asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the dissatisfaction in the West Fife area about the delay in receiving surgical treatment for tuberculosis cases; and what steps are being taken to reduce such delays.

Temporary staffing difficulties at the Edinburgh thoracic surgery units unfortunately led to delays last year in providing this form of treatment for patients throughout the south-eastern region of Scotland. Much better progress is now being made, and the number of patients in Fife sanatoria waiting for thoracic surgery had fallen from forty-two at the end of November to twenty-six at the end of December.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, to what extent the labour force in the agricultural industry has declined in the last 12 months; and what steps are being taken to arrest the decline.

The June, 1955, census showed that at that date the total labour force in Scotland had fallen by 4,376 as compared with June, 1954. Provisional figures for December indicate an increase of some three hundred. With regard to the second part of the Question I would refer to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture in reply to Questions on 24th November last.

asked the Minister of Works what types of non-traditional houses have been erected to the detailed instructions of his Department.

Nine temporary and nineteen permanent types of nontraditional houses have been erected by my Department since 1945. I am sending particulars to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what reply he has given to the West Hartlepool Town Council, which, to avoid the expenditure of some £3,300 on care and maintenance of the Greatham Aerodrome, has asked to be granted On Call Customs facilities.

The town clerk has been advised that my right hon. Friend can see no grounds for reversing the decision to refuse Customs facilities for Greatham Aerodrome.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give effect to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Taxation as detailed in the Second (Interim) Report, Command Paper No. 9105, paragraphs 201–207, designed to give tax relief to those obliged to incur special expenses by reason of serious physical disability.

I must ask my hon. Friend to await my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to announce his proposals for increases in the pensions of retired civil servants, teachers, local government officers and other affected by the rise in the cost of living.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier this afternoon to Questions by the hon. Members for New Forest (Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre) and lichen (Dr. King).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the amount of Pool Betting Duty paid from 1st January, 1955, to the latest convenient date, and from 1st January, 1954, to a corresponding date; and the amount of stake money in respect of which duty was paid in the same periods.

The amounts of Pool Betting Duty paid and of the stake money in respect of which duty was paid during the period from 1st January to 30th November in 1954 and 1955, are as follows:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what types of non-traditional houses have been authorised by his Department.

I will send a list of approved types to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is now able to make a statement of his proposals in connection with local government reorganisation.

I hope to do so shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that there is concern at the rates of pay and conditions of men employed at Remploy; and what action he proposes to take to deal with this situation.

The fixing of rates of wages for disabled workers in Remploy is the responsibility of Remploy Limited and not of the Government, and it is the practice for changes in rates to be negotiated between the company and the trade unions concerned. I understand that, as a result of recent negotiations, severely disabled men received an increase of 3d. an hour in their wages from 4th January, 1956.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the trade dispute in the printing industry.

Yes. Negotiations have been proceeding for some time between the British Federation of Master Printers and the Newspaper Society and the seven unions concerned for new agreements to replace those which expired last November. A settlement has been reached between the employers and five of the unions, whilst discussions are still in progress with a sixth union. The Typographical Association has, however, rejected the employers' proposals and instructed its members to "work to rule" and ban overtime as from 18th January.A similar situation has arisen between the London Master Printers' Association and the London Typographical Society, which instructed its members to "work to rule" and to limit overtime from the same date.Between them these disputes affect general printing throughout England and Wales including H.M.S.O. as well as periodicals, technical journals and provincial and London suburban newspapers. The national newspapers are not affected. My Department has been notified of the disputes and is in touch with the parties.

asked the Minister of Labour how long the obstructions at present placed in the roadway outside the two premises of his Department in St. James's Square have been there; and whether he will order that this illegal practice be discontinued.

I take it that the hon. Member is referring to a stool which is placed outside my headquarter office and has been used for some years to assist the unloading of parcels, etc., delivered to my Department. So far as I am aware, it has not caused any obstruction to the use of the roadway but I have arranged for it to be removed.

asked the Minister of Labour the latest total of registered unemployed in the Reading and Newbury district; the number of vacant jobs registered at the local employment exchanges; and how many of these are in Government employment.

The number of unemployed persons on the registers of the Reading Employment Exchanges and Youth Employment Office at 12th December was 246, and the number of vacancies notified to these offices and remaining unfilled at 14th December was 1,238. The corresponding figures for Newbury Employment Exchange were 57 and 469 respectively. About 70 of the unfilled vacancies at Reading and about 50 at Newbury were at Government Establishments. Young persons under 18 years of age at Newbury register at a Youth Employment Office which covers a much wider area, and the figures given above for the Newbury Employment Exchange therefore relate to persons aged 18 and over.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that heavy short-time working has continued in the mule spinning sections of the Lancashire cotton industry for some years and that this has now spread to all sections of the industry; and whether he will have a special survey of the extent of short time made and present the report to Parliament.

