asked the Minister of Education if he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures showing the dates, since 1951, when the prices of school meals were increased, and the number of children, both nationally and in the county borough of West Ham, who were having school meals on each of these dates.

Yes. The following is the table:

asked the Minister of Education if he will revise Circular No. 248, March, 1952, so that persons engaged on the preparation and serving of school meals may be specifically mentioned as being among those in danger of spreading tuberculosis among schoolchildren.

Yes. I am already reviewing the Circular.

asked the Minister of Education how many of the secondary modern schools in the six counties of north Wales entered pupils for the General Certificate of Education examination last summer; and what was the number of pupils on roll, and the number who passed the examination, respectively, at each of the schools where pupils sat the General Certificate of Education examination.

Five schools and a total of 2,455 pupils. I am writing to the hon. Member about the results of the examination.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the current per capita grants for school equipment made in primary and secondary schools in Wales by each of the respective local education authorities.

This information is not available in my Department.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent, whilst he was in the United States of America discussing the question of closer collaboration in the manufacture of nuclear weapons, he also discussed the problem of the political authority responsible for decisions on the use of these weapons; and what agreement was reached.

I did not discuss this question.

asked the Prime Minister from what groups engaged in research into contamination by the fission products of nuclear explosions he obtains advice and information; what are the respective terms of reference of these groups; and at what intervals they issue reports.

My reply to Questions on 31st October described the arrangements for monitoring radioactive contamination. Her Majesty's Government are advised about the significance of the measurements so taken and about other relevant research by the Medical and the Agricultural Research Councils. Reports are published as new and significant material becomes available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the reduction in the retail price of television cathode tubes since the manufacturers announced in October, 1956, that they were abandoning price control.

As far as I know, there have not been any major changes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that for some time now world raw material and mineral prices have been falling; that imports of these basic raw materials are costing less; and what action he has taken, or proposes to take, by price control or otherwise, to ensure that these

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the dollar value of the £ sterling in terms of internal purchasing power in the United States of America at the time that he fixed the existing travel allowance to that country, and at the latest available date.

According to official United States figures, consumer prices in the U.S.A. rose a little less than 1 per cent. between June and October.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much it would cost to pay post-war credits to lower prices are passed on to the British public by cheaper prices of the various manufactured goods.

Yes. In time lower raw material costs will have their effect on prices, but the costs of processing, manufacture and distribution in this country have, in general, a much greater effect on final prices than the cost of imported raw materials.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give the monthly totals of the number of bankruptcies since October, 1951, until the latest convenient stated date.

The figures of receiving orders published in the London Gazette are the following:—widows with children in any one financial year.

Assuming that women who are already widows and still have children under 16 are included, the cost would be about £5 million in the first year and about £¼ million in each subsequent year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider paying post-war credits to widows, with children, on the death of the husband.

My right hon. Friend has taken note of my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion, but there are great difficulties in picking out special classes, on hardship grounds, for early release of post-war credits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration is being given to the claims for pension increases for Civil Service and other public service pensioners who are suffering hardship at the present time due to the increased cost of living.

I would refer my hon and gallant Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend on 19th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Tyne-mouth (Dame Irene Ward).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the quantity of malt whisky and grain whisky, respectively, distilled in Scotland for the year ended 30th September, 1957; and the quantities of both distilled in the whole of Great Britain aid Northern Ireland.

The quantities of malt spirit and of grain spirit distilled in Scotland and in the United Kingdom as a whole in the year ended 30th September, 1957, were as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that there has been a continued fall in the world price of food, raw materials, and minerals, and that imports of these items are costing less; and whether, in addition to his request to trade unions to restrict wage demands, he will make a formal appeal to employers, industrialists, and manufacturers to pass on the lower costs of these imports to the British public by reducing the prices of food and manufactured articles.

I am aware that import prices generally have fallen. The Government will continue to make clear to all concerned the need for restraint in prices and costs at home.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will arrange for all announcements concerning changes in the Bank Rate to be made in the House of Commons, when the House is in Session, such announcements to be made after the normal closing hours of the Stock Exchange.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 30th October last by the Economic Secretary to the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. Hamilton).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total quantity of milk disposed of as unfit for human consumption, and its estimated value, arising from the accident at Windscale on 10th October.

About 670,000 gallons, valued at just over £50,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the causes of the 12 initial outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease last year which were not attributed to infection from imported Argentine meat.

In 1956, there were 11 outbreaks which were thought to have been caused by infection brought from the Continent, probably by birds, and four outbreaks the origin of which was obscure.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, during the current talks between Her Majesty's Government and the New Zealand trade delegation, he will arrange for discussions aimed at the conclusion of bulk-purchase contracts.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions are taking place with the French Government regarding the increase of the 60-mile limit on cattle exported from this country.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will call a conference to consider the action taken concerning the pea root eelworm following the conference in June, 1956, and decide if further action is desirable.

The Ministry recently circulated a note on developments since the conference referred to, and invited interested organisations to say whether they consider that a further conference would be useful. Replies are awaited, but if the general feeling is in favour, a conference will be arranged.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take up with manufacturers the possibility of so designing guards to power drives, power take-offs and power take-off shafts that they can be easily attached and detached for the purposes of maintenance of the guarded component.

