asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has now completed his consultations upon the Report of the Land Drainage Legislative Sub-Committee of the Central Advisory Water Committee; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 10th November.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to introduce the necessary legislation to initiate a scheme of welfare food supplies to all old-age pensioners to enable them to purchase at October, 1951, cost price a predetermined basic supply of eggs, butter, milk, cheese, margarine, tea, bacon, meat and bread.

No. It is not the intention of the Government to extend benefits in kind.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the unofficial rationing of bacon in recent months, and the sharp rise in price, why he has not taken steps to import more of the great quantities available for export in Poland at prices below Danish bacon imports, especially since Poland wishes to use the sterling so earned to import British manufactures.

The contracts made by my Department for the supply of Polish bacon cover the full quantity included in the Trade Agreement for 1955. The firsthand prices of bacon have been falling since 13th November and supplies are plentiful.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the fact that the fall in prices paid to bacon-pig producers is not followed by a corresponding fall in retail prices, he will take steps to control the retail price of bacon.

No. Retail bacon prices vary from shop to shop and from district to district but they are now falling. The following is a comparison of representative prices with those ruling in October:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much per pint milk is being sold below its cost of production and distribution, exclusive of welfare milk; how much per 14 ounce loaf of bread is also being sold below its real total cost; and what is the annual subsidy involved in each case, separately.

The milk subsidy, excluding the welfare schemes, and the bread subsidy were estimated to cost £28·9 million and £40·7 million respectively in the current financial year. These figures represent unit subsidies of about ⅔ pence per pint on all milk sold for liquid consumption and ld. per 14 oz. loaf. These figures do not take account of the changes in producers' prices resulting from the 1955 Annual Review and in other costs since the estimates were made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the dead weight and value of the pigs upon which deficiency payments were made between 28th June, 1954, and 25th November, 1955, of £75,800,000; and how much, approximately, this represents per lb. dead weight.

The deficiency payments were made in respect of pigs weighing 94·9 million score lb. deadweight, and equal 9½d. per lb. deadweight. The market value of the pigs was approximately £167 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the basis of his assessment of this year's home dessert apple crop prior to his joint announcement with the President of the Board of Trade on 14th September that traders would be permitted to import dessert apples from North America during the current season.

When these quotas were fixed, I was aware that the home crop was likely to be smaller than that in 1954 through reports I receive regularly from Horticultural Crop Intelligence Committees in all the main producing counties, and from my own officers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to consider publishing an abridged edition or a White Paper giving the recommendation of the Mid-Wales Investigation Report of the Welsh Agricultural Land Sub-Commission, Command Paper No. 9631, presented on 7th December, 1955, in view of the price being 16s. for the Full Report.

Arrangements are being made with the Stationery Office for the Report and Appendices to be sold without the maps at 3s 6d. The maps will also be on sale separately. I hope this will meet the hon. Member's suggestion, for which I am grateful.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of live horses imported from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, since the introduction of the Horses (Landing from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) Order, 1954; how many were found on examination to be unfit to continue their journey, and had to be rested; and how many had to be slaughtered on the advice of the veterinary inspectors.

From 25th June, 1954, when the Order came into force, until 3rd December, 1955, 1,382 horses were landed from Northern Ireland; of these 50 were found to be, unfit to continue their journey and were detained for a period; none had to be slaughtered. From the Irish Republic, 8,795 horses were landed of which 258 were detained for a period and 69 were slaughtered on veterinary advice.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much was paid out in 1953 and in 1954 in grant aids for small scale composite schemes for the improvement of farmland in the United Kingdom under the Marginal Production Scheme.

The payments made during the financial years 1953–54 and 1954–55 for these schemes in Great Britain were respectively £1,420,266 and £1,726,238. The Northern Irish marginal production Regulations do not provide for composite schemes of farm improvement.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that orange juice is satisfactory in providing extra vitamin C; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the concentrated orange juice provided under the Welfare Foods Service is a good source of vitamin C and he is advised that children who are too young to obtain an adequate supply of this vitamin as part of their ordinary diet are in need of a supplement of this kind.

asked the Minister of Health what information has been circulated to medical officers of health by his Department respecting the food value of cod liver oil.

