asked the Secretary of State for Air what are his plans for increasing the air mobility of the strategic reserve.

The principal further increase in the capacity of Transport Command will come with the introduction of the Britannia. We also plan further improvements in the capability of the air transport forces in overseas theatres.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many surplus airfields for disposal are held at present by his Department.

Ninety-four airfields are at present in varying stages of disposal. Fifty-one of them are managed by the Agricultural Departments, who are disposing of the land on our behalf.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many inactive airfields are at present retained for the use of the Royal Air Force.

Fifty-five. Most of the land is let for farming.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will give a list of the places where the members of the Air Training Corps in Kent can get flying and gliding practice.

Cadets from the Kent Wing of the Air Training Corps who are selected for flying scholarships fly with clubs at Rochester and Croydon. Passenger flights for cadets are arranged from the R.A.F. Stations at Biggin Hill and Manston and from Rochester Airport. Gliding takes place at R.A.F. Station Hawkinge and R.A.F. Station Kenley. The formation of a second R.A.F. Gliding Centre in another part of the country will enable Hawkinge in the future to spend more of its time on cadets of the south-east.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what system exists whereby all the appropriate members of the Air Training Corps in Kent can get flying and gliding experience at regular intervals.

Under the scheme for flying scholarships, selected cadets may be taught to fly at a local club. In addition, all first class cadets are getting an average of rather more than 30 minutes passenger flying a year, which is done from local airfields and when they are at camp. Our policy in regard to gliding has been to train as many cadets as possible up to the "B" Gliding Certificate Standard rather than to provide further gliding for a smaller number.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what form of later or postgraduate training is envisaged to enable members of the Air Training Corps to become pilots or aircraftsmen after they have left the Air Training Corps itself.

All further training needed to enable former A.T.C. cadets to qualify for a branch or trade in the Royal Air Force is given in the Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Air to what extent dismissals of civilians employed at No. 35 Royal Air Force Maintenance Unit at Heywood, Lancashire, have recently taken place because of redundancy; whether any such dismissals are anticipated in the next six months; and whether the employment of women in future will be determined exclusively by the nature of the work to be undertaken.

Twenty-three clerks have left on redundancy and another five will leave in the near future. Thirty women employed in industrial grades as substitutes for men were recently discharged, under the arrangements agreed with the trades unions concerned, when men became available. Women will, however, continue to be employed in these grades when men cannot be recruited.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many members of the Air Registration Board Council are independent; and how many are actively engaged in the manufacture and the operation of aircraft.

Seven of the eighteen members of the Air Registration Board are actively engaged in the manufacture or operation of aircraft, including the member I am required to appoint with 5 years' professional experience as a civil aircraft pilot. Of the remainder, some represent insurance interests, some are co-opted by the Board itself and one is the independent member I am required to appoint.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will include among the bodies consulted on the future of Southampton Airport, Eastleigh, the Airport Consultative Committee.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what is the estimated cost of constructing at Southampton Airport, Eastleigh, a runway facing eastward into the open country.

No estimate has been drawn up for a runway on this alignment. It would almost certainly be prohibitively expensive since it would involve the diversion or culverting of the River lichen and the filling in of a large area of marshy water meadows.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what was the number of passengers who left this country from London Airport last year.

1,377,000.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if Her Majesty's Government will bear the cost of the construction, erection, and dismantling of the 20 miles-per-hour road signs in Langley High Street, in view of the fact that his Department authorised the Slough Borough Council to instal them and subsequently reversed its decision.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what major road schemes are contemplated in Durham County for the next three years; and how much money is to be expended on secondary-class roads for the same period.

As I have said on several occasions, in the interests of keeping my programme flexible, I do not intend to issue lists of specific road schemes long in advance of the time when work on them can start.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will have consultations with a view to changing the design of the hydrogen bomb carried in aeroplanes over Great Britain in view of the fact that the trinitrotoluol content of the hydrogen bomb which was accidentally released in the United States of America recently exploded on impact.

I have been asked to reply.Every possible effort is made in designing all weapons to ensure the maximum safety. Care of course must be taken that these safety measures are not incompatible with operational requirements.

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers in the building trade and its associated trades have become unemployed as a result of the stoppage of work on building the extension of the Station Hotel, Aberdeen; and what steps he is taking to find employment for them.