My right hon. Friend is cot aware of trouble caused by guards being difficult to fix or detach. Machines generally are designed so that maintenance, usually lubrication, can be carried out with the guards in position or so that the guards can be conveniently removed and replaced. I will, however, look into any cases of difficulty if my hon. Friend will let me have details.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to secure that all meat shall be inspected at slaughterhouses.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Health and my right hon. Friend intend to make meat inspection universal as soon as possible. But there are practical difficulties to be overcome before all local authorities can achieve this—not least their shortage of inspectors. My right hon. Friend pro- poses, therefore, to invite the local authority associations and other interested organisations to discuss their difficulties with the Ministry in the light of the Government's intention to take the steps necessary to ensure that all meat is inspected at the slaughterhouse as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the incidence of tuberculosis has increased in the Seychelles in the last ten years; and what action is being taken to improve diagnosis and treatment.

The available figures do not suggest that there has been any marked increase in the incidence of tuberculosis in Seychelles in the last ten years. The Seychelles Government are nevertheless conscious of the need to improve anti-tuberculosis measures and are considering the practical possibilities of increasing in-patient accommodation, improving out-patient and domiciliary treatment and introducing more effective methods of immunisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what date new instructions were issued by the Government of the Seychelles on the collection of rent from those officers occupying Government-owned dwellings; and in how many cases the Government had agreed to waive the collection of rent from those officers who had formerly enjoyed the privilege of free quarters.

New instructions were issued on the 13th March, 1956. The Seychelles Government have agreed to waive the collection of rent from 17 officers who formerly enjoyed the privilege of free quarters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proportion of the funds allocated for the first nine months of 1957 for building plans in the towns of Ndola, Kitwe, Lusaka, Mufulira, Luanshya and Chingola, will be spent on multi-racial residential estates, African residential estates, European residential estates, and commercial or other buildings, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are made for mass chest radiography of prisoners both on reception and during their sentences; and what is the policy of his Department regarding treatment.

All prisoners are medically examined on reception and any prisoner suspected of having active tuberculosis (whether on reception or at a later date) is sent for an X-ray examination. The mass radiography units of the regional hospital boards are invited to visit prisons when in the neighbourhood, and in 1956 some 7,000 prisoners were examined in this way. Any prisoner found to be suffering from tuberculosis or any other disease is given the treatment he requires, either in prison or in an outside hospital, usually in consultation with a local chest physician.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners, male and female, are serving sentences for offences under Sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861.

So far as can he ascertained, sixteen males and twenty-one females are at present serving sentences

On the assumption that the hon. Member is referring to the loan funds allocated by Government to local authorities, the figures sought are as follows:—under Section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861. One of the females was also committed under Section 59 of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how far he has accepted the recommendation of the Advisory Council on the Treatment of Offenders in their Report on Alternatives to Short Terms of Imprisonment that an experimental attendance centre for male 17–21 year olds should be set up; and when he hopes to announce a target date for its opening.

Yes. I hope to open an experimental centre during the financial year 1957–58. I do not know when I shall be able to indicate a more precise date, but I shall give this project a high priority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men were sentenced to corrective training during 1955 and 1956 although the Governor of the local prison concerned had reported them to be unsuitable in his opinion for corrective training.

In 1955, eighteen men reported unsuitable for corrective training received this sentence. In 1956, there were fourteen such men.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Dr. Grunhut's report on detention centre results will be published.

I understand that there is a good chance of this research being completed by the end of this year and that Dr. Grunhut hopes to publish an abridged version of his report next spring.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when the Crown Estate Commissioners will be issuing a statement about the future of the Regent's Park Terraces.

The Crown Estate Commissioners are issuing their statement this evening, and I have arranged that copies should be made available to hon. Members in the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Health what further action he proposes to take to emphasise the dangers to health of tobacco smoking.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Dodds) on 15th November.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, for what reason it is necessary for the Medical Research Council to form a research team to watch the hereditary changes in the country's population; and which area is to be the subject of their study.

The Medical Research Council has, for a number of years, taken an active part in developing research in genetics. As part of this general policy it has decided to establish a re- search unit to study population genetics; the location in which the unit will work is still under discussion.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what plans are being made for a new highway from London to Brighton; where branch highways will lead to other south coast resorts; and when he contemplates starting and finishing this highway.

Possible routes are being surveyed and discussed with the local authorities concerned for a motor road which will leave the L.C.C. area at Mitcham and rejoin A.23 near Handcross, but I cannot say when the scheme will be carried out. It will not include branch highways to other south coast resorts.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation in what year a toll-free bridge will be constructed in Selby.

I cannot determine this until a satisfactory settlement is reached about the toll rights for the present bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will consider placing a model and plan of the scheme for New Park Lane in the Upper Waiting Hall.

Yes. These will be exhibited in the Upper Waiting Hall from 2nd to 13th December.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to restore the damage to the Entente Cordiale resulting from the delivery of British arms to Tunisia.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which has been given today by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes).

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

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are taken by his Department to ensure satisfactory employment for school leavers educated at the Llandrindod Wells School for the Deaf.

Prospective leavers are interviewed at school by the local youth employment officer and particulars are forwarded to the youth employment officers for the areas where they live. In general, there is no difficulty in placing these young people in suitable employment.

The following Table gives the information desired:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to give approval for capital expenditure or loan sanction to enable the Lanark County Council to acquire a site at Crawforddyke, Carluke, for a community centre.

In view of current restrictions on borrowing and on capital expenditure for projects of this kind, I regret that I am unable to indicate when I shall be in a position to give Lanarkshire County Council the approval which they have sought.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider electrifying the fence round the State institution for mental-defectives at Carstairs.

The General Board of Control for Scotland is satisfied that, even if desirable, this measure could not be reliable or fully effective.