asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the lack of adequate educational facilities for children in the Easthouses-Newtongrange-Gorebridge area of Midlothian; and if he will make a statement.

The county council has made commendable progress in developing educational facilities to meet the expanding needs of this area. All children are receiving suitable education, 680 of them in a new primary school opened last August. Other schools are being built or extended to cope with the growing school population.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why housing development has ceased at Easthouses, Newton-grange, Midlothian.

Arising out of discussions about the finance of this scheme, the National Coal Board intimated in 1953 that, because of the unexpectedly high proportion of juvenile labour which had been recruited into the mining industry from local sources, it would not be necessary to provide housing accommodation on the scale originally contemplated for miners moving into the area from other districts. As a result, it was decided to reduce the development from 2,260 houses to 1,270, all but 106 of which have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he received the petition from the North Isles of Orkney about depopulation; and what action he has taken on it.

I received the petition on 23rd July, and at my request the Advisory Panel on the Highlands and Islands has been examining it. A reply dealing with a number of the matters referred to in the petition was sent to the county clerk on 13th December; the others are still before the Panel.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students are at present attending day-release classes in Scotland; and what proportion this represents of those eligible.

During the year ended 31st July, 1955, there were 25,326 students attending day-release classes. Of this number about 15,141 were under 18, which represents 8 per cent. of the estimated number of boys and girls aged 15 to 18 who had left school.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total capital expenditure of Scottish local authorities for 1954–55, and the estimated capital expenditure for 1955–56.

The capital payments by Scottish local authorities in 1954–55 are estimated to have amounted to £69 million. No estimate is at present available for 1955–56.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many protests, from individual teachers and from teachers' organisations respectively, he has received to date about the provisions of the Teachers (Superannuation) Bill; and how many individual teachers and organisations have intimated their general support of the Bill.

Protests have been received from the E.I.S. and 9 other Scottish or local teachers' organisations, 46 groups of teachers in particular schools comprising 970 teachers, and 78 individual teachers.No representation received has expressed complete approval of the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to publish his proposals for amending the law in Scotland relating to lunacy and mental deficiency.

A White Paper has been laid before Parliament, and copies are now available in the Vote Office, containing proposals for amending the law relating to mental illness and mental deficiency in Scotland. This is being done so as to facilitate examination and discussion of the many important questions that arise. These proposals will be reviewed, after consultations with all interested bodies and organisations, before Parliament is invited to give statutory effect to a revised code of law.

asked the Minister of Works how much money his Department has spent on staff and on maintenance at Avebury in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

During the twelve months ending 30th September, 1955, the staff costs of a curator and custodians were about £1,000. The cost of general maintenance was about £300 and £1,700 was spent on other work.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will make a statement on his plans for restoration work at Avebury.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made in the course of the debate on 16th December.

asked the Minister of Works what action is being taken in view of the shortage of bricks in north-east England.

The output of bricks in the Northern Region has recently shown marked improvement and I hope the shortages will soon be overcome.

asked the Minister of Works what additional resources are required by the Atomic Energy Authority to enable it to build more than one type of stage two reactor, as is being done in the United States of America.

Limitations of scientific and engineering manpower compel the Atomic Energy Authority to concentrate its development efforts; nevertheless it is in fact examining a number of advanced reactor systems.

asked the Minister of Works if he is satisfied that the releases of effluent into the Irish Sea, the dumping of radioactive waste and such particles as may escape from the stacks of atomic energy plants are completely harmless; and if he will make a statement or make available a report of the findings of the monitors.

The Atomic Energy Authority Act, 1954, makes it the duty of the Atomic Energy Authority to secure that radioactivity of any waste discharged, whether in solid, liquid or gaseous form, does not harm any persons or property. It further provides that radioactive waste shall not be discharged from its premises in excess of limits prescribed by the Ministers of Housing and Local Government and of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. These Ministers are satisfied that the conditions they have laid down are being complied with.

asked the Minister of Works if he will make a statement on the fire at the Admiralty.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Bromwich (Mr. Dugdale), on 14th December, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will make a statement about the appointment of a committee to advise on works of art in the House of Commons.

My hon. Friend the Member for Farnham (Mr. Nicholson) has agreed to act as Chairman, and the hon. Members for Southport (Mr. Fleetwood-Hesketh), Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond), Cambridge (Mr. Kerr), Deptford (Sir L. Plummer) and Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Dr. Stross) have consented to serve.The Committee's terms of reference will be:

asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers have applied to leave the Army during the last 12 months; and for what reason.

During the 12 months which ended on 30th September, 739 officers applied to resign or retire from the Army, 670 of these applications were approved and the reasons given are contained in the table below.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give an assurance that National Service men employed on operational exercises have had adequate training to ensure that lives are not endangered through inexperience.

