asked the Minister of Labour what facilities exist for recording statistics concerning short-time workers and women workers not registering at employment exchanges; and whether he will consider improving such facilities in order to provide more accurate information.

Employers in the manufacturing industries supply information once a quarter showing the number of operatives working short time and the aggregate number of hours lost during a particular week by those operatives owing to short time. As from next month these employers will also be asked to include the number of workers on short time in their monthly returns of employment. The figures include those operatives working short time but not registered at the employment exchanges.

No facilities exist for recording the numbers of women who do not register at exchanges when they lose their jobs.

While thanking the Minister of Labour for that slight improvement, may I ask him whether he is aware that there is some concern, especially in trade union circles, because it is impossible to follow the pattern of employment and unemployment unless we have up-to-date statistics? Would he consider trying to make available—and earlier than this kind of information is available at the moment—more complete information, particularly about married women who do not work during periods of under-employment? These are necessary if labour, both management and trade unions, is to follow what is happening in the industrial areas of this country.

I am anxious to get the statistics as accurate as possible. The change which I have announced, which will give us monthly figures, is a very great improvement. In reply to the second part of the question, how we can find out the number of married women who have opted out of insurance and do not register at employment exchanges, I am bound to say that I cannot think of any method by which that could be recorded.

Some of us learned yesterday in Birmingham that 1,000 men have been lost to employment in the last twelve months and none is being taken on to replace them. Does not the Minister think it would be a good idea for employers of labour in industries in the industrial centres to state every month the number of people who have left their employment and who are not to be replaced? It is very difficult for us to find out this information. We met one of the Minister's officials during the Recess and were unable to get the exact figure of unemployment in Birmingham of married women who were not prepared to sign on at employment exchanges.

I am bound to say that I do not think I altogether follow the hon. Member's question. I will study it in HANSARD, and if I can do anything about it I will.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Liverpool National Dock Labour Board has a quota of only 2·7 per cent. disabled persons in its employment, and that this contravenes the statutory quota of 3 per cent. under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944; and what steps he is taking to see that the regulations are fully implemented.

As stated in reply to the hon. Member on 30th October, my officers are in contact with the Board about its obligations. The figure of 2·7 per cent. refers to the percentage of disabled persons in the employment of the National Dock Labour Board in the country as a whole.

In view of the very grave concern among all people who are interested in the employment and rehabilitation of disabled persons, would the Minister tell us whether the Dock Board is liable to a penalty for the infringement of the regulations? Does he agree that these rather arbitrary dismissals violate the accepted principle of the rehabilitation of disabled persons? Will he not agree that a medical certificate in itself is not necessarily the criterion of employability for a disabled person?

As I think the hon. Member realises, it is not a legal offence to be below the statutory quota. It becomes an offence if, when he is below the quota, an employer dismisses a disabled worker without proper reason or takes on a non-registered worker without a special permit from the Ministry of Labour. It is not an offence simply to be below the statutory quota. I can, however, assure the hon. Member that my officers are taking this matter up urgently with the National Dock Labour Board.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is yet able to make a statement as to the effects upon employment levels of the interruption of our oil supplies, and the restrictions now imposed.

The restrictions announced on 7th November are not expected to have any appreciable effect on employment.

Is the Minister aware that now that we have a clearer picture of the extent of the blocking of the Canal and the blowing up of these pipelines, it appears that the present restrictions will scarcely be sufficient to meet the oil shortages which we can expect? Is he aware that in the case of the steel industry and others which are great users of oil, once their levels of oil stocks begin to drop there will be a cumulative effect upon all the manufacturing industries which use steel? Would the Government as soon as possible give some picture of how they propose to keep these essential industries at work, because once they begin to drop other industries will suffer accordingly?

Many of those are matters for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power, and I should be glad to discuss with him what the hon. Member has just said.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make an estimate of the number of foreign workers accepted into British industry since the end of the war.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons who can be classified as refugees, including members of the Polish Army, displaced persons, European voluntary workers and others, have found work in this country since 1940; and what objections have been made to him against their employment by any trade union.

