asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the estimated cost of raising the pensions of widows receiving only 10s. a week under insurance Acts prior to 1948 to an amount sufficient to restore its purchasing power to that of 10s. in 1939.

Rather more than £6 million a year.

asked the Minister of Supply what he intends to do with his Department's depot at Malehurst.

This factory is on care and maintenance; the need for its further retention is at present under review.

asked the Minister of Health when the Committee on drug addiction intends to begin its examination of the risks attending the use of preparations containing carbromal, or carbromal and bromvaletone.

This is a matter for the Committee to fit appropriately into its general programme of work.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking to encourage the registration for poliomyelitis vaccination of children who have not yet registered for treatment.

Medical Officers of Health have already been asked to take appropriate action to raise the registration rate and when details of the arrangements for the extended programme are sent out my right hon. and learned Friend proposes to remind local health authorities of the need to make every effort to raise the rate as high as possible.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to receive the report of the Royal Commission on doctors' pay.

I have nothing to add to the Answer given on 14th July to a Question by the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. K. Robinson).

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to make an Order in Council applying the relevant provisions of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, to hospitals.

This proposal has been examined from time to time; but I do not think it is necessarily essential in order to attain desirable standards.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has so far been made with the preliminary and preparatory work in connection with the new teaching hospital to be erected in South Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Examination of the promoters' proposals is nearing completion, but I am not at present able to add further to the reply to my hon. Friend on 19th May.

asked the Minister of Health the present number of nurses and student nurses within the administration of the Eastern Regional Board; approximately, how many of these are from other countries than the United Kingdom; and to what extent the present intake of student nurses has decreased from previous years.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. At 31st March, 1958, the number of nursing staff employed in hospitals administered by that Board was 9,537 whole-time and 2,313 part-time, and included 4,283 student nurses. I regret that I have no information about how many of these were from other countries. The intake of student nurses has been steadily rising and the number in March this year was about 38 per cent. higher than in 1949.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will carry out a full investigation into present hospital provision for accident cases.

My right hon. and learned Friend relies on regional hospital boards to keep hospital provision for accident cases under review and he is not satisfied that a central investigation would be helpful.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking to ensure that new hospital buildings are readily adaptable to changing conditions.

This need is being taken into account when the schemes of hospital authorities are examined in my Department and in the preparation of guidance on hospital design by the Department's Design Unit.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the members appointed by himself and the Secretary of State for Scotland to the working party on medical staffing of hospitals had experience of the staffing problems of any other than teaching hospitals.

All six. Two are currently serving in non-teaching hospitals; the other four are concerned in the Health Departments with the staffing problems of the hospital service as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many formations serving in the Middle East are armed with the F.N. rifle, the L2 sub-machine gun and the Mobat, respectively.

Substantial numbers of all these weapons are now available in the Middle East. It would not be in the public interest to give details.

asked the Secretary of State for War the dates on which 20th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, and 34th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, joined the 19th Infantry Brigade; whether they did so to carry out infantry roles; and what training they received to qualify them to do so satisfactorily.

These units joined the brigade on 17th January and 16th June respectively. Their role is that of infantry engaged in internal security duties. The basic training of all fighting arms is designed to fit them for infantry duties, including those connected with internal security. In this case the regiments concerned have been given further training in internal security duties. Other units of the Royal Artillery have been similarly employed with success in recent years.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will consider requiring in future that all constructional work to be executed for his Department shall be drawn on a dimensionally modular co-ordinated plan as is now required for the War Department of the United States of America, to enable it to be carried out more quickly, cheaply and easily.

A War Office architect is a member of the committee of the British Standards Institution which is investigating modular co-ordination, and we are interested also in the work being done on the subject by the Building Research Station. We are keeping in touch with the development of this new principle with a view to its adoption for Army building when its advantages have been established.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the military equipment left in Jordan after the evacuation on 6th July, 1957, classified under the appropriate sub-headings of paragraph (v) of the letter addressed to Her Majesty's Ambassador at Amman dated 13th March, 1957, as shown on pages 2 and 3 of Command Paper No. 186.

No. The Government of Jordan regard these details as secret and it would not therefore be proper for me to disclose them.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes' supplies are available for troops serving in the Arabian Peninsula.

Supplies are available in Aden and Bahrein and are now being taken to Jordan.

asked the Minister of Defence on what date he received the Report of the Committee presided over by Sir James Grigg to consider, inter alia, Service recruiting; and when the Report will be published.

I have not yet received the Report, but I hope to do so shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action is being taken to end the deadlock caused by the rejection by the Legislative Council of Northern Rhodesia of the White Paper proposals for a new constitution.

It is a misleading simplification to say that the Legislative Council rejected the White Paper proposals. A number of differing views were revealed in the debate; my right hon. Friend is now engaged in discussing the proposed constitution with the Governor and a delegation from the Legislative Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what amounts from the £2,635,535 approved by the Executive Board of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund at its recent session for assistance programmes will be allocated to maternal and child welfare services and to malaria eradication and control in Kenya, Tanganyika, and Uganda, respectively.

No allocations were made at the session of the Executive Board of U.N.I.C.E.F. held in March last to malaria eradication and control in Kenya, Tanganyika or Uganda. An allocation of $US 45,000 (£16,071) was made to the Government of Kenya, and $US 50,000 (£17,857) to the Government of Tanganyika for maternal and child welfare services. No allocation was made, and none requested, in respect of these services in Uganda.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals have been made by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund Executive Board to spread knowledge of the importance of child welfare work, following the establishment of the chair of pediatrics and chlid welfare at Makerere College, among the medical profession and the general public in Kenya, Tanganyika, and Uganda, respectively; and what facilities at present exist for the implementation of such proposals.

I am asking the Administrator of the East Africa High Commission for this information and will write to the hon. Lady when I receive his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many detainees have been transferred from Agutlie Work Camp to Hola Open Camp, Garrisa, Kenya, during the past six weeks; and for what reasons.

As I do not have figures for movements between camps during the period in question I am consulting the Governor and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which camps in Kenya Akwirimo Njogu has been detained; and whether he will make a statement on the course of this man's imprisonment.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th June, 1958; Vol. 589, c. 1309], supplied the following information:Mr. Akwirimo Njogu was detained under Emergency Regulations on 9th June, 1953, when he was sent to Athi River Detention Camp. He was held in detention camps at MacKinnon Road, Manyani, Mageta, Athi River and Kajiado successively from 12th July, 1955, to 11th July, 1957, when he was transferred to Mwea Camp.He attempted to commit suicide by drowning on 31st October, 1957, but this attempt was frustrated by other detainees. After this he began to respond to rehabilitation. He was recommended for repatriation to a camp in his district of origin; his wife and children were allowed to visit him; and he could look forward to release. Subsequently, however, he retracted his statements in renunciation of Mau Mau and he committed suicide by hanging on the night of 4th May. 1958.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether a representative of the European Productivity Agency has yet visited this country to investigate small-scale wood pulping developments; and, if so, what were his findings.

Two Canadian consultants visted the United Kingdom earlier this year. The European Productivity Agency expects to receive their report by the end of the year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from British importers concerning the desirability of carrying forward any reduction in the cost of imported consumer goods for the benefit of the consumer, or, alternatively, of retaining the advantage of such fluctuations by the importer or manufacturer or retailer for his own benefit or to make up for former losses.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to recent complaints by many British growers of flower bulbs that the present system of allocating imported bulb quotas on the basis of purchases made in 1951 results in unfairness to those who now require substantially larger quantities than they ordered in 1951, and in the unjustifiable enrichment of those who were large purchasers of bulbs in 1951 but who no longer require them and are able to sell their quota rights at high prices; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

While not accepting all the implications of my hon. and gallant Friend's Question. I recognise that a system which relates import quota allocations to past trade has disadvantages. I am satisfied, however, that so long as it is necessary to retain the present restrictions this is the fairest method we can adopt.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will publish a list of the members of the Hemel Hempstead New Town Corporation.

The membership of the Corporation is as follows:H. W. Wells, Esq., C.B.E., F.R.I.C.S., F.A.I. (

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware that 100 acres of good agricultural land at Fordington, Dorchester, Dorset, is to be taken from the provision of accommodation for atomic energy staff from Winfrith Heath, despite the assurance given on behalf of the authority at the public inquiry that no substantial area of good land would be taken directly or indirectly; and why he is supporting the acquisition of this land which is in disregard of the undertaking.

At present only 60 acres are to be taken, and this area lies inside the line of the proposed Dorchester by-pass as approvevd in the County Development Plan. I am satisfied that there was no satisfactory alternative, and that the local planning authority has not overlooked the need to conserve good agricultural land so far as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to make known to farmers the facilities for assistance, particularly for farm improvements, which can be obtained from the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation.

The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation makes loans on first mortgage for up to 60 years at fixed interest rates to owners and purchasers of agricultural properties in England and Wales. As my hon. Friend may have noticed, the Corporation has recently announced a reduction in its lending rate to 6 per cent.The Corporation also makes loans to landowners under the provisions of the Improvement of Lands Acts, 1864 and 1899 for carrying out improvements to agricultural land and buildings. These loans are charged on the land improved by rent charges repayable over periods up to 40 years and may be granted even although a mortgage loan already exists.Local bank managers will give all information, and if necessary assist in completing application forms. Descriptive leaflets and application forms can also be obtained direct from the Corporation.Under the Improvement of Lands Acts applications for improvement loans have to be submitted by the Corporation to my Department for examination and later the work done is inspected by my officers. If the improvements for which a loan is required are to be carried out under the Farm Improvement Scheme much time and trouble would be saved if the applicant would indicate his intention to raise a loan when submitting his application for grant so that both can be considered together.

asked the Minister of Education the total amount of grant by his Department to voluntary bodies, recognised for the purposes of the youth service, for the current year; how this compares with the grant for 1956–57; and what are the comparable figures for the following organisations, namely, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, National Association of Girls' Clubs, National Association of Boys' Clubs, and Young Farmers' Clubs.

The amounts of grant offered to the national voluntary youth organisations are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will investigate the possibility of making Income Tax allowance available for the purchase of essential technical books by salaried professional people in connection with their work.

My right hon. Friend reviewed before the Budget the whole question which expenses should rank for tax relief under Schedule E, but did not feel able to propose any extension of the present law beyond that contained in Clause 16 of the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pictures belonging to the National Gallery are not on exhibition; and where they are kept.

The present distribution of the National Gallery collection is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish, as a convenient work of reference, a factual survey of Government activity and expenditure in the field of the arts in Great Britain.

Yes. My right hon. Friend recently authorised the preparation of such a survey. It will be published by the Stationery Office under the title "Government and the Arts in Britain" on Thursday, 31st July.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amounts of loans borrowed by local authorities from the Public Works Loan Board for not more than 5 years, more than 5 years but not more than 15 years, and more than 15 years, respectively, during the year 1957, and during the period from 1st January to 30th June, 1958.

The amounts of loans borrowed by local authorities from the Public Works Loan Board for the periods in question are:

asked the Paymaster General what steps he has taken, as requested by the London Electricity Board, to arrange for an independent inquiry into the methods adopted by the Board for the disposal of scrap cable and the allegations which have been made regarding these matters.

I am glad to be able to inform the House that Mr. Henry Benson, of Messrs. Cooper Brothers and Company, Chartered Accountants, has agreed, at my noble Friend's request, to carry out this inquiry on his behalf.

asked the Postmaster-General how many Arabs, including those who have acquired British nationality, are regularly employed by the British Broadcasting Corporation for the purpose of giving news commentaries to the Middle East.

The British Broadcasting Corporation tells me that in the Arabic Service it employs 28 Arab staff—including those who have acquired British nationality—for the purpose of translating and broadcasting to the Arab world British Broadcasting Corporation news, news commentaries and supporting programmes.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will publish particulars of the extent of the services which are being provided by his Department at the Commonwealth and Empire Games Village, St. Athan.

I am pleased to say that we have received much praise for the work of the Post Office staff in connection with the British Empire and Commonwealth Games.A special Post Office was established at St. Athan, and letters posted there were given a special postmark commemorating the Games. We also opened a special telephone exchange "Empire Village". together with a new exchange in Cardiff, "Empire Games", and special intercommunication systems at each of the venues of the Games. There was also a new Post Office Cable and Wireless telegraph station at St. Athan, which was always ready for business—the operators slept in a caravan beside their equipment—with enough circuits to enable sports results to be transmitted all over the world with a minimum of delay; up to Sunday night some 463,000 words had been sent by telegram from the Games to countries overseas. From this station it was possible to send messages direct over the transatlantic cable. Television and sound broadcasting circuits were provided for radio commentators for British and overseas programmes, and many special facilities were provided for the Press. Altogether a thousand miles of wire were provided for telecommunication facilities for the Games.A special booklet was issued by the Post Office to all competitors and Press correspondents: I am having copies of the booklet placed in the Library.