asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the shortage of dentists in the rapidly growing area of South-West Birmingham; what numbers of dentists exist there per 10,000 of the population compared with other areas; and what prospects there are of improvement in the situation.

My right hon. and learned Friend is aware that there is a shortage of dentists in many parts of the country. Separate figures for South-West Birmingham are not available, but in Birmingham as a whole there are approximately two dentists per 10,000 population compared with 1·6 in the Midland region generally and 2·4 in England and Wales.An increase of the facilities for training dentists is under way including, in Birmingham, a considerable expansion of the dental school and a new dental hospital, but it will necessarily be some time before it leads to an improvement in the supply of dentists.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the wastage occasioned by the loss of physio- and occupational therapists in the hospital service; and, with a view to overcoming the loss of personnel, if he will consider increasing the yearly increments so that those who are attracted to hospital service in the first place remain to make it their life's work.

A claim for increased salaries for physiotherapists and occupational therapists employed in the National Health service is now before the Health Services Professional and Technical "A" Whitley Council.

asked the Minister of Health what proposals he now has for increasing the number of motor cars available for the double leg amputees and other multiple injury war pensioners.

The maximum number of cars for these classes of pensioner was increased from 1,950 to 2,000 in 1952, and further increased to 2,100 in 1955, and this provision appears to be adequate.

asked the Minister of Health the waiting period for major repairs on artificial limbs for the war disabled and civilian amputees, respectively.

In the first half of 1959 the average waiting time for major repairs was about eighty days. Separate figures for major repairs for war disabled amputees and National Health Service patients are not available, but priority is given to the former.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made in the investigation by his Department concerning the provision of two-seater, all- weather, motor-propelled vehicles for the disabled.

No special investigation is being made by the Ministry, but the Department's officers examine from time to time the small two-seater vehicles available; and as I informed the hon. Members for Leicester, Northwest (Mr. Janner) and Rochdale (Mr. McCann) on 13th April, none has been found suitable for use by disabled persons generally.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement about the General Practitioner Pension Scheme; and what adjustments have been recommended by the Government Actuary in order to balance the assets and liabilities of this National Health Service Superannuation Scheme.

No. The Report of the Government Actuary on the valuation of the National Health Service Superannuation Scheme is under consideration and I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Health what consideration he has given to arrangements for children who receive transistor hearing aids through the National Health Service obtaining some instruction in the use of the aid.

Instruction is given by the staff of the hearing aid centres and by teachers in schools for the deaf.

asked the Minister of Health what representations have been made to him with regard to the unsatisfactory cases in which transistor hearing aids supplied through the National Health Service are enclosed; and to what extent production is continuing of this type of hearing aid case.

I am aware that the cases have proved somewhat fragile but as a result of further research those now being produced are made with a different moulding technique and have strengthened walls. I hope that these will prove more durable.

asked the Minister of Health the value of orders for mattresses and pillows placed with priority suppliers during the last financial year by the various regional hospital boards; and what proportion of the total contracts placed for mattresses and pillows such orders represent.

During the last financial year purchases on central contracts amounted to £39,600—42 per cent. of the total—for interior sprung mattresses, all from priority suppliers, and £55,621 for foam rubber mattresses which are not available from priority suppliers. Pillows are not contracted for centrally, and I regret the information requested is therefore not available.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, the estimated amount of money allocated to dental research in the United Kingdom; and if he is satisfied that this is adequate to enable the necessary research to be maintained and to enable salaries to be paid which will attract and keep research workers of the necessary standard.

The total amount spent last year on dental research in the United Kingdom is estimated to be at least £54,000. My noble Friend is not at present satisfied with the scale of dental research in this country. The chief difficulty in encouraging research in this field is not lack of funds but lack of interest and enthusiasm on the part of both dental and scientific graduates. The salaries paid are equivalent to those of other academic medical research workers. Every effort is made by the Medical Research Council to encourage dental graduates to take training in research methods in scientific subjects and to enable scientific graduates to enter dental research.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has now drafted the Order in Council concerning Baltic assets; and when this can be expected to be placed before the House.

The drafting of the Order which will provide for the registration of certain categories of claims against the Soviet Union is in hand and will be completed as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will consider opening up a branch of the British Council in South Korea.

This House has, at the request of my right hon. and learned Friend, voted considerable additional funds recently, and particularly in the last and the present financial years, for use by the British Council in the expansion of its activities in foreign countries. The Council gives regular consideration to the desirability of opening representations in new countries; but there is a demand for its services in many areas of the world, and these demands have to be weighed against the available resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his discussions with the French Government concerning reciprocal rights for foreign visitors who are injured in motor accidents by the negligence of uninsured drivers have yet reached a successful conclusion; and if he will make a statement.

The necessary preliminary study is in progress, but formal negotiations have not yet taken place. We hope they will open shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in which European countries protection is given to British visitors injured by uninsured drivers comparable to that given by the Motor Insurers' Bureau to foreign visitors injured in Great Britain; and whether he will make representations to those countries who do not afford similar protection.

No exact comparisons are possible. Even in countries where generally comparable protection is given, there may still be wide variation in detail.However, according to my information, there are at present seven European countries, namely, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, the Federal Republic of Germany, Norway and Sweden, where a roughly equivalent degree of protection is afforded. There is reason to believe that there may fairly soon be additions to this number.As regards the second part of the Question, the hon. Member is aware that the possibility of concluding an agreement to secure reciprocal treatment in France is already under examination. I am considering whether there may be any other European countries to whom representations could usefully be made.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent Her Majesty's Government consulted the National Union of Manufacturers and the Trades Union Congress before they decided not to ratify the Convention adopted in 1958 by the International Labour Conference, which contains an obligation to eliminate discrimination in the field of employment on the basis of race, colour, religion and other grounds.

The obligations that would result from ratifying the Convention would fall on the Government, and consultation with the organisations named was therefore not considered to be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the loss in employment to Remploy Limited, and what proportion of the appropriate plant has been left unused, as a result of a change of policy by the Ministry of Supply concerning preservation, identification and packaging work.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he has taken since 27th April last for securing the placing of further Government contracts for preservation, identification and packaging work with suitable Remploy factories.

There has been substantial under-employment during the past two years in Remploy's packaging factories, and the company estimates that the plant in these factories is at present being used to only one-third of its maximum capacity. This is due to the difficulty of obtaining commercial work as well as to the decline in Ministry of Supply contracts. As my right hon. Friend informed the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Miss Burton) on 8th June, the main responsibility for obtaining orders must rest with Remploy. I understand that the company has already taken steps to improve the position, including an increase in the sales force and the changing over of some packaging factories to other trades.

asked the Minister of Labour the value of Government contracts placed with Remploy Limited during the last five years.

The total value of such contracts was nearly £5,300,000. I am circulating with the OFFICIAL REPORT the figures for each of the last five financial years. The following are the figures referred to:

	£
1954–55	1,320,500
1955–56	1,227,200
1956–57	1,131,000
1957–58	828,600
1958–59	788,900
	£5,296,200

asked the Minister of Labour the total capacity for the employment of severely disabled persons in the existing ninety Remploy factories; and how many persons were employed in those factories at the latest available date.

The total capacity of the existing Remploy factories is about 7,200. On 19th May, 1959, the number of severely disabled workers employed in the factories, including staff, was 6,071.

asked the Minister of Labour the value of Ministry of Supply work in hand at the Sheffield (Hands- worth) factory on 16th June, 1959.

I understand that the hon. Member is referring to the Remploy factory at Handsworth. The value of the work in question was £160.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he has taken since 14th April, 1955, to persuade the local authorities and the nationalised undertakings, either directly or through their contractors, to place contracts with Remploy Limited; and what was the value of such contracts.

Last year, circulars were issued by my right hon. Friends, the Minister of Housing and Local Government and the Secretary of State for Scotland, reminding local authorities of the types of work which the sheltered workshops can do and suggesting that they should make special arrangements to provide these undertakings with opportunities to obtain contracts. Consideration is now being given to the question of local authority representation on the joint committee which was set up last year to promote closer co-operation between the priority suppliers and Government purchasing Departments.The nationalised industries have recently been invited to participate in the work of the Priority Suppliers Committee which includes representatives of the main priority suppliers, including Remploy. The total value of contracts placed with Remploy by local authorities and nationalised industries during the last five years was £303,000.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will publish a table of figures showing the January, June, and October totals and proportions, respectively, of unemployed in Newcastleunder-Lyme in each of the last five years up to the latest date for which figures are available.

The following is the information requested:

NUMBERS AND PERCENTAGES OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF THE NEW CASTLE-UNDER-LYME EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT THE UNDERMENTIONED DATES
Date	Number registered as unemployed	Percentage rate of unemployed persons
14th June, 1954	303	1·1
11th October, 1954	285	1·1
10th January, 1955	381	1·4
13th June, 1955	283	1·0
10th October, 1955	308	1·1
16th January, 1956	431	1·6
11th June, 1956	448	1·7
15th October, 1956	573	2·2
14th January, 1957	1,049	4·0
7th June, 1957	698	2·6
14th October, 1957	659	2·5
13th January, 1958	967	3·6
16th June, 1958	783	2·9
13th October, 1958	1,067	4·0
12th January, 1959	1,490	5·6
15th June, 1959	862	3·2

asked the Minister of Labour if he will call for reports from his labour attachés on the most up-to-date methods adopted by overseas Governments for ensuring sheltered employment for disabled workers, in view of the extent of this problem in the United Kingdom and the need to consider all possible methods of dealing with it.

We already have considerable information about the practice in other countries, although, in general, I consider that the provision made for sheltered employment in this country, and the methods used, compare favourably with those elsewhere. If, however, the hon. Member has any particular point in mind I will be glad to consider it.

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF THE BEXHILL, HAILSHAM AND RYE EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AT 15TH JUNE,1959
Employment Exchange				Men			Women
				Aged 18 to 54	Aged 55 and over	Total	Aged 18 to 54	Aged 55 and over	Total
Bexhill	…	…	…	28	96	124	18	4	22
Hailsham	…	…	…	12	34	46	5	1	6
Rye	…	…	…	21	26	47	1	2	3
Total	…	…	…	61	156	217	24	7	31

In addition to the above, there were two boys and two girls under 18 years of age registered as unemployed at the Bexhill Youth Employment Office, which also covers the Hailsham and Rye areas. These four young persons have been employed at some stage since leaving school.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unfilled vacancies in the hotel and catering industry notified at the Bexhill employment exchange.

At 10th June, 1959, 51 notified vacancies in the hotel and catering industry remained unfilled at the Bexhill Employment Exchange and 23 at Bexhill Youth Employment Office, which also covers the Hailsham and Rye areas.

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF THE GATESHEAD EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AND THE NUMBERS OF NOTIFIED VACANCIES REMAINING UNFILLED AT THOSE OFFICES
——				Numbers registered as unemployed				Notified vacancies remaining unfilled
				Wholly Unemployed		Temporarily Stopped
				Males	Females	Males	Females	Males	Females
June, 1951	…	…	…	1,086	271	13	25	551	588
June 1952	…	…	…	1,028	659	43	59	337	214
June, 1953	…	…	…	1035	478	12	8	274	365
June, 1954	…	…	…	889	391	28	27	219	535
June, 1955	…	…	…	624	257	40	4	400	688
June, 1956	…	…	…	602	213	19	1	388	757
June, 1957	…	…	…	683	301	6	4	166	479
June, 1958	…	…	…	870	325	30	3	119	316
June, 1959	…	…	…	1,034	377	76	16	74	214

asked the Minister of Labour how many males and females were registered as unemployed at the Bexhill, Hailsham and Rye employment exchanges on 15th June; and how many of them were over 55 years of age, under 18 years of age, and school leavers, respectively.

The table below gives the information desired.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of workers in the Borough of Gateshead wholly unemployed and temporarily stopped on the latest convenient date for each year from 1951 to 1959, respectively, together with the numbers of reported vacancies on these dates.

The table below gives the information desired.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations are taking place with the London County Council, with a view to finding a permanent site for the future of Covent Garden Market.

There have been no consultations about a permanent site for Covent Garden Market. As I told the House on 11th June, 1958, the Government have decided that Covent Garden Market should not be moved though it should be improved and concentrated in a smaller area. Officials of my Ministry and of other Departments concerned have, however, held meetings with officials of the London County Council and have considered a number of possible sites for an annexe to the market for storing empty containers and produce in bulk. A permanent site of about five acres which I believe to be eminently suitable for this purpose has now been found at the junction of Old Street and City Road, about two miles from Covent Garden. In the statement I have just referred to, I said that the Government had decided to introduce legislation to establish a statutory Covent Garden Market Authority which will take over some of the land and premises in Covent Garden now in market use. It is my intention in introducing this legislation to include a provision vesting in the new Market Authority the freehold interest in the site of the annexe.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the fall in the sow production in Great Britain from 565,000 this year, as compared with 713,000 in 1958, constitutes a danger to the bacon, pork, sausage, and pie trades, that this imperils British employment and production and opens the door to foreign competition adverse to British industry, and that this is particularly so in Aberdeen; if he will investigate the causes of this; and if he will take steps to rectify it.

I do not accept that the current decline in the breeding herd from the record high level of 1958 will have the widespread adverse effects which the hon. and learned Member foresees, either in Great Britain generally or in Aberdeen.As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 9th July last to the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton).

Balniel asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the new management grant for dedicated woodlands will be introduced.

The introduction of this grant was made contingent on the formation of an effective association of private woodland owners. Satisfactory proposals to this end having now been put forward, I am very glad to say that payment of the management grant, in place of the maintenance grant, will begin forthwith. At the same time the planting grant for approved woodlands will be raised to the same level as that for dedicated estates.In announcing this, I would like to pay tribute to the hard work of the existing owners' organisations and of their officers in working out the new proposals, and to wish the new association every success.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider asking the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast details of any outbreaks of fowl pest that may occur, mentioning as a warning the parishes which may possibly be affected.

The B.B.C. gives great assistance in broadcasting notices of infected areas but it could not be expected to announce every outbreak. We try to make sure that every nearby poultry keeper knows of the existence of an outbreak by means of visits by veterinary and other local staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultations he is having in regard to the appointment of the advisory committee that will advise as to the choice of British books to be subsidised as low-priced books for export.

I am in consultation with my colleagues on this matter. When the appointments have been made, I will inform the House.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether, as a matter of economy and administrative convenience, he will amalgamate local offices of his Department and the National Assistance Board.

Wherever practical offices of the Ministry and of the Board are housed in the same premises. Elsewhere the Ministry's offices as well as employment exchanges provide facilities for dealing with National Assistance inquiries wherever this seems advantageous.

asked the Minister of Supply what steps he is taking to continue his Department's contracts with Steels Engineering Installations, Ltd., Sunderland, in view of the redundancy arising at its Crown Works.

The number of cranes ordered under a contract placed some years ago with Steels Engineering Products, Ltd., to which I assume the hon. Member refers, had to be reduced owing to a change in requirements. I regret that this reduction, coming at a time when apparently there was a shortage of other orders, has had an adverse effect on employment in the factory, but I had no alternative. The firm will, of course, be considered for any other cranes which may be required.

asked the Minister of Supply how many aircraft orders for the N.A.39 have been placed by his Department to date; and what are his intentions regarding the placing of further orders.

In addition to the development batch order for twenty aircraft, the necessary orders have been placed to enable production for the Admiralty to begin. I cannot disclose the quantities involved. I have no statement to make at present regarding the placing of any further orders.

asked the Minister of Supply what progress is being made with the design and development of the T.S.R.2 aircraft; and if he will make an interim statement.

An initial contract has been placed covering the first phase of development. Vickers and English Electric, the two companies concerned, have formed a joint project team which is proceeding energetically with the initial work of project design, planning and programming.

asked the Minister of Supply the total estimated cost of producing and testing the Bluestreak ballistic missile; when it is expected that firing trials will start; and how much each firing trial will cost.

It would be contrary to the public interest to disclose such details of our development programme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the recent trade agreement with Great Britain and Denmark, if he is yet in a position to state the effect of the agreement on the traditional trade relations between Great Britain and the Irish Republic.

No. 1 see no reason why our close and traditional trade relations with the Irish Republic should be changed, but it is too soon to foresee how far trade between this country and the Irish Republic will be affected if the Agreement with the Stockholm Group comes into force. It is certainly our wish that these relations should be maintained and strengthened and both sides declared this as their objective in our recent talks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is still his policy that textile firms should have freedom to buy the machinery which is best suited to their needs; and why firms are being discouraged from carrying out this policy.

Yes, firms are of course free to buy the machinery which they think is best suited to their needs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now grant to Ashton Brothers and Company, Limited, remission of import duty for the Schlafhorst BKN Winding Machine, in view of the fact that only an inferior machine is available in this country.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to his Question of 16th July. I have also written in detail to the hon. Member on the subject. I understand the hon. Member is raising the matter on the Adjournment tomorrow.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now reconsider his decision to relax restrictions on imports of processed milks for the year beginning 1st April, in view of the concern expressed by members of the farming community.

As my hon. Friend the Minister of State stated in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Lady Tweedsmuir) on 2nd June, the decision is being kept under review.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, in view of further exclusions of the Press from the proceedings of local authorities and the fact that his warning on the subject is still being ignored, he will now make an amendment in the law in respect of this matter.

I have already expressed my strong disapproval of the action of certain local authorities in withdrawing facilities from the Press. I would prefer to see what response these authorities make to the advice which they have been given, before reaching any final decision about legislation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware of the hardship caused to owner-occupiers whose homes have been taken from them through the operation of clearance and other orders; and if he will introduce legislation to amend the Second Schedule to the Housing Act, 1957, in such a way as to give full market value of a house to the owner-occupier when his house is taken away for any reason under any of the various Orders or Acts of Parliament.

Much has been done to reduce hardship to owner-occupiers by the special provision made in 1956 for the payment of full compulsory purchase value for unfit houses bought between 1939 and 1955, and by the substantially increased scale of payments for good maintenance introduced in the same year. In addition, the Town and Country Planning Act which became law last week contains provision for a minimum payment to all occupiers equal to the annual gross value of the property; I have no further legislation in mind at present.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many new and average type dwellings could be built with labour and materials of a quantity comparable to that used to rebuild 218,215 war-destroyed houses and 3,544,858 war-damaged houses.

I can make no estimate. By no means all the 218,215 war destroyed houses were in fact rebuilt.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount of each class

Class	Quantity	Receipts of Duty
	Gallons	£
Oils chargeable with Customs duty
Light Oils:	2,190,045,736	*273,778,739
of which motor (including aviation) spirit	(2,140,523,206)	(267,559,121)
Heavy Oils:
For use as road fuel	538,168,300	67,271,514
Other (mainly lubricating oils)	175,680,122	732,001
Oils chargeable with Excise duty
Light Oils:	116,893,067	7,314,099
of which motor (including aviation) spirit	(61,889,948)	(3,869,628)
Heavy Oils for use as road fuel	22,489,768	1,405,611
Total		350,501,964
Allowance on certain home-produced oils used in approved refineries as raw material for chemical synthesis		4,428,996
Net Total		346,072,968
These particulars relate to oil subject to a net liability to Customs or Excise duty: comparable figures are not available in respect of heavy oils for which the duty is wholly rebated.
* Includes £30,654 in respect of light oils contained in composite goods on which oil duty was charged at a flat rate under the Composite Goods Orders, 1957, and 1958, and for which information as to the quantity of oil is not available

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is making any fresh appointments to the Advisory Panel which advises him on the administration of Section 468 of the Income Tax Act, 1952.

The right hon. Lord Kennet, G.B.E., who has acted as Chairman, and Sir Bernhard Binder, F.C.A., and Sir Kenneth Swan, Q.C., who have served as members of the Advisory Panel since it was set up in 1951 have recently retired from the panel. I welcome this opportunity to express my thanks to them for the valuable advice which they have given throughout this period to my predecessors and myself. The membership of the panel from today will be:

Sir James Millard Tucker, Q.C. (Chairman).

Mr. A. H. Carnwath.

Sir William Carrington, F.C.A.

The required particulars are as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General when he intends to publish a classified telephone directory for the Tunbridge Wells area.

We have no plans at present for a classified telephone directory for Tunbridge Wells. Priority has had to be given to other areas, but the position will be kept under review.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the normal time taken by a parcel posted in London to North Lincolnshire is two days; and what action he proposes to improve the parcel post in North Lincolnshire.

Most parcels for North Lincolnshire posted in London up to 5 p.m.—later at a number of offices—are delivered next day, but some for rural areas are not normally delivered until the second day after posting. I am looking into the individual case about which my hon. Friend wrote to me.

asked the Postmaster-General what further steps he will take to ensure that the British Broadcasting Corporation improves its sound and television broadcasting services in Badenoch and other areas of the Highlands and Islands which were not included in the scheme recently announced.

The British Broadcasting Corporation tells me that it hopes to include further satellite television and VHF sound stations for the Highlands and Islands in the next stage of their programme but that it is too early for it to say when or where these will be built.

asked the Paymaster-General (1) what amounts of undistributed stocks of coal are now held in the West Midlands Division of the National Coal Board and in the Warwickshire area, respectively; and of what qualities and grades these stocks consist;

The following table gives the figures for the West Midlands Division:

UNDISTRIBUTED STOCKS OF COAL AT 4TH JULY, 1959
(Th. tons)
West Midlands Division	West Midlands Division
Total	2,476
Of which:
Unscreened	472
Large	531
Graded	219
Treated smalls	1,019
Untreated smalls	235

I regret that the other figures are not available from the statistics collected by the Ministry.

asked the Paymaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the piling up of oil stocks in the country; and, in view of the extensive coal stocks that are laid by in the coalfields, what the Government's intentions are in regard to future importation of oil supplies into the United Kingdom.

Oil stocks are being increased in keeping with the Government's policy which, as I outlined in the House on 4th May last [HANSARD: col. 47], aims at making provision against temporary interruptions of supply.The future importation of oil will depend upon the course of demand.