asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will give the figure of the extra number of National Assistance grants which have been made to residents in the County Borough of West Ham, since the Rent Act, 1957, to cover rent Increases under this Act and the total financial costs for these increases since the introduction of the Rent Act, 1957.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that up to 1st February, 2,443 weekly assistance grants had been increased to provide for rent increases under the Rent Act in the county borough of West Ham. The increases averaged 5s. 2½d. a week. For reasons previously given it is not possible for the board to calculate the total additional expenditure on this account.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of people in Stoke-on-Trent Who are in receipt of increased National Assistance benefit to meet increases in rents under the Rent Act, 1957.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that up to 1st February in the area served by the board's offices in Stoke-on-Trent, which includes nearly all the city but also some districts outside it, 1,546 weekly assistance grants had been increased to provide for rent increases under the Rent Act.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) in how many cases in the Hartlepools area of the National Assistance Board it has been necessary to increase the supplement paid to recipients of National Assistance to provide for increases in rent since 1st October, 1957;(2) the additional cost to the National Assistance Board of the additional supplementary allowances, consequent on increased rent imposed under the provisions of the Rent Act, 1957, in the Hartlepools area of the National Assistance Board.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that up to 1st February 900 weekly assistance grants had been increased to provide for rent increases under the Rent Act in the area served by the board's office at West Hartlepool. The increases in the grants averaged 6s. 3d. For reasons previously given it is not possible for the board to calculate the total additional expenditure on this account.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many of the 260,000 persons who have had an increase in their National Assistance grant to cover the increase in their rent are old-age pensioners.

I regret that this information is not available. The National Assistance Board informs me that it has not been practicable to identify different kinds of recipients of assistance in the special records that have been kept.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many persons receiving National Assistance covered by the local offices in Morpeth and Ashington, in the County of Northumberland, have been given an increase as a result of the operation of the Rent Act, 1957; and what is the total additional charge on public funds.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that there is no office in Morpeth, and that the office at Ashington serves these two towns and a considerable area besides. In that area 209 weekly assistance grants had been increased up to 1st February, by an average of 4s. 8d., to provide for rent increases under the Rent Act. For reasons which my right hon. Friend has given several times previously it is not possible for the board to calculate the total additional expenditure on this account.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will introduce the necessary legislation to enable old-age pensioners to recover from his Department the rent increases paid since October last, together with those increases due in April next.

No.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will state the number of pensioners who have taken advantage of the de-retirement provisions of the National Insurance Act, 1957.

Since 5th August, 1957, when the new provisions came into force 1,359 people have chosen to give up their retirement pensions and resume paying contributions in order to earn bigger pensions for themselves and, in some cases for their wives. In addition 448 widow beneficiaries have been enabled to postpone retirement at age 60 and to earn bigger pensions.

asked the Paymaster-General how much of the new capital required by the Central Electricity Authority, since the industry was nationalised, has been provided by the authority itself; and how much has been provided out of public funds.

From the date of nationalisation in April, 1948, to March, 1957, the Authority provided about two-fifths of its new capital requirements from its own resources. The balance was provided from stock issues, guaranteed by the Treasury, Exchequer advances and temporary borrowings.

asked the Paymaster-General how much of the new capital required by the Gas Council, since the industry was nationalised, has been provided by the Gas Council itself; and how much has been provided out of public funds.

From the date of nationalisation in April, 1949, to March, 1957, the Council provided nearly two-fifths of its new capital requirements from its own resources. The balance was provided from stock issues guaranteed by the Treasury, Exchequer advances and temporary borrowings.

asked the Paymaster-General (1) what percentage of the timber bought by the National Coal Board for use in English and Welsh coal mines is grown in the United Kingdom, in Scotland, and imported from abroad, respectively;(2) what percentage of the timber bought by the National Coal Board for use in Scottish coal mines and for other purposes is grown in Scotland, in the United Kingdom, and imported from abroad, respectively.

I am informed that in 1957 about 40 per cent. of the timber acquired for use in English and Welsh coal mines was grown in the United Kingdom and 60 per cent. was imported. The corresponding figures for Scottish mines were about 87 per cent. grown in the United Kingdom and 13 per cent. imported. No figures are available showing what proportion of the home-grown timber came from Scotland, but it is the policy of the National Coal Board to use as much home-grown—including Scottish— mining timber as possible, provided the price and quality are acceptable, and the proportion of home timber used, which has been steadily increasing, is now the highest since 1945.

asked the Paymaster-General the retail price per ton of medium-grade coal in the London area in 1946 and 1956.

