asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made with the consideration of the Phillips Report.

The Report of the Phillips Committee laid down broad principles for general guidance which will be of great value in considering the Government's future policy in relation to provision for the aged. The National Insurance Act, 1954, took account of the Committee's recommendation about contributions. The recommendations on the grant of tax relief for occupational pension schemes must, of course, be examined in the light of the Millard Tucker Report, which as my hon. Friend knows is now under consideration.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the total administrative cost of the Estate Duty Office for the financial years 1938–39, 1950–51 and 1954–55.

The total administrative cost of the Estate Duty Office (including the cost of services performed for it by the Valuation Office and other offices) is estimated at £750,000 for 1938–39; £1,170,000 for 1950–51; and £1,770,000 for 1954–55.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what provision is made for the disposal by farmers of metal farm refuse such as bail and barbed wire.

The collection of scrap metal is of course the business of scrap merchants. But if my hon. Friend will let me know of any farmer having difficulty in disposing of his scrap, I will see that the National Federation of Scrap Iron, Steel and Metal Merchants are informed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the acute shortage of iron and steel supplies for country craftsmen, such as blacksmiths, agricultural engineers and farriers; and what steps he will take to facilitate the delivery of bars and round sections to country workshops.

I am aware that, in spite of the increasing quantities of steel made available this year, there have been shortages of the smaller sizes of certain steel products which are normally taken by the users mentioned by the hon. Member. This problem is receiving the close attention of the Iron and Steel Board.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received the report of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission on the supply of sand and gravel in central Scotland.

Yes. I received this Report on 4th November. It will be laid before Parliament in due course in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the recommendations of the Committee which considered the use of antioxidants in foods he now proposes to implement.

As the representations made to my Department regarding the recommendations raised new issues, including some of a technical nature, they have been referred to the Committee for consideration. I am awaiting further advice from the Committee on these matters.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take on recommendations in the Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Slaughterhouses.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, Central (Sir F. Medlicott) on 3rd November.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has that increased numbers of poultry are being killed by foxes in areas where wild rabbits have been virtually wiped out by myxomatosis.

There have been rather more complaints of attacks on poultry by foxes in some areas, but, taking the country as a whole, I have no evidence of an appreciable increase in these attacks. Nevertheless, poultry keepers would be well advised to be on their guard.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what study has been made of the degree of success in controlling or eliminating rabies achieved by Governments which require all dogs entering the country to be inoculated against rabies and have no period of compulsory quarantine;(2) since when, and with what results, experiments have been made in immunising dogs against rabies; what conclusions have been drawn from these experiments; and if he will now announce his intention of revising the present law which requires all dogs entering the country to suffer six months' quarantine.

The results of experiments in other countries over many years into the inoculation of dogs against rabies and of measures to control the disease are studied by my veterinary advisers. Practical experience has shown that, while inoculation can be a reasonably effective control in countries where the disease is endemic, it can by no means be relied upon to confer complete immunity. An expert committee set up by the World Health Organisation recently expressed the view that countries now free from rabies should continue to prohibit the import of dogs and cats or subject them to a long period of quarantine, preferably six months, at the port of entry. I am convinced, so far as this country is concerned, that to reduce the quarantine period or to rely on inoculation as an alternative would be an unjustifiable risk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state, for each month of 1954 and 1955 to the latest date, the number of eggs at egg-packing stations tested by inspectors of his Department; and the percentage these formed of the total numbers of eggs passing through the stations.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the Report of the Committee on National Stud Policy and Methods of Operation.

No, but I will announce the Government's intentions as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement as to the proposed felling under the auspicies of his Department of the coppice known as "Sea Wood" at Bardsea, North Lancashire.

The Commissioners of Crown Lands are concerned about the long-term preservation of this woodland because its ancient oaks are deteriorating and its ash is already mature. They are considering a plan prepared by the Forestry Commission for selective felling and re-stocking over an extended period, and are at present awaiting the views of the Planning Committee of the Lancashire County Council and of the Nature Conservancy upon it. The Commissioners will give due weight to the woodland's amenity value.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made by the Welsh Agricultural Land Sub-Commission with the farm survey in mid-Wales; and when their report is expected to be published.

