asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now state his plans for the future financial structure of the fishing industry, indicating in particular the present and future limits for subsidies.

As I indicated in the debate last week on the Sea Fish Industry Bill this Bill will enable subsidy to continue up till 1963. Meanwhile, as hon. Members know, the Government is expecting the report of Sir Alexander Fleck's Committee before the end of 1960.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made with the con struction of the cut-off channel of the Great Ouse flood protection scheme.

The flood protection scheme of the Great Ouse River Board is in three parts. Part I has been recently completed. Part II should be finished by the end of 1961 and my right hon. Friend hopes that Part III, the construction of the cut-off channel, will start early in 1960. Technical discussions between engineers are now almost completed and he hopes that the river board can shortly be authorised to invite tenders.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the irregular character of fish visitations to Smith's Knoll and other fishing grounds adjacent to Great Britain, and that these irregularities cause loss to the British fishing industry; what scientific inquiries into these irregularities are being made under Government auspices; and with what results.

Changes in the movements and abundance of herring off East Anglia and elsewhere in the North Sea are under close study by scientists in my Department and the Scottish Home Department. Our scientists have also taken a leading part in the programme of international research on herring in the North Sea organised by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. They have found that the decline in the East Anglian herring fishery since 1950 is the result of a progressive decrease in the number of older fish, which may well be due in part to the increased intensity of foreign fishing and in part to long-term changes in the environment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications have been received in Devonshire under the Small Farmer Scheme; how many have been approved; and how many are still waiting attention.

One thousand nine hundred and twenty-five applications under the Small Farmer Scheme had been received from farmers in Devonshire up to 3rd November. One thousand four hundred and six of the applicants have submitted farm business plans, of which 1,138 have so far been approved and 268 are awaiting attention. I can assure my hon. Friend that the outstanding plans will be quickly dealt with.In addition 265 applications under the Supplementary Scheme had been received from Devonshire, of which 207 had been approved.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has yet decided to take action on the recent Report on the Forest of Dean.

The Forestry Commission has received comments on this Report from most of the interested parties but, as yet, I am not in a position to make a statement. I hope to do so early in the New Year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the object of the official journey to Ireland in August of Mr. T. N. Foster, an official of his Department; to what extent this object was achieved; and the cost of his equipment and journey.

Mr. T. N. Foster is not an official of my Department and this was not an official journey. Therefore no expense was incurred by my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about the appointment of a committee to inquire into milk distributors' remuneration in the United Kingdom.

Yes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have appointed a Committee with the following terms of reference:

"To examine the present methods of determining the remuneration of distributors of liquid milk in the United Kingdom from the point of sale by the producer or milk marketing board to the point of delivery to the consumer, and to advise whether any changes in these methods are desirable to ensure an efficient and economical service to the consumer for the supply of clean, safe milk."

Sir Guy Thorold, K.C.M.G., has agreed to act as Chairman and the other members are Professor R. G. D. Allen, C.B.E., M.A., D.Sc. (Econ.), F.B.A., Lady Hall, M.A., Mr. C. I. R. Hutton, CA., Mr. S. J. Pears, F.CA. and Mr. G. M. Sandiford.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that the recent relaxation of the earnings rule does not meet the financial difficulties of retirement pensioners having regard to the present increased cost of living; and if he will reconsider the rates of pension in order to bring them nearer to the present cost of living of retirement pensioners.

The hon. and learned Member's question is based on a false hypothesis. The cost of living is virtually the same today as when pensions were substantially increased in January last year.

asked the Minister of Power his estimate of the inland demand for energy, in terms of coal equivalent, for each of the years 1960 to 1965 inclusive.

It is impossible to make useful estimates of this kind for individual years.

asked the Minister of Power what general directions he has given to the National Coal Board regarding the production targets at which it should aim for each of the years 1960 to 1965 inclusive.

None.

asked the Minister of Power how many licensed mines are now in production in South Wales; how many men are employed in them; and what is their weekly output.

There are 196 licensed mines in production in South Wales and Monmouthshire, employing 2,100 men and with an average weekly output of 14,000 tons.

asked the Minister of Power how many opencast undertakings are now in operation in South Wales; how many men are employed in them; and what is their total output this year.

In South Wales and Monmouthshire the National Coal Board is operating 13 opencast sites employing 1,600 men. Production in the first 42 weeks of 1959 was 1,250,000 tons. In the same period seven opencast licensed sites produced 29,000 tons; employment at these sites is not known.

asked the Minister of Power how much of the total compensation payments to the former colliery owners is still unredeemed, at the nearest convenient date; and what rate of interest is charged annually on this amount.

£277,289,777 on 31st March, 1959, bearing an average rate of interest of about 3½ per cent.

asked the Minister of Power how much of the coal common stock is still unredeemed at the nearest convenient date; and what rate of interest it is bearing.

£261,965,968 (nominal value) 3½ per cent. Treasury Stock issued in respect of coal compensation is not due for redemption until 1977–80.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the availability in general medical practice of the new influenza inoculation.

Vaccination against influenza is available under the general medical service, it being for the practitioner to decide whether or not it is desirable in an individual case. As, however, I indicated in my reply to a Question on 6th November, from the information and expert advice that are available to me there is at present no evidence to suggest that there will be a major epidemic of influenza in this country during the coming winter; nor is it possible to identify in advance the particular strain of influenza virus that would cause such an epidemic if one should occur.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he has taken to set up Mental Health Review Tribunals, as provided for under the First Schedule of the Mental Health Act, 1959.

I have been asked to reply. Members of Mental Health Review Tribunals are to be appointed by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor, who, in consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Health, is taking steps to collect the names of persons suitable for appointment.

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to publish the Report of the Government Actuary on his investigation of the National Health Service Superannuation Scheme for the period ended 31st March, 1955; and if he will make a statement.

The Report is being published by the Stationery Office tomorrow and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.The Government Actuary found that on 31st March, 1955, there was a deficiency in the Scheme of £79·5 million. Of this, £34 million was an initial deficiency attributable to decisions at the inception of the Scheme to give recognition to the existing rights and expectations of those transferred to the National Health Service when it was set up, and to the entry into the Scheme at that time of persons at ages above the normal ages of entry to the Health Service. The contributing factors are set out in more detail in paragraph 36 of the Report. About £40 million is attributable to rises in wages and salaries since 1948.It is proposed that the deficiency should be dealt with as follows. The superannuation account will be credited with £34 million, representing the "initial deficiency". An accounting adjustment will be made retrospectively from 1948 in order to meet the whole of the deficiency of £4·1 million arising from payments in respect of practitioners who maintain individual policies. Employees' contributions will not be increased, but in future interest will not be paid on contributions returned to employees who voluntarily leave the Health Service before becoming entitled to any superannuation benefit. It is estimated that this will produce a saving of about £0·9 million. The balance of the deficiency, namely, £40·5 million, will be liquidated over a period of approximately twenty years by adding to the present employer's contribution a special supplement of 1½ per cent. of salary.The staff interests concerned are being informed and their observations invited prior to the laying of the necessary draft Regulations before Parliament.

asked the Minister of Health when the Report of the Royal Commission on doctors' and dentists' pay can be expected; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed that the Royal Commission has taken and considered all the evidence it requires and that its report is now being drafted. I cannot of course say precisely when it will be submitted but I know the Commission is proceeding urgently with its task.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths caused by blood poisoning took place in the hospitals of Great Britain during 1958.

Sixty-three deaths in hospitals in England and Wales and, I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, fifteen in Scotland were specifically assigned to septicaemia and pyaemia.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women, respectively, in the area covered by the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency, who are registered as unemployed.

Statistics of unemployment are compiled only for employment, exchange areas and the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency is part of the area served by my local offices at Ashton-under-Lyne, Glossop, Hyde and Stalybridge. At 12th October, 1959, there were 761 men and boys and 379 women and girls registered as unemployed at these offices.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured men and women over and under 18 years, respectively, employed in the area covered by the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency, and the figures for 10 years ago and 5 years ago, respectively.

Statistics of employment do not distinguish adults from young people and are compiled only for employment exchange areas. The figures for the exchanges covering this constituency were 42,300 men and boys and 29,900 women and girls at end May, 1958—the latest date for which figures are available—compared with 45,600 and 32,000 at end May, 1954. Comparable figures for 1949 are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers in civil employment at the latest available date, and for the corresponding month in 1951 for Great Britain, Scotland, London and south-eastern England, respectively.

In May, 1958, the figure for Great Britain was 21,440,000, Scotland 2,075,000 and London and South-Eastern Region 5,400,000. Owing to a change made in 1955 in the method of estimating regional figures, it is not possible to make an exact comparison, but it is estimated that between 1951 and 1958, the numbers of employees in employment increased by over 900,000 in Great Britain, showed little change in Scotland, and increased by 350,000 in the London and South-Eastern Region.

asked the Minister of Labour how many youths are unemployed in Scotland; what percentage this is of the total youth unemployed in the United Kingdom; and whether he will give the comparable figures for each of the last four years.

NUMBERS OF YOUNG PERSONS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED IN SCOTLAND AND IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AT THE UNDERMENTIONED DATES, TOGETHER WITH THE PERCENTAGES THAT THE FIGURES FOR SCOTLAND REPRESENTED OF THOSE FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM
		Numbers of young persons registered as unemployed						Col. (3) as a percentage of Col. (6) (7)
Date		Scotland			United Kingdom
		Boys	Girls	Total	Boys	Girls	Total
		(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)
10th October, 1955	…	1,246	963	2,209	6,776	6,266	13,042	16·9
15th October, 1956	…	1,044	958	2,002	6,960	6,693	13,653	14·7
14th October, 1957	…	1,032	914	1,946	8,415	6,560	14,975	13·0
13th October, 1958	…	2,807	1,698	4,505	17,410	13,453	30,863	14·6
12th October, 1959	…	3,389	1,555	4,944	16,974	10,178	27,152	18·2

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the number of unemployed men, women and young people in the County of Durham in September last as compared with the same figures for the previous year; what

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THE REGISTERS OF EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES IN THE COUNTY OF DURHAM AT 15TH SEPTEMBER, 1958 AND 14TH SEPTEMBER, 1959
—		Men aged 18 and over	Boys under 18	Women aged 18 and over	Girls under 18	Total
15th September, 1958	…	11,965	900	4,301	540	17,706
14th September, 1959	…	14,954	1,631	5,186	725	22,496
Increase (+) or decrease (-)	…	+2,989	+ 731	+ 885	+185	+4,790

The percentage increase between September, 1958 and September, 1959, was 27·1.The total of 22,496 persons registered as unemployed at 14th September, 1959, represented 3·8 per cent. of the estimated total number of employees in the area.The numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at the same offices at 10th September, 1958 and 9th September, 1959, were:

—			Men	Boys	Women	Girls	Total
10th September, 1958	…	…	1,273	303	464	512	2,552
9th September, 1959	…	…	1,295	277	665	655	2,892

This increase in unemployment at a time when the national figures have fallen causes me considerable concern Most of it has occurred on Wearside and South-East Tyneside where the main factors causing the increase have been difficulties in shipbuilding and repairing due to the falling off in world trade.

The following table gives the information desired:increase is shown; what this represents as a percentage, and as a percentage of the total working population; how this compares with the number of unfilled vacancies for the same period; and if he will make a statement.

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that in future appeals from the Court of Criminal Appeal to the House of Lords will not depend upon the fiat of the Attorney-General but may proceed with the leave either of the Court of Criminal Appeal or of the House of Lords.

I announced in the House on 30th July last that the then Government intended to abolish the certificate procedure under Section 1 (6) of the Criminal Appeal Act. 1907. Legislation for this purpose will be introduced in the current Session.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he has completed his study of the living conditions under which Mr. Albert Brumpton and his family are living in Cannock rural council district, Staffordshire, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Cannock; and what steps are being taken to safeguard the health of both parents and children.

This case was brought to my right hon. Friend's notice three days ago. He has asked the rural district council, which appears to have responsibility under the Public Health Act, 1936, for dealing with the situation, to consider urgently what it can do.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is yet in a position to make recommendations for Parliamentary control of Special Procedure Orders.

The questions at issue are under examination. I am not yet in a position to make a statement, and it may be some time before I am able to do so.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that the late Commander Russell's death was caused through a combination of inefficiency on the part of Royal Naval personnel and defective equipment, he will ex gratia augment the gratuity of £1,577 5s., including a £450 killed-in-action grant, and total pensions of £559 7s. now being paid to the widow and two children, bearing in mind that this officer, at the age of 34 years, was earning a total of £2,409 at the time of his death.

A number of factors contributed to cause this officer's death. The maximum awards applicable in this case have already been granted and I am sorry to say that I am not in a position to grant any increases. In addition to the sums mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend, Mrs. Russell receives an education allowance for her two children of £158 l1s. 0d.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state, for the latest date for which figures are available, the numbers of primary and secondary classes of over 40, and over 50, pupils, respectively; and how these figures compare with those for 1958 and 1957.

The numbers for maintained and assisted schools are set out in the following table. The figures for classes with over 40 pupils include those with over 50.

Year (January)	Junior classes		Senior classes
	Over 40	Over 50	Over 40	Over 50
1957	31,907	558	4,115	56
1958	29,186	433	3,657	43
1959 (provisional)	22,928	188	4,296	62

asked the Minister of Education when he expects to receive the Report of Sir Colin Anderson's Committee set up to inquire into the present system of awards from public funds to students attending first degree courses at universities, or comparable courses elsewhere.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the Answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall) on 5th November.

asked the Postmaster-General when he expects a new post office in the centre of Morley to be opened.

We now plan to start work on a new post office in Queen Street, Morley, in August, 1960, and to open it in December, 1961. We have had more difficulty than we expected in finding a site and in negotiating for its purchase.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish the Report of the Government Actuary on his investigation of the National Health Service Superannuation Scheme for Scotland for the period ending 31st March, 1955; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Report is being published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office tomorrow and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.The Government Actuary found that on 31st March, 1955, there was a deficiency in the Scheme of £6·0 million. Of this £1·5 million was an initial deficiency mainly attributable to decisions taken at the inception of the Scheme to recognise the existing rights and expectations of those transferred to the National Health Service when it was set up, and to the entry into the Scheme at that time of persons at ages above the normal ages of entry to the Health Service. Most of the remainder of the deficit is attributable to increases in wages and salaries since 1948.It is proposed that the deficiency should be dealt with as follows. The superannuation account will be credited with £1·5 million representing the "initial" deficiency. An accounting adjustment will be made retrospectively from 1948 in order to meet a deficiency of £0·2 million arising from payments in respect of practitioners who maintain individual policies. Interest will no longer be paid on contributions returned to employees who voluntarily leave the Health Service before becoming entitled to any superannuation benefit. It is estimated that this will produce a saving of about £0·1 million. The balance of the deficiency, viz., £4·2 million, will be liquidated over a period of approximately twenty years by increasing the rate of the employer's contribution by a special supplementary rate of 1½ per cent. of salary. Employees' contributions will remain at present rates.The staff interests concerned are being informed and their observations invited. Thereafter, I shall lay the necessary Regulations before Parliament.

asked the Minister of Transport why a licence has been granted to serve alcoholic drinks in a restaurant on the new London-Birmingham motorway; to what extent this practice is to be discouraged by his Department; and if he will make a statement of his policy on the question of the dangers of alcoholic drinks on the new fast motorways.

No licence has been granted. Service area developers are permitted to apply for table licences only. It is for the licensing justices to decide whether to grant them. No bars, clubs or licensed premises are allowed.The Highway Code stresses the dangers of drinking while driving. This, of course, applies with special force to driving on the motorway. To ban the serving of alcoholic drinks at restaurants on the motorway would be ineffectual since it would still be possible to obtain drinks elsewhere

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to amend the law relating to concessionary fares for old-age pensioners and others travelling on public transport, so that persons living on bus routes where no concessions were in force in 1954, particularly in new housing estates, may now enjoy them.

I do not think that this would be an appropriate subject for legislation by the Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state, for each of the past three years, the number of new factories built in the Huyton Industrial Estate, the floor area of the factories in question, and the prospective additional employment to be provided; and the number, area and employment capacity of factories approved and under construction.

The information is as follows:

FACTORIES AND EXTENSIONS TO FACTORIES ON HUYTON INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
Year	Number	Area (sq. ft.)	Potential employment
Completed:
1957	Nil	—	—
1958	2	75,955	520
1959	Nil	—	—
Approved and under construction:
1959	1	68,100	1,041