asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when considering an alteration or the abolition of the entertainments tax imposed on football matches, if he will consult the representative organisations before any final conclusions are reached.

I am considering the Entertainments Duty on football matches in the course of my review of the whole of the duty, and if any representative organisations would like to send me their views I shall be happy to take them into account.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will request the Bank of England to encourage the provision of credit facilities to retail traders in order to allow them to finance the increased stocks to be held by them consequent upon the delays and less frequent deliveries which will be occasioned by the restrictions upon petrol and oil for those travelling and for those delivering goods to retail outlets.

No. As far as overdrafts are concerned it is for the banks to say where credit should be given. I have no doubt that they take all circumstances into account when they consider any request from a trader who finds himself in need of additional facilities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long it will take to rebuild the Customs House, near Londonderry, which was destroyed by an illegal organisation this month and what was the extent of the damage.

The Customs land boundary post at Killea was partially destroyed by explosion early on Sunday, 9th December. Three rooms were entirely destroyed, but the work of the post is being carried on in the remaining three rooms, which have been temporarily repaired. Until the effect of the explosion on the main structure of the building has been fully assessed, it cannot be stated whether it will be necessary to rebuild this post entirely or how long the work of reinstatement will take.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the number of scientists and engineers in the higher Civil Service; and what proportion this is of the total number.

Some 1,160. This is between 9 per cent. and 10 per cent. of the total number of scientists and professional engineers in the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the reason for the wording used in his Department's Form CV/R/17, particularly the section stating that a failure to withdraw a proposal within 14 days from the date on which the notice is served will be treated as an intention to appeal to the local valuation court against the objections of the valuation officer.

This is the formal notice of objection given by the valuation officer to a ratepayer's proposal for the reduction of his assessment. The wording follows that used in the provisions of the Rating Acts which lay down the procedure to be followed in dealing with such proposals.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury why the Inland Revenue authorities send reply-paid O.H.M.S. envelopes or stickers when requesting tax payments, whereas in the case of repayments due to a taxpayer they merely send him a notification asking whether he wishes to claim any sum due, and leave him to post this back at his own expense.

It is the practice of the Inland Revenue to enclose franked addressed labels with all communications requiring a reply; I can assure my hon. Friend that if there are occasional omissions they are due to oversight.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total sums actually lent by the Public Works Loan Board during 1956, to the nearest convenient date; how much was repaid during this period; and how much was relent.

From 1st January to 30th November, 1956, £145,078,164 was advanced by the Public Works Loan Board. In the same period the Board received £68,048,388 by way of repayment of principal of advances and £105,375,434 by way of interest. The Board's advances are financed from the Local Loans Fund, into which all its receipts are paid. The Board does not itself relend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give an assurance that when revising the entertainments tax, so far as it concerns cinemas, he will not overlook the fact that Her Majesty's Government are to introduce legislation to make statutory the present voluntary levy paid by exhibitors.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Mr. Hirst) on 13th December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration in assessing new local rates for cinemas was given by the Inland Revenue to the large contribution which they already make to the national revenue in Entertainments Duty.

The rating assessments of cinemas, like those of other properties, are based on estimates of the rental values. So far as the exhibitor's receipts are taken into consideration in making the valuation, Entertainments Duty is always deducted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the new and unavoidable burdens placed upon Members of Parliament by the imposition of 1s. per gallon on petrol, and as Members of Parliament are the only section of the population who have not received an increase in their salaries for some years, he will review the present allowances paid to Members of Parliament.

The burden of the increased duty on petrol falls on all sections of the community. I cannot believe that hon. Members of this House would wish the Government to single them out for special relief therefrom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that 2¾d. per gallon, attributable to the increased cost of oil supplies, arising from the closure of the Suez Canal, is estimated to increase the Index of Retail Prices by about 1/10th of a point; and why the Is. per gallon extra tax only increases the index by less than ⅓ of a point.