On 1st January, 1946, 77s. 9d. a ton; on 1st January, 1956, 148s. 10d. a ton.

asked the Paymaster-General, having regard to the proposal of the Central Electricity Authority to erect a nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd in the Snowdonia National Park, all of which is to be the subject of a public inquiry at Trawsfynydd on 12th February, 1958, whether he will state the size and capacity of the proposed station; to what extent it is to be associated with further pump-storage proposals in North Wales; and what approach has been made to date by the Central Electricity Authority to the Minister of Power for permission to bring a Bill to Parliament for the purposes referred to.

My noble Friend has received an application under Section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act, 1909, as amended, for consent to the construction of a nuclear power station of 400–500 megawatts capacity which would be linked with the pumped storage scheme under construction at Blaenau Ffestiniog. There are no further proposals for pumped-storage schemes in North Wales. As the application is made under an existing Statute, there is no occasion for a Bill to be brought to Parliament.

asked the Paymaster-General, having regard to the over-riding position of amenity and access in areas designated national parks under the Act, whether he will place in the Palace of Westminster a scale model of the proposed Trawsfynydd nuclear power station and any pump-storage works associated with it together with topographical reproduction to scale of such features as Rhinog Fach, Rhinog Fawr, Moel yr Mydd, Alit fawr, Cae'r dda, Moel Siabod, Moel Penamnen, Moel Farlwyd, Manod bach, Manod mawr, thus enabling Members of both Houses of Parliament to consider amenity and scenic matters.

It is not possible at this stage for the Generating Board to make a scale model of the station that will be built on this site if it secures the consent of my noble Friend for the project. The actual design and lay out of the station will not be determined until the board has awarded the contract and has consulted a number of expert bodies and advisers including the board's consulting architect for Wales, a landscape consultant, the County Council and the Royal Fine Art Commission.

asked the Paymaster-General, having regard to the declared intention to bring house coal rationing to an end and the control that goes with it, whether he will now state the date of publication and the form of the Report of the Committee established in 1957 by the then Minister of Fuel and Power to inquire into availability of house coal supplies, retailers' price margins, prices to consumers, miners' free and concessionary coal and all associated matters; and why the compilation and publication of the report has taken so long.

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the Departmental Committee on Coal Distribution Costs appointed in March, 1956. My noble Friend expects to receive this Committee's Report in a few months' time. The Committee's terms of reference do not include the availability of house coal supplies nor miners' free and concessionary coal.In view of the nature of its task I do not consider that the Committee's inquiries have been unduly protracted.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he is aware that the wholesale price of petrol has recently been reduced by ¾d. a gallon and although the wholesale price of petrol is now lower than at the outbreak of the Suez war, the retail price is still ½d. a gallon above this pre-Suez war price; and whether, in view of this further information, he will reintroduce price control on petrol.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes", and to the second part "No".

asked the Minister of Health what action is contemplated to end the 11-year detention at the Rampton Mental Hospital of James Mills, whose condition can only deteriorate if he is not given some hope of ending his long stay at Rampton.

As with all other patients, the progress of this patient is being continually reviewed by the Medical Superintendent and the Board of Control. He will be transferred when he is well enough to go.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether he is aware of the need for greater hospital accommodation in Cardiff for the chronic aged sick; and what steps he is taking to meet this need;(2) the number of cases of chronic sick elderly people who are waiting for hospital admission in Cardiff; and whether he will make a statement.

Two hundred and seventeen patients are at present awaiting admission. Following the recent general review of these services, and the memorandum of advice based on it which was issued in October last the Regional Hospital Board is now considering what action can best be taken to meet the need.

asked the Minister of Health what changes in hospital use are planned in Wales as a result of the success in dealing with tuberculosis; and whether he will make a statement.

Some beds used for this purpose have already been allocated for the care of the chronic sick and other purposes. The general position is under consideration by the Regional Hospital Board with a view to further changes being made.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the names of the hospitals under the National Health Service where the staff are bound by the Official Secrets Act.

Rampton and Moss Side hospitals are the only hospitals under the National Health Service where the staff are civil servants and are therefore asked to sign declarations drawing their attention to the Act, which is of course in any case of general application.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Refraction Clinic at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital is not opened on Saturdays; and, in view of the number of industrial workers and others wishing to avail themselves of the clinic's services, and for whom Saturday is their only free day, whether he will give consideration to the possibility of opening the clinic on that day.

This clinic is open on Saturday mornings, but it is normally possible only to deal with priority cases.

asked the Minister of Health the number of medical officers at the Rampton Mental Hospital.

Seven.

asked the Minister of Health the average weekly cost per inmate in the mental deficiency and the mental hospitals.

For mental deficiency and mental hospitals administered by hospital management committees in England and Wales, the average weekly cost of maintaining a patient in the year ended 31st March, 1957, was £5 10s. 6d. and £5 17s. 8d. respectively.

asked the Minister of Health the estimated cost of providing a free chiropody service under the National Health service; and what would be the cost of providing this for persons receiving the old-age pension.

The estimated cost of providing such a service is rather more than £1¼ million per annum.It is not possible to estimate what the cost would be for old-age pensioners alone.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take the necessary measures to extend chiropody services for aged persons at hospitals, clinics and other health centres.

I regret that the continuing need to limit expenditure rules out further provision for the time being.

asked the Minister of Health if he will now consider the provision of electric Sley Ride chairs for use in the homes of patients who are unable to use their hands to propel themselves in wheel chairs.

Having regard to the restricted opportunities for the use of such a machine, I am not satisfied that it would be justifiable to incur the considerable additional expenditure involved in adopting the hon. and learned Member's proposal.

asked the Minister of Health the reasons for the continued increase in the number of persons suffering from tuberculosis in the County Borough of Sunderland.

The number of new cases notified in Sunderland last year showed a substantial fall. The number remaining on the chest clinic register has increased because of the long period of observation necessary and a fall in the death rate due to modern methods of treatment.

asked the Minister of Health the date on which the National Assistance Board intends to pay to local welfare authorities the £2 per week for residents in aged persons' homes who are a charge on the National Assistance Board.

My right hon. and learned Friend has still under consideration representations made by the associations of local authorities for an increase to £2 per week in the minimum charge payable by residents in accommodation provided under Part III of the National Assistance Act.

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to provide transistor hearing aids in suitable cases through the National Health Service.

I hope to begin providing transistor hearing aids for children within two or three months. The aids will not be available for adults until next year.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to ensure that the recommendations of the Guillebaud Report regarding research and statistics are carried out in order to ascertain information concerning the working of the National Health Service.

The Statistical Branch of my Department has been increased and a further appointment will shortly be made.

asked the Minister of Health whether it is proposed to undertake the closure of ventricular septal defects in young children at all the centres at which the equipment for performing such operations is now or will shortly become available.

I am advised that this operation is still in an early stage of development and it is not yet possible to say when or whether it will be performed at all these centres.

asked the Minister of Health what consideration has been given to the use of osteopathy under or in conjunction with the National Health Service; and, in view of the success that is resulting from treatment by this unconventional technique, if he will make a statement.

Osteopathic treatment may be given by registered medical practitioners under National Health Service arrangements. It is not my function to judge the merits of any form of therapy and I can only arrange for medical treatment to be given by or under the direction of registered medical practitioners.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further consideration has been given to the offer by the Deputy Soviet Foreign Secretary at the United Nations on 12th December for a non-aggression pact between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and members of the Warsaw Treaty States; and to what extent this offer of a non-aggression pact is similar to the one made by the Prime Minister.

The Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister was simply echoing a proposal for such a non-aggression pact which had already been made in Mr. Bulganin's letter of 11th December to the Prime Minister. The views of Her Majesty's Government on the proposal for a non-aggression pact are given in the Prime Minister's reply of 16th January to that letter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the Government's negotiations with the Egyptian Government on financial matters concerning the Suez Canal and the recent war with Egypt.

I assume the hon. Member refers to the Anglo-Egyptian financial talks which were resumed in Rome on 30th January about British property in Egypt sequestrated following the events of November and December, 1956, resumption of commercial relations and the Egyptian blocked sterling balances. Further discussions are expected to take place with the Egyptian delegation in about a week's time. Meanwhile it would not be appropriate for me to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his meeting with representatives of the National Farmers' Union, the Fatstock Marketing Corporation and bacon curers about bacon pig prices.

The meeting took place last Thursday. My right hon. Friend is giving careful consideration to the points put forward and is not yet ready to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the Report of the Royal Commission on Common Land.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for South Shields (Mr. Ede) on 19th December, 1957. My right hon. Friend understands that the Royal Commission on Common Land hopes to present its Report within about the next four months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) the retail prices at the latest convenient date of sugar, butter, margarine, lard, cheese, eggs, beef, mutton, pork, bacon, tea, coffee, bread and potatoes, respectively, in the United Kingdom, and the countries of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, in a form similar to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Wembley, South, on 1st March, 1955;(2) if he will give the comparative figures of the retail prices at the latest convenient date of sugar, butter, margarine, lard, cheese, eggs, beef, mutton, pork, bacon, tea, coffee, bread and potatoes, respectivelly, in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

It is difficult to supply my hon. Friend with the information in the form asked for in his Questions. I am, however, writing to him and explaining the position.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food whether, on the basis of figures available to him from his representatives in the Food and Agricultural Organisation and the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, he will state for the last three years the grower's price and, where applicable, the f.o.b. export price of barley in Belgium, France, Netherlands. West Germany, Canada, the United States of America, Argentina, Iraq, Morocco, and Australia; and if he will publish a comparison of these prices with the equivalent British guaranteed prices and the average market price received for British home-grown barley.

Some of the information, for which my hon. Friend asks, is given in the publications of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, and the United Nations which are in the Library of the House. I should not feel justified in incurring the expenditure necessary to try to obtain the remaining information and to satisfy myself of its accuracy and comparability.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as representing the Lord President of the Council, the total of the estimated expenditure on agricultural research for the present financial year; and what are the main categories of research conducted and the estimated expenditure on each category.

The total estimated expenditure on agricultural research co-ordinated by the Agricultural Research Council for the present financial year is £4,657,000 made up of £2,033,000 on animal research, £2,084,000 on plants and soils research, £350,000 on agricultural machinery research, and £190,000 on other research and general expenses. These figures do not include details on research by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; during the present financial year this is estimated to amount to £166,000 on animal research and £2,000 on plant research.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (1) what estimate he has had made of the number of cars that can be accommodated in private and commercial garages in the metropolitan police area, excluding central London; how many cars are owned by residents in that area at present; and what the estimated number will be in one, two, three, four and five years' time;

(2) what consideration he has given to the problems raised by the continuous parking of vehicles in residential areas in the metropolitan police area; and whether he will make a statement;

(3) whether he will introduce legislation to protect the right of the occupier of a house to leave his vehicle outside it while at the same time safeguarding the interests of other road users and the need of public services such as fire, street cleaning, refuse disposal and ambulance services to have access to premises and, where necessary, parts of the highway.

No comprehensive estimate has been made of the number of cars in outer London which can be accommodated off the highway. The number of private cars registered in 1956, the last year for which figures are available, in the counties of London and Middlesex together, was 475,000, and the number has been increasing annually by about 8 per cent. Some parking of cars in residential areas is a convenience to residents, but as the highway is not provided for this purpose cars so parked are at risk of a breach of the law for obstruction. I do not think there are grounds for altering the law on this subject at present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the evidence of parallel price movements of retail petrol in this country, he will refer the petroleum distribution industry in the United Kingdom to the Monopolies Commission.

If the hon. Member is suggesting that there is an agreement on petrol prices, that would be a matter for the Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements and the Restrictive Practices Court, not the Monopolies Commission.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to promote trade with the Middle East.

I have decided to make new arrangements to keep the Government in touch with representatives of industry and commerce who have practical experience of selling in the Middle East. An Advisory Council on Middle East Trade will be set up. My hon. Friend the Minister of State will be Chairman and Mr. W. H. McFadzean of British Insulated Callender's Cables Ltd. has agreed to be Vice-Chairman and industrial leader of the Council. The other businessmen who have agreed to serve are:

• Mr. R. A. P. Bevan, O.B.E., S. H. Benson Ltd.
• Mr. W. R. Beswick, Power-Gas Corporation Ltd.
• The Hon. M. R. Bridgeman, C.B.E.. British Petroleum Co. Ltd.
• Mr. G. C. R. Eley, C.B.E., British Bank of the Middle East.
• Sir Norman Kipping, J.P., Federation of British Industries.
• Mr. H. G. Nelson, The English Electric Co. Ltd.
• Mr. T. A. L. Paton. Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners.
• Sir Henry Spurrier, Leyland Motors Ltd.
• Mr. Frank Taylor, Taylor Woodrow Ltd.

