asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will publish in HANSARD an estimate as to what the cost would be to increase the old-age pension by 5s.. 7s. 6d., 10s., 15s., and£1 per week, respectively, taking as the basis the number of persons who were, on 1st March, 1957, recipients of retirement pensions.

The additional annual cost to the National Insurance Fund of increases in the weekly rate of retirement pensions of the amounts indicated would at present be:

Increase of weekly rate					Additional annual cost (£ millions)
5s.	…	…	…	…	60
7s. 6d.	…	…	…	…	80
10s.	…	…	…	…	119
15s.	…	…	…	…	178
£1	…	…	…	…	238

The cost would rise substantially in future years as the number of retirement pensioners increased. The figures do not include the cost of consequential increases in the rates of other benefits.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will state for the latest convenient stated date the number of old-age pensioners who were receiving State assistance towards the payment of their rents; and what was the total annual figure involved.

On the basis of a sample taken on 7th November, 1956, the National Assistance Board estimates that 780,000 National Assistance grants then being paid as supplements to retirement or non-contributory old-age pensioners who were householders included provision for rent. For the reason given in reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 14th February, 1957, it is not possible to give a figure for the cost.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state, for the latest convenient date, the total number of old-age pensioners in the County Borough of West Ham, together with similar figures for those in receipt of National Assistance payments: and how these figures compare with March, 1951.

As I have previously explained, statistics of retirement pensioners are not available for local government areas. I am informed by the National Assistance Board that in the County Borough of West Ham on 26th March, 1957, 535 persons were receiving non-contributory old-age pensions. At the same date there were being paid 405 weekly Assistance grants to supplement non-contributory pensions and 4,346 to supplement retirement pensions. Comparable figures for March, 1951, were 1,061, 443, and 3,742 respectively. Some of the supplements provided for the requirements of a household with more than one pensioner.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that men who are not members of a trades union have been declared redundant by their employers because of the strike, and have been refused unemployment pay; and if he will take steps to amend Section 13 (1) (b) of the National Assistance Act, 1946, so that justice may be done to such men, who are willing to work, but are denied the right to work, first by the trades unions, then by the employers, and are now denied the right to claim unemployment benefit for which they have paid weekly contributions

I do not know which men my hon. Friend has in mind, but I will gladly look into any particular case. The present rules relating to payment of unemployment benefit during industrial disputes have been in operation since 1927, and subsequent reviews have not revealed any better alternative.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if, in view of the fact that one week's unavoidable absence from employment, at between 65–70 years of age, though properly credited, can lose a pensioner and his wife 2s. 6d. per week in future pension increments, he will provide for some limit below which credits are permitted to count for increments.

The present provisions by which increments of pension for deferred retirement must be earned by paid contributions for weeks of work appear to me to he sound. The full number of increments can be earned in this way, even though there are up to ten weeks' unavoidable absence from work between the ages of 65 and 70.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will now say whether unused petrol coupons of the first rationing period may be used after 30th April.

No further change is contemplated in the validity of first period coupons. They cannot be used after 30th April.

asked the Paymaster-General if he is satisfied that petrol rationing is operating fairly to all motorists, and that his Department's control remains effective; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. If my hon. Friend has any reason to think otherwise I shall be glad to look into the matter.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he is yet in a position, regarding oil supplies in this country, to give an approximate date for the ending of petrol rationing.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to him last Monday.

asked the Paymaster-General to what extent petrol rationing is being maintained in this country so as to restrict the use of petrol at home to enable British refineries to refine and export petrol to countries overseas for foreign currency; and whether he will now cease this practice and end petrol rationing.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to a similar Question given by my right hon. Friend the Economic Secretary on 4th April.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the poll of egg producers on the British Egg Marketing Scheme.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. and gallant Friend the member for South Angus (Captain Duncan), on 2nd April.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what proportion of the amount spent by his Department on publicity at agricultural shows is spent at the smaller agricultural shows.

During the last financial year nearly£13,000 was spent on staging exhibits at the smaller agricultural shows out of a sum of£32,500 allocated for agricultural show purposes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantity of beef has been imported into the United Kingdom from the Argentine Republic in the period of twelve months up to the latest convenient date; and how these imports compare in volume and value with similar imports before 1939.

