asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the inquiry into the Wool Marketing Scheme at Holborn Town Hall on 19th September, 1957, was held in secret.

This is an inquiry by the Committee of Investigation set up under Section 9 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, into certain complaints against the operation of the Wool Marketing Scheme. The statutory Regulations for the holding of such inquiries require the Committee to meet in private unless the Committee decides otherwise in any particular case. My right hon. Friend has not yet received the Report of the Committee of Investigation, which will no doubt deal with this point.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will indicate the number of vacancies there were with the Forestry Commission in Wales for foresters during the years 1955, 1956 and 1957; how many foremen were qualified for promotion; how many were successful; and how many vacancies were filled by foremen or other employees outside Wales.

The following table gives the information required:

Year	Vacancies in Wales for foresters	Candidates in Wales qualified for promotion to forester (a)	Candidates in Wales promoted	Vacancies filled by candidates from outside Wales
1955	16	22	5	11
1956	(b) 8	17	8	—
1957
(a) The candidates in 1955 were foremen. Those in 1956–57 were drawn from the new grade, assistant forester, to which as a result of re-organisation they had been assimilated from the foreman grade. "Qualified for promotion" means adjudged fit for promotion and having the requisite length of service.
(b) These promotions were made in 1957 but were back-dated to 1956.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantity of meat passing through slaughterhouses was condemned as unfit for human consumption in the last year for which figures are available.

Since decontrol in 1954, no precise statistics have been available. The quantity in the financial year 1953–54 was 7,279 tons, excluding condemnations at bacon factories of which there are no statistics.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the bonus scheme for grey squirrel tails is to be discontinued when there are clear signs that the numbers of this pest may be increasing; what has been the average cost of this scheme each year since it began; and if he will reconsider the decision.

The Forestry Commissioners decided to discontinue the scheme because it has not proved successful in controlling the grey squirrel population and the expenditure on it is not therefore justified.The cost in each financial year the scheme has been in operation was:

1953–54	…	…	£11,500
1954–55	…	…	£14,000
1955–56	…	…	£8,500
1956–57	…	…	£20,500
1957–58	…	…	£26,500

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the complaints made by registered egg producers regarding the voting procedure of the recent Egg Marketing Board elections; and whether he will appoint an independent committee of inquiry into this matter.

No complaints have been made to me about these voting procedures, which are laid down in the Egg Marketing Scheme and have been approved by Parliament. Under the Scheme the responsibility for conducting elections is placed upon the Board, and there would seem to be no reason for my right hon. Friend to intervene.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the increase in the rabbit population, what further steps he proposes for assisting occupiers in carrying out their responsibility to deal with rabbits on their land.

The responsibility of occupiers for dealing with rabbits on their land can best be secured through co-ordinated action. The Government have therefore decided to offer a grant, which will be taken into account for the purposes of the Annual Review, on a £ for £ basis towards the cost of rabbit clearance by a group of occupiers, covering a sufficient area, forming a rabbit clearance society in Great Britain. To qualify for grant, a society will be required to draw up and carry out an effective plan for dealing with rabbits on members' land and to employ such staff as may be necessary for that purpose. These proposals have the support of all the interested organisations, and the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend hope that full advantage will be taken of them. The working of these arrangements will be kept under close review by the Advisory Council on Rabbit Clearance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the special qualifications of the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire which have led to his nomination as Chief Constable-designate of Cyprus; what experience he has of colonial police duties; if he is a qualified interpreter in Greek and/or Turkish; by what process of selection this nomination was made; and how many other applications were considered, and by whom.

Mr. J. E. S. Browne was selected by me in consultation with the Governor of Cyprus and the Home Office, and after careful consideration of possible candidates both at home and overseas. In making this selection, I had in mind the expansion and reorganisation of the Cyprus Force, and the assistance at present being given by a substantial number of police officers seconded to Cyprus from police forces in the United Kingdom. The answers to the second and third parts of the Question are in the negative. I am satisfied that Mr. Browne is in all respects a suitable choice for the post.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, in view of India's present financial needs, what consideration has been given to expediting the payments due to the Government of India under the 1955 pension arrangements.

In response to a request from the Government of India at the end of last year, the United Kingdom Government have offered to pay £16 million, instead of the £4 million which is due to the Government of India in April. This will be done by anticipating, as part of our programme of debt repayment outside the Budget, the annual payments of principal due to be made in 1959, 1960 and 1961. A Statutory Instrument under the Pensions (India, Pakistan, and Burma) Act, 1955, will be tabled at an early date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he estimates the yield of Income and Surtax was reduced in the financial year 1956–57 as a result of claims under Schedule D; and what was the approximate number of the claimants.

Expenditure by a business represents a charge in the accounts from which its profits are ascertained and is not the subject of specific claims. I am afraid, therefore, it is not possible to answer my hon. and gallant Friend's Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he estimates the yield of Income and Surtax was reduced in the financial year 1956–57 as a result of claims under Schedule E; and what was the approximate number of the claimants.

If my hon. and gallant Friend will let me know to which precise claims his Question refers I will see what information is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the petrol and road vehicle taxes, respectively, he estimates to have been recovered by the public in the financial year 1956–57 in the form of tax relief.

There is not enough information available on which to make this estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the practice of cutting the vocal cords of dogs has been reported by his inspectors in laboratories registered under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent his inspectors visit the establishments where experiments on animals are performed in the course of research on nuclear weapons in accordance with the provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, including inspection without notice; and if he will give an assurance that the conditions as to pain as indicated in paragraph 13 of the Return of Experiments performed under the Act during 1956, are maintained.

Inspections of these establishments are made at intervals without notice, as in the case of other establishments registered under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876.I am satisfied from the inspectors' reports that licensees at these places observe the conditions of their licences and certificates, including the pain condition.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is now able to announce the full membership and terms of reference of the proposed Advisory Water Committee for Wales.

I am pleased to say that the following have accepted my invitation to serve on the Welsh Advisory Water Committee:

• (Chairman) Alderman Lloyd O. Owen, J.P. (Chairman, Montgomeryshire C.C. Water Committee).
• Alderman I. Y. Glynne, O.B.E., M.C. (Chairman, Bangor B.C. Water Committee).
• Mr. Moses Griffith, M.Sc. (Agricultural Consultant, Caernarvon).
• Councillor J. D. K. Lloyd, O.B.E., M.A., F.S.A. (Montgomeryshire C.C., Member of Historic Buildings Council for Wales).
• Councillor Jenkin F. John, J.P. (Glamorgan C.C., Chairman of Planning Committee).
• Councillor Tom Jones, F.V.I., J.P. (Merionethshire C.C.).
• Councillor F. D. G. Jones (Milford Haven U.D.C., Past Chairman. Prescelly Water Board).
• Dr. W. Idris Jones, C.B.E., Ph.D. (Director General of Research, National Coal Board).
• Councillor T. O. Nicholls (Radnorshire C.C.).
• Professor Alun Roberts, B.Sc., Ph.D. (Professor of Agriculture and Botany, University College of North Wales, Bangor).
• Mr. R. B. Southall, C.B.E., J.P. (Director, National Oil Refineries, Llandarcy).
• Professor Brinley Thomas, O.B.E., M.A., Ph.D. (Professor of Economics, University College of South Wales, Cardiff).
• Alderman J. R. Wardell, O.B.E., J.P. (Newport C.B.C., Past Chairman, British Waterworks Association).
• Capt. G. A. Wright, O.B.E., M.C., M.I.W.E. (Clerk and Chief Executive Officer, Dee and Clwyd River Board).
• As I announced on 16th December, 1957, the Committee's terms of reference will be:

"To advise the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs as may be required by him from time to time on matters connected with the conservation and use of water resources in Wales."

asked the Minister of Labour if he will grant deferment from military service on compassionate grounds to Mr. H. A. Cypher, of 12 Ford Street, Swindon, in view of the circumstances of the case.

Mr. Cypher applied for postponement of National Service on grounds of exceptional hardship on 27th January and has been granted postponement until 26th July, 1958.

asked the Minister of Supply the value of contracts placed by his Department, in Northern Ireland during the last twelve months; and what proposals he has for maintaining this.

The total value of contracts placed by my Department in Northern Ireland during the year ended 31st December, 1957, was £1¼ million. I fully realise the importance of Government contracts to Northern Ireland, which will continue to be treated as a Development Area for this purpose, but the volume of orders is bound to be affected by the nature and size of the defence programme.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the recent visit to this country of Admiral Rickover, he will make a statement about the future of British plans to build a nuclear-propelled submarine.

The plan for building a British nuclear submarine is going ahead. Good progress has been made on the building for the prototype reactor at Dounreay.Admiral Rickover came to this country at our invitation, under the agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government on the exchange of information on nuclear propulsion for submarines.While in this country the Admiral had long talks with those concerned in the Admiralty, with the contractors and with the Atomic Energy Authority. His help and advice was most valuable.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will give an assurance that no reduction is contemplated in the development of nuclear reactors for marine purposes with special reference to H.M.S. "Dreadnought" and the other nuclear submarine.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Dunbartonshire, West (Mr. Steele). No slowing down is contemplated in the project.I am not clear exactly what my hon. Friend has in mind in his reference to nuclear reactors for marine purposes. Apart from the submarine project, no nuclear reactor for marine purposes is being developed at present. The possibilities of nuclear propulsion for merchant ships are being examined by the authorities concerned and technical study of the problems involved is in progress.As to the reference to "the other nuclear submarine" as yet no second submarine has been planned.

asked the Minister of Defence how many uniformed personnel there were in the Royal Navy, the Army, and the Royal Air Force, respectively, on 1st January, 1958; and how many civilians each of the three Services employed at that date.

Following is the information:

Strength of the active forces and of civilian staffs of the Service Departments on 1st January, 1958.
(1) Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force:
Royal Navy	…	108,950
Army	…	340,638
Royal Air Force	…	200,975
Total	…	650,563*
(2) Civilian staffs (including those locally engaged abroad):
Admiralty	…	170,900
War Office	…	219,300
Air Ministry	…	103,900
Total	…	494,100
* Excluding men locally enlisted in Colonial Territories for service in the British Forces, Gurkhas, Trucial Oman Scouts, and Central African Federation troops on loan to the British Army.