asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will arrange that the women who have hitherto been employed on the Colorado Beetle spraying campaign, which has now been discontinued, should be employed for work in connection with potato root eelworm.

:These officers are still employed on work in connection with the health of the potato crop, including potato root eelworm.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will ask the Consumers' Committee set up under Section 9 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, to make a report to him on the effect of the Potato Marketing Scheme, and the actions of the Board created thereunder on the present potato shortage and high prices.

It is already part of the statutory duty of the Consumers' Committee concerned to consider the effect on consumers of any such marketing scheme and to report as they may think fit.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance he proposes to give the board that will operate the pig progeny testing stations to meet any deficit that may be incurred in the running of the scheme.

It is proposed that an undertaking should be given to make a contribution from public funds of 70 per cent. of the loss incurred in any of the first three years subject to a maximum contribution of £21,000 in any one year. The Bacon Marketing Board and the National Pig Breeders' Association Progeny Testing Research Company Limited, have agreed to make voluntary annual contributions of a maximum of £6,000 and £3,000 respectively during the same period to meet the balance of the estimated maximum deficit of £30,000 per annum. Substantive provision will be made in my Department's Estimate when necessary but token provision of £10 has meanwhile been made under Subhead D8 of my Department's Estimate for the Agricultural and Food Services Vote for 1956–57 to secure formal Parliamentary authority for this service.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the minimum experience which his Department and the Amalgamated Engineering Union established in 1939 as entitling an Air Ministry skilled employee to recognition as a skilled craftsman.

The Air Ministry regarded a fully skilled engineering craftsman as one who had served an engineering apprenticeship or had equivalent engineering experience. I cannot answer for the Amalgamated Engineering Union.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that certain employees of his Department, who entered Air Ministry service with no industrial background other than a Government vocational training course in 1938, are recognised as skilled craftsmen, while others, who entered in the same circumstances a few months later, are permanently debarred by his Department's interpretation of the Relaxation of Customs Agreement from skilled status; and what steps he proposes taking to correct this injustice.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is No." The second part does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what proposals were made by his Department in 1952 for the modification of the Temporary Relaxation of Existing Customs Agreement, 1939, to the Amalgamated Engineering Union: and the reply of that organisation.

The outcome of the negotiations opened with the Amalgamated Engineering Union in 1951 was announced in a Written Reply on 2nd June, 1954, by the then Under-Secretary of State for Air. I am sending a copy to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what administrative machinery exists for the purpose of interpreting the spirit and intentions of the contracting parties in his Department's Temporary Relaxation of Existing Customs Agreement, 1939, with the Amalgamated Engineering Union; and if he will compensate his Department's employees whose conditions of service and prospects of promotion are prejudiced by his interpretations of the Agreement.

The machinery is that referred to in paragraph 5 (a) of the Relaxation of Customs Agreement. The Answer to the second part of the Question is "No".

asked the Secretary of State for Air (1) how many dilutee metal working craftsmen became employed on skilled work in his Department during July, 1939;(2) how many dilutee metal working craftsmen became employed on skilled work in his Department during each of the first two quarters of 1939.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in view of the results of the plebiscite held in British Togoland on 9th May, if he will now make a statement of the date for the granting of independence to the Gold Coast.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to my statement in the House on 11th May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied that there are adequate medical facilities at the Creek Hospital or elsewhere for Government servants and their families stationed in Lagos.

In general, yes, but the Federal Government are making provision for the improvements of certain facilities which are often used to capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether flue-cured tobacco is grown by Africans in Nyasaland; and to what extent the amount produced in 1955 failed to meet buyers' demands.

No flue-cured tobacco is grown by Africans in Nyasaland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that there are 20,000 ex-Service men, artisans and plantation labourers now unemployed in Mauritius, amounting to approximately 12 per cent. of the working population; that this is causing anxiety to the people of the Colony; and what steps he is taking to meet this situation.

There is no evidence to support the figure given in the Question. The Employment Registration Bureau, which provides the only objective means of assessing the extent of unemployment in the Colony, showed 2,404 persons registered as unemployed on 30th April as compared with 3,316 on 31st January. The Government has a substantial development programme in view which will provide increased opportunities for employment.

asked the Minister of Education what percentages of pupils are receiving education in grammar, technical and modern schools in the County of Lancashire, the City of Liverpool, and the County Borough of Bootle, respectively.

