asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the annual Exchequer grants or subsidies made by his Department to assist the arts, farming, industry, and any other national undertaking; and whether he will give a detailed and itemised list of such grants.

I am sorry, but I do not understand the hon. Member's Question. The details of all Exchequer grants and subsidies are to be found in the published Civil Estimates and the Appropriation Accounts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present internal purchasing value of the £ sterling, as compared with October, 1945 and 1951.

Compared with 20s. in 1945, the internal purchasing value in October, 1951, was 14s. 2d. and in March, 1958, 11s. 9d.; compared with 20s. in October. 1951, the comparable figure for March, 1958, is 16s. 6d. These estimates are based on the consumer price index, brought up to date by the use of the retail price index. I regret that it is not possible to provide a comparison for any particular month in 1945.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that in the third quarter of 1951 the average tender price of a three-bed-roomed council house was £1,403, that the total cost of interest and repayment charges, assuming a loan raised over 60 years at the rate of interest charged by the Public Works Loan Board at the end of the relevant quarter was £3,033 12s. 0d. and that by the third quarter of 1957 the figures were £1,489 and £6,144 16s. 1d., respectively; on what date in the current month he expects to publish the relevant figures for the fourth quarter of 1957; and whether he expects to be able to publish the figures for the first quarter of 1958 by 1st October, 1958.

For the fourth quarter of 1957 the comparable figures were £1,477 and £6,095 5s. 8d., but, as I have said before, a local authority was not bound to borrow at the current interest rate for the full period of 60 years. The answer to the last part of the Question is "Yes."

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs why he has advised the Wandsworth Borough Council that licensees of requisitioned houses must quit their accommodation by November, 1959; and what steps local authorities are expected to take in the case of those licensees who may not have been able to make other arrangements for their families by March, 1960.

The hon. Member has been misinformed. I have not so advised the council. In reply to the second part of the Question, local authorities should continue to use their powers under the Requisitioned Houses and Housing (Amendment) Act, 1955, to secure permanent re-housing of the occupants of requisitioned properties.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he is taking to inform tenants threatened with eviction in October of the protection offered them by the Landlord and Tenant (Temporary Provisions) Bill.

As I informed the House on 24th April, I intend as soon as the Bill becomes law to issue a leaflet explaining how landlord and tenant are affected by it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the relationship of the Minister of State for Wales with the Rural Wales Committee; and how many meetings of the Committee have been held since his appointment.

It is among the general responsibilities of my noble Friend the Minister of State for Welsh Affairs to keep in touch with the work of this Committee. Two meetings of it have been held since his appointment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the recent decision of the arbitrator in the dispute between the Railway African Union and the East African Railways and Harbour Administration over the union's claim for wage increase of 15 per cent. and 10 per cent. for two groups of workers.

The claim for a 15 per cent. increase was made on behalf of employees in Group C and for a 10 per cent. increase on behalf of employees in Group B. The arbitrator's award was that:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many municipalities in Northern Rhodesia have suspended night passes during the period of experimental suspension from 1st November last year to 30th April; and if he will make a statement on the results of this experiment.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to his Question on 14th November, 1957. As regards the second part of the Question, the period of experimental suspension has only recently ended, and I will ask the Governor for an assessment of the results and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will have inquiries made to see if a bigger market for herring can be opened up in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Negotiations for a herring contract are now proceeding between the Herring Industry Board and the Soviet authorities. In recent years, however, the amount of herring available has usually been less than the amount the Soviet Union was prepared to buy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make inquiries as to the amount and quality of herring being taken by the Russians at different times of the year off Shetland in waters normally fished by British vessels.

According to the latest information available to my Department, the Soviet Union took 2,415 metric tons of herring from the North Sea in 1955, but I am unable to say how much was caught off Shetland. I am making inquiries to see whether any further figures can be obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the proposals in respect of rents of houses belonging to the Scottish Special Housing Association and to the First-Second Scottish National Housing Companies; and whether he will make a statement with regard to the rents of houses belonging to the new town development corporations of East Kilbride and Glenrothes.

Yes, I have approved the proposals in question and also broadly similar schemes relating to the rents of houses in these new towns. The various bodies will now take the necessary steps to communicate the details of the changes to their tenants, with a view to bringing the new rents into operation in the early autumn.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state, for each quarter of the years 1956 and 1957, the number of motor cars purchased in the United Kingdom for personal export to the Union of South Africa and the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, respectively, and which accompanied their owners on the same ship from the United Kingdom to either the Union of South Africa or Portuguese East Africa.

I regret that I cannot supply my hon. Friend with the information he requests.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if his attention has been called to the trade fair to be held in Peking in 1960 at which manufacturers are anxious to book space for exhibits but are finding difficulties in so doing because of the restrictions on trading with China; and, in view of the urgency to book space, if he will indicate at an early date the policy of the Government in respect of trade with China;(2) in view of the success of British exhibits at the New York motor show recently, if he will now take steps to encourage British manufacturers to book space at the fair to be held in Peking in 1960 and get into the great potential market of China.

I am aware that the Federation of British Industries are investigating the possibility of holding a British trade fair in Peking. They have been told that Her Majesty's Government will give their support if the fair is held. I realise that some firms may not wish to take space for exhibits pending the outcome of the review of the control lists now proceeding in Paris. We are doing our best to expedite this review, but many Governments are involved and it is bound to take some little time yet.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what arrangements are to be made by his Department in connection with the British Empire Games at Cardiff to interest Commonwealth visitors in Welsh industry and trade; and if he will make a statement;(2) what steps will be taken by his Department in connection with the Festival of Wales to interest foreign and Commonwealth visitors in Welsh industry and trade; and if he will make a statement.

These are primarily sporting and cultural events. The Board of Trade and the British Travel and Holidays Association will be glad to help visitors to see something of Welsh industry while they are in Wales, and I hope that the opportunity will be taken by local firms to interest visitors in Welsh industry and trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the trade negotiations with New Zealand.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the trade negotiations with the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand.

The negotiations for a revision of our Ottawa Agreement, held at the request of the New Zealand Government, began on 17th April and are still in the preliminary stage. There is nothing I can usefully report to the House at present. Mr. Skinner, the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, has been having separate discussions with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about our food import policy. These are regular discussions for which provision was made in the Agreement concluded with New Zealand last year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that arrangements have been made in Brussels for the dumping of a quantity of Belgian butter in this country at a price of 1s. 3d. per 1b.; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent this in the interests of both home and New Zealand producers.

Because of these reports, I have temporarily withdrawn the open general licence for butter so far as Belgium is concerned, pending discussions with the Belgian Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the film, "The Ten Commandments", is being booked by the Rank Organisation not only for the Gaumont-British Circuit but also for the Odeon Circuit; and what consideration he has given to the use of his powers under Section 5 of the Cinematograph Films Act, 1948, in this connection.

I understand that this film is not being released generally to any circuit. It will be shown as a special feature at a small number of cinemas in widely separated situations. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now indicate what progress is being made by Her Majesty's Government to form a closer association with Euratom other than direct membership; and whether the Government are to grant diplomatic recognition to Euratom in a similar manner to their recognition of the European Coal and Steel Community.

I can add nothing at the moment to my earlier replies to the hon. Member, but I hope to be able to give the House more information soon. Accrediting a representative to the Euratom Community is one of the questions which we have been examining.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will participate with the United States and Soviet Governments in technical discussions on methods of control and detection of nuclear tests; and if he will propose to the heads of the United States and Soviet Governments a trial period of cessation of tests whilst these discussions proceed.

The answer to the first part of the Question is that we are willing to take part in such a study, as my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary said yesterday; the answer to the second part of the Question is. "No".

asked the Prime Minister if he will consider reversing the Government policy in regard to development of the Swallow aircraft in view of the fact that Dr. Barnes Wallis, its inventor, is prepared to take it to another country to complete its development.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply explained in reply to Questions yesterday, Government support for the Swallow research project was withdrawn early last year because no early military application could be foreseen. Consideration is being given, however, to the possibility of other practicable applications. There is no proposal to have the work continued in any other country, but the United States Government are considering whether or not to include a project incorporating the principles of this design in its Mutual Aid Programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children are boarded out with foster parents; how many have been removed from foster parents by reason of remote geographical location; and how far in such cases the foster parents or their children have been consulted.

Of the 62,033 children in the care of local authorities in England and Wales on 31st March, 1957, 27,258, or 45 per cent. were boarded out. The information requested in the second and third parts of the Question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he is making with his consideration of the implementation of Sections 21–23 of the Legal Aid and Advice Act, 1949.

I propose to enter into discussions this summer with the Bar Council and the Law Society and with the associations representing the Local authorities on the practical problems which arise under Sections 21–23 of the Legal Aid and Advice Act, including the scale of fees to be laid down, with a view to implementing the Sections during the financial year 1959–60.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when a further statement may be expected on the Regent's Park Terraces.

The Statement by the Crown Estate Commissioners of 28th November, 1957, outlined their plans for the Regent's Park Terraces. These plans included a proposal to allow a period of at least one year to enable developers to consider the practicability of converting Nash Terraces into residential accommodation on a commercial basis. The Crown Estate Commissioners may be expected to make a further Statement as soon as they can usefully report how their plans are progressing.

asked the Minister of Labour what reply has been sent to the recent inquiry from the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation concerning the freedom of movement of trade union officials in Northern Rhodesia, asking how far they have been able to resume their trade union functions in full freedom, now that more than a year has elapsed since the ending of the state of emergency.

The reply to this inquiry has not yet been made.

asked the Minister of Labour why Mr. John Baldwin, 51, Marlborough Road, E.7, was accepted as fit for National Service and called into the Army, in view of the fact that he was found unfit for service a few weeks later as his hands were too small for him to be an efficient soldier.

Mr. Baldwin was found by a National Service Medical Board to be within the required medical standards for service in the Armed Forces and he was accordingly enlisted into the Army.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that for some time past the Pontypridd and Rhondda Hospitals Group has expressed to the Welsh Hospitals Board the view that the medical services now required at the Graig Hospital, Pontypridd, necessitate the services of a full-time medical officer; if he will inquire into this need; and if he will make a statement on his proposals in this matter.

I am informed that the board, whose responsibility this is, has recently appointed an additional consultant to this hospital and proposes to defer consideration of any further appointment pending experience of the effect of this increase in staff and the result of a general review of hospital services for the chronic sick now in progress.

asked the Minister of Health what is the attack rate of paralytic poliomyelitis per 100,000 of the population aged over 20 years; and what is the death rate of paralytic poliomyelitis in that age class.

Separate figures related to age 20 are not available. For ages 15 and over the attack rate in England and Wales in 1957 was 3·1 per 100,000 and for ages 25 and over 2·7 per 100,000; death rates were 0·3 in each case.

asked the Minister of Health how many children per 100,000 of the population under 15 years of age contracted paralytic poliomyelitis in each of the years 1950 to 1957.

39·4, 10·1, 18·7, 19·3, 9·4, 25·0, 11·1 and 20·3, respectively.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give a list of the local authorities which now have county colleges.

Since the relevant Sections of the Education Act, 1944, have not yet been brought into force, there are no county colleges as defined in the Act. If the hon. Member has any other point in mind, perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Minister of Education how many voluntary teachers' training colleges there are which receive full maintenance grant from his Department.

Fifty.

asked the Minister of Education (1) how many persons are employed as non-teaching staff in the voluntary teachers' training colleges;(2) how many of the persons employed, other than teaching staff, in the voluntary teachers' training colleges qualify for pensions which are grant-aided; and what is the total yearly grant in respect thereof;(3) how many of the persons employed, other than teaching staff, in the voluntary teachers' training colleges do not qualify for pensions; and what would be the total yearly grant if such staff were treated as pensionable on the same terms as the staff employed in local authority training colleges.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Education the total numbers of juniors and infants in maintained schools in 1945, 1950, and 1955, and his estimates for 1960 and 1965, respectively.

The numbers are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether agreement has yet been reached with the shipping industry on the possibility of supplementing the quinquennial invisible exports inquiry by more frequent surveys of a modified kind.

The possibility of making such supplementary surveys is still being explored with the shipping industry.