asked the Paymaster-General when he expects to publish the Report of the Divisional Inspector of Mines following his inquiry into the explosion at Chanters Colliery, Atherton, on 6th March.

As soon as possible after the conclusion of the inquest on the men killed in the explosion.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he has considered the position arising from the new developments concerning the transmission of power from nuclear reactor stations with particular reference to the advisability of suspending further work on grid line 275 R.V. which if proceeded with will have an adverse effect on the beauty of the Cotswolds.

I regret that the need for a super-grid line through the Cotswolds is unaffected by any nuclear power developments.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the proposed entry of Great Britain into the European Free Trade, Area may have a prejudicial effect on the British fishing industry; and if he will state, precisely, how he plans to protect that industry from those prejudicial effects.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member on 11th July.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he takes to ensure that all meat is inspected before it leaves the slaughterhouse.

Local authorities are empowered to inspect meat before it leaves the slaughterhouse and in many localities all meat is already inspected. A system of grants has recently been introduced which I hope will encourage those authorities which do not yet inspect all meat to do so in future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) the number and estimated cost of applications for grant-aided capital expenditure by internal drainage boards which have been approved by him in principle, but have been deferred owing to the credit squeeze and current restrictions on capital works;(2) by how much in value and proportion the applications for grant-aided capital expenditure by internal drainage boards have been cut in comparison with those by river boards in recent years.

Since February, 1956, river boards and internal drainage boards have been asked to defer schemes estimated to cost £589,000 and £569,000, respectively, representing 113 applications approved in principle. These costs are about 12 per cent. and 53 per cent., respectively of the total cost of applications submitted for grant-aid. Although it is still necessary to maintain restrictions on capital expenditure in this and other fields, the method of applying these restrictions to land drainage has been adjusted so that it will be possible to include for consideration the more urgent agricultural schemes, particularly where the cost is low in relation to their agricultural importance. This will, I hope be of particular assistance to internal drainage boards.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will instruct the Milk Marketing Board to cease selling retail, coffee, ice cream and milk shakes on the lower promenade in Brighton, where taxpayers contributing to the support of the Board are themselves gaining a living selling the same things during the summer season.

No. I have no right to intervene. The Milk Marketing Board has the responsibility for marketing milk and its purpose in opening a few milk bars is to demonstrate to the public and to the catering trade how popular milk and milk drinks can be when served under hygienic and comfortable conditions. It hopes in this way to increase the consumption of milk.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the continued cruelty involved in the shipping of aged cattle overseas to European markets, he will now arrange that a filter price, fixed at a point above the current price of old animals and below the current cost of prime beasts, should be introduced in order to control this undesirable export traffic.

No. I consider that the steps I announced on 6th June and 1st July will provide effective safeguards against cruelty.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the success achieved by the application of a filter price to the export of horses in order to prevent the export from this country of live horses for slaughter, he will now make arrangements to work out a similar scheme to deal with the export trade in aged cattle.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Barking (Mr. Hastings) today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will cause an investigation to be made into the poisoning of thousands of fish by polluted tidal waters in the River Ribble, at Preston, on the night of 3rd July, 1957, and the deposit by the same tide of an offensively smelling coating of red slime along the banks of the river.

Officers of the Lancashire River Board started investigations on 3rd July immediately the dead fish were observed. The Board is considering their report today to decide what action should be taken.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has yet decided what the first accounting period of the Sugar Board should be.

Yes. I shall shortly be making an Order under Section 35 (3) of the Sugar Act, 1956, designating the period 15th October, 1956, to 30th June, 1958, as the first financial year of the Sugar Board.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will give an assurance that no further redundancies will be declared at Radway Green and Swynnerton Royal Ordnance factories before the resumption of Parliament after the summer recess.

No.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is in a position to make a statement on his discussions with British Railways concerning the production of railway equipment at the Royal Ordnance factory, Radway Green.

No.

asked the Minister of Supply the dates on which machinery or equipment was supplied to the Royal Ordnance factory, Radway Green, during 1957, and its approximate cost.

Machinery and equipment worth approximately £200,000 were supplied to this factory at various dates during the first six months of 1957.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will give an approximate estimate of the value of the material, weapons, and aircraft and other supplies, which have been supplied to the Forces since 1950 and which are now considered obsolete.

No.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make the services of his Department available to provide a course of treatment designed to cure the tobacco habit when a person wishes to give up smoking but is unable to master the habit.

No, and I do not think that my right hon. Friend's Department would be equipped to undertake such an operation, even if it were practicable.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent cigarette smoking is responsible for diseases of the heart and in particular coronary thrombosis; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that a statistical correlation between smoking and coronary thrombosis has been suggested but not so far established.

asked the Minister of Health whether under his Regulations work-people who break, at work, spectacles or dentures obtained through the National Health Service, are entitled to have them replaced free of charge, and in what circumstances.

Dentures obtained through the National Health Service may be replaced without charge, and spectacles on payment of the cost of the frame only, provided the need does not arise from lack of care on the part of the patient. This applies whether the damage occurred at work or elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Health how many of those who have suffered from smallpox during the present epidemic have been vaccinated in infancy; and how many have been revaccinated.

None of the three persons confirmed as suffering from smallpox was vaccinated in infancy.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that a troopship from Malaya arrived at Southampton last week carrying amongst others, 208 people suffering from Asiatic flu; and what steps he is taking to protect and cure those sufferers.

I understand that there were no cases of influenza on board when the ship arrived at Southampton and no action was therefore necessary.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the increased incidence of smallpox and Asian flu in Great Britain; whether he has been able to trace the sources of infection; and what further steps he is taking to protect the British people from these infections.

There have been three confirmed cases of smallpox; the source is believed to have been a traveller returning from Lagos. In the four cases where influenza of the Asian type has so far been indentified, the infection has occurred in persons recently arrived from Asia. Normal routine action in the case of epidemics is being taken.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now reconsider his decision not to allow parents to purchase polio vaccine from the United States of America for the treatment of their children where this cannot be carried out whilst supplies in this country are insufficient for the purpose.

While the general situation regarding vaccination against poliomyelitis continues to be kept under close review, there is at present nothing I can add to my right hon. Friend's statement of 15th May.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the recommendation contained in the report on chronic bronchitis in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, of which he has received a copy, he will encourage the carrying out of further studies on this subject on a national scale.

I appreciate the importance of such research and I understand that much is already being carried out by the Medical Research Council, the College of General Practitioners and other bodies.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors will become entitled to draw superannuation benefit on retirement from the National Health Service in 1958.

About 3,500 general medical practitioners and part-time specialists. Figures for doctors employed full-time in hospital are not readily available.

asked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take to protect doctors acting as assistants to general practitioners under the National Health Service, in view of the unsatisfactory conditions of service of many young doctors at the present time.

I am not clear what conditions of service the hon. Member regards as unsatisfactory or what action he wishes my right hon. Friend to take, bearing in mind that assistants are in private professional contract with their principals.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will send a circular to local authorities recommending that there should be a ban on smoking in all public confined spaces within their control.

There is nothing to prevent local authorities from banning smoking within their own premises as proprietors of some theatres have done. But this is not a matter for a Government circular.

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to introduce legislation on the registration of physiotherapists and chiropodists.

I cannot yet say.

asked the Minister of Health the number of beds at present available in hospitals under the control of the Manchester Regional Hospitals Board; and how this compares with the number available during 1955 and 1956, respectively.

The number of staffed beds at 31st March last—the latest available figure—was 43,307, compared with 43,158 at 31st December, 1955, and 43,196 at 31st December, 1956.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the present nursing staff in hospitals under the control of the Manchester Regional Hospitals Board falls below the authorised establishment.

The staff numbers are short of the authorised establishment by 812.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will discuss with the Manchester Regional Hospitals Board the need to build a new hospital in North Manchester or, alternatively, to add new blocks to some of the existing hospitals in that area.

I understand that the Board takes the view that there are more urgent needs in other parts of this area, and it proposes to meet these first.

asked the Minister of Health what code of practice applies to persons working in hospitals; when it was issued; and what steps are taken to see that such conditions are observed.

I understand that the hon. Member has radiation hazards in mind. A code of practice for the protection of persons exposed to ionizing radiations was published on 27th June and has been commended to all National Health Service hospital authorities, who are responsible for seeing that it is observed in their hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health what provisions are made, or should be made, by hospital management committees to ensure that X-ray machines and other electrical equipment are adequately serviced.

X-ray sets are normally serviced by the manufacturers, and other electrical equipment by the technical staff of the management committee or by outside experts brought in by the committee. Guidance on the maintenance of certain electrical apparatus was given in the report of a working party on anaesthetic explosions which was brought to the notice of hospital authorities last August.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is yet in a position to make a statement on the conclusions he has reached in the light of his review of the Government Information Services.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has yet completed his review of the Government Information Services; and if he will now make a further statement.

Yes. The conclusions of the Government following the review of Overseas Information Services were published at 3.30 p.m. as a White Paper. Copies are available at the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the cost-of-living index is inappropriate as a yard-stick to measure the position of those living on small fixed incomes; and if he will take steps to remedy this anomaly.

The Index of Retail Prices covers all households, including many persons with small fixed incomes, which are within the upper and lower limits recommended by the Cost of Living Advisory Committee. The Committee was unanimous in recommending that only one official index of retail prices should be published.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that British business interests with Brazil are being handicapped by the decision of the Brazilian Government to prohibit the transfer of deposits to this country; and what action he proposes to take.

The delays in payment for goods exported to Brazil before 1953 certainly discouraged United Kingdom exporters from seeking new business. However, the agreement which was reached in 1953 for the arrears of commercial debts, amounting to £64 million to be paid off at the rate of £6 million yearly has been working satisfactorily and about two-thirds of the debt has been paid. Trade has revived and our exports to Brazil, which in 1955 were less than £7 million, are now running at the rate of about £18 million a year. I do not consider that any further action on my part is called for.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will provide for the price control of sulphate of ammonia.

My right hon. Friend has no powers to control the price of sulphate of ammonia, and does not propose to seek such powers.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (1) what steps he is proposing to take to ensure that overseas programmes of the British Broadcasting Corporation are adequately broadcast so as to be received by residents on the west coast of Canada;(2) whether he will now support the proposal to establish a relay station in the Caribbean to enable the British Broadcasting Corporation's programmes to be rebroadcast to western Canada.

The B.B.C.'s direct transmissions to the west coast of Canada were withdrawn in 1952 as a consequence of the financial stringency at that time. These transmissions had been particularly vulnerable to ionospheric and magnetic disturbances and this was, of course, a factor to be considered in deciding where economies should be made.It has not been found possible hitherto to implement the proposal to establish a relay station in the Caribbean designed to overcome these difficulties. This question is now, however, being reconsidered in connection with the general review of Overseas Information Services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, how many African graduates are now teaching in territorial schools in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, respectively; and whether any of these have yet been appointed as education officers.

, pursuant to Mr. Profumo's reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 22nd May, 1957; Vol. 570, c. 1232], supplied the following further information:There are fifteen African graduates teaching in schools in Northern Rhodesia and four in Nyasaland. In Nyasaland three are employed in Government Schools and were gazetted education officers upon appointment.The prospects of advancement for African officers in both territories are similar; the two services are open to all, and, in each, officers of any race with similar personal qualities as well as academic and professional qualifications are employed on the same jobs under the same titles. But the posts of education officer in the two territories are not quite comparable. In Nyasaland, a man with the necessary academic and post-graduate teaching qualifications can be appointed education officer though not considered to be suitable immediately for inspection and administrative duties as well as teaching. In Northern Rhodesia, the posts of education officer and assistant professional officer, the duties of which are similar though more restricted, include these non-teaching duties and no African has yet been considered to be suitable for appointment to them. One or two African masters are shortly coming within the zone of promotion to the post of assistant professional officer. Any officer so promoted will earn a salary comparable to that of African education officers in Nyasaland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether a commission has now been appointed to report on electoral boundaries and allied questions in Mauritius.

