asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of his staff have to meet the cost of their postage, telegrams, stationery, telephones, travel, living away from home expenses, secretarial expenses, etc., out of their State salaries; how many of these have not received an increase in such salary for more than two years; and in how many cases in this category have the Government subsequently refused to implement recommendations regarding increase in salary made by an investigating committee set up by the Government.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the considerable increase of healthy wild rabbits in East Sussex; and what consideration has been given to the amendment of the Ground Game Act, 1880, in order that tenant farmers can shoot rabbits after dark.

I am aware that there has been some increase in wild rabbits in this county, particularly in the central area. If all concerned co-operate with my county pests staff it should not be necessary to consider legislation on the lines indicated by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give an assurance that when selecting a tenant for Horeham Manor Farm, Sussex, he will fulfil his obligations under Part I of the Agriculture Act, 1947, to ensure an adequate return on capital invested in the industry.

The Government's obligations under Part I of the Agriculture Act, 1947, are in respect of the industry as a whole. Selection of the tenant for this farm is in the first instance a matter for the owner, subject to my approval.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now take powers so as to be able to prevent a recurrence of the waste of potatoes such as took place as a result of excessive imports in April of this year.

No. I am confident that, year in and year out, no one can achieve a better judgment in these matters than the trade.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times the Consumers' Committee, appointed under Section 9(1) of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, has met since its reconstitution in December, 1953; and what reports have been received from the Committee under Section 9(2)(b) of the Act.

Three Consumers' Committees have been appointed under Section 9(1) of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, for Great Britain, England and Scotland respectively. Since their reconstitution, the Committee for Great Britain has met twice, the Committee for England once, and the Committee for Scotland twice. In this period none of the Committees has submitted any reports. I understand they will soon have completed their consideration of the effect on consumers of the marketing schemes at present in operation, and they will report on this in due course.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Committee of Investigation, as required by Section 9(1) of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, has yet been appointed; when it was appointed; and who are now the members of the Committee.

Three Committees of Investigation have been appointed under Section 9(1) of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, for Great Britain, England and Scotland respectively.These Committees were originally appointed in 1933 and were reconstituted in 1950.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Douglas Jones, of 39a, Severn Grove, Cardiff, has been waiting three weeks for the repair of his Ministry of Pensions car; and whether, in order that this man might undertake temporary employment, he will supply another machine until the repairs are completed.

The repaired machine, which was specially adapted for Mr. Jones, should be ready by the end of this week. No other machine will suit him.

asked the Minister of Health when the Management Committee of St. Alfege's Hospital propose to appoint a dietitian in place of the one who resigned early this year and whose post has remained unfilled for many months.

As soon as a replacement can be obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now publish the replies received from the authorities of North and South Vietnam, respectively, to the letter addressed to them on 8th May by the co-chairman of the Geneva Conference.

No. These messages have now been circulated to the interested Powers, but agreement has not yet been reached on a date for their publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, as a result of his protests to the Greek Government, there has now been any diminution of incitements to violence in Cyprus broadcast by the officially controlled Athens radio.

No. The broadcasts in question continue to praise acts of terrorism and incite Cypriots to murder other Cypriots who are opposed to Enosis. The following are some typical extracts from monitoring reports:

"He [Wideson] was against Enosis. During the holding of the plebiscite for Enosis in 1951, Wideson openly opposed it and openly fought the Greek journalists who were in favour of the plebiscite. Lastly, when the Cypriot people's struggle entered a bloody stage, Wideson continued playing the rôle of mean informer and co-operating with the Larnaca police.

Two attempts against his life did not serve to bring him back to his senses. But the Cypriots waited for him many times. The third attempt was effective. Wideson fell dead last Saturday. This is the end for traitors. His death, although a hard blow to his family, is the payment of the necessary price for purification.

A few traitors are participating in the Cyprus Last Supper, but fortunately they are being eliminated by the dynamic organisation of Cypriot patriots just as Odysseus Wideson was eliminated."

(Commentary on 2nd May, entitled "The Last Supper of Cyprus".)

