asked the Secretary of State for Air how many disused airfields there are in the County of Fife; and what is to be their future use.

One. This is the former naval airfield at Dunino. I understand that some of the land has already been derequisitioned and that the rest, which is Government owned, is to be sold.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made towards enlarging the use made by civil aircraft of Leuchars Aerodrome.

The airfield is now available to private and charter aircraft provided the permission of the station commander is obtained.

asked the Minister of Defence what special measures he will now take in order to prepare for the fulfilment of the Government's promise to abolish conscription in 1960.

asked the Minister of Defence what action he proposes to take to improve the rates of pay and allowances of the three Services; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will give figures to show the relative success between the Services of his recruiting measures.

I propose to deal fully with these matters in the forthcoming White Paper on Defence.

asked the Minister of Defence the date from which the improved pay and conditions for the armed Services, which he will shortly announce, will take effect.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which I have given today to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis) and other hon. Members.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will ascertain from the United States authorities how many flights over Great Britain have been made by United States aeroplanes based on British soil carrying hydrogen bombs; when such flights commenced; and to what extent they are still continuing.

I set out the general principles governing such flights in a reply yesterday to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Hale).The publication of dates and numbers would, for military reasons, not be desirable.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will consider raising Service widows' pensions to bring them into line with the present cost of living.

I have at present no statement to make on this subject.

asked the Minister of Defence the terms of agreement as to the respective rôles of the Royal Air Force and the United States Air Force governing the maintenance and operation of missiles of American origin installed at Royal Air Force stations.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave the hon. Member for Leek (Mr. Harold Davies) yesterday.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will give an estimate of the extent by which defence expenditure could be reduced in the event of Russia agreeing to Her Majesty's Government's proposal for a non-aggression pact.

The signing of a non-aggression pact would not by itself enable us to reduce our expenditure in any way at all. On the other hand it might, together with other steps, help to create a more favourable atmosphere for disarmament.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will make a statement on the changes in the United Kingdom's military commitments and obligations in the last six months, and the effects these changes will have on defence expenditure.

I would ask the hon. Member to await the publication of the Defence White Paper next month.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the work, during each of the last five years, of the Resettlement Advisory Board indicating how many ex-officers recently retired from Her Majesty's Forces have applied and been given, respectively, appointments in other branches of Her Majesty's service whether overseas or otherwise; in which branches; and if he will also indicate the educational or other tests of fitness applied and the success or otherwise of such appointments.

The Resettlement Advisory Board was appointed in July, 1957. For information about appointments in Government service I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the replies given to him on 22nd and 23rd January by my right hon. Friends the Minister of Defence and the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

asked the Minister of Labour how much unemployment benefit and National Assistance was drawn by young people leaving school in the Portsmouth area in 1957; and how this compared with the years 1956 and 1955.

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF BOROUGH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AT 11TH NOVEMBER AND 9TH DECEMBER, 1957
			Total number on registers (excluding persons included in col. (4))	Registered disabled persons unemployed
				Suitable for ordinary employment (included in col. (2))	Severely disabled persons classified as unlikely to obtain employment, other than under special conditions (excluded from col. (2))
(1)			(2)	(3)	(4)
			11th November, 1957
Men aged 18 and over	…	…	731	131	3
Boys aged under 18	…	…	27	—	—
Women aged 18 and over	…	…	110	17	—
Girls aged under 18	…	…	11	—	—
Total	…	…	879	148	3
			9th December, 1957
Men aged 18 and over	…	…	818	122	5
Boys aged under 18	…	…	25
Women aged 18 and over	…	…	129	16	—
Girls aged under 18	…	…	7	—	—
Total	…	…	979	138	5

asked the Minister of Labour what advice he has received on.

Payments of unemployment benefit and National Assistance to young persons between the ages of 15 and 18 years in the Portsmouth area totalled £2,186 in 1957. Comparable figures for 1956 and 1955 were £1,032 and £935. Separate figures are not kept for young persons who have just left school.

asked the Minister of Labour the separate number of men, women, boys and girls registered at the Borough Employment Exchange as unemployed at the most recent date in November and December, 1957, 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:the problems created by increasing numbers of school-leavers reaching a peak of 929,000 in 1962; and whether he will make such advice generally available.

