asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the concern felt by those engaged in the furniture industry at the increasing amount of unemployment and short-time working in the industry; that this unemployment is a result of the Government's financial and economic policy; and if he will agree to meet representatives of the industry to discuss this problem.

I understand that there is some unemployment in this industry and some short-time working due partly to the seasonal decline in demand, but I do not think the proposed meeting would be helpful at the present time. The Government's policy was fully explained in last week's debate on employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that a further 519 employees of the Carpet Manufacturing Company, Kidderminster, are being placed on short time, bringing the total number of workers in the Midlands on short time to 2,000, or one in five of the total labour force; that this is a result of the Government's financial and economic policy; and whether, in view of the importance of the carpet trade to our export business, he will take such action as will ensure full employment in this industry.

I understand that there is some short time working in the Midlands in this industry, though not to the extent suggested in the Question. The Government's attitude towards short-time working was fully explained in the debate on employment last week.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the extent to which loss of gold and dollar reserves during the year 1955 was due to the unfavourable trading figures of the United Kingdom, the Colonies and Protectorates, and the rest of the sterling area, respectively.

Movements in gold and dollar reserves are of course affected by many other factors besides the trading position. But the sterling area had a deficit with the non-sterling world of £181 million in 1955, as compared with a surplus of £97 million in 1954. Only £27 million of this worsening was due to a fall in the R.S.A.'s surplus with non-sterling countries. These figures, and some indication of the main capital movements are given in Table 23 of the Economic Survey (Cmd, 9728). For further details perhaps the hon. Member will await the publication of the next Balance of Payments White Paper on 4th April.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money has been paid to the Egyptian Government out of sterling balances over the last ten years; how much of the sterling balances are remaining unpaid; and whether he will now take steps to block any further payments.

£256 million was released between 14th July, 1947, the date when Egypt's balances were blocked, and 31st January, 1956. For the rest, I would refer to what my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said on Tuesday last in answer to my hon. Friend, the Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. P. Williams).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give an estimate of the effect on the Revenue if the earned income of husbands and wives were taxed separately but retaining the husband's allowance in respect of the wife; and if he will show as a separate calculation the total cost to the Revenue of the present system of allowances which -include a special personal allowance to the wife, the benefit of the graded relief, the husband's allowance in respect of his wife, and thereafter a tax payment on the basis of a joint assessment.

If the earned income of a married woman were taxed as if it were, in all respects, the income of a single person, and the income of the husband were taxed as at present, the loss to the revenue would be about £6 million. The estimated cost in 1955–56 of the wife's earned income relief, including the cost of the additional reduced rate relief, is about £115 million. It does not follow, however, that if these reliefs were withdrawn there would be an increase of this amount in the total yield of tax, as many married women might give up employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated cost to the Revenue in 1955–56 or in the most recent convenient year of Income Tax child allowances, of occupational pension schemes, and of life assurance relief, respectively.

The estimated cost of the child allowance for Income Tax in 1955–56 is £200 million. Statistics of occupational pension schemes are incomplete but on the basis of such information as is available the cost of the relief given in 1955–56 is estimated to be of the order of £100 million; this figure includes the relief on both employers' and employees' contributions and on the interest income of the funds, less the tax charged on pensions paid. Life assurance relief is estimated to cost £35 million, of which about £5 million represents relief given in this form for employees' contributions to pension schemes and is therefore already covered by the estimate under that heading.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that the village of Willoughby, Rugby, like many other villages in the country is subject to flooding, and that since local authorities disclaim responsibility for any action to remedy this, if he will seek to pass legislation to implement the Heneage Report.

The stream at Willoughby is not a main river of the river board but I am having the complaint investigated. In reply to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. C. Hughes) on 20th February last.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will arrange for his Department to be represented at the public inquiry on the proposed nuclear power station at Bradwell-on-Sea, to be held on 26th April; and whether he is satisfied that fishery interests in general will have opportunities of examining his Department's evidence and recommendations.

My Department will not be represented at the inquiry but before reaching any decisions my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power will of course consult me. My Department's Fisheries Research Laboratory has already given technical advice to the local fisheries interests.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of smallholding tenants in Norfolk for whom a water supply scheme has been submitted and sanction has not been given to proceed up to 24th March; the reason for the delay and when sanction can be expected for all these schemes that will benefit the tenants and increase the productivity of the holdings.

