asked the Minister of Works when he intends to publish the report of the committee set up to examine the paintings in the Palace of Westminster.

The Report is now available in the Vote Office. I am grateful to my noble Friend the hon. Member for Dorset, South and the other hon. Members of the Committee for the good work they have done.

asked the Minister of Works if he will make a statement about his recent visit to slate quarries in North Wales.

This was one of a number of visits I have made recently to building materials industries and I have no special statement to make.

asked the Minister of Works if he will make the Westminster Hospital site available as a car park in view of the decision to postpone rebuilding.

I will consider this suggestion.

asked the Minister of Works if he will make a statement briefly covering the official discussions that have taken place regarding the possibility of a European Atomic Community; and what Her Majesty's Government's policy is on this matter.

A Working Party to consider this matter was set up in June by the O.E.E.C.; it has not yet prepared its report, but Her Majesty's Government are keeping in close touch with the progress of its work. As the hon. Member will know from the White Paper on the correspondence arising out of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, held at Messina on 1st to 2nd June, 1955 (Cmd. 9525), we are also taking part, without commitment, in the studies proposed at that meeting, which are still proceeding.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he has taken note of a suggestion made by Dr. T. C. Carter, one of the British representatives, during the Geneva Atoms for Peace Conference that a 10-year medical study of people who are living on granite and consequently are continually being bombarded with atomic rays would be much more valuable than experiments with mice in deciding whether the weak atomic rays released by atomic power stations are likely to affect future generations; and whether he will act upon it.

I am informed that Dr. Carter did not express the view attributed to him in the hon. Member's Question, and that the Medical Research Council attach great importance to the studies on mice which he is carrying out. The Council is also sponsoring other investigations of the possible long-term effects of nuclear radiation on human beings and is considering the suggestion that studies should be undertaken on populations in areas of varying natural radioactivity.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, in what official capacity Sir Ernest Rock Carling attended the Geneva Atoms for Peace Conference; and whether the paper he presented had the approval of Her Majesty's Government.

I understand that Sir Ernest Rock Carling attended the Geneva Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy as a member of the delegation from the United Kingdom, which included many non-Governmental as well as Governmental members. The views he expressed in his paper were his own, and there was no question of their being approved by Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, when he expects the White Paper on the genetic effects of atmospheric radiation to be ready.

The Medical Research Council are giving the highest priority to the preparation of their report, but I am informed that it is unlikely to be completed before the spring.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what steps have been taken to set up a National Reference Library of Science and Inventions.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, when it is anticipated that, in view of the present inadequacies of the service provided by the Patent Office Library, the proposals referred to in the Eighth Annual Report of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy to improve scientific libraries will be implemented.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what steps he is taking to give effect to the recommendations contained in the Eighth Annual Report of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy relating to the expansion of scientific library facilities.

The proposals for improved scientific libraries referred to in the Eighth Annual Report of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy are at present under consideration by the Departments concerned. These projects would involve considerable capital expenditure and the Reference Library Scheme is necessarily bound up with wider questions affecting the Patent Office. I regret, therefore, that I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, the total expenditure of the Medical Research Council, and the amount expended on mental health research projects by the Council, for each of the last two years for which figures are available.

In 1953–54 the total expenditure of the Medical Research Council was £1,848,625, of which £21,461 was expenditure on research specifically into mental health. In 1954–55, the corresponding figures were £1,978,068 and £23,292. The Council also support two major research units concerned mainly with psychological problems in industry and the Services, at an annual cost of over £50,000. A similar sum is devoted to research on neurological problems.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether the Medical Research Council will give consideration to the possible danger that may result from X-ray examination of pregnant women and to the desirability of affording the greatest possible protection in these and other cases against long-term ill-effects.

This is an important subject which is being reviewed by the Medical Research Council, but there is at present no evidence that diagnostic radiology as practised in Great Britain produces harmful effects either in the mother or in the developing embryo. Information on the possible long-term effects of exposure to nuclear radiation from various sources will be reviewed in the report which is being prepared by the Council for publication as a White Paper. In the meantime, I can assure the hon. Member that it is appreciated by the medical profession that pregnant women should not be unnecessarily subjected to any form of ionizing radiation.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will institute research to ascertain the extent to which the children of radiologists are more likely to suffer some abnormality at birth, than the rest of the population.

The possibility of instituting research on the effects on radiologists and their offspring of exposure to ionizing radiations is already under consideration by the Medical Research Council.

asked the Secretary of State for War when it is proposed to release the area now held at Donnington by his Department so that this can be reinstated as a motor racing track to cover the Midlands area.