The results of a small survey on a selected group of children were described in the Ministry's. Monthly Bulletin which is sent to medical officers of health. A Press comment on this Report may have given rise to misunderstanding. My right hon. Friend would like to make it clear that in his view all young children need an adequate supply of vitamin D in their diet and cod liver oil is an excellent source of this vitamin.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths have occurred in England and Wales from chronic bronchitis in 1928, 1938, 1948, and for the last year for which figures are available.

The comparable numbers of deaths from chronic bronchitis in 1928, 1938, 1948 and 1954 were as follows:—

asked the Minister of Health the death rate from chronic bronchitis for the last year for which figures are available but not published; and whether this rate is increasing or decreasing.

The death rate from chronic bronchitis for 1954 was 458 per million persons living. The death rate for men was 684 per million and for women 249 per million. These rates are lower than the corresponding rates in each of the previous three years.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths have occurred in England and Wales from pulmonary tuberculosis in 1938, 1948 and for the last year for which figures are available; and how many anti-tubercular chest clinics were available in these years.

The number of deaths from respiratory tuberculosis in England and Wales fell from 21,282 in 1938 to 19,088 in 1948, and to 7,069 in 1954. At the end of each of those three years the number of chest clinics were respectively about 575, about 570 and 513: the annual number of clinic sessions however has risen steadily every year since 1949.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will hold an inquiry into the circumstances in which Mr. A. F. Kirk, at present of Highcliffe, Hampshire, was supplied with badly fitting surgical shoes in 1950 under the National Health Service.

No; Mr. Kirk's complaints have been thoroughly investigated and everything possible has been done to keep him supplied with satisfactory footwear.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will authorise the holding of small stocks of simple drugs and dressings by doctors in health centres.

Local health authorities should provide at health centres what a doctor may reasonably require by way of drugs and dressings. If doctors themselves wish to hold such stocks my right hon. Friend's authorisation is not needed.

asked the Minister of Health what drug he will recommend to be used instead of heroin for those patients who cannot take morphia.

It is not for me to recommend the use of any particular drug. The drug or drugs to be used must be decided by the patient's doctor.

asked the Minister of Health what treatment under the National Health Service is to be available after 31st December for heroin addicts who are receiving diminishing doses of the drug as part of their present treatment by practitioners.

If any particular drug is not available it must obviously be for each patient's doctor to decide what alternative method of treatment is best suited to any individual.

asked the Minister of Health how many members have been appointed to the Medical Advisory Committee; on what date the last meeting of the Committee was held to consider the proposed ban on the manufacture of heroin; and how many members were then present.

The answers are 27; 14th December, 1954; and 20.

asked the Minister of Health what quantity of heroin he estimates to have been prescribed, supplied or used under the National Health Service in each of the last three years.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many times the Standing Advisory Committee to the Minister of Health has met during the course of 1954 and 1955; what fees are paid to its members for attendance; and how many of its 27 members were present at the meeting at which it was finally advised that heroin should be banned.

The Standing Medical Advisory Committee met three times in 1954 and has met twice so far this year. No fees are paid to its members, of whom 20 were present at the meeting referred to in the last part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Health what drugs are at present forbidden to the medical profession.

There is no authority either generally, or under the National Health Service, to prohibit prescribing any drug. So far as there is any question of controlling or licensing the manufacture of any particular drug, that is a matter for my right hon. and gallant Friend the Home Secretary.

asked the Minister of Health the number of single doctor practices that fell vacant during 1954; in how many of these was a successor established on the same basis; and what was approximately the average number of weeks that elapsed between the vacancy occurring and the establishment of a successor.

Two hundred and thirty single practices fell vacant during 1954 and 134 of these were filled on the same basis. The information required to answer the last part of the Question is being obtained and will be sent to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health what medical advice he has received as to the effect of diesel fumes on human health.