"… the Cypriots by exercising their primary duty to kill for the sake of their liberty and to punish members of their own family for perpetrating treacheries are jailed by Churchill's fellow-countrymen".

(Commentary on 12th June.)

"Cyprus: Shooting of Judge: A daring achievement.

Chief Justice Shaw was wounded in the centre of Nicosia a few yards from police headquarters and the courts, while in his car which stopped for the traffic lights. This is the most daring achievement carried out by the Cypriot patriots since the placing of a time-bomb in Harding's bedroom.

It is worth noting that the attack on the British Chief Justice is the realisation of the oath of the Cypriot fighters, to punish the judge who sentenced to death the executed patriot Demetriou, and who passed death sentences on six other fighters. The wounded British Chief Justice has sentenced to life and long terms of imprisonment many other fighters. His condition is most serious."

(Commentary on 24th June.)

asked the Attorney-General what arrangements are being made to set up a qualified body to review the existing arrangements for pre-marital education and training.

The Royal Commission on Marriage and Divorce recommended that a suitably qualified body should be set up at an early date charged with the review of the marriage law and the existing arrangements for premarital education and training. That recommendation is being considered by the Departments affected but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Supply why Crown privilege was claimed and why it was considered against public policy to make available the report of an accident at a Ministry of Supply depot at the hearing of a case at Nottingham Assizes on Monday, 25th June; whether he is aware of the observations made by Mr. Justice Finnemore in this case; and whether he will make a statement on the general policy of his Deparment in such cases.

There were two separate reports in this case, namely (1) a factual report of the accident and, (2) a report by a disciplinary board.In accordance with the policy then in force, privilege was claimed for both these document some three years ago during the course of the interlocutory proceedings, on the ground that the documents fell within a class which it was necessary for the proper functioning of the public service to withhold from production.Under the policy recently announced by my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor in another place, Crown privilege will not in future be claimed for factual reports of accidents, but disciplinary reports remain in the class for which privilege will continue to be claimed. It is understood that Mr. Justice Finnemore was, in fact, referring to the report by a disciplinary board. My right hon. Friend is reviewing claims of privilege already made in actions to which the Ministry is a party, but which have not yet come to trial, to see that they accord with the Government policy stated by my noble Friend.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the number of people in Cardiff who were granted National Assistance to buy clothing in each year since 1950.

The following grants were made by the Cardiff offices of the National Assistance Board to meet exceptional needs, mostly, but not entirely, for clothing, during the years in question:

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware that the purchasing power of the £ has further deteriorated in the last month and has caused increased hardship among retired pensioners due to the continued fall in the value of their pension; and what steps he proposes to take.

No. The Retail Prices Index figure recently published for May was, at 103, the same as for April.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps were taken by his Department to verify the identity of holders of the Victoria Cross attending the Hyde Park Parade last Tuesday.

A list was made out of all holders of the Victoria Cross who intended to take part in this parade and they were asked to report first to Wellington Barracks. In fact, a number reported direct to the parade ground and this disrupted the arrangements made for checking identities.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what will be the aircraft establishment of the Royal Air Force base on Christmas Island for the high air burst nuclear tests next year; and whether he will make a statement.

The number will vary from time to time. It would not be in the general interest to give details.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement on his visit to the Soviet Air Force.

I will be making a statement in reply to Questions which are down for answer on Wednesday.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when the term "dilutee" first came to be officially applied to employees of his Department; and what this description was intended to imply.

The term "dilutee" was first used by the Air Ministry in October, 1939, when the Temporary Relaxation of Existing Customs Agreement was signed. It denotes an industrial employee who has not served an apprenticeship or had equivalent engineering experience but is nevertheless employed on skilled work.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what steps have been taken to assess the potentialities of the Miles 100 as a jet trainer for the Royal Air Force; whether it is ultimately proposed to introduce this aircraft into service; and whether he will make a statement.