None. Sanction to proceed with a number of water supply schemes of special urgency submitted by the county council on 7th March was given by my Department on 23rd March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in fixing a minimum standard for processed cheese.

The matter is still under consideration by the Food Standards Committee, who have found that it raises complicated and difficult questions of wide application. I can, however, assure the hon. Member that I will lose no time in dealing with the matter as soon as I receive the Committee's Report.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the thirty-one houses in Cumberland Terrace. Regent's Park, are standing vacant, as they have been for over a year.

Thirty houses in Cumberland Terrace, including one let on lease, are at present vacant. The University of London has been negotiating for a tenancy of the Terrace for use as a students' hostel. Its possible conversion for this purpose has involved difficult questions of method and cost, and negotiations have not yet been concluded. The twenty-nine houses in hand are meanwhile being suitably maintained.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now announce measures to help those local authorities on which the cost of inspecting meat at slaughterhouses places an unduly heavy burden.

Yes. The Government are anxious to see the fullest possible inspection of meat at slaughterhouses. They recognise that in some areas where much of the meat inspected is not for local consumption the cost may represent an unduly heavy burden on the local authority. They have therefore decided to offer a contribution towards the cost of inspection in such cases. The detailed arrangements are now under consideration and local authorities will be informed as soon as possible. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked me to say that similar steps are being taken in Scotland. I must emphasise, however, that this is a provisional measure subject to review in the light of any general reorganisation of the structure and finance of local government.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent unemployment or short time among furniture workers and cabinet makers employed in the Borough of Leyton and the vicinity, has increased during the past month, three months, and twelve months, respectively; and for how long these workers are unemployed on the average.

The numbers of workers in the furniture industry who were registered as unemployed at the Leyton and Walthamstow Employment Exchanges on the dates in question are as follows:

—	Wholly unemployed	Temporarily stopped
12th March, 1956	137	124
13th February, 1956	76	133
12th December, 1955	29	2
14th March, 1955	38	72

Information is not available about the average length of time for which these workers were unemployed. There has also been a substantial increase in short-time working since the unemployment count on 12th March.

asked the Minister of Labour what number of women only paying industrial injuries benefit are unemployed.

I regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what number of women are unemployed; and how many are entitled to unemployment benefit.

The total number of women registered as unemployed at 13th February was 82,887. At 23rd January, the latest date for which information is available, the number of women with claims rated for unemployment benefit was 45,980.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of people declared redundant at Dialoy Foundry, Cardiff; and the number placed by his local officers in satisfactory alternative employment.

It is not the general practice to disclose detailed information about an individual firm, but of the seven men and three women who registered for employment from this firm four men have been placed and all the women have been submitted to other employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what conditions and for what purposes the police of foreign countries are permitted to carry arms when in this country.

The provisions of the law relating to firearms apply to members of foreign police forces visiting this country in the same way as to any other persons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to introduce legislation to render less frequent the large-scale review of Parliamentary constituency boundaries by the Boundary Commission.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I gave on 26th January to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. Remnant), to which I am not yet in a position to add.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct the Metropolitan Police to use their powers to remove derelict and unlicensed motor cars from highways and residential squares.

Apart from cases in which vehicles are left in such circumstances as to be likely to cause danger, the police have power to remove only such vehicles as have been abandoned by their owners. The police exercise that power but it covers only a very small proportion of the vehicles left in the streets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the rates of pay, conditions of service and accommodation of members of the staffs at the Civil Defence Staff College and Training Establishment compare with those of the members of the staffs at the Staff College, Camberley, and equivalent War Office training establishments.

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the Commandant and instructors at the Civil Defence Staff College and not all members of the staff, who fall within thirty-four grades. I am unable to draw the comparison for which he asks because the commandants and instructors at the Civil Defence Staff College and other training establishments are civil servants whereas the senior posts at the Staff College at Camberley, and at comparable War Office training establishments, are held by serving officers on Service rates of pay. In any event it is not easy to draw an exact comparison between the responsibilities of the staffs of the different institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions Members of Parliament have been invited by his Department to visit Civil Defence establishments or to attend Civil Defence exercises since 1st May, 1955.