The two estimates are in agreement. Paraffin is included in my right hon. Friend's estimate, but excluded from mine since it is free of duty.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is satisfied with the National Housebuilders Registration Council certificate as a means of protecting the interests of private house purchasers against substandard building; and whether he would be prepared to take steps to enforce the making good of all defects where such certificates have been issued in respect of houses falling below the minimum standards required.

I am satisfied that the certificate issued by the National House-builders Registration Council provides a valuable means of protecting house purchasers against jerry building. A purchaser, who considers that the builder has not complied with the standards certified, can, in the absence of agreement, submit the issue to arbitration. This is not a matter in which I have any power to intervene.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will issue a circular to all acquiring authorities concerned in slum clearance, emphasising the necessity of bringing fully to the notice of owners and occupiers of houses affected the provisions of Section 42 of the Housing Act, 1936, as amended, in respect of claiming well-maintained allowance.

This has already been done.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the approximate number of local authorities who have adopted schemes of differential rents, rent rebates or similar methods of easing both their own financial burden and that of their poorer tenants.

Since local authorities are not required to inform me if they introduce differential rents schemes, I am not in a position to say how many have done so.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what will be the ultimate cost to a local authority of building a £2,000 house at current interest rates.

£2,000 plus interest at 5¾ per cent. less subsidy, where payable, and rent over 60 years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what information he has to show, approximately, the aggregate number of housing units that could be provided by local authorities and private enterprise in the extra Metropolitan boroughs of Essex on land zoned for building in the development plan approved by him.

My right hon. Friend has not yet approved the Development Plan for Essex. The proposals made in the Plan are based on a survey carried out in 1951 which showed that at that time there were sites for some 10,000 houses in the Essex boroughs adjoining London. Much of this space has since been taken up.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to plan the water resources of England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Technical information about the water resources of most parts of England and Wales has been collected by the Department and is available to water undertakers. A sub-committee of the Central Advisory Water Committee is, at my right hon. Friend's request, inquiring into the growing demand for water, and the problems involved in meeting it.He has recently urged upon undertakers the importance of building up stronger administrative units in the water industry by regrouping.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the repeated bursts of the new Leeds city water main in the village of Leathley, near Otley, and the damage done to property and the constant danger to life; and if he will order a public inquiry to be held in order that a future disaster can be prevented, and the danger to life and property removed

My right hon. Friend is looking into this matter, about which my hon. and gallant Friend has recently sent some correspondence. He will be writing to him as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he now expects to make a statement on local government finances.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is yet in a position to publish the Government's suggestions on the question of local government finance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now make a general statement on the reorganisation of local government finance.

I cannot yet add to what I said to the hon. Member for Reading (Mr. Mikardo) and the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Wade) on 11th December.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will reconsider his decision not to allow the Horncastle Water Company to sink a bore, in view of the fact that the district is now undergoing an acute water shortage.

My right hon. Friend has not refused permission for a borehole, but he has suggested that a better solution to the Company's difficulties is to take a bulk supply from the Horncastle Rural District Council.

asked the Prime Minister what consultations he has had with the Prime Minister of France since Sunday, 9th December.

No Government have ever put themselves in the position of having to make known to this House each and every communication that may pass between the head of one Government and another, and I am certainly not going to begin that practice.

asked the Minister of Labour to give an approximate estimate of the increase in the number of points in the cost-of-living index caused by the increase in the price of petrol.

I am unable to make an estimate in respect of petrol alone. As regards the estimated effect of the increase in the prices of petrol and other oils, I would refer the hon. Member to the estimate given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 10th December.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent there is unemployment in Newhaven as a result of the suspension of the Newhaven—Dieppe cross-Channel service; what further efforts his Department is making to minimise the effects of this suspension; and how successful they have been in finding alternative employment for the considerable number of persons affected.