None. My right hon. Friend understands that no conclusive evidence is yet available from current investigations, upon which to base any such advice.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has completed his inquiries into certain cases brought to his notice in which doctors' fees were in excess of those recommended by the British Medical Association for signing cremation forms B and C; and if he will make a statement on this matter.

Not yet.

asked the Minister of Health the present figures of nursing staff at the Winterton Mental Hospital, and the number of patients at present living in this hospital; and how such figures compare with those of twelve months ago.

There are at present 2,049 patients and 346 full-time and 93 part-time nurses. At the end of last December the number of patients was 2,058 and there were 349 full-time and 79 part-time nurses.

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has for the general alteration of the Winterton Mental Hospital so as to modernise its appearance and improve the facilities for patients.

I am informed that the Regional Hospital Board intends to include six development projects at this hospital in its capital programme for the next two years. The estimated total cost is £103,500.

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has for the improving of nursing facilities at the Winterton Mental Hospital.

If the hon. Member has in mind measures for improving the nursing staff situation, I would refer him to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Ilford, North (Mr. Iremonger) on 31st October. This hospital was visited by my mental nursing officers about a year ago, when staffing questions were fully discussed with the senior officers of the hospital management committee.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Miss Alice Hodgson was engaged by the Committee of Managers of Brock-hall Hospital, Langho, near Blackburn, as a shop manageress in 1946, on the basis that she should have the appropriate rate prescribed by her union, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, but that she has now been subjected to a standstill in her rate of pay until the lower rate of the Ancillary Staffs Council overtakes it; and if he will take steps to ensure that Miss Hodgson receives the rate of pay which was agreed when she was engaged.

Miss Hodgson is being paid in accordance with the Whitley agreement which now governs the remuneration of manageresses of hospital shops, and I would not be justified in authorising any other arrangement.

asked the Minister of Health how many nurses have left Menston Mental Hospital during this year.

Seventy-seven, but as 64 were recruited in the period the net reduction in nursing staff is 13.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that male nurses at Menston Hospital are being asked to work their day off to enable the hospital to be staffed; and if he will give an assurance that they are adequately compensated for this.

Yes, though not on every day off. All extra hours worked are paid for in accordance with the national conditions of service.

asked the Minister of Health if, in order to attract more nurses from such cities as Leeds and Bradford to Menston, he will agree to pay travelling expenses.

I will, of course, look at any proposal the management committee may make. But it has not so far suggested to me that additional nurses could be recruited by this exceptional means.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors holding appointments from a hospital management committee are serving as members of such management committees in the Northern Hospital Region.

I am making inquiries and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether he has yet received the Report of the Committee of the Medical Research Council which is studying the medical aspects of nuclear radiation, including the genetic effects; and when he hopes to be able to publish the Report.

It is hoped that the Report will be ready in about three months.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he is yet able to say which areas are to be considered to effect a study of human populations who are subject to a high natural radiation background.

No.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the average supplementation paid to applicants for National Assistance for each of the assistance areas in Wales at the latest convenient date.

The National Assistance Board regrets that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the average supplementation paid to applicants for National Assistance for each Assistance Board region at the latest convenient date.

Following is the Answer:

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will introduce legislation to return the retire- ment pension to its previous status as an old-age pension.

No.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will abolish some of the form-filling which has to be undertaken before a mother can obtain welfare foods for her children.

The forms of application for welfare milk and vitamin tokens ask only for essential information to enable a mother to show that she is entitled to these benefits for her children and to satisfy the Department that a duplicate claim is not being made. The forms are kept under constant review and have been simplified this year.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that Mrs. L. Goldman, 15, Whytevile Road, E.7, has been refused her funeral benefit grant on the decease of her husband due to a mistake and misunderstanding concerning the time and date of cashing the cheque; and whether he will reissue a further cheque to this lady.