I understand that the men concerned are being transferred to work on other contracts so that none of them will become unemployed.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of persons of each sex and in each trade now un-

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES IN THE COUNTY OF DURHAM AT 11TH FEBRUARY, 1957 AND 17TH FEBRUARY, 1958
Industry	11th February, 1957				17th February, 1958
	Males		Females		Males		Females
	Wholly unemployed	Temporarily stopped	Wholly unemployed	Temporarily stopped	Wholly unemployed	Temporarily stopped	Wholly unemployed	Temporarily stopped
Agriculture and Horticulture	130	1	26	7	145	1	19	7
Coal Mining	239	—	7	—	266	—	5	—
Glass (other than containers)	55	2	38	—	142	—	31	—
Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing	670	394	17	7	1,095	96	19	—
Non-electrical Engineering	394	19	81	—	448	1	59	—
Tailoring	38	5	205	40	26	—	188	5
Bread and Flour Confectionery	87	1	92	—	81	1	65	1
Furniture and Upholstery	50	85	22	12	86	69	19	9
Building and Civil Engineering Contracting	1,886	14	5	—	2,306	117	6	—
Railways	130	—	11	—	143	2	10	—
Sea Transport	533	2	—	—	662	—	1	—
Port Transport, etc.	242	2	—	—	230	3	—	—
Distributive Trades	400	3	608	21	587	7	631	15
National Government Service	116	—	52	—	148	—	39	—
Local Government Service	619	8	82	5	599	9	63	1
Professional Services	156	2	209	1	217	1	175	—
Catering, Hotels, etc.	143	1	441	14	127	—	411	7
Other Industries and Services	2,710	59	1,717	61	2,688	63	1,580	36
Total, all industries and Services	8,598	598	3,613	168	9,996	370	3,321	81

Statistics of the total numbers working short-time are not available for local areas. The figures under the heading "temporarily stopped" in the Table represent the numbers working short-time or otherwise temporarily suspended from work who were not at work on the Monday to which the figures relate and were registered at Employment Exchanges. The number at work on the Monday but stood off on some other day or days in the same week is not known.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the closure of three factories employing 800 workers in Dundee; and what action he proposes to take.

The following Table gives the information desired so far as it is available:

I understand that when these factories close the number of workers likely to be discharged will not exceed 160. As soon as workers are selected for discharge they will be invited to register at my local office which will do its best to place them in other employment.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the position of draughtsmen and supervisory staff declared redundant in the aircraft industry with regard to the Resettlement Transfer Scheme.

Draughtsmen and supervisory staff are eligible for consideration under the Resettlement Transfer Scheme unless they are of professional or executive status. Such workers have always been outside the Resettlement Transfer Scheme, but I am considering whether the line of demarcation needs to be modified in the light of present circumstances.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what arrangements have been made by his Department, since British shipping resumed use of the Suez Canal, to inform those concerned of conditions and hazards in the waterway.

The Admiralty issues details of convoy times through the Suez Canal, and of navigational hazards in the approaches to it. The Canal itself of course remains a compulsory pilotage waterway and, as in the past, the only satisfactory way of obtaining up-to-date information about the variable conditions in it is from a pilot during transit.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what steps he is taking to deal with the complaints regarding the food supplied and served to National Service men of 45 Commando, Royal Marines, Mtarfa Barracks, British Field Post Office 51, Malta, G.C., details of which have been sent to him.

The victualling of this unit in Malta is the responsibility of the Army. I have therefore asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War if he would make inquiries. This he is doing, and I will write to the hon. Lady when I have heard from my right hon. Friend.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many orders for new tonnage to be built in shipyards on the north-east coast have been cancelled in the last twelve months; and what is the total value of the orders so cancelled.

Fifteen vessels totalling 90,000 gross tons and valued at about £11 million, out of an order book for this area of approximately £500 million.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he has anything further to say on the steps being taken to find another use for Donibristle Royal Naval Aircraft Repair Yard which will provide alternative employment for the hired men there.

We are doing all we can to interest commercial firms in the Aircraft Repair Yard at Donibristle, by means of advertisement in the national and provincial Press, and we have the assistance of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. We would be prepared to lease or to sell the establishment and would be very interested in offers from enquirers likely to maintain the level of employment in the Yard. If the hon. Member has had any inquiries about the Yard, I would be very grateful if he would pass them on to me.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he has fully considered the historical and social implications of his proposal to locate the headquarters both of the Highland Brigade and of the new amalgamated regiment of Camerons and Seaforths outside the Highlands and the effect this might have on recruiting in the Highlands for this regiment; and if he will make a statement.

The depot of the Highland Brigade is to be at Aberdeen, which is already the home of a famous Highland regiment and is in the military Highland District. Aberdeen offers good accommodation and amenities for the brigade and was chosen with the support of the majority of the colonels of the regiments concerned.As outlined in the White Paper on the Reorganisation of the Army, a regimental depot and headquarters will be maintained by the new amalgamated regiment in either Inverness or Fort George, thus maintaining the county's traditional link with the Seaforth Highlanders and the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps are being taken to tighten up responsibility for the expenditure of public funds in his Department; and if he will make a further statement on the action he is taking over the large and unnecessary purchase of boots.

The case to which the hon. Member refers has been reported to the House by the Comptroller and Auditor-General. I should prefer to await the report of the Public Accounts Committee before making any further statement.

asked the Postmaster-General whether those firms which have a postal address of Belfast and are outside the area of the new town of Newtownabbey may retain their present Belfast address, which they regard as being a marked advantage to them in the export trade.

A start has not yet been made on the Post Office which is to serve the new town and the surrounding area; and it will be some little time before we can say what changes in postal address will be necessary. I will keep in mind my hon. Friend's point and will write to him again in good time.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give an estimate as to the extent to which the sale of 2d. stamps has diminished since the enactment of the Cheques Act, 1957.

In the five months October, 1957, to February, 1958, issues of 2d. stamps to Post Offices were £1,200,000 less than in the corresponding period of the previous year. Apart from the Cheques Act, changes in postage rates on 1st October may have influenced the use of this particular stamp.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give the number of lines in use on the Dominion and Rain-ham, Essex, exchanges, respectively; and the number disconnected and connected to each in the previous six months.

At the end of last month there were 2,700 lines on the Dominion exchange, 108 having been disconnected and 548 connected during the preceding six months. The corresponding figures for the Rainham exchange were 3,150, 223 and 136, respectively. Extensive changes have, however, since taken place and others are pending, and I will write to the hon. Member giving full details of these.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, if he will now give the date on which the Report on Alcohol and Road Accidents will be published.

I am not in a position to give a precise date, but this report, which has now been received, will be published as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will indicate in a table, for the financial years 1952–53 to 1957–58, the expenditure, actual or estimated, for capital and for all other items together respectively, of the hospital authorities per head of the estimated population for each hospital region of England and Wales, including therein the expenditure of boards of governors as well as those of regional hospital boards.

The table below sets out the information requested:

REGIONAL HOSPITAL BOARDS AND BOARDS OF GOVERNORS
EXPENDITURE PER HEAD OF POPULATION IN EACH REGION, FOR THE FINANCIAL YEARS 1952–53 TO 1957–58
Regional Hospital Board	Capital Expenditure
	1952–53		1953–54		1954–55		l955–56		1956–57		1957–58 (estimate)
	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
Newcastle	4	8	4	1	8	1	5	9	7	5	10	7
Leeds	4	0	3	10	4	4	4	4	5	4	7	2
Sheffield	3	1	3	6	4	5	5	7	6	8	7	8
East Anglian	4	10	4	5	5	2	5	4	5	10	6	8
N.W. Metropolitan	5	5	5	0	5	11	5	10	6	4	7	10
N.E. Metropolitan	4	3	2	10	3	9	3	5	4	8	6	11
S.E. Metropolitan	4	0	3	10	4	6	4	3	7	1	8	3
S.W. Metropolitan	4	9	4	10	5	9	6	4	7	2	7	9
Oxford	4	2	4	4	8	0	8	0	9	9	14	5
South Western	3	9	3	6	5	11	4	11	6	4	8	7
Welsh	5	2	6	1	7	5	6	8	7	10	10	4
Birmingham	3	3	3	4	3	7	3	10	4	11	6	10
Manchester	3	9	3	3	3	3	4	3	4	8	6	3
Liverpool	3	9	3	5	5	0	6	0	8	7	11	0

Regional Hospital Board	Revenue Expenditure
	1952–53			1953–54			1954–55			1955–56			1956–57			1957–58 (estimate)
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Newcastle	4	9	10	4	17	2	5	0	7	5	9	9	6	0	8	6	10	3
Leeds	4	19	0	5	2	7	5	8	5	5	17	8	6	9	5	6	19	5
Sheffield	4	1	7	4	5	5	4	10	0	4	18	2	5	7	10	5	15	4
East Anglian	4	4	9	4	9	0	4	13	7	5	3	0	5	12	9	6	0	5
N.W. Metropolitan	7	7	0	7	12	1	7	17	2	8	9	4	9	1	7	9	12	7
N.E. Metropolitan	6	16	11	7	4	4	7	8	2	8	0	2	8	12	10	9	2	1
S.E. Metropolitan	7	0	3	7	4	8	7	10	5	8	1	11	8	14	8	9	5	8
S.W. Metropolitan	7	4	4	7	10	5	7	15	2	8	9	1	9	2	11	9	14	2
Oxford	5	11	0	5	17	0	5	19	8	6	9	6	6	18	10	7	5	7
South Western	5	15	9	6	1	8	6	5	5	6	17	4	7	9	0	7	17	10
Welsh	4	17	6	5	5	7	5	11	4	6	1	7	6	14	8	7	3	11
Birmingham	4	11	4	4	15	3	4	19	11	5	7	10	5	17	0	6	4	5
Manchester	4	12	0	4	17	1	5	0	9	5	10	5	6	1	6	6	9	2
iverpool	5	12	5	5	18	6	6	4	4	6	14	11	7	6	3	7	16	6

NOTE: In some Regions more than in others revenue expenditure is increased by the provision of services, at teaching or non-teaching hospitals, for persons from other Regions. No estimate is however, available of the effect of this upon the figures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent premium bonds are acceptable as a full trustee security.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon.. Friend the Prime Minister, as Chancellor, on 18th June, 1956, in the debate on the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state, for the latest year for which the data are available, the number of cases, and the amount of tax relief allowed, in respect of contributions to retirement benefits under schemes approved by the Board of Inland Revenue for persons whose net incomes before tax were in the ranges of £1,000£1,999, £2,000–£4,999, £5,000–£9,999, and £10,000 and over, respectively, showing single and married men separately.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the approximate amount of new capital investment made in Scottish hydro-electric development since the inception of the boards.

The amount of new capital investment on hydro-electric generation in Scotland since the setting up of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board is approximately £118 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether a review has been made of mental defective patients detained in Scotland comparable to that under which the Ministry of Health has discharged 814 persons pursuant to the decision of the High Court of 9th March, 1956, in the case of Miss Kathleen Rutty; and if he will make a statement.

The orders made by Sheriffs placing mental defectives in institutions are made after due inquiry. The General Board of Control has no duty or authority to examine the grounds of a Sheriff's order, but it carries out, of course, its statutory duty to review the continued detention of such defectives, after a year and then at three yearly intervals, having regard to the question whether it would be in the patient's interest to remain in the institution.The General Board of Control for Scotland is, however, considering, with full regard to the differences in the law of the two countries, whether any action is appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a detailed statement on the inquiry which he has ordered to be held in the Aberdeen Sheriff Court on 31st March, 1958, into the deaths and injuries at Dancing Cairns Quarry, Aberdeen, indicating who will hold the inquiry, its terms of reference, whether it will be held in public, whether it will have power to assess, to award, or to recommend the payment of damages or compensation to those who have suffered loss thereby, whether those persons or their relatives will be allowed to give and call evidence, and whether those persons will be allowed to conduct their own cases and be professionally represented.

I have been asked to reply.A public inquiry under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act, 1906, will be held into the death of Peter Ingram Horne, aged 15 years, who resided at 49, Cummings Park Circle, Aberdeen, and who was fatally injured as a result of a fall while climbing the rock face of the Quarry on 2nd March, 1958. He fell from the face of the Quarry to the bottom, a distance of approximately 50 feet. The inquiry will be conducted by the Procurator Fiscal. It is held in terms of the above Statute and will not be concerned with the assessment or award of damages or compensation. The relatives of the deceased or any person having a just interest may take part in the inquiry or may be legally represented or represented by any other person whom the Sheriff may allow to appear on their behalf.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the anti-British propaganda being broadcast by the Egyptian wireless to the territories of Aden, Somalia, Kenya, Tanganyika and Zanzibar; and what steps he is taking to counter this.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the hon. Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 16th December. I consider that the financial and technical assistance that is being given to the territories mentioned in order to help them to develop their own broadcasting services provides an effective answer to subversive radio propaganda.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the report on social security for urban workers prepared by a Kenya Government committee has yet been published; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

The report of the Social Security Committee (which was not confined by its terms of reference to urban workers) has been published and there are copies in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what percentage of the cost of health services in Kenya is borne by the local authorities and the Government in Kenya, respectively.

In the current financial year, approximately 16 per cent. of the estimated gross expenditure of £3,018,310 on Health Services in Kenya is to be borne by the local authorities and 84 per cent. by the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state, in each case as at 31st December, 1957, the number of local authority children's homes and nurseries which cater for up to 12 children, from 13 to 25 children, from 26 to 50 children, from 51 to 99 children, from 100 to 150 children, and more than 150 children, respectively; and how many children were accommodated in temporary accommodation provided under the National Assistance Act, 1948, showing separately the numbers of those in accommodation within the curtilage of an institution housing aged people and those in accommodation provided away from any other institution.

The information is as follows:1.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he is taking to ascertain the approximate number of families who will be evicted in consequence of the Rent Act, 1957, from 6th October, 1958, onwards; and what methods he is employing to obtain this information.

I have come to the conclusion that to seek to ascertain at this stage the information which my hon. Friend has in mind could have only limited value, seeing that there are at least six more months in which landlords can conclude agreements or tenants can succeed in making alternative arrangements.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will make a statement indicating the countries with which reciprocal arrangements have been made in regard to social

Country	Cash benefits	Medical benefits
Northern Ireland	Family allowances and all the benefits of the schemes of National Insurance and Industrial Injuries Insurance.	Full reciprocity.
Isle of Man	Family allowances and all the benefits of the schemes of National Insurance and Industrial Injuries Insurance.	General medical and hospital services are available for visitors from the United Kingdom.
Jersey	Retirement pensions, widows' benefits, guardians' allowances, sickness benefit, industrial injuries benefits and family allowances.	Guernsey and Alderney and Jersey provide medical facilities, so far as they are available, for all visitors from Great Britain.
Guernsey	Family allowances
Australia	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, sickness, invalidity and unemployment; family allowances.	—
New Zealand
Malta	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, sickness, unemployment and industrial injuries.	Insured persons who have suffered industrial injuries in the United Kingdom can receive medical treatment in Malta.
Cyprus	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, sickness, maternity, unemployment and death.	—
Irish Republic	Sickness benefit, maternity grants, unemployment benefit and widows' benefits.	—
Belgium*	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, invalidity, sickness, maternity, unemployment, death and industrial injuries; family allowances.	Workers who remain insured in the United Kingdom whilst temporarily employed in Belgium and certain other groups receive medical treatment in Belgium.
Denmark	Benefits for industrial injuries	—
France	Benefits for old age, widowhood, invalidity, sickness, maternity, death and industrial injuries.	Insured persons from the United Kingdom who enter French insurance may count their British insurance as if it were French for the purpose of receiving medical benefits in France.
Federal Republic of Germany*.	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, invalidity, sickness, maternity and death.	Workers who remain insured in the United Kingdom whilst temporarily employed in the Federal Republic and certain other groups receive medical treatment in the Federal Republic.

The following table shows the countries with which reciprocal arrangements on social security, social insurance or health services have been concluded and the benefits covered by each arrangement:

Country	Cash benefits	Medical benefits
Israel	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, maternity and industrial injuries.	Women who are entitled to United Kingdom maternity grants and insured persons who have suffered industrial injuries in the United Kingdom can receive medical treatment in Israel.
Italy	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, invalidity, unemployment, sickness, maternity and industrial injuries.	—
Luxembourg	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, invalidity, sickness, maternity, death and industrial injuries.	Insured persons from the United Kingdom who enter insurance in Luxembourg or The Netherlands may count their British insurance for the purpose of receiving medical benefits. Those who remain insured in the United Kingdom whilst temporarily employed in Luxembourg or The Netherlands and certain other groups receive medical treatment in those countries.
The Netherlands	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, invalidity, sickness, maternity, unemployment and industrial injuries.
Norway†	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, sickness, maternity, unemployment and industrial injuries; family allowances; national assistance.	British nationals, resident in the United Kingdom, including tourists, are entitled to receive medical treatment under Norwegian health insurance.
Sweden	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood, invalidity, sickness, maternity, unemployment and industrial injuries; national assistance.	British nationals, resident in the United Kingdom, including tourists, are entitled to receive medical treatment under Swedish health insurance.
Switzerland	Benefits for old age, widowhood, orphanhood and industrial injuries.	—
* This agreement has not yet been ratified.
† This agreement is due to come into operation on 1st April, 1958.

Copies of thirteen leaflets are available at all local National Insurance Offices, one for each of the following countries, summarising the provisions of the agreement with that country, and giving advice on national insurance, family allowances, etc., to people going to that country or coming from it to this country:-

Jersey.	France.
Australia.	Israel.
New Zealand.	Italy.
Malta.	Luxembourg.
Cyprus.	The Netherlands.
Irish Republic.	Switzerland.
Sweden.

I am arranging for copies of these leaflets to be placed in the Library.Further agreements are under negotiation with Austria, Denmark, Finland and Yugoslavia.

asked the Minister of Supply, having regard to the large number of men engaged in aircraft production and their growing anxiety about full employment in the future, what steps he is taking to consult the leaders of the aircraft industry to co-ordinate future plans, to ensure the best use of resources, and to absorb redundant labour in other forms of production.

I am giving aircraft companies all possible information about future defence requirements in order to assist them in planning the best use of their resources. Where companies with declining orders are compelled to reduce their labour force, my right hon. Friends the Minister of Labour and National Service and the President of the Board of Trade, in consultation with me, act together to give redundant employees the best possible opportunity of finding new work.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many bacon factories are now working to only 25 per cent. capacity; and what steps he is taking to improve their output.

I regret that this information is not available, but the total output of bacon factories in the United Kingdom is at present about 60 per cent. of the highest level ever achieved.

Thousands
Description					June, 1952	June, 1953	June, 1954	June, 1955	June, 1956	June, 1957 subject to slight revision
Regular whole time workers—
Male	…	…	…	…	595·0	577·8	563·0	535·3	509·9	502·6
Female	…	…	…	…	69·6	67·5	63·9	59·9	56·5	54·5
Total		…	…	…	664·7	645·3	627·0	595·3	566·4	557·1
Other workers (regular, part time, seasonal, temporary or casual)—
Male	…	…	…	…	131·8	128·3	120·9	118·4	113·4	116·4
Female	…	…	…	…	73·0	68·0	67·2	74·1	74·6	76·7
Total		…	…	…	204·8	196·3	188·1	192·5	188·1	193·1
Total workers—
Male	…	…	…	…	726·8	706·1	684·0	653·8	623·4	619·0
Female	…	…	…	…	142·6	135·5	131·1	134·0	131·1	131·2
Total		…	…	…	869·4	841·6	815·1	787·8	754·5	750·1
Notes
1. This Table covers holdings exceeding one acre in extent in England and Wales and Scotland, and of one acre or more in Northern Ireland.
2. The figures exclude the occupier, his wife, children still at school, and office and salaried staff.
3. The figures include family workers engaged on the holding, even if they are not paid wages for all or part of their work.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that, of the 49,732 pigs certified at bacon factories during the week ended 12th January, over 10,000 were over or under

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes have taken place in the number of wage earners employed in agriculture during each of the last five years.

The following table gives the number of workers returned as employed on Agricultural Holdings in the United Kingdom from June, 1952, to June, 1957.the grading weight; and to what extent this fact is taken into account in his official calculations of the numbers of pigs per week being graded at bacon factories in this country.

At bacon factories there are two ways in which pigs can be certified for the guarantees, by grade and deadweight or by ordinary deadweight. The producer must declare the type of certification he requires on his entry form. Pigs entered for certification by grade and deadweight are first weighed and then graded. If their weights are above or below the grading weight range—normally 6 sc. 15 lb. to 9 sc.—they are not graded. The numbers are recorded according to the different grades and weight ranges. The figure of 49,732 represents the number of pigs certified at bacon factories in Great Britain in the week ended 12th January. Of these, 42,000 were within the grading weight range, compared with 41,000 in the corresponding week of last year.