asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what steps are taken to notify married women in employment if their National Insurance payments are short of the required number to qualify for benefits.

Married women in employment who are paying National Insurance contributions are notified of any deficiency in their contributions after their insurance card has been received at the end of the insurance year.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what steps are taken to notify married women in employment of the advantages of paying the full National Insurance contributions.

Married women in employment are bound to pay the full National Insurance contributions unless they formally elect not to do so. The standard form for making this election is incorporated in a leaflet which explains fully the effects of paying and not paying; this leaflet is issued to all women when they first notify the Ministry of their marriage.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the number of retired pensioners in Newcastle-upon-Tyne receiving National Assistance at the latest convenient date and on the corresponding date in each of the years 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, and 1955.

The following information has been supplied by the National Assistance Board in respect of supplementation of retirement pensions by regular weekly National Assistance allowances by their offices in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Wallsend in the years 1954. 1955 and 1956. Owing to changes in the Board's administrative boundaries in 1954 comparable figures cannot be given for earlier years. The figures relate to allowances in payment on the last Tuesday in June in each of the years in question.Some of the allowances provided for the requirements of a household with more than one pensioner.The areas covered by the Board's offices in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Wallsend extend considerably beyond the boundaries of the County Borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will institute an inquiry into the continued failure of the aviation industry in Great Britain to produce a civil aircraft to meet the needs of the British Overseas Airways Corporation.

No. I do not accept the implication of the Question.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to see that an all-night chemist is open for emergency National Health Service prescriptions in Dagenham.

None.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement as to his policy for the maintenance in effective service, and the replacement, of motor cars supplied to certain severely disabled ex-Service men.

I am examining the whole matter but I regret that I am unlikely to be in a position to make a statement before the Recess.

asked the Minister of Health how he assesses the required dose of fluoride to be added to water in experimental fluoridisation areas; and to what extent he has followed the recommendation of the Report of the United Kingdom Mission to North America as to the best way of determining the present level of ingestion of fluoride in human beings.

The right level for the fluoridation of water in the studies in this country was determined as a result of investigations into the effects of water which naturally contain fluoride, and in the light of over ten years of experience in other countries. It has been found that at one part per million a very high degree of protection against caries is given, but the mottling caused by higher concentrations is avoided. As regards the Mission's suggestion for a survey of fluoride excretion a pilot investigation confirmed the results obtained in other countries.

asked the Minister of Health his estimate of the number of beds required for the Ilford and Barking Hospital Group area; what number has been so far provided; and what number it is proposed to provide in the next two years.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Cooper) on 16th July. There are at present 667 available staffed beds in this area. Proposals for providing additional beds are now under consideration by the Board.

asked the Minister of Health the total amount of endowments made to the Bristol hospitals and taken over by his Department under the 1948 Act; to what extent this money is to be used for the purpose specified by the donors; what amount now stands to the credit of the respective hospitals; and his policy regarding the future expenditure of these funds.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar Question on 14th May.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give details of the damage done at a party held by doctors at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on 6th July; what has been the cost of making good this damage; and by whom the cost will be met.

I am informed that damage was done to windows, a stair bannister, a door and a telephone in the medical residency at the hospital, and to a statue in the grounds. The Board of Governors estimates the cost of repair and restoration at £110 and has instructed its solicitors to write to the persons concerned with a view to recovering the cost

asked the hon. Member for Finchley, as representing the Church Commissioners, why the Church Commissioners have withdrawn their offer togrant a licence to Mr. Driscoll to continue as tenant of the properties he occupies in Croydon, since the grant of such a licence under appropriate conditions has been the official policy of the Commissioners hitherto; and if he will make a statement.

The matter is at present being heard in the High Court and is sub judice. In the circumstances it would not be proper for me to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, arising from the United Nations Economic Report for 1955, concerning the economic development of backward nations, he will make a statement on the instructions given to our representatives attending the World Economic Survey now being held at Geneva.

It is not the practice to disclose instructions given to our delegations to international meetings. I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the speech made by my noble Friend at Geneva on 17th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what attitude the British delegate to the Disarmament Commission has taken to Mr. Menon's proposal to the Commission for the suspension of hydrogen bomb tests.

Mr. Menon's proposal was not put to the vote in the Disarmament Commission but, like all the other proposals and resolutions presented to the Commission, it has by the Resolution adopted at the Disarmament Commission on 16th July been referred to the Sub-Committee for further study.My right hon. Friend the Minister of State thanked Mr. Menon for addressing the Commission and expressed our appreciation of this contribution by India to the discussion in the Commission.

asked the Minister of Works if he will remove the protective covering from the view indicator on Primrose Hill.

The view indicator on Primrose Hill was badly damaged apparently by hooligans a short time ago and my right hon. Friend is considering how he can protect it in future. In the meantime it is intended to leave the existing temporary protective covering in place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the announcement made by Dr. Azikiwe, Prime Minister of Eastern Nigeria, of his impending resignation and that of his Government arising from differences with the Governor and the Colonial Office on financial policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he has taken in the dispute between the Governor of East Nigeria and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe the Premier of that Region, in connection with the banking policy of the East Nigerian Government; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend will make a full statement tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the British Somali Protectorate Government have approximately 200 illalos or tribal police in the Reserved Area and the Haud for the purpose of guarding the interests of British Somalis in that area; and whether he will consider increasing the number to 700 as permitted in the Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement of 1954, in view of the threatening action now taken by Ethiopian forces.

