister, will he now say what adverse conditions there were in Manchester justifying the decision which he has taken? The right hon. Gentleman referred to some adverse conditions. What were they?

In the first place, I do not accept at all that there is a tremendous discontent. I have naturally heard from both sides. The main adverse condition was the proposal to make a comprehensive school out of two buildings at least half a mile apart, and that is not a suitable structure for a comprehensive school, in my judgment.

asked the Minister of Education the amount spent on capital projects for technical and technological education in the years 1951 to 1955.

Between January, 1951, and May, 1955, work to the value of about £21½ million has been done on capital projects for technical and technological education.

On a point of order. I think that the Minister has misunderstood my Question. I wanted the figures for the separate years and he speaks of 1951–55.

I have the figures here, but they are rather long. Perhaps the hon. Lady would let me send them to her.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what has been the death rate from tuberculosis in Swaziland during the last three years, respectively and what measures the Government is taking to reduce the disease.

The registration of deaths among the non-European population of Swaziland is not compulsory and it is not therefore possible to give accurate figures of the death rate from tuberculosis. Reported deaths from this cause in Swaziland however totalled twenty-five in 1952, nineteen in 1953 and twenty-one in 1954.

While thanking the hon. Gentleman for that long answer, may I ask whether it is not a fact that, to receive that free treatment, any tubercular patient has to undergo a means test and to be proved indigenous? Secondly, is it not also the fact that some of the hospitals are not aware of the possibility of this free treatment? Will the hon. Gentleman therefore take steps to try to circulate that information?

It is true that free hospitalisation can be provided, as it has been in the case which the hon. Member referred to me, if the patient produces a certificate from his district commissioner. It is always difficult to make sure that all concerned know that these facilities are available.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will make a statement on the plans for economic and social development in the High Commission Territories of Basutoland, Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland.

I would refer the hon. Member to Command Paper No. 9580 on the economic development and social services of the High Commission Territories published at the beginning of this month.

I have read that document, but in view of the position of the Protectorates in South Africa and the need to make those territories models of social progress, may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he could not get the Treasury or the Colonial Office or his own office to make a larger grant for this purpose?

If the hon. Member looks at what is being done, he will find that very steady progress is being made, which both sides of the House can regard with satisfaction.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many supporters of Seretse Khama are members of the African Advisory Council in Bechuanaland; how many sub-chiefs or headmen who are supporters of Seretse Khama have been deposed; why public meetings other than those called by the native authority or subordinate native authorities are not permitted; and on what authority a collective fine of eighteen head of oxen was recently imposed on the people of Paje.

As I said in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 16th December, the feelings of individual inhabitants of the Protectorate towards Seretse Khama, even if these were known, have nothing to do with their eligibility for appointment to the African Advisory Council or for holding office as sub-chief or headman.

May I ask the hon. Gentleman whether, if it is not theoretically the case that one is not deposed because one is a supporter of Seretse Khama, he does not know that in fact there are no supporters of Seretse Khama on the Council, although there is obviously a majority of the tribe who support him, and that 11 headmen and sub-chiefs who are supporters of Seretse Khama have been deposed? Is it not time that the Government began to reconsider the whole case of Seretse Khama?

The first part of the hon. Member's supplementary question just is not true. As to the second part, that also, unless he will bring to me names to substantiate what he said, is just not true.

I have them here.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations have been made to the United States Government over their higher tariffs and refusal of British tenders for electrical contracts.

Her Majesty's Government have expressed to the United States Government their grave disappointment at the recent decisions in respect of the contracts for the Chief Joseph Dam, and the increase in the United States tariff on bicycles.

Is it not of the utmost importance, if we are to clear our debts with America, that she allows us to trade with her? Can the right hon. Gentleman give us any idea how serious the recent tariff increases will be for our trade?

I should not like to start to make an estimate of the effect on trade. What was distressing was that this series of decisions which were arrived at seemed to run contrary to the expressed opinion of the United States in these matters.

Since the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade provides that where there is unilateral increase of tariffs of this kind compensation is usually to be paid to the country concerned by appropriate changes in other tariffs, will the right hon. Gentleman say what discussion there has been with the United States Government to try to get compensation, at any rate for other industries, if it is quite hopeless to expect any reversal of this decision?

The United States have already conceded their obligation to give compensation in this matter.

Would my right hon. Friend not agree that it would be a good thing if we in this country enjoyed the same measure of freedom in these matters as is enjoyed by the United States Congress?

