asked the Minister of Health what amount of interest was paid on returned superannuation contributions to employees who voluntarily left the National Health Service in the years 1957, 1958 and 1959, respectively.

I regret that precise figures of the total amounts paid in interest are not readily available, but a rough estimate is that they may have amounted to between £100,000 and £150,000 during each of the three years.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has received about the inquiry being held in private into the allegations made about the administration of the National Health Service within the Shrewsbury area of the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board; what advice was submitted by the regional hospital board; what requests he received from the medical consultants within the Shrewsbury area that the inquiry should be held in public; and if an open public inquiry will now be held.

I have received representations on behalf of individual medical practitioners and from the trades council. The regional hospital board has accepted my decision that the inquiry should be held in private.

asked the Minister of Health what correspondence he has received from the Shrewsbury Trades Council about alleged irregularities in charges made under the National Health Service since July, 1955; what replies he has made; what are the terms of reference of the inquiry appointed by him; and to what extent were the Trades Council consulted about the kind of investigations to be made.

Two letters. I have invited the Council to make available to the regional hospital board any facts in its possession which might help the board in the preparation of its state- posed at the Norfolk and Norwich Hosment of case to the committee of inquiry. This it has declined to do. The terms of reference are:

"To inquire in accordance with Section 70 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, into allegations of irregularities in charging National Health Service patients for medical services in the Shrewsbury area and in particular the allegation that £25 had been paid with a view to procuring admission to a maternity bed at a hospital in Shropshire and to report to the Minister on the facts found."

asked the Minister of Health what change in the law he proposes to make relating to the increasing number of habit-forming drugs now advertised and sold direct to the public.

This matter will be considered in the light of the recommendations of the Working Party of officials of the Departments concerned which is now reviewing the law relating to the control of medicinal substances.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now able to announce a further list of major hospital projects for planning.

Yes. I have asked hospital boards to bring to completion the planning of a number of additional major projects.These include work on a number of new hospitals. There is the first phase of a new teaching hospital in Liverpool, a new maternity hospital to replace the Birmingham Maternity Hospital and a new building for the Tavistock Clinic. There are further stages of the new general hospitals for Crawley and Truro, and the completion of those for Harlow and Huddersfield and of the mental deficiency hospital at Oakwood Park, Conway.The list also includes the first phase of the re-development of the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and a further stage of the development of the Poole General Hospital.

asked the Minister of Health how many patients, compulsorily detained at the Darenth Park and Bexley Mental Hospitals, could be released on licence or discharged if places in suitable homes or hostels were available for them.

It is estimated that 125 such patients at Darenth Park, but none at Bexley, might be cared for in other suitable accommodation as an alternative to hospital care.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information he has recently received indicating that it is necessary at this time to co-operate with the United States of America in establishing a ballistic missile early warning station in the United Kingdom.

This decision is not based on any recently acquired information. It follows from our general policy of co-operation with the United States and other North Atlantic. Treaty Organisation Allies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a further statement on Cyprus.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the Cyprus situation.

I have nothing yet to add to what my right hon. Friend said on 22nd February in answer to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Donnelly).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what instructions are given to consuls in regard to assisting travelers abroad when they get into difficulties or succumb to severe illnesses.

Her Majesty's Consular Officers are under standing instructions to give their best advice and assistance to all British subjects in their districts. This, of course, includes travellers who fall ill or otherwise get into difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress has been made in the negotiations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the German Federal Republic about the payment of compensation to the stateless survivors of Nazi concentration camps.

In our discussions with the German Government over compensation for British subjects who were victims of Nazi persecution, we have also represented strongly the claims of the stateless victims to whom the hon. Member refers. I cannot at present say more than that.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent the provisions of the Bonn and Paris Agreements superseding those parts of the Potsdam Agreement which relate to denazification have been officially recognised as valid by those signatories of the Potsdam Agreement who were not signatories of the Bonn and Paris Agreements.

There are no pro-provisions in the Bonn and Paris Agreements superseding the denazification provisions of Section II of the Potsdam Agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the issuing of new passes to the members of the British Military Mission by the Soviet Commander at Potsdam whereby such passes are made valid for travel in East Germany instead of the Soviet Zone.

Although the passes issued by the Soviet military authorities to members of the Mission were valid until 15th February, the Mission was informed on 30th January that existing passes would no longer be valid as from the following day. New passes were thereupon issued which contained important differences of wording, which are unacceptable. As hon. Members will have seen in the Press, a communication has been sent to the Soviet military authorities in Germany, and I would prefer at the moment to say no more on the subject. I hope that a satisfactory solution will be found.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will instruct the United Kingdom delegate on the Peace Observation Commission of the United Nations to inquire about the extent to which the propa- ganda activities of ex-Nazis now residing in Egypt are contributing to international tension.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the total sum contributed by Her Majesty's Government to refugees.

Since 1946 Her Majesty's Government have contributed about £45 million to refugees. This does not include the sum of £2,178,572, which is pledged for refugee relief programmes in 1960 nor does it include Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (U.N.R.R.A.) in the period 1943–49, which amounted to about £153,000,000.

asked the hon. Member for Holland with Boston, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, if, for the month of March, he will cease buying and serving South African goods as a protest against the policy of apartheid.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) what proposals he has for the establishment of industrial training centres to provide pre-apprenticeship training;(2) what proposals he has to make places available in existing Government training centres for pre-apprenticeship training.

My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to make a statement quite soon.

asked the Minister of Labour his proposals for the provision of employment for disabled persons in those areas scheduled within the provision of the Local Employment Bill.

Employment prospects in the development districts should be generally improved by the increased opportunities provided as a result of the Bill. My disablement resettlement officers will do their best to ensure that the disabled get a full share of these opportunities, and my Department will work in close co-operation with the Board of Trade.

asked the Minister of Labour the number and the percentage of persons unemployed in the Stornoway area at the latest count, and the numbers unemployed in each of the islands of Barra, Benbecula, North and South Uist; and what action is being taken within these areas to provide employment while retaining the able-bodied manpower.

The provisional totals at 15th February were 1,573 or 31·2 per cent. for Stornoway, 143 for Barra, 81 for Benbecula, 129 for North Uist, and 112 for South Uist. Further employment will be provided by certain building and civil engineering contracts. The Hebrides are included in the list of places expected to become development districts, circulated by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 9th February.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed in the Stornoway area expressed as a percentage of the total insured working population there; and the same percentage of the total working population of Scotland, and the United Kingdom, respectively, expressed as a number of persons.

The Answer is 31·2 per cent., 669,000 and 6,972,000.

asked the Minister of Labour what specific steps he is taking to provide work for the 2,085 labourers unemployed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

My local officers are continuing to bring suitable vacancies to the attention of these and other unemployed people.

asked the Minister of Labour the total of juveniles leaving school and the number of jobs available for them in the Cowdenbeath Employment Exchange area in December 1950, 1955, and 1959, respectively.

The number of school leavers at the various dates were December, 1950^*, 242; December, 1955, 122; December, 1959, 135. The total number of jobs available for them cannot be precisely stated.

asked the Minister of Labour the total manpower employed in coal mining in the Cowdenbeath Employment Exchange area in December, 1950, 1955, and 1959, respectively; and the estimated total for December, 1960.

Manpower statistics for employment exchange areas are available on a comparable basis only since 1952 and for the month of May. The figures for May, 1952, 1955 and 1958 are 11,766, 11,324 and 11,328 respectively. The figures for 1959 are not yet available. I am unable to make any forecast for 1960.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking, in the interests of consumers and home producers, to ensure that winter crops of potatoes, grown in Middle Eastern countries, Italy and Greece, are sold as ware and not as new potatoes, when they arrive in Great Britain.

Imports of ware potatoes are not permitted at the present time, therefore I cannot take the action suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the factory in Greyhope Road, Aberdeen, administered by his Department, is to close in 1961.

No decision has been taken to close down the Research Establishment at Greyhope Road, Aberdeen. But the development work carried out there on the dehydration of food has, in my opinion, reached a stage where private enterprise should take over its exploitation, and I propose to discontinue this work next year.The future of the other research projects now being pursued at the Establishment is under active consideration and I shall make an announcement as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will arrange for the water industry to be represented on the group to examine the use of toxic sprays in agriculture, in view of the effect of such substances on water resources.

This group, the membership of which was announced in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Bethnal Green (Mr. Holman) on 18th February, is composed entirely of scientists, who do not represent any particular interest. It would not therefore be appropriate for an industry or organisation to be represented on the group. One of the questions the group will be considering will certainly be the possible effect on water supplies and the need for further research.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware that the present rate of compensation, namely, three-quarters of market value subject to a maximum of £100, paid to owners of tuberculosis reactors found in attested herds is inequitable; and whether he will consider revising this rate so as to make compensation payable at full market value.

While not necessarily accepting that the present rate of com- pensation is inequitable, I am considering representations that have been made to me on this subject.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total amount paid during 1959 to retirement pensioners in Wales by the National Assistance Board to meet their increased rent charges; and how this compares with payments made in 1958.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will consider raising the income statutory limit in respect of noncontributory old-age pensions and thus relieve the hardship felt by many old-age pensioners who have very small means.

No. The non-contributory old-age pension is an obsolescent provision and is administered by the National Assistance Board, which is able to pay assistance to those who are in need by the recently improved National Assistance standards, whether or not there is title to this pension.

asked the Minister of Power what decision has been reached with regard to approval of the installment of a low carbonisation plant in the Central East Area of the Scottish division of the National Coal Board.

My right hon. Friend has received no proposal of this kind.

asked the Minister of Power to what extent exports of coal are being adversely affected by Soviet oil and Polish coal exports, respectively.

The competition of Soviet oil and Polish coal are among the many factors which have combined to reduce our coal exports, but it is not possible to assess their separate effects.

asked the Minister of Power when it is expected that the opencast coal mining operations at Poles-worth, and other sites in North Warwickshire, will be finally cleared and restored to agricultural use.

As far as can be foreseen, coaling and backfilling at the Poles-worth site should finish late in 1964. After that there will be normal agricultural treatment.Three other National Coal Board sites in the area are undergoing, or will shortly be ready for, agricultural treatment. Five other sites which have been restored will be derequisitioned this year.

asked the Minister of Power what present change of policy there has been with regard to opencast coalmining

None. There has been no change since the statement by my right hon. Friend, now President of the Board of Trade, on 26th March, 1959.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Purchase tax is being levied at different rates by Customs and Excise in different parts of the United Kingdom upon printed forms called certificated invoices, and that, notwithstanding reduction in 1959 of Purchase Tax on other printed stationery from 30 per cent. to 25 per cent. ad valorem, no such reduction has been granted on these export invoice forms: and, having regard to this discrimination against export trade, whether he will abolish Purchase Tax on all printed stationery and forms relating to United Kingdom exports.

My hon. Friend seems to be in error. Tax is not being levied at different rates; the amount of tax does of course vary with the statutory value of the forms for tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the essential nature of refrigerators for preventing the waste of food and of the fact that he has already granted exemption from Purchase Tax for all refrigerators used in catering establishments and large country houses, he will at an early date consider the desirability of removing Purchase Tax entirely from this type of essential domestic equipment.

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget decisions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last reviewed the position under which garments made of beaver lamb or embros lamb are chargeable with Purchase Tax at 5 per cent. where as garments made from Indian lamb, Persian lamb, slink lamb, Finos lamb or sheared Lincoln lamb are chargeable at 25 per cent.; and whether, in view of the desirability of eliminating these distinctions so far as the fur garment industry is concerned, he will reconsider the whole matter at an early date with a view to suitable remedial action.

These distinctions were introduced in 1956 to meet representations made by the fur trade. I know of nothing which would justify my hon. Friend's assertion that it is now desirable to eliminate them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the present rate of tax levied on medicines and medical preparations; and which items are thus included.

I am sending my hon. Friend copies of the relevant Customs and Excise Notice and of the current Treasury Order.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations regarding Entertainments Duty he has received from the film industry since the last Budget.

My right hon. Friend has received representations urging abolition of the duty from the All Industry Tax Committee and other cinema interests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to remedy anomalies in the law relating to penalties imposed on taxpayers who make errors in their return of Income Tax to the Inland Revenue.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answers I gave on 25th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, Langstone (Mr. Stevens) and the hon. Member for Ipswich (Mr. Foot).

asked the Postmaster-General if he is now in a position to expedite the completion of the Willenhall telephone exchange for operational use.

I am doing all I can to expedite the new Willenhall telephone exchange. The building work is now ahead of schedule. I am now hoping that the exchange will be ready for service by May, 1961.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the structural changes made in the management of the Royal Naval Dockyards since the Report of the Select Committee on Estimates of 1950–51.

