asked the President of the Board of Trade the total value of military equipment sold to Egypt and Israel, respectively, in the last six years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether Her Majesty's Government will issue a White Paper setting forth the general considerations affecting the setting up of a common market and, in particular, an outline of the practical problems as examined by the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation's working party.

I would ask the right hon. Gentleman to await the Debate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of postwar credits repaid in 1953, 1954, 1955; and what amount it is estimated is due to be repaid during the years 1956, 1957, and 1958.

It is not the usual practice to disclose the total value of military equipment sold to foreign countries, but certain figures covering exports of both civil and military goods are published from time to time. I am circulating below the figures relating to Egypt and Israel:

Post-war credits repaid in the calendar years 1953, 1954 and 1955 amounted to £17 million, £23 million and £17½ million, respectively. Repayments in 1956, 1957 and 1958 are expected to be about £17¼ million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what foreign currency facilities he is prepared to make available for the transfer of voluntary relief funds to Hungary.

I can assure the right hon. Gentleman and the House that we shall not allow exchange control restrictions to prevent help being given in the most effective way possible to the Hungarian people.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will now make a statement on the appeal that was made to him by the Museums Association for greater Government help for local museums.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has informed the Museums Association that, after careful consideration, the Government have decided that there are not sufficient grounds for providing financial assistance from the Exchequer at the present time for local or private museums and art galleries. The Government believe that, in this essentially local matter, local and private museums and galleries which may be in need of financial assistance should look for this to the local authorities, who have permissive powers in the matter. It will be appreciated that, at a time when there is a paramount need for economy in public

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent his estimate of a saving of £100 million will be reduced by the cost of the recent armed conflict in Egypt.

Recent events in the Middle East are now expected to reduce by some £5 million the Service Departments' contribution to the savings of £93¼ million so far announced. As my right hon. Friend stated in the debate on 12th November, additional expenditure in this financial year on the military arrangements will be between £35 million and £50 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that, arising from the closing of the Suez Canal, Britain's exports and imports will rise in price; that this will cause a rise in the cost of living; and what action he proposes to take to prevent an increase in the inflationary spiral.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the receipts from entertainments tax on cinemas in the first two quarters of the current financial year compare with those for 1955–56 and 1954–55.

The following are the figures:

I agree that the closure of the Canal is likely to have some effect on import prices and, to a lesser extent, on the cost of living. This makes it all the more important that all concerned should exercise restraint in regard to those elements of costs and prices which are in our own hands.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure the future balance of production between milk and beef.

The determinations made after the last Annual Review were designed to carry forward the production policy developed by the Government since 1952, and in particular to encourage increased production of good quality beef, but not to stimulate production of more milk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to make a statement on the circumstances in which foot and mouth disease has been brought into Great Britain through imported carcases of beef.

As I said in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Arundel and Shoreham (Captain Kerby) on 29th October, in many of the primary outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in this country there is evidence that livestock have been in contact with raw meat or bones from South American carcases.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure economic prices this winter for home-produced turkeys.

None. That is the function of the free market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is now able to announce details of the new fatstock guarantee arrangements which are to be introduced on 25th March. 1957.

After full consultation with representatives of the producers, a new method of calculating the guarantee for all classes of fatstock has now been decided on. In order to take account of variations in costs and marketing, the standard prices for cattle and sheep will be on a seasonal scale. The standard price for pigs will be the same throughout the year. Guarantees will be announced in advance for each week and payments will be made weekly. The rate of payment will be the amount by which the standard price for the week exceeds the average of the latest four weeks' actual market prices and the estimated market prices for the following four weeks.This method should ensure that over the year the average return comes close to the standard price. It should also prevent violent divergencies of the average weekly return from the standard price for the week. However, in order to guard against abnormal price movements the stabilising arrangements introduced this year will be continued. The standard prices, seasonal scales and stabilising limits for the next fatstock year beginning on 25th March, 1957, will be determined in the light of the next Annual Review. The new method is fully endorsed by the producers' representatives as being well devised in the light of experience since decontrol to remedy weaknesses in the guarantee system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to state the principles on which he awards or refuses compensation to persons wrongly prosecuted for criminal offences, found not guilty and acquitted.