Since 1952 there has been little short-time working in the mule spinning section of the cotton industry until the increase which took place in the first part of this year and which affected all sections of the industry. Employers in the manufacturing industries make a quarterly return to my Department of the numbers of their workpeople who are on short time. The numbers shown by this return as having worked short time during the week ended 27th August were 16,165 in cotton spinning and doubling (separate figures are not available for mule spinning) and 9392 in cotton weaving. The aggregate number of hours lost was 218,152 and 174,049 respectively. The results of the return for the week ended 26th November are not yet available, but they will be published in the January issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette. Reports received from the Ministry's Local Offices indicate that the position has improved in recent months and that the November figures will be considerably less than those for August. I see no need for a special survey.

asked the Minister of Labour and National Service whether he will arrange a fresh medical test for Mr. G. Dowling, about whose case the hon. Member for Swindon has sent him details.

I am looking into this case and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that Report III, The Financing of Social Security, published by the International Labour Organisation Conference held at Geneva, 1955, shows on page 28 that in the case of six European countries the social insurance benefits expressed as a percentage of the respective national incomes amount to a higher figure than in the case of the United Kingdom; and if he will now review the amount of the benefits provided by this country so that they are equal to the most generous in Europe.

I assume the hon. Member refers to the table of statistics on page 128 of this Report. These figures are not restricted to social insurance benefits but cover a much wider field as defined on page 88 of the Report. In view of this and of the subsequent warnings in the Report about the use of the figures, I do not think that they can lead to any useful conclusion with regard to the social insurance benefits in this country.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will have an investigation made into total social insurance benefits expressed as a percentage of national income for 1946, 1948, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955, respectively, and have the results published in the OFFICIAL REPORT in tabular form.

The proportion of the national income spent on social insurance benefits provided under the National Insurance Schemes was as follows:

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will now make a statement on increased pensions to ex-employees of the nationalised industries under his control.

I understand that the Central Electricity Authority is considering possible improvements in their original proposals for increasing the pensions of ex-Company pensioners and that the other industries for which I am responsible are also considering what proposals they should make.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, under Regulation 21 (c) of the Electricity Supply Regulations, 1937, he will make a further statement, particularly on the cause of the explosion at the Stella Power Station, Dunston-on-Tyne.

It is now known that the cause of the explosion was an external flashover across the supporting insulators of an outdoor switch, followed by incorrect working of certain protective gear on the transmission system. Investigation is still proceeding, to ensure that all possible measures are taken to prevent a recurrence of incidents of this kind.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will now make a statement on the outcome of his conversations with the Chairman of the British Transport Commission on pensions increases in respect of ex-employees.

This matter is still under consideration and I regret I am not yet able to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will move to appoint a Select Committee to inquire into all cases of alleged miscarriage of justice arising from cases that have been heard in the courts during the past 10 years.

No. I see no necessity for such an inquiry and in any event a Select Committee would not in my view be an appropriate body to undertake it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the circumstances leading to his decision to terminate residence permits for three Iraqi students in this country.

I can only say that, having satisfied myself that the continued presence of these students in this country was not in the public interest, I required them to leave.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in what circumstances a consignment of imported Chinese eggs, alleged to contain paratyphoid germs, was impounded in Weymouth recently, and declared to be Crown property; who were the importers of these eggs; and what action is being taken to investigate whether the importation, distribution and attempted sale of the eggs contravenes Acts relating to public health and the sale of food.

The consignment of frozen whole egg to which I presume my noble Friend refers was not impounded but was taken back at the request of the trader to whom it had been sold by my Department in accordance with its normal trading practice when a valid complaint is made about quality. The goods had been imported by my Department through the agency of private traders. There is no question of the importation distribution or sale of this egg-product contravening any Act of Parliament.The facts are as follows. Last December the local Medical Officer of Health arranged for the sampling of a parcel of 80 tins of this product held in store in Weymouth. One tin was found to be infected with salmonella of the paratyphi variety and 10 other tins with other varieties. When the results of these tests became known, my Department took immediate steps to suspend the distribution of the remaining stock of the same type of pack included in the shipment from which the 80 tins were drawn. In addition, further issues of Ministry stock of the same type of pack from all other shipments have been suspended until arrangements can be made for the examination of all these packs before release. My Department has acted throughout on the advice of the Ministry of Health so far as concerns the public health aspects of the matter.Special arrangements have been made with the public health authorities concerned to sample new consignments on arrival in this country, but the facts as at present known do not justify any wholesale condemnation of frozen whole egg or an embargo on sales. I am assured by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health that the local authorities will take any precautions that may be necessary where they have evidence of risk to the public health.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will do all in his power to ensure an early start of the Forestry Commission's plans for afforestation in the Lleyn Peninsula, particularly in the district of Llithfaen, where there is adequate labour available and where the land is suitable.