Additional members may be appointed from time to time. The Council will also include senior representatives from the Treasury, the Foreign Office, the Board of Trade and the Export Credits Guarantee Department.I am confident that this Council will make a substantial contribution to the development of trade with countries in the Middle East to our mutual advantage and I am glad to have this opportunity to thank the businessmen who have agreed to serve on it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many Scottish firms engaged in hire-purchase business are currently under investigation by him; and how soon he expects to be able to make a public statement on the findings.

It would not be helpful to the enforcement of the Hire-Purchase Orders to give the number of firms under investigation by my Department with a view to the institution of proceedings, or to disclose the findings. Routine visits to traders in Scotland by Board of Trade officers under the Hire-Purchase Orders averaged 16 a week in 1957.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if, in view of the danger of nuclear attacks on major United Kingdom dockyards, he will make a statement on his decision to abandon the dispersal of Her Majesty's Reserve Fleet ships in overseas bases.

The policy of dispersal to which my hon. Friend refers was never accepted. There is, therefore, no question of abandoning it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what payment he received from the Yugoslav People's Republic for Her Majesty's destroyers "Kempenfelt" and "Wager".

It is not the practice to disclose details of the financial arrangements in transactions of this nature.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (1) when the contract for a guided-missile cruiser, abandoned on grounds of economy in 1957, is to be renewed;

(2) what further progress is envisaged in fitting guided missiles to Her Majesty's cruisers;

(3) how many of Her Majesty's ships will be transferred from the Home and reserve fleets or other squadrons to the task force to be formed at Singapore, in view of the inadequate forces, comprising three cruisers, three destroyers, 10 frigates, one despatch vessel and motor launches, at present under the command of the Commander-in-Chief at Hong Kong and Commander-in-Chief at Singapore.

I would advise my hon. Friend to await my noble Friend's Explanatory Statement on the Navy Estimates 1958–59 which will be issued as a Command Paper tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of African district council schools in the Northern Province of Nyasaland on 1st January, 1958; and how many of these were originally mission schools.

pursuant to his reply OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd January, 1958; Vol. 580, c. 193], supplied the following information:—There are fourteen district council schools in the Northern Province of Nyasaland, all of which were taken over from the Church of Scotland Mission, Livingstonia, at the specific request of the Mission. There are also 57 auxiliary schools administered by the Mzimba District Education Committee: 38 of these were Church of Scotland unassisted schools which were taken over at the request of the Mission, and 19 are Roman Catholic schools with which the Roman Catholic Mission is still very closely associated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the definition of the word "child" in the Day Nurseries Ordinance, 1957, of Northern Rhodesia includes Asian and African children.

The definition of "child" in the Ordinance is

"a European person who has not attained the age of seven years."

The Ordinance does not provide for the setting up of day nurseries but for the control and inspection of those set up by private persons for reward. When I received the Ordinance I inquired from the Governor about the introduction of comparable provisions for the control of any similar institutions for non-European children.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply was sent by Her Majesty's Government to the telegram of Mr. Harry Nkumbula, President of the African National Congress in Northern Rhodesia, protesting against the recent Emergency Powers (Amendment) Bill and the new Societies Bill.

Mr. Nkumbula's telegram did not require an answer, but it was referred back to the Governor of Northern Rhodesia for its references to that territory.

asked the Postmaster-General why, although in an Answer to the hon. Member for Rye on 20th June, 1956, his predecessor forecast an improvement in television reception in the Bexhill area by the end of 1957, no English television programme can yet be received until the evening, and then only from the British Broadcasting Corporation; and at what date improvements may be anticipated with any confidence.

The increase in the power of the British Broadcasting Corporation's Crystal Palace station at the end of 1957 gives a stronger television signal at Bexhill: but unfortunately high sunspot activity is interfering at times with the afternoon transmissions by bringing about freak reception from foreign stations. This should cease in the next month or so. A date for the extension of independent television to this area has not yet been decided upon.