The ship's crew were offered other employment by British Railways and all but one are now in work. There is still some short-time working among the dockers. The service will begin again on 19th December for a fortnight.

asked the Minister of Labour if he aware of the difficulty experienced in obtaining young men to work as firemen on the railway in the Bristol area: and if he will take steps to exempt these men from military service so that once they start they can continue their service on the railway where they would be required in the event of an emergency.

As the hon. Member is aware, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation announced in the House on 5th December that for the duration of the present emergency the call-up of certain men in key positions on the railways, which includes firemen, is to be suspended. There is at present a general shortage of young men for employment and I am not prepared to grant indefinite deferment to those young men to whom the hon. Member refers.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the industrial dispute at Messrs. Thrupp and Maberly, Willesden; and what steps he is taking to bring it to an end.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he is taking to settle the dispute in which 500 employees of the Thrupp and Maberly branch of the Rootes group are involved.

I understand that the recognised procedure of the engineering industry is available for dealing with this dispute. My Department has not been asked to intervene, but my officers are ready to assist in finding a basis for a resumption of work if the parties so desire.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement about the Devlin Report, in particular paragraph 22 which suggests the possibility of a new scheme for dock labour.

I am awaiting comments on the Devlin Report from the various interested parties. When these are received, I propose to consider, in consultation with the port transport industry, the desirability of amending the dock labour scheme to give effect to the recommendations made in the Report.

asked the Minister of Labour what consultations have taken place with the Trades Union Congress in respect of the employment of Hungarian refugees; how many have now been placed in employment; how many have been registered at employment exchanges; and what information is given to them by his officers respecting membership of appropriate trade unions.

There have been discussions between my officials and officers of the Trades Union Congress, and I have arranged for my regional controllers to keep the secretaries of the regional advisory committees of the Trades Union Congress informed about the movement of refugees into their regions, and about the industries in which they are being placed; 1,051 Hungarian refugees have now been placed in employment, and a substantial number of others have found work through friends and relatives. Some 2,148 have been registered for employment. Where it is a condition of the offer of employment that the applicant should be a member of the appropriate trade union and the refugee wishes to apply for membership, he is referred to the union concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the nature of the protest sent to him by Glasgow Corporation on 18th August regarding his housing subsidy proposals; and on what date it was received.

The protest from Glasgow Corporation which was acknowledged on 20th August, urged that subsidies should be increased rather than decreased, but went on to say that the Corporation was not less determined to build houses. I regret that this protest was inadvertently omitted from the list previously given to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) by what authority the housing subsidy cuts announced on 31st July, 1956, are to be made;(2) if, in the absence of the necessary legislative provision, he will cancel the housing subsidy cuts announced on 31st July, 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authority houses he has approved since 1st August, 1956; and the amount of Exchequer subsidy payable in respect of these houses.

Since 1st August, 1956, tenders have been approved for 3,060 houses for which proposals were received before that date. These qualify for the existing rates of subsidy. In addition tenders have been approved for 5,039 houses, under proposals received since that date, and the authorities concerned have been informed that these houses will qualify for such subsidies as Parliament authorises to be paid for them on completition. Legislation to give effect to the new subsidy proposals announced on 31st July will be introduced shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the estimated dates of completion of the road schemes for Scotland which have already been announced.

The following statement shows the dates at which it is at present estimated that the schemes costing over £100,000 listed in my reply to the hon.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the discontent caused by the prevention of the building or extension of village community halls; and what steps are being taken to remedy the situation.

I realise that the temporary restriction of grants under the Physical Training and Recreation Act to those village hall schemes the need for which is specially urgent has caused disappointment, but I do not feel able to treat these schemes differently from other local projects which involve capital expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will instruct the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board to start a campaign for the sale of fireguards for electrical appliances not covered by the Fireguards Act.