The approximate percentages are as follows:

asked the Minister of Education how many children were awarded places in grammar schools, technical schools or grammar technical schools, respectively, in the City of Liverpool and the County Borough of Bootle, respectively, in the years 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, and 1955; how many grammar and technical places are available in these areas in 1956; if he will give details of further grammar and technical educational provision now in course of building, and to be completed in the next five years, in the Lancashire County, the City of Liverpool and the County Borough of Bootle areas, respectively; and if he will receive representations about the adequacy of provision from educational authorities in any of the areas mentioned.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education how many children in the City of Liverpool and the County Borough of Bootle, respectively, are receiving grammar school, or technical school education; and how many of these pupils are occupying grammar or technical places in the Lancashire county area.

In January, 1955, 10,524 pupils who lived in Liverpool and 1,209 who lived in Bootle were receiving grammar or technical education in maintained schools. Of these thirty-three and eight respectively were at schools maintained by the Lancashire local education authority.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of Purchase Tax derived from all articles chargeable at 90 per cent., in Group 31, during the period October, 1955, to April, 1956, and the comparable amount for the highest rate of tax during April to September, 1955.

Separate figures for Group 31 are not available. The tax paid on articles now chargeable at 90 per cent. under Groups 30 and 31 in respect of the period October-December, 1955, was about £881,000; but this amount includes receipts of tax, of which separate details are not available, in respect of the period lst-26th October before the tax rates were changed. The tax paid on articles chargeable at 75 per cent. under these groups in respect of the periods March-June, 1955, and July-September, 1955, was about £596,000 and £677,000 respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total value of exports of articles in Group 31 (a) of the Purchase Tax Schedules for 1955–56.

As the articles in Group 31 of the Purchase Tax Schedule cannot be separately identified under the current Export List headings, I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total value of Purchase Tax derived from compacts in Group 31 (a).

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he has now considered the representations made to him by the Museums Association on the subject of the rating and valuation of provincial museums and art galleries; and whether he will now make a statement.

Under Section 8 of the Rating and Valuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955, local authorities may grant certain institutions relief from liability to pay rates. No doubt provincial museums and art galleries will seek such relief where they consider that they qualify for it.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what benefits will accrue to people in the Cotswolds from the erection of Power Line 275 KV, which he has sanctioned.

The 275 KV Grid System is necessary to meet the increasing national demand for electricity and all consumers will benefit from it.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many representations he has received from responsible bodies and individuals in Gloucestershire against the project Power Line 275 KV over the Cotswolds.

At the local public inquiry two years ago eight responsible bodies and a few individuals made objections to the proposed line. Since then there have been wayleave objections from sixteen owners and occupiers.

asked the Minister of Health to enumerate the working parties and committees who are due to report on different aspects of the National Health Service; and the object of each, its membership and date of appointment, and the date on which he expects to receive its report.

Following is a list in order of the date of appointment:

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Northgate and District Hospital, Morpeth, has been requested by the regional psychiatrist of the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board to give admission priority to seven mentally defective patients from Her Majesty's Prison, Durham; that the medical superintendent of Northgate Hospital is not able to do this as his workshops are already overcrowded, and with the loss of the farm he is not able to provide the necessary training; and what capital provision is being made in the present year to assist Northgate and District Hospital to expand its workshops and secure land for occupational services.

The seven patients have been placed on the joint waiting list for all the mental deficiency hospitals in the Newcastle Region—not on that for Northgate Hospital alone. The Regional Hospital Board has made no special provision for workshops at Northgate Hospital in the current year, but I do not consider that there is any present need to acquire further land there for occupational purposes as the hospital has 100 acres of land including 8½ acres of market gardens and St. George's Hospital, which is very close by, has 243 acres, including a farm and market gardens.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that a shortage of dental plaster exists in the area of Ashington, Northumberland, which is causing difficulties in the provision of dental services; and whether he will have the problem examined and make a statement.

I am aware that there has been some shortage, but additional supplies are now available.

asked the Minister of Health when it is expected that David Hughes, 4 Grainsby Close, Lincoln, will have the operation which the senior registrar of the plastic and jaw department of the United Sheffield Hospitals, The Royal Hospital Annexe, stated on 23rd August, 1954, it was hoped to perform within the next few months.

I am informed that this operation is not in any way urgent. The patient is now at the top of the waiting-list for non-urgent cases, but I cannot say when the operation will be performed, as it may be delayed by emergency cases which must take priority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation so that a member of a Licensing Committee who meets with an accident while inspecting premises as a member of the committee may receive compensation for injuries he has suffered.

I am not aware of any reason for introducing legislation for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total number of adults offenders against whom probation orders were made in courts of summary jurisdiction in England and Wales in 1935, 1945, 1953, 1954 and 1955; and what were these figures as a percentage of the total number of adults against whom charges were found to be proved in each of these years.

The figures are as follows:

	Number of persons aged 17 and over placed on probation by courts of summary jurisdiction	Number of persons aged 17 and over found guilty of offences at courts of summary jurisdiction	Percentage
1935	8,800	703,218	1·25
1945	7,951	380,363	2·09
1953	9,736	622,991	1·56
1954	9,736	649,378	1·50
Figures for 1955 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total number of children and young persons against whom probation orders were made in courts of summary jurisdiction in England and Wales in 1935, 1945, 1953, 1954 and 1955; and what were these figures as a percentage of the total

number of children and young persons against whom charges were found to be proved in each of these years.

The figures are as follows:

	Number of children and young persons placed on probation by courts of summary jurisdiction	Number of children and young persons found guilty of offences at courts of summary jurisdiction	Percentage
1935	14,318	49,378	29·0
1945	19,833	72,940	27·2
1953	16,806	63,191	26·6
1954	15.710	59,460	26·4
Figures for 1955 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the abolition of subsidies on corporation loans except those for slum clearance means that the Borough of Oldham is unable to build any further houses for letting to newly-married families who are deprived of the opportunity of obtaining a home; and what steps he proposes to take.

The subsidy for houses built for general needs has been reduced, but not abolished. It may well be that local authorities will build more houses than hitherto for slum clearance and that this may result in their building fewer for general needs; but my right hon. Friend has no reason to suppose that they will not maintain a fair balance between families living in slums and others on the housing lists.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is now prepared to accept the invitation of the Oldham Corporation to visit Oldham for the purpose of inspecting its housing situation.

As my right hon. Friend has already informed the corporation, he much appreciates its invitation and shall in due course be letting it know whether he can fit in a visit to Oldham.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that some 14,000 houses in Oldham are now considered as needing clearance or rebuilding; and what action he is taking to assist the corporation in their proposals for dealing with the problem.

My right hon. Friend is aware that Oldham has a difficult problem and he has arranged for officials of his Department to discuss it with the council.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the increases of interest charges to local government borrowers introduced by the present Government mean an increase of £2,000 in the repayment of a loan for sixty years on a corporation house; and what steps he proposes to take to assist corporations with this burden.

As was explained in the debates on the Housing Subsidies Act, local authorities should be able to meet these additional charges by spreading them over all their houses for which they receive subsidy from the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the estimated cost of a standard average corporation house with interest charges calculated at current rates and repayment over sixty years for a house built in 1948 and 1955, respectively.

The average cost of a three-bedroom house built in 1948 was £1,295 and the interest charges were £46 13s. 6d. The corresponding figures for a house built in 1955 were £1,442 and £76 0s. 7d.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that the Gelligai Urban District Council is unable to proceed with its housing project because of the inadequacy of the domestic water supply; and if he will now reconsider the application of the Rhymney Valley Water Board for a grant for the purpose of providing an adequate water supply for the area.

I take it that the hon. Member has in mind the council's housing project at Pontlottyn. Arrangements have been made to ensure that adequate water supplies are available for about a hundred new houses there. My right hon. Friend is having inquiries made about water supplies for the rest of this housing project and will communicate with the hon. Member in due course. The Answer to the last part of the Question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities in England and Wales have undertaken the sale of council houses to their tenants; and how many houses have been sold to the latest convenient date.

Up to the end of April, 349 local authorities in England and Wales had sold 5,825 council houses. In addition, six development corporations had sold 45 houses.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the financial loss involved when payment is delayed for claims settled under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954, in view of the fact that no interest on outstanding claims is now payable to the claimant; if he will give an assurance that all claims are paid immediately they are settled; and if he will take steps to see that the procedure for settling claims is expedited.

On the question of interest I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the Reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke) on 1st November last; very little time elapses between the settlement and the payment of claims; the procedure for settling claims is fixed by law, and every effort is made to operate it as expeditiously as the large number of claims permits.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the delay experienced by the Lincoln Co-operative Society in obtaining a decision on the future of their premises at Silver Street, Lincoln; and whether he will expedite the hearing of their appeal against the Lincoln City Council's decision setting back the building line.

Negotiations between the society and the city council have failed to produce agreement, and the society have appealed to my right hon. Friend, against conditions attached by the council to the planning permission for their rebuilding proposals. As a means of expediting the decision, the parties are being asked if they will agree to present their case in writing rather than at a hearing.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total numbers of retirement and old-age pensioners in the Reading and Newbury districts, and the numbers receiving supplements from the National Assistance Board, with the average weekly amounts received.

I am afraid that neither statistics of retirement pensioners nor of the average amounts of National Assistance allowances are available for particular localities. I am informed by the National Assistance Board that in the areas served by its offices at Reading and Newbury there were at 27th March, 1956, 2,116 persons in receipt of noncontributory old-age pension, and 6,373 persons receiving regular weekly National Assistance grants to supplement retirement and old-age pensions Some of the Assistance grants provide for the requirements of a household with more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of 1914–1918 disabled war pen sioners in receipt of alternative pensions; and what estimate he has made of the cost of increasing the maximum pension from £5 to £6 7s. 6d. per week.

About 270 disabled war pensioners are drawing alternative pensions. The annual cost of increasing the maximum alternative disablement pension by £1 7s. 6d. a week would be about £2,500. A consequential increase in the maximum for widows' alternative pensions, numbering about 7,200, would bring the cost to about £150,000 a year.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why no pension has been paid to the relatives of the late Private Derek Ian Wing, Ingham, near Lincoln, who was killed in a road accident at Birstall, Yorkshire, on 12th June, 1955, while serving as a National Service soldier carrying mail during the rail strike.

This soldier's death has been accepted as due to his service in the Army. The conditions under which a pension could be awarded by my right hon. Friend to a dependant relative—Mr. Wing left no widow—were explained in July, 1955, in reply to an enquiry made on behalf of the relatives. No claim for pension has, however, been made.

asked the Postmaster-General to give the estimated date of completion of the first group of very-high frequency broadcast stations, and the proposed localities and completion dates of the remainder of the proposed twenty-five stations.

Six of the eleven stations in the first group are now working. It is expected that the remaining five will be in operation before the end of this year. The next six stations will open in the latter part of 1957 and in 1958, though the areas to be served have not yet been determined.

The whole plan will take several years to complete. V.H.F. broadcasting is a new service with characteristics different from those of the medium-wave service, and the final number of stations and dates of opening will be decided as experience is gained.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applicants for telephone services are on the list in Morpeth, Newbiggin on the Sea, and Ashington, Northumberland, at the nearest convenient date, as compared with 1955.

The numbers at the 3rd March this year and last were:

	Morpeth	Newbiggin	Ashington
1956	60	4	12
1955	36	6	46

asked the Postmaster-General, in view of the decision that there is an incontrovertible statistical association between cigarette smoking and the incidence of lung cancer, whether he will make regulations under section 4 (4) of the Television Act, 1954, prescribing that there shall be no tobacco advertisements within an hour before and after children's programmes.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many smallholdings have been let to ex-Service men since 1945; and how many of these are in Ayrshire.

Since 1st January, 1945, 200 State-owned smallholdings have been let to ex-Service applicants on the Department of Agriculture's lists; four of these holdings are in Ayrshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many trunk roads there are in the seven crofter counties which do not meet with the requirements laid down for a modern trunk road, and in which counties.

The requirements for a trunk road depend on the nature and volume of the traffic using it. I regret, therefore, that I cannot, within the compass of the Answer to a Parliamentary Question, provide the information my hon. Friend desires.

asked the Secretary of State how many miles of the crofter counties road schemes remain to be completed; and in which counties.

The Crofter Counties' Scheme comprises 1,195 miles of roads of which 648 remain to be completed: forty-eight of these are now under reconstruction or await final surfacing. Details for individual counties are as follows:

	Completed	Not yet completed	Total
	Miles	Miles	Miles
Argyll	113	232	345
Inverness	136	228	364
Ross and Cromarty	67	70½	137½
Sutherland	84	114	198
Caithness	26	3½	29½
Orkney	61	—	61
Zetland	60	—	60
Total	547	648	1,195

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many communities in the seven crofter counties have no communication by road.