Careful consideration has been given to the Miles 100, but it has been decided not to adopt it as a jet trainer for the Royal Air Force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that a delegation from the Somali tribe, the Esa, have arrived in Hargeisa claiming British protection and stating that Ethiopian forces have massacred 400 of their men, women and children; and whether he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add yet to the reply which I gave to the hon. Members for Essex, South-East (Mr. Braine) and Wembley, South (Mr. Russell) on 27th June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if in view of recent proceedings concerning Miss Jean Callender, where a care and protection order was quashed by the High Court he will introduce legislation to forbid the use of uniforms by officers of voluntary children's societies so that the public may no longer be misled into thinking that they have an official Government status.

I am not satisfied that restrictive legislation of the kind suggested is necessary or desirable. So far as regards the status of officers of voluntary children's societies I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that Section 62 of the Children and Young Person's Act, 1933, expressly provides for the institution of care or protection proceedings by officers of a society authorised by general or special order of the Secretary of State, and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has been authorised to institute such proceedings since 1933.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of juveniles who are inmates in remand homes, the reasons according to categories under which they were admitted, and the number in each category.

During the last six months of 1955 the average daily number of children and young persons detained in local authority remand homes was 630. These homes are used mainly for the temporary accommodation of children pending their appearance in court, between sittings of the court, or while arrangements are made for admission to an approved school. I regret that the information requested in the last two parts of the Question is not available.

asked the Minister of Education the total amount spent to date by the West Riding County Council upon Bretton Hall Teachers Training College, near Wakefield; and the purpose for which the premises are being used, the annual cost of running the establishment, and the total number of students and average cost per student since the premises were acquired.

Capital expenditure on the purchase, adaptation and equipping of Bretton Hall Training College has been about £235,000. The premises are used by a training college which trains men and women teachers for primary and secondary schools, and at present there are 125 students there. In recent years the annual running costs have been roughly £40,000, equivalent to about £330 per student. Some 360 students have been admitted to the college since it opened in 1949.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is yet in a position to publish a White Paper on the reform of local government and local government finance.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Sir A. Spearman) on 8th May, and to the hon. Members for The Hartlepools (Mr. D. Jones) and Leyton (Mr. Sorensen) on 26th June, of which I am sending him copies.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of working days lost due to chronic bronchitis for each year since 1951.

I regret that these figures are not available: but I am given to understand that statistics which are available for 1953–54, which do not permit chronic forms of bronchitis to be distinguished, show that in that year bronchitis generally was certified as the cause of incapacity for claimants under the National Insurance scheme for rather more than 25½ million weekdays. This may be taken as an approximate measure of the number of working days lost due to bronchitis during that year.

asked the Prime Minister whether the speech made by the Minister of Fuel and Power in Glasgow on 20th June represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the 150 to 170 reported bankruptcies amongst farmers in 1955 in the United Kingdom occurred among farmers in Scotland, farmers in the seven crofting counties of Scotland and farmers in the county of Argyll, respectively; and the figures for 1956 up to the nearest convenient date.

I understand that the figures referred to relate to England and Wales. In Scotland, five farmers were declared bankrupt by the courts in 1955 and two between 1st January and 20th June, 1956. In each period one case occurred in the crofting counties—both in Argyll. These figures do not include cases of private trust deeds for behoof of creditors, of which there are no official statistics.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many persons are now employed directly or indirectly by the Central Land Board; the annual cost; and how these figures compare with the position three years ago.

The Central Land Board shares a common staff with the War Damage Commission. The estimated number directly engaged on Land Board work at 1st April, 1956, was 480, compared with about 720 three years ago. The administrative costs for 1955–56 were £434,000, compared with £1,741,000 for 1952–53; the estimated costs for the present financial year are £382,500.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the reason for his refusal to grant licences to importers and canners in Northern Ireland to import pears direct from Italy instead of having to purchase them from Italian agents in London; and whether he is aware that this refusal necessitates them paying much higher freights than if shipped direct via Rotterdam and the Head Line to Belfast.

Licences to import fresh pears from Italy are issued to traders who did so in 1951, when imports were unrestricted. These licences permit import into any part of the United Kingdom.