Yes. One of the main objects of the training given is to minimise danger.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the deteriorating situation in Cyprus, he will change the policy under which National Service men are sent to that theatre after 10 weeks' training.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for War the total cost of running the Army Cadet Force in the last full year; and what figure had to be written off on account of its losses in clothing and equipment during the similar period.

£850,000 in 1954–55. This figure includes £19,810 for writes-off, about £11,000 of which was in respect of losses in earlier years.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he approved the use of military personnel from the Northumberland Hussars to celebrate the unveiling of a public house sign in Heaton, Newcastle, on 6th December.

No, but the commanding officer did because the public house was being named the "Northumberland Hussar." Nine Territorials volunteered to take part in the ceremony.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the parents of the boys, aged 16 years, serving in the 1st Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment in Cyprus, were informed that their sons were being sent to an active-service area.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will order the return to the United Kingdom of all boy soldiers serving in Cyprus.

Band-boys and drummer-boys when they reach me age of 16 are eligible to serve abroad provided that the climate is suitable, that adequate arrangements can be made for their education, welfare and musical training and that they can be propertly supervised. These conditions are met in Cyprus, and the boys do not take part in operations.The rules governing service by band-boys and drummer-boys are made known on enlistment, and it is left to the boys themselves to inform their parents when they go abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many boys under the age of 18 years are serving in Cyprus.

21 band and drummer-boys.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many boys of 16 years of age are serving in Cyprus; and how long they have been there.

10 band and drummer-boys who have been there about two months.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of delays in meeting claims for travelling expenses incurred by soldiers in attending medical boards; and what changes he proposes to make in the method of payment.

Regular soldiers and National Service men during their full-time service normally receive an advance to meet their travelling expenses when they go on a journey. The sort of case which the hon. Member has in mind is rare and practically limited to men who are not full-time soldiers. In the past delay has been caused by claims being unnecessarily submitted to the War Office. The matter has now been put right, and I hope that delays will not occur in future.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to give details of the exports of the United Kingdom to the Latin-American countries for November, 1955.

For a detailed commodity analysis of exports to the Latin-American countries I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the Monthly Report on Overseas Trade, the December issue of which has been published today and gives detailed figures for October.Following are the figures of total United Kingdom exports in 1955 to each of the Latin-American countries in and up to November:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has in mind for the industrial rehabilitation of Blaenavon.

We shall continue to do what we can to interest industrialists for whom the facilities of Blaenavon might be suitable, but I must point out that unemployment in the district does not exceed the national average.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the extent to which the businesses examined by the Monopolies Commission have incurred considerable costs because of the inquiries and have suffered disturbance and loss of trade including export trade through their managerial staff being obliged to give priority to the presentation of the industry's case to the Commission; and whether he will introduce legislation by which industries will be compensated in respect of such costs and losses in those cases where the Commission or Government decides that their practices did not operate against the public interest.

My right hon. Friend is aware that inquiries by the Monopolies Commission necessarily put the industries concerned to considerable trouble but so far as he knows without the damaging effects on business to which my hon. Friend refers. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No."

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the number of non-industrial civil servants in his Department rose from 7,179 on 1st July to 7,366 on 1st October, 1955.

Responsibility for the engineering and iron and steel industries was transferred to the Board of Trade on 18th July, with 247 staff who had been engaged on this work in the Ministry of Supply. As the figures show, this increase has been offset by a reduction elsewhere in the Board of Trade of sixty.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has authorised the importation of strawberry pulp from Bulgaria, Hungary and Poland; how much is expected to come; and if he is aware that the price at which this imported pulp is made available to preservers is below the costs of production for the 1955 home-grown strawberry pulp.

Quotas for fruit pulp have been included in our trade agreements with Bulgaria and Hungary. In addition, to avoid a possible shortage of pulp for jam making, licences were issued for imports of fruit pulp from Poland. The total of the licences so far issued for strawberry pulp under these arrangements is just over £100,000 c.i.f., but I cannot forecast how much of this will actually be imported.As regards the last part of the Question, I have no information about the price at which this imported pulp is being offered. This is a commercial matter to be settled between the parties directly concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will meet a deputation representing the pottery industry to discuss the effects of Purchase Tax on pottery exports, and related matters.

My right hon. Friend has already informed the British Pottery Manufacturers' Federation that he is always ready to see the pottery industry about its troubles and difficulties but not about Purchase Tax, which is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the arrangements he is making for imports of canned salmon from Japan to Britain with particular reference to the price, quality and date and to the effect of such imports on the market for British home-caught salmon.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on the 13th December. The licences prescribe no conditions regarding qualities or prices; the trade is on private account and these matters are for settlement on a normal commercial basis. I can hardly believe that the market for British fresh salmon will be affected.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what business firm is to take over the premises of Hopkinson's Electric Company at Cardiff when the close down takes place.

