asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has taken to co-ordinate the measures taken by the Board of Trade and the Foreign Office to ensure that the British point of view is publicised at the Leipzig Fair, as well as the quality of British goods.

For the reasons given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade in answer to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Lewis) on 28th January, the Government as such are taking no part in the Leipzig Fair.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what steps he has taken to coordinate the activities of Her Majesty's Government public relations officers in Wales;(2) the number of public relations officers allotted to the Minister of State for Welsh Affairs; and whether he will make a statement;(3) the nature of the services performed by Her Majesty's Government's public relations officers in Wales on behalf of the Minister of State for Welsh Affairs.

There are no public relations officers on the staff of the Minister of State for Welsh Affairs. Government information work in Wales is carried out by the Welsh office of the Central Office of Information in consultation with administrative officers of my right hon. Friend the Minister for Welsh Affairs.The Welsh office of the Central Office of Information is responsible for the issue in Wales of information material in both Welsh and English.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking, in consultation with other Departments, to ensure that the effects of Her Majesty's Government's economic policy on civil servants, and the causes of increasing redundancy among them, are fully understood.

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to inform himself of opinion in the farming community, both inside and outside the National Farmers' Union, concerning the proposed repeal of Part II of the Agriculture Act, 1947; and if he will defer any final step until further examination and discussion has taken place.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) and other hon. Members on Thursday, 23rd January.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now decided to introduce legislation on land drainage to give effect to some or all of the recommendations contained in the Heneage Report.

My predecessor announced on 5th March last that, in view of the divergent opinions held by the interests concerned, the Government did not feel justified in taking action to implement the main recommendations of the Heneage Committee. Discussions are now proceeding with the associations concerned to see whether agreement can be reached on alternative proposals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any alternative proposals to encourage the destruction of grey squirrels after the ending of the bonus scheme for grey squirrel tails next month, in view of the substantial increase in the grey squirrel population and the extensive damage caused to agriculture and forestry by this pest.

These are being considered. They will probably take the form of intensified research into more effective means of destroying grey squirrels, and also more publicity about methods of destruction.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will take steps to extend National Insurance benefits to provide some form of National Insurance to cover the needs of people who fall victim to criminal attack.

I think the hon. Member is under some misunderstanding. The benefits of the National Insurance Scheme are available, upon the ordinary conditions, to those who are the victims of criminal attack.

asked the Pay master-General what effect the recent increases in salaries granted by Her Majesty's Government to the higher executives of the National Coal Board has had upon the work of the Board.

My noble Friend is satisfied that these increases, which are the first since vesting date, have brought the salaries of the Chairman and members of the National Coal Board more into accord with their responsibilities and should therefore be beneficial to the working of the Board.

asked the Pay master-General why the retail price of coal is greater in the south of England than it is at towns adjacent to the pit head.

Because the cost of transport, which is a substantial element in the retail price of coal, increases with the distance from the pithead.

asked the Paymaster-General the annual value to the miner of the coal he draws at concession rates.

I understand the entitlement to free or concessionary coal is worth £35 a year on average.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he will issue a full licence to the Chichester coal distributor who is selling coal at a cut price but who, in the absence of a full licence, is able to deliver only in 28 lb. bags.

Arrangements are being made to allow this distributor, who brings supplies to Chichester, I understand, from a small privately-owned opencast site in Derbyshire, to sell this coal as freely as other merchants selling unrationed coal, and this will enable him to deal in amounts exceeding 28 lb. at a time.

asked the Paymaster-General what measures are at present contemplated to increase the output of large coal; to what extent they will interfere with the mechanisation of mines programme; and what is his estimate of the annual tonnage demand for large coal.

The board's measures include closer attention to shot-firing; the use in the collieries and seams important for large coal of the power loaders which cause least degradation; the development of machines minimising degradation; and improved preparation and handling. The annual demand for large coal at present is roughly 50 million tons.

asked the Paymaster-General when he will end coal rationing.

My noble Friend has already announced that imports, which last year provided some 10 per cent. of house coal requirements, must be drastically reduced this year, and before he can end rationing he must be satisfied that home supplies are adequate.The position is being kept under close review.

asked the Paymaster-General when he expects to bring coal rationing to an end.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my reply today to my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lonsdale (Sir. I. Fraser).

asked the Paymaster-General the number of accidents, fatal and otherwise, in the coal pits of the country for each of the past five years; and the yearly average for the five years prior to the war.

