asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the advice recently given by the Kent County Pest staff regarding the destruction of rabbits does not include information with respect to the most critical months for the propagation of rabbits; and if he will take steps to convey such information to farmers in Kent and elsewhere.

The peak of the breeding season is of course in the spring, but breeding continues throughout the summer. But I am anxious that a ceaseless campaign should be conducted against surviving rabbits whenever they appear regardless of the season.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he has now decided to re-enact in permanent legislation Defence Regulation 62AA in order to protect allotment holders from damage by dogs.

No. It is an old principle that trespass without damage ought not to be made a criminal offence. There is a remedy under Section 19 of the Allotments Act, 1922, where damage is done to allotment gardens.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements have been made by Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with other Member States of Western European Union regarding health control of sea and air traffic.

The arrangements originally made between the five Brussels Treaty countries and recently extended to the Federal German Republic and Italy are as follows:—The countries concerned form a single area for certain purposes connected with the health control of sea and air traffic. In consequence, the master of a ship trading solely between ports within that area and not calling at any other port during its voyage does not in normal circumstances have to complete the Maritime Declaration of Health otherwise required from ships coming from a foreign port. In the case of aircraft whose journeys are confined to that area, no health control is normally imposed on the aircraft or its passengers at any airport in the area at which the aircraft alights.The arrangements also include the exchange of epidemiological information between the countries concerned.

asked the Minister of Health the number of prescriptions for out-patients dispensed by retail pharmacists on E.C.10 H.P. forms during the latest convenient six month period.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health the number of locum pharmacists who are employed in the hospital service; and the difference in the basic grade of salary between the permanent and locum pharmacists.

The information requested in the first part of the Question is not available; with regard to the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Dr. Stross) on 2nd July.

asked the Minister of Health how many pharmacists have been recruited to the permanent staff of the hospital service since the last salary award; what has been the net increase or decrease in the number of permanent hospital pharmacists during the last 12 months; and what is the number of vacancies for permanent pharmacists in the hospital service, at present unfilled.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that many chief pharmacists are leaving the hospital service because they are unable properly to perform their duties because of the failure to recruit sufficient qualified staff in the pharmaceutical departments of hospitals; and what action he is taking in the matter.

I understand that two chief pharmacists have recently left the hospital service for other employment. I am not aware that the reason was as stated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many metropolitan police officers are at present engaged, and have in the last six months been engaged, upon guarding persons who are members of London's underworld, or their wives; and when he expects these officers to return to their normal duties.

I am not prepared to give detailed information about the numbers and disposition of officers engaged on duties of this kind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that there have been extensive delays in supplying water to the Astwood and Hardmead area of north Bucking-hamshire; and what steps he proposes to take to overcome the delays that have now lasted nearly three years.

I understand that the contractors are taking longer than expected to complete the laying of a trunk main to the satisfaction of the Newport Pagnell Rural District Council. It is for the Council to consider what should be done to avoid further delay.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why the Royal Warrant regulating the pensions for the children of disabled or deceased Servicemen of other ranks provides for their termination at an earlier age than for the children of officers.

Although it is part of the long-standing provisions of the Royal Warrant that the age for termination of allowances is as a rule higher for the children of officers than for the children of other ranks, there is now no such differentiation where the child is a student or an apprentice or is incapable of self-support by reason of infirmity. In all these cases the Royal Warrant provides for the continuance of the allowance beyond either of the two usual ages.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that men employed as maintenance fitters and fitters mates at the Silica Brickworks, Landore, Swansea, are not covered by the Pneumoconiosis Benefit Scheme; that these men are subject to the same dust conditions as the process workers who are covered by the Scheme; that the position is also aggravated by the fact that men in similar grades in foundries are also covered; and if he will take steps to remedy this injustice.

There is a misunderstanding here. The hon. Member will be glad to know that the men to whom he refers are in fact entitled to the benefits of the Industrial Injuries Scheme should they contract pneumoconiosis. The last part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the internal purchasing value of the £ sterling in June, 1956, June, 1955, June, 1954, June, 1953, and June, 1952, taking the value in October, 1951, as 20s.

Taking the internal purchasing power of the £ as 20s. in October, 1951, the corresponding figures for the dates referred to in the Question are as follows:

	s.	d.
June, 1952	19	4
June, 1953	19	1
June, 1954	18	11
June, 1955	18	2
May, 1956	17	3

This estimate is based on the Consumer Price Index adjusted for June in each year by reference to the Retail Price Index. May, 1956, is the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for War what casualties have been suffered, to date, by officers and men of the Wiltshire Regiment in Cyprus.

There have been no further casualties since I answered a similar Question by the hon. Member on 5th June.

asked the Minister of Works if he will furnish a list of the buildings in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, that have benefited under the provisions of the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act, 1953.

The information for the years 1953, 1954 and 1955 is given in the Annual Reports of the Historic Buildings Councils for England, Scotland and Wales, which have been laid before the House. I am sending the hon. Member a list of the buildings which have benefited so far in 1956.