asked the Paymaster-General if, having regard to the number of pits that are being closed with consequential unemployment in the mining industry, he will give a general direction to the National Coal Board not to renew where practicable any of the opencast mining contracts which are due to expire in 1959.

No. When contracts have expired in any year by the extraction of the coal and the replacement of overburden, the question of renewal does not arise.

asked the Paymaster-General whether he is satisfied that Great Britain, in the face of the present intensive commercial international competition, can afford to reduce the sale of opencast coal to European countries, in view of the fact that this will both lose income and increase unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

The National Coal Board aims to increase, not reduce, its sales of coal, whether opencast or deep-mined, to European countries.

asked the Paymaster-General if it is the intention that the new electrical power station at Rich-borough will be coal-fired so as to burn fuel from the pits in the East Kent coalfield and provide employment for miners in the locality.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many specialists and consultants employed in the Health Service are receiving merit awards in each of the regions of the service; and what is the cost of these awards;(2) the minimum and maximum merit awards made to consultants and specialists in the Health Service, giving the figures for both whole-time and part-time practitioners; the average amount of such awards to the recipients; who determines the awards; and what procedure is followed in the making of recommendations and the consideration of qualifications.

The general arrangements for awards are explained in my reply to the Question asked by the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ellis Smith) on 21st July, 1958. The number of awards at the end of 1958 was:

Awards at the rate of:
£2,500	£1,500	£500
279	698	£1,397

It is estimated that payments made in respect of awards in 1958 totalled approximately £1,986,000.The number of consultants receiving merit awards in the various regions at the end of 1958 was:—

Hospital Region			Number of Award Holders
Newcastle	…	…	137
Leeds	…	…	111
Sheffield	…	…	136
East Anglian	…	…	66
Metropolitan Regions	…	…	1,216
Oxford	…	…	98
South Western	…	…	131
Wales	…	…	110
Birmingham	…	…	182
Manchester	…	…	147
Liverpool	…	…	95
			2,429

The figure for the four metropolitan regions cannot be split as many consultants work in more than one of these regions. For the same reason the total includes some duplication; the number of awards in payment is 2,374.The minimum sums payable by way of awards are £500 for whole-time consultants and approximately £57 for part-time consultants and the maximum sums are £2,500 for whole-time consultants and approximately £2,160 for part-time consultants. Recipients of awards at the higher rates have their basic salary scale abated.The average awards payment is estimated to have been about £857 in 1958. This does not take account of the abatement of basic salary that operates with awards at the higher rates.

asked the Minister of Health how many consultants and specialists were employed in the Health Service upon a full-time basis on the latest convenient date and on 31st March, 1950, and 31st March, 1955.

The available information is that there were about 2,200 whole-time consultants and senior hospital medical and dental officers at the end of 1950; 3,166 at 30th June, 1955, and 3,192 at 30th September, 1957.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to make it widely known that cancer can often be cured if diagnosed and treated in its early stages; and what assistance is being given by his Department to the Cancer Information Association in its work in connection with cancer education.

Local health authorities have been asked to consider taking appropriate action as part of their health education arrangements and suitable literature is available from a number of sources; no financial assistance is given to the Cancer Information Association.

asked the Minister of Health the number of radiologists employed in the Sheffield and Rotherham hospital area for the years 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, and the latest available figures for 1958.

In whole-time equivalents 11, 9, 10, 11, and 12 respectively.

asked the Minister of Health the number of doctors employed in the Sheffield and Rotherham hospital area for the years 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, and the latest available figures for 1958.

In whole-time equivalents 301, 304, 315, 327 and 322 respectively.

asked the Minister of Health whether, notwithstanding that his Department does not normally purchase raw materials for the preparation of ethical drugs, he will make inquiries, in the course of his regular investigations into manufacturing costs where monopoly patents apply, as to the charge made by an American company's subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, of 40s. per 100 ten-milligram tablets of mecamylamine hydro-chloride, a drug on current supply to the National Health Service, in view of the fact that this material is available in Europe at £100 per kilo and that the profit on the price to the National Health Service, after allowances for manufacturing costs, is approximately 990 per cent.

I understand that this drug is classified by the Standing Joint Committee on the Classification of Proprietary Preparations as a new drug of proved value not yet standard, and its price is therefore not regulated at present by the scheme agreed with the pharmaceutical industry. I do not know how the hon. Member has made his calculation, but if he will let me have the details I will gladly make some inquiries of the manufacturers.

asked the Minister of Health when was the last statutory report made on Mr. E. S. Spragg, now at Maghull Hospital, near Liverpool.

In May, 1955, in accordance with the present statutory position.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will authorise additional expenditure by local health authorities and hospital boards on building projects, in view of the heavy unemployment amongst building trade workers.

I am unable to add to my reply to the hon. Member of 1st December about hospital capital expenditure. So far as local authorities are concerned I am recommending for loan sanction a considerable number of building projects for their health and welfare services which fall within the terms of the circular on capital investment issued by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government on 17th November.

asked the Minister of Health (1) in view of the importance of the services of a qualified hairdresser to the morale and treatment of a large percentage of female patients in mental hospitals, if he will ascertain how many of the 159 hospitals for females under the, National Health Service do not have qualified hairdressers but rely on the nursing staff to do this work;(2) if he will take steps to find out in how many mental hospitals female patients are receiving training in hairdressing under expert supervision, with a view to utilising their services in the hospitals, and as part of their training to fit them for their return to normal life;(3) in view of the widespread complaints from relatives of patients in mental hospitals concerning patients' haircuts and the recommendation passed unanimously at the 1958 annual general meeting of the State institutions, urging the provision of full-time qualified hairdressers, what is being done to provide this service, which plays a necessary part in improving the condition of patients.

These are all matters for the hospital authorities concerned. My right hon. and learned Friend is not aware of widespread complaints about patients' hairdressing, and he does not consider that detailed inquiries of the kind suggested are necessary. As regards the State Institutions, no approach on the matter has been made to the Board of Control by the Staff Side.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet come to a decision concerning the provision of additional funds to enable hospital authorities to make further progress towards introducing the 88-hour working fortnight for hospital nurses and midwives.

Yes. Many hospital authorities have already been able to achieve, or make progress towards, this objective, without the need for additional funds, by reorganisation and more effective deployment of their resources. I am anxious that they shall continue to do as much as possible in this way. For the next financial year, however, I am glad to be able to make available additional funds to regional hospital boards, with higher shares for those in whose regions the existing staffing ratios are relatively low. This is in order to help particularly those hospital management committees which cannot significantly reduce hours without increasing staffs.

asked the Minister of Health what money has recently been allocated to the Wansbeck Hospital Management Board for development projects; and if he will now list the schemes.

Work on the following schemes has begun or is to begin during 1959:

• New out-patient department. Work on operating theatre and kitchen—Morpeth Cottage Hospital.
• New ward block and Boiler House—Ashington Hospital.
• Consultative out-patient department—Thomas Knight Memorial Hospital, Blyth.

The total cost of these schemes is estimated to be £330,000, of which £53,000 is being spent during this financial year. In addition a new operating and X-ray block at Ashington has just been completed at a cost of £110,000.

asked the Minister of Health what developments are planned for Stannington Hospital, Morpeth.

I take it the hon. Member is referring to St. Mary's Hospital at Stannington. Present development there is concerned with accommodation for staff; just under £15,000 is to be spent on it this year and next.

asked the Minister of Health what developments are planned for St. George's Hospital, Morpeth; and if he will state their nature, capital cost, and possible date of commencement.

A new admission and treatment unit with two convalescent villas have just been completed at a cost of £380,000. Four other schemes including engineering work, occupational therapy facilities and ancillary ward services are in progress or planned for the next two years, costing approximately £120,000. The Regional Hospital Board is planning later to undertake a further modernisation scheme estimated to cost £¾ million. But no date for this has yet been decided on.

asked the Minister of Health how many patients are at St. George's Hospital, Morpeth, at the nearest convenient date; and the ratio of patients to the existing hospital nursing staff.

On 31st December last there were 1,219 patients, a ratio of 5·83 per nurse (whole-time equivalents).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs which of the 48 Articles contained in the Soviet Government's proposed peace treaty with Germany Her Majesty's Government are able to accept, those which they reject, and the reasons for these rejections.

No. Her Majesty's Government cannot be expected to state their position in advance of discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the British frigate "Flamingo" has been handed over to the West German navy and been renamed the "Graf Spee"; and, as a mark of respect for those naval men who lost their lives in the last war in connection with incidents with the previous "Graf Spee", and to save unnecessary distress to the relatives of these men, he will suggest to the Bonn Government that they should rename this frigate with a name other than one which was notorious in the last war.

The ship was purchased by the Federal Government who were, of course, at liberty to give her any name they chose.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will ask the Committee of Investigation, appointed to inquire into allegations and charges that 596 jurists who served Hitler's Special Courts are now back in office, to inquire into the case of Dr. Ernst Kanter, the former Judge-General in the Nazi Wehrmacht, Chief Justice in Nazi-occupied Denmark, and now presiding judge in the Third Senate of the West German Supreme Court in Karlsruhe.

It is for the Federal German Government to decide what inquiries are to be carried out. They have, however, informed us that Dr. Kanter's case has been investigated and that no evidence has been found to justify his removal from the German judiciary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what consultations he is having with the United States and Russian Governments in regard to those solutions of the Berlin problem which are now being studied by them.

My right hon. Friends discussed the Berlin problem with Mr. Dulles when he was here. Discussions are also going on between officials in Washington. As to the Russians, I have no doubt that the topic will come up during the visit to Moscow.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what discussions he has had with Mr. Dulles relating to the use or threat of force to maintain communications with West Berlin in preference to working on a de facto basis with the East German authorities when the Soviet Government hands over to them control over these communications.

The discussions were confidential. I do not propose to reveal details of what may or may not have been discussed with Mr. Dulles about possible action in certain contingencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that, in deciding the future of West Berlin, the wishes of the inhabitants shall be ascertained, if necessary by a plebiscite.

It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that any decisions affecting West Berlin should accord with the wishes of its inhabitants. The West Berlin elections held on 7th December, 1958, were, in effect, a plebiscite on the Soviet proposal for a so-called "free city" of West Berlin. The Communist Party, the only party in favour of the Soviet proposal, received 1·9 per cent. of the votes cast. The wishes of the West Berliners seem, therefore, to be very plain in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent the proposals put forward by Sir Anthony Eden at the Geneva Summit Conference in July, 1955, for the reunification of Germany within a system of European security and the creation of a demilitarised zone in Central Europe remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Her Majesty's Government still believe that the 1955 proposals constitute the best basis for a negotiation about European problems. In their opinion they provide the most satisfactory way of settling the German problem.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that in a week's time the Gwynedd River Board will be obliged to cease completely its capital works and declare redundant sixty-six workmen because of the restricted capital investment allocation; and whether he will make a statement.

The Gwynedd River Board's programme of capital investment on drainage improvement works for the 1958 financial year amounted to £63,000. Towards this it has been given over the year allocations amounting to £61,000. In addition the Board has a substantial programme of maintenance work over which there is no Government control. In view of this my right hon. Friend is making inquiries to find out the reasons for the proposed dismissal of workmen of which the Board notified my Ministry last week.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why land drainage work has been singled out for restriction at a time when local authorities are urged to step up their capital investment programmes.

Restrictions on capital expenditure imposed both on river boards and on local authorities have been considerably relaxed since 1956. There is therefore no justification for the suggestion that land drainage work has been singled out for restriction.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the total of dutiable imports of carnations in 1958 as compared with 1956.

Dutiable imports of carnations in 1958 amounted to 818,000 1b. weight, compared with 556,000 1b. in 1956. The values of these imports were £501,000 and £340,000 respectively.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total amount paid out in the Nelson and Colne constituency by the National Assistance Board in supplementation of old-age pensions for the last week in December, 1957, and December, 1958, respectively.

The National Assistance Board informs me that information about total expenditure is not available for particular localities.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many persons in the Nelson and Colne constituency were in receipt of supplementary allowances from the National Assistance Board on 31st December, 1957, and 31st December, 1958, respectively.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that in the area served by the Board's office in Colne, which extends a little outside the constituency of Nelson and Colne, the number of weekly National Assistance grants, both in supplementation of National Insurance benefits and otherwise, was 2,534 on 17th December, 1957, and 2,341 on 16th December, 1958.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will give the average number of persons in receipt of National Assistance for the six months ended June, 1957, and December, 1958, and the average amounts of money paid for these periods; and what percentage of these payments in each instance represents payments towards rent.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that the averages of the numbers of weekly National Assistance grants at the dates of monthly counts in the two six-month periods ending June, 1957, and December, 1958, are respectively 1,685,000 and 1,617,000, and that the average weekly grant about the end of 1957 was 25s. 8d. and about the end of 1958 27s. 9d. As I have previously explained to the hon. Member, it is not possible to give a figure representing the proportion of an assistance grant which is attributable to rent.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the latest estimate of persons receiving National Assistance towards the payment of their rents; the total amount of such payment; and how these figures compare with a stated period prior to the introduction of the Rent Act.

I am informed by the National Assistance Board that the number of recipients of weekly National Assistance grants who were householders with outgoings for rent, etc., taken into account in the assessment of the grants is estimated to have been about 1¼ million in December last. As I have already explained to the hon. Member, there are no such figures as those asked for in the later parts of the Question: in all appropriate cases the Board allows for rent in deciding how much assistance is to be paid, but resources and other factors have also to be taken into account and because of these the amount of Assistance paid is often less than the amount allowed for rent in arriving at it.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will consider increasing the £1 disregard in the case of war disability pensioners who are in receipt of National Assistance.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Barry (Mr. Gower) on 26th January.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware of the hardship caused to slate quarrymen in Caernarvonshire by the operation of the three-day waiting rule governing the payment of unemployment benefit; and if he will examine the position with a view to removing the hardship.

No. I have discussed with my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Secretary the talk which she had with the hon. Member, and I have myself looked into the matter. I do not think that application of the rule laid down in the National Insurance Act, 1946, does cause hardship, and my hon. Friend is writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Bank of England's limit of 120 days for short-term credits, other than those connected with transactions for which Export Credit Guarantee Department cover is available, places United Kingdom exporters in a disadvantageous position by comparison with their continental competitors who are able to take advantage of the more liberal terms granted by continental banks; and if he will give directions to the Bank of England to extend this limit.

The Bank of England does not in fact limit short-term credit to 120 days. Banks may themselves establish credits up to 120 days, and the Exchange Control normally allow extensions of credits up to a total of 180 days for consumer goods and 360 days, or even longer, for capital goods.There is no evidence to suggest that our exporters are at a disadvantage in this respect compared with their continental competitors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what British financial claims against the Government of the United Arab Republic, and to what amount, have been waived as an offset against Egyptian claims for compensation for damage arising during Her Majesty's Government's attack on Port Said and related damage.

In advance of the signature and publication of the Agreement with the United Arab Republic it would not be appropriate for me to discuss what is being done about United Kingdom claims against the Government of the United Arab Republic or Egyptian claims against Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has yet placed the order for an electronic data processing system for the Royal Army Pay Corps; and who received the contract.

Yes. The order for the supply of this automatic data processing system was placed on 18th September, 1958, with International Business Machines (United Kingdom), Limited.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the estimates of the numbers of full-time students in the universities for each of the years 1959–60, 1960–61, and 1961–62 on which he bases his proposal to increase the recurrent grants for these years.

The total number of full-time students in the universities is expected to rise to at least 110,000 by 1961–62. It would be difficult to give estimates for the intervening years since the rate of increase depends on various factors (e.g., the coming into use of new buildings).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the United Kingdom's remaining drawing rights under the line of credit of 500 million dollars from the Export-Import Bank of Washington.

Because of the strengthening in the international position of the £ which has taken place since this line of credit was established in 1957 and later renewed in 1958, Her Majesty's Government have decided not to draw the $250 million still available under the credit, and not to propose an extension of the period of availability of this drawing facility, which will therefore terminate at the end of this month.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the concern which is felt over the prospective delay in opening up the Kingsway Extension due to the apparent failure of the Manchester City Council to get the bridge over the River Mersey constructed in time; what this delay is now likely to be; and what steps he is taking to minimise it.

I understand that the Manchester City Council expects to complete the bridge on time in October.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation why he has not approved the route for the Leicestershire portions of the London-Yorkshire motorway submitted to him by the Leicestershire County Council soon after it had been agreed to at a special meeting of that Council on 30th September, 1958; and why he has not yet communicated his views about its plan to that Council.

The line proposed by the Leicestershire County Council poses a number of traffic and engineering problems, and an assessment of its cost must take account of any consequential link roads or other by-passes which may be necessary. Consultations on these points have taken place at official level between my Department, the County Council and the consulting engineers, who have just agreed a report with the County Surveyor which is now being considered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many local authority areas have been declared smoke control areas.

In England and Wales, seventy-five.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many applications for local authorities to declare smoke control areas are now being considered.

In England and Wales forty-four Smoke Control Orders submitted for confirmation await my decision. Local authorities have informed me of decisions in principle to declare a further 126 smoke control areas. I have agreed that it would be reasonable for preliminary work to proceed on eighty of these, and the remaining forty-six are still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will now give authority to the Leeds City Council to enable it to proceed with its scheme for the employment of epileptics.

I am arranging for my officers to get in touch with the Council and discuss its proposals further.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state, as at some convenient date in 1958, how many retired teachers were receiving payments under the teachers' superannuation scheme; how many of such teachers were eligible to draw retirement pensions under the National Insurance Scheme; and if he will recommend increased payments to be made under the superannuation scheme, in particular, for those teachers who do not receive retirement pensions under the National Insurance scheme.

On 30th September, 1958, 89,228 teachers were receiving such payments. I do not know how many of them were eligible to draw National Insurance retirement pensions. The question of pensions increase is one which also concerns other public service pensioners, and it would not be right to deal with teachers in isolation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the fact that the Excelsior Foundry, Sandiacre, Derbyshire, is now unoccupied; and if he will bring these buildings to the notice of industrialists with a view to their being put to a purpose which would halt the growth of unemployment in the area.

Yes, but I must keep in mind areas where the need for new industry is greater.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why his Department did not issue a certificate to Messrs. T. Wall and Sons to build a factory near Manchester, in view of the unemployment problem in and around that area; and whether he will make a statement.

Discussions between T. Wall and Sons, Limited, and my Department about a new factory in the North of England are continuing.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give details of the steps by which rent increases to sitting tenants of Government factories in Development Areas will, on renewal of their leases, be spread over a five-year period.

As announced to the House on 10th February the new current market value rent will, in such cases, not be paid in full until the sixth year of the new lease. This rent will be reached in equal steps and the addition to the old rent will in the first year be 16⅔ per cent. of the total increase, in the second year 33⅓ per cent., in the third year 50 per cent., in the fourth year 66⅔ per cent., in the fifth year 83⅓ per cent. and in the sixth year 100 per cent. of the total increase.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state in the most convenient form, the relative cost of raising, housing and maintaining an African division in Kenya, a British division to be stationed in Kenya, and a British division at home, respectively.

There are so many unknown factors in a comparison of this nature that no worthwhile estimate could be given.