In our law a person is presumed to be innocent until he is found guilty by a competent court. It unfortunately happens from time to time that there appears to be evidence sufficient to justify the prosecution and even committal for trial of a person against whom the prosecution, on whom the onus lies, fail in the event to prove the charge. The law imposes no obligation on the Executive to pay compensation in such cases. It would be out of the question to pay compensation in all cases. On the other hand, it would be wrong for the Executive to attempt to usurp judicial functions and to make ex gratia payments in selected cases on the basis of views formed by the Executive as to the moral guilt or innocence of the accused person. Moreover, although it is recognised that anxiety and hardship may have been caused to the person concerned, it does not follow that anyone acted wrongly in bringing him to trial. Accordingly, in such cases it has never been the policy to make ex gratia payments.Different considerations arise where the prosecution or committal for trial of an innocent person arises from negligence or misconduct on the part of the police or other public officials. Where in such cases hardship has been caused, although Her Majesty's Government do not accept legal liability, the practice is to make an

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of Egyptian subjects interned in Great Britain at the present time.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the total number of immigrants to this country, for each of the years from 1950 to 1955, giving the principal countries of origin.

Aliens are not usually admitted to this country as immigrants in the first instance and it is only after they have been here some years that they cease to be regarded as temporary entrants and become accepted as residents. It is estimated that during the period 1950–55 aliens were admitted to resident status at an average annual rate of over 8,000. Their principal countries of origin were Germany and Italy. No information is available about the number of persons other than aliens who enter the United Kingdom for permanent residence.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement on the steps he is taking to co-ordinate civil defence plans for schools, in view of the dangerous international situation.

On the general question of civil defence, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer which has just been given by my right hon. and gallant Friend. I have no separate statement to make about the schools.

asked the Minister of Education what progress has been made in his search for a more appropriate title for the new award, the Diploma of Technology.

After considering this matter again, the National Council has reaffirmed its decision to call the new award the Diploma in Technology.

asked the Minister of Education on what grounds the British delegation voted against the budget of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation at its present session in New Delhi.

The United Kingdom delegation supported the budget proposals put forward by the Director-General of U.N.E.S.C.O. These proposals represented an increase of approximately one million dollars in the amount to be spent over the next two years compared with 1955 and 1956. Her Majesty's Government considered that the Organisation would be well advised to apply a measure of concentration to its activities, but were nevertheless ready to support new developments to the extent envisaged by the Director-General. They did not consider it right to support a resolution produced at short notice proposing a further increase of one million dollars to finance a number of projects which could not be properly examined. Though this resolution was carried by a small majority, there was a large number of abstentions, only 27 countries contributing 15 per cent. of the income of the Organisation voting in support.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will publish as a White Paper the Working Party's Report on projected educational developments in the area of Central Wales or the Government's conclusions and recommendations arising therefrom.

No. This Report dealt with the educational implications or projected developments in agriculture and forestry. Its recommendations were mainly concerned with improving liaison between departments and with some broad educational issues which will need to be considered with the Report on Rural Education now being prepared by the Central Advisory Council for Education (Wales).

asked the Minister of Education whether, in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 19 of the Teachers Superannuation Act, 1956, he is satisfied that previous service in the Royal Army Educational Corps provides experience of value to a teacher.

I cannot give an assurance that I shall be able to accept service in the Royal Army Educational Corps generally as satisfying the conditions of Section 19, which in any case excludes National Service. I shall have to consider the type of instruction given in the Army and its relationship to the teaching post taken up. Under arrangements in force before the Act was passed service as a teacher in the Royal Army Educational Corps since 1st October, 1946, by officers holding short service commissions or persons serving on short service engagements may be treated as contributory service.

asked the Minister of Education to publish in HANSARD a table of figures showing for each of the last five years the originally planned programme of starts in school building and the programme which was in fact achieved.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Education what steps he proposes to take to increase the number of teachers in schools in Swindon.

