asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the attitude of Her Majesty's Government regarding the appointment of a new Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations Organisation.

Her Majesty's Government would favour a proposal, if made at the special meeting of the F.A.O. Council next week, that a special conference should not be convened this year to appoint a new Director-General, thereby leaving the Acting Director-General in post until the regular conference of the Organisation in the autumn of 1957. This would allow member Governments sufficient time to give mature consideration to the selection of the most suitable candidate for appointment to the very important post of Director-General of the Organisation.'Her Majesty's Government's primary concern however is to support the Organisation in its constructive work. This, is best assured by the greatest possible measure of agreement amongst member countries, and if it were the general wish of the Council to convene a special conference in the autumn of this year for the selection and appointment of a new Director-General, Her Majesty's Government would not dissent.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why, in relation to the manuscript of a book entitled, "The Hidden Catch," and in reply to a letter dated 15th December, 1955, written by Major Clayton Hutton to the Air Ministry asking if such a manuscript had been received by that Department, a written denial was sent to Major Hutton, dated 20th December, 1955, stating that no such manuscript had ever been received by the Air Ministry;

The letter of 20th December was sent in error, and two days later Major Clayton Hutton was invited to call at the Air Ministry, where the misunderstanding was explained to him and apology made for the irritation which it had caused. The extent of the Air Ministry's concern with the content of the book "The Hidden Catch" was explained to my hon. and gallant Friend in the written reply which I gave him on 13th March.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proportion, in each of the past three years, of local government expenditure falling on public funds was met by central Government grants in the case of each class of local authority.

The approximate percentages of the net expenditure of the various classes of local authority in 1953–54 which were met by grants from the central government are shown hereunder. Figures of expenditure for 1955–56 have not yet been received from local authorities while those for 1954–55 have not yet been completely analysed.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that, if the free concessionary coal, or coal at nominal prices provided for miners, typists and other workers employed by the National Coal Board, were reduced to the amounts of other domestic consumers' allocation, there would become available another 4 million tons of coal a year, with a saving of expenditure on imported coal of some £23 million; and if he will forthwith give a general direction to the National Coal Board to end the provision of concessionary coal to miners and other employees of the National Coal Board at the expense of the householder and the rest of the community.

Concessionary coal is traditionally a part of the remuneration of workers in the mining industry and for the most part is governed by long-standing individual colliery agreements concluded between employers and workers. Any change in these agreements must be negotiated between the parties concerned.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the average monthly payment of salary and allowances to full-time doctors serving on pneumoconiosis medical panels and medical boards; and the average monthly payment of fees and allowances to part-time doctors serving thereon.

The average monthly payment of salary and allowances to full-time doctors serving on medical boards drawn from pneumoconiosis medical panels in the financial year 1955–56 was £187, and to part-time doctors £62.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance when the distribution of the Japanese assets under Article 16 of the Peace Treaty with Japan is likely to be made.

I understand that the International Committee of the Red Cross which is responsible under the terms of the Peace Treaty for distributing the money to the appropriate national agencies has now obtained from the various beneficiary countries lists of their prisoners of war. The necessary checking of these lists is taking the Committee longer than it expected, and I am informed that it will be several months before it completes its work. It is unlikely, therefore, that my Department, as national agency for the United Kingdom, will receive its allocation from the Committee in time to be able to make a distribution before the end of the year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of the National Debt in 1900, 1920 1945, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, and 1955, giving the amount per head of the population for each of those years.

The required figures are:—

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it was with his approval that a Board of Trade controller spoke in his official capacity at a weekend conference organised by the Economic League in Porthcawl on 28th and 29th April.

I understand that this conference was an industrial training course for foremen and supervisors. My prior approval was not necessary.