It is estimated that since the war about 260,000 foreign workers have been permitted to take up employment in industry in Great Britain. About 205,000 foreigners who can be broadly classified as refugees have entered industrial or other employment. Their resettlement has been accomplished with the co-operation of the trade unions.

I am very appreciative of the nature of the Minister's reply. Does he not agree that it is a very fine thing that a nation such as ours can agree to help, to the extent represented by this huge figure, people who otherwise would have been unemployed in their own country, and who, when they have come here, in the main have done a jolly good job of work for the country as a whole?

Yes. Of course, the trade union movement, which is a very typical British institution, shares the ordinary liberal and humanist sympathies which we all have.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of Scottish boys leaving school at 15 years and 16 years, respectively, at the last school-leaving period entered into apprenticeships, or learnership to skilled crafts leading to apprenticeships; and if he will give comparisons with similar figures for England and Wales.

The information asked for will not be available for a few weeks. I will send it to the hon. Member as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed men, women, boys and girls in Lanarkshire as at the latest date; and what percentage of the Scottish total it represents.

At 15th October, 1956, there were 11,068 men, 5,102 women, 335 boys, and 208 girls registered as unemployed in Lanarkshire. The total of 16,713 represented 34·2 per cent. of the total number registered as unemployed in Scotland.

Does the Minister recognise that that indicates that something ought to be done for Lanarkshire? Is he aware that we can give him particulars of firms which are complaining that they could extend their export trade very much indeed if they had factories available for the extension of their businesses? Would he look into this, if I send him particulars?

Of course, we will look into the facts and figures if the hon. Lady likes to send them to me. It is also true, as she knows, that the number of employees in Lanarkshire is 32 per cent. of the total number of employees in Scotland and, therefore, the unemployment figure that I have just given has to be taken into account in that setting. On the general question of providing factories, I think that my hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland last night gave an admirable reply on the subject, in the debate that we had.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has studied the evidence, sent to him by the right hon. Member for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire, that calves a few days old are kept hungry and thirsty awaiting slaughter in Gorgie market, Edinburgh; and whether he will take steps to investigate the matter.

The allegations made in the newspaper report which was sent to me by the right hon. Member and by the hon. and gallant Member for Perth and East Perthshire (Sir A. Gomme-Duncan) have been brought to the notice of my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate, who is investigating them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that since I sent him that report, I have had information that this practice is common in other markets in Scotland; and that calves are actually sent 200 miles to markets in England, and the without ever having had one feed—die without ever once having tasted their mother's milk? I am told that the piteous cries of these calves, to which some people have become hardened by custom, are really shocking to those whose normal sympathies have not undergone this hardening process. Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree to have a general inquiry into whether this is the case with these calves?

I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that I am not in disagreement in any way with the views which he has expressed, but there is the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act, 1912, the penalties under which were increased in 1954. I can assure him, however, that we will prosecute our inquiries very genuinely in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide an additional temporary footbridge during the reconstruction of the Bridge of Don.

I have arranged that both the existing footpaths on the bridge will be available for most of the remaining period of the work.

Would my right hon. Friend give an assurance that the additional footpath will be made available reasonably soon? Is he aware that the existing footpath is only 2 ft. 6 in. wide, and that the channel for all traffic is only 18 ft. wide, and that, as a result, there is considerable risk of accidents at the present time?

It will now be possible to make both these footpaths immediately available, but during the latter period of the work, when the eastern half will be closed, it will be possible to widen the western one.

Is the Secretary of State aware of the many complaints about the dangerous condition of this bridge in the absence of the provision of the footbridge? Will he say when the work will begin, and how much it will cost in time and labour?

