asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many of the eleven war-disabled pensioners who have been permanently deprived of their pensions for persisting in criminal practices were receiving allowances for dependants.

Four.

asked the Paymaster-General when the Wilson Committee is likely to issue its findings; and to what extent the report asked for is being dealt with as a matter of urgency.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 8th June.

asked the Paymaster-General what recent consultations he has had with the National Coal Board on the future of the coal mining industry; to what extent the run down of the industry is visualised; and over what period of time.

My noble Friend is in constant touch with the National Coal Board on all aspects of the mining industry, including the Board's long-term plan.

asked the Paymaster-General the average age of all people employed in the coal mining industry; and to what extent he estimates this will rise with the general stoppage of recruitment.

40·7 years at end-September, 1958, the latest date for which figures are available. I would not expect this to be greatly affected by the current restrictions on recruitment.

asked the Paymaster-General the present estimated figure of the exports of coal for 1960–1965; and to what extent he visualises a substantial increase.

United Kingdom coal exports should recover with a revival of economic activity in Europe, where our main markets lie, but it is not possible to estimate the extent of the recovery.

asked the Paymaster-General how many electricity generating stations are equipped with dual-firing apparatus; and what further conversions are planned in future conventional stations.

Ten stations have dual-firing equipment on some or all of their boilers. The answer to the second part of the Question is "None."

asked the Paymaster-General which recommendations of the Weir Committee on joint working between area electricity and gas boards it is intended to pursue; and if he will make a statement.

My noble Friend has just received the views of all the boards concerned, which he is considering.

asked the Minister of Supply how the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment obtained the 2,988 animals which have been destroyed there in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

Of the 2,988 animals used in the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment in the last six months, 2,694 were bred by the Ministry of Supply and 294 were purchased.

asked the Minister of Supply how many animals, and of what kinds, have been experimented on at the Microbiological Research Station at Porton in the past year; and how many have died or received injury after having been experimented upon with the germs of plague, typhus, small pox, influenza, and other contagious diseases, respectively.

The following numbers and types of animals have been used in experiments under the provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, at the Microbiological Research Establishment.

Over the past year	Over the past six months
85,566 mice	41,913mice
7,695 guinea pigs	2,774 guinea pigs
2,045 rabbits	1,013 rabbits
7,960 chicks	528 fowl
720 fowl	9 rats
9 rats

It would be a breach of security to disclose in detail the scale of effort deployed to counter various microbiological agents.

asked the Minister of Supply what action he proposes to take to prevent the accidental explosion of missiles undergoing test, by short-wave radio signals having other uses, in view of the recent American experience in this connection.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Beswick) on 17th June.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he is satisfied that the ambulance service provided in the Willenhall area in Staffordshire is adequate;

My right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that the responsible ambulance authority is already providing adequate service in this area.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will include plastic frames for spectacles within the standard range for children in addition to the present range of metal frames.

My right hon. and learned Friend has been advised by his Standing Ophthalmic Advisory Committee that the current free range, as recently improved by the addition of a specially designed new type, is satisfactory in appearance and wear and has advantages in fitting. He is, however, keeping the position under review.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the shortage of poliomyelitis vaccine readily available to the West Bromwich Borough Council; and what action he is taking in order to remedy this shortage.

I am informed that there is now no shortage of vaccine in West Bromwich.

asked the Minister of Health what reply he has made to the resolution on the ill-effects arising from emission of noxious fumes from vehicles using diesel fuel which has been forwarded to him by the United Commercial Travellers Association.

As the questions raised by this letter appeared primarily to concern my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation it was forwarded to his Department That Department replied on 18th June to the effect that the concentration of noxious exhaust gases in the atmosphere was unlikely to affect health in any detrimental way. This is in line with my right hon. and learned Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wembley, South (Mr. Russell) on 5th March.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons in England and Wales have had two and three inoculations against poliomyelitis, respectively; in how many more cases vaccination is regarded as advisable; and in how many of these agreement has been obtained.