I expect shortly to make known to local education authorities certain proposals for improving the general distribution of teachers.

asked the Minister of Education the number of teachers at State schools in the borough of Swindon, excluding head teachers and specialist teachers; and what steps he is taking to reduce the proportion of pupils to teachers in these schools.

In January, 1956, there were 404 full-time assistant teachers of all kinds in primary and secondary schools in Swindon. I cannot readily distinguish the number of specialist teachers. As to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my Answer to his other Question.

asked the Minister of Education to consider introducing legislation which will permit county councils to initiate and support museums and art galleries.

County councils are already empowered to provide and maintain museums and art galleries in areas for which they are library authorities and in certain circumstances to assist financially those provided by other bodies. The Government do not contemplate fresh legislation on this matter.

asked the Minister of Health what quantity and value of dried eggs have been imported during the present year to the end of October; if all these eggs are tested for quality; what quantity and value were condemned as unfit for human consumption; and how they were disposed of.

My information is that during the months January to October, 1956, inclusive, 28,396 cwt. of dried whole egg, valued at £961,503, was imported into the United Kingdom. The imports were subject to inspection and sampling by the port health authority. I cannot say how much was condemned as unfit for human consumption. Any such egg would be disposed of in a way satisfactory to the port health authority.

asked the Minister of Health under what circumstances are certified patients, or the Official Solicitor acting on their behalf, approached to contribute wholly or in part to their maintenance.

Unless he occupies a bed provided under Section 4 or 5 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, the maintenance in hospital of a National Health Service patient is the financial responsibility of the hospital management committee. When a patient is permitted to be absent on trial the committee has to consider whether an allowance should be made for the patient under Section 55 of the Lunacy Act, 1890. In considering this the Committee inquires from the person managing the patient's affairs whether the patient can provide his own maintenance or if a contribution is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further information he can give about the charge on which Mr. Daniel Crowley was arrested on 12th September, at Kitwe, Northern Rhodesia.

I have asked the Governor for his comments on the points about which the hon. Member has written to me, and I shall write further to the hon. Member when I have his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Greek Cypriot prisoners have been transferred from Cyprus to prisons in this country; what sentences they are serving and for what offences; what their age range is; and why they have been brought here.

Seven prisoners have been brought here from Cyprus under the Colonial Prisoners Removal Act, 1884, because it was considered expedient to do so for their safer custody and for carrying their sentences into effect more efficiently. The following are the

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what additional charge he estimates will fall upon the National Assistance Board as a result of increased charges for prescriptions under the National Health Service.

On the basis of the number of refunds made last year, the additional cost of Assistance grants would be about £320,000 in a full year. So far as any additional expenditure is concerned, I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health to the hon. Member for Abertillery (The Rev. LI. Williams) on 12th November.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, having regard to the conflicting estimates which have been made as to the time required to clear the Suez Canal, he can now make a statement on the subject.

It will not be possible to give any reliable estimate of the time it will take to clear the Canal until the other details for which the hon. Member asks:salvage experts have access to the whole Canal and can complete a survey of the 29 obstructions beyond El Cap. By the end of this week a channel for ships of up to 10,000 gross registered tons will have been cleared through the obstructions in that part of the Canal which we control.

asked the Minister of Labour the ratio of registered unemployed to total unfilled vacancies in each of the eleven administrative regions of Great Britain at the latest available date and for the comparable date in 1955.

The following table gives the information desired.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give consideration to granting agricultural workers engaged on chick-sexing work indefinite deferment from National Service.

Under current arrangements young men who are being trained as chick-sexers are granted deferment of call-up to enable them to complete their training. Thereafter they are eligible for consideration for further deferment of call-up under the arrangements applicable to agricultural workers generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received from the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) on the subject of advance factory building; and whether their plans for encouraging the use of privately financed factory building include the building of advance factories.

I have had no recent representations from the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) on this subject. I am informed by them that their plans which are intended to encourage privately-financed factory building for specific projects do not include the building of factories in advance of demand.