asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he is aware of the successful work and world-wide prestige of his Department's experimental factory in Greyhope Road, Aberdeen; how many people are now employed there; why he proposes to close it down in 1961; and where he proposes that the work done by it in the public interest will in future be carried on;(2) if he will make a detailed statement on the progress and future duration of the laboratory research and other work relating to the dehydration of food and the new accelerated freeze-drying pilot plant in his Department's experimental factory in Greyhope Road, Aberdeen.

I am glad to have the hon. and learned Member's confirmation of the success and wide prestige of my Ministry's Research Establishment at Aberdeen. This Establishment has made great advances in the field of food dehydration and has introduced a most promising technique of accelerated freeze drying.There are today 148 people employed at the Research Establishment, of whom 53 are scientific staff and 83, including casual labour, are employees of the industrial firm which acts as our service agents.As to the future of the Establishment, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the Member for Aberdeen, South (Lady Tweedsmuir) on 29th February this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the amounts paid in subsidy on milk sales, apart from welfare milk, to each of the milk marketing boards in the United Kingdom last year.

The guarantee on milk is a United Kingdom guarantee, and it would be misleading to regard the milk marketing boards as separate units in this context. With that proviso, the amounts paid in respect of the general milk subsidy to the boards in 1959 were:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the total cost in Purchase Tax rebate and administrative expenses in respect of cartridges used for pigeon shoots in the past year.

There is no rebate of Purchase Tax as such, but the total rebate on cartridges used for shooting wood-pigeons and other harmful birds paid during 1959 was £35,500. I have no separate figure for the cost of administering the rebate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pest officers were engaged in the drives which resulted in 2,000 foxes being killed between 1st January, 1959, and 31st January, 1960; what approximate acreage they covered in these drives; and what proportion of arable land was covered in the drives in any representative sample areas.

I regret that I am unable to give this information, but I will make such inquiries as I can and write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what information he estimates that 21,000 foxes were killed by hunting between 1st January, 1959, and 31st January, 1960.

The estimate included foxes killed by hunting and other means and was based on information obtained by my Ministry's pests officers from various sources.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will instruct his advisory committee to examine the working of the present Regulations with regard to seasonal workers when applied to Shetland and other similar areas.

No. The general question of the Seasonal Workers Regulations has twice been before the Advisory Committee, and I do not think that the special reference suggested would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the real value of the retirement pension at March, 1960, expressed at October, 1946, prices and as a percentage of its value of 26s. in October, 1946.

On the basis of the Retail Prices Index from June, 1947, and the Cost of Living Index for the earlier period, the value of the present 50s. pension expressed at October, 1946, prices is 29s. 8d. which is 114 per cent. of the 26s. rate then introduced.

asked the Minister of Aviation the amount of the grant he proposes to make towards the development of the Leeds-Bradford and West Riding Airport.

The Airport Joint Committee recently undertook to let my right hon. Friend have the Corporations' definite proposals. When these are received, they will be carefully considered.

asked the Minister of Aviation the nature of his reply to the Comptroller and Auditor General's ques- tion whether Treasury approval had been sought for a £210,000 reimbursement of the contractor's contribution to development on a cancelled guided missile; and on what grounds the payment had been charged to the Purchasing (Repayment) Services Vote.

The reply has not yet been sent; but it will I hope be ready shortly.

asked the Minister of Health if the terms of reference have yet been agreed to enable the pay claim for the engineering and architectural staffs of regional hospital boards to go forward to arbitration; and if he will use his good offices to ensure that progress is made on the hospital programme and is not jeopardised by further delay.

Yes. The hearing by the Industrial Court took place on the 17th March and its award is awaited.

asked the Minister of Health what progress is being made by the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board in acquiring the Limes site for the new St. Helen Hospital extension in Barnsley.

The Board expects to receive the district valuer's preliminary estimate of the cost of acquiring the site within the next few days

asked the Minister of Health on what date the architectural, engineering and medical design unit was first established in his Department; and how many publications it has issued in the past five years.

A small unit was established in December, 1954; for the second part of the Answer I would refer my noble Friend to my Answer to him of 18th March.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the capital projects, costing over £2,000, authorised at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and the St. Mary's Hospital in each of the last five years; in how many cases the work authorised has not been completed; and why.CAPITAL SCHEMES OVER £2,000 FOR WHICH THE START OF WORK HAS BEEN AUTHORISED

Detailed figures are given below. Work on seven schemes has not been yet completed but I understand that progress on these is satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Health when work will start on the site assigned for the rebuilding of St. Mary's Hospital in Whitworth Street, Manchester.