Young people who will reach the statutory school leaving age over the next few years are not in general expected to have serious difficulties in obtaining employment, though there may be local difficulties. These are being studied. The adequacy of arrangements for the training of young workers in industry, having regard to the increase in the numbers entering employment, has been considered by the sub-committee of the National Joint Advisory Council, to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member on 13th December last, and I would ask him to await the publication of its Report.

asked the Minister of Labour what discussions he has had or will have with trade unions and employers' organisations upon the modifications which may be necessary in apprenticeship schemes owing to increasing numbers of school-leavers reaching a peak in 1962.

The Report of the subcommittee which has been considering these matters has been received by the National Joint Advisory Council and will be published in February. The subcommittee, which met under my chairmanship, comprised representatives of the British Employers' Confederation, the Trades Union Congress and the nationalised industries.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what plans he has for apprentices in Her Majesty's Dockyards.

No change in the excellent training scheme for Royal Dockyard apprentices is contemplated, but we hope to introduce improvements in detail from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for War why he transferred Major-General Albert Bramwell Davies, General-Officer-Commanding, Aldershot, and Brigadier Buchanan Dunlop, Deputy Adjutant-General of the Far East Land Forces, to two Scottish regiments, namely the Royal Scots Fusiliers and the Highland Light Infantry, in the places of Major-General Edmund Hakewill-Smith and Major-General R. E. Urquhart.

These officers have not been transferred. They will continue in their present appointments and undertake, in addition, the duties of colonels of the respective regiments.

asked the Secretary of State for War if the high standard of the mid-day meal for Service men at the Royal Artillery Depot, Woolwich, achieved on Tuesday, 19th November, 1957, when there was a choice of 40 dishes, is being maintained; and what were the principal items on the menu on Tuesday, 14th January, 1958.

Yes. The quality and variety of catering have been kept up to the standard demonstrated in November. On 14th January the menu included mixed grill, steak, mutton and ham.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the wife of D. J. McCallum was informed that he had been discharged from the Army before serving detention and that she was not entitled to allowances, and that she has now been informed from Newcastle that he is about to be discharged and from Shepton Mallet that he is about to be court-martialled; if he is further aware that, on Mr. McCallum's discharge from Brixton Prison, no escort awaited him, and he was given civilian papers and told that he had completed all his sentence; and, in view of the administrative confusion over this case, whether he will order this man's release forthwith.

Driver McCallum was convicted of theft and sentenced by court-martial in February, 1957, to 140 days' imprisonment and discharge from the Army with ignominy. While serving his sentence he was granted compassionate leave from 1st March to 3rd April but he did not return to prison until he was re-arrested on 7th December. During that time he was convicted by the civil power for another offence and served a term of imprisonment. I understand that he did not disclose to the police or prison authorities that he was a soldier absent from military custody and he was imprisoned and released as a civilian. He was married in October and his wife subsequently received marriage allowance in accordance with the Regulations from the date of his re-arrest until his discharge from the Army on 6th January this year. The effective date of discharge does not alter the sentence of imprisonment. McCallum completed his sentence this morning and has been released. It is not proposed to bring any further charge against him in regard to his failure to return to Shepton Mallet at the end of his compassionate leave.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone lines are still out of order in the Harrogate district owing to the recent storm damage; and if he will make a statement.

The storms early this month put 6,000 lines in the Harrogate district out of action, and four small exchanges were isolated for up to 48 hours. These lines have all been put right, but last week's snow storms caused some further damage, and 220 lines are still out of order. The damage was extremely severe, being greater than anything that can be recollected by the local staff, and men from other areas were brought in to help. I am glad to have this opportunity of paying tribute to all concerned in the work of repair.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will be in a position to make a statement about details of the commemorative stamp to be issued in connection with the Empire Games.

The stamps are to be issued on 18th July and details of their design will be announced about a fortnight before this.

asked the Postmaster-General when he proposes to provide improved pillar box, stamp machine and telephone kiosk facilities for the new Ley Hill Estate, Northfield, Birmingham.

