asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he will not publish in HANSARD the letters he has received from the Town Clerk of West Ham and the General Secretary of the Building Workers' Trade Union, protesting against the Government's Rent Bill.

I do not think it normally appropriate to use HANSARD for the publication of correspondence.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on his recent discussions with the Metropolitan Standing Joint Committee on matters affecting the Government's rent policy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the nature of the discussions which he held with a deputation from the Association of Municipal Corporations and the Metropolitan Boroughs Standing Joint Committee in February; and whether he will make a statement.

This discussion, on a number of points arising out of the Rent Bill, was confidential, as is usual between Ministers and representatives of local authorities in matters of this kind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has now replied to the representations made by the Gateshead Borough Council and the hon. Member for Gateshead, West, in connection with the Ventnor Gardens housing contract, Gateshead.

Yes. The hon. Member and the council have been told that there is no objection to acceptance of the contract.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities have indicated to him their intention to reduce their programmes of housing for general need.

The returns made by local authorities showing the number of the houses they propose to put into tender during the current financial year have not been analysed as between the different purposes for which houses would be built. The returns are in any case, as I explained in reply to the hon. Member for Gateshead, West (Mr. Randall) on 5th February, not wholly reliable; and they are now out of date. The balance of local authority programmes is undoubtedly changing as priority is given to slum clearance, but the overall rate of local authority building continues at a high level.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will consider raising the limits of ultimate populations for the new towns around London.

I hope to make a statement when I have consulted the local authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what are his proposals for housing refugees and persons who may be evacuated at times of national emergency.

These are among the matters which, as indicated in my reply to the hon. Member on the 26th February, are under discussion with the local authority associations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, having regard to the information submitted to him in relation to the development plans of the planning authorities in the London area, what estimate he has made of the approximate date when the supply of housing accommodation will be about equal to the demand.

The development plans allocate land to meet housing needs over 20 years so far as they can be foreseen. The question when the supply of housing accommodation in the area will be about equal to the demand is a wholly different one; it depends on many factors besides land.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made in the past year with the provision of water and sewerage in rural areas; and what is the programme for the current year.

During 1956 work costing £5,360,201 was authorised for rural water supply schemes in England and Wales. The corresponding figure for rural sewerage was £5,589,771. I hope that in the present year it will be possible to maintain this rate of progress.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that almost every rating local authority has announced rate increases of between 1s. 10d. and 3s. in the £; and, as these increases, if applied, will raise the cost of living, which is directly contrary to the Government's declared policy of reducing the cost of living, if he will take such action as may be necessary to cause an investigation on a national basis into the reasons why these rates are being increased.

The fixing of the rate is entirely a local authority responsibility, and should remain so. It is for the authorities to explain to their ratepayers the reasons for any increases they may think it necessary to make.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made with settling the layout of St. Paul's precincts.

I understand that the London County Council has in an advanced state of preparation an amendment of the County of London Development Plan for the area around St. Paul's and that it will soon be submitted for my approval.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has yet approved the Tower Hill Improvement Plan.

Proposals to improve the setting of the Tower, including the provision of an important new open space, were approved in March, 1955, by my predecessor as part of the County of London Development Plan. In the last few days I have received from the London County Council proposals which would involve a minor departure from this plan. These are still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what response he has had to his circular offering to sell prefabricated bungalows to authorities holding them at a price of £150 each.

In the four weeks since the circular was issued, inquiries have been received from 30 authorities.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, if he has completed his examination of the Report of the Committee on Synthetic Detergents; and if he will make a statement on the ill-effects of these detergents on sewerage disposal and river pollution.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend's predecessor to a Question by the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Dodds) on 18th December last.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why the decision of the planning committee of the Glamorgan County Council, relating to the erection of the Independent Television Authority's television mast, was not confirmed by his Department; why there has been so much delay in the setting up of an inquiry; and when a final decision can be expected.

The application was called in for determination by my predecessor because of the objections advanced, on grounds of air safety, by the Welsh Advisory Council for Civil Aviation and the principal airline companies operating to and from Rhoose Airport. There was no avoidable delay in arranging for the local inquiry, which has now been held, and I shall issue my decision as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce legislation enabling him to take over the historic homes of England which are under-occupied.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how long it normally takes to settle claims for compensation under Part II of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954, in respect of planning restriction; and if he will review the procedure with the object of speeding-up settlement of such claims.

Normal conditions have not yet been reached, because of the backlog of earlier cases payable under Part V of the Act. These latter are now largely cleared, and settlement of the Part II cases is in consequence speeding up. I have written to the hon. Member about the case to which he drew my attention.

asked the Prime Minister what are the conditions which govern participation by civil servants in political controversy affecting their Departments; whether he regards these conditions as being satisfied in the participation of the Director of Public Relations at the War Office in a televised discussion on defence and National Service on 27th February last; and if he will make a statement.

The rules are lengthy and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the circular in which they were promulgated. They allow civil servants to appear for the purpose of giving information with the consent of the head of their Department provided they do not become involved in political controversy. This particular broadcast was an objective broadcast in a series entitled "Youth wants to know". I am informed that it was within the rules laid down and was authorised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War.

asked the Prime Minister whether the declaration of the President of the Board of Trade at Burton-on-Trent on 1st March, relating to the defence of the United Kingdom, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

In his speech my right hon. Friend expressed the view, which I would have thought was shared by hon. Members from all parts of the House, that the time had passed when the United Kingdom could be defended without allies.

asked the Prime Minister (1) what directions have been issued to the Board of Trade, the Ministry of Supply, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Labour and the shipbuilding section of the Admiralty to prepare plans for the employment of workpeople displaced by cuts in defence expenditure;(2) whether he will consult the principal workers' and employers' organisations on the subject of changes in industry and displacement of workpeople which may arise from cuts in defence expenditure.

When cuts in defence production are made it is not necessary to issue special directions to deal with the redeployment that may arise. The Board of Trade and the Ministry of Labour make full use of the exsiting machinery for letting employers know when factory space and labour are going to become available.If special problems arise, the Ministers concerned are always ready to consult with industry and my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will shortly be meeting representatives of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent in his talks with the French Prime Minister, he raised the difficulties created for the Commonwealth by the proposed participation of French and oher Colonial Territories in the European Common Market; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his recent discussions with M. Mollet.

A communiqué was published after the meeting which my right hon. and learned Friend and I had with the French Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, which is given below.The hon. Gentleman the Member for Stechford will see that the Common Market was discussed and that it was agreed that there should be further detailed study by experts.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the latest available figure of the unemployed in the brick-making industry in North Staffordshire.

One hundred and thirty-six at 11th February.

asked the Minister of Labour what support his Department has given to the Festival of Women, due at Wembley, 7th to 29th June.

In view of the overriding need for Government economy, I have not felt able to arrange for my Department to take part in this Festival.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are proposed to safeguard the health of those occupationally employed with ionising radiations and radioactive substances in private industry.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 31st January.

asked the Minister of Labour in how many cases during 1956 British nationals have obtained employment abroad under the Western European scheme for exchange of information on employment available in member States; and whether such information is available at all employment exchanges.

During 1956, 19 British nationals entered employment abroad under the scheme for interchange of employment information between the countries of the Western European Union. Particulars of the scheme are available at all local offices and individual vacancies are circulated to employment exchanges where the volume of placing work is such that the exchange can make effective use of them.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of the insured population in the North Midland Region, which includes Lincolnshire, are unemployed at the present time; and how this region compares with the rest of the United Kingdom.

1·1 per cent. in the North Midland Region at 11th February, compared with 1·9 per cent. for the United Kingdom as a whole.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Hungarian refugees have been found jobs in the North Midland Region, which includes Lincolnshire; how many are waiting to go to Canada; and how many have still to be found jobs in this region.

On the 1st March, 707 Hungarian refugees had been placed in employment in the North Midlands Region, and 78 had found approved employment by other means. On the same date, 268 refugees not in employment were awaiting emigration; the number in employment but waiting to emigrate is not known. A further 100 refugees were registered for employment but had still to be found jobs.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the 3,900 Hungarians recruited by the National Coal Board for coalmining have had mining experience.

I am informed that the National Coal Board estimates that between 40 per cent. and 50 per cent. of these men have had previous coal-mining experience.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are in regular full-time employment in such factories and industrial plants working full time all the year round as have been established in towns in the crofter counties since 1st April, 1949.

About 770 people are now working full-time in establishments engaged in manufacturing industry and normally open all the year round.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the increase in the number of unemployed in Sunderland during the past two months; and what factors have caused this increase.

The numbers unemployed on 11th February, 1957, were 2,778, an increase of 641 since December, 1956. Nearly a third of the increase was due to temporary stoppages in the shipyards owing to bad weather, about a sixth of it to seasonal unemployment in the building and contracting industries and the remainder was spread over a variety of industries which were affected by normal seasonal influences and to a small extent by shortages of fuel.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the national average wage of a labourer, semi-skilled, and skilled worker, together with the national average salary received by the professional and salaried worker in the years 1911 and 1957, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the number of persons in paid employment in the new town of Harlow, specifying the respective numbers of males and females in work together with their average weekly wages.

The available figures relate to the area of the Harlow Employment Exchange. The estimated numbers of persons in paid employment in that area at end-May, 1956, were 9,190 males and 3,690 females. I regret that no information is available about the average weekly wages of these workers.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the unemployment figures at Exmouth, Torquay, Paignton, Bideford and Ilfracombe, separately, in July 1955. October, 1955, and February, 1956.

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the Minister of Labour what action he proposes to take to expedite sittings of the Scottish Appellate Tribunal for conscientious objectors to deal with applications for re-hearings by men who have served three months' imprisonment, in view of the case of A. S. Hunter whose appeal was not heard until seven days before the conclusions of his six months' sentence.

Applications by men who have been sentenced to imprisonment to have their cases considered by the Scottish Appellate Tribunal are few and intermittent and some delay in hearing them may be difficult to avoid. I shall, however, do all I can to ensure that there is no avoidable delay in having such applications considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is now in a position to announce the result of the survey undertaken by the Forestry Commission of damage caused to Scottish woodlands by the recent gales.

The amount of timber blown down by the gales of 4th and 5th February is now estimated at about 7½million cubic feet.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the dissatisfaction in Scotland by teachers and pupils with Circular 325 relating to school camps; and if he will take steps to withdraw that circular.

Though I have received a few representations on one or two of the recommendations made about school camps in the circular, I have no evidence of general dissatisfaction, and I see no reason for withdrawing it. If the hon. Member will send me a note of the points he has in mind, I will look into them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number and nature of representations made to him by local authorities in Scotland about the high rates of interest which they have to pay for money borrowed by them.

During last year, representations about high rates of interest were received from 92 local authorities. The general tenor of the representations was to the effect that high interest rates added to the cost of essential works and imposed a heavy burden on local rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what communication he has received in regard to the proposed closure of the Royal Ordnance factory at Dalmuir; and what reply he has made.

I am in close touch with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Supply and the President of the Board of Trade about the future of this factory. I have so informed the Corporation of Glasgow, the County Council of Dunbarton and the Clyde District Committee of the United Society of Boilermakers, Shipbuilders and Structural Workers, from whom I have received representations on this subject.As the hon. Member will know, another Question on this subject is being addressed to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to ensure that moneys received by a landlord from the War Damage Commission and spent by him on repairs to property shall not entitle him to increase tenants' rents under the Housing (Repairs and Rents) (Scotland) Act, 1954.

