asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in the mining industry of Northern Rhodesia regarding the appointment of African apprentices for skilled work; what opportunities are provided for the training of Africans on a multiracial basis; and the number of Africans who are receiving training for skilled jobs for the years 1957 to 1959.

Africans have been eligible for admission to apprenticeships in the mining industry only since June this year and none has yet been appointed. There is no provision for multi-racial training in the industry. The training of Africans for skilled and semiskilled jobs is provided within the industry at all stages of mining. Details of the numbers receiving training are not available, but if the Governor can supply them I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what decisions have been reached as a result of his consultations with the Governor of Nyasaland with regard to the proposal to bring European agriculture in Nyasaland under Federal direction; and what discussion took place on the future of the marketing of tobacco in Nyasaland.

The Governor intends to discuss these matters with the Federal authorities in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the causes of the recent disturbances in Nyasaland, at Blantyre and Zomba; what proposals have been made by the Nyasaland Government to prevent unrest; and if he will make a statement.

At Blantyre, following a meeting addressed by Dr. Banda, a small hooligan element in a large crowd of Africans waiting at a bus terminal threw stones at passing cars. This lasted for only a short period and ceased immediately the police arrived. There were two incidents at Zomba. At the first, an enthusiastic crowd surrounded the car of Dr. Banda and the police had difficulty in clearing a way. There were unruly incidents and three arrests were made for obstructing the police.On the second occasion an unruly crowd assembled in the town while Dr. Banda was attending a meeting in the Government Secretariat. The crowd was ordered to disperse and, of those who refused to do this, fifteen were arrested for obstruction and assaulting the police. Reports of these incidents have caused some public concern and the Nyasaland Government has issued a statement expressing its determination to maintain law and order and to deal firmly with those who disturb public tranquillity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in view of the sour and weevilled condition of much of the maize flour on the market in Uganda, and in view of its importance in school and family feeding, he will recommend the Government of Uganda to introduce legislation to ensure the purity of foodstuffs on sale.

Such legislation is in the final stage of drafting and will shortly be introduced into the Legislative Council in the form of a new Food and Drugs Bill.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to prevent condemned meat from being used in the manufacture of pies, cooked meat, etc.

The use for such purposes of meat unfit for human consumption is already prohibited under the Food and Drugs Act, whether the meat has been condemned or not. I am satisfied that the law is effectively enforced by Food and Drugs Authorities. If the hon. Lady has any particular instances in mind, perhaps she will let me know

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his attention has been drawn to the statement made by the President of the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders' Associations concerning world shortage of beef and the present scarcity which would reach its peak next spring; and what reply he has made to the request from the Association for guidance in regard to policy and prices.

I have not been approached by the Federation, but I see from the Press report which the hon. Lady kindly sent me that the Federation was primarily concerned about a possible scarcity of meat next spring. On this I would refer the hon. Lady to the replies which I gave on 10th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will now make a full statement on the results of his research on the fluorine poisons which had a serious effect on cattle at the Fenton Farm in the city of Stoke-on-Trent;(2) on what date he first received a communication from the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, on the dangers of fluorine poisons; how many further communications he has since received from the same hon. Member; and if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the undertakings which he has given in response to these communications.

As the hon. Member was informed in the reply given to him on 1st August, 1957, a full report of the work at Fenton Manor Farm cannot be made until the experiments have been completed, and this will probably not be before the end of 1959.The hon. Member first wrote on 16th June, 1952. Since then six letters and six Parliamentary Questions have been answered, and three interim reports on investigations at Fenton Manor Farm into the effect of fluorine poisoning on farm livestock have been sent to him as promised. The only undertakings I have been able to trace are promises to keep the hon. Member informed of progress. This has been done and I shall continue to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the loans made by the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation for improvement of fixed equipment have fallen from £391,000 in 1955–56 to £278,000 in 1957–58.

The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation informs me that it received fewer applications for loans specifically for improvements to fixed equipment in 1957–58. As the hon. Member will know, I said on the Second Reading of the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Bill that approaches for finance for these purposes have so far not been as many as I should have hoped. I hope that farmers will realise the facilities that the Corporation and also the Lands Improvement Company are prepared to offer in this connection.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what grounds he estimates that some fertilisers are now cheaper than they will be later on.

The trade in general quote lower net prices for some fertilisers during the off-peak period from July to February.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will appoint a representative of the Welsh Beekeepers' Association on the Domestic Food Producers' Council and on the Bee Diseases Committee.

The members of both these bodies are appointed in a personal capacity and not as representing any particular society or association. Welsh interests and beekeeping matters generally are adequately represented on the National Council for Domestic Food Production, and I do not propose to increase the Council's membership at present. The Bee Disease Advisory Committee has recently recommended an increase in its membership, and I have agreed to the addition of a member for Wales. The appointment will be made soon.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now received the detailed proposals of the Essex River Board to improve flood control in the valley of the River Crouch; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, whether the scheme to improve flood control in the Wickford area has now been prepared by engineers of the Essex River Board; when the Essex River Board will meet to consider the scheme; and when he expects to have the scheme before him for approval.

A scheme, on which there has already been some consultation with the engineers of my Ministry, is to be considered at a meeting of the River Board tomorrow, and, if approved, I expect it to be submitted to me immediately for approval in principle.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he had with the representatives of the consumer interests before he decided to change the guarantee arrangements for potatoes.

I have the interests of all consumers constantly in mind, but these arrangements deal with guarantees to the producer. The new arrangements were therefore agreed with the farming industry and the question of consultation with consumer interests did not arise. Production policy is not affected by the change in the system.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the proposed arrangements for the guarantees on potatoes will ensure the planting of an acreage sufficient to supply the home market in an average yield year; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have agreed with the producers' representatives a price under the new guarantee arrangements that is equivalent to the present support price. I see no reason why the change in system should lead to any reduction in the present acreage which given average yields is sufficient to meet our requirements of ware potatoes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ask the Agricultural Research Council to advise what action should be taken on the report of the Natural Resources (Technical) Committee under Sir Solly Zuckerman's chairmanship which urges the need for more careful selection of breeding ewes and rams to raise the efficiency of fat lamb production and wool production in the United Kingdom.

As this recommendation raises primarily a question of development rather than research, I propose first to consult the Agricultural Improvement Council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will issue regulations on the construction of slaughterhouses under the Slaughterhouses Act, 1958.

I hope to lay the regulations shortly before the House rises for the Christmas Recess.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the rise and fall in food and agricultural production for each of the months from January, 1951, until December, 1951, compared with January, 1958, until the latest convenient stated monthly date, taking as the basis January, 1951, being equal to 100.

There are no monthly figures for agricultural production, but agricultural net output is estimated to be about 12 per cent. higher in 1957–58 than in 1950–51. The index of monthly production of manufactured foods, which I am circulating below, refers to the processing in this country of both home-produced and imported foods.

INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION*—FOOD MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
(January, 1951=100)
—		1951	1958
January	…	100	114
February	…	100	118
March	…	97	121
April	…	100	123
May	…	104	132
June	…	109	131
July	…	99
August	…	94
September	…	94
October	…	101
November	…	106
December	…	99
* Series based on 1948 weights adjusted to January, 1951=100. A revised series based on 1954 weights has recently been published, but this is not available for the years 1951–53.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether

			Value of Imports (a) of Food and Beverages		Volume of Imports (a) of Food and Beverages		Estimated Total Personal Expenditure on Food
—			£m.	c.i.f.	(1st Quarter 1951=100)		At current prices £ million		Revalued at average 1954 prices £ million
			1951	1958	1951	1958	1951	1958	1951	1958
January	…	…	94·7	114·9	100	131	664	1,108	860	978
February	…	…	85·9	108·2
March	…	…	97·9	119·8
April	…	…	105·7	120·7	124	129	739	1,179	877	1,013
May	…	…	118·5	115·9
June	…	…	119·5	117·8
July	…	…	114·1	127·6	115	128	797	—	926	—
August	…	…	115·9	112·9
September	…	…	89·2	112·2
October	…	…	98£6	121£6	99	—	787	—	921	—
November	…	…	92·0	—
December	…	…	94·0	—
(a) Class A of the Trade and Navigation Accounts, less A.11 (Tobacco).

I am circulating below a table showing the monthly value of food imports, together with quarterly indices of the volume of imports and quarterly estimates of personal expenditure on food over the relevant periods. The latter information is not available on a monthly basis, but the quantities of individual foodstuffs imported each month have been published in considerable detail in the Trade and Navigation Accounts. The important point to bear in mind is that the total volume of food consumption in the first half of this year was nearly 15 per cent. higher than in the first half of 1951, after allowing for changes in food prices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the advisability of extending the operation of Summer Time until the end of October.

I am not at present persuaded that the introduction by the Government of legislation to extend permanently the period of Summer Time would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Victor Jureczko, an alien who was fined by magistrates at Havant on 14th October the sum of £2 for assault and £2 for disorderly conduct and against whom no deportation order was recommended by the magistrate despite previous convictions for shop breaking, larceny and common assault; and whether he will now make such a deportation order, in view of the fact that this criminal record was not known to the magistrate at the time.

No. My information is that the court were made aware of this man's record before passing sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that members of fire brigades have been subjected to danger when attending fires at road crashes in which tanker lorries, carrying inflammable gases or liquids, are involved because there has been no indication on the lorry what its cargo was, and because the lorry driver has not known either; and if he will take steps to compel owners of such lorries to mark clearly thereon the nature of the contents, so that unnecessary risk can be avoided.

I am about to start discussions on this subject with the trade interests concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the terms of a technical bulletin on fire-service matters sent by his Department to local fire authorities advising that firemen should wear civilian gas-masks as a protection against the risk of inhalation of smoke containing particles emitting alpha radiation in the vicinity of a fire or other incident involving radioactive materials whenever proper breathing apparatus is not available, in view of the fact that a person wearing a gas-mask in smoke is unable to detect the more lethal dangers occasioned by the presence of carbon-monoxide or the absence of oxygen.

The fact that respirators of the civilian duty pattern are no protection against carbon monoxide or the absence of oxygen is well known. It follows that firemen should not wear respirators in circumstances where the wearing of self-contained breathing apparatus would be necessary to provide protection against these dangers. In view, however, of the representations I have received on this subject, I am considering the issue of a further circular emphasising this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been given the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents for home safety work during 1958; and what approaches have been made to him regarding increasing the amount for 1959 and subsequent years.

The three-year period during which an annual grant of £1,500 was paid to the Royal Society for home safety work terminated at the end of the last financial year, and no provision has been made for any payment during the present year. The Society has made a request to me for a renewal of the grant at a higher level, and I have today written to the Society proposing, subject to Parliamentary approval, that a grant of up to £1,500 should be paid to it, for the year 1959–60 only, on conditions set out in the letter. In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, I am also prepared to arrange for an additional amount of up to £1,500 to assist the Society in extending its work in Scotland and the North of England.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the number of accidents caused by the use of flick knives by young people; and what action he is proposing to take in this matter.

I have no information about accidents caused by the use of flick knives by young persons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is his intention to introduce Statutory Instruments to bring into operation the Maintenance Orders Act, 1958.

I propose to appoint a day (which I hope will be early in the New Year) for the Act to come into operation as soon as the necessary Rules of Court have been made. Supreme Court, County Court and Magistrates' Courts Rules will be submitted to the appropriate committees shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is proposing to take in future years to deal with the increasing nuisance and damage to property caused by fireworks.

While I regret the nuisance and damage occasionally caused by fireworks, I do not think that a case has been made out for legislation increasing the present control of their manufacture and use.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been drawn to the decision in the High Court to the effect that mobile shops trading on Sundays and statutory half-days do not come within the Shops Act, 1950; and, in view of the fact that this decision will operate to the disadvantage of ordinary shopkeepers, whether he will introduce amending legislation on this subject.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Morpeth (Mr. Owen) on 4th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the circumstances in which Daniel Killgallon, now serving eight years' preventive detention in Nottingham Prison for house-breaking, has been re-arrested and sentenced for four further house-breaking offences committed while on parole before the expiry of his original sentence.

Since 1954 certain selected preventive detention prisoners in the last stage of their sentences have been allowed to work at normal jobs outside prison returning to the prison at night. Killgallon committed offences while absent from the prison under this scheme and on 12th November was sentenced to a further eight years' preventive detention. I regret that in this individual case the trust on which the scheme depends proved to be misplaced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made with his proposed plans for providing compensation for the dependants of a murdered bread-winner and other victims of crimes of violence.

I would refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the Answer which I gave on 6th November to the hon. Member for Morpeth (Mr. Owen).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bank robberies have occurred in the United Kingdom in each of the years 1948 to 1958, inclusive; how many of these in each year resulted in the wounding of bank personnel; and what arrangements have been made for the Metropolitan Police to consult the British Bankers' Association, the Employers' Council of the Trustee Savings Banks and the Scottish Bank Employers' Federation with a view to improving security measures at all branches of their banks in the Metropolitan Police area, and so reducing the number and nature of these robberies.

The statistical information for which the hon. Gentleman asks is not available. Assuming, however, that he has in mind entries into banks during working hours, I am informed that in the Metropolitan Police District there was one bank robbery in 1957, and three in 1958. No one was injured in 1957; two persons were injured in 1958. The security of bank premises must remain a matter for the proprietors, but the advice of the police is always available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statutory duties have been added to the work of the Probation Service in England and Wales since the last departmental inquiry into the work of the Probation Service.

Since the Departmental Committee on the Social Services in Courts of Summary Jurisdiction reported in 1936, the additional statutory duties shown below have been assigned to probation officers. All these duties, except that last mentioned, were already being performed by probation officers to a greater or lesser extent before 1936.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend his regulations for the recruitment of the police so as to clarify the position in regard to the antecedents of parents of candidates of good character.

I have looked again at the Police Regulations, 1952, and think that they are sufficiently clear for their purpose.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the number of new schools completed in Wales during 1957–58, the number of new places provided, the number of new schools authorised in Wales for 1958–59, and the number of school places to be provided.

Thirty-two new schools were completed in 1957–58 and 14,625 new places were taken into use. Comparable estimates for 1958–59 are 30 and 15,355, respectively. In addition, work has started, or can be started so far as my Department is concerned, on 38 new schools and some 20,000 new places which will not be ready for use by the end of March, 1959. The figures for new places under each head include some places to be provided by extensions or improvements as distinct from new schools.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware of the action of the Birkenhead Corporation in prosecuting the father of an 11-year-old girl to enforce the order made that he should send the child to Claughton Road Special School; whether he is further aware that the father of the child is willing to arrange for the child to be privately educated in a private school of good local reputation, the headmaster of which has agreed to accept her as a pupil; and whether he will intervene in this case with a view to upholding the rights of the individual parent to decide on the nature of his child's education.

This child has been ascertained as educationally subnormal and it is the local education authority's duty to provide her with the special educational treatment she requires. This can be given at the Claughton Road Special School, but I am satisfied that it cannot be provided at the independent school to which the father wishes to send her. Moreover, my hon. Friend appears to be misinformed about the willingness of this independent school to accept the girl.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation is prepared to assist in the establishment of a new social welfare centre in Weston Coyney, Stoke-on-Trent; if he is further aware that the preparatory work for the centre is complete, and that the cost is likely to be in the region of £8,500; and if he will make a contribution towards the cost, having regard to the fact that the centre would be for the benefit of the whole community and not for the mining community alone.

I have been aware of this proposal, but Weston Coyney already has a community centre, which my Department helped to equip in 1954. If it needs enlarging, I might be able to make a further grant. I do not feel able, however, to contribute towards the cost of a second centre in this small area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the present trade relations between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, respectively with particular reference to the shipbuilding and fishing industries during each of the last ten years.

Trade relations between the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic are governed by the Trade Agreements of 1938 and 1948. Trade normally flows at about £100 million annually each way. I am circulating below a statement of the trade in ships and in fish between the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic over the last ten years. There are no figures for trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the rise and fall in the price of British imports and exports for each of the months from January, 1951, until December, 1951, compared with January, 1958, until the latest convenient stated monthly date, using as the basis January, 1951, equalling 100.

Yes. The following is the information:

PRICE INDICES
(January, 1951=100)
	Imports		U.K. Exports
—	1951	1958	1951	1958
January	100	100	100	123
February	104	99	102	124
March	108	98	105	123
April	113	99	107	122
May	118	98	110	122
June	118	99	112	122
July	118	98	114	122
August	116	99	116	122
September	116	98	116	122
October	114	98	117	121
November	115		118
December	116		118

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will use his powers, under the Distribution of Industry Acts, to steer new industry into the North-East where the staple industry has now closed down, or is fast running down, leaving pockets of unemployment and no work.

I realise that some further diversification of industry in the area would be welcome, and I am encouraging new industry to go to those parts of the North-East which need it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now set up machinery to consider applications for exemption from the cinematograph films levy by those exhibitors who can prove that they are suffering individual hardship as a result of the levy on smaller cinematograph theatres.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now increase the exemption limit of £150 from the Cinematograph Films Levy, in view of the difficulties that it is causing to smaller exhibitors.

There has not yet been time to provide enough evidence to justify a review of the exemption limit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the approximate annual revenue from Purchase Tax if a single rate of 15 per cent. was imposed on all items now subject to Purchase Tax, at the present level of consumption enhanced by cessation of hire-purchase restrictions, and ending of the credit squeeze.

Any such estimate is necessarily very conjectural, but I should expect the yield to be well under £400 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he anticipates it will be possible for the Commissioners of Customs and Excise to issue an up to date list giving precise details of what goods are chargeable with Purchase Tax; and whether in such a document arrangements can be made to give a brief explanation of the reasons for all remaining anomalies.

Notice No. 78 was reissued about two months ago.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an estimate as to what part of the present £490 million which Purchase Tax is estimated to yield is in fact net gain to the Treasury, and what part is lost by a consequential reduction in inland revenue caused by essential business and professional expenditure on items subject to Purchase Tax.

I regret that I am unable to give such an estimate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will relieve cutlery and silverware from Purchase Tax in order to assist Sheffield industries which are working below capacity, with consequent unemployment and short-time working.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Barnsley (Mr. Mason) on 18th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider reducing Purchase Tax on all commercial vehicles at an early date, bearing in mind that these vehicles form part of the plant and machinery of industrial and commercial undertakings and are in a category different from ordinary motor cars, and in view of the fact that the commercial vehicle industry is suffering a recession in trade, and that such remission would be of advantage both in their home and export trade.

I will keep my hon. Friend's representations in mind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the estimated percentage Pool Betting Duty necessary to be imposed equally on bets placed on totalisators at greyhound and horse-racing tracks to ensure the same revenue return to his Department as that received during the past financial year from the 10 per cent. Pool Betting Duty on greyhound totalisators; and whether he will consider this in his forthcoming Budget.

I cannot give such an estimate since it is not possible to say how far a duty on totalisator bets at horse-racecourses would result in a switch to betting with bookmakers; nor can I anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in his forthcoming Budget, he will arrange to have all bets which are placed on totalisators at greyhound and horse-racing tracks taxed equitably as between the two sports.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the rise and fall in national production for each of the months from January, 1951, until December, 1951, compared with January, 1958, until the latest convenient stated monthly date, using as the basis January, 1951, being equal to 100.

I regret that monthly figures of national production are not available, but monthly figures of industrial production are, and I am circulating a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
(January, 1951=100)*
—		1951	1958	Per cent. changes
January	…	100	118	+18
February	…	105	124	+18
March	…	100	126	+26
April	…	105	116	+10
May	…	100	118	+18
June	…	105	119	+13
July	…	96
August	…	90
September	…	104
October	…	104
November	…	106
December	…	97
* The index is weighted according to 1948 prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that for many years it has been the established custom of the majority of the British building societies to charge ½ per cent. above the Bank Rate to clients with mortgages, and that, since the Bank Rate has dropped from 7 per cent. to 4 per cent., building societies have not reduced their rates; and whether he will introduce legislation to limit building societies to a maximum rate of ½ per cent. over the existing Bank rate.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No," although I am of course, aware that most societies have not changed their rates since 1956. In reply to the second part, I cannot add to what my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member on 18th November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of the figures giving the rise and fall in the purchasing value of the £ sterling for each of the months from January, 1951, until December, 1951, compared with January, 1958, until the latest convenient stated monthly date, taking the £ as having a purchasing value of 20s. in January, 1951.

Yes.The internal purchasing power of the £, taking January, 1951, as 20s., is shown below:

—		1951		1958
		s.	d.	s.	d.
January	…	20	0	15	1
February	…	19	10	15	2
March	…	19	8	15	1
April	…	19	4	14	11
May	…	18	11	14	11
June	…	18	10	14	10
July	…	18	7	15	1
August	…	18	6	15	1
September	…	18	4	15	1
October	…	18	3	14	11
November	…	18	2
December	…	18	0

The above figures are based on movements in the Retail Price indices during 1951 and 1958 and the change in the Consumer Price Index between 1951 and 1957.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the national average company profits and dividends, respectively, for each of the months from January, 1951, until December, 1951, compared with January, 1958, until the latest convenient stated monthly date, using as the basis, of January, 1951, being equal to 100.

I regret that figures are not available to enable a valid answer to be given.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the division of duties between the Financial Secretary to his Department and the recently appointed Economic Secretary.

The Financial Secretary assists me in handling financial business in the House of Commons. Civil and Revenue Estimates, and Financial Resolutions are presented or published in his name. He also deals with matters relating to the organisation and management of the Civil Service and with questions of policy and administration affecting the Board of Inland Revenue.The Economic Secretary is principally concerned with economic policy, overseas financial questions, and currency and banking policy. He will also deal with questions of administration and policy affecting the Board of Customs and Excise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement about the Icelandic allegations of poaching inside the three-mile limit by the British trawler "Hackness".

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state, with reference to Recommendation 87 (1955) of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe, the names of the countries which have signed and ratified, respectively, the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless persons adopted by the United Nations Conference on 28th September, 1954; and if he will make a statement with regard to the position of the United Kingdom.

The Convention has been signed by the following countries: Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, El Salvador, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It has been ratified by Denmark and Norway. Her Majesty's Government hope to ratify the Convention shortly.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has any statement to make regarding the deferment of school teachers from National Service.

Yes. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Education have represented to me that the immediate shortage of teachers in secondary schools is so great as to warrant an extension of the existing arrangements for indefinite deferment. I therefore propose to introduce certain modifications for men completing their courses in 1959 and thereafter, subject in all cases to their taking up approved teaching posts in secondary schools.Graduates with third class honours or pass degrees in physics or mathematics will no longer be excluded from the deferment arrangements. This means that all graduates in science and mathematics will in future be eligible for deferment as teachers.With regard to arts graduates, the present arrangements provide for indefinite deferment for teaching in secondary schools to be granted to men with first or second class honours degrees who have successfully completed an approved course of teacher training. I propose, in future, to extend this concession to all graduates in arts subjects who successfully complete such training in 1959 and thereafter.In addition, I have agreed to extend deferment for secondary school teaching to men who complete courses in teacher training colleges in England and Wales in 1959 and thereafter and who have not performed their National Service. There is no corresponding group in Scotland.These new arrangements will also apply to a few small categories of non-graduate teachers as follows:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will publish in HANSARD a table of figures giving the rise and fall in the price of food for each of the months from January, 1951, until December, 1951, compared with January, 1958, until the latest convenient stated monthly date, taking as the basis January, 1951, being equal to 100.

The following table shows separate monthly figures for 1951 and 1958 taking January in each of these two years as equal to 100, instead of January, 1951, as equal to 100 throughout. Following a recommendation of my Cost of Living Advisory Committee, I am not prepared to link the food group index back as far as January, 1951, because of material changes introduced in January, 1952, in the interim index of retail prices.

AVERAGE LEVEL OF RETAIL PRICES* OF FOOD IN EACH MONTH OF 1951 AND 1958 TAKING JANUARY IN EACH YEAR AS 100
—		1951	1958
January	…	100	100
February	…	100	99
March	…	101	100
April	…	103	103
May	…	107	103
June	…	107	103
July	…	110	101
August	…	110	101
September	…	111	100
October	…	113	103
November	…	113
December	…	114
* The price indicators and their weights are not the same in the two years and therefore an exact comparison of price trends cannot be made. The prices normally relate to the Tuesday nearest to the fifteenth of the month.

asked the Minister of Health whether plans have yet been submitted and approved for a new outpatients' department for Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham; and when he expects work to start on the construction of such a building.

Sketch plans for this project are under consideration. It is a large scheme likely to cost over £300,000, and I cannot yet say when building work is likely to begin.