Group		Vaccinated 2 or more inoculations	Vaccinated 1 inoculation only	Registered and awaiting vaccination	Not registered
Children (born since 1943)	…	6,753,000	325,000	322,000	3,500,000 (32 per cent.)
Young people (born 1933–1942)	…	579,000	650,000	276,000	4,050,000 (73 percent.)
All other groups	…	350,000	30,000	16,000	750,000 (65 percent.)
		7,682,000	1,005,000	614,000	8,300,000

asked the Minister of Health if he has yet received reports from the organisations responsible for testing two-seater invalid carriages; and if he will make a statement as to their cost and performance.

My right hon. and learned Friend has not yet received any report. I understand that the tests which the ex-Service organisations announced in April that they were going to carry out were to take about nine months.

asked the Minister of Health why the pay of a male State-enrolled assistant nurse who has done 9½ years' hospital service is £515 a year, less £5 for laundry and uniform, whilst that of a male orderly employed in the same ward varies from £535 to £549, plus free uniform and laundry, with length of service varying from 18 months to five years.

The maximum salary of a male State-enrolled assistant nurse has recently been raised from £515 to £550, reached after six years' service.

Those for whom vaccination against poliomyelitis is considered advisable at present are children under the age of 15; young people up to the age of 26; and certain smaller priority groups. They total 10,900,000 children; 5,555,000 young persons and 1,146,000 priority adults. Following are the figures showing the position at 30th April, 1959, as regards injections and registration in respect of each of these groups:The basic weekly pay of male adult ward orderlies is equivalent to £458 per annum. Like other domestic workers, ward orderlies receive extra payment for overtime, etc. Their actual earnings therefore vary, but I would not regard the rates mentioned by my hon. Friend as typical.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects the new ward block will be completed at the Ashington Hospital, Northumberland; when completed, what additional bed accommodation it will give; and whether he will make a statement.

The Regional Hospital Board expects that work on the new block of 87 beds will begin next spring and will take about two years to complete.

asked the Minister of Health the difficulties which contribute to a shortage of adequate surgical assistance at the Ashington Hospital, Northumberland; and whether he will make a statement.

All surgical posts at this hospital are at present filled.

asked the Minister of Health the number of vacant beds in each of the hospitals under the administrative control of the Cardiff Hospital Management Committee, and the number of people in Cardiff who are awaiting admission to hospital; and the comparative figures for 1958.

On the 5th June the number of vacant beds was:

—	1958	1959
St. David's Hospital	83	79
Sully Hospital	45	33
Prince of Wales Orthopaedic Hospitals:
Rhydlafar	52	50
Crossways	15	12
Glan Ely Hospital	23	18
Rookwood Hospital	92	73
Lansdowne Hospital	113	113
Royal Hamadryad Hospital	18	27
Children's E.N.T. Hospital	29	37
Caerau Hospital	8	6
Barry Accident and Surgical Hospital	8	3
Barry Neale-Kent Hospital	—	—
St. Mary's Hospital, Penarth	—	—
Barry Maternity Hospital	2	8

I regret that separate information regarding the number of people in Cardiff who are awaiting admission to hospital is not available, but on 5th June total waiting lists numbered:

—		1958	1959
Cardiff H.M.C	…	2,105	2,257
United Cardiff Hospitals	…	4,907	4,805

asked the Minister of Labour which countries have ratified the European Convention on the Social Security of International Transport Workers.

The Convention has been ratified by Poland, the Netherlands and France.

asked the Minister of Labour the figure of unemployment in Newcastle-under-Lyme on 1st June this year and on 1st June in each of the last three years.

The totals for mid-May were 388 in 1956, 671 in 1957, 785 in 1958 and 895 in 1959.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of skilled men and labourers, respectively, employed and unemployed, in the ship-repairing industry in Hull, in January and June this year.

Statistics of employment in the detail required are available for quarterly dates only. In February, 1959, the number of operatives employed on ship-repairing work at establishments in the Hull area from which returns were received was about 2,600, of whom about 1,600 were skilled workers and 1,000 were labourers and general workers. The corresponding total in May was 2,400, including 1,450 skilled workers and 950 labourers and general workers.The total number of men and boys in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry registered as unemployed at employment exchanges in the Hull area was 396 at 12th January, 331 at 9th February, and 392 at 11th May. An analysis of these figures according to skill is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the total number of farms in the Borough and Rural District of Newcastle-under-Lyme, the number of those now connected to electricity, and the total of grants made to farmers to facilitate their connection to the nearest electricity supply.

There are about 600 agricultural holdings of over one acre in the Borough and Rural District of Newcastle-under-Lyme according to the latest agricultural returns, though not all of these will be separate farm businesses. The second part of the hon. Member's Question is a matter for the Midlands Electricity Board which will, I am sure, be glad to provide the hon. Member with the information for which he asked. No grants have been made by my Ministry in this area towards the cost of connection with the mains electricity supply.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to a further rise in net agricultural output.

The policy was stated in the White Paper on the Annual Review and Determination of Guarantees, 1959. The Government would be glad to see an expansion of net output that was achieved through reducing unit costs by means of improved techniques and better farm management, and in particular through greater reliance on home- grown feed for livestock and the production of more beef of the quality wanted by the market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the state of the rabbit population in North Lincolnshire; how many clearance societies there are; and what area they cover.

Apart from some minor local infestations, North Lincolnshire is still fairly clear of rabbits. Only one clearance society covering 7,500 acres has so far been formed in Lindsey although three more covering a total of 26,000 acres are in prospect. Rabbit numbers are however showing signs of increasing and my right hon. Friend would urge occupiers in their own interests to join the rabbit clearance society movement now.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money has been received by his Department for the work done by his inspectors, agricultural advisers and others on the restoration of opencast coal sites.

The cost of the service provided by my Ministry in connection with the restoration of opencast sites is recovered in full from the National Coal Board and amounted to £672,619 in England and Wales in the financial year 1957–58. A final figure for 1958–59 is not yet available but preliminary examination of the accounts shows that the cost of work done in the year was approximately £660,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what action he proposes to take to expand the testing facilities provided by the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering.

I understand that no proposals have been made to the Agricultural Research Council that the present testing facilities at the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering should be expanded. I am sure my noble Friend would consider carefully any such suggestions.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the acreage of land held by his Department in 1949 and now; and how much land he expects to be able to release for agricultural use in the next two years.

277,000 acres in 1949 and 236,000 acres now, much of which is, however, let to farmers. We hope to dispose of some 20,000 acres during the next two years.

asked the Secretary of State for War the acreage of land held by his Department in 1949 and now; and how much land he expects to be able to release for agricultural use in the next two years.

In 1949 the War Department owned, leased or held on requisition, or had training rights over, about 948,000 acres of land. The figure today is about 562,000.I hope to be able to release the greater part of 90,000 acres in the next two years, towards completing the programme announced by my predecessor and myself. Most of this land is agricultural and much of it is already let for some kind of agriculture while its military use continues.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what commercial work has been done in the ship repairing yards in Malta since the take-over; what steps have been taken to introduce new industries into Malta; and what inquiries have been received from commercial firms requiring sites.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 11th June, 1959; Vol. 606, c. 1163], supplied the following information:In the ten weeks since the take-over, work has been carried out in the Malta Dockyard on eight commercial ships for voyage repairs, routine docking and surveys, in addition to work on H.M. ships. As regards the second part of the Question, an Ordinance was enacted on 14th April providing for tax-free holidays and customs concessions to new industries and for the expansion of existing industries. Government grants and loans will also be available for these industries. Art Aids to Industries Board, provided for in the Ordinance, has been set up and applications for assistance under the Ordinance and for grants and loans are now being examined. The answer to the third part of the Question is over twelve, for sites on the Government industrial estate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what damage was caused by the recent storm and floods in Hong Kong; and what steps are being taken to relieve the consequent distress.

On present information 55 people have been killed and 70 injured, of whom 13 are still in hospital. Fifteen thousand people have registered as homeless and distressed. It is not yet possible to estimate the considerable damage to property and crops.I am sure the whole House will be distressed to hear of this disaster. As a token of the sympathy of the people of this country, Her Majesty's Government have decided to contribute £10,000 to the relief fund which has been opened in the Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to report on the proposed developments for the sugar industry in Tanganyika.

From estimates available it appears possible that, in a few years, production in Tanganyika might come to exceed rising internal consumption. The Tanganyika Government have recently published the following proposals for consideration by the Legislative Council:

(a) Continuation for the time being of the present arrangements for:

(i) Bulk buying by Government of such imports of sugar as are required to meet consumer requirements;

(ii) fixing maximum selling prices ex-factory for locally manufactured sugar, subject to satisfactory quality standards. With effect from 1st January, 1960, however, maximum prices for "mill-white" sugar will be fixed by reference to the mean between the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement negotiated price as at present adjusted in East Africa and an "average world price" based on the average price over six-monthly periods for British refined sugar landed in East Africa;

(iii) averaging of the cost of local and imported sugar; and

(iv) controlling the price of sugar on first sale within the territory.

(b) Termination of these arrangements at about the time self-sufficiency is in sight, subject to such protective measures as may then appear to be necessary to give adequate protection to local producers.

(c) Introduction of such legislation as may be necessary to comply with any international export obligations current if when it appears that exports of sugar overseas from Tanganyika are imminent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many senior professional appointments, including consultants, have been made by the Western Regional Hospital Board during 1957–58 without such positions being advertised.

None, except for honorary appointments awarded to university staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total financial assistance given to the fishing industry in each year from 1950 to 1958, inclusive.

The total Exchequer assistance for the Scottish fishing industry, excluding expenditure on research and fishery protection, in the years in question was as follows:

				£
1949–50	…	…	…	1,151,559
1950–51	…	…	…	1,105,586
1951–52	…	…	…	1,141,167
1952–53	…	…	…	1,773,376
1953–54	…	…	…	2,399,865
1954–55	…	…	…	2,108,306
1955–56	…	…	…	2,612,441
1956–57	…	…	…	3,465,417
1957–58	…	…	…	4,086,206
1958–59	…	…	…	4,047,033
Total	…	…	…	£23,890,956

(The figures relate to the financial year ending 31st March in each case.)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects work to start, and finish, on widening Cartland Bridge, Lanark.

I have just placed a contract for improvements at this bridge, including the provision of a footpath. I hope that work will start next month and may be completed by November.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will state when the model of the revised Barbican Plan for St. Giles area of the City of London will be placed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I have been able to arrange for the model to be on display in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday, 29th June to Friday, 3rd July inclusive. I should like to express gratitude to the City of London for making the model available during this period.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what applications have been received from the Dumbarton area under the Development Areas Treasury Advisory Committee Scheme; and whether he is in a position to state what action has been taken.

So far four firm and eligible applications have been received from Dunbartonshire for assistance under the 1958 Act, of which one has been approved and three are still under consideration. As the applicant has already disclosed, the case approved was in respect of a loan of £400,000.

asked the Minister of Works how frequently during the recent hot weather temperature readings were taken in the public cafeteria of the House of Commons; and what were the maximum temperatures recorded in the cafeteria and kitchen, respectively; and how many times the temperature exceeded 80 degrees fahrenheit.

Temperature readings are taken in the strangers' cafeteria three times a day, at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.The highest temperature so far recorded this year is 78° at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on 12th May. No records are taken of temperatures in the kitchen.An air-cooling plant is to be installed in the cafeteria during the forthcoming Long Recess.