I am afraid that I do not know, offhand, how long it will take, but the work began last May.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he is aware of the inadequate accommodation and equipment of the radiotherapy unit in the Western Infirmary, Glasgow; and when the new unit will be installed;

(2) if he is satisfied with the present facilities and equipment for deep ray therapy treatment in the Western Region compared with the rest of Scotland; and what plans he has for their improvement.

I have agreed with the Western Regional Hospital Board that its facilities for radiotherapy should be improved as a matter of urgency. The Cancer Committee of the Scottish Health Services Council is advising on certain aspects of the matter; and I expect to have the advice of the Committee shortly. To meet the immediate needs of the Western Infirmary, the Regional Board has just replaced one obsolete therapy unit and has plans to provide two additional ones for next year.

While appreciating what the right hon. Gentleman has just said, and the decision made, may I ask him how long this matter has been going on, and when the decision was taken? Was it, indeed, taken only within the last week?

I have not the exact date with me, but I can assure the hon. Member that I do appreciate the need for this, and work will be put in hand as rapidly as possible. It is contemplated that this new department in Glasgow will be a counterpart of the Edinburgh Institute, and that, between them, they will be able to treat the patients for whom the different institutes are the more suitable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the acreage of peat bog in Scotland.

The Geological Survey estimate is 1,625,000 acres, with at least two feet depth.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the possibility of developing food production from these bogs by the use of the proper quantity of fertilisers and herbage seeds, and that this is the largest single unit we now have to rely upon for expansion? Has he, or have his representatives, seen the wonderful work done on the Birkhall Bog in Lancashire by Dr. Smith?

Yes. The answer to the second part of my hon. Friend's question is that we are aware of this work. There is, as my hon. Friend no doubt knows, a Scottish Peat Committee under the very able chairmanship of Sir Edward Apple-ton. That Committee estimates that perhaps rather less than a half of this bog is suitable for fuel purposes, and less for agricultural reclamation. There are, I would remind him, Government grants for the occupiers who decide to improve the land by the use of drainage, liming and fertilisers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities in Fife have protested against the proposed reduction in housing subsidies.

I have received representations from the two large burghs and from eleven small burghs in addition to those from Fife County Council.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the local authorities in Fife, as in Scotland generally, very much resent the failure of the Scottish Office to co-operate with them when imposing conditions or making arrangements for housing subsidies; and that these subsidies have, in fact, been introduced, and are being introduced, without prior consultation with the local authorities, and that that is making the work impossible?

I did have consultations with the local authority associations on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of local authorities who have protested against the proposed reductions in housing subsidies giving the number of county councils, large burghs and small burghs, separately.

I have received representations against the proposed revision of housing subsidies from the councils of five counties, twelve large burghs and sixty-seven small burghs.

Has the right hon. Gentleman received any representations from the local authority association protesting against these reductions, and is he prepared to receive a deputation from that association?

As I have said, we had discussions and negotiations with them. I am, therefore, aware of their views, but I would point out that when I have given the figures for which I was asked this makes a total of 84 local authorities from a total of 230.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of additional staff within his responsibility following the transfer of functions to the Scottish Office in the last two years.

The number of additional staff employed on account of functions transferred to my Departments during the last two years is 613.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions he has sent to education authorities with regard to economising in petrol and oil; and if he will give details.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the circular which was issued to education authorities on this matter on 7th November. Its purpose is to suggest how a 10 per cent. overall reduction may be achieved with the minimum of disturbance to educational activities.

Does the Secretary of State not realise that the public of Scotland think it is disgraceful that the sins of the Cabinet should be visited on the children of Scotland by interfering with their school transport? Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that we should like to know what the Cabinet are doing in saving fuel on their own transport?

I could tell the hon. Gentleman what I am doing in that matter. I would point out to him that in respect of areas where the transport is provided by public service vehicles, these vehicles are exempted from the reduction referred to in the instructions to garage proprietors, but in areas where school transport is provided otherwise, the instructions to garage proprietors asking them to give priority to central and local government vehicles should ensure that that transport continues to operate satisfactorily.

Surely the Secretary of State realises that in areas like his own much of the transport is hired and is not public transport at all? Difficulties may well arise in such cases.

I am very well aware of the difficulties in my own area. I have mentioned the instructions issued to garage proprietors, and I hope that there will be no interruption in this service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the effect on local government services of recently announced oil and petrol restrictions.

Generally it is expected that local government services will be able, without serious loss of efficiency, to effect the saving of 10 per cent. which other consumers have been asked to make The essential needs of the police, fire and public transport services will be met.

Surely the Secretary of State realises that because of the policy of financial stringency forced upon local authorities, they are already economising as far as they can, and that it will nor. be a matter of saving but of imposing cuts in services, and vital services at that?

The vital services are reserved and exempted.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what preparations have been made for the treatment of persons who after MMR examination in the anti-tuberculosis campaign are discovered to be suffering from serious lung or heart disease.

I am satisfied that the existing resources of the National Health Service are adequate for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the growing concern among chest physicians in Scotland about the increasing tendency to have patients suffering from tuberculosis treated at home; and what action he proposes to take.

No representations on this score have been made to me.

Is the Secretary of State aware that the use of antibiotics and chemo-therapy in the treatment of persons suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis carries certain dangers, the chief one being the creation of drug-resistant bacilli by failure to administer the drugs regularly and without interruption? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that representations have been made to me and I have been asked to bring them to the notice of the House?

Is the right hon. Gentleman further aware that hospital treatment ensures that patients take these prescribed drugs regularly—[HON. MEMBERS: "The hon. Gentleman is reading."] Very well, I will try not to read—while domiciliary treatment has no such firm safeguard? In such a case a neglectful patient might find himself in a very serious position as a consequence. Can the—

That is enough for the right hon. Gentleman to consider at one time.

I think I have enough to digest for the moment. I must tell the hon. Gentleman that we will, of course, consider any representations which are made, but I have not received any. Many patients, as I am sure he will know from his greater knowledge of this subject, prefer treatment at home. The choice between home and hospital treatment is essentially one for the doctor in charge of the patient.

May I have an assurance that since this is a matter of controversy—indeed, even of medical controversy—in view of the great campaign which is to be introduced in Scotland, the right hon. Gentleman will consider having a pilot survey of private and domicilary practice in this matter carried out by the Medical Research Council or some such body, and that meanwhile he will encourage—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] This is an important matter—

Order. It is a very important matter, I have no doubt, but it is also important to remember the rule that supplementary questions should not be read and should not be too long.

May I finish the point that I was trying to make, Mr. Speaker?

If it is not too long.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I will try not to read it.

The point on which I would like an assurance is that in the interval when this matter is in doubt the right hon. Gentleman will ensure that every effort and encouragement is given to all concerned, patients and doctors, to make use of the full hospital facilities in preference to domicilary treatment, which is very much a matter of controversy at the moment.

I am assured that there is no shortage of beds. As I have already said, some patients prefer to remain at home, and I, for one, do not necessarily blame them. It is a matter for the doctor. I have, of course, to be guided by the best expert advice furnished to me, and any representations sent to me will certainly be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a full statement on the Department of Health anti-tuberculosis campaign for 1957.

Plans are now being completed for a new series of community surveys by mass radiography, more intensive and on a much larger scale than hitherto, as part of a two-year campaign to combat respiratory tuberculosis in Scotland. I am not yet able to make a full statement, but in the meantime the House will be glad to know that the Corporation of Glasgow has accepted my invitation to conduct a city-wide survey as the opening stage of this campaign in March and April, 1957. With the assistance of my right hon. Friends, the Minister of Health, the Secretary of State for War and the Secretary of State for Air, about twenty-five mass radiography units and, it is hoped, staff on loan from England and Wales and from the Services, in addition to the ten normally at our disposal, are being made available for a period of five weeks.

The local authorities of the other three cities and of many areas in the industrial belt are being offered facilities to arrange similar surveys at later stages of the campaign, and I hope that well over one million examinations by mass radiography will be carried out during the two-year period.

I am obliged.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the Anglo-Australia trade talks.

My right hon. Friend made a statement yesterday.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that we have now had a chance of looking at the heads of agreement and the Annexes thereto? The 1932 Agreement made provision for tariffs and preferences to be arranged between Australia and Ceylon. It says that there is no difference as the result of a new agreement. Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether Ceylon was consulted or not? In Annex C, Australia is to supply 750,000 tons of wheat, or less, annually and we are to take it. Is it not a precedent that a group of private interests should determine whether or not an agreement entered into solemnly between two Governments should be re-negotiated or even brought to an end as a result of their action?

I think that some of the points which the right hon. Gentleman has made are matters for debate or detailed questions. The position of Ceylon is not altered at all by this Agreement. I thought this was made quite clear. As to the position of the millers, there seems to me to be nothing wrong or peculiar in ascertaining from the millers what their purchases are likely to amount to and in making use of that information in the course of an agreement.

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered my question. I asked whether the Government of Ceylon had been consulted. Surely the right hon. Gentleman can answer that. On the other point, is it not a fact that this is the first time in any negotiations between two Governments when a group of private interests are allowed to decide whether or not the agreement shall continue?

I have tried to make clear that the position of Ceylon is not in any way affected. As to the latter point, I have not been through all the former agreements to find out whether the right hon. Gentleman is right or wrong, but what I am clear about is that there is nothing wrong in what has happened, and nothing deleterious to the interests of this country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much foreign currency is earned and spent by payment of royalties on patents.

Payments to non-sterling countries in respect of royalties, licences and purchase of proprietary rights, excluding royalties on literary, musical, dramatic and artistic works and films, and royalties paid by oil and mining companies operating overseas, amounted in the year ending 30th September, 1956, to just over £13 million. I regret that figures of earnings are not available.

Is it possible to get figures of earnings so that we may see whether in fact we are still taking the lead as a country of inventors, with "know-how" to sell, and thus be able to derive some encouragement?

I wish we could get the figures. The right hon. Gentleman will appreciate that the only possible source for these figures is from the Exchange Control records, and they deal with outward payments. Though estimates might be made, there is no real machinery of which I know for getting the inward payments, which do not go through Exchange Control.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how much of those royalties are payable in dollars?

No, Sir, not without notice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when currency will be made available for travel to Canada on a scale at least equal to that for travel to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

I am afraid that this is not possible at the moment; but I shall continue to keep the question of a tourist allowance for the dollar area under review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that economical arrangements agreed between certain companies and their employees to pay wages by cheque, although working satisfactorily to all, have had to be abandoned on legal advice; and if he is prepared to examine the law to make possible economies of such a character.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport, North (Sir N. Hulbert) on 23rd October last.

If the trade union movement and the employers' federations agree to a more scientific method of dealing with this problem of the weekly payment of wages, would it not be desirable, in order to avoid a great many of the robberies which now take place and the danger to people who have to transport this money along the streets, if some such arrangement as this could be facilitated?

Yes; I am very glad indeed to hear what the right hon. Gentleman says. It is a rather complicated legal question. I am having it looked at as a matter of urgency. The Minister of Labour and I are in consultation about it. We should, of course, have to consult the Trades Union Congress and others. If it is at all possible, I personally should like to see a rather obsolete rule of the law done away with and a more modern method adopted.

Can the Chancellor give an assurance that he will not bring about any change without full consultation with the Trades Union Congress? We want nothing to do with anything that reminds us of the Truck Act.

That is just why I said in the first place I was glad to hear what the right hon. Member for East Stirlingshire (Mr. Woodburn) said, and why, if this matter were to be dealt with, it could only be by general agreement that it was in everybody's interests, with proper protection to secure that nothing went wrong.

Is not this new practice solid evidence of the high wages being earned under the Tory Administration?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to make a statement detailing the further economies he proposes in order to cut down Government expenditure by £100 million.

I cannot yet name a date.

In view of the fact that the Prime Minister has squandered most of the Chancellor's present savings by his blunders in Egypt—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."]—would the Chancellor and the Leader of the House not get together and see if between them they could not find some person better fitted to be the first Minister of the Crown?

I am sorry to hear the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. When he put down the Question, I thought he was trying to be helpful.

So the Question is.

Now I observe he is merely trying to make a speech which he could have made at any time during the past six days.

In an entirely helpful attitude—like yesterday—ought I ask the Chancellor whether he still thinks that he will succeed in recording a figure for Government expenditure in this financial year which will be £100 million less than the Estimates as presented last spring?

Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will recall what I said, and have said throughout, I was trying to do. Taking the Estimates as they stood, not taking account of Supplementary Estimates on the one side or underspendings on the other, I hope to be able to achieve this figure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state for the latest convenient stated date the number of Members of Parliament who were not accepting their Parliamentary salaries; and what was the gross net saving to the Treasury.

On 31st October, 1956, two Members were not accepting their Parliamentary salaries. The saving from the beginning of the current financial year until the end of last month was £892 3s. 5d.

Is the Chancellor aware that one individual included in those figures happens to be a director of forty companies, according to the Evening News? In view of the fact that quite a number of hon. Members opposite opposed this payment, may we take it that they oppose it in the House but willingly draw it when it comes to taking it from the Treasury?

I am not prepared to discuss the names, and I think it would be quite wrong for me in this House—as would, I think, be universally approved—to give in reply to a Question of this kind the names of hon. Members and an indication whether they chose or did not chose to draw the salary to which they were entitled.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the discontent among temporary civil servants at the delay in implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission that the gratuity on retirement should be increased; and when he proposes to bring proposals before the House for its implementation.

I have received representations from the Staff Side of the National Whitley Council about this. I have already told the Staff Side that I sympathise with the merits of the case. I hope that it may be possible before very long to improve these gratuities, but I can give no undertaking.

In view of the fact that a number of these men between the ages of 45 and 60 are already under notice and others are expecting notice during next year, will the right hon. Gentleman speed up his consideration? Further, may I ask that, when he introduces the Bill which I understand is necessary to legalise these recommendations, he will make it retrospective to these men in the same way as the police award has just been made retrospective?

I will certainly take all that into account.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that President Nasser values the British arms dump in the Suez Canal area, which he has seized, at £300 million, although it has been valued by Her Majesty's Government at £40 million, if he will therefore write the figure of £300 million off our debt to Egypt from the Second World War, thus covering the costs of our present expedition.

Her Majesty's Government naturally reserve the right to claim adequate compensation for any damage sustained by their installations in the Suez Canal base. The means by which any such claims should be settled will require consideration at the appropriate time.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that the vast majority of people in this country who have any memories at all consider that we have done a tremendous amount for Egypt in the past, and deeply resent that after the Second World War they should have claimed anything from us for that war at all? Under the circumstances, will he take into consideration how very bitter people will feel if every penny we possess connected with Egypt is not kept by ourselves?

Yes, but I think our major objectives will be obtained—and all this must be relevant—if we can, as a result of all this, get a lasting settlement and peace in the Middle East.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue a White Paper dealing with the economic consequences of the Middle East crisis.

I would refer the hon. Member to yesterday's debate in this House. No useful purpose would be served by a White Paper.

Surely the right hon. Gentleman is not telling the British nation that the speech which he delivered yesterday is an analysis of the economic consequences? May I ask him to reconsider that Answer, in view of the fact that 5·2 per cent. of our export trade is to the Middle East, that our oil is in jeopardy, and that this morning the Financial Times has said that our only increase in trade has been 5 per cent. in volume—that is all—over the last three years? British business men, in the interests of Britain, should know from the information available to the Chancellor what the position is as regards oil, particularly as it affects the steel industry, and especially our pottery industry.