No suitable occasion has arisen since 1st May, 1955, for extending a formal invitation to Members of Parliament to visit the Civil Defence Staff College or any of the Civil Defence schools. I am, however, always happy to make the necessary arrangements for Members who wish to visit any of the Home Office Civil Defence establishments. Most of the Civil Defence exercises that have taken place during this period have been arranged by local authorities.

asked the Minister of Education how many temporary buildings are being used in Biddulph, Stoke-on-Trent, for housing the increased school population.

Three, housing five classes in all.

asked the Minister of Education when the new school at Biddulph, Stoke-on-Trent, will be completed; and how many children it will accommodate.

The new school at Biddulph is expected to be completed by the end of the year. It will take about 350 pupils.

asked the Minister of Education what help he is giving to the Staffordshire education authority to meet the increased demand for school accommodation, as a result of the building of National Coal Board houses at Kidsgrove, Weston Coyney, Biddulph, and Baddeley Green, in the county division of Leek, north Staffordshire.

The Staffordshire local education authority has built a number of schools to meet this need and is building several more. I am sending the details to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education if he will now release the land at Brook Lane, Sarisbury, previously required for educational purposes, which belongs to Mr. G. H. R. Cook, in view of the fact that the number of children in the area will not justify the erection of a school on this land within Mr. Cook's lifetime, and in order to remedy the injustice being suffered by Mr. Cook.

Year					Establishments recognised for the award of certificates	Establishments conducting final examinations for certificates	Students entering for final examinations
Ordinary National Certificates in Commerce:
1950	…	…	…	…	126	47	242
1955	…	…	…	…	102	81	534
Higher National Certificates in Commerce:
1950	…	…	…	…	7	7	28
1955	…	…	…	…	8	5	9

Mr. Cook knew when he bought the land that the Hampshire County Council might wish to acquire it for educational purposes. I understand the county council is likely to put to me quite soon a proposal for its acquisition, which I shall consider carefully.

asked the Minister of Education the number of men applying unsuccessfully for places in men's teachers training colleges, and the number of women applying unsuccessfully for places in women's teachers training colleges, during the year ended 31st December, 1955.

This information is not available. There was a much bigger increase in the number of applicants, and 250 more students, nearly all women, were admitted to training colleges in 1955 than in the previous year.

asked the Minister of Education how many technical colleges were recognised in 1950 and 1955, respectively, for the ordinary National Certificate and Higher National Certificate in Commerce; the number of colleges running courses in 1950 and 1955, respectively, for these National Certificates; and the number of students in recognised courses in 1950 and 1955, respectively, working for these certificates.

The best figures that I can give are as follows:

asked the Minister of Education the amount paid to local -authorities in education grants in the nearest convenient year; and what estimate he has made of the total amount by which these grants would have been reduced if industries which now enjoy derating were fully rated.

I estimate that grants payable to local education authorities in England and Wales for 1955–56 will total rather more than £260 million. If industries other than agriculture had been fully rated and if there had been no change in the grant formula, this sum would have been reduced by about £4·8 million.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will now announce the revised membership of the Central Advisory Council for Education (England).

Yes. The membership of the reconstituted Central Advisory Council for Education (England) is as follows:

• Mr. Geoffrey Crowther—Chairman.
• Dr. J. Macalister Brew—Educational Adviser National Association of Mixed and Girls' Clubs,
• Mr. M. H. Cadbury—A Managing Director (Export and Education), Cadbury Brothers Limited.
• Mr. A. B. Clegg—Chief Education Officer, County Council of the West Riding of Yorkshire.
• Dr. H. Frazer—Headmaster, The Gateway School for Boys, Leicester.
• Mr. T. F. Gilbert—Headmaster, North County Modern Boys' School, Ashford, Kent.
• Miss B. A. Godwin—Assistant Secretary, Clerical and Administrative Workers Union.
• Miss M. G. Green—Headmistress, Kidbrooke Comprehensive School, London.
• Dr. V. M. Grubb—Principal, Salisbury Diocesan Training College for Teachers.
• Dr. R. Holroyd—Director of Research, Imperial Chemical Industries.
• Miss E. M. Huxstep—Headmistress, The County Grammar School for Girls, Chislehurst, Kent.
• Professor A. V. Judges—Professor of the History of Education, University of London.
• Dr. R. P. Linstead—Rector, Imperial College, London.
• Lieut.-General Sir Kenneth McLean—Formerly Chief of Staff, Ministry of Defence.
• Mr. O. W. Mitchell—Headmaster, Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne.
• Professor N. F. Mott—Cavendish Professor of Experimental Physics, University of Cambridge.
• Mr. W. F. Oakeshott—Rector, Lincoln College, Oxford.
• Professor S. G. Raybould—Professor of Adult Education and Director of Extra-Mural Studies, University of Leeds.
• Dr. M. Reeves—Vice-Principal, St. Anne's College, Oxford.
• Professor T. S Simey—Charles Booth Professor of Social Science, University of Liverpool.
• Mr. G. H. Sylvester—Chief Education Officer, Bristol.
• Mr. B. G. Lampard-Vachell—Chairman, Devon Education Committee.
• Dr. P. F. R. Venables—Principal, Royal Technical College, Salford.
• Mr. H. A. Warren—Principal, South-East London Technical College.
• Miss E. M. Wedekind—Headmistress, Sir Humphrey Gilbert Secondary School, London.
• Mr. J. V. C. Wray—Secretary, Education Department, Trades Union Congress.
• Mr. B. W. M. Young—Headmaster, Charter-house.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the percentage of spindles and looms respectively, in the cotton textile industry which were operating on double-shift working in the last quarter 1953, 1954, and 1955.