The answer is that we do, and if we did this we also would have to pay compensation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure a supply of newsprint to the smaller papers.

Arrangements have now been completed, which will be notified shortly to all concerned, for continued supplies of newsprint to all the smaller papers at present receiving newsprint from a Scottish mill which will cease production at the end of the year.

While thanking the President of the Board of Trade for that answer, because there has been considerable interest especially in Scotland about what would happen when this mill closed, may I ask him whether he will continue to keep his eye on this matter, because it would be very serious if local newspapers were put out of business by the failure of newsprint supplies?

In view of the fact that most of this newsprint will be used for advertising, and we are all agreed that consumers are consuming too much, will this, by providing more advertising space, not encourage them to consume more?

The question of newsprint is already sufficiently complex without my starting to say what ought to be written on it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of apples and canned salmon have so far been imported from British Columbia during 1955; and what further quantities he anticipates will be imported during the next six months.

Imports from British Columbia are not separately distinguished in the Trade Returns. In the period January to September, 1955, apples to a value of about £720,000 f.o.b. and canned salmon to a value of about £740,000 f.o.b. were imported from Canada. Quotas now established for the period ending June, 1956, will allow imports of apples from Canada to a value of £990,000 f.o.b. and of canned salmon from Canada and the U.S.A. together to a value of £3 million f.o.b.

Will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that the recently announced increase in the import quota of canned salmon from Japan will in no way prejudice trade in this commodity with Canada?

It will not prejudice it.

Whether the quota of canned salmon is increased or not, will the Government do something about the present black market in canned salmon? If nothing is done it will continue, and it is disgraceful.

That raises a rather different question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement concerning foreign business firms making use of Eire in order to import goods into this country without paying duty.

Yes, Sir. I have seen reports that the Irish Republic is seeking to attract investment from abroad. So indeed is the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he is permitting an increase of 10 per cent. in the import of apples from North America this year.

This increase is, I consider, fully justified in the interests of good trading relations with Canada and the United States, which were both established before the war as the largest overseas suppliers to the United Kingdom market. It will also do something to mitigate the expected shortage of home grown apples later this season.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is the opinion of many experienced apple growers at home that there is no risk of a shortage? In the light of that, what consultations has he had with the industry itself to find out what the situation really is?

I hope that my hon. Friend will ill address his question on the situation in the United Kingdom industry to the Minister of Agriculture. The quota represents less than 15 per cent. of the average for the 1936–38 imports from Canada and the United States.

Will my right hon. Friend take steps to ensure that the additional 10 per cent. comes into this country after Christmas, when there may be a shortage, and not before Christmas, when it is certain that there will be adequate supplies?

Announcements about the timing of these imports have already been made.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the aggregation of all these increases in apple imports is of the order of half a million pounds in the coming year, and that his announcement and previous announcements on this subject have been received with a good deal of despondency in the principal apple-growing areas in this country, namely in Worcestershire, where the apple growers have had a difficult time and are likely to have a worse time before long?

It will be appreciated that these quotas, which are im- posed on balance of payments grounds, already rigidly restrict imports of apples from the dollar area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the trade and payments agreement recently signed with the Japanese Government.

Yes, Sir. These negotiations took place against the background of a rising Japanese sterling balance and it was the principal object of our delegation to obtain satisfactory assurances that the Japanese Government would take steps to correct the imbalance between Japan's sterling receipts and her sterling payments. I am glad to say that these assurances were given to us.

Does not this answer represent an admission that the Government made a very serious and irresponsible miscalculation at the time of the original Japanese trade agreement, which was debated in the House on 10th February last year? Does the right hon. Gentleman not recall that during the debate the present Minister of Supply commended the Agreement to the House on the ground that Japan was chronically short of sterling at that time and, in consequence, Lancashire must bear some very serious burdens? Now the Government have to admit that miscalculation to a tune of £50 million to £100 million a year.

I think that the answer is that Japan was short of sterling at that time.

Does my right hon. Friend envisage that the Agreement will lead to any increase in Japanese textile exports to the Colonies?

I think that' there will probably be an increase of trade both ways under the Agreement.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether he was able to get any agreement that Japan would cease the practice of "jumping the gun" by plagiarising the designs of this country before they reach the Middle East?

Discussions on that matter have been carried on, but separately from this Agreement and on an industrial basis which has so far proved reasonably satisfactory.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that the arrangement made twelve months ago, on the basis that Japan was short of sterling with which to buy British goods, was a very severe blow to the Lancashire textile trade, one more blow added to a great many others in recent years? In view of that fact that it appears from his answer that Japan now has a surplus of sterling and is no longer suffering from the shortage which the Government thought justified their blow at Lancashire, what steps will the Government now take to make good the damage?