Paragraph 9 (b) of the First Schedule to the Act already provides, in regard to the repairs increase in rent, that any work, the cost of which is reimbursed under Part I of the War Damage Act, 1943, is to be disregarded for the purpose of satisfying the condition relating to the landlord's expenditure on repairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a list of rent increases, and the percentage rise involved, imposed by individual local authorities in Scotland during the past 12 months.

According to Press reports, a number of authorities have decided in the last twelve months to increase rents, but authorities are not obliged to inform me of rent changes as they occur. I have therefore no specific information later than that given in the Rent Return published in June, 1956 (Cmd. 9773) which gives the rents charged by local authorities in November, 1955. A return relating to November, 1956, is due to be published in June, 1957.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the total number of houses owned by local authorities in Scotland are let at £1 a week and under; and what is his estimate of the proportion of the total of privately owned houses of a comparable size which will still be rented at £1 and under when the present rent legislation comes into force.

The latest Return of Rents, which relates to 1955, shows that all but one quarter of one per cent. of the permanent houses owned by local authorities in Scotland were let, on average, at rents of less than £50 per year.I have no means of estimating what rents will be charged for privately owned houses which the Rent Bill now before Parliament proposes to decontrol.But, taking into account the effect of the Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act, 1956, under which all rents in Scotland will, as from May, 1957, be reduced by the amount of owners' rates payable in 1956–57, virtually all the houses that remain under control will have rents of £1 a week or less, even where the increases permitted by the Bill for good repair are imposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state the progress so far made in the eradication of tuberculosis in cattle in Scotland; and what areas are now relatively cleared.

The whole of Scotland is now within the Area Eradication Plan and, all going well, should be fully attested by the end of 1959. The following are the details of the present position of counties:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will, in conjunction with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, repeat the request made in 1956 to the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board not to increase its charges in spite of an accumulated loss at the end of 1956 of £612,000, and ask the Board instead to rely on increases in consumption of electricity and economies in management to offset the accumulated loss.

I presume my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to the general appeal to keep prices steady made to industry by the Prime Minister in January of last year. Despite the adverse effect of drought in 1955 and the early months of 1956 on its finances, the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board complied with this request, but it has now indicated that, having regard to the financial results for 1956 and its general financial position, it will have to reconsider its tariffs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the recently announced expansion of the nuclear power programme, he will take steps to speed up the extension of technical education facilities.

In planning the expansion of technical education facilities, we are taking account of the needs of the nuclear power programme and we are doing all that we can to speed up both the provision of new colleges and the extension of the work of existing colleges.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when approval will be given by him to Lanarkshire County Council to extending grant aid for the hall extension at Allanton Miners' Welfare Scheme.

I have explained to the education authority the conditions on which it would be possible to approve in this contribution, and as soon as I know that the authority accepts them I will give my approval for the proposed contribution to be made from revenue.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for replacing work threatened to be stopped at the Royal Ordnance factory at Dalmuir.

I understand that the amount of defence work is declining and that there is likely also to be less work of that sort coming from other friendly countries. If there ceases to be enough defence work to maintain the Royal Ordnance factory at Dalmuir our objective would be to secure a good long-term use of it. There is good hope, if and when it is no longer needed for defence work, of finding an industrial undertaking that would provide continuity of use and increased employment and that the change could be made in a way that causes the least possible disturbance.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers of the rank of major-general and above are now on the Active List in the Army; and what were the corresponding numbers in 1938, 1948 and 1951.

146, including 33 in the Indian Army, in 1938, 164 in 1948, 145 in 1951 and 147 now.

asked the Secretary of State for War what expenses additional to paying purchase price a Service man has to bear who buys his discharge from the Army.

In addition to the purchase price, a soldier who purchases his discharge is required to refund any bounty already paid for service which has not been completed and his fare from the place of discharge to his home. If he is serving abroad at the time he must also pay his own and his family's fare back to this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in what way the petrol shortage has altered and reduced his plans for the extension of industry in the north-east of Scotland.

None. On the contrary, the provision of an additional factory at Peterhead, with assistance from the Development Fund, has been approved, subject to agreement with the company concerned on certain details.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new factories or industrial plants working full time all the year round have been established in towns in the crofter counties since 1st April, 1949, to the latest convenient date, giving the number in each town.

According to the latest available information, eight new factory buildings each of over 5,000 square feet for manufacturing industries have been completed in the crofter counties since 1st April, 1949. The towns in or near to which these factories are situated and the number in each town are: Muir of Ord 1, Lochy Bridge 1, Tomatin 1, Wick 1, Stornoway 1, Inverness 2, Uig, Skye 1.These new factory buildings were all new detached buildings on new sites. Information on new enterprises starting in existing premises or developments in units of less than 5,000 square feet since 1st April, 1949, is not recorded by the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, since the maximum salary payable to the Deputy-Director of the British Productivity Council is to be raised to £2,500, what the present incumbent is being paid; and with what grade of the Civil Service this emolument compares.

This is not information which I require the Council to give me.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many industrial buildings are at present thermally insulated to the nearest convenient date.

I regret that I cannot provide this information.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the public's reluctance to buy new motor cars before the Budget, he will follow the 1954 precedent and anticipate his Budget statement in regard to possible Purchase Tax changes.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the concern that is felt by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and amongst university teachers at his failure to announce any improvement in the salaries of university teachers, following the protracted negotiations that have recently taken place; and if he will now make a statement.

I am satisfied that a further review of the salaries of academic staff at universities is now necessary if the standard of recruitment is to be maintained during the forthcoming period of expansion in the universities. I have considered recommendations made to me by the University Grants Committee who have themselves received representations from the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and from the Association of University Teachers, and I propose to ask Parliament to provide the additional funds required to enable the universities, as from 1st August next, to bring into effect new rates and scales of salary for full-time staff. The details are given below. The consequential increase in the recurrent grant of the universities is estimated to be in the region of £3 million a year initially.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the duty per gallon on port wine each year since 1938, together with the annual revenue collected and the approximate annual domestic consumption of this wine; and whether, in view of the strongly held opinion that this wine that used to be widely enjoyed here has been overtaxed, he will give sympathetic consideration to a reduction in the duty on it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the duty per gallon on port wine for each year since 1938, together with the annual revenue collected and the approximate annual consumption of such wine; and, in view of the fact that a large amount of British capital and enterprise is involved in the port wine trade, what steps he proposes to take to improve the situation with regard to the import of port into Great Britain.

The rates of duty were set out in my Written Answers to the hon. and gallant Member for Lewes (Major Beamish) on 28th February. The other figures are given below. As to the last part of the Question, I cannot anticipate the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will move to appoint a Select Committee to consider the consequences of the high rates of interest now being charged to private industry and the consequence of the credit squeeze to many small firms;(2) if he will move to appoint a Select Committee to consider the consequences of the high rate of interest now being charged in respect of mortgages on homes.

I do not think such a course would be appropriate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the approximate amount of Purchase Tax received by the Treasury on radio and television sets for the year 1956.

£40·4 million.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what progress has been made in negotiations for the claim of non-industrial civil servants at London Airport to be placed on London rates of payment.

This claim is part of the general question of provincial differentiation in the non-industrial Civil Service, which is now under discussion on the National Whitley Council.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the relative purchasing power of the £ today in comparison with the £ having a purchasing value of 20s. on the date when the Select Committee reported on Members' salaries; and by how much the average £750 per annum expenses incurred by Members on the date mentioned in the Report, has increased by virtue of this depreciation of the purchasing value of the £.

The average of £750 per annum expenses quoted in the report related to the year ending 5th April, 1953. The purchasing power of the £ taken as 20s. in 1952–53 is estimated at 17s. 6d. in Jauuary, 1957, based on the consumer price index adjusted by the Retail Price Index. On this basis, the equivalent at current prices of goods and services costing £750 in 1952–53 would be about £850.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made to deal with the Baltic claimants; what is the extent of the claims; and what funds or balances are available in this country which could be used for their satisfaction.

Her Majestys' Government are continuing their efforts to persuade the Soviet Government to negotiate a general settlement of all outstanding financial questions, including United Kingdom claims amounting to about £8 million arising from the Soviet annexation of the Baltic States in 1940. Assets of the former Baltic States amounting to about £7·5 million are at present held by, or have been reported to, the Custodian of Enemy Property. At the present time it is not possible to say how these assets will be disposed of.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage increase in total wages and salaries is represented by the total increases of £54½ million appearing in the Supplementary Civil Estimates for the year 1956–57.

The calculation requested by the hon. Member could not be made without an undue expenditure of time ad labour. But since the Estimates for 1956–57 were framed a large number of Civil Servants have had their pay increased by a little over 5 per cent., and there have been similar additions to the pay of staff in other services financed by the Exchequer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, in view in the established relationship between tobacco-smoking and lung cancer, smoking by retirement pensioners is subsidised; and whether he will withdraw the subsidy and increase the basic retirement pension for all pensioners by the amount that would be saved.

The tobacco token scheme, which enables retirement pensioners who smoke to buy tobacco at a reduced price, was introduced solely to meet the special circumstances arising out of the heavy increase in tobacco duty in 1947; it is therefore not, in any correct sense of the term, a subsidy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now announce the members of the Governing Board of the National Institute for Research in Nuclear Science.

Yes. The Governing Board has been constituted by my noble Friend the Lord President of the Council and myself as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reply he has now sent to the protest from the Japanese Government against tests of the hydrogen bomb on Christmas Island.

Copies of my right hon. and learned Friend's Note to the Japanese Ambassador of 12th February have been placed in the Library. Further representations from the Japanese Government are being studied.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the anxiety expressed by Her Majesty's Government that an international conference should take place as soon as possible to consider the 1955 Draft Convention relating to the limitation of liability of sea-going vessels, and the fact that in 1956 the Belgian Government were approached by Her Majesty's Government to ascertain how soon such a conference was likely to take place, and since no invitation has yet been received from the Belgian Government for Her Majesty's Government to attend, whether he will instruct Her Majesty's Ambassador in Brussels to raise the matter again with the Belgian Government.

I understand from Her Majesty's Embassy in Brussels that the Belgian Government will be issuing invitations in the near future.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many shipbuilding yards in Scotland are equipped to build 65,000-ton tankers.

As far as I am aware two Scottish yards are equipping themselves for the purpose. At least one other yard has plans for the extension of its berths.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he has now approved the resolutions from the Central Electricity Authority and its area boards amending their respective Protected Persons Superannuation Schemes.

My noble Friend has approved the resolutions in principle but has asked the Authority and the boards to amend them in order to secure that the increases will be effective from 1st April, 1956.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Kashmir dispute, in so far as it constitutes a danger to world peace, consequent upon resolutions of the United Nations.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my predecessor to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewes (Major Beamish) on 20th December. Since that date, the Security Council has passed a Resolution requesting their President, Mr. Jarring, to examine with the Governments of India and Pakistan any proposals which, in his opinion, are likely to contribute towards a settlement of the dispute, having regard to the previous Resolutions of the Security Council and of the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan. Her Majesty's Government very much hope that the mission undertaken by Mr. Jarring, who is particularly well qualified for the task which he has undertaken, will lead to progress towards a settlement of the dispute.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would have been the approximate cost to the taxpayer this financial year had all subsidised food been pegged at 1950 prices; and what has been the approximate cost of food subsidies this year.

It is estimated that the additional cost to the taxpayer might have been of the order of £1,000 million without allowing, for the changed pattern of supply, improvement of quality, or the increased consumption likely at 1950 prices. The cost of the agriculture and food subsidies in 1956–57, including welfare foods, is expected to amount to £317 million.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement showing the countries that offer a reciprocal service to British citizens similar to that offered by our National Health Service; and what steps are at present being taken to extend this service to other countries for our people.

We have a Convention with Sweden whereby its health services are available to all British nationals, including tourists. This Convention was signed in June last and is expected to be ratified shortly. A similar Convention with Norway is awaiting signature and discussions with other countries are being sought whenever possible.

asked the Minister of Health the number of foreign visitors who have received benefits under the National Health Service during the years 1955 and 1956.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the lack of fire extinguishers in old schools, and the inability of chief fire officers to insist upon extinguishers being provided in them, he will take steps to increase the powers of chief fire officers in this respect.

Chief fire officers as such have no power to enforce fire protection requirements, though they often act as advisers to public authorities which have powers of this kind. If my hon. Friend will be good enough to give me details of any cases which he has in mind as showing a need for stricter fire precautions in schools, I will consider the matter further in consultation with my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of Education.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of persons in receipt of retirement pensions and the numbers of such pensioners in receipt of a National Assistance supplementary payment and the numbers of persons who are not in receipt of retirement pensions who are in receipt of National Assistance supplementary payments, in the area covered by his office in Southwark, at the most convenient recent date and for the corresponding period of 1956.

My right hon. Friend regrets that statistics of retirement pensioners are not available for local areas. As regards National Assistance, as the right hon. Gentleman will be aware, the Borough of Southwark is served by two National Assistance Board offices which, between them, cover both Southwark and the borough of Bermondsey. The Board state that in the area administered from the office at 301 Borough High Street, which covers the greater part of Southwark, there were being paid on 18th December, 1956, 2,003 weekly grants in supplementation of retirement pension and 1,185 other weekly grants including those paid to persons with no other income to be supplemented. The comparable figures on 20th December, 1955, were 2,034 and 1,167. Some of the grants provided for a household with more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what were the numbers of persons in receipt of retirement pensions and National Assistance, respectively, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 1st March, 1956, and 1st March, 1957.

My right hon. Friend regrets that statistics of retirement pensioners are not available for local areas. The National Assistance Board informs him that information about National Assistance grants is not available for precisely the area and dates stated, but that 18,858 weekly grants were current on 20th December, 1955, and 18,673 on 18th December, 1956, in an area served by four of its offices, which consists mainly of the county borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne but also includes the borough of Wallsend and some county district territories. Of these grants, 10,700 and 10,802, respectively, were in supplementation of retirement pensions. Some of these grants provided for a household with more than one pensioner.

asked the Postmaster-General what are the quotas for telephone kiosks, with the allocation of quotas of expenditure, which are to be provided in rural areas in each of the counties in Wales for the 12 months beginning on 1st April. 1957.

The information is as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General how far away is the nearest public telephone kiosk to Stewart Street, Carluke, in the county of Lanark; and whether he will provide a kiosk in Stewart Street.

There is a kiosk in Mount Stewart Street about 30 yards from the southern end of Stewart Street, a call office in the post office which is 150 yards away, and another kiosk in Sandy Road just over 100 yards from another part of Stewart Street. With so many other calls on our limited capital resources, I would not feel justified in providing another kiosk in Stewart Street itself.

asked the Postmaster-General how many public telephone kiosks are now installed at East Kilbride; and how many he proposes to instal.

Twenty-eight kiosks are now installed. These appear to be sufficient for present needs, but others will be provided as the town grows.

asked the Postmaster-General how many postal letter boxes and stamp machines have been installed at East Kilbride; and how many he proposes to provide.

Seventeen posting boxes and six stamp-selling machines have been installed. Six more posting boxes will be provided in the next 12 months, if the town develops as expected. The present stamp-selling machines are expected to meet all foreseeable needs.