asked the Secretary of State for War the conditions under which a number of officers of the Royal Artillery were recently offered early retirement; and how this offer compares with the pay and pensions these officers would receive if they remained in the Army until the retirement age for their present rank.

Because of the disbandment of Anti-Aircraft Command 300 majors will be offered voluntary retirement on completing twenty years' service or, alternatively, continued employment in administrative appointments outside the Royal Artillery for as long as they are required. Retired pay awarded will vary from case to case, but generally the major who chooses to serve till retiring age will qualify for the full retired pay of £500 a year and the full terminal grant of £1,000. The officer who retires voluntarily after twenty years' service will receive the full terminal grant and about £460 a year retired pay. This rate will be about £40 a year higher and the terminal grant about £100 more than the normal rate for voluntary retirement.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Army wives and families are at present in Gibraltar living in civilian lodgings; what steps are taken to warn families before leaving England that this may be necessary; and if he will strike off the official approved list those lodgings whose price is unduly inflated.

Eighty-eight families are living in privately arranged lodgings. Soldiers who are not entitled to a married quarter can make their own arrangements for civilian accommodation, but we do what we can to help. We cannot however prevent anyone from going where he wishes, provided the accommodation is adequate. The question of an official list does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the agreement between his Lands Branch at Salisbury and Mr. J. D. Payne in respect of land at Arncott, near Bicester, will be made available for Mr. Payne to sign.

This agreement, which involved a lot of negotiation, was sent to Mr. Payne's agents for signature on 18th August, 1955. A number of points were raised which have now been cleared, and I know of nothing to delay a signature.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his proposal for a guarantee of Israel's frontiers.

The position of Her Majesty's Government is that they are prepared to guarantee Israel's frontiers after a settlement which includes an agreement on what those frontiers are to be. That is also the position of the United States Government, as will be seen from President Eisenhower's statement on 9th November. As I told the House on 4th April, and as Her Majesty's Government have repeated several times since, if we can get an arrangement between Israel and the Arab States we should be ready to guarantee it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the numbers of gloves, leather knitted and fabric, imported into the United Kingdom during the first nine months of 1955 and the comparable figures for the years 1952, 1953 and 1954.

The following is the Answer:

IMPORTS OF GLOVES INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM
Thousand Doz. Pairs
—		Jan.-Sept., 1952	Jan.-Sept., 1953	Jan.-Sept., 1954	Jan.-Sept., 1955
Leather	…	15	26	30	39
Fabric	…	19	37	177	654
Other	…	215	220	527	691
Total	…	249	283	734	1,384

asked the President of the Board of Trade the estimated balances between claims paid and premiums received by the Export Credits Guarantee Scheme, taking into account recoveries and anticipated recoveries, for the period since 1st January, 1952, to the latest convenient date.

The accounting year of the Export Credits Guarantee Department runs from 1st April and, therefore, the figures given are for the three years 1st April, 1952, to 31st March, 1955. The figures for the two schemes operated by the Export Credits Guarantee Department are:

—	Credit Insurance Scheme (Guarantees given under Section 1 of the Export Guarantees Act, 1949, with the advice of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council)	Special Guarantees Scheme (Guarantees given under Section 2 of the Export Guarantees Act, 1949, without the advice of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council)
	£ million	£ million
Claims paid	30·45	1·48
Premiums and recoveries	18·50(a)	1·30
Administrative costs and net interest credited	1·71	0·17
Debit Balance	13·66	0·35
(a) Includes £0·33 million recovered on claims paid in previous years.

It is hoped that further recoveries of £18 million for the Credit Insurance Scheme and £1 million for the Special Guarantees Scheme will eventually be received on claims paid during these years, but further claims will also have to be paid on guarantees given during that period.

asked the President of the Board of Trade with what countries an embargo on exports of goods from this country now operates under his regulations; and what modification of this is now being considered.

There are controls on the export of strategic goods to the countries of the Soviet bloc and to China, North Korea, North Vietnam and Tibet. We are in regular consultation with other Western Governments about these controls, but it would not be practicable to disclose the particular modifications that may at one time or another be under discussion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of cashmere woollen goods in value and volume sent to dollar markets in 1954 and the first nine months of 1955.

The only cashmere products for which separate figures are available are knitted cashmere goods. Dollar exports of these goods amounted in value to £3·0 million in the twelve months February, 1954, to January, 1955, and £1·5 million in the six months February to July, 1955. Later figures and figures of volume are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what evidence he has of evasion of the Hire-Purchase Restrictions by companies entering into hiring agreements.