The hon. Membet for Nelson and Colne (Mr. S. Silverman) will appreciate that one of the results of the Agreement is to increase the amount of sterling purchases which Japan will make; but with regard to Lancashire, it preserves a very rigid restriction on the import of Japanese grey cloth into Lancashire to the level of £3 million sterling, almost the whole for re-export.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the future of the factory on the Huyton Industrial Estate previously occupied by the Hosemaster Machine Company Limited.

This factory will be available for reletting in about a month's time. My Department will endeavour to re-allocate it to a suitable tenant as soon as possible.

In view of the number of firms which are quite rightly seeking the allocation of this factory, will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that it will be allocated for production on a basis of giving continuing full employment in the area and that it will not be allocated for storage purposes?

I would certainly hope that we shall allocate it for productive purposes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an estimate of the loss to the export trade caused by strikes during the past three, six and twelve months, respectively.

No estimate can usefully be made. Some of the immediate decline in exports during a strike is made good in the following months, but the damage to our goodwill among our customers by repeated interruptions is of course not measured in the trade figures.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms have been fined for offences under the Merchandise Marks Act in connection with advertising goods wrongly described; whether he is satisfied that all such cases are brought before the courts; and whether he will now consider requiring manufacturers compulsorily to label all goods, especially textiles.

Three firms have been fined this year as a result of prosecutions brought by the Board of Trade. Every suspected infringement that is brought to the notice of my Department is investigated, and proceedings are started whenever it is considered that such action should be taken. I am not prepared to extend compulsory labelling to the general range of consumer goods.

But is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these actions are not really a deterrent, and that quite recently, within the last ten days, a firm was convicted for selling plastic shoes as suede and, I think, as snake leather? This is very serious, and does not the right hon. Gentleman think that if manufacturers were compelled to put labels on their goods, that would assist the honest trader and stop the dishonest one?

We have had many debates in this House on this subject of the compulsory labelling of consumer goods. On other occasions I have explained my objections to introducing compulsory labelling on that scale.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider a redundancy scheme to deal with the growing excess of productive capacity in the United Kingdom cotton textile industry consequent upon the rapid decline in production and numbers employed in that industry since 1951.

If the industry proposes a redundancy scheme, I shall be pleased to consider it.

By that answer, does the right hon. Gentleman mean that he is going to allow attrition to take its course in the industry? In view of the policies that the right hon. Gentleman has pursued so far, is it not necessary for him to take the initiative to attempt to bring some order into the chaos prevailing?

All my answer means is that I am prepared to consider any suggestion that comes from this or any other industry.

Since the right hon. Gentleman has consistently turned down every suggestion made by the Cotton Board for dealing with the crisis, and since his attitude seems to be to passively stand by and let the industry die out in this country, will he say if he is going to take any action to help Lancashire in this crisis?

One effective piece of action was taken by my right hon. Friend yesterday.

Oh!

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, following upon a decision that will be made tonight, we are hoping that he will not make the terrible mess of my own industry, the steel industry, that he has made of the cotton industry?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to seek a revision of the 1939 Indian Trade Agreement, in view of its adverse effects on the United Kingdom cotton textile industry.

No, Sir. Her Majesty's Government's policy in this matter remains as stated by the Prime Minister in May of this year.

Is it the right hon. Gentleman's interpretation of Government policy with regard to the cotton trade that they consider every proposal made to them and reject it, and make no proposals of their own?

I should think that would be rather a biased description.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that the industrialisation of India since the 1939 Trade Agreement was made has put rather a different complexion on that Agreement? Would he not agree that the time has arrived when that Agreement, and possibly other agreements of a similar nature within the Commonwealth, should be re-examined?

I would agree that many alterations have taken place in the ensuing years, but I would still say that the Lancashire textile cotton industry, like many others in Lancashire, gets many great benefits from the Imperial Preference system.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether one of the main difficulties of the Lancashire cotton industry at the moment is the constructive advance being made in the manufacture of alternative man-made fibres, and that Lancashire cotton manufacturers would be well advised to concentrate on ensuring that they are to the fore in the weaving and manufacture of those man-made fibres as an alternative to cotton?

I would certainly say that we ought to use all the modern new techniques that we can.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to make a statement regarding negotiations for a trade agreement between this country and Czechoslovakia.

An invitation has been sent to the Czechoslovak Government to resume trade and financial negotiations, and we are now awaiting their reply.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to ensure adequate production of British films for the purpose of maintaining the first-feature and supporting programme quotas.

The purpose of screen quotas is to enable British films to obtain a fair showing, and thus to encourage their production. The Government also encourages British film production by assistance provided through the National Film Finance Corporation.

Will the Minister say how it is possible to maintain adequate production of British films if the film studios are allowed to be sold out of the industry continuously? Is he not aware that within the last eighteen months half a dozen studios have been sold out of the industry and that now it is proposed to allow the world-famous Ealing Studios to be sold out of the industry? How is it possible to maintain British film production for cinemas if this process is allowed to go on?

That raises rather a different question, but I should hesitate for a long time before I compelled an industry to keep premises when the industry thought that they could be put to some other and more economic use.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now take steps to give exemption from Entertainment Duties to amateur operatic societies employing professional conductors on the same lines as exemption is given to amateur dramatic societies employing professional producers.

Operatic societies are already entitled to exemption from Entertainments Duty under the same conditions as dramatic societies, and the great majority of them qualify; but for reasons that have been fully explained in the House on past occasions, my right hon. Friend would not feel justified in widening the scope of the exemption for amateur stage entertainments to include productions where professional conductors or other professional performers are employed.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that these amateur operatic societies have a high cultural value which is worthy of support, and would he ask his right hon. Friend to give sympathetic consideration to that in the next Budget?

These operatic societies could, of course, employ professional conductors if they managed to qualify under the partly-educational ground for exemption.

Will not the Financial Secretary accept that the reasons given in the past have been completely unsatisfactory, and that as a result of the action taken we are not able in this country to raise the level of amateur performances in the way we should?

The vast majority of the societies are able to get exemption already under the existing law.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount invested in National Savings during the last financial year; and what proportion of those savings was spent as revenue and capital, respectively.

Net investment in National Savings during the financial year 1954–55 was £117·5 million, including accrued interest. As there was a revenue surplus in that year no expenditure above the line was financed by borrowing, either through National Savings or otherwise.

Would not my right hon. Friend think that generally speaking Government borrowing should be devoted to capital purposes? Does he think it right that repayment of post-war credits, which are revenue in the hands of the recipients, should be financed by Government borrowing?

I do not see anything in the original Question concerning postwar credits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the position of the gold and dollar reserves.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. Friend made to the House yesterday.

May I ask whether my hon. Friend can confirm that the levels of the reserves today are substantially higher than in 1951–52?

Answer.

Order.

Mr. Speaker, could we have an answer to the last supplementary question? It is a question of fact one way or the other which should be well within the knowledge of the Economic Secretary.

I was not meaning to evade the Question. I thought I indicated dissent.

asked the Prime Minister whether the speech by the President of the Board of Trade at Harrogate on 14th October represents the policy of the Government with regard to the cotton textile industry.

Yes, Sir.

Is the Prime Minister aware of the large number of cotton mills that have been closed down already this year, and the serious situation caused by free import, particularly of Indian cloth? Does he not know that the President of the Board of Trade, answering other Questions today, has persistently refused to do anything for this industry, and will the right hon. Gentleman bear that in mind when he is reconsidering his Government?

I am conscious of the problem that hon. Members of the House all know in questions of Commonwealth imports into this country in respect of cotton textile goods. On the other hand, I am very conscious of the very real value which this country and the cotton industry get from the maintenance of Imperial Preference. To give the House just one figure, Lancashire exported last year something like £50 million worth of cotton piece goods under preferential rates to various countries of the Commonwealth, and we retained in this country about £8 million worth of Commonwealth cotton piece goods. That is only one figure. Others could be given in the argument—of course they could, I admit that at once. But I would still say that on balance, and I would hope that all sections of the House, whatever they feel about the difficulties of the industry would agree, the maintenance of Imperial Preference has been and is of direct benefit to the cotton textile industry.

The right hon. Gentleman says that the speech of the President of the Board of Trade represents a policy for the cotton industry, but is he aware that, in the course of that speech, the Minister said that it was not his job to have a policy for the cotton industry? If that is really a job for the Government, would not the Prime Minister agree that they ought to have some policy for providing alternative employment for the areas which are going to be derelict if this lack of policy continues?

I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman is being a little too clever. The Question was framed not by him or me, but by the hon. Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd), who referred to "the policy." My contribution is to say, "Yes, Sir."

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I wish to give notice that I shall seek an early opportunity to raise the matter.