Following is the information:

NUMBER OF PERSONS KILLED AND DISABLED FOR MORE THAN THREE DAYS AT COAL MINES* IN GREAT BRITAIN
—	Killed	Disabled for more than three days†
1953	381	233,660
1954	366	222,695
1955	419	217,087
1956	328	220,299
1957 (provisional)	395	199,000
Average 1953 to 1957	378	218,548
Average 1934 to 1938	880	134,463
* Including a very small number at fireclay and oil shale mines, except in 1957.
† From 1953 to 1957 includes a small number (some 50 per year) of persons injured for three days or less in accidents which, because of their importance, were required to be reported immediately.

asked the Paymaster-General how many prosecutions have taken place in the County of Middlesex arising from offences relating to the distribution of coal and other such fuel during the past three years; and if he will place them under their respective headings, giving the fines imposed.

During the past three years 195 summonses have been issued for retail coal price control offences, and 16 for coal distribution offences. Fines amounting to £789 and £62 respectively were imposed on the 16 persons—merchants and employees—prosecuted.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he is aware that, after a firm of coal merchants had been convicted at Brentwood Magistrates' Court of carrying short-weight sacks of coal, the local fuel office refused permission to customers to re-register with another coal merchant; and to what extent this is a general practice in the event of such a conviction.

I am informed that following this conviction the local fuel overseer at Brentwood has not received any application for transfer but only an inquiry. If a firm application for transfer were made it would be allowed. Changes of registration at this time of year are within the discretion of the local fuel overseer and no general difficulties of the kind referred to have been brought to my notice.

asked the Minister of Health at which hospitals in the Manchester area surgery for carcinoma of the lung is carried out; and whether he is satisfied that all suitable facilities for surgery of this kind in the area are being fully utilised.

At Manchester Royal Infirmary; Park Hospital, Davyhulme; and Baguley Hospital. I am informed that all suitable facilities for surgery of this kind in the area are being fully utilised.

asked the Minister of Health to what uses are being put the 33 acres of land previously owned by Mr. W. R. Horton, of Mascalls, Brentwood, and now in the possession of the Brentwood Mental Hospital, and which has been the subject of correspondence between his Department and the hon. Member for Billericay for a long time.

This land forms part of the acreage leased to Mr. Horton for agricultural purposes pending negotiation of its sale to him.

asked the Minister of Health why there has been further delay in the negotiations between the North East Regional Hospital Board and Mr. W. R. Horton, of Mascalls, Brentwood, in respect of the land formerly in his possession; and whether he will make a statement.

I am informed that difficulties arose over the terms of the restrictive covenant to be applied to this land, but that agreement has recently been reached between Mr. Horton's agents and the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, and that arrangements are now being made to complete the transaction.

asked the Minister of Health at what ages the six youngest children were admitted to Rampton since 1st January, 1950; how long each stayed there; and how many are still detained.

The information is as follows:

Year of Admission		Sex	Age	Remarks
1952	…	Boy	6	Still a patient.
1953	…	Boy	5	Still a patient.
1954	…	Girl	8	Transferred after 2 years 10 months.
1955	…	Boy	9	Still a patient.
		Girl	9	Still a patient.
1956	…	Boy	8	Still a patient.

asked the Minister of Health what changes have been made in his priorities of areas for the building of new teaching hospitals.

None.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now reconsider the decision whereby invalid cars authorised by his Department are only single seaters.

I have reviewed this matter again, but regret that the provision of two-seater invalid tricycles is not a development which I can reasonably contemplate.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the continued anxiety felt in seaside resorts as to the effect on health of the discharge of sewage into the sea, with particular reference to the risks of poliomyelitis; and if he will take steps to expedite the completion of the investigations now being undertaken by the Public Health Laboratory Service.