The Electoral Boundary Commission referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 8th March has now been appointed.I am glad to say that Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve, Bart., G.B.E., M.C., T.D., Q.C., has accepted appointment as Chairman, and that the two other members are Mr. R. Beloe, Chief Education Officer, Surrey County Council, and Mr. E. R. Sudbury, C.B.E., who was secretary of the First Ceylon Delimitation Commission, 1946. I am sure that the House will agree that we have been most fortunate in securing the services of these gentlemen, who will, I have no doubt, enjoy the full co-operation and confidence of the people of Mauritius.The Commission expects to start work in Mauritius at the beginning of August.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the Committee of Inquiry upon African Beer Halls in Northern Rhodesia, appointed after the disturbances at Lusaka Boma Station in May, 1954.

A Committee was appointed in 1954 to consider the provisions of the Liquor Licensing Ordinance in its application to Africans and coloured people. Its Report was published for information in August, 1955, and tabled in the Legislative Council in March, 1956. I have asked the Governor for further copies and will arrange for them to be placed in the Limrary. The Northern Rhodesia Government's proposals on this Report must await consideration of its financial implications for local authorities. The organisation of local authorities is the subject of the recent Brown Report which is now before the Northern Rhodesia Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many interviewers for Civil Service appointments have their ordinary places of residence an Scotland; and what percentage this is of the total.

Nine members of the Civil Service Commissioners' panel of regular interviewers reside in Scotland. This is about 7 per cent. of the total and corresponds roughly with the percentage of boards held in Scotland. These interviewers represent the Commissioners as required on boards for Scottish appointments; but most of the members of these boards are drawn from the Scottish Departments concerned and from academic or professional bodies in Scotland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the average age of interviewers for Civil Service appointments.

The average age of the panel of regular interviewers is sixty-three. The average age of the much larger number who sit on interview boards as occasion requires is much lower, but cannot be precisely stated.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a batch of eight letters carrying 2d. stamps which were despatched by Messrs. Brentnall and Cleland Limited by special collection at Brentford at 4.10 p.m. on Tuesday, 2nd July last, took, with one exception, more than thirty-six hours to reach their destinations in the home counties; whether he is satisfied that this represents an adequate speed of delivery of mail; and whether he will make a statement.

These items were part of a batch of 3,500 pre-paid at the minimum printed paper rate and collected from Messrs. Brentnall and Cleland's premises on 2nd July. One of the published conditions of the printed paper service is that printed papers pre-paid at the minimum rate are always liable to be put aside where necessary until fully-paid letters have been disposed of. An exceptional volume of fully-paid letters had to be dealt with during the afternoon and evening of 2nd July, and in spite of the best efforts of the staff I am sorry that it proved necessary to set aside for sorting later many of the printed paper items, including no doubt the seven in question, in order not to delay the fully-paid letters.

asked the Postmaster-General what proportion of Post Office workers are engaged on non-postal services; what are their numbers; and what is the cost of their labour compared with the cost of labour of the postal services.

On 1st June, 1957, the Post Office employed 347,454 staff; part-timers counted as half each. It is estimated that about 210,000, or approximately 60 per cent., were employed on non-postal services.The cost of their wages and salaries was £133,000,000 a year, compared with £98,000,000 a year for those engaged on postal services.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will issue a list of the under-passes and fly-overs either already approved by him or under active consideration throughout Great Britain.

The following individual under-passes or fly-overs are under construction or authorised, and fifty-eight more are being actively considered: