asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that there is wide local discontent at the refusal to allow Dagenham Council to nominate suitable persons for selection to serve on the two local hospital management committees; and whether he will take action in the matter.

The appointment of members of hospital management committees is a responsibility of the regional hospital board and does not rest with my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, how much was spent on cancer research from public funds during the last full financial year; and by how much this was more or less than the previous year.

£327,000. This was £38,000 more than the corresponding figure for the previous year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements he has with the Government of the United States of America to enable Members of Parliament to visit that country to lecture on the British way of life; how many Members of Parliament have, during the past six years, visited the United States of America under these schemes; whether he will publish their names in HANSARD; and what method he uses for selecting these Members.

Her Majesty's Government have no arrangements with the United States Government whereby Members of Parliament are enabled to visit the United States to lecture on the British way of life. The other parts of the Question do not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many Members of Parliament who have visited the United States of America with the assistance of his Department have requested his assistance in refusing to have their fingerprints taken.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent jamming of British Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts in Russian is still being undertaken by the Soviet authorities.

I am glad to say that the British Broadcasting Corporation's Russian Service is not being jammed at present from within the Soviet Union.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an approximate estimate of our expenditure in connection with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation from the signature of the Treaty to the end of 1955.

Our total contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation civil budget from 1949 to the end of 1955 was £1,103,000. The United Kingdom contribution to the military budget or to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Common Infrastructure is a matter for the Minister of Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what commitments Her Majesty's Government have undertaken in respect of the suppression of slave-trading to and from Saudi Arabia; if he has studied documents sent to him on this matter; and, in the light of information therein supplied, what action Her Majesty's Government is taking either through the United Nations or otherwise to deal with this evil.

The United Kingdom is a party to the International Slavery Convention of 1926, by which Her Majesty's Government have undertaken in respect of all territories for whose international relations they are responsible, to prevent and suppress the slave trade. The United Kingdom is also a party to the Brussels Act of 2nd July, 1890, under which Her Majesty's Government have an obligation to suppress the slave trade on the High Seas in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.I assume that the document to which the hon. Member refers is the dispatch written by the French Ambassador in Jedda two and a half years ago and subsequently published. I am afraid there is no doubt but that this trade is still going on but, as the document clearly shows, it is extremely difficult to stop from the outside. Nevertheless in fulfilment of our obligations, the Trucial Oman Scouts carry out interception patrols on the slave trade by land; and in the Persian Gulf patrols are carried out by the Royal Navy. In the Red Sea Her Majesty's ships on passage have instructions to search suspected slavers. Her Majesty's Government are also continuing to deal with the general problem of the slave trade through the United Nations, as was stated in the reply of my right hon. Friend the Minister of State of 18th April.

asked the Attorney-General if he will take proceedings against the Independent Television Authority for permitting a breach of Section 3 (1) (a) of the Television Act, 1954, arising from the telecast of the programme, "This Week," on Friday, 6th July.

No. I have no evidence that the Authority failed to comply with the duty imposed upon it by this provision.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of retired pensioners in Cardiff in receipt of National Assistance during each of the years, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, and 1955, respectively.

The following information has been supplied by the National Assistance Board in respect of supplementation of retirement pensions by weekly National Assistance allowances by their offices in Cardiff. The figures relate to allowances in payment on a particular day in December in each of the years in question:

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will issue a regulation to ensure that every applicant for pneumoconiosis benefit is given a clinical examination before a decision is reached in his case.

No. I am satisfied that the present system gives ample opportunity for a clinical examination when it is needed.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware that people who apply to the National Assistance Office, Accrington, for essential clothing, are sent to a store of cast-off clothing operated by the local Women's Voluntary Service; and whether he has given his authority to this practice.

The National Assistance Board informs me that in cases where it is not considered that the applicant's needs are such as to permit of a grant for clothing under the Board's powers to meet exceptional needs, its officers, with a view to being helpful, and with the applicant's consent, sometimes put him in touch with this admirable voluntary organisation. No authority of mine is required for this sensible practice.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance by what authority it is stipulated on the application form for a retirement pension under the National Insurance Acts that the signature of the applicant may not be witnesed by a relative; and, in view of the fact that this prohibition is unnecessary and unjustified in its implications, whether he will take steps to cancel this prohibition and to substitute the usual legal requirement that the signature may not be witnessed by husband or wife.

The authority is contained in Regulations made under Section 46 (1) of the National Insurance Act, 1946. I have come to the conclusion, however, that the restriction on relatives generally is unnecessarily wide, and that in future the restriction should be confined to husbands and wives. Future prints of the application form will be to this effect. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing this to my attention.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will introduce amending legislation to enable the wives of retirement pensioners to be permitted to earn the newly increased amount without affecting the retirement pension, provided that only one of a retired married couple is working.

The National Insurance Act which will shortly come into force provides for an increase in the earnings limit for married women drawing retirement pensions. So far as the increase in a husband's retirement pension in respect of a dependent wife under 60 is concerned, the hon. Member will be aware that the National Insurance Advisory Committee recommended that no change should be made in the existing limit of 40s.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when opencast work will start in the East Lothian coal field where there is a probability of 100 million tons of coal of which four million has been proved and an annual output which could reach five million tons.

I understand that the potentialities of this area are much less than the Question suggests. As my right hon. Friend informed the House on 10th May, the Government are now considering the implications of the ten-year opencast programme foreshadowed by the National Coal Board in "Investing in Coal" and he cannot yet say what the effect of this review will be upon any particular part of the country.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that, whilst concessionary coal has become regarded as a traditional perquisite of miners, governed by certain individual arrangements between former colliery owners and their employees, such private arrangements were made before nationalisation and at a time when everyone was free to buy unlimited coal; if he is further aware that, today, ordinary citizens are restricted as to the amount of coal they can buy on their ration; and if he will, therefore, give a general direction to the National Coal Board to end forthwith the provision of concessionary coal to one section of the community at the expense of the national interest and the community at large.

In the coal industry changes in wages, including allowances of concessionary coal, are made by agreement between the parties or, in default of agreement, by an independent umpire or tribunal over which I have no control, but I am sure that the considerations adduced in the Question will continue to be borne in mind by those concerned with wages negotiations in the industry.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he can give the date from which increased pensions to retired naval officers are being paid.

The effective date for the award of 1956 Pensions increase to retired naval officers is 1st April, 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants are responsible to him today; how many were so responsible on 9th July, 1954, and 1955, respectively; and whether he will give an estimate of what the figure will be this time next year.

The total number of non-industrial staff now in post in my four Departments is 5,269. The numbers on 1st July, 1954, and 1st July, 1955, were 4,633 and 4.705 respectively. The increase between 1955 and 1956 is due mainly to the transfer of additional functions. It is not possible to make a precise forecast of the number likely to be in post on 1st July, 1957, but, on the assumption that existing responsibilities are unaltered no material change is expected. The number is, of course kept under constant review.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the meeting between the British Motor Corporation and the trade union broke down on the refusal of the corporation to meet the proposal for compensation to the dismissed workers; and what steps he now proposes to take to facilitate a settlement of this dispute.

I am aware of the joint statement issued after the meeting. As regards the second part of the Question there is, as I said on 3rd July, agreed procedure within the engineering industry for dealing with differences.

asked the Secretary State for Air how many re-engagements and extensions of service there has been since the recent increase in pay and emoluments to any convenient date; and how these figures compare with those for the immediately preceding corresponding period and for the same periods in 1954 and 1955.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will comply with the regulations applying to farmers with regard to destroying rabbits, which are now multiplying again at a great rate in woodlands and scrub on property controlled by his Department, and take effective measures to destroy these pests before their depredations have further increased.

We are already co-operating fully with county agricultural executive committees in the destruction of rabbits.

asked the Minister of Education if he will enumerate the officials who, in connection with the responsibilities of his Department, whether direct or by delegation to local authority, are empowered to visit homes and advise parents and, either by court action or otherwise, to separate children from their parents.

No officers of my Department are so empowered. Local education authorities ascertain, through visits of their school attendance or welfare officers, whether children of compulsory school age in their areas are receiving suitable full-time education in accordance with the requirements of the Education Acts. Neither the authority nor its officers have power directly to enforce the fulfilment of this obligation but it is their duty, where necessary, to take proceedings in the courts.The court may direct that the child be brought before a juvenile court and if the child is a registered pupil at a school the authority may itself bring the child before that court. If the juvenile court is satisfied that the child is in need of care or protection it has power to make an order as a result of which the child may be separated from his parents. In exceptional cases a school attendance order may require a child to be sent to a school away from home, but here again enforcement is by the court.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the purchasing power of the £ over the past 10 years has decreased at an average annual rate exceeding the average rate of interest accrued on a holding of National Savings certificates purchased in 1946 and held since that date, if, against this background, he will make a statement on Government policy in relation to the future of the National Savings movement.

The terms of National Savings securities are fixed from time to time in such a way as to provide the small saver with an attractive investment, as compared with other investments currently available. A vigorous Savings movement is itself a most valuable protection against inflation. That is why I have recently proposed, as part of my first Budget, measures to make savings more attractive.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will make a statement about the future of the tank factory at Farington, Lancashire.

I have come to the conclusion, in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Defence and the Secretary of State for War, that the likely volume of armament requirements does not justify the retention of this factory by my Department, particularly in view of the pressing need to make the fullest possible use of existing capital resources for the benefit of the national economy. Negotiations have been completed for its sale to the Leyland Motor Company, which is operating the tank factory as agents of the Ministry. The company has informed me that it intends to expand its export business in commercial vehicles, and the transfer of the factory will be arranged in such a way as to safeguard as far as possible continuity of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many children in Cyprus have been sentenced to whipping since the emergency; and the ages of the children concerned.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th June, 1956; Vol. 555, c. 45–6], supplied the following information:Since the declaration of the emergency in Cyprus, 118 persons under 18 years of age have been sentenced to whipping. Of these 13 were under 14 years of age and the remainder were between the ages of 14 and 18. The total number of sentences so far carried out is 96.