I have received the Report of the Welsh Agricultural Land Sub-Commission on their Mid-Wales Investigation, and am arranging for it to be published as soon as possible. I am most grateful to the Chairman and members of the Sub-Commission for their work.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who is representing the British Govern- ment at the inquiry into British agricultural policy by certain member countries of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

The Organisation for European Economic Co-operation is reviewing the agricultural policies of all its member countries. The United Kingdom has been represented by officials of my Department, both when its own policy was being discussed and when it was taking part in the discussion of the policies of other countries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had from farming interests that the credit squeeze is hindering production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the anxiety felt by small farmers in the Midland counties regarding the credit squeeze; and what action he proposes to take to ease their difficulties.

I have received a small number of representations, virtually all dealing with individual farmers' difficulties, but none specially from small farmers in the Midland counties. None of these cases suggests any doubt as to the willingness and ability of the banks to give due weight to the importance of agriculture.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proportion of the acreage of England and Wales is now a rabbit-free area; what action is being taken to increase this acreage during the present favourable period; and what precautions are in operation to maintain disinfestation by this pest.

Myxomatosis has taken a heavy toll of rabbits over about four-fifths of the country, and it is still spreading in some areas, mainly in the north. County agricultural executive committees are co-operating with local representative organisations to ensure that full advantage is taken of conditions this winter to destroy surviving rabbits. A little over one-third of the country has already been scheduled as rabbit clearance areas under the Pests Act, and further areas are in process of designation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will introduce amending legislation for the purpose of establishing more definitely the responsibilities of the various authorities concerned in the prevention of inland flooding, as suggested in the Heneage Report.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement about the proposals of the Heneage Committee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the total number of staff, the number of male and female employees, respectively, the total annual salaries and wages, and the total travelling expenses of the North Riding Agricultural Executive Committee.

The non-industrial staff attached to the North Riding Agricultural Executive Committee totals 125 (69 male and 56 female). The annual cost of salaries and wages is £57,519, and of travelling and subsistence expenses £9,760.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will intervene and assist in a settlement of the strike at the Rolls Royce works in Glasgow.

As my hon. Friend will know, there is an agreed procedure in the engineering industry for the settlement of disputes. The procedure is not at present operating in this dispute because of the stoppage of work. The industrial relations officer in Scotland is, however, keeping in touch with the position and, if required, will be ready to help in securing a resumption of work to enable the procedure to operate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction being caused by inequitable application of the law in regard to football lotteries and similar money-raising efforts as between one county and another, and even within the same county, as, for example, in Lancashire; and what advice he proposes to issue to chief constables on this matter.

The question whether proceedings should be instituted in an individual case is a matter for the chief constable concerned to decide on the facts of the case, and I have no authority to interfere with this discretion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the scale of pensions for police officers who are injured on duty and for the widows for those who are killed; and whether he will make a statement about the pension of 2s. 10d. per week that has been awarded to Anthony Still.

I regret the injuries which led to Mr. Anthony Still's retirement from the police force, and I am glad to take this opportunity to correct any misunderstanding about his pension entitlement. He will receive, in addition to the ill-health pension, based on length of service, to which the hon. Member refers, an injury award related to the degree to which his earning capacity has been affected. This will ensure that the amount he receives does not fall below £2 5s. 6d. a week. His degree of disablement is at present assessed at 40 per cent. If this deteriorates the amount will be increased and may reach a maximum of £5 13s. 9d. a week.The following are the scales of police pensions to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now considered the recent report of the Working Party on the sale of old metals and the control of dealers in old metals; and what action he proposes to take with regard to the recommendations made in it.

I have considered the Working Party's Report and I am prepared to accept its recommendations, but I cannot say when it will be possible to introduce the legislation necessary to implement them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to speed up passport formalities for British holidaymakers returning with their cars from the Continent to this country.

As an experiment, I recently arranged for immigration officers to travel on the cross-Channel car ferries, and I propose to examine the matter further in the light of reports on this experiment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that parents are deliberately deserting or leaving their children, sometimes in local authority premises, well knowing that the local authority will have to receive them into care; that it is not possible for proceedings to be taken against the parents unless it can be proved that the children have been abandoned in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering; and what action he proposes to take.

I understand that such cases occur. The need for additional powers to prosecute parents who abandon children in such circumstances will be considered when amending legislation can be undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent it is the practice to obtain an undertaking from ministers of religion not to reveal anything that may be said to them in the course of their duty when they are given facilities for interviewing convicted prisoners in the condemned cell.