As has already been explained to the hon. Member, I have no power to do as he asks.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he will take to ensure that more coal is made immediately available to merchants in Bournemouth.

I have written to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, in the national interest, he will issue a general direction to the National Coal Board to make a survey of areas of coal near the surface unlikely to be worked by the National Coal Board, and have advertised in the Press the fact that such areas exist, with a view to their being worked by free enterprise.

I will draw the attention of the National Coal Board to this suggestion, but I understand that the Board's plans already cover working all significant areas of this kind to the maximum practicable extent.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what proposals he has for experiments in underground gasification within the South Wales coalfield of the South Western Division of the National Coal Board.

No proposals have yet been considered for underground gasification experiments on new sites.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the basis upon which the target of saving 300,000 tons of coal this winter has been set to Welsh industry.

The figure of 300,000 tons is approximately 10 per cent. of the coal consumed by Welsh industry in 1954. It was inadvertently quoted by my Department recently as the target of saving set for this winter, for which the figure should be 150,000 tons.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to make a statement upon the effects of the present curtailment of capital investment in the field of rural electrification.

Until the comprehensive review of the proposals of the Electricity Boards for capital expenditure next year has been completed it would be premature to make a statement on any class of capital project covered by that review.

asked the Secretary of State for War why National Service men who have been rejected from another Service on the grounds that their low medical category is such that they could not be sent abroad are not only accepted by the Army but sent abroad to areas in which hostilities are taking place.

The other Services have fewer vacancies than the Army for National Service men in the lower medical categories, and a man's rejection by them does not necessarily mean that he is unfit to serve in the Army abroad provided suitable employment can be found for him.

asked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the fact that he was satisfied in September that all useful evidence was already collated about the Salisbury Plain tank accident, why he is still unable to answer six questions regarding the accident, put to him five weeks ago in a letter from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield, and concerning the identity of officers in command of the camp, the dangers known to exist in the camp, the orders about and provisions of chocks, inspection of the tank brakes, and the men in charge of the tanks.

My right hon. Friend has written to the hon. Member. The reason that he did not do so earlier is, as he explained in his letter of 29th November, that on that date he had not completed his inquiries with the units and commanders concerned on six questions out of a total of sixteen raised in the hon. Member's latest letter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that many articles such as soap powders, dentifrice, and detergents need not be sold by weight or measure, and that the contents of these go down in weight without notice to the purchasers; and if he will stop this method of concealing price increases by measures to ensure that all packaged goods are clearly stamped with weight.

The marking of prepacked soaps and other detergents with the weight or measure of their contents is one of the recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee on Weights and Measures legislation. My right hon. Friend is considering the recommendations in the Report with a view to introducing new legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to bring about an improvement in the quality and standards of exhibits and pavilions at overseas trade fairs in order to represent adequately Britain's industrial enterprise.

I have no doubt that British firms exhibiting in overseas trade fairs give careful attention to the matters to which the hon. Member refers, since their object in displaying their goods is to sell them. The Board of Trade and the overseas officers of Her Majesty's Government give all the help they can to British exhibitors. On the general question I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Solihull (Mr. M. Lindsay) on 25th October.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of small mild steel reinforcement rods are dependent on foreign imported billets.

I regret this information is not available. During this year home production of billets for light rolled products (including reinforcing rods) is being supplemented by imports to the extent of 5 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that his decision to import North American dessert apples has had a depressing effect upon the wholesale price of home-produced apples; and if he will so regulate future imports as to avoid a recurrence of this effect.

No. I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that, with the sole exception of one variety in one recent week, weekly average prices of first-quality dessert apples realised by wholesalers in eight representative markets, taken together, in England and Wales have been consistently higher this season than in the corresponding weeks of last year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received during the past year in favour of a ban on the manufacture and export of whisky.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to reconsider his decision for the banning of heroin, in view of the further protest made to him on 5th December by the British Medical Association on the subject.

