asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what up-to-date experiments he has made with the object of controlling sheep scab by spraying; and how this undesirable condition can be avoided.

The conditions necessary for spraying of sheep to be as effective against sheep scab as dipping are known from work already done in this country and overseas, and no further experiments are required. Sheep scab was eliminated from this country in 1952 and its re-introduction has been avoided by requiring sheep landed here (other than those landed from the Isle of Man or intended for slaughter) to be dipped in the landing place.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has yet decided if crystal violet vaccine may be obtained directly by farmers; and what further consideration he is giving to the matter.

Experience has repeatedly shown that crystal violet vaccine effectively prevents swine fever if used in the right way and under the right conditions by persons who understand its use, but that if otherwise used it is ineffective and may be harmful. I do not, therefore, propose to reconsider the practice under which supplies produced in the Ministry's veterinary laboratories are sold only to veterinary surgeons. I welcome this opportunity of asking all members of the veterinary profession to see that the vaccine is used only in accordance with the directions issued with it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent advance payments will be made this year on account of the deficiency payments for barley, oats, and mixed corn.

After consultation with the Advisory Committee concerned, it has been decided that advance payments shall be made in respect of barley, oats and mixed corn on account of the deficiency payments for the cereal year ending 30th June, 1959. The advance payments will be at the rate of £5 10s. per acre for barley and £2 per acre for oats and mixed corn. These payments, which will begin at once, are expected to total about £20 million.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he will take to assist the Wiltshire County Council to find staff for the dental section of the health clinic at Walcot, Swindon.

While I regret that there is no way in which I can help the local authority specifically in what it is doing to meet this particular difficulty, strenuous efforts are being made to improve the supply of dentists generally, and the recommendations of the McNair Committee on this subject have been accepted by the Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the seasonally-adjusted index of production, all industries, would have been for September and October, 1958, calculated on the old index with the base 1948 equal to 100, and comparable with the previously-published figure of 140 for September, 1947.

I regret that this information is not available, as work on a number of series incorporated in the old index was discontinued when they were replaced by new and improved series in the new index based on 1954 = 100.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of places in universities and university colleges has been allotted to overseas students in each of the last three years for which information is available.

The proportion of places in universities and university colleges in Great Britain taken up by oversea students in each of the academic years 1955–56, 1956–57 and 1957–58 was 11 per cent. No places are specifically allotted to oversea students.