It is, of course, the recognised practice that ministers of religion should not reveal anything said to them by a prisoner under the seal of confession or in confidence. Moreover, all ministers whom I appoint to prisons sign an undertaking not to divulge, without the sanction of the Prison Commissioners, any information they obtain in the course of their duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the 11 persons recently appointed to the new posts of Regional Directors of Civil Defence in England and Wales have had previous close connection with civil defence; and whether he will give the qualifications of the 11 men concerned, particularly with regard to their civil defence knowledge and experience.

The recently-appointed Regional Directors were those recommended by a selection board presided over at my request by the First Civil Service Commissioner as being the candidates best fitted to carry out the duties of the new posts. Knowledge of civil defence was not a condition of appointment, but Captain Harkness, General Lethbridge and General Wood have had previous civil defence experience.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now able to announce the Government's decision on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment.

Her Majesty's Government have given further consideration to the Report of the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment in the light of the debate on 10th February last.The Commission's recommendations may be divided into three main groups.The first consists of the major recommendations that the age limit below which the sentence of death may not be imposed should be raised from 18 to 21; that in all other cases the jury should be given discretion to decide whether there are such extenuating circumstances as to justify substituting the sentence of imprisonment for life for the sentence of death; and that the test of criminal responsibility laid down (so far as concerns England and Wales) by the M' Naghten Rules should be abrogated. The Government, after full consideration, do not feel able to accept any of these three recommendations.The second group consists of a number of other less important recommendations which could not be implemented without legislation. The Government do not see any prospect of legislation on this matter in the near future, and propose to defer a decision on these recommendations until an opportunity for legislation can be found.

asked the Minister of Education what instructions he has given to the British representative on the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation on the obligations and rights of staff members consequent on the decision of the administrative tribunal of the International Labour Office in the case of the wrongful dismissal of four employees.

It is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to disclose beforehand the instructions given to United Kingdom delegates at meetings of international organisations.

asked the Minister of Education what form of Government assistance is made available to provincial art galleries and museums, whether supported by local authorities or private organisations; and what is the present amount of this financial aid.

The Government assists provincial art galleries and museums in England and Wales by means of a fund from which grants are made towards the cost of approved purchases. The amount allowed for this purpose in the Estimates for my Department for 1955–56 is £1,320.

asked the Minister of Education the value of new building for the teaching of science in maintained grammar, technical and secondary modern schools, respectively, which has taken place since 1945.

The cost of laboratories cannot be exactly separated from the cost of the new schools of which they form an integral part. But I estimate that the laboratories alone have in this period cost £1½ million in technical schools, just under £3 million in grammar schools and £9 million in modern schools.

asked the Minister of Education how many students are enrolled for degree courses in technical colleges in London; and how many of these are foreign students.

I regret that this information is not available in my Department.

asked the Minister of Education in how many technical colleges sandwich courses in engineering and technology are now in operation.

Forty-one technical colleges in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will define the categories of weapons which are treated by Her Majesty's Government as weapons of mass destruction for the purpose of discussions on disarmament and related questions.

The present discussions on disarmament are still concerned with general principles and we have not yet reached the stage of the negotiation of a disarmament treaty. When this stage is reached all categories of weapons will, of course, have to be carefully defined.

asked the Attorney-General the total amount of public funds voted by Parliament in 1954–55 for the Legal Aid Scheme; the total amount actually used for this purpose; and the proportion of the cases and of the total cost attributable to matrimonial causes.

A total grant of £1,552,225 was voted for the Legal Aid Scheme in 1954–55. Subject to the Comptroller and Auditor General's examination of the accounts, it appears that £1,275,000 was actually applied for this purpose. Eighty-one per cent. of aided cases concluded in the year, and 78 per cent. of those granted legal aid in the year, related to matrimonial causes. Save for cases conducted by the Law Society's Divorce Department, matrimonial causes are not separately accounted for, and I am therefore unable to answer the last part of the hon. Member's Question.

asked the Minister of Health what action he has taken to prevent infection by paratyphoid disease following the eating of contaminated synthetic cream; and how many cases of such infection have occurred.

The necessary powers to prevent the spread of infection vest in the local authorities, while I naturally keep in touch with any developments. But I am afraid that separate figures are not available for these particular cases.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the section of dual-carriageway road forming the first part of the East Retford by-pass on A1 will be completed.

The estimated date of completion is December, 1956.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to decide the appeal in connection with the proposed vesting in the Kettering Borough Council of Miller and Whitehead Limited's sewers on the Pebbleford Estate or to fix a date for a hearing.

I received the company's grounds of appeal on 29th October and have asked for the council's observations on them. After I get their reply, I shall fix the necessary hearing.