A posting box will be put up within the next few days and an additional telephone kiosk will be provided as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made; there is a stamp-selling machine at the sub-office near the estate and another machine would not be justified.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the physical congestion and mental frustration caused in Rugby General Post Office and countless similar offices in early January upon the occasion of the taking out of annual motor licences; and whether he will consider allowing motorists to take out an annual licence at any time during the year as is the practice with the British Broadcasting Corporation's listener's licence.

I am aware that the ever-increasing number of annual and quarterly licences that are renewed between 17th December to 14th January leads to congestion at post offices, especially at the end of the period. At Rugby the difficulties were unfortunately increased on the last occasion because of a temporary shortage of staff. The second part of the Question is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation.

asked the Postmaster-General how many complaints have been made since 1st January, 1956, concerning the non-delivery of mail and telegrams in Epsom.

Since 1st January, 1956, there have been 24 complaints of non-delivery of telegrams in Epsom. My inquiries about non-delivery of mail there are not yet complete; but I will write to my hon. Friend about this as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General what proposals he has to improve television reception in Skegness and the surrounding area.

The British Broadcasting Corporation hopes that reception in the Skegness area will improve when the power of its Norwich station is increased in a few months' time.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the un satisfactory reception of television programmes by viewers in the Marston district, near Oxford; and what action he is taking to improve this situation.

The difficulty in this area is due to high ground which screens the radio signals from Crystal Palace. Some improvement should have resulted from the substantial increase in the power of the station last month. No other action is in contemplation.

asked the Minister of Supply what proposals he has received to develop the Princess flying boats as prototypes of atom-propelled aircraft; and whether, before agreeing, he will ascertain the radioactive consequences of possible crashes.

My right hon. Friend has not yet received any proposals to develop the Princess flying boats as prototypes for atomic propelled aircraft. Any such proposals, if received, would no doubt cover the question of any radioactive consequences.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the concern among farmers at the delays in the administration of schemes for grant aid under the Farm Improvement Scheme; and, in view of these delays, if he will arrange that payment of grant shall not be prejudiced by a farmer starting work after the necessary inspections have been carried out but before his plans have been granted final approval.

Good progress is being made with the consideration and approval of applications under this scheme. It is important that proposals should be carefully considered and I do not accept that there is any general or unreasonable delay in dealing with them. Grant cannot be paid on work started without the Ministry's written authority, and this is normally the formal approval. But to avoid delay where the proposed work has been inspected and is particularly urgent, conditional authority for the work to begin may be given if requested. The condition is that the work will be considered for grant only if the proposal is subsequently approved and the work is carried out to the satisfaction of the Ministry at reasonable cost. This authority must be obtained in writing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is now able to make a further statement on the proposals for improved arrangements for the marketing of horticultural products.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the member for Lewes, on 23rd January.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give further details concerning the estimates of the agricultural subsidies for the United Kingdom for the purpose of Supplementary Estimates dated 22nd January, 1958, with comparable figures for the preceding year.

Following are particulars of the latest estimates of the cost of agricultural support in the financial year 1957–58 for which provisions have been made in the Civil Estimates, Class VI11, Votes 2 and 12, with the latest

£ million
—	1957–58			1956–57
	Cash		Subsidy	Cash		Subsidy
I. Direct Subsidy Payments under Agricultural Price Guarantees:
(a) Cereals:—
Wheat and rye	22·0			15·8
Barley	17·1			8·8
Oats and mixed corn	12·2			1·4
		51·3			26·0
(b) Home-produced eggs		47·6			33·7
(c) Fatstock:—
Cattle	36·4			36·1
Sheep	10·4			8·4
Pigs	38·9			30·2
		85·7			74·7
(d) Milk (excluding school and welfare milk)		12·8			21·3
(e) Wool		1·5			0·2
(f) Potatoes		6·7			0·5
		205·6			156·4
II. Agricultural production grants:
(a) General fertilisers subsidy		23·6			19·8
(b) Lime subsidy		10·4			9·3
(c) Grants for ploughing up grassland		9·4			10·0
(d) Field drainage and water supply grants		2·9			2·9
(e) Grants for improvement of livestock rear ing land		1·4			1·6
(f) Marginal production assistance grants		2·4			2·1
(g) Bonus payments under the Tuberculosis (Attested Herds) Scheme		8·2			9·8
(h) Livestock: improvement of breeding		0·1			0·1
(i) Calf subsidy		12·4			11·4
(j) Hill sheep and hill cattle		2·8			3·8
(k) Grants for silos		2·1			—
(l) Grants for farm improvements		0·2			—
Total II		75·9			70·8
Total Cash I and II		281·5	281·5		227·2	227·2
Administrative overheads applicable to I and II above			4·7			4·7
Total subsidy I and II			286·2			231·9
III. Trading Subsidies in implementation of Agricultural Guarantees:
(a) Home-produced eggs		0·8	0·9		6·1	6·6
(b) Potatoes		1·6	1·5		0·2	0·7
Total III		2·4	2·4		6·3	7·3
IV. Other Services:
Payment to Exchequer of Northern Ireland		0·8	0·8		—	—
TOTAL COST OF AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT		284·7	289·4		233·5	239·2