I hope that, in view of the absence of any real evidence of risk, there will not be anxiety in these areas. While there will be no avoidable delay the Public Health Laboratory Service informs me that, by the nature of the investigations, it is impracticable to expedite them.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will issue instructions to doctors and other responsible people as to what immediate action ought to be taken should an aeroplane carrying a hydrogen bomb crash and catch fire and especially what first-aid treatment should be applied to minimise the danger of the inhalation or ingestion of plutonium and uranium.

It has already been stated that the risk to which the hon. Member refers is infinitesimal and in those circumstances I do not think special medical instructions are called for.

asked the Minister of Health what further action he will take to publicise the connection between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.

Local health authorities are continuing to publicise the risks of smoking in their health education campaigns. It is still too soon to estimate the effect and to judge what further action is needed.

asked the Minister of Health the number of physiotherapists employed in hospitals and other parts of the National Health Service; whether he is satisfied that this number is adequate; and what steps are being taken to improve the situation.

At 31st December, 1956, hospital authorities in England and Wales employed the equivalent of 3,918 full-time physiotherapists, but information about numbers employed by local health authorities is not available. Although the number employed in hospitals has been increasing there is still some shortage. Salary increases have recently been made, and I propose shortly to ask hospital boards to review their services with a view to making the most effective use of available staff.

asked the Minister of Health what administrative action the Government proposes to take on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Mental Health presented to Parliament in May, 1957.

I have accepted the Commission's recommendations on informal admission to mental deficiency hospitals and I sent circulars to hospitals and local health authorities on 15th January about their implementation. I am considering the Commission's other recommendations in the light of the comments received from interested authorities and associations.

asked the Minister of Health (1) when full facilities will be available in this country to enable surgeons to undertake the closure of ventricular septal defects in young children;(2) what estimate he has made of the number of people in this country requiring surgical closure of ventricular septal defects.

This is a very difficult operation which is not ready for use outside a few centres in this country, and the information is not available to permit of an estimate of the number who might benefit from it. It follows that it is not possible to say when facilities for it are likely to become generally available.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that spectacles for children are provided free under the National Health Scheme but that parents have to pay 26s. for unsplinterable ones; and, in view of the greater danger to children using ordinary as against unsplinterable spectacles, if he will take steps to make unsplinterable glasses available free of cost under the National Health Service.

Spectacles with unsplinterable lenses are provided without charge under the Hospital Eye Service if children need them on special clinical grounds. I am advised that the risk of injury from broken glasses is very slight in other cases.

asked the Minister of Health what records will be kept of any damage to health done by the Salk Vaccine.

Damage to health following an injection with Salk or British vaccine is most unlikely. Medical officers of health keep records of these injections, as of other immunising procedures.

asked the Minister of Health the cost of the Worthing experiment in out-patient and domiciliary psychiatry for the 10 months of 1957 during which this has been operating.

I am informed that the net expenditure in the first ten months of 1957 was £15,753. Part of the cost is met by a grant from the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that two whole-time and one part-time psychiatrists, assisted by a small number of ancillary staff, have, during the first 10 months of 1957, reduced the number of admissions to mental hospitals in the Worthing area by 324 cases, as compared with the same period in the previous year; and if he will make an actuarial investigation into the approximate saving of hospital costs thereby brought about, bearing in mind that a figure of £560 17s. 7d. per case is the average hospital cost of each admission, being the total cost of the patient between the time of admission and time of discharge.

I am aware of the results reported in the first year of this two-year experiment, which I am watching with great interest. It is not possible to estimate any financial saving which may result; although there were fewer admissions to hospital, there was during the year no appreciable change in the number of patients resident in the hospital.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion by value of our dollar and non-dollar imports, respectively, are subject to import controls.

It is estimated that about a third of our imports from the dollar area and about 5 per cent. from other sources are subject to quantitative restriction.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many persons were rescued from the sea, off the Sussex-Hampshire coast, during 1957 by Royal Naval helicopters based upon the Royal Naval Air Station, Ford, Sussex.

During 1957 naval helicopters from this station rescued seven persons from the sea and gave assistance leading to the rescue of eleven more.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what percentage by value of direct purchases and maintenance work required by his Department is at present carried out respectively by Service establishments and by private firms.

Industry does all major repair work on aircraft and equipment, and about 30 per cent. of field repair of aircraft in this country. The remaining field repair of aircraft, and virtually all servicing of aircraft and equipment, are done by Royal Air Force units.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the feeling in Bombali Sebora Chiefdom district of Sierra Leone, concerning the reinstatement of Paramount Chief Bai Sebora Kamal, that his conduct has been criticised as subversive of good government and that consequently his people resent paying taxes to him; and whether reconsideration may be given to his reinstatement in view of this, their recourse to passive resistance and the possibility of disturbance if the present course is persisted in.

I understand that while such feeling exists it is not the majority view. The decision of the Sierra Leone Government to reinstate Bai Sebora Kamal II was made after careful consideration of all the circumstances, and when sound administrative arrangements for the future of the chiefdom had been worked out. Local taxes are being paid, and there is reason to hope that there will be no disturbances.I see no reason to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the London Conference connected with the Nigerian Constitution will be resumed to consider the reports of the minorities commission, the fiscal commission, and other outstanding matters.

It is not possible to fix a date for the resumption of the Constitutional Conference until the two commissions have reported.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will arrange for the issue of a special set of postage stamps to mark the annexation of Christmas Island.

Christmas Island was annexed by the Crown in 1888. On 1st January, 1958, it was detached from Singapore and is now being administered as a separate dependency of the United Kingdom pending its transfer to the Commonwealth of Australia. During the interim period Singapore postage stamps will continue to be used on the island. I do not consider that a sepcial issue of postage stamps would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent it is proposed to purchase cattle from African farmers at the meat canning factory at Athi River, Kenya; and what special conditions will be imposed.

If supplies are available as estimated, it is hoped to purchase up to 1,000 head of cattle per month from African areas. I am asking the Acting Governor whether any special conditions will be imposed and will circulate a further reply in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total strength of the Alkali Inspectorate, including the Chief Inspector and his deputy; how many districts there are in the country; and what areas the separate districts cover.

At present ten, including one inspector employed on special duties. There are seven districts in England and Wales but the number will be increased when the Inspectorate has been increased. As the boundaries of the districts are drawn by reference to industries and not to administrative areas they cannot be described.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the estimated cost of a three-bedroomed council house built in October, 1951, and each of the subsequent years to October, 1956; and, on the basis of a council borrowing the whole of these sums for repayment, spread over sixty years at the then current interest rates, what would be the total cost of each of these types of houses on completion of the repayment of capital sum and loan charges.

The information asked for is as follows:

THREE-BEDROOMED COUNCIL HOUSES
Third quarter in each year		Average tender price per house	Total cost of interest and repayment charges assuming loan raised over 60 years at rate of interest charged by Public Works Loan Board at end of relevant quarter
		£	£	s.	d.
1951	…	1,403	3,033	12	0
1952	…	1,391	3,856	6	4
1953	…	1,382	3,831	7	3
1954	…	1,381	3,481	19	6
1955	…	1,432	4,530	0	2
1956	…	1,487	5,103	18	7

Since 31st December, 1952, local authorities have not, in fact, been required to borrow at the current interest rate for the full period of sixty years.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will publish in HANSARD a detailed list containing the average floor space of council houses in 1951 and 1956, the total number of scheduled slum houses, and, on the present rate of clearance, when this total number of houses is expected to be cleared; and what his estimate is of the number of new houses which will be completed in the current year.

Details of the average size of three-bedroom council houses are given in the Annual Report of my Department, and full information about the number of slum houses was contained in "Slum Clearance" presented to Parliament in November, 1955 (Cmd. 9593). I will make no prophecy; I will stand on the record.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the present unemployment and short-time working in Lincoln.

On 13th January, 1958, there were 645 people, representing 13 per cent. of the insured employees registered as wholly unemployed at Lincoln. In addition 1,338 men and boys were registered as temporarily stopped. The majority were employed by one firm and have for some time been losing one day's work each week.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what sum of money in 1919, 1924, 1929, 1939, 1949 and 1954, respectively, had the purchasing power equivalent to £1 sterling in 1958.

9s. 9d., 7s. 11d., 7s. 6d., 7s. 4d., 14s., 2d., and 17s. 5d. These estimates are based on the Cost of Living Index between 1919 and 1938, the Consumer Price Index between 1938 and 1956 and the Index of Retail Prices since 1956.