I, in common with other hon. Members, have received a copy of a pamphlet over the signature of the Public Relations Officer of the British Medical Association. The Government are considering the issue of a White Paper on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to give the basis of the calculation that 69 per cent. of the world's supply of heroin is manufactured in this country; and what allowance for illicit production was made in arriving at this figure.

This calculation was made by the Permanent Central Opium Board of the United Nations, to which governments parties to the International Conventions of 1925 and 1931 supply statistics of manufacture of drugs which they licence. Accordingly it relates only to lawful manufacture.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will conduct a survey to ascertain to what extent populations living in the vicinity of atomic energy plants are subject to increased radioactivity.

The Atomic Energy Authority Act, 1954, requires the Authority to ensure that ionising radiations are not emitted from its premises or from any waste matter to an extent that would be harmful to persons or property. It is also required to keep the discharge of radioactive wastes within prescribed limits. The areas surrounding nuclear plants are regularly monitored; and I am satisfied that these requirements are being complied with.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the observation of Lord Goddard, Lord Chief Justice, in the prosecution of Schick and another; and why there is frequently such a long delay before tax frauds are prosecuted.

Yes. I understand that the Board of Inland Revenue, having reviewed the whole history of this case in the light of the Lord Chief Justice's observations, is in agreement that proceedings could have been started earlier. There were, however, special features arising out of the position of Schick's accomplice and adviser which made it unusually hard to reach a decision as to the starting of proceedings. I can assure the hon. Member that all the officers concerned in dealing with these difficult cases are fully seized of the importance of bringing them to as rapid a conclusion as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the yield of Income Tax on the profits of companies and public corporations.

£696 million, on the basis of the Budget estimates for the current year. This figure excludes tax which, though payable by companies, is passed on to persons by deduction from interest and dividends.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the uncertainty in industry and commerce about the form of agreement required by the Board of Inland Revenue in respect of subventions made between associated companies under Section 20 of the Finance Act, 1953; and if he will take an early opportunity of clarifying the position, if necessary by legislation.

I am not aware that there is uncertainty about the form of agreements of this kind. If the right hon. Gentlemen has any particular case in mind I will gladly look into it if he will let me have the necessary details.

asked the Minister of Works whether there has yet been any increase detected in radio-activity in the upper stratosphere consequent on the exploding of a hydrogen weapon recently by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Some slight radio-activity from the recent Russian explosion has been detected in the stratosphere over the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce his decision on the proposed new town of Cumbernauld.

I made an Order on 9th December, which becomes operative tomorrow, designating an area at Cumbernauld as the site of a new town under the New Towns Act, 1946. The area designated is identical with that referred to in the Draft Order which was published on 23rd July. All the objectors to the Draft Order are being informed by letter of my decision and of the reasons for it so far as their interests are concerned.I hope shortly to be able to announce the names of the members of the development corporation for the new town.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the steadily increasing volume of traffic on the roads, what Regulations are in operation limiting the height, length and width of each variety of vehicle; and what further Regulations he is making on this matter.

The information asked for is as follows:A.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation for what reason distances are no longer given on many signposts; and whether he will give instructions that the previous practice should be resumed.

I am considering this matter in connection with the recently circulated draft Traffic Signs Regulations.

asked the Minister of Education to what extent Glamorgan's new schools programme is being slowed up by a shortage of steel; and whether he will make a statement.

I am informed that one of the authority's projects has recently been held up by a shortage of steel but that work is now proceeding. I see no need for a statement.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects to complete the laying of new telephone cables in the Kingsbury, N.W.9 area, and if, in view of the numbers of residents awaiting the service, he will give this matter his urgent attention.

The new cable will be completed next June and another is being planned, as is extension of the equipment at the exchange. This is one of many areas where new plant is required; it will be provided as quickly as our resources permit.

asked the Postmaster-General how long he expects the conversion of the manual exchange at Coleraine to automatic working to take: and what area it will then cover.

The conversion is expected to take place in 1959. The new exchange will serve the same area as the present one; but subscribers will also be able to dial direct to numbers on Portrush and six other nearby exchanges.