asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the rates of interest chargeable to local authorities borrowing from the Local Loans Fund.

A Treasury Minute made today provides that loans advanced to local authorities from the Local Loans Fund on and after 13th July, 1957, until further notice shall carry the following rates of interest:

asked the Minister of Health what was the average weekly cost of maintenance per patient in general and mental hospitals, respectively, for each decade since 1850.

Information in the form requested is not available, but I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state, for the latest convenient period, what the average length of stay was of patients in the ten mental hospitals having the lowest weekly cost of maintenance per patient; and what was the average length of stay of patients in the ten mental hospitals having the highest cost of maintenance per patient.

I regret that the figures of average length of stay of patients discharged from individual mental hospitals are not readily available. The comparison the hon. Member has asked for cannot therefore be made without considerable analysis which I do not think would be justified. I am, however, writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the separate number of men, women, boys and girls registered at the Borough Employment Exchange as unemployed at the most recent date in June; and the number on the disabled register at the same time, whether included or excluded from the total of registered unemployed.

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the 1914–18 war disabled pensioners who were eligible for registration for life under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act at the time of its introduction, are so registered; and what are the numbers of those so registered who are still in the employment field.

At 15th April, 1957, there were 120,262 1914–18 war pensioners registered as disabled persons. This number would include some no longer in the employment field, but it is not known how many.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons formerly registered as disabled who are no longer disabled and who still count in employers quotas under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of employers having quota obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act; the number who complete the voluntary return, showing the totals of their registered disabled employees; and to what extent these returns include employees whose registrations as disabled persons have lapsed.

About 66,000 employers are recorded as having quota obligations under the Act and they employ altogether some 480,000 registered disabled persons. The voluntary return of registered disabled persons is only one of the methods used to secure compliance and no national statistics are held showing how many employers complete the return. Employers are allowed to continue to count for quota purposes any of their employees whose registration as disabled persons have lapsed whilst in their employment, but these employees are not shown separately in the returns.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what steps he is taking, or proposes to take, to secure for old-age pensioners in the City of Aberdeen free transport from and to their homes to the respective offices where they receive payment of their retirement pensions.

My right hon. Friend does not think there is need for any such arrangement. A pensioner can draw his pension at the nearest post office or sub-post office and, if he is unable to get there, he can nominate someone to draw it for him.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what action he proposes to take to prevent residential areas surrounding airports being subjected to excessive noise from the large civil jet aircraft now being developed.

The manufacturers and prospective operators of these aircraft must not underestimate the overriding importance of reduction in the volume of noise at source by the use of silencers and any other devices available. I am aware that a great deal of money has already been spent on measures to this end, but before permitting these aircraft to use the international airports in this country I shall, of course, have to take into consideration what success has been obtained in this development.

asked the Secretary of State for War why personnel of the 1st Battalion, the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, stationed in Cyprus, are not permitted to have their wives and families with them when such arrangements are made in respect of other regi- ments stationed in Cyprus; whether he will consider altering this decision; and whether he will make a statement.

This Battalion, which has been in Cyprus since last November, is operating in a part of the island where there are no married quarters. At the end of the year it will be moved to another station suitable for families. This arrangement is common to a number of units who serve for one year in remote parts of Cyprus, followed by two years in a family station. It is the fairest way of giving troops in Cyprus a share of operational conditions and family accommodation.