These premises have been re-allocated (subject to agreement on the terms of the tenancy) to Bristol Aircraft Limited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Export of Goods (Control) Order, No. 518, in order to increase the penalties for breaches of this Order.

No. Penalties for the contravention of the prohibition of export in the Export of Goods (Control) Order, No. 518 are contained in the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act, 1939, and the Customs and Excise Act, 1952. The penalty of £500 which may be imposed under the 1939 Act is additional to the penalties which may be imposed under the Customs and Excise Act, 1952.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now state his conclusions on the review he has made of the hardship caused to retired civil servants, teachers, local government staff and others by the rise in the cost of living.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, to the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward) on 17th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has now had an opportunity of considering paragraph 763 of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service; and whether he can announce proposals to improve the conditions and pension rates of former employees of the Imperial War Graves Commission.

This matter, like the many others reported on by the Royal Commission on the Civil Service, is being examined.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates would be the cost of abolishing Schedule A on all owner-occupied houses.

About £25 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will increase the Income Tax allowance for wear and tear on combine manure drills and fertiliser distributors, which at present stands at only five-fourths of 10 per cent.

As explained in the reply to my hon. Friend's Questions of 27th June (OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 543, c. 7–8), and 19th July (OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 544, c. 20), the determination of standard rates of wear and tear allowances is primarily a matter for the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. If it is felt that the rates at present given for combine manure drills and fertiliser distributors are inadequate, the farmers or market gardeners concerned should approach the Commissioners, preferably through their representative associations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the administrative difficulties in remitting Purchase Tax on those goods which were taxed under this present Budget, and tax on which has been abolished or reduced at the committee stage of the Finance Bill.

If the manufacturers and wholesalers concerned had been statutorily relieved of any obligation to pay tax on their sales during the interim period, there would have been no means of ensuring that the benefit of the tax remission was passed on. Arrangements have, however, now been made for the tax on deliveries during the interim period to be remitted administratively in favour of the registered manufacturers and wholesalers but only on condition that they duly pass on the benefit to their customers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has now replied to the letter of the British Pottery Manufacturers' Federation on the subject of the effect of Purchase Tax on the pottery industry; and in what terms.

Yes. I am sending a copy of my reply to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now in a position to make a statement on the prospect of implementing any of the recommendations in the report of the Tucker Committee.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the recommendations of the Committee on the Taxation Treatment of Provisions for Retirement. The recommendations of this committee are being studied in the light of the report of the Royal Commission on the Taxation of Profits and Income, but I cannot at present say what the outcome of this consideration will be.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in view of the advances towards office automation made by Messrs. Lyons in their use of the electronic device named Leo, details of which are in his possession, he will consider the possibility of using similar methods in the Treasury and the Civil Service generally to enable the nation's business to be carried out more expeditiously and more economically.

Several electronic computers are already in use within the Civil Service for mathematical work, and less elaborate electronic apparatus is used in some Departments on clerical work. The scope for further use of electronic computers is continuously studied by the Organisation and Methods Divisions of the Treasury and other Departments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with the recent trend of bank loans as disclosed by published figures; and if he will make a statement.

The analysis of bank advances for November which was published on 13th December shows the progress made with credit restriction through the whole of the banking system of Great Britain. In the three months to November this year, advances to customers other than public utilities fell by £108 million, compared with a rise of £61 million in the same three months of 1954. This is good progress; but my request for the reduction of bank advances stands, and I must ask the bankers and their customers to carry on till we see results from these and other measures in terms of a slowing down of investment and reduced consumer demand.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why a large number of new 1949 pennies have suddenly appeared in circulation.

Pennies were last minted in substantial quantities in 1949. Since then there has, until recently, been no demand on the Mint for pennies as the banks were able to supply public requirements from their own stocks. The Mint was thus left with stocks of 1949 pennies. Since October this year, the banks have again been drawing on the Mint for pennies, with the result that new 1949 pennies are coming into circulation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer approximately how much of the inflation since 1945 is due to higher prices for imported food and raw materials, and how much to domestic causes.

It is estimated that higher prices paid for imported food and raw materials and manufactures and services obtained from abroad accounted for about a fifth of the rise in prices of goods and services produced for consumption, investment or export between 1946 and 1954. Other causes accounted for four-fifths of the increase.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make a statement about the provision of capital for British Overseas Airways Corporation.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation and I have approved proposals by the British Overseas Airways Corporation for an issue of stock to repay temporary bank advances, to acquire aircraft and other assets, to provide further working capital and for the redemption of stock. Accordingly the Corporation has today made the following issue of stock at £97 15s. per cent. to the National Debt Commissioners under Treasury guarantee: £15 million of 41 per cent. British Overseas Airways Guaranteed Stock, 1965–66.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why there has been such a long delay in acknowledging and dealing with a claim for compensation submitted by Dr. Arnold Renshaw, 24a, St. John Street, Manchester, under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954, in respect of his land at Mottram St. Andrew, details of which have been forwarded to him.

The statutory procedure is complicated but I hope that these two claims will be settled early in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if the Water Pollution Research Laboratory has yet completed its survey of conditions in the River Thames; and if he can yet make a statement with regard to the nuisance caused in the Erith district.

The Laboratory has not yet completed this task but hopes to do so soon. Meanwhile conditions in the river off Erith should improve as successive stages of the London County Council's sewage works programme are completed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how the percentage in relation to total cost of the grants recently made and revised by him for the Clipston and Pitsford Sewerage Scheme in the Brixworth rural district compares with the corresponding average percentage of such schemes in England and Wales over the last available period; and whether he will make some further increase as regards the Clipston and Pits-ford scheme.

The percentages for Clipston and Pitsford were 30 and 28·5 respectively. In the year ended 30th September, 1955, the average for England and Wales was about 34 per cent. The percentages for these two schemes were below the average mainly because their total cost included house connections which did not rank for grant. The grants are, in my view, sufficient to enable the Council to proceed with the schemes without undue burden on the rates.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to fulfil his long established promise to publish his Department's Approved Standard Methods of Water Analysis for which river boards are waiting.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the booklet called "Methods of Chemical Analysis as applied to Sewage and Sewage Effluents." I hope that the revised edition will be published in the spring.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent he will authorise local authorities to require owners of private streets and roads to repair them in cases where they have fallen into a dangerous condition.

Most local authorities already have power to do this. Those who have not may apply to me for an order to enable them to do so.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will direct the Cwmbran Development Corporation not to proceed with the erection of the five licensed premises which he has approved for the area until all housing needs have been met.

The development corporation is not proposing itself to erect any licensed premises. It will do no more than make the necessary land available to developers.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, before authorising the South-East Cheshire Water Board to use the Shropshire Union Canal, Welsh section, as a water duct, he will secure an assurance from the British Transport Commission that it is prepared to preserve the amenities of the upper reaches of that canal between Kron Cysyllte and Llantysilio.

I have no reason to think that the use of this canal as a duct would be likely to interfere with the amenities of the upper reaches; but if the hon. Member thinks that it will, and will let me know his reasons, I will consider the matter further.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what approximate percentage of those persons now residing in each of the new towns in the southern counties of England formerly resided within the area of Greater London.

I would refer my noble Friend to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Donnelly) on 15th November, 1955, which gives the only information available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects a decision to be reached in the replanning of the area round St. Paul's Cathedral.

I cannot forecast a precise date.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to make a statement concerning Nos. 1, 3, 5, and 7 Harefield Road, Tottenham, for which only site value compensation has been given on compulsory purchase, in view of the fact that 9 Harefield Road, which in a worse condition received adequate compensation; and why he made this distinction.

Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 7, Hare-field Road, Tottenham, were confirmed as unfit properties as a result of a public local inquiry, held on 28th March, 1955, into the Tewkesbury Road (No. 2) Clearance Area Compulsory Purchase Order, 1954.No. 9, Harefield Road, had been the subject of a closing Order against which the owner had a right of appeal to the courts. The owner did appeal and the court accepted his offer to carry out remedial works. This work was completed before the inquiry into the compulsory purchase Order was held. I was advised that, in these circumstances, the council could not properly be authorised to purchase the house compulsorily as an unfit house. Accordingly No. 9 Harefield Road was excluded from the compulsory purchase Order which was confirmed on 30th September.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what provision he is making to ensure that the occupiers of houses built under the Town Development Act, 1952, shall be those who formerly resided in the congested areas to which the Act applies; and whether, in the event that tenancies by such persons are vacated, the special subsidy proposed for the building of such houses will be withdrawn.

This matter could be more appropriately raised in proceedings on the Housing Subsidies Bill which is now before the House.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that tenants in furnished rooms have no protection against eviction, and that this is causing a serious situation for local authorities who are unable to house those who are evicted; and if he will introduce legislation at an early date to alleviate the distress which is being caused to so many families.

There is provision for giving security of tenure to lessees of furnished accommodation who apply to rent tribunals for reasonable rents to be fixed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he hopes to be able to close down the temporary housing estate, hutted camp, at Great Bromley, Essex.

This is a matter for the Tendring Rural District Council. It is, I understand, considering what it can do to deal with the problem.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT an analysis of the lettings of houses by new town corporations showing the local authority area in which the tenants were last previously resident.

I understand that the information desired relates to houses let to people from the Greater London area by the London development corporations. The position at 30th June, 1955, which is the latest date for which returns are available, is as follows: