asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the Government's policy on universality of membership in the: United Nations; and whether he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government believe in the principle of the universality of membership of the United Nations in so far as applicants for membership fulfil the conditions laid down in Article 4 of the Charter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will support a revision of the Charter of the United Nations Organisation which is due for discussion on 3rd June next.

On 3rd June, the Committee appointed by the Tenth Session of the General Assembly in 1955 will meet to consider the question of fixing a time and place for a Charter Review Conference, and its organisation and procedures. This Committee will not review the Charter.

asked the Minister of Health whether reports on surveys recently carried out by his Department into hospital facilities in the greater London area will be published.

The survey has been conducted by officers of the Department and their report, when completed, will be an administrative document for my right hon. Friend's information which it is not intended to publish.

asked the Minister of Health if he will set out in tabular form the amount spent each year by the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board for hospital modernisation, extensions and improvements; the total amounts from 1948 to 1955; the amounts for each of the years 1956 and 1957; and the comparative figures for each year of the finance allocated for the same purposes to the hospitals in the City of Stoke-on-Trent.

Following are the figures:

asked the Minister of Health the capital sum allocated to the regional hospital boards per head of population for 1950, 1954, 1956, for the Newcastle, Sheffield, Oxford, Welsh, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham Regional Hospital Boards, respectively, and the comparable amounts for the same years allocated to the hospitals in the City of Stoke-on-Trent.

The following table gives the information asked for in the question in terms of annual expenditure for the financial years 1950–51, 1954–55 and 1956–57.

asked the Minister of Health if he will set out in tabular form the total amounts received by the regional hospital boards for Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Birmingham for 1950, 1954, 1956 and 1957, respectively;

asked the Minister of Health if he has yet received from the Worthing Hospital Management Committee, as the employing authority, any information as to what action is being taken against employees of the hospital as a result of the report of the committee of inquiry, appointed at his request, by the South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, to look into the burial arrangements at Southlands Hospital, Shoreham by Sea, and the methods by which an undertaker was selected; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed that, as recommended by the Committee of and the amount allocated by the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board for the same years to the hospitals in the City of Stoke-on-Trent.

Following are the figures in terms of annual expenditure:Inquiry, the Management Committee has severely censured the officer primarily concerned and has conveyed the findings of the inquiry to a second officer by way of warning.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospital medical and dental staff, except general practitioners, there were in the National Health Service in 1949, and in the latest convenient year.

The figures for England and Wales are:

asked the Minister of Health how many consultants and specialists and senior registrars there were in the National Health Service in 1949, and in the latest convenient year.

The figures for England and Wales are:

asked the Minister of Health what was the average number of miles and cost per patient of the ambulance services in 1950–51, and in the latest convenient year.

The figures for England and Wales are as follows:

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now state when a bill will be introduced to provide for the registration of opticians.

I cannot add to the reply given to my hon. Friend the member for Putney (Sir H. Linstead) on 13th May.

asked the Minister of Health when the Report of the Committee on Medical Manpower will be published.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I understand that we may expect to receive the Report of this Committee during the summer.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authority antenatal clinics there were in 1949, and in the latest convenient year.

1,787 on 31st December, 1949, and 1,955 on 31st December, 1956.

asked the Minister of Health in how many cases local authority domestic help was provided during 1949, and during the latest convenient year.

139,816 in 1949: 235,132 in 1956.

asked the Minister of Health how many courses of dental treatment there were in the National Health Service in 1953–54, and in the latest convenient year.

In England and Wales in 1953, 8,376,467 courses of treatment (including 1,704,127 emergency cases) were completed under the general dental services; in 1956, the total was 10,739,994 (including 2,120,903 emergency cases).

asked the Minister of Health how many visits were made by district nurses in 1949, and in the latest convenient year.

About 17¼ million in 1949 and about 24 million in 1956.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance from how many Members of Parliament he has received petition forms issued by the National Federation of Old-Age Pensioners Associations; and the total number of signatures involved.

Up to last Friday, I had received copies of the petition organised by this body from 207 right hon. and hon. Members. With regard to the second part of the Question, it is quite impossible for me to say how many people signed these petitions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the continued failure of bakers generally to respond to the further fall in the price of flour, he will now introduce price control of bread.

No. The hon. Member will be aware that certain reductions in bread prices have now been announced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the provision for land drainage and flood services in his Department's Estimates for 1956–57 shows a decrease of £1,500,000.

The reduction in the provision for land drainage and flood services as between the Estimates for 1955–56 and 1956–57 is due to the progressive restoration and reconstruction of sea defences and the rehabilitation of flooded agricultural land following the East Coast surge of 1953. I am glad to say that these operations are now nearing completion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he approved the schedule of prices published in April, 1957, by the British Wool Marketing Board which are well below the current world market prices for wool.

These prices for individual classes and grades of wool are a matter entirely for the British Wool Marketing Board. They are, however, based on the guaranteed price to the Board of 4s. 8¼d. Per lb. (including marketing costs) which was determined after the last Annual Review. It cannot be assumed that this price will be below the market price, taking the year as a whole, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland (Mr. Vane) on 18th April.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what amount he estimates will have been devoted to poultry research during the financial year 1956–57.

It is estimated that approximately £145,000 from public funds will have been devoted to poultry research during 1956–57.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he is aware of the shortages in the Lowestoft area in the stocks of coal, in consequence of which purchasers are precluded from taking full advantage of the lower summer prices; and if he will make a statement.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will now state when and where an atomic energy generating station is to be erected in North Wales.

The Central Electricity Authority is investigating a number of sites in North Wales but it will be some months before it has sufficient data to enable it to make definite proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies is the purpose of the Land and Agricultural Bank of Northern Rhodesia; and how far its facilities are available for African as well as for European farmers.

The Bank's purpose is to assist and encourage farming and agricultural development generally in the territory by providing short-term and seasonal finance to farmers' associations and co-operative agricultural societies and long-term loans to all farmers individually. In practice, however, African farmers have not applied to the Bank but have obtained agricultural credit through the African Farming Improvement Scheme, the Peasant Farming Scheme and African co-operative societies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the purpose of the Lands Board in Northern Rhodesia; and how far its facilities are available for Africans as well as Europeans.

The Land Board, which considered questions involving the alienation, valuation, leasing, occupation and use of Crown land, was replaced on 14th March by the Agricultural Lands Board incorporated under the Agricultural Lands Ordinance. The purpose of the Board is to consider applications for Crown land for agricultural purposes and applications to convert agricultural land from leasehold title to Crown grants; to administer agricultural land held on lease from the Crown; to advise the Member responsible for lands on the operation of the Agricultural Lands Ordinance; and to initiate and operate tenant farming schemes on Crown land. Its facilities are available to all applicants who possess the necessary farming experience and sufficient capital to develop the land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of Africans, Asians, and Europeans resident in Roan Antelope Mine Township, Fort Jameson Town, and Kalulushi Mine Township in Northern Rhodesia, respectively.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the qualifications required by Africans to make them eligible for membership of the Roan Antelope Mine Township Management Board, the Fort Jameson Town Management Board, and the Kalulushi Mine Township Management Board in Northern Rhodesia, respectively; and the number of Africans in each case who fulfil these qualifications.

In Fort Jameson, members of the Management Board are appointed by the Provincial Commissioner (under powers delegated by the Governor) from persons residing or having official duties in, or near, the town. There are some 11,000 African residents. In Roan Antelope and Kalulushi Mine Townships, the members of the Management Board are appointed by the Senior Provincial Commissioner. Western Province (under powers delegated by the Governor) on the nomination of the mining company concerned; the field of choice is not prescribed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the method of election to the Fort Jameson Intensive Conservation Committee in Northern Rhodesia; who are entitled to vote; and how many of these are Europeans and Africans, respectively.

The Committee consists of between three and six members from among the owners of land in the intensive conservation area. Where there are more nominations than vacancies, election is by majority poll at a general meeting of the owners, all of whom are entitled to vote. In this area there are 227 European, Asiatic and coloured owners of land and one African owner of land.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education to what extent he estimates that the growing expenditure for educational purposes in the County of Warwick will be likely to cause a heavier proportionate burden on the rate, in view of the introduction of the proposed block grant.

I must ask the hon. Member to await the publication in a few weeks' time of the White Paper on the Government's proposals on local government finance.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education (1) what was the expenditure for educational purposes of the Warwickshire County Education Committee during 1956–57; and what proportion of this expenditure was met from Government grants and what proportion from local rates;(2) the estimated expenditure for educational purposes of the Warwickshire County Education Committee for 1957–58; and what proportion will be met from Government grants and local rates, respectively.

The following is the information:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent it is his policy to encourage local planning authorities to extend rights of way and other facilities whereby the public may have access to and along the shores and banks of the principal lakes and rivers in the national parks; and what approaches have been made to land owners in this respect, and with what results.

It is my policy that all local planning authorities should try to secure rights of way wherever there is a public need. I agree that this is especially important in national parks and along lakes and rivers. I know that in some cases authorities have secured such rights of way by agreement with land owners. In one case where agreement could not be reached my predecessor confirmed a public path order.

asked the Postmaster-General how many uniform suits, caps and coats are carried in stock by the Post Office; and the number of uniformed staff employed in the Post Office.

On 31st March, 1957, the stocks were 80,000 uniform suits, 30,000 caps and 30,000 coats. The number of uniformed staff is 120,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state for 1954, 1955, and 1956 the imports of raw cotton into the United Kingdom from Nigeria, Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Uganda, Tanganyika, Aden, India, Pakistan, Sudan, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Egypt, United States of America, and others, together with the totals for the Commonwealth countries listed above, excluding Sudan.

The information is as follows:cotton industry about the recent negotiations with India, Hong Kong, and Pakistan about exports of cotton goods from those countries to the United Kingdom.

I am seeing members of the Cotton Mission together with the Chairman of the Cotton Board on Tuesday, 4th June, and I am not, therefore, yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state for each year from 1951 to 1956 the total production of single yarn, including waste yarn, double yarn, and man-made fibres, respectively.

Production of cotton yarn and production of man-made fibres in the United Kingdom was:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether it has now been decided to set up "No Waiting" signs at Grendon in the County of Warwick; and what views have been expressed to him by the local authorities and the police.

As the Joint Parliamentary Secretary told the hon. Member in his letter of 3rd April, 1957, the county council and the police have been asked to consider the imposition of a "No Waiting" order here. Consultations are proceeding and I will write to the hon. Member when these have taken place.