asked the Paymaster-General if he will make a statement concerning the new steel project contemplated by Messrs. Richard Thomas and Baldwins Limited in South Wales.

No.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will ensure that the Weir Committee, which he has set up to consider aspects of the administration of the electricity and gas industries, will take account of the advantages which have accrued in Wales through the institution of a separate Wales Gas Board; how the administration of services of a like kind by the two industries in Wales could be facilitated by the creation of a Wales Electricity Board, with the same geographical boundaries, and if he will make a statement.

No. This question was fully considered by the Herbert Committee which found the difference in boundaries in Wales to be financially advantageous to Welsh consumers.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many immigrants from the Commonwealth and Colonies were in receipt of unemployment benefit and National Assistance on the last convenient date.

I regret that this information is not available, as statistics are not kept of the countries of origin of recipients of these payments.

asked the Minister of Health what tests have been carried out to date in the United Kingdom on the new Soviet vaccine for multiple sclerosis, and with what results; and when this vaccine is likely to be made available for private use and under the National Health Service.

There has so far been no reply to the inquiries that have been sent to the Soviet Union about this vaccine, and I therefore cannot as yet add anything to my reply on behalf of my noble and learned Friend the Lord President of the Council to my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Dr. D. Johnson) on 28th April.

asked the Minister of Health what investigation he has made of the possibility that feeding myopic children extra protein may save their sight from deterioration; and what action he is taking to ensure that such extra protein is given to children whose sight is so affected.

I have made no such investigations but some research on the subject is in progress; a preliminary report has been published but it would be premature to consider any action at this stage.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements are available through the International Red Cross whereby supplies of blood plasma could be available free of charge in the United States of America to British children who are taken there for the closure of ventricular septal defects.

I do not know of any such arrangements.

asked the Minister of Health if he has yet considered the comments of the Central Health Services Council on the Report of the sub-committee of the Standing Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement.

The Council made no comment on the Report and I am now considering the recommendations contained in it.

asked the Minister of Health how many invalid tricycles are in use under the provisions of the National Health Service Act; and the annual cost of providing and administering this service.

At the end of March in England and Wales 3,473 hand-propelled tricycles and 10,655 power-propelled tricycles were on issue to National Health Service patients. The estimated cost in 1957–8 of providing and repairing invalid tricycles for National Health Service patients was £1,268,000. I regret that the cost of administration is not separately available.

asked the Minister of Health, the average cost of a National Health Service prescription in Bournemouth, Eastbourne, Worthing, Weston-super-Mare, Blackpool, Manchester, Liverpool, Hull, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle and Sunderland, respectively, on the latest date for which figures are available.

The approximate average cost in March, 1958, is given in the following table, except for Worthing and Weston-super-Mare which are not Executive Council areas, and for which separate figures are therefore not available: s. d. Bournemouth … … … 6 8½ Eastbourne … … … 7 0 Blackpool … … … 6 9½ Manchester … … … 6 3½ Liverpool … … … 5 8 Hull … … … 6 1½ Sheffield … … … 5 3½ Leeds … … … 5 9 Newcastle … … … 6 10 Sunderland … … … 5 10½

The average cost for the County Executive Council areas in which Worthing and Weston-super-Mare are included are: s. d. Sussex West (includes Worthing) 7 0½ Somerset (includes Weston-super-Mare) 6 6½

asked the Minister of Education what steps are being taken to observe the 400th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth the First's accession to the throne in the schools of England and Wales in November of this year.

My right hon. Friend thinks that it is for individual schools to decide whether to observe this anniversary and he is sure that those which consider it proper to do so will mark the occasion in a suitable way.

asked the Minister of Education the intentions of Her Majesty's Government in regard to adopting the recommendations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in respect of the international principles applicable to archæological excavations.

The recommendations have been brought to the notice of the appropriate departments and organisations in this country. It is unlikely that any special action in regard to their adoption will be necessary, since the international principles recommended are generally in accordance with British practice.

asked the Minister of. Education the average percentage of grammar school places available in England and in Wales, respectively; and the percentages available in the counties of Kent, Surrey, Lancashire and Durham.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of List 69.

asked the Minister of Education if he has yet completed his investigation into the circumstances of the Manchester schools' excursion on 22nd May when the train's communication cord was pulled on eight occasions thereby delaying the train by over two hours and affecting the service of other trains; and what action he has taken.

The investigation is not yet complete. I will write to my hon. Friend when I have a full report.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in view of mounting public feeling over the choice of site for the proposed Adur viaduct bridge at Old Shoreham, Sussex, he will agree to settle the new bridge line by negotiation and agreement with the appointed representatives of the local bodies which have expressed concern, rather than to impose the line arbitrarily and force a public inquiry.

