asked the Minister of Health the number of cases of poliomyelitis in 1958; how many of them were paralytic; and how many had been previously vaccinated.

Corrected notifications of poliomyelitis in England and Wales in 1958 numbered 1,993, of which 1,417 were paralytic. The number of cases which were reported among persons who had two or more injections of poliomyelitis vaccine was 178, of which 92 were paralytic.

asked the Minister of Health the number of cases of poliomyelitis in 1957 and 1958 which occured within thirty days of vaccination; and how many of them were paralytic.

In 1957 eight and in 1958 twenty-five cases of poliomyelitis within thirty days of a second or subsequent injection of vaccine were reported to my department. Of these, five and fifteen respectively were paralytic. As the hon. Member knows, there are several reasons why poliomyelitis may occur in vaccinated persons, and it is not possible to identify the reason with certainty in an individual case. By the end of 1957 and 1958 about 1½ million and 6½ million people respectively had received two injections.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on the availability over the last two months of poliomyelitis vaccine in Lincoln and Lincolnshire, respectively.

They held on 28th February 604 and 10,585 doses respectively, received 10,300 and 23,217 between that date and 4th April to meet their estimated needs and were sent a further 2,424 and 23,352 doses in fulfilment of supplementary requisitions. The dispatch of further supplies to meet estimated requirements for May has begun.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how much of the 250,000 square feet, for which Industrial Development Certificates have been issued for Burntwood, Staffordshire, has been the subject of planning applications; and in respect of what industries.

This information is not in the possession of my Department, and would not normally be reported to it. I am however asking the Staffordshire County Council for particulars, and will write to the lion. Member as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Labour what estimate he is able to make of the number of working days lost annually on account of damage to health of men and women, respectively, arising out of the wearing of shoes the design of which causes deformity in the human foot

I regret that neither I nor my right hon. Friend the minister of pensions and National Insurance has any information has any information on this subject.

asked the Minister of Labour what discussions he has had with the President of the Board of Trade with reference to the subsidy for reorganisation in the cotton industry; and what estimate he has prepared as to the probable effect of these proposals on employment in the cotton textile industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the increasing competition from foreign textile industries established inside United Kingdom traditional home markets, he has had or will have consultations with the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, with a view to the initiation of discussions for the revision of the Congo Basin Treaties.

As was stated in reply to a previous Question by the hon. Member, the revision of these Treaties, even if practicable. would not by itself help our textile exports to the area.

I have maintained close consultation throughout with my right Friend.It is not yet possible to estimate the effect on the numbers employed in the industry but the longer-term effect should be to reduce short-time working and offer more secure employment to those engaged in it

asked the Minister of Labour the latest figures of unemployment and short-time working in Lincoln and Linclonshire, respectively; and how these figures compare with a year ago.

The table below gives the information desired:

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what experience has been gained by his Department in the growing of grass and shrubs in the centre strip dividing dual carriageways; to what extent his advice was sought in connection with the widening of the Uxbridge road through Hillingdon; and what was the advice he gave.

My Department has considerable experience relating to the planting of the central reservations of trunk roads under varying conditions. Our advice was not sought on the treatment of the central reservation in this scheme for widening a classified road. I was satisfied, however, about the merits of the scheme before I made a grant towards its cost to the Middlesex County Council.

asked the Minister of Education what grant aid he has given to each of the national voluntary youth

asked the Minister of Education what grant he proposes to offer for the year ending 31st March, 1960, under the Physical Training and Recreation Act, 1937, to the Central Council of Physical Recreation.

£126,940.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how agricultural production in Scotland in 1958 compared with the last full year before t he war.

The figures are given in the table following. Those for 1959-60 are for grants decided on so far.

The volume of agricultural production in Scotland, in the year to 31st May, 1958, as measured by the index of net output was 55 per cent. greater than pre-war. The value was £169 million compared with £38 million before the war.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now able to announce the arrangements for the new consultative body on vocational further education.

The new Council will be known as the Scottish Technical Education Consultative Council and its remit will be:

"To secure the widest possible measure of consultation on vocational further education in Scotland between employers, employees and those responsible for its