The Protectorate Government formerly considered 200 illalos in the territories sufficient for their function of maintaining law and order among British tribes when grazing there. That number has recently been increased by 100, and my right hon. Friend is awaiting the recommendations of the Governor who is already considering whether he wants more.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the decisive victory won by the party of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in the General Election held in the Gold Coast within the last few days, if he will now state the policy of Her Majesty's Government relating to the granting to the Gold Coast of independence within the Commonwealth.

I would invite the hon. Member's attention to my statement in the House on the 11th May: the newly-elected Legislative Assembly in the Gold Coast has not yet met.

asked the Minister of Education on what basis the current grant of £1,485 to the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, is calculated; and if he will increase the grant in order to enable this school to continue its 200- year-old tradition of providing free education.

The Royal Hospital School is recognised for the purposes of grant from my Department under Regulation 51 of the Schools Grant Regulations, which specifies that the grant shall be assessed at the rate of 45s. a year for each unit of average attendance. My right hon. Friend could not see his way to increasing this grant to an extent which would make it unnecessary to introduce fees.

asked the Minister of Education what the result has been of his discussion with the London County Council last week about increased fees for evening classes.

My right hon. Friend told the council that he expected it to give effect to Circular 307. A number of detailed points were discussed, and left for further consideration by the council in the first instance.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury where each of the pictures comprising the bequest by the late Sir Hugh Lane now is; how many and which are now on public exhibition; where they are now publicly exhibited; what use is now being made of those which are not at present being publicly exhibited; and what changes it is proposed to make in the near future in the location of each of the pictures.

Of the 39 pictures in the Lane Bequest, 29 are at the National Gallery and 10 at the Tate Gallery. 14 are on exhibition at the former, and 2 at the latter.The others can of course be seen by students and others. The National Gallery intends to exhibit further pictures from the Bequest in the near future. There is no immediate intention of changing the distribution of the pictures between the two Galleries.The details about individual pictures are as follows:I.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware of the continued shortage in steel deliveries to shipyards; and if he will arrange to make a larger proportion of our steel output available for shipbuilding.

The total demand for steel continues to exceed supply, and I am aware that the shipyards are still receiving less than they require. They have, however, received considerably more steel so far in 1956 than in the same period last year, and we shall continue to try to improve the position.

asked the Postmaster-General what effect the impact of higher telephone call charges has had on the volume of calls or on receipts up to now.

The volume of calls, both local and trunk, has continued to grow. Figures reflecting the tariff changes on 1st July will not be available for some time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation at an early date to amend Section 3 of the Public Health Act, 1936, in order to make the removal of trade refuse within each district obligatory upon the appropriate local authority.

I take it that the hon. Member has in mind Section 73 of the Act. The Answer to his Question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that by taking electricity out of the rate and substituting a grant under Section 100 of the Electricity Act, 1948,

I am aware of the general effect of Part V of the Local Government Act, 1948, to which I assume the hon. Member refers. This and other rating problems are within the scope of the review of local Government finance, which is at present being undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the average cost of a local authority house has increased as a result of the increased interest charges.

When the present housing subsidies were fixed in 1952 the rate of interest for housing loans was 4¼ per cent., as compared with the current rate of 5½ per cent. The increase since 1952 is £1 2s. a year on each £100 of the cost of the house over the loan period of sixty years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sea trout and salmon were caught in Scotland in 1953 and 1952; what percentage of these were taken by nets; and, of the netting total, what percentage were taken by bag nets.

The following table gives the figures compiled from returns under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Protection) (Scotland) Act, 1951. I regret that the returns do not distinguish between fish caught by bag net and those caught by other fixed nets.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will call a conference of manufacturers, farmers' organisations and others, to cooperate in obtaining a better standardisation of agricultural machinery parts as this would be of benefit to farmers.

The Agricultural Machinery and Implements Industry Standards Committee of the British Standards Institution (which includes representatives of the manufacturers, farmers' organisations and other interested parties) was set up for this purpose, and provides for full consideration of all aspects of the problem.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that Mr. G. G. Baker, Q.C., who was appointed by him to conduct the inquiry into objections to the British Egg Marketing Scheme was until recently a member of the National Farmers' Union which is promoting the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. When invited to act as Commissioner, Mr. Baker informed me that he was a member of the National Farmers' Union but assured me that he took no part in its activities and was not a producer of eggs for sale. I was satisfied that his connection with the Union, from which he resigned before the inquiry began, was not such as to affect his impartiality in any way.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power under what authority he has acquired wayleave rights for the system of oil pipelines now being laid in this country.

Oil pipelines are being laid under powers conferred by Defence Regulations.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much concessionary coal was obtained by persons employed by the National Coal Board and what was the value of this coal at retail prices and at cost to the National Coal Board in 1955.

The amount of free and concessionary coal issued by the National Coal Board in 1955 was 51 million tons. There can be no precise answer to the second part of the Question because retail prices vary according to quality and location, but in areas close to the main coalfields a typical house coal might sell retail at about £6 per ton, the realisation to the Board at pithead being about two-thirds of this.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what was the average amount of concessionary coal received last year by those entitled to draw it; and how this amount compares with the coal consumption by the average family of the general public.

In 1955 those employees of the National Coal Board entitled to free or concessionary coal received on the average eight tons each. The average coal receipts per registered household were 2¼ tons in the North and 1½ tons in the South.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received the Report of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission on the Supply and Exports of Electrical and Allied Machinery and Plant.

Yes. I received this Report on the 17th July. It will be laid before Parliament in due course in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948.