There is some evidence of an increase in the use of hiring agreements, mainly for radio and television sets, since the introduction of restrictions on hire-purchase.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the increase in the importation of molasses to this country during the past seven years; what are the main sources of supply; and what steps are taken to ensure that this imported commodity conforms to an agreed standard of analysis.

Imports of all types of molasses for the first nine months of 1955 expressed as an annual rate have increased 53 per cent. by quantity and 18 per cent. by value compared with 1948; figures for the intervening years, which have fluctuated considerably, are given below. The main source of supply is Cuba, followed by the West Indies, Indonesia and the United States. The last part of the Question is a matter for

—		Imports of Molasses in years 1948–54							1955 January-September
		1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954
Quantity ('000 tons)	…	426	367	577	631	268	364	526	492
Value (£ million)	…	4·9	3·1	3·2	8·4	4·0	3·1	4·4	4·3

asked the President of the Board of Trade his future plans for taking censuses of production and distribution.

In order to take a sample survey of distribution in the form recommended by my Advisory Committee without increasing the staff engaged on census work, I propose to defer for a year the programme recommended by the Committee on the Censuses of Production and Distribution. This will mean taking a sample survey of distribution for 1957 instead of 1956, and a full Census of Production for 1958 instead of 1957; for 1957, a sample Census of Production will be taken.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the new reference to the Monopolies Commission under Section 15 with regard to common prices and collusive tendering will affect references to particular industries already before the Commission and where one practice or the other may to some extent be involved.

The references covering the supply of particular goods will not be affected by the new reference.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is yet in a position to announce the result of his discussion with the trade concerning the implementation of the recommendations

Yes. The House will be glad to know that the Federation of Calico Printers has agreed to the complete termination of the percentage quantum scheme, together with the obligation contained in it to observe minimum prices and uniform conditions of trading under sanctions.The Federation has assured my right hon. Friend that it has no intention of resuscitating obligations or sanctions in respect of these matters under a fresh agreement.As was envisaged in the Report of the Monopolies Commission, the Federation will remain free, if it so wishes, to have a list of recommended minimum prices and of recommended terms and conditions of trading, and a suggested scale of engraving rentals, all of which members could observe or not as they wished but which would not be enforceable by sanctions.With regard to redundancy, my right hon. Friend has agreed that the Federation's existing scheme which ends in 1959 should be allowed to run its course. With this exception, the principal recommendations of the Monopolies Commission will thus be carried into effect and it will be unnecessary for my right hon. Friend to make an Order under the Monopolies Act, 1948.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the nature of the representations made to him by the tyre manufacturers concerning the contents of the Report of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission on the supply of pneumatic tyres.

The representations are that publication of certain parts of the Report would be contrary to the public interest.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the total additional loan charges to local authorities on their capital expenditure for projects already authorised but not started as a result of the increase in the interest rates of the Public Works Loan Board to 5 per cent.

It is impossible to say.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet had an opportunity of considering the request for a committee of inquiry into the operation of the Purchase Tax on commercial and educational stationery; and whether he is able to give his decision.

I have considered this request most carefully, but I see no need for such an inquiry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in the revenue from the 2d. stamp on receipts for cash payments from 1946 to 1954, giving each year separately.

The total yield from stamp duties on receipts during the past nine years is given below:

					Stamp duty on receipts
Year					£ million
1946–47	…	…	…	…	3·3
1947–48	…	…	…	…	4·2
1948–49	…	…	…	…	4·3
1949–50	…	…	…	…	3·9
1950–51	…	…	…	…	3·8
1951–52	…	…	…	…	4·6
1952–53	…	…	…	…	4·7
1953–54	…	…	…	…	4·0
1954–55	…	…	…	…	4·2

The figures for the years 1946–47 to 1949–50 include small amounts in respect of proxies and scrip certificates. These duties were repealed by the Finance Act, 1949. Separate figures for receipts in respect of payments made in cash, as distinct from those made by cheque, are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that on cash payments of £2 and upwards it is now the common practice not to put a 2d. stamp on the receipt; and what steps he has taken to prevent this loss of revenue.

I have no reason to think that this is a common practice. If, however, instances of failure to stamp receipts are brought to the notice of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, suitable action by way of warning, pecuniary penalty or legal proceedings is taken in each case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the proportion of the total volume of sales of clothing, footwear and furniture which were wholly exempted from Purchase Tax by the operation of the D Scheme at the time of its abolition.