The percentage of spindles in the cotton industry operated on double-shift systems in the last quarter of 1953, 1954 and 1955 were about 1·4, 1·5 and 2·0 respectively. Similar figures for looms were 10·3, 11·2 and 11·8.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how his Department is represented on the Welsh Economic Development Council; and what steps he is taking to assist this organisation in its efforts to develop foreign markets for Welsh industrial products.

The Board of Trade is not represented on the Council but would be glad to consider any suggestions for increasing exports. The export services provided by the Government are, of course, designed to assist all undertakings in Wales, as in other parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement concerning the representations made to him by the British Glace Kid Tanners Association regarding substantial imports of subsidised kid leather from Germany.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply given to his Question on 15th March. Before the ending of the German subsidy scheme, the Glacé Kid Tanners Association made various representations about subsidised imports of German kid leathers. Under the Butler-Erhard agreement of May, 1954, the sole remaining artificial aid to exports in Germany came to an end on 31st December. 1955.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the vital importance of earning dollars by trade with the United States of America, he will review all the rules and regulations which have to be observed, to see whether these could be simplified and reduced.

Export licensing does not in general provide any obstacle to trade with the U.S.A. Only a very small number of goods, consisting principally of certain essential raw materials, arms and ammunition, and a few items of high value including works of art and antiques, remains subject to licensing control on export to the United States. These rules and regulations are kept under close and constant review by my Department.Exports are also subject to Customs formalities for exchange control and statistical purposes and where goods are shipped under revenue remissions or refunds. But I am assured by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that these procedures are examined regularly to see whether they can be simplified. In order to assist the export trade, new exchange control measures have recently been approved, whereby the number of forms required in respect of exports to the U.S.A. and other countries outside the sterling area has been substantially reduced.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of all classes of imports that are now restricted by quota or other means.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statement accompanying the reply given to the hon. Member for Northfield (Mr. Chapman) on 20th February, which set out the main classes of imports subject to some form of quantitative control.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of materials, the supply of which on the home market is restricted or allocated.

The materials for which my Department exercises statutory control over distribution are tinplate, iron and steel scrap, manila hemp and newsprint.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the numbers of overseas trade visitors for 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, and 1955 to the London section of the British Industries Fair.

The following are the figures:

1947	15,174
1948	12,505
1949	14,764
1950	16,708
1951	16,880
1952	11,593
1953	11,045
1954	9,717
1955	8,605

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will give premature release to those science teachers who are now undergoing National Service.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bristol, Central (Mr. Awbery) on 1st February.

asked the Minister of Defence, in view of the fact that arms of British origin have been found to have been used in operations against France in North Africa, and of the effect this will have on Anglo-French relations, whether he will instruct all Departments to ensure that no further such leakage occurs.

The export of arms is already subject to strict control to ensure that none leave the country except in accordance with the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the electric supply system at Catterick Camp will be increased to enable the use of floor-polishing machines and so obviate the need to make use of out-of-date methods for this purpose.

We are starting to renew and expand the electricity supply system at Catterick at the end of this year. This service is part of our programme for rebuilding Catterick Camp.

asked the Secretary of State for War in what year the married Service men's quarters in Brookhill Road, Woolwich, were built; and when he estimates that letter boxes, bells or knockers will be provided on all front doors.