The Forestry Commission began planting in the Lleyn Peninsula three years ago and up to the end of last season had already planted 300 acres.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the Milk Marketing Board is not represented on the Barlow Committee on the licensing of the exports of cattle semen.

As the Milk Marketing Board applies for most of the licences to export cattle semen, I do not consider it could appropriately be represented on the committee to advise me on particular applications to which objection is made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decision has been reached following consideration of representations by interested parties of the Report of the Food Standards Committee on the addition to foods of colouring matters, including coal-tar colours.

Interested parties have until 31st January to make representations and I must consider these before any decision is reached.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the wheat deficiency payment for the period from 1st October to 30th November, 1955, amounted to; and whether it has yet been paid.

The ascertained average price for about 10·6 million cwt. of millable wheat despatched on delivery during the second accounting period (1st October, 1955, to 30th November, 1955), is 21s. 3·7d. per cwt. The standard price for the period is 29s. 5d. per cwt. and the deficiency payment will, therefore, be 8s. 1·3d. per cwt. (£8 2s. 2d. per ton). In addition approximately 69,000 cwt. of wheat brought up to millable standard after sale will be included in the payment. Except for a few certificates which are under query the total payment of £4·3 million to about 38,000 growers will be completed by the end of January.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is aware that British tanks sold to private firms in this country as scrap are afterwards resold to the Egyptian Government; how long this practice has been in operation; how many such tanks are known to have reached Egypt; and what action he proposes to take to put an end to the traffic in these and all other types of armaments.

I would refer the hon. Member to the White Paper on the Export of Surplus War Material (Cmd. 9676) which is to be debated this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Supply the number of persons who have voluntarily left employment at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Swynnerton, in each of the last six months of 1955; the number who have been made redundant; and the number who have been taken on, respectively.

The numbers are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that the Oldham former fusilier, whose name has been communicated to him, was, after 26 years' service, charged before his commanding officer with wilful damage to a lavatory seat, convicted on the uncorroborated testimony of a civilian worker, deprived of his rank, subjected to a reduction of pay amounting to 17s. 6d. a week and ordered to pay damage estimated at 15s.; and whether he will take action to prevent the imposition of excessive punishments of this kind;(2) whether he is aware that the Oldham former fusilier, whose name has been communicated to him, was not given the option of trial by court martial on a charge of doing damage, estimated at 15s., to a lavatory seat; and whether he will cause an investigation of the matter to be made.

This soldier who had served for sixteen years was charged with damaging public property by fire. Four witnesses gave evidence and I am satisfied that the case was properly conducted. As to the punishment, a commanding officer may order a non-commissioned officer holding acting rank or lance appointment to revert to his substantive rank and the latter has no right to elect trial by court-martial even though reversion involves a loss of pay. In assessing this soldier's punishment the commanding officer took into account the soldier's record and general behaviour in the Army in the light of which the award was not excessive.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that the Oldham former fusilier, whose name has been communicated to him, was, after 26 years' service, charged a sum of £100 out of accrued gratuity of £130 to procure his release from the services; and how far this is in accordance with usual practice;(2) whether he is aware that the Oldham former fusilier, whose name has been communicated to him, was, after 26 years' service, charged a sum of £12 10s. for the retention of his greatcoat; and what civilian clothing is normally provided for a man who is released after 26 years' service;(3) whether he is aware that the Oldham former fusilier, whose name has been communicated to him, was, on being released from the Forces in Germany after 26 years' service, required to pay a sum of £4 10s. for his travelling fare home; and whether this is in accordance with the normal Army practice.

This soldier had served for sixteen not twenty-six years. The £100 which he had to refund was the bounty he had received for re-engaging to complete 22-years service. The regulations governing the payment of such bounties prescribe repayment when a man purchases his discharge or, as in this case, receives a free discharge because he has completed sixteen or more years service. Such men are also required by the regulations to pay a sum of money to cover passage and travelling expenses.On discharge this soldier was charged £12 19s. as a deposit in respect of his uniform including greatcoat which remained War Department property. Although he states that he returned the uniform, it has not been received, and the charge therefore stands. He drew the normal scale of civilian clothing issued to long-service soldiers on discharge.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the amount of travelling expenses deducted from the accrued pay and gratuity for a soldier who has bought himself out of the Services whilst serving in Hong Kong, Malaya, Kenya, Cyprus, and Germany, respectively.

The amount of travelling expense incurred is liable to vary with individual circumstances and the method of transport employed, but if the normal Service movement arrangements are made, the charges for the journey to this country are approximately £114 from Hong Kong, £74 from Malaya, £42 from Kenya, £23 from Cyprus and £5 from Germany. If a soldier is accompanied by his family he will also have to pay their fares.