I am assured by the Board that it has co-operated with the British Electrical Development Association in campaigns on safe methods of using heating and other electrical appliances, and display leaflets on these matters in its showrooms. I understand that the Board has supplied to consumers fireguards suitable for heating appliances sold before the current requirements came into force.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the low percentage of apprentices in Scotland who take advantage of the day release classes, what consultations he has had with the employers and trade unions on this matter.

I have consulted bodies representative of employers and trade unions, such as the Regional Advisory Councils for Technical Education, the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) and the Scottish Board for Industry. I am glad to say that they are willingly co-operating in persuading both sides of industry of the importance of taking full advantage of these classes.

asked the Minister of Works what quantity of fuel has been saved in the heating of the Palace of Westminster since fuel rationing was announced.

Compared with the corresponding period last year, 70 tons of fuel oil have been saved in the Palace of Westminster since fuel rationing was announced.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will provide adequate heating for the workrooms of the Palace of Westminster.

The standard of heating in the Palace of Westminster has been reduced to save fuel oil. Every effort is being made to maintain a reasonable temperature, but I hope that hon. Members will accept some temporary inconvenience.

asked the Minister of Works whether he has reached a decision about the treatment of the trees in Birdcage Walk.

The two rows of plane trees on the north side of Birdcage Walk are closely planted and are growing into one another. My Advisory Committee on Forestry has advised that alternate trees in the row nearest to the road should be removed in order to give the remaining trees room for development. As the trees are already badly cramped the Committee advises that this should be done before the Spring. The Committee also advises that the other trees in the same row should be trimmed back where they hide the gas lamps.I propose to act on this advice and to carry out the work in the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is yet in a position to make a statement on the result of his inquiries into the prices charged by the Navy, Army and Air Forces Institutes in Egypt.

Yes. I am satisfied that the prices charged by Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes both for bulk canteen supplies to units for resale to troops under unit arrangements, and for the goods sold direct to the troops from N.A.A.F.I. mobile vans, were reasonable and in accordance with the price list approved by N.A.A.F.I. Headquarters in London.It is true, however, that some units took into Egypt canteen stores which they had bought in Cyprus or in the United Kingdom. These were resold at Cyprus or United Kingdom prices, respectively, and some items were therefore dearer in the early stages of operations. All profits were, or will be, used for the benefit of the men of the units concerned. General Stockwell is himself satisfied that prices have generally been reasonable and that there was no exploitation. I should like to express my appreciation of the fine job which N.A.A.F.I. did in Port Said in very difficult circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied with the prices being charged by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes in Cyprus.

Yes. Some prices are higher in Cyprus than in the United Kingdom, but this is taken into account in fixing the rates of local overseas allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for War on what day and at what hour Greenwich mean time, the officer commanding the 6th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment began loading his armoured fighting vehicles on board ship at Malta.

1 p.m. on 30th October.

asked the Secretary of State for War what instructions or operation orders were given to the officer commanding the 6th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment when his unit embarked for the eastern Mediterranean on the night of 30th October, 1956.

To act in support of 3rd Commando Brigade and 16th Parachute Brigade.

asked the Secretary of State for War what instructions or operation orders were issued to the officer commanding British troops at Akaba following the receipt of information by the General Officer Commanding Middle East Land Forces that Israeli mobilisation had begun.

None, except that, as a precautionary measure, certain routine reliefs should he deferred.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements have been made, and what type of aircraft is being used, to ensure the rapid return to the United Kingdom of troops no longer required in the Middle East.

Within 72 hours of the date being fixed for troops to begin to return to this country, extra aircraft had been sent out both to Malta and to Cyprus and some had already arrived back in this country with troops. An extra weekly airlift of 500 from Malta and 500 from Cyprus has been arranged and it will continue for as long as it is needed. Britannias, Hermes, D.C.4s., Vikings and Dakotas have been used for this purpose. In addition, Shackleton aircraft of Royal Air Force Coastal Command will have brought back a large part of 16th Independent Parachute Brigade by 20th December. I am satisfied that everything has been done to bring home troops no longer needed as quickly as is practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for War what percentage of the lubricating oil used by his Department is salvaged or sold as waste.