Details of the original estimates of the cost of agricultural support were included in similar form in Table V of the Memorandum by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the Civil Estimates, 1957–58 (H.C. 88—Memo.).

asked the Minister of Health the annual average cost per in-patient bed of the services provided by doctors of consultant status in each of the areas of the 14 regional hospital boards during the financial year 1956–57 as regards hospitals for mental affection, for mental deficiency, and in hospitals for physical diseases, general and special, respectively.

Information is not readily available in the form requested.

Region		Average cost of consultants' salaries per bed (all types)	Average cost of all senior medical and dental staff salaries per bed (all types)	Approximate amount included for salaries of all senior medical and dental staff in the average cost of maintaining a patient
				Acute Hospitals	Chronic Hospitals	Mental Hospitals	Mental Deficiency Hospitals
(1)		(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)
		£	£	£	£	£	£
1. Newcastle-on-Tyne	…	41·5	53·9	144·8	9·3	12·3	8·0
2. Leeds	…	28·4	38·2	151·3	4·5	9·1	4·3
3. Sheffield	…	33·6	46·0	155·9	3·5	13·4	6·5
4. East Anglian	…	36·5	48·2	175·4	7·6	12·6	7·8
5. N.W. Metropolitan	…	45·8	65·9	139·4	6·3	10·8	6·3
6. N.E. Metropolitan	…	40·4	56·4	154·9	9·7	11·9	8·4
7. S.E. Metropolitan	…	43·6	56·6	156·2	3·5	11·3	6·3
8. S.W. Metropolitan	…	30·3	43·1	142·5	5·8	11·5	8·2
9. Oxford	…	36·9	52·7	191·7	6·9	14·3	8·4
10. South Western	…	30·3	40·2	169·2	2·2	9·1	4·1
11. Wales	…	33·2	46·4	140·5	3·0	11·7	5·8
12. Birmingham	…	34·9	45·0	146·3	6·5	10·2	7·1
13. Manchester	…	28·5	40·0	147·6	3·9	6·3	3·0
14. Liverpool	…	33·6	48·5	121·2	3·5	10·2	14·5

asked the Minister of Health whether any of the staffs of hospitals in the National Health Service have had influenza in spite of having had the influenza vaccine.

I have no detailed information about this but no one would claim that vaccination against influenza is certain to confer complete immunity.

asked the Minister of Health if he will have further investigation made into the information given in his Answer of July, 1957, to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, about alternative electric power being available when required in all the hospitals The following table gives, for the financial year 1956–57, per staffed bed of all types, at non-teaching hospitals in the fourteen regional hospital board areas, the average cost of salaries of consultants and of all medical and dental staff paid by regional hospital boards (consultants, senior hospital medical and dental officers, senior registrars and registrars); and also the approximate amount included for salaries of all such staff in the average cost of maintaining a patient in that year in each of four different types of non-teaching hospital.situated in the City of Stoke-on-Trent; and if he will make a statement.

I have made inquiries and I am informed that the general position is as stated in the reply of 30th July. At the City General Hospital an improved emergency system is at present being installed to give instantaneous changeover, and a similar system is on order for Hartshill Orthopædic Hospital. Both these hospitals already have other emergency lighting systems.

asked the Minister of Health the average waiting time, in days, in ear, nose and throat cases in non-teaching hospitals in 1955 and 1956.

For patients-including tonsils and adenoids cases—treated in ear, nose and throat departments of non-teaching hospitals the average waiting time in 1955 and 1956 was 167 and 135 days respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what form and number of medical certificates, and/or further proofs, other than a mere announcement by the subject herself, he requires before a female civil servant is permitted to obtain a higher salary, in a different employment category, owing to an alleged change in sex; to what extent the salary and employment category of a male civil servant, who changes his sex, is reduced accordingly; and if he will make a statement on his policy with regard to sex changes in the Civil Service.

An amended birth certificate. So far as I am aware, no case such as is referred to in the second part of the Question has arisen and I see no need for a statement of policy.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that alcoholic sclerosis of the liver is a notifiable disease and that in cases of death from it an inquest is sometimes held, he will give consideration to making cancer of the lung also notifiable so that an inquest may be held where there is strong presumptive evidence of the association between this disease and cigarette smoking.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind those deaths which are required to be reported to a coroner. Since neither an inquest nor a post mortem examination could prove that in a person dying of cancer of the lung this had been caused by cigarette smoking, the reporting of such deaths to a coroner would seem to have no medical justification and would cause unnecessary distress.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what were the number of compulsory purchase orders confirmed and the acreage covered under Part V of the Housing Act, 1936, and the Town and County Planning Acts, respectively, during 1957.

The information requested is as follows:

Compulsory purchase orders confirmed in England and Wales during 1957:
(a) Under Part V. Housing Act 1936, and Part V, Housing Act, 1957
Number of orders	235
Acreage	1,656
(b) Under the Town and Country Planning Acts, 1944 and 1947
Number of orders	50
Acreage	100

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total number of days of certificated sick leave among insured women workers due to abortion, during the last convenient annual period; and what was the number of women involved.

I have no information about certificated sick leave. During the period 7th June, 1954, to 4th June, 1955, some 190,000 days of incapacity for work, among about 6,000 insured women, were certified for National Insurance purposes as due to "abortion" which is the term used to cover all types of miscarriage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action has so far been taken to protect specific British industries against dumping under the provisions of the Anti-Dumping Act: what applications for such protection are now under consideration; and what is the position with regard to such applications.

An Order imposing an anti-dumping duty on polymethylsiloxane fluids manufactured by a particular firm in Francs came into force on 7th January.An application for an anti-dumping duty on lighter flints imported from the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria was publicly advertised on 13th December, 1957. Representations resulting from this are now being examined.Seven other applications for antidumping duties have been made by industries in the United Kingdom and are under preliminary examination; it would not be appropriate to give details of them at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland can expect a reply to his letter of 20th November, 1957, addressed to the Joint Under-Secretary of State, about the delivery charge of 1s. 8d. per day for freight on two pints of milk to the postman's family at Altnabreac.

The local inquiries arising from the hon. Member's letter have taken longer than expected, but it is hoped to write to him at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of crimes of murder brought to the notice of the police in Scotland during each month from April to December, 1957, inclusive; and how these figures compare with the same months during 1956.

The numbers of cases of murder made known to the police in Scotland from April to December, 1956, and 1957, were as follows:

			1956	1957
April	…	…	2	—
May	…	…	1	1
June	…	…	2	1
July	…	…	1	2
August	…	…	1	1
September	…	…	2	—
October	…	…	—	3
November	…	…	3	—
December	…	…	—	3
			12	11

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the numbers of crimes of violence to the person brought to the notice of the police in Scotland during each of the years 1949 to 1957, inclusive.

The numbers of crimes of violence to the person made known to the police in Scotland during each of the years 1949 to 1957 were as follows:

1949	…	…	…	…	1,118
1950	…	…	…	…	1,094
1951	…	…	…	…	1,350
1952	…	…	…	…	1,268
1953	…	…	…	…	1,233
1954	…	…	…	…	1,157
1955	…	…	…	…	1,172
1956	…	…	…	…	1,194
1957	…	…	…	…	1,558

Crimes of violence to the person have been taken as murder, attempts to murder, culpable homicide, assaults, rape assaults with intent to ravish, indecent assaults and robbery and assaults with intent to rob.