Imports of beef and veal from the Argentine in the twelve months ending February, 1957, amounted to 255,100 tons, compared with annual average imports of 356,300 tons for the years 1934 to 1938. The value was£34,605,000 compared with£12,753,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the fact that the price of flour has been reduced by 5s. per sack in the past four months with no corresponding reduction in the price of a loaf of bread. he will now consider the need to take powers to reduce and control the price of bread.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the price of a loaf of bread for the years 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955 and 1956 respectively.

The information is as follows:

Controlled maximum prices of the 1¾ lb. loaf in the United Kingdom, remote areas excepted
1st January, 1951–7th April, 1951	5½d.
8th April, 1951–15th March, 1952	6d.
16th March 1952–25th February, 1956	7½d.
26th February, 1956–29th September, 1956	8½d.

Control over the maximum prices of bread was withdrawn as from 30th September, 1956, when the bread subsidy was abolished.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent there has been a fall in the consumption of milk for January, February and March of this year, compared with October, November, and December of 1956; and if he will state the consumption respectively for these periods.

Liquid milk consumption in England and Wales was 340 million gallons from October to December, 1956, and is estimated to be 331 million gallons from January to March, 1957. If allowance be made for the extra two days in the earlier period the fall is less than 0·3 per cent

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will indicate the name of the company. mentioned in paragraph 134 of Command Paper No. 9887, to which the Forestry Commission will sell in future standing thinnings from Welsh forest units; what was the date upon which the contract came into operation; and how many commission workers have in consequence been made redundant.

It would not be appropriate for me to supply details of individual contracts for the sale of produce entered into by the Forestry Commission.I can however say that no workers have been made redundant as a consequence of this contract.

asked the Minister of Supply who is to operate the three Britannia aircraft on order by his Department for trooping.

No decision has yet been taken.

asked the Minister of Health what intelligence quotient examination has recently been given to Miss Mary Betteridge, a patient at St. Margaret's Mental Hospital, Birmingham; who supervised the examination; and with what result.

I do not think it would be right to give this information, which is confidential.

asked the Minister of Health the age of the youngest child certified as a mental defective and admitted to the Fountain Hospital, London. S.W.I, since 1st January, 1950.

A baby of 11½ weeks placed in the hospital by the father under Section 3 of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913.

asked the Minister of Health how many children have been certified as mental defectives before reaching the age of one year, and how many under two years of age, since 1st January, 1950, up to the latest convenient date.

I regret that information in the form asked for is not available but 238 certified mentally defective children under two years of age were admitted to hospital from 1st January, 1950, to 31st December, 1954, either under Section 3 or Section 6 of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913.

asked the Minister of Health how many women under the age of 21 years are detained at Rampton under the Mental Deficiency Acts; for how long they have been detained; and how many were discharged to their homes during 1956.

61 for varying periods from months to several years. None were discharged to their homes during 1956.

asked the Minister of Health how many children outside the State schools have now been vaccinated against poliomyelitis.

Vaccination is offered to all children in selected age groups and the type of school attended is not recorded.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement regarding his negotiations about the price of proprietary preparations.

The Government has now accepted in principle a scheme proposed by the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry and modified in the course of discussions with the health Ministers, for regulating the prices of certain proprietary pharmaceutical products. The scheme povides a method of establishing reasonable maximum prices for most of these products: by reference to export prices, where the products have established themselves in world markets: by reference to the prices of equivalent standard drugs, where the products are available in standard as well as proprietary form; and, in other cases, by using a special formula constructed for the purpose. There will also be cases where firms negotiate prices directly with the Departments.The Government's acceptance of the scheme is subject to the completion of some points of detail and to the working out of suitable administrative machinery, but I hope it can be brought into operation within the next two months. The scheme will be on trial, and subject to review. I am most grateful to the industry for the co-operation it has shown throughout these negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many hours per week of theoretical and practical tuition are given to young men who sign for short-period service as a cook; what standard of proficiency they reach at the end of their engagement; and what other longer periods of engagement and training are available.

Men spend on average 7½ hours a week on lectures and demonstrations, and 24 hours on practical work during their twelve weeks basic training.They then normally qualify as Group "B" Class III tradesmen cooks. Those with previous experience of cooking may reach the higher standard of Group "B Class 11. After six months further experience in a unit cookhouse, Group "B" Class III cooks may be given three weeks refresher course, and tested for upgrading to Class II. This is the normal standard reached by National Service men and soldiers on short Regular engagements.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will cause to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed list, item by item, of the clothing and other stocks and stores revealed by the recent investigation at the Army's Central Clothing Depot; if he will tabulate the number of issues of each article during 1955–56 and the numbers at present in stock; if he will indicate the estimated life of each article; and if he will take disciplinary action against those responsible for the administration of this branch of his Department.