About 15 per cent. in Home Commands. Percentages for overseas commands are not readily available.

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

Not yet. The talks are still in progress.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Anglo-Polish trade talks.

The Anglo-Polish trade talks are still in progress and I would not therefore wish to make a statement at this stage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in HANSARD a table showing the number of British first-feature films produced and made available for quota purposes in each year since 1948.

The numbers of British films exceeding 6,500 feet in length registered during the last eight years ending 30th September are given below. Films of this length are normally shown as first feature.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any British film of the Olympic Games has now been registered; and what arrangements have been made for it to be shown in the major cinemas in Britain.

An application for registration has just been received and is being examined. I have no knowledge of what bookings will follow yesterday's trade showing of the film, but in any case my right hon. Friend has no power to intervene unless an application is made under subsection (2) of Section 5 of the Cinematograph Films Act, 1948.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the risk of clothing burns arising in part from the sale of highly inflammable materials.

As the hon. Lady is aware, a special Committee of the British Standards Institution is considering this complex question, and my right hon. Friend proposes to await its Report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent he has consulted the Cinematograph Films Council and organisation of the film industry about the contents of legislation on films foreshadowed in the Gracious Speech.

The Cinematograph Films Bill which has now been introduced in another place was framed after my right hon. Friend had considered the views of the various sections of the industry and the advice of the Cinematograph Films Council and of the National Film Finance Corporation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade his estimate of the annual yield of the proposed statutory levy on cinema exhibitors.

Subsection (3) (a) of Clause 2 of the Cinematograph Films Bill requires the Board of Trade to fix the rates

asked the President of the Board of Trade at what intervals of time figures are available and published concerning the supply of military equipment to foreign countries.

It is not the usual practice to disclose either the quantity or the value of military equipment supplied to foreign countries, but for three categories which cover both military and civil goods, figures of the value of exports appear in the monthly Trade and Navigation Accounts laid before the House about three weeks after the end of the month to which they relate. Single figures of exports to all countries are published for the categories of explosives (including industrial explosives) and arms, ammunition and military stores and appliances (including sporting guns and some other non-military material) while for exports of aircraft (including civil aircraft) several countries are separately distinguished.In addition, figures showing full details of country of consignment for each of the three categories mentioned above (without distinction between civil and military material) form part of a complete tabulation of our trade according to the Standard International Trade Classification. This tabulation becomes available at quarterly intervals some three months in arrear and is first published some 6 to 9 months later.Following are the titles of the publications in which the more detailed figures appear.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to increase the export of British cars to countries of the Commonwealth, in view of the depression in the industry.

The industry's main difficulties in Commonwealth markets this year have arisen from the intensification of import restrictions in Australia and New Zealand. My right hon. Friend has told the Governments of both of these countries of the serious situation which confronts the British motor industry and has made clear to them how helpful any relaxation in their import restrictions on motor vehicles would be.Over the bulk of our motor car trade, the restrictions on imports into the Union of South Africa do not, I understand, damage our sales. Exports to the other main Commonwealth markets, with the exception of India and Pakistan, are not subject to restrictions.In general, I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the reply about the Export Credits Guarantee Department's facilities, given on Tuesday, 11th December, by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in answer to a supplementary Question by the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Miss Burton).

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the increase in production capacity for strip steel and for shipbuilders' steel plate, respectively, in the past ten years.

Production of strip steel this year is expected to be 190 per cent. higher than in 1946. In the same period the production of steel plate has increased by 60 per cent., but it is not possible to isolate figures for the production of plate used only for ship building.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the cuts in fuel oil for heating purposes to hotels are far greater than those for other industries; and, as this will cause great difficulties for hoteliers, if he will reconsider this matter.