I regret that the information desired is not readily available. I shall write to my hon. Friend on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total number of children and young persons against whom probation orders were made in Scottish courts of summary jurisdiction in 1935, 1945, 1953, 1954 and 1955; what were these figures as a percentage of the total number of children and young persons in each of these years; and the number of probation areas in which no orders were made, and the number in which less than ten were made, in each of these years.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS
Year	Number of probation orders made	Percentage of total number of children and young persons against whom charges found proven	Number of probation areas in which no orders were made	Number of probation areas in which less than ten were made
1935	2,163	15·21	9	16
1945	2,603	12·85	2	12
1953	2,714	16·44	3	6
1954	2,687	17·19	1	8
1955	2,839	18·21	—	13

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total number of adult offenders against whom probation orders were made in Scottish courts of summary jurisdiction in 1935, 1945, 1953, 1954 and 1955; what were these figures as a percentage of the total number of adults against whom charges were found to be

ADULTS
Year	Number of probation orders made	Percentage of total number against whom charges found proved	Number of probation areas in which orders were made	Number of probation areas in which less than ten orders were made
1935	755	0·85	11	30
1945	326	0·57	18	26
1953	776	0·89	6	13
1954	788	0·85	5	15
1955	991	1·00	4	14

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware that the road improvement scheme at Milburn Road, Ashington, Northumberland, is suspended at a vital stage of progress, creating a bottleneck; what application has been made to him for a further grant to enable work to be resumed; and whether he will make a statement.

Following is the information:proved in each of these years; and the number of probation areas in which no orders were made, and the number in which less than 10 were made, in each of these years.

Following is the information:

I am aware that the improvement scheme now in hand in Milburn Road, Ashington, excludes about fifty yards of road immediately north of Newbiggin Road. In 1954 when a grant for this scheme was issued funds were not available for the improvement of the whole road. Widening of the remaining fifty yards will cost about £22,000, including £17,000 for acquisition of property, and I cannot yet say when I shall be able to make a grant for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what sums were made available for Wales for maintenance and minor improvement of roads and, similarly, for new construction and major improvement of trunk roads and what grants were allocated to highway authorities for classified roads, for each of these purposes, for the years 1954–55 and 1955–56, respectively.

The sums made available from my Department for these purposes in Wales and Monmouthshire were as follows:

—	1954–55	1955–56
	£	£
Trunk roads
Major improvements and new construction	1,055,374	2,374,703
Maintenance and minor improvements	1,062,000	1,114,515
Grants for classified roads
Major improvements and new construction	938,291	595,966
Maintenance and minor improvements	1,867,795	2,021,684

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when work is likely to be commenced on the actual construction of the London—Yorkshire motorway with particular reference to that part which will pass through Buckinghamshire.

The construction of the motorway cannot be authorised until I have made the scheme under the Special Roads Act, 1949, and completed negotiations for entry on to the land required. I have given instructions for these statutory processes to be pressed on, but they will still take a considerable time. I intend, however, to authorise the construction of the London—Birmingham section of this motorway as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation on which of the London carriageways which he has listed as being carriageways where widening would ease traffic congestion, the carriageway is to be widened at the expense of existing wide pavements to assist traffic; and whether he will suggest to highway authorities that this be done in cases where the widening of the carriageway is not proposed and where pavements are unnecessarily wide.

I hope that in time widening of the carriageways will be carried out at most of these places. The responsible highway authorities are well aware of the desirability of widening these carriageways but must take account of financial considerations and relative priorities. I do not think therefore that any suggestions from me are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will introduce legislation to amend the law so that either a pension is awarded to the family of a serving man killed while carrying out civilian duties or the family is entitled to sue for damages at common law.

I understand that the hon. Member has in mind the case of a soldier who was killed in a road accident on duty during a strike. A man killed in these circumstances is just as much on military duty as, for example. one killed on active service, and there can be no question of distinguishing between the two cases in the matter of awarding a pension. The position has already been explained in detail to the hon. Member in a letter of 7th April.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what sum is included in the current year's estimates by way of grant to the British Film Institute; and what part is earmarked for the Scientific Film Institute.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is £48,750. I understand that the British Film Institute proposes to allocate £2.850 by way of grant to the Scientific Film Association.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Loard President of the Council, the amount of the grant to the British Film Institute for the financial year ended 31st March, 1956; what sum was included in that grant for the Scientific Film Association; the membership of the Scientific Film Association; and what income it receives from subscriptions.

In the financial year ended 31st March, 1956, the British Film Institute received a grant-in-aid from the Treasury of £50,400. I understand that the Institute allocated £2,800 to the Scientific Film Association, that the Association has at present about a hundred corporate and about 200 individual members, and that their annual subscriptions total about £720.