30,000 different items are involved and I do not think that the circulation of a list would be either practicable or useful. As I explained on 2nd April in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro), these stocks included war reserves and were not related merely to peace-time requirements. As my hon. and gallant Friend will be aware, the matter is due to be considered by the Public Accounts Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will appoint an independent committee of inquiry into the circumstances in which£16,400,000 of public money was spent on the Champ British-type jeep for the Army, which had so many defects that production had to be halted, yet for which, before the Army had tested it, a substantial order was placed for delivery; and if he will instruct the committee to recommend appropriate disciplinary action.

As was made clear in my Answer on 2nd April to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro), I do not accept allegations that this vehicle was a failure or the money spent on it wasted. The matter will be the subject of detailed inquiry by the Public Accounts Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many hours per week of theoretical and practical tuition are given to young men who sign for short-period service as a cook; what standard of proficiency they reach at the end of their engagement; and what other longer periods of engagement and training are available.

Recruits may be accepted for training as cooks on any of the standard engagements. Basic training lasts twelve weeks; theoretical instruction averages eleven hours a week and practical work twenty-one hours. At the end of a short engagement an airman should have a good general knowledge of cookery and of kitchen organisation. Those on long-term engagements may after some years practical experience be given advanced training of up to eighteen weeks, his would bring them up to the standard of the City and Guilds diploma for cooking for hotels and catering establishments.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty to what extent the possibility of developing Mombasa as a naval base will be discussed at the forthcoming Commonwealth Naval Conference.

The purpose of the Commonwealth Naval Conference is to examine all matters of common interest in naval strategy and tactics, including problems of base support. We have however no plans at present for the further development of Mombasa as a naval base.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state, as in previous years, the separate figures for wages and salaries in able 2 of the Preliminary Estimates of National Income and Expenditure 1951 to 1956. Command Paper No. 123.

I regret that separate information for wages and salaries in 1956 is not yet available. The figures will, as usual, be given in the National Income "Blue Book" which it is expected to publish in the summer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in HANSARD details giving an estimate of the costs to the economy in loss of trade at home and abroad, and the resultant loss of foreign currency, due to the shipbuilding and engineering strikes.

It is impossible to make any detailed estimate, but conditions in world markets are such that any disruptions in important industries such as these may have serious consequences for our export interests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has considered the letter from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, showing that one greyhound racing company, after meeting taxation and all expenses, is only left with 1 per cent. of all moneys received, that this company was left with a net profit of£2,283 after paying a total of£108,931 in taxation, and notwithstanding the fact that the directors waived their rights to certain fees and payments, no money was available to pay any dividend to the ordinary shareholders; and whether, as this and other greyhound racing companies pay a total of 58 per cent. of their receipts in taxation, he will, in his forthcoming Budget, reduce or abolish the 10 per cent. totalisator tax on greyhound racing, in addition to revising the Entertainments Duty, and thus prevent the closing of these companies and the resultant loss of much-needed revenue.

I have received the hon. Member's letter but I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will consider proposing legislation to amend the Married Women's Property Act, 1882, in the light of Mr. Justice Wynn Parry's observations in the case of Camkin's Questions.

Legislation is not necessary for this purpose. The improvements in procedure suggested by Mr. Justice Wynn Parry are at present under consideration by my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murderers, convicted before the passing of the Homicide Act, now await execution; and whether he will now change the regulations, regarding such prisoners, as to the announcement of execution dates.

Four prisoners convicted of murder before the passage of the Homicide Act are at present under sentence of death. All have appealed and no question of announcing execution dates in respect of them arises.The announcement of execution dates is now governed by Section 11 of the Homicide Act. In pursuance of that section every execution date fixed since the Act received the Royal Assent has been announced by means of a Press notice issued by the Home Office and the posting of notices outside prisons has been discontinued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the total number of prosecutions for illegal possession of and trafficking in Indian hemp each year during the last five years and the total amount of the drug seized each year.

There have been no prosecutions for trafficking in cannabis (Indian hemp) in the last five years. The following are the figures for prosecutions for unlawful possession of canabis, and the quantities of the drug seized:

Year			Number of prosecutions	Quantity seized
1952…	…	…	98	33 lb.
1953…	…	…	90	591b.
1954…	…	…	152	260 lb.
1955…	…	…	139	180 lb.
1956…	…	…	106	251 lb.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that in the County Borough of West Ham out of a total of 35,600 controlled dwellings some 3,600 are liable to be decontrolled on the passing of the Government's Rent Bill, that this borough was the worst bombed during the last war losing or having damaged over one-third of its properties, and that this has caused a severe housing shortage which will be further aggravated on the passing of this Bill; and what special action he proposes to take to assist this particular local authority to overcome their added burdens.

I know that West Ham was heavily damaged during the war; but the Rent Bill does not aggravate their housing shortage. On the contrary, by discouraging under-occupation it helps towards the maximum use of existing accommodation.

asked the Minister of Labour when he will be able to make a statement indicating the Government's intention regarding legislation affecting contracts of service for industrial workers.

This subject is still engaging my attention and I am unable at present to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of unemployed men and women signing on at the employment exchanges of Spennymoor and Durham for each month of 1956 and each month of this year to date.

NUMBERS OF PERSONS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT THE SPENNYMOOR AND DURHAM EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES AT THE UNDERMENTIONED DATES
Date			Spennymoor		Durham
			Males	Females	Males	Females
16th January, 1956	…	…	246	50	365	34
13th February, 1956	…	…	223	50	377	71
12th March, 1956	…	…	259	48	267	51
16th April, 1956	…	…	245	45	282	149
14th May, 1956	…	…	199	34	226	47
11th June, 1956	…	…	206	33	185	49
16th July, 1956	…	…	240	35	178	23
13th August, 1956	…	…	270	49	238	54
17th September, 1956	…	…	178	65	237	48
15th October, 1956	…	…	134	46	209	37
12th November, 1956	…	…	153	42	283	40
10th December, 1956	…	…	186	31	336	39
14th January, 1957	…	…	276	48	392	26
11th February, 1957	…	…	238	48	379	30
11th March, 1957	…	…	215	48	282	36

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state for the City of Dundee the number of council houses to rent and the number of privately-owned houses to rent with a valuation of less than£40.

At 31st March, 1957, there were in Dundee 16,640 permanent and 1,550 temporary houses belonging to the Corporation, and 2,112 belonging to the Scottish Special Housing Association, a total of 20,302 publicly-owned rented houses.I am informed that there are about 30.000 privately-owned rented houses in the city with rateable values up to£40.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of pupils of secondary school age are in senior secondary courses for each of the education authorities in Scotland.

The following table shows for each education authority area at 16th January, 1956 (the latest date for which the figures are available), the percentage of pupils who were following senior secondary courses in relation to the total number of pupils in junior and senior secondary schools. The figures include

The following table gives the information desired:all pupils in secondary classes in public schools.

Counties
Aberdeen	…	…	40
Angus	…	…	39
Argyll	…	…	35
Ayr	…	…	42
Banff	…	…	46
Berwick	…	…	40
Bute	…	…	25
Caithness	…	…	35
Clackmannan	…	…	31
Dumfries	…	…	31
Dunbarton	…	…	45
Bast Lothian	…	…	36
Fife	…	…	33
Inverness	…	…	46
Kincardine	…	…	40
Kirkcudbright	…	…	34
Lanark	…	…	36
Midlothian	…	…	33
Moray and Nairn	…	…	37
Orkney	…	…	37
Peebles	…	…	39
Perth and Kinross	…	…	38
Renfrew	…	…	46
Ross and Cromarty	…	…	37
Roxburgh	…	…	36
Selkirk	…	…	58
Stirling	…	…	32
Sutherland	…	…	50
West Lothian	…	…	39
Wigtown	…	…	33
Zetland	…	…	29
Burghs
Aberdeen	…	…	27
Dundee	…	…	35
Edinburgh	…	…	39
Glasgow	…	…	51

The average for Scotland as a whole is 40 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for each education authority in Scotland the amount spent on education per head of each child attending local authority schools; and how much of this relates to rate-borne expenditure and to Government grants, respectively.

Table
		(1)	(2)	(3)
Education authority		Estimated average number of pupils, 1956–57	Total estimated net expenditure, 1956–57*	Sources from which met
				Grants†	Rates
			£	Per cent.	Per cent.
Counties:
Aberdeen	…	25,300	1,708,685	81·06	18–94
Angus	…	15,650	930,465	76–61	23·39
Argyll	…	9,300	714,198	77–44	22·56
Ayr	…	56,300	3,163,355	70–13	29·87
Banff	…	8,450	617,789	85–10	14·90
Berwick	…	3,848	294,788	81–19	18·81
Bute	…	2,200	157,955	61–41	38·59
Caithness	…	4,200	299,245	85–49	14·51
Clackmannan	…	7,040	447,405	73–63	26·37
Dumfries	…	15,100	950,336	76–01	23·99
Dunbarton	…	29,270	1,738,395	69–71	30·29
East Lothian	…	8,700	558,804	70–28	29·72
Fife	…	56,620	3,284,286	75·33	24·67
Inverness	…	13,880	1,118,451	78·90	21·10
Kincardine	…	4,780	290,280	79·73	20·27
Kirkcudbright	…	4,900	377,599	81·07	18·93
Lanark	…	96,750	5,999,126	74·26	25·74
Midlothian	…	18,850	1,159,286	73·35	26·65
Moray and Nairn	…	9,715	565,365	76·17	23·83
Orkney	…	3,400	298,240	91·10	8·90
Peebles	…	2,020	183,630	63·79	36·21
Perth and Kinross	…	20,400	1,232,236	71·15	28·85
Renfrew	…	54,000	2,905,348	69·94	30·06
Ross and Cromarty	…	10,400	942,900	87·55	12·45
Roxburgh	…	6,500	449,510	73·69	26·31
Selkirk	…	3,180	199,028	70·62	29·38
Stirling	…	32,500	2,108,117	70·97	29·03
Sutherland	…	2,205	286,297	89·61	10·39
West Lothian	…	16,948	1,001,241	76·96	23·04
Wigtown	…	5,385	352,145	83·51	16·49
Zetland	…	2,800	330,350	91·21	8·79
Burghs:
Aberdeen	…	28,900	2,414,423	63·63	36·37
Dundee	…	29,750	1,877,384	66·08	33·92
Edinburgh	…	63,500	4,161,847	59·06	40·94
Glasgow	…	177,000	12,312,888	61·20	38·80
Total (Scotland)	…	849,741	55,431,397	69·93	30·07
* Total expenditure of each authority on education after deduction of sums received other than grants and rates. Includes expenditure on further education, but excludes expenditure on the Schools Meals Service, and on the Milk in Schools Scheme.
† Grants include Exchequer Equalisation Grants and Exchequer Transitional Grants as well as Grants from Education (Scotland) Fund.

The following table shows for 1956–57 the estimated total net expenditure of education authorities on all forms of education and the percentages of the expenditure met from grants and rates respectively. I regret that it is not possible to extract from the total expenditure and show as a figure per head of children attending education authority schools the amounts properly attributable to the education of these children.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the question of rearward-facing seats in aircraft.

On the initiative of the United Kingdom, the Third Air Navigation Conference of the International Civil Aviation Organisation thoroughly examined the evidence for and against rearward-facing seats but concluded that such seats should not be made an international requirement.I do not consider that British operators should be required to install rearward-facing seats so long as their international competitors are not bound to do so, but they are free to do so if they wish. In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply, I am examining the possibilities of improving the design of forward-facing seats so as to minimise the risk of crash injury.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on how many occasions during 1956 firearms were used by the police in Jamaica in the course of effecting arrests; how many rounds of ammunition were expended: how many persons were killed and how many persons wounded by police officers in arresting or attempting to arrest persons suspected of committing offences; and how many innocent bystanders were injured.

The figures are 28: 44: 2 and 12: and 1, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that heavy blue serge is an unsuitable material for the uniform of police officers working in a tropical climate; and if he will arrange for the provision of a lighter material for this purpose in Jamaica.

The Jamaica Government inform me that a lighter serge material is being progressively introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the public disquiet in Jamaica regarding the methods and activities of the police; and what steps he has taken or will take to remedy the present unsatisfactory state of public feeling in relation to the enforcement of law and order.

I know of no such disquiet. On the contrary, my information is that the force enjoys the growing confidence and respect of the public. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will request His Excellency the Governor of Jamaica to re-examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the refusal of a passport to Miss Alys Kong, a typist of Kingston, on the grounds of security, in view of the fact that an error of judgment was made in a similar case, that of Miss Mavis Evans, a dressmaker of the parish of Hanover, who has now been issued with a passport though repeatedly refused one for more than a year.

No. Nor do I accept that there was an error of judgment in Miss Evans' case.