These quarters were built in 1880. I am unable to be more precise about the date when letter-boxes and bells or knockers will be provided than I was in my Answer to the hon. Member on 20th March.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the publication explaining how National Service grants can be claimed, with full information of the allowances, will be issued to National Service recruits.

Full information has always been given, both orally and in a leaflet, to National Service recruits. A new booklet called "Your Son and the Army" is being distributed to parents of National Service recruits from 1st April onward, and this includes full information about these grants.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the low medical category of Sapper Gooderham, of Greenhithe, details of which have been supplied by the hon. Member for Dartford, he will give an assurance that he will not be sent overseas.

Yes. I am writing to the hon. Member about this case.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many British West Indian subjects are in distress in Cuba, the Dominican Republic and other foreign countries, and why.

The latest available figures for British West Indians receiving assistance from public funds in the Caribbean area are:

Cuba	307
Dominican Republic	241
Haiti	27

The main reason for the distress of these people is the seasonal nature of their work on sugar plantations, ill health and old age. Furthermore, in times of unemployment or crop restriction the first workers to be laid off are usually those who are foreigners.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what relief measures are being carried out under the grant-in-aid for the relief of Palestinian refugees and what progress is being made with their rehabilitation.

I will deal first with relief.According to the last Annual Report of the Director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (U.N.R.W.A.) adopted at the General Assembly of the United Nations in November last, the Agency issues 836,000 whole rations among 906,000 refugees. Certain classes (children between six months and two years; pregnant and nursing women; and others according to medical advice) benefit from supplementary feeding. Children under one year, who do not receive the basic ration, receive 1,200 grammes of whole milk daily.Thirty-seven per cent. of the refugees live in camps; tents are being replaced by huts; and shelter is provided for those refugees who had previously lived in extreme squalor outside the camps.Last year's good health record resulted partly from the teaching of the Agency's health education staff (twenty trained workers in November, 1955), the establishment of a school health service, the provision of preventive medicine, mass immunisation campaigns, and the effective teaching of hygiene. Refugees suffering from infectious tuberculosis are segregated and cared for in local government hospitals, a missionary tuberculosis hospital on the West Bank, and in the Agency's tuberculosis hospital opened in Jordan last year especially for refugees.Other relief operations have included drought relief with water tankers in February last year. The Agency contemplates also improvements in the scale of relief including supplementary rations for children, the distribution of additional kerosene, and the provision of cloth for children's wear. Clothing as such is provided by voluntary associations; U.N.R.W.A. merely distributes it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how this country is represented at the twelve-nation conference at Washington on the setting up of an international agency for the peaceful uses of atomic energy; and what report will be made available.

The United Kingdom representative at the Conference held to discuss a draft Statute for an International Atomic Energy Agency is Her Majesty's Ambassador to the United States; he has been supported by experts from this country and on his own staff. The proceedings of the Conference are confidential and no report will be issued by Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what type of fly-over has been planned for the junction of Hendon Way and the North Circular Road at Brent Cross; and what estimate he has made of the cost of constructing a simplified one like those in various parts of Paris.

A bridge structure will carry Hendon Way over a surface roundabout on the North Circular Road. As regards the second part of the Question, no such estimate has been made because a roundabout as well as a fly-over will eventually be necessary to deal with the traffic at this crossing.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the approximate amount of steel required for the Langbank Improvement Scheme.

Approximately 140 tons.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the average time taken for the preparation of details and contract documents for a major road scheme; and how long is the average delay between authorisation and commencement of work.

While the period naturally varies according to the size and complexity of the scheme and the availability of engineering staff, the preparation of details and contract documents for a major road scheme takes, on average, between twelve and eighteen months. For a representative selection of large trunk road schemes started in the past two years the average time between authorisation and commencement of work has been eleven months.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress is being made in connection with the Bridge of Allan Road Scheme which was authorised at the end of last year.

A tender for the river bridge is about to be accepted; details of the railway bridge are being prepared by the British Transport Commission.

asked the Postmaster-General his methods of ensuring that local calls made on party lines are charged to the correct subscriber.