All those are very important points, but I do not think the laying of a White Paper would be of any assistance.

But, quite seriously—[Laughter.]—this is no laughing matter—does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that there is very great concern in the country about the economic consequences of the past fortnight, and is he not aware that his very perfunctory speech last night was an acute disappointment to people all over the country who very much want to know what the position is? Since he answered only one of the very many questions which hon. Members put to him last night, questions which are being asked all over the country, will he not think again and either make a statement at the earliest opportunity or present a White Paper as my hon. Friend the Member for Leek (Mr. Harold Davies) asks?

Of course, I, or my colleagues according to the different subjects, will make statements whenever it is possible to do so; but if there were to be a real review of all the economic consequences, then I think we should take account of what would have been the consequences had universal war broken out.

If the right hon. Gentleman has not himself got the necessary information, will he consider publishing as a White Paper the speech made by my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Mr. H. Wilson), which explained the whole situation admirably?

I understand that in accordance with the beneficent rule under which we live, that is available in a document called HANSARD.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when an engineering inspector of his Department will visit Newcastle-under-Lyme for the purpose of inspecting the three private streets in respect of which the Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has renewed its applications for loan sanction; and when he expects to be in a position to notify his decisions about these applications for approval of private street works.

An inspection of these three streets was made on 9th November and my right hon. Friend hopes to be able to let the council know his decision within a week or so.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking on the Report of the Committee which he appointed to examine and report on the effects of the increasing use of synthetic detergents; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to make a statement before the end of the year.

Without being in any way alarmist, may I ask whether the Minister appreciates that there are serious doubts about the effects of the use of these detergents in the home; and secondly, that the sewerage authorities are having considerable trouble, particularly in London, with disposal at the outfall stations? Is the Minister considering adopting the recommendations in the Report that an advisory committee of experts might be set up to study the subject and advise his Department?

Perhaps the hon. Member will await my right hon. Friend's statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government under what authority a local authority is enabled to carry out weatherproofing of party walls after demolition of adjacent buildings.

The duty to undertake demolition, like all other statutory duties, includes authority to carry out ancillary works.

What is the Order under which local authorities have power to do this? That is the question I have asked.

This is one of many matters ancillary to the demolition of houses under statutory powers which are covered by those powers.

In view of the misunderstanding among local authorities on this matter, will the Parliamentary Secretary make it clear that they have power to put these walls right?

I hope that this Question and Answer will put that misunderstanding right.

Is my hon. Friend aware that there is a good deal of drip on the walls of the party opposite?

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will announce his proposals regarding the assistance to be given to local authorities in the purchase of requisitioned houses.

I have nothing to add to what I said to the House on 7th November.

Is the Minister aware that on that occasion he said—at least, by implication—that the Minister's proposals had been delayed pending the announcement of the Government's proposals with regard to the Rent Bill? Since that obstacle is out of the way, will he not now see that general instructions are issued to local authorities, because they badly need them, to carry out the Government's instructions with regard to requisitioned houses?

Certainly, but I also made it clear that no local authority is at present held up in its operations by not knowing the final basis on which subsidy will be based.

asked the Minister of Housing Local Government his estimate of the approximate number of houses repaired up to a recent date under the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954.

There is insufficient statistical information on which to base a reliable estimate.

Does the Minister not agree that precious little repair work has been done? Is it not the case that few of the 5½ million tenants whose rents are now likely to be raised will benefit by a single extra pennyworth of repairs?

Oh, no. Even though statistical evidence is not available, it is quite clear that in a great many cases advantage has been taken of the provisions of the 1954 Act.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that had the 1954 Act been effective, the legislation which is now contemplated would not have been required?

The hon. Member is anticipating the debate on the Rent Bill