Clearing the vehicle storage depot at Donnington Park is a long job, and I regret I cannot promise release of the land until late in 1957. We are, however, doing everything in our power to get out earlier.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give details of his plans for the building and reconstruction of Army barracks, hospitals, workshops, schoolrooms, etc., throughout Britain.

This building and reconstruction will be spread over about twenty years and will be affected by the money available and changing requirements. It is not, therefore, possible to publish a firm detailed programme, but I will try to answer any Questions about specific items.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of National Service men who have been injured or killed in Cyprus since July, 1954.

Ten National Service men have been injured, one of whom I regret to say has since died of his injuries.

asked the Secretary of State for War what action has been taken in connection with the observations made at paragraph 35 of the Report on the Administration of the Territorial Army, Command Paper No. 9523, with regard to Territorial Associations.

As is pointed out in paragraph 36 of the Report, Territorial Associations are given a large measure of freedom and must keep their own house in order. In the particular cases which were before the Committee steps have already been taken to remedy matters and, in addition, a War Office Working Party is examining ways of reducing paperwork generally.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a statement with regard to the action that has so far been taken on the recommendations contained in the Report on the Administration of Boys' Units in the Army, Command Paper No. 9433.

Most of the recommendations in the Report have already been put into effect. The system of selecting boys which was changed at the end of last year to improve the standard of entry has already shown satisfactory results, no boys under the age of 15 are now accepted from the United Kingdom and unsatisfactory boys are being discharged in accordance with the Committee's recommendation.The daily life of the boys in Boys' Units has been greatly altered and generally conforms with the policy outlined in the Report. The balance of subjects taught has also been adjusted and simple technical training and elementary trade training is being introduced into Boys' Units. More attention is being paid to developing qualities of initiative and leadership and instructional staff have attended the Outward Bound schools; some of the methods learnt there are being rapidly introduced into Boys' Units.The method of selecting officers and non-commissioned officers to serve in Boys' Units has been revised to obtain staff of higher quality and instructors are being kept with the units longer. Better accommodation is being provided and some Boys' Units have already moved. Minor improvements are being made from day to day, but it will inevitably be some time before all can be housed to complete satisfaction. A number of other recommendations in the Report which do not require immediate action have also been adopted.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many British troops are now serving abroad; and what percentage this number represents of the British Army.

Certain information about the distribution of the Army is given each year in Vote A of Army Estimates and it is the post-war practice for security reasons not to give further details.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men and women have been recruited for the Regular Army at the Army Recruiting Centre, Central Road, Morden, during each of the last three years.

The figures for men and boys are:—1953, 70; 1954, 53; 1955 (to 28th October), 60. Recruitment of women in the London area takes place only at the Central London Recruiting Depot, Great Scotland Yard.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a statement on the future of the Territorial Army and the effect upon it of the recently announced changes in National Service.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence will be referring to this in the defence debate tomorrow.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions exist on the importation of children's films from European countries; and if he will take steps to relax these restrictions.

From tomorrow, an amendment to the open general licence will enable importations of all films from Western European countries, including children's films, to be made without the individual import licences so far necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the unemployed demonstration at Caernarvon on Saturday, 22nd October, and the increasing concern of people of all shades of opinion in North-West Wales about the worsening prospects of the area; and what action he proposes to take.

The Government have promised to do whatever is possible to attract industry to North-West Wales, and every opportunity is taken of interesting industrial undertakings in what the area has to offer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the nature of accidents arising from the use of motor-cycles; and, in order to minimise the injuries sustained by encouraging the use of crash helmets, if he will now remove the Purchase Tax from them.

I have explained on previous occasions the difficulties of singling out these articles for special exemption. But the present Budget Resolutions provide for the reduction of the rate of tax on headgear, including crash helmets, from 25 to 10 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of the proceedings of the International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy have so far been ordered from the Stationery Office at the special prepublication price of £39 each; and whether a short summary of the proceedings of this Conference will also be published.

Forty-one sets and 80 individual volumes have been ordered to date. The report will be widely publicised before publication on 1st January next. The United Nations Organisation does not propose to publish a short summary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what complaints he has had from manufacturers in this country that their export trade has suffered through delay of samples or goods for re-export by Her Majesty's Customs.

Treasury Ministers receive on average about six or seven complaints a year of delay in Customs clearance. Investigation usually shows that the delay has not been caused by the Customs authorities, but by the importer or his agent through delay in furnishing the Customs declarations and documents which must be completed before the Customs Officer can examine and clear the goods.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Second Report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art.

I can do no more at present than take careful note of the Reviewing Committee's recommendations. I should like to express my gratitude to the Chairman and members of the Committee for devoting so much time and thought to the cases that have been referred to them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many more dollars are to be authorised to be spent this season than last in importing apples from the United States of America.

The only apples to be imported from the U.S.A. this season will be financed under Aid.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice he has given to the banks recently in connection with credit restrictions on the farming community; whether he is satisfied that this advice in practice gives full weight to the importance of agricultural production and what representations he has received from the farming community in this connection.

None. I asked the banks to decide what steps to take to meet my request to reduce the total of their advances, and I am satisfied that I can rely on them to give all due weight to the importance of agriculture. My information does not show that the banks are unsympathetic to the needs of farmers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make a statement as to his proposals for honouring the pledge given to officers who retired under the 1919 Code; and for improving the retired pay of officers who retired before 1st September, 1950.

Retired officers are included in the review referred to by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary in answer to similar Questions about the Pensions Increase Acts on Thursday last, 27th October.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what special allowance of foreign currency was granted to Mrs. Maclean, wife of Donald Maclean, formerly employed in the Foreign Office, to enable her to reside in Switzerland for a considerable period after the disappearance of her husband.

No special allowance of foreign currency was granted to Mrs. Maclean for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is now in a position to make a statement on the effects of mining subsidence on the finances of local authorities in mining areas and the action he will take to assist them.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power is now reexamining the whole question of mining subsidence, including the practicability of adopting the Turner Committee's proposals, in consultation with the National Coal Board and the other Departments concerned, including my own. If a general solution of the problem on the lines recommended by the Turner Committee should not prove practicable, the Government will be prepared to extend the scope of the forthcoming review of local government finance so as to bring within its terms of reference consideration of the burden falling on the rates in areas liable to especially serious mining subsidence.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the substantial fall of cliff at Ostend Gap, Walcott-on-Sea, Norfolk; and if he will expedite a decision on the coast protection scheme submitted to him by the Smallburgh Rural District Council.

I have now approved the scheme.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will arrange for interest to be paid on outstanding development charge claims as from 30th June last, when interest ceased, and until such time as claims have been repaid.

No. Under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954, interest is reckoned in every case from 1st July, 1948, so that those concerned will receive seven years' interest, although in few cases will it be as much as seven years since the development charge was paid.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will institute a public local inquiry to hear objections to the scheme proposed by the Newquay and District Water Company to construct a dam on the Porth river; and when it will be held.

Yes; as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he can yet give any indication when the draft County of Middlesex Development Plan will be approved.

As soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give an assurance that the needs of Middlesex boroughs will be considered by Sir Humfrey Gale in his promotion of schemes for relieving the congestion of population in the large built-up areas.

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will cause to be published a table showing the total rateable value of all properties in England and Wales as at April, 1955, and the total estimated rateable value of these properties in the valuation list being prepared for the forthcoming national revaluation; and showing the proportion of each of the total rateable values which comprises the rateable value of industrial hereditaments apportioned between industrial and non-industrial purposes, of freight transport hereditaments apportioned between transport and non-transport purposes, of residential property which will qualify to be valued under the Valuation for Rating Act, 1953, of property occupied by or on behalf of the Crown for public purposes, and of all other hereditaments, respectively.

This information is not available at present. I intend to publish statistics as soon as practicable after the new lists have been deposited, and I am considering what I can include.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what further information he will give about the housing programme of the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme for next year; and how this programme compares with the allocations given in each of the last three years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that the policy of increasing interest rates and reducing housing subsidy is having a serious effect on the housing programme of the Bristol City Council; and what steps he is taking to ease this burden.

I would refer the hon. Members to the statement I made last Thursday.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities have indicated their intention to stop or reduce building houses as a result of the increase in the rate of interest.

I have received no notification to that effect from any local authority.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many dwellinghouses were controlled under the provisions of the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions Acts; and how many of these are in Leicester according to the latest data available.

The best available estimate is that there are approximately 6½ million rent controlled properties. No separate figures are available for Leicester.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the amount of tonnage ordered abroad by British shipowners during 1955; and how this compares with the amount ordered abroad during the corresponding period last year.

I have no official information about the orders placed by British shipowners abroad. I understand, however, that, of the tonnage under construction in September, 1955, for United Kingdom registration, about 110,000 gross tons, or 7 per cent., was being built abroad, as compared with about 94,000 gross tons, or 6 per cent., in September, 1954. New orders amounting to 1,366,000 gross tons were booked by United Kingdom shipyards in the first nine months of 1955, whereas, in the corresponding period of 1954, the tonnage of new orders barely equalled the cancellations, and there was no net addition to the total tonnage on order.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress is being made in the mechanisation of road building.

Mechanical equipment is now available for use in practically all stages of road building which were formerly carried out by manual labour. I am glad to say that further developments and improvements are continually being introduced by the manufacturers concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the estimated cost to Government funds this year of the price guarantees given to Australian producers of beef, mutton and lamb in consideration of their undertaking to send almost all their meat exports to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the future arrnagements.

Provision was made in the current Estimates for £210,000 to cover liability under the agreement for the year beginning 1st October, 1954. The actual liability will not be known until late December, but on present market prices no payment may be called for. The agreement has recently been reviewed by the two Governments and the results published on 13th September. The schedules of guaranteed prices for lamb and mutton have been brought into line with market differentials. Beef prices are unchanged for the next three years and 5 per cent. lower for the three years following. The amount of meat which Australia may export to destinations other than the United Kingdom and Colonies has been fixed at 10,000 tons per annum.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to give the percentage of total supplies of beef and veal, mutton and lamb, and bacon, respectively, which were home-produced in each of the years 1950 to 1954, inclusive.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration has been given to alleviating the anticipated scarcity of potatoes next spring; and what decisions have been taken in this respect.

As a result of a reduction in the acreage planted this year and a light crop following the dry summer, retail prices of home-grown potatoes and the prices being received by growers are considerably higher than they were at this time last year. It is still too early to make a reliable estimate of the probable balance of supply and demand over the whole marketing season, but present prospects suggest that imports will be required. If these prospects are confirmed by the estimates which I expect shortly, imports will be licensed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration has been given to the setting up of a system of animal slaughter and meat inspection by the Government to ensure that no meat is offered for human consumption unless it has been approved as fit for this purpose by a qualified officer of a local authority.

I am considering how best the present arrangements for the inspection at slaughterhouses of animals and meat can be improved. There are serious practical difficulties, not least the shortage of qualified inspectors. Power to make inspection compulsory has been taken in the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Act, 1954, and I intend, in association with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, to make new regulations at the earliest practicable date.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what it costs the British taxpayer directly to help maintain United States bases in Britain.

The full cost of maintaining these bases is borne by the United States Government.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give an assurance that National Service men who have special athletic qualifications are not given leave from their duties to participate in these activities in excess of their normal leave entitlement.

Any applications from the ruling bodies in sport, or from international bodies of similar standing, for naval personnel to take part as players in international or other games would be considered sympathetically subject to the needs of the Service at the time. No case can, however, be traced in which special leave has been granted to a National Service officer or rating.

asked the Minister of Defence the cost of Service pay and allowances and the cost of long service pensions, separately, for 1954–55.

The cost of Service pay and allowances in 1954–55 was about £280 million. This figure includes pay, marriage allowance and local overseas allowance, but does not include allowances drawn in lieu of issues in kind, such as ration and clothing allowances, nor National Insurance contributions. The pay and allowances of the Brigade of Gurkhas and of locally raised overseas forces are also excluded. The cost of long service pensions (including retired pay, commutation and dependants' pensions) was £28·5 million.

asked the Minister of Education what proposals he has in mind to improve the facilities for advanced science teaching in the schools.

Since 1945, about 1,000 new laboratories have been built or started for maintained grammar and technical schools. I hope that authorities will continue to use their freedom in minor works to improve science accommodation. If some of these projects cannot be carried out for less than £10,000, I am ready to consider them on their merits. As announced in the Press today, industry has set up a substantial Trust to give grants towards capital works for this purpose at independent and direct-grant grammar schools. I warmly welcome this initiative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the suffering caused where coroners' juries, often against the advice of the coroner, return verdicts of man-slaughter; that such verdicts have, on occasions, been criticised by the court in subsequent criminal prosecutions; and, in view of the waste of public money involved, if he will consider making an investigation into the procedure at coroners' courts, with special reference to the introduction of legislation to discontinue the jury system thereat.

The law and practice of coroners was the subject of a report by a Departmental committee in 1936. This committee recommended the retention of the jury system for the limited classes of case in which the coroner is at present required by law to sit with a jury. I do not think that it is necessary to institute any further inquiry, and I could not hold out any hope of legislation on this subject.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now in a position to announce his future policy for the deferment of farm workers from National Service, following his consideration of the representations made by the National Farmers' Union.

Yes. The rule has been abolished which precluded from consideration for deferment any agricultural worker, born in 1933 or later, who was employed on a farm or agricultural holding where there was more than two whole-time workers aged 17 or over unless he was a stockman. In future, consideration will be given to applications for deferment of any man, other than a seasonal worker, who is engaged in food production on an agricultural holding and is employed in one of the main or subsidiary agricultural occupations.Before deferment is granted it has to be established that there would unavoidably be a substantial loss of food production if the man concerned was called up. To determine this the Agricultural Advisory Panel and National Service Deferment Board have to be satisfied that