The majority of shared-service subscribers on automatic exchanges have separate meters, and local calls are recorded automatically against the correct line. When the two subscribers share one meter, one of them, in accordance with Regulation 5 (2) of the Telephone Regulations, 1954, accepts responsibility for the whole local call account, making a settlement with his sharing partner. On manual exchanges calls are made through an operator, who asks the caller his number.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps are being taken to speed up the transit of surface mails to Australia and New Zealand.

All sea services which provide an effective outlet are used for the dispatch of mails to Australia and New Zealand. If my hon. Friend will let me have details of letters or parcels which appear to have taken an unduly long time in transit I will have inquiry made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty which of Her Majesty's ships are to visit Welsh ports this summer; and if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT short particulars of the category, size and complement of each ship and the port to be visited in each case.

Port	Ship		Type			Standard displacement	Complement		Date of visit
						tons each	Officers	Ratings
Barry	Two fast patrol boats of 1st F.P.B. Squadron, Coastal Forces.					64	3	12	30th July–4th August
							(each ship)
Cardiff	SELENE	…	Submarine	…	…	715	6	44	30th June-lst July
Cardiff	BATTLEAXE		Destroyer	…	…	1,980	28	278	14th–20th July
Conway	Dee	…	Coastal minesweeper (R.N.V.R. Training Ship).			95	3	22	26th–27th August
Holyhead									2nd–3rd April
Holyhead									25th–26th May
Holyhead	SERAPH	…	Submarine	…	…	715	6	44	11th–14th May
Milford Haven	Dee	…	…	…	…	—	—		3rd–4th April
Milford Haven	Ship of 5th Fishery Protection and Minesweeping Squadron. (Details to be decided.)					—	—		During May
Milford Haven	SCYTHIAN	…	Submarine	…	…	715	6	49	16th–17th June
Newport	ST. KITTS		Destroyer	…	…	2,315	14	264	12th–18th September
Swansea	Ship of 5th Fishery Protection and Minesweeping Squadron. (Details to be decided.)					—	—		During June
Swansea	ARMADA	…	Destroyer	…	…	2,315	23	284	12th–18th September
Tenby	ZEST	…	Anti-submarine frigate.			1,710	11	208	10th–15th June

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty to whom were the fifty small vessels sold as Government surplus for £101,114; the reasons for the default of the purchaser; what action has been taken to obtain payment or the return of the vessels; and how much these vessels cost.

Forty-seven vessels, mostly landing craft lying in a somewhat inaccessible part of Egypt, were sold in 1946 to a British subject who had furnished entirely satisfactory credentials, but stringent conditions of resale were specified. All but some £24,000 of the contract price was received either from the purchaser or, on his bankruptcy, by sale in default, but his debt was increased to £101,114 by interest, towage, berthage rents and other factors. This sum was written off and recorded in the Losses Statement in the Navy Appropriation Account, 1950–51.The purchaser's failure was primarily due to the difficulty of finding customers acceptable to the Admiralty in the unsettled conditions in the Middle East. It

Arrangements have been made for twelve of Her Majesty's ships to pay informal visits to Welsh ports this summer. The particulars are as follows:was impracticable and uneconomic to recover certain of the vessels for which no payments were received. The original cost of the vessels was about £3,250,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give an estimate of the increased rate income to be derived by local authorities in the current or latest convenient year if industry was fully rated.

On the assumption that rate poundages were unchanged, the additional rate income for the year 1955–56 would be about £45 million if industry were fully rated but no consequential adjustment made in valuations. The assumption, however, would only be fulfilled if Exchequer grants were reduced by a like amount.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that in Morecambe and Heysham a survey of 159 cases of private hotels and boarding houses has been made showing that in 36 cases the actual amount of money they will have to pay in rates has been doubled and that most of the others are up by very substantial amounts; that the same difficulties have arisen in other parts of the country; and if he will now say when he proposes to review rating generally to see that the burden is more equitably distributed.

I have seen this survey. I cannot go into the merits of individual assessments, but in the proportion of cases in which the increase is abnormally large the reason may be previous underassessment. As regards the last part of the Question I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mr. Page) on 15th March, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to be in a position to review the effects of the recent rating revaluations upon commercial properties.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mr. Page) on 15th March, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the amount paid to local authorities in equalisation grants in the nearest convenient year; and what estimate he has made of the total amount by which these grants would have been reduced if industries which now enjoy derating were fully rated.

The estimated amount payable for 1955–56 is £73,240,202; if industry had been fully rated, the amount would have been reduced by about £9 million. Re-rating of industry would, however, almost certainly involve the reconsideration of the Exchequer grants in general.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement giving, for each of the new towns for 1953–54 and 1954–55, a revenue return on capital expenditure which is already producing revenue.

I would refer the hon. Member to the published volumes of accounts for the respective years for particulars of the capital expenditure and the income. Subdivision of the capital expenditure between that which is revenue producing and that which is not revenue producing, and the further analysis of the former into that which is already producing revenue and that which is not yet producing revenue, involve so many arbitrary assumptions that the resulting calculations would be misleading.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how much expenditure was authorised on rural water and sewerage schemes in 1955–56; and his estimate for 1956–57.

The figures for 1955–56 are approximately £6·5 million (water) and £10·5 million (sewerage). For the time being each scheme submitted will have to be scrutinised in the light of the considerations mentioned in the Answer to my hon. Friend's Question on 14th March, and I cannot estimate how much I shall be able to authorise in 1956–57.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, before taking steps either as to exact location or height of the proposed development of the St. Thomas's Hospital site, he will have a clear diagrammatic sketch prepared showing the relation between the proposed new structure, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and the other important buildings now existing in the immediate proximity of the site, and have this sketch exhibited in the Tea Room.

An inquiry is being held on 8th May into the proposals as submitted. Before arriving at any decision following the inquiry, I shall certainly bear in mind the relationship of the building, especially its height, to other buildings in the vicinity. Meanwhile a sketch showing the outline of the building in relation to the Hospital and Lambeth Palace is among the plans to be placed in the Tea Room.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that on the Hill Dene Housing Estate, Cinderford, Gloucestershire, the outbuildings, containing washing apparatus, are very damp through inadequate ventilation, so that metal utensils and bicycles stored there rust; and whether he will sanction a loan to enable the East Dean Rural District Council to make improvements to eliminate this damp.

These outbuildings contain a wash-house, a fuel store and a general store. If each is used for the purpose for which it is designed, there should be no question of damp.I have explained to the council that in the circumstances I cannot sanction expenditure on the proposed modifications.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether the gypsies at Cogan, Penarth, have yet been provided with a settled habitation.

No. I understand that none of the local authorities concerned has so far felt able to help.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the situation in Cyprus since the deportation of Archbishop Makarios.

The deportations did not produce any significant spontaneous demonstrations in Cyprus, but two days afterwards a campaign of intimidation in favour of a general strike was launched in the main towns. This campaign achieved some success, but by 20th March—eleven days after the deportations—conditions had returned to normal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of buildings which have been destroyed or badly damaged by terrorists in Cyprus since the outbreaks of violence began; and if he can give an estimate of the total cost of this destruction.

Thirty-seven buildings have been destroyed or badly damaged by terrorists. The estimated value is £113,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to make a statement on the conditions of employment and salaries of Government doctors in Cyprus; the number of vacancies; and what action is proposed to end the present dispute.

The present salaries (exclusive of allowances) of doctors in the Cyprus Government Service range from a minimum of £794 p.a. for a Class II medical officer to £1,600 p.a. for a senior specialist. Other terms of service, including cost of living allowance at 9 per cent. of basic salary and overseas allowance at 15 per cent. are identical with the unrevised terms of service for other Government officers in Cyprus, except that specialist medical officers are also allowed to retain 50 per cent. of consulting fees. No private practice is allowed. The proposed new salary scales range from £900 p.a. to £1,800 p.a. with the same conditions of service except that the overseas allowance is increased to 20 per cent.There were no outstanding vacancies at the end of 1955. There are now three new posts which have not yet been advertised.The proposed new salaries and conditions of service are under discussion locally and with the British Medical Association.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will investigate the case of the Leicestershire old-age pensioners who, because they had saved £6 more than the limit of £75 allowed under the pensions scheme, had their pension cut by 6d. a week, and to regain their full pension spent £6 of their capital; and, in view of the fall in the purchasing power of money, if he will have this saving limit substantially increased and so encourage the small savers.

—		1947	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955*
0–4 years	…	2,392	594	2,159	2,688	768	1,289	1,203	604	1,736
5–9 years	…	1,606	346	1,281	1,728	591	976	1,219	562	1,908
10–14 years	…	1,114	255	733	908	315	379	516	210	764
15 and over	…	2,654	653	1,794	2,428	935	1,258	1,600	578	1,920

DEATHS FROM POLIOMYELITIS. ENGLAND AND WALES 1947–1955
Ages at death		1947	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955*
0–4 years	…	133	23	129	165	42	40	44	18	29
5–9 years	…	85	30	92	97	31	37	70	18	32
10–14 years	…	83	20	57	57	9	21	28	10	18
15 and over	…	406	168	379	436	135	197	196	88	190
* Provisional figures.

As there is no means limit in respect of retirement pensions, I assume my hon. Friend has in mind payments of National Assistance. I do not think the present means limits in respect of capital, which are of course fixed by Statute, are in their total effect ungenerous But as my hon. Friend has been good enough to send particulars of the individual case which he has in mind, my right hon. Friend is asking the National Assistance Board to look into it.

asked the Minister of Health what training facilities he provides for mental welfare officers employed by local health authorities.

There is no national scheme of training specifically for these officers, but a number of local authorities arrange courses for them. The position is now being studied by a working party set up last year to consider the training and field of work of all social workers in the local authority health and welfare services.

asked the Minister of Health the ages of the cases of, and deaths from, poliomyelitis in England and Wales in each of the years 1947 to 1955.

The number of cases notified of acute poliomyelitis in England and Wales in the years 1947 to 1955 are as follows:

asked the Minister of Health why the pilot scheme for polio vaccination, arranged to be operated in six centres in the United Kingdom by the Medical Research Council last year, has been abandoned.

I am replying as representing the Lord President of the Council. The Medical Research Council decided in June, 1955, to postpone the proposed pilot trial of a vaccine identical with that used in the United States until certain modifications in the vaccine could be made, and more stringent safety tests introduced. These original proposals have been superseded by the recently announced plans for the general issue of a British vaccine.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give further details of how his estimate of £695,000 on operation and maintenance costs of oil storage installations in 1956–57 will be spent.

Part of the expenditure is for the repair and renewal of facilities built by the Government to safeguard the distribution of oil in an emergency; the remainder covers routine maintenance and operational costs.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) whether his Department will reconsider the policy which governs the selection of sites for atomic power stations with special reference to the assumption that they may be at some distance from large towns, in view of the fact that vulnerability from enemy action is not conditioned by distance;(2) what reasons have guided his Department's policy that atomic power stations should be located at some distance from thickly populated areas; and what destructive radius was assumed in any defence calculation.

As explained in paragraphs 36 and 37 of the Government White Paper on Nuclear Power (Cmd. 9389) the projected atomic power stations will be of inherently safe design. As far as defence is concerned, therefore, their siting does not involve different problems from those of other power stations. As an additional safety precaution, however, they are being sited away from built-up areas.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power on what date he received from the Gas Council suggestions for improving the pensions of ex-gas company pensioners; in what terms he has replied; and whether he is now in a position to make a hill statement.

On the 16th March, the Gas Council submitted for my approval a scheme for increasing the pensions of its ex-gas company and other pensioners who have received no increases under the Pensions (Increase) Acts, 1944 to 1952.I have given my approval to this scheme.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will publish the Report of the Committee which has been examining the organisation of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

My noble Friend is arranging for the Committee's interim Report, the recommendations of which form the basis of the main provisions of the recently published Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bill, to be published as a White Paper. He does not propose to publish the Committee's final Report, much of which is of a confidential character.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that on 28th November, 1955, his officers proposed to lay an underground pipe on land belonging to, Mr. J. T. Eady, Pytchley Lodge, near Kettering; that on 28th January, 1956, Mr. Eady asked, by letter, for certain conditions to be observed; that no answer has been sent to that letter; that the contractors concerned on 19th March drove a bulldozer through two farm fences and left a gap through which attested cattle could have strayed from the field, and that on the following day the contractors in the course of their work divided the field in two and prevented the cattle from getting water; what were the reasons for the failure to answer Mr. Eady's letter and for the unnecessary disturbances caused by this method of carrying out the work; and what steps he, proposes to take to compensate Mr. Eady and to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents in other cases.

I much regret that these incidents should have taken place. I have issued instructions which will I hope obviate any difficulty in future. I apologise to Mr. Eady for what has occurred. If he submits a claim for compensation we shall of course consider it.

asked the Prime Minister which Department was responsible for the disposal of the orange juice declared surplus by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

It was disposed of by the former Ministry of Food.