Since the Report of the Select Committee on Estimates 1950–51, we have been making structural changes in the management of the Royal Dockyards so that the entire responsibility for the organisation and administration of production in each Royal Dockyard will rest with a general manager under the general direction of the Admiral Superintendent. The present form of Departmental organisation will be abolished in favour of a functional organisation. The present departmental managers will be replaced by four managers, under the general manager, in charge of the planning, production, yard services and personnel departments, respectively.Chatham is the "pilot" yard, and after a series of experimental appointments from 1953 onwards, the post of general manager was set up; he assumed responsibility for production at Chatham in October, 1958. The planning manager also assumed office in October, 1958, and his department was formed in May, 1959. A personnel manager was appointed in June, 1959 and a yard services superintendent has been appointed this month. We intend to designate a production manager about September, 1960 and to form the production department during 1961.The appointment of the general manager (designate) Rosyth will take effect in April, 1960. We hope to appoint general managers at Portsmouth and Devonport in 1961 and 1963 respectively.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware of the resentment among the services clerks of Malta at the refusal of the Government to concede their request for increases of salary similar to the higher grades and if he will take steps to allay this feeling by agreeing for the case to go to arbitration, as requested at a mass meeting of the men concerned.

The claim concerns clerks employed by the Service Departments in Malta.The Civil Service Clerical Association formally requested arbitration on 15th February and the Admiralty agreed the following day, on behalf of the Service employers, to go to arbitration.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make a statement regarding United Kingdom financial participation in the proposed plan for the future of the Indus waters system.

Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have learned with great satisfaction that substantial progress has been made in the negotiations between the Governments of India and Pakistan under the auspices of the International Bank over the division of the waters of the Indus basin. I understand that the Bank hopes that a Water Treaty may be concluded between these two countries within the next two months. On behalf of Her Majesty's Government I should like to pay warm tribute to the Bank's outstanding services during the long process of negotiation which has now brought in sight the solution of an extremely difficult problem.I am informed that the Bank estimates that the total cost of the works required to implement its proposals will be in the order of £360 million in local and foreign currencies spread over a period of 10 years. A proportion of this total sum is being met from the resources of India and Pakistan. In addition the Governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Western Germany have agreed to make substantial contributions if a Water Treaty is concluded, while the President of the International Bank is to recommend to the Bank's directors that the Bank should make loans to India and Pakistan. Subject to Parliamentary approval the United Kingdom Government propose to make a grant of £20,860,000 to be paid over a period of 10 years into a fund to be administered by the International Bank.Over 40 million people live in the Indus Basin and the Indus River system is pre-eminent amongst those whose waters are devoted primarily to irrigation. The United Kingdom Government are glad to be associated with their Commonwealth partners as well as with the Governments of the United States and Western Germany, and the International Bank, in making possible a development plan of great significance to India and Pakistan, and therefore to the Commonwealth as a whole.

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, what estimate he has made of the smallest underground nuclear explosion which could be distinguished from an earthquake; what seismographic reading would be recorded; and whether a seismographic reading of 4·75 equals an explosion of 19 kilotons.

The only underground nuclear explosions for which Her Majesty's Government have any data were in the United States. On the basis of these data it is calculated that small, and indeed quite large, underground explosions and earthquakes of equivalent magnitude could not in a large number of cases be distinguished from each other by the seismic network recommended by the Experts' Conference in 1958. The first and second parts of the Question do not admit of a precise answer and it is the general difficulty of this problem that causes us to insist, as did the experts in their Report, on the need to make on-site inspections a component part of any control system established to detect possible violations of an agreement on cessation of nuclear tests.As regards the third part of the Question I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mr. P. Noel-Baker) on 22nd February.I will send the hon. Member a copy of the Report of the technical working group which studied this question in November and December, 1959.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when considering areas eligible for assistance under the Local Employment Bill, what inquiries were addressed by his Department to the National Coal Board about the effect on unemployment of plans for the contraction of coal-mining in central Fife; and what answers have been received.

Consultations with the National Coal Board are conducted through my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power. My information is that coal-mining employment in the Coal Board's West Fife area is likely to be reduced during 1960 by less than the expected wastage, so that the closures will be achieved without discharging any miners. Recruitment will, however, unfortunately be restricted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider the Cowdenbeath Employment Exchange area and the Dunfermline Employment Exchange area as separate areas for the purpose of calculating unemployment in considering areas eligible for assistance under the Local Employment Bill.

No. Owing to the volume of daily travel between Cowdenbeath and Dunfermline, it is impossible to assess accurately the rate of unemployment for these areas separately.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the detained distribution of professionally qualified staff in the Army Lands Service in overseas theatres.

The distribution is as follows: