asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much public money has been given, in grant or sub-

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the amount of Customs Revenue in 1957–58 from port wine and Spanish sherry when the duty on heavy wines last stood at 50s. per gallon; and how this compares with the latest available figures since the duty was reduced to 38s. per gallon in the 1958 Budget.

Net receipts of duty from port wine and from Spanish sherry in the financial year 1957–58 were approximately £3·6 million and £7·7 million, respectively. The figures for the calendar year 1959 are approximately £2·8 million and £6·8 million, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what features there are of Premium Savings Bonds which make them generally unsuitable to be used as security for loans.

The regulations for Premium Savings Bonds, as for other savings securities, are such that the Post Office is unable to recognise any charge on them in respect of a loan and that

The following are the figures:the Bonds may only be encashed by the registered holder.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much public money has been paid during the current financial year by the National Savings Committee to individuals in respect of their personal photographs and testimonies in support of the Premium Bond scheme; and what were the individual payments in each case.

75 guineas, paid to one individual.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, in view of the Government's declared policy of improving the purchasing value of the £ sterling, the actual value has depreciated from 20s. in October, 1951 to 15s. 3d. in January, 1960; and what action he proposes to take to restore the £ sterling's purchasing value to its October, 1951 level of 20s.

To restore the purchasing power of the £ to its October, 1951, value would involve bringing about a large fall in prices. Short of a policy of most drastic deflation or other violent measures there is no way open to the Government of achieving this, and the Government have no such policy in mind. Prices have been almost stable since early 1958, and it is my right hon. Friend's aim to maintain this trend so far as it is within his power; success, however, does not depend on Government action alone but also on the co-operation of other sections of the community.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much Surtax would have to be increased to ensure a revenue return sufficient to enable him to increase old-age pensions by 10s. per week; and whether he will consider this method of financing an increase to old-age pensioners in his forthcoming Budget.

The cost of a 10s. a week increase for single pensioners with consequential increases for married couples and for other insurance benefits would be of the order of £200 million. To finance this by an increase in Surtax revenue would involve more than doubling the present yield of the tax. With regard to the last part of the Question, the hon. Member will not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue was obtained from the charging of Purchase Tax on postal Christmas gifts during the month of December, 1959; and what Purchase Tax was charged on the gift of bear skins recently made by the people of Timmins, Canada, for the manufacture of new Guardsmen's bearskin helmets.

Gifts cannot be distinguished in the revenue records. The answer to the second part of the Question is "None".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the revenue in the present year expected from Purchase Tax on industrial safety footwear; whether he is aware that sales of this equipment have declined by 50 per cent. since Purchase Tax was imposed, which has resulted in a substantial increase in industrial foot injuries; and, having regard to the loss of time in factories caused by such injuries, whether he will take steps forthwith to remove the impost on industrial safety footwear.

The information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available. I know of no evidence to support the statements in the second part, and as to the last, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Mansfield (Mr. B. Taylor) on 3rd November, 1959.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that certain types of scissors, including hairdressers' cockade scissors, and thinning scissors, pinking scissors, Stubb scissors and lamp wick trimming scissors, are not subject to Purchase Tax, whereas the majority of other scissors are liable to Purchase Tax at 12½ per cent., except for scissors having features which characterise them as nail or manicure scissors, which are liable to Purchase Tax at 25 per cent.; and whether he will at an early date consider removing entirely the Purchase Tax from scissors.

These are distinctive ranges of scissors designed for different purposes and I do not think it unreasonable to treat them differently.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason Customs and Excise have ruled that whereas the negative paper for a photo-copying machine attracts no Purchase Tax, the positive paper for the same machine is required to pay Purchase Tax at 25 per cent.; and whether he will now restore equality to both positive and negative at zero.

Because the negative paper falls within the statutory exemption for certain types of photographic paper, whereas the positive paper does not. On the second part of the Question, I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered a communication from the Central Council for the Care of Cripples pressing him to consider, in connection with the Budget, the payment of post-war credits to all those entered on the Ministry of Labour's register of disabled persons; what reply he has sent; and whether he will consider this proposal with a view to its inclusion in his forthcoming Budget statement.

My right hon. Friend has considered the communication to which the hon. Member refers and has undertaken to bear the suggestion in mind along with others that have been put to him, but he cannot make any statement at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the gross figure needed to be earned by a man, claiming normal allowances for a wife and three children, to ensure a net return, after paying Income Tax and Surtax, of £591,000 per annum.

The figure for which the hon. Member asks appears to be purely hypothetical, and I see no useful purpose in providing it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new jobs will be made available by the major industrial developments in South Wales which have been announced during the last year; and what proportion of these will be provided in places classified as development districts under the terms of the Local Employment Bill.

Of more than 20,000 new jobs which are expected to accrue in the South Wales and Monmouthshire Development Area, as a result of projects in hand or in prospect, nearly 8,000 are attributable to major industrial developments which have been announced during the past 12 months, and three-quarters of these are to be provided in areas which have been designated as development districts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what assistance will be given by his Department to encourage new industries at Barry; and if he will make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the introduction of new industry to Cardiff Docks; and whether he will make a statement.

The Board of Trade will continue to bring the advantages of the Cardiff area, including Cardiff Docks and Barry, to the attention of suitable industrialists, but, as I told the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. G. Thomas) in reply to his Parliamentary Question of 18th February, the unemployment situation in this area would not justify the provision of assistance under the terms of the Local Employment Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for encouraging a new motor car manufacturing works to establish itself in the Cardiff district.

Subject to the claims of places with high unemployment, the Board of Trade will continue to bring the facilities available in Cardiff to the attention of industrialists with plans for expansion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take arising out of the report by the Monopolies Commission on the supply of chemical fertilisers.

As stated in my reply of 16th February to the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Mr. H. Clark), I propose as a first step to discuss the report with the industry and see how far they are prepared to co-operate in giving effect to its recommendations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why Wrexham has been excluded from the list of development districts; and, in view of the high rate of unemployment in the area, what steps he now proposes to induce new industries into the district.

The Board of Trade will continue to bring the facilities available at Wrexham to the attention of suitable industrialist, but the local unemployment situation would not justify the provision of inducements under the terms of the Local Employment Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the list of development districts published on 9th February was made available to the British Motor Corporation and Fords before they announced their decision with regard to new plants in the provinces; and what assurances were given to these firms that they would be given assistance under the Local Employment Bill.

The Answer to the first part is "Not at all". And, to the second, that negotiation with motor car firms has been on the basis of existing legislation, and in the knowledge that the Local Employment Bill proposes new inducements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in connection with the recent arrangements he made for the purpose, which motor-car firms in search of sites visited the North-East coast and on what dates; which sites were visited; and which civic authorities industrialists and trades unionists were invited to meet them.

Representatives of two companies visited the North East on 10th and 24th-25th January, respectively, and were shown by my Regional Controller a number of sites of up to 400 acres within easy reach of the high unemployment areas; they were also given detailed information about the labour available, transport facilities, services, the availability of materials and components, and other relevant matters. The companies wished to keep these visits private, and no meetings were therefore arranged for them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why Blaydon has been excluded from the list of development districts under the terms of the Local Employment Bill.

Blaydon is in the south-west district of Tyneside, and is not on the first list of development districts because it is not a locality in which, in the opinion of the Board of Trade, a high rate of unemployment exists (or is expected) and is likely to persist. This is the statutory requirement by which the Board of Trade will be bound.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent, and in what manner, his Department collaborates with other Ministries in respect of the transference of factories and businesses to the new towns; approximately how many firms have transferred their works and offices to the new towns since their foundation; and how many of these are in new towns in the county of Essex.

My Department is constantly in touch with other Ministries about the needs of the New Towns and we draw the attention of suitable firms to what they offer. 348 firms have set up new factories in these places. Of this number, 112 went to New Towns in Essex. Separate figures for offices are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of United Kingdom exports to, and imports from, the Chinese People's Republic during 1959.

Imports £19·7 million; total exports £24·8 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what inquiries he has had from industries ancillary to the car industry regarding sites in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot reveal the nature of any particular inquiries I have received without the consent of the individual firms concerned; I can, however, assure the hon. Member that the Board will continue to press the advantages of a Scottish location in discussion with industrialists, and I hope that the new developments in Scotland will prove a strong attraction to other related industries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the high numbers of unemployed in Hull, he will reconsider his decision to exclude this district from the list of districts under the Local Employment Act.

Although the numbers of unemployed in Hull are high, the local rate of unemployment is lower than in many other places and would not justify the provision of assistance under the terms of the Local Employment Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the Chester-le-Street constituency area has been excluded from the list of development districts; and, in view of the increasing unemployment rate, and the dependence of the area on the coal mining industry, what action he proposes to take to induce new industries to the area.

The two employment exchange areas which form the Chester-le-Street constituency are not on the initial list of development districts because, in the opinion of the Board of Trade, they are not localities in which a persistently high rate of unemployment exists or is expected. Projects to be located in Chester-le-Street could, however, be considered for assistance under the Bill if they would provide employment for workers living in a development district.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken to increase trade between Great Britain, the Federal German Republic, and the German Democratic Republic, and with what success; and whether he will state, for the latest convenient period, the balance of trade between Great Britain and the two countries mentioned, respectively.

We have had two trade missions here from Western Germany in the last eighteen months and both my Department and the Embassy in Bonn have given the fullest support and assistance to our exporters. Western Germany is now one of our largest export markets; exports and re-exports last year were £159 million and imports £144 million.As regards East Germany we do not recognise the authorities there but the Federation of British Industries make unofficial trade arrangements from time to time with the East German Chamber of Foreign Trade. Exports and re-exports last year were £4·2 million and imports £4·6 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he will not send an observer to the Leipzig Fair.

We cannot send an official observer because we do not recognise the East German Authorities. The Soviet Authorities refused two years ago to grant a visa for an observer to attend in an informal capacity and I have no reason to think a visa would be given now.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to amend the Cotton Industry Act, 1959, and Orders as necessary, so that compensation shall not be paid, or if paid then at discount rate only, in cases where machinery is scrapped and later replaced by second-hand machinery.

No.

asked the Secretery of State for the Colonies to what extent bilharzia has lately increased among the various races in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, respectively; and what new methods are being used in co-operation with the Government of the Federation to prevent this disease and to make widely known the ways of avoiding it.

Health is a responsibility of the Federal Government. I have written to my hon. Friend suggesting how he might obtain the information he requires.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he will institute direct elections to the Buganda Lukiko.

I have no power to institute direct elections to the Lukiko. Under the 1955 Agreement this is a matter for the Buganda Legislature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies by what authority Nyasalanders have been ordered to be detained without charge or trial outside the limits of Nyasaland since the inception of the emergency; and if he will make a statement.

They are detained by the authority of the Governor of Nyasaland under Nyasaland Emergency Regulation No. 24. There is no reason for a further statement on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Colonies what arrangements are being made to deal with the threatened shortage of maize in Nyasaland owing to shortage of rain.

I understand that if a shortage does occure it is likely to be confined to limited areas of the Southern Province. The Nyasaland Government and the Native Authorities are already engaged in measures to conserve existing fool stocks and in encouraging the planting of supplementary foodstuffs, particularly in the affected areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement with regard to the provision of new premises for the Royal University of Malta; and whether any funds have yet been allocated for this purpose.

The development plan for the Royal University of Malta is being assisted under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act. An allocation of £200,000 was made in August, 1959, towards this plan, the details of which are at present under consideration by the Royal University and my advisers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he has received from the United Nations with regard to Great Britain being used as a transit centre for smuggling in the illicit international narcotics traffic; and whether he will make a statement.

None; and so far as I am aware there is no evidence to suggest that the United Kingdom is being used for such a purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the potentially dangerous drugs listed as undesirable for sale to the public without a doctor's prescription in the report which the Medical Panel of the Advertising Inquiry Committee presented to the Minister of Health on 12th May, 1959, are included in the recent report of the Poisons Board; and how many of these the Board recommends as undesirable for sale to the general public without a doctor's prescription.

Of the fifteen substances mentioned in the Panel's report, ten are among those which the Poisons Board have recommended should not be supplied without a prescription.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations, other than that concerning Preludin, the Poisons Board have made to him on matters arising from the Interim Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Drug Addiction; and what action he proposes to take on them.

The only recommendation that the Poisons Board have made on a matter arising from the Interim Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Drug Addiction is that mentioned in the Answer that I gave on 4th February to a Question by the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton). A list of the substances, besides Preludin, to which the recommendation relates was contained in the Answer given on 11th February to a Question by the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dodds).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply he made to the recent deputation of the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association on the subject of the Sunday charity levy on cinemas.

My right hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State said that he could hold out no prospect at present of the Government introducing legislation to abolish the levy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average number of cars reported stolen daily in the Metropolitan Police area; and the average percentage subsequently recovered.

In 1959 the daily average number of motor vehicles, including motor bicycles, whose loss was reported to police in the Metropolitan Police District was 72·988. The average percentage recovered was 94·2 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the increasing danger to road users from the reckless driving of stolen cars, if he will introduce legislation to strengthen the powers of the courts and the penalties which may be imposed.

The law of larceny is at present under consideration by the Criminal Law Revision Committee, and I prefer to await their report before considering any legislation in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of convictions for living on immoral earnings in the Metropolitan Police area during 1959, or from 1st January, 1959, to the latest convenient date, with the countries of origin of the offenders.

The number of convictions for living on immoral earnings in the Metropolitan Police District during 1959 was 138. The following table shows the countries of origin of the offenders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is expected that other accommodation will be available to cater for the Borstal trainees now within the precincts of Durham prison.

I expect the new security Borstal for girls at Bulwood, Essex, to be ready towards the end of next year.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations when he expects the Economic Survey Mission to the High Commission Territories to complete its report.

The Economic Survey Mission have assured me that they are anxious to complete their report as soon as possible but despite strenuous efforts on their part some time must elapse before printed copies are available.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations how much has been spent in 1959–60 under the Commonwealth Settlement Act; and if he will consider sympathetically applications from non-government sources for assistance in migration.

The answer to the first part of the Question is £128,648 out of a sum of £170,512 voted for the purpose. It is expected that the remainder will be almost completely expended by the end of the financial year. As for the second part of the Question, my noble Friend will consider on their merits any applications he receives for assistance in migration schemes.

asked the Minister of Education what were the number of entrants to grammar and technical schools for the years 1957, 1958 and 1959; and what are the estimated figures for 1960, 1961 and 1962.

The available figures are as follows:

asked the Minister of Education, in view of the Central Advisory Council for Education's recommendations in 1954 that to operate their recommendations for maintenance allowances an annual expenditure of £3,500,000 would be necessary and of the fact that during 1958–59 only £735,000 was expended, why such a relatively small amount has so far been spent; and what steps he proposes to take to have these recommendations implemented during 1960.

The estimates made in 1957 by the Working Party on Educational Maintenance Allowances related to 1954–55 income levels and to scales which were not accepted by my predecessor. Under the system of general grant local education authorities are now free to adopt their own arrangements for these allowances.

asked the Minister of Education why land for a new Roman Catholic school at Cheadle, Staffordshire, in Leek constituency, is to cost almost £1,000 an acre; and whether he is aware that there is an alternative site available that would not cost so much.

I understand that no final decision has yet been made between the alternative sites.

asked the Minister of Education what are the numbers of teachers with specialist qualifications in science and mathematics who are teaching these subjects in grammar, technical, and other State schools; what are the numbers of unfilled vacancies in the two subjects; and what is the anticipated shortage of such teachers for each of the years 1961 to 1965.

In 1959 there were 5,100 mathematics and 7,700 science graduates teaching senior pupils in maintained schools. There were also 3,250 non-graduate specialists in these subjects in schools with courses leading to G.C.E. at Ordinary level. An inquiry made in 1958 showed 244 vacancies in these schools for mathematics teachers and 261 for science teachers. On the basis of an annual net increase of 500 mathematics and science graduates the shortage of these teachers on 1959 staffing standards would be 500 in 1961, 750 in 1962, 900 in 1963 and 350 in 1964. In 1965 there would be 250 available to improve on 1959 standards. The actual shortage will depend upon the results of the present drive to increase the number of graduates and on the output of specialists from training colleges.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the success of the classes held by the West Bromwich Education Authority for Indian and Pakistani children to learn English; and whether he will bring them to the notice of other local education authorities who have a number of Indian and Pakistani children living within their boundaries.

Yes. Good work of this kind is being done by a number of authorities and I am glad of this opportunity to draw attention to it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total amount paid out of public funds in support of agriculture during each of the years from 1945 to 1959.

The total amounts paid out of public funds in support of agriculture in the United Kingdom in the financial years 1945–46 to 1958–59 were:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take powers to protect consumers against increases in the price of basic foodstuffs, such as butter and potatoes, during periods of temporary shortage of supplies.

No. Price control could not relieve a temporary shortage. It would do nothing to increase supplies or improve distribution.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the consumption per hectare of nitrogenous phosphate and potash fertilisers in the United Kingdom compares with the consumption in Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Western Germany, respectively, as ascertained by the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

The latest information is published by the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation and covers the fertiliser year 1957–58. Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the delivered prices, as ascertained by the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, showing the amount of subsidy, of nitrogenous phosphate and potash fertilisers expressed in United Kingdom currency per ton of plant nutrient in Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Western Germany and the United Kingdom, respectively.

The latest information is published by the organisation for European Economic Co-operation and

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has received regarding the presence of dangerous amounts of arsenic in the peel of potatoes which have been treated with arsenical haulm killers; and whether he will make a statement.

Where arsenic is found in potatoes, the peel normally contains more arsenic than the flesh; but surveys organised by the Ministry of Health in 1958 and analysis of samples of tubers from sprayed crops taken by the National Agricultural Advisory Service in 1959 have indicated that the residues would not be dangerous to public health. Moreover, there are stringent statutory limits to the amount of arsenic which may be in any food including home grown and imported potatoes as sold.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the results of his investigation into the possibility that the spread of the fowl pest disease is the consequence of

The importation of hatching eggs from the United States of America is prohibited.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the fact that the Fleck Committee will not report until the end of 1960, their report will take account of any decision that may be reached at the Law of the Sea Conference at Geneva and the effect of this decision on the fishing industry.

I understand from the Chairman that the Committee will do so.

asked the Minister of Defence how much per week per head of the population will be spent on the Army, Navy and Air forces, respectively, under the Estimates now being submitted to Parliament.

About 3s. 6d. per week on the Army; 3s. per week on the Royal Navy and 3s. 11d. per week on the Royal Air Force.

asked the Minister of Defence how many retired officers of Her Majesty's armed forces now hold appointments in firms which supply arms or other military equipment to Her Majesty's Government, as directors or in other high managerial posts, within two years of their retirement; and whether he will furnish a list of these men in the OFFICIAL REPORT, and of the posts they hold.

The information is not available as I have no record—nor am I responsible for maintaining a list—of posts currently held by retired officers in industry.

asked the Minister of Defence what are the numbers by types of operational units which go to make up the Middle East Command; and how many stations they occupy.

So far as the first part of the Question is concerned, it would not be in the public interest to publish this information. As regards the second part, our forces are located in some 10 principal stations in Cyprus, Libya and Malta.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will give special permission to all members of the Stourbridge Borough Council to both speak and vote at the council meetings on Monday, 29th February, 1960, on the motion seeking to postpone the sale of council houses until such time as Circular No. 5, 1960, has been considered.

Seven members of the Council who are tenants of council houses applied to me for dispensations enabling them to vote on this motion, and these have been granted. I had already in December last given dispensations to these members enabling them to speak on this and other subjects.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that lorries and omnibuses in Moscow are to be run on methane gas to prevent air pollution; and what progress is being made in experiments of this kind in the United Kingdom.

My Department has for many years been aware of the theoretical potentialities of methane gas as an alternative motor fuel to petrol or diesel oil, but the quantities available in this country are so relatively small that experiments of the kind suggested by the hon. Member would not be justified.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has taken note of the fact that, although the owner of the Strensham estate has given permission for his Department's agents to enter upon his land for the purpose solely of pegging out the run for the Ross Spur road extension and roundabout junction with the Birmingham-Bristol motorway as at present proposed, he has not yet been willing to sign a contract for the sale of the land; what discussions he is having in this matter; and if he will make a statement.

Permission to enter to construct the motorway which was given by the owner of the Strensham estate in March, 1959, has recently been withdrawn. I am therefore considering whether the compulsory purchase procedure should be followed.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to arrange for the preservation of the amenities of Bredon village and National Trust Tithe Barn and their environs, by bringing the southward run of the Birmingham-Bristol motorway past Strensham and Twyning by a more westerly route, re-siting accordingly the proposed roundabout junction with the Ross Spur road and shortening that road by three-quarters of a mile with substantial saving to the public purse.

The site of the junction of the Bristol-Birmingham and Ross Spur motorway at Strensham was fixed by statutory Order after a public inquiry. No objections were raised on amenity grounds. Tenders for construction of the motorway northwards from Strensham have already been received. Any alteration at this very late stage would involve considerable delay and expense. I have already asked the consulting engineers to consider whether a more westerly route is feasible south of the Strensham junction.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the high cost of ship replacement which has led to cancellation of shipbuilding orders and is retarding the development of British shipping; and what steps he intends to take to remedy the position.

The main reason for cancellation of shipbuilding orders is the present depressed state of the shipping freight market rather than the cost of new ships. Competition in shipbuilding is keener now than at any other time since the war.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider whether it is possible to encourage the development of private medicine alongside the National Health Service by enabling those persons who wish to pay for their own doctor and drugs to contract out of the National Health contribution, on condition that such persons do not use a doctor who is wholly or almost wholly engaged in National Health Service practice.

I do not think this would be a desirable or practicable method of achieving the object my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Minister of Health what is the extent of the movement of population from the northern region to other parts of the country or abroad and if he will make a statement.

This is estimated as approximately 22,000 (not) in the five years from mid-1954 to mid-1959. This represents less than 1 per cent. of the population of the region (estimated at 3,222,000 in mid-1959). In view of the interval since the last Census (1951) on which these estimates are based, the figures need to be used with caution.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what part of the estimated sum of £43 million for the cost of building a ballistic missile warning station at Fylingdales Moor in Yorkshire is to be attributed to the cost of equipment, and what part to installation.

The United States will provide equipment valued at £35 million. The United Kingdom will provide equipment valued at £2 million and will spend an estimated £6 million on building work.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is now prepared to introduce a telephone credit card system; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, arrangements have been completed to introduce a telephone credit card service on 1st March. On application to the local telephone manager, subscribers who wish to use the new service will be issued with a card bearing a special number. By quoting this number to the operator they will then be able to make calls from any telephone in this country, including call boxes, to any telephone in the world without payment at the time and the calls will be charged to their home or office telephone account.There will be a nominal charge (5s. per quarter) for the service, but no transfer-charge fee for the individual calls. The agreement of other Adminis- trations is being sought to the use of British telephone credit cards for calls from abroad to this country. So far arrangements have been agreed with 42 countries, including the United States, Canada, Austria, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa and the U.S.S.R.