The proposal is in an early stage and, in accordance with our normal practice, we do not intend to publish a draft Order showing a proposed line for the new bridge until we have consulted the appropriate authorities.

We will also bear in mind the views which have been expressed to us by the local bodies referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many acres of agricultural land have been taken over during the last year, to the latest convenient date, for building, road development, recreational, and other purposes; and how many acres are to be taken over for these purposes in the next twelve-months' period.

I regret that information as to the amount of agricultural land taken over for these purposes is not available but my hon. and gallant Friend may care to refer to Chapter 8 of the Department of Agriculture's Annual Report for 1957 which shows the areas of agricultural land approved during the year for transfer to other uses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how the number of regular full-time male agricultural workers in Scotland today compares with the figure for June, 1957.

The June, 1958 Agricultural Return figure of full-time male agricultural workers in Scotland is not yet available. The latest information which my right hon. Friend has is as follows: June, 1957, 66,084; December, 1957, 65,405.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect he estimates that the abolition of the retirement condition, the earnings rule and the system of increments would have approximately on the Revenue in 1960, assuming present rates of pension were paid at 60 for women and 65 for men unconditionally.

Assuming that the employment of retired people will not be affected there would be a gain of Income Tax and Surtax of the order of £20 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates would be the additional cost to the House of Commons Members' Fund if retirement pensions of £500 per annum were payable without examination of means to hon. Members who had reached the age of 65 or 70 years, respectively, and had rendered a total of at least 20 years' service as Members.

If such pensions were paid to those existing former Members who have reached age 65 the additional annual cost to the fund today is estimated at £28,000; and at £23,000 if paid only to those who have reached age 70. I can make no estimate for the future.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the number of unemployed at the Lincoln Employment Exchange nearly doubled last month; and whether he will make a statement on his plans for finding alternative work for them.

The apparent increase to which the hon. Member draws attention is due to the fact that the day of the April count was a day of employment for about 700 short-time workers. On the day of the May count, they were unemployed. There was no substantial change in the total volume of short-time working between April and May. The number of persons wholly unemployed fell slightly and continues to represent a percentage rate below the national average. Both the wholly unemployed and those temporarily stopped workers who wish to be considered for other employment are being given every assistance by the employment exchange.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered the petition signed by more than 1,000 residents of the Ermine Estate (West), Lincoln, sent to him by the hon. Member for Lincoln, asking for a sub-post office to be opened on the estate; and whether he will grant this request.

I have considered the petition but I am sorry that I should not be justified in opening an office on this estate for which reasonable facilities are already available on the Ermine (East) Estate and at other nearby offices.

asked the Postmaster-General when a Crown Post Office is to be provided at East Kilbride.

We hope to open a new office by the end of this year. This is a temporary arrangement; the construction of a permanent new Crown Post Office will start about the same time, and should be finished by December, 1960.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephones are now working in East Kilbride; and how many applicants are awaiting service.

At 31st May, 1,811 telephones were working. There were 57 applications outstanding, with an additional 99 in course of provision or under inquiry.

During the past twelve months nearly 700 telephones have been installed.

asked the Secretary of State for War the maximum capacity of hutted accommodation in Ranikhet Camp, Reading, at any time since its construction and before any part of the land was disposed of.

The maximum hutted accommodation was for 500 men, in accordance with the design and construction of the original camp. This takes no account of any temporary adaptations which may have been made during the war and of which no records have been kept.

asked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the Government's decision to end National Service, what are his proposals for maintaining the supply of officers to the Territorial Army.

On 1st May, 1958, there were sufficient volunteer officers in the Territorial Army to fill 72 per cent. of the establishment. This is a satisfactory position which we need to maintain and improve if possible. In particular, we require more young volunteer officers to come into the T.A. including those who, because of the reduced call-up, have had no full-time Army experience.

At present, men under the age of 26 may not be commissioned in the T.A. unless they have completed their whole-time National Service. This rule is being amended. In future, all men between the ages of 18 and 30 will be eligible provided that: ( a ) they are recommended by the regiment or corps and vacancies exist for them in the units of their choice; ( b ) they possess Certificate A or B—otherwise they must first join the ranks and obtain a satisfactory report after one annual camp; ( c ) they are approved by a Command Selection Board; ( d ) they have the academic qualifications required by their arm of the Service

Successful candidates will be on probation as second lieutenants for two years. During that time they must obtain satisfactory reports at an annual camp and, unless they hold Certificate B, must attend a fifteen-day course at Officer Cadet School.