It is estimated that about five-sixths of the footwear (other than young children's footwear) and about three-quarters of the furniture sold before the Budget, was free of tax by reason of the D Scheme. In the case of clothing, the proportion varied widely from one article to another; for a number of typical articles, it is estimated to have been as shown below:

Proportion estimated to to have been free of tax	Men's wear	Women's wear
Less than a quarter	Three piece suits	Stockings
Between a quarter and a half	Two piece suits	Ankle socks Undervests Nightdresses
Between a half and three-quarters	Jackets Waistcoats, cardigans and pullovers Overcoats, woollen Shirts Vests and pants, non-woollen	Two piece suits, woolen Slips Knickers
More than three-quarters	Trousers Overalls Socks, woollen Pyjamas	Corsets and corselettes Overcoats, woolen Skirts Dresses

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of money received in Purchase Tax on electric washing machines for the first six months of this year.

Approximately £4 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of money received in Purchase Tax on electric vacuum cleaners for the first six months of this year.

Approximately £2½ million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the national income was represented by the earnings of men aged 21 years or over in 1938, 1946, 1948 and 1954.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the average Income Tax paid upon the earnings of men aged 21 years or over in 1938, 1946, 1948 and 1954.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has yet received a letter from local residents at Trevone, in which objection is made to the proposed development by building of Well Park Field, on the ground that it is a site of high scenic value; and what action he is taking.

Yes. A reply has been sent, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will grant planning permission, application for which was made last June, for the erection of a Catholic school in Church Lane, Wolstanton, Newcastle-under-Lyme; and why consideration of this matter has taken so long.

I have now given planning consent. I was not able to do so earlier because of the inquiries which had to be made into this proposal.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what decision he has reached concerning the complaint made to him about the intention of the Southport Corporation to use land on the Radnor Drive Housing Estate for other purposes than those for which it was compulsorily purchased.

I have asked the Southport Corporation for further information about their proposals

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will circularise local authorities asking them to state the number of valuation lists they will need, so that when duplicating or printing the two lists to comply with Section 1 (3) of the Rating and Valuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955, he can have extra copies made for supply to the local authorities.

No. The typing of the lists is nearly finished.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will initiate an inquiry into the supply of water for farm purposes in the district of Oxenhope, Keighley, Yorkshire.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will state, for each of the Greater London new towns, the number of houses that have been let in each town since designation; the number of tenants that have been taken directly from the housing lists of London area local authorities; the number of houses in respect of which the exporting authority has made a contribution towards the rate subsidy; and the average amount of contributions so made.

(1)		(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)
New Town		Total houses and flats let	Let to Londoners	Let to persons who had unsuccessfully applied to a London Local Authority for a house (included in col. (3))	Houses in respect of which the exporting authority has made a contribution
Basildon	…	2,277	1,646	989	71
Bracknell	…	1,034	886	432	146
Crawley	…	4,476	3,980	1,948	435
Harlow	…	5,500	4,267	2,352	81
Hemel Hempstead	…	4,354	3,749	2,063	414
Stevenage	…	3,347	2,674	1,590	333
Welwyn and Hatfield	…	2,764	2,082	775	240
Totals	…	23,752	19,284	10,149	1,720
1. The above information relates to the position as at 30th June, 1955, the latest date for which returns are available.
2. The reason for the low figures in column (5) is that exporting authorities have contributed to 'he cost of houses in New Towns only during the last two years.
3. The rate of contribution by exporting authorities has been the amount of the statutory rate fund contribution under the Housing Acts at the appropriate time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will state, in suitable form, the number and composition of the staff of the Alkali Inspectorate of his Department; the salaries paid to various grades; the total present cost per annum of the Inspectorate; and to what extent it could be enlarged by an additional expenditure from public funds at the rate of £40,000 per annum in pursuance of the clean air policy.

The figures are as follows:

ALKALI INSPECTORATE
(i) Number	Grade	Salary
1	Chief Inspector	£2,050
1	Deputy Chief Inspector	£1,520–£1,750
7	Inspectors	£1,375–£1,595
(ii) The total present cost per annum of the Alkali Inspectorate's salaries is approximately £14,830.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many appeals he has received in the present year from the planning decisions of county councils refusing to licence new caravan sites in their areas.

The following is the answer:

I regret that this information is not available in the form in which my hon. and gallant Friend asks for it; 165 appeals relating to caravan sites were determined in the nine months ended 30th September last, but the records do not distinguish between appeals from decisions of county councils and county borough councils, and appeals relating to new and existing sites.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has considered a request from the Meat Traders' Association, and others, asking that the derating of factories, etc., should cease, and a general system of rating of premises should be arranged on an equitable basis; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes. I have nothing to add to the statements made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary and myself on 28th and 30th June last, of which I am sending copies to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to announce his findings upon the Birmingham Corporation Development Plan.

As soon as I have completed my study of the important issues involved.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the anomalies which still exist in the matter of compensation under the Town and Country Planning Acts, 1947 and 1954; and if he will introduce legislation to correct these anomalies.

If my hon. Friend will let me know what points he has in mind, I shall gladly look into them. But I can hold out no promise of early legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many grants were made by Edinburgh Corporation in respect of the current academic year for students attending St. Andrew's University;(2) how many grants were made by Glasgow Corporation in respect of the current academic year for students attending St. Andrew's University.

Three grants have been made by Edinburgh Corporation and seven by Glasgow Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the fact that four months has now elapsed since the decision to revise the capital investment programmes of nationalised industries, why the Scottish electricity boards have not complied with the policy of reducing expenditure; and whether he will now make a further statement.

The Scottish Electricity Boards were asked to review their capital expenditure for their next financial year as part of the review of investment programmes held annually at this time of year. The Board's proposals are now being considered along with those of the Central Electricity Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied with the operation so far of the several river pollution boards in view of complaints made to him about the disposal of litter in the Tweed and sheep dip.

The boards are operating satisfactorily and I have no reason to suppose that they will not deal adequately with any pollutions in their areas arising from litter or sheep dip. The Tweed Board is at present considering the question of litter in the Tweed, and I have offered the board guidance in the framing of suitable byelaws.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what saving is estimated from the application of the new procedure outlined in Circular 315 of the Scottish Education Department.

The object of the new procedure is not to save money but to free Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools from the need to visit schools for the sole purpose of conducting practical tests in connection with the Scottish Leaving Certificate Examination, and so to give them greater opportunities of visiting schools of all kinds for the purpose of inspecting and advising on the teaching of art.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he had, prior to issue of Circular 315, with representatives of the teaching profession; and how far they expressed approval of the proposals contained in Circular 315.

Consultations took place with the Educational Institute of Scotland, the Association of Headmasters of Senior Secondary Schools, and the Association of Headmistresses (Scottish Branch). After the original proposals had been adjusted to take full account of the views expressed by these bodies, approval was expressed by all on the understanding that the new procedure would be introduced on an experimental basis and would remain open to reconsideration in the light of experience.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, as a result of his consultations with local authorities on problems arising from last winter's snow-storms, what arrangements have been made to provide an adequate number of modern snow-ploughs and other facilities necessary for the safety of rural communities in Caithness and Sutherland.

Additional heavy lorries fitted with snow ploughs are on order, which should make it easier for help to be given to Caithness and Sutherland.

asked the Minister of Education how many schools in Britain under his jurisdiction have facilities for the teaching and practice of swimming.

Most of the maintained schools at which swimming is taught rely on the use of public or privately-owned swimming baths. I would not feel justified in asking local education authorities for the special return which an exact answer to the hon. and learned Member's question would require.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware that the helicopter which takes passengers from Waterloo air terminal to London Airport is scheduled to arrive at the airport one-and-a-half hours before the passengers' aeroplane leaves; and what steps he will take to reduce this period.

The services are scheduled to arrive at London Airport at 10.28, 12.28, 13.28 and 15.28 hours. They are not scheduled to connect with particular aircraft. It is for passengers to decide which provides the most convenient connection with the aircraft on which they are flying. Helicopters in their present stage of development are, however, in certain weather conditions and especially in winter liable, for safety reasons, to restrictions on the number of passengers carried or to cancellation of flights at short notice. British European Airways therefore advise passengers in their own interests to arrange helicopter flights at an hour early enough to leave time for travel by coach to London Airport, if the helicopter passage has to be cancelled. This is a matter of commercial operation for them.

asked the Minister of Labour on what date or dates Malcolm Harris was seen by medical boards before 11th July, 1955; on what date he was examined by the consultant, whose report resulted in his being instructed to report to the Royal Air Force despite his need to wear a special spinal corset with steel supports, who is the consultant involved; and, in view of the fact that Harris has subsequently been found unsuitable for any form of national service, what action has been taken to inform the consultant of his mistake and to dispense with his services as a consultant.

Mr. Harris was examined by a National Service Medical Board on 28th February, 1955, and by a consultant on 17th March, 1955. It is not the practice to disclose the names of consultants. I do not accept the contention that the consultant was at fault in his diagnosis of this case, and the last part of the Question, therefore, does not arise.