The cuts of 25 per cent. in supplies of fuel oil and of 33⅓ per cent. in gas/diesel oil for heating purposes which have been applied to hotels apply to commercial users generally. I realise that these cuts cause difficulty for many hoteliers but I regret that, owing to the stringency in supplies, the use of oil in hotels cannot be treated in the same way as the use of oil for industrial production.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in HANSARD a table showing the number of British film quota defaults on first-feature and supporting programmes, respectively, in each year since 1948.

Figures for the year ended 30th September, 1956, are not yet complete.Following are the figures for the earlier years:

asked the President of the Board of Trade the approximate amount of imported synthetic rubber used, or to be used, respectively, in the tyre industry, the cable industry generally, and the cable aircraft industry.

In the first nine months of 1956, 19,730 tons of synthetic rubber were used in the tyre industry, and 1,154 tons in the cable industry. Separate statistics for consumption in the cable aircraft industry are not available. Since synthetic rubber is not yet produced in this country on a commercial scale it may be assumed that virtually all this rubber was imported.

asked the Minister of Health the average cost of a National Health Service prescription for each year beginning with the first complete year of the service, giving actual costs alongside the values of these when recalculated

asked the Minister of Health whether he will increase the allowances made to the disabled users of petrol-propelled invalid tricycles.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 11th December to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Horncastle (Commander Maitland).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the estimated value of British-owned business and property in Egypt; what arrangements Her Majesty's Government are making for compensation for the confiscation of these assets to be paid; and whence this compensation will be drawn.

Any estimate of the total value of British assets in Egypt at the present time would be largely guesswork. Her Majesty's Government have put in hand the compilation of an index of British assets and property in Egypt.

The following table gives the desired information:As regards compensation, I would refer to the Answer which my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Remnant) on 17th December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he has rejected the official request of the International Committee of the Red Cross for permission to visit internment and detention camps in Kenya.

I have received no such official request from the International Committee of the Red Cross. In August, 1955, through the good offices of the British Red Cross Society, an informal discussion took place between officers of my Department and Dr. Henri Junod who made what was understood to be an offer in his personal capacity to visit camps in Kenya and place his experience of penal administration at the disposal of the authorities. The Governor who was informed of this offer, felt that he had ample advice at his disposal and did not therefore wish to trouble Dr. Junod to make a special journey to Kenya, although he said that he would be pleased to see him if he were to pass through Kenya on his return to South Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in how many cases the hospital charges at King George's Hospital, Nairobi, have been waived on the grounds that the patient could not afford the fees.

Fees have been waived for 238 patients out of 2,393 admitted to the hospital between 1st October, when fees were introduced, and 30th November. During the same period, 925 patients had their fees underwritten by their employers, and about a quarter of the 1,230 who actually paid could legally reclaim the fees from their employers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further action is proposed for the development of the various coal deposits in African territories for which he is responsible.

The desirability of intensifying plans for the development of coal resources in Colonial Territories is being investigated, but no conclusions have yet been reached. I will be glad to discuss the position with my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power, in view of the fact that the date for the introduction of the petrol rationing scheme, on Monday, 17th December, was announced a month previously, on what date the Crayford Urban District Council was informed of its allocation of petrol.

Coupons were sent to the Crayforcl Urban District Council on 13th December.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will now make a further statement on the recent advances towards the use of atomic power for peaceful purposes.

The successful operation of the Calder Hall reactor and the further work now being done by the Atomic Energy Authority and industry on this type of reactor give solid grounds for confidence that it is capable of considerable development as regards efficiency and capacity. As regards other possible types of reactor in the more distant future, I regret that I can add nothing at present to the information contained in the Atomic Energy Authority's Second Annual Report.

asked the Minister of Defence (1) if he will give the character, scope and timing of his proposed wide review of our defence policy;(2) the extent of the cuts in defence expenditure proposed by Her Majesty's Government.

No. This matter will be dealt with in the Statement on Defence for 1957 to be issued in February next.