This scheme is in an early planning stage and I cannot yet say when work will start.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made in introducing the 88-hour fortnight for hospital nursing staff.

The latest reports show that by 31st October, 1959, the 88-hour fortnight had been introduced in full or substantially by 87 per cent., partially by 11 per cent. and not at all or negligibly by only 2 per cent. of the general hospital groups. Corresponding percentages for mental and mental deficiency hospital groups are 91, 5 and 4 respectively, and for teaching hospitals 66, 17 and 17. I have told hospital authorities that I expect them to complete the introduction of the 88-hour fortnight in the next financial year.

asked the Minister of Health the number of eye hospitals and hospitals with eye departments, respectively, in the London area, and the number in which the optician is allowed to sell private spectacle frames

My information is that of the four eye hospitals and 67 hospital eye departments in the County of London, 37 employ opticians to dispense prescriptions; in 21 of these the hospital optician is not allowed to make private transactions on hospital premises, and in 16 he is allowed, if so requested by the patient, to supply spectacle frames outside the National Health Service range. So long as the patient is aware of the range of frames available under the National Health Service my right hon. and learned Friend does not propose changes in any existing arrangements which may be convenient for the patient and do not prejudice normal hospital work.

asked the Minister of Health upon what date he approved the plans for the proposed Wythenshawe Hospital; how many beds will be provided; what form of heating will be used; and the estimated cost of the whole project.

Sketch plans are being prepared by the Regional Hospital Board for a hospital of about 400 beds including a maternity unit of 80 beds, but these have not yet been submitted for my right hon. and learned Friend's approval. The form of heating has not yet been decided. The estimated cost is about 12½ million.

asked the Minister of Health the total bed complement of the Northaw House Children's Hospital in Hertfordshire; and the average percentage occupancy during each of the past seven years.

The bed complement is 40. The average daily occupancy was as follows:

asked the Minister of Health upon what date he approved the plans for the new maternity block to be built at the Withington Hospital, Manchester; whether he is aware that the pre-natal clinic will be about a quarter of a mile away from the new maternity block; what is the estimated cost; and when he expects work to commence.

Sketch plans were approved on 2nd June, 1959, for a maternity block estimated to cost £173,000. I cannot yet say when work will commence. The pre-natal clinic has been sited where it will be most convenient for patients.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to reply to the letter of the hon. Member for Gateshead, East, dated 16th February, regarding the possible discontinuation of the payment of interest on returned contributions to the National Health Service Superannuation Scheme in the case of persons who voluntarily withdraw from the scheme.

I have now written to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the concern felt by Manchester Corporation's health department, family doctors, and midwives working in the heavily congested areas of the City regarding the inadequate maternity services now available; and what urgent action he proposes to take.

I am aware that there is concern about the number of maternity beds in the City and surrounding districts. One hundred and twenty-six additional maternity beds are included in building projects now being planned, and the regional hospital board will be proposing further additions when it has completed a review of the maternity services in the area.

asked the Minister of Health under what authority the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board is approaching magistrates with a view to establishing special juvenile courts in hospitals to intervene if parents refuse permission for an operation on a child; and what plans he has for establishing similar courts in hospitals in other regions.

The Sheffield Regional Hospital Board is seeking to ensure only that the existing provisions of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933 should, if invoked in an emergency, operate speedily. The Board does not need any specific authority for this, and any similar action elsewhere would be a matter for the hospital authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now reached a decision on the London County Council's proposal to take over the Home Nursing Service.

I have informed the Council that I consider that the right course is to defer any decision until the Report of the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London has been received and considered.

asked the Minister of Health what research has been undertaken in this country in respect of the United States poliomyelitis vaccine orange juice; and with what result.

The Medical Research Council is going ahead with trials of the Sabin oral poliomyelitis vaccine, to which, I take it, the hon. Member is referring.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the National Health Service provides advice about the use of the infertile period to those who need to limit their families.

Advice on contraception where it is needed on medical grounds is available under the National Health Service and includes advice on all methods appropriate to the individual case.

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls, respectively, living in the County Borough of Wigan, and who left school in December, 1959, are still without employment.

On 14th March, four boys and no girls.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state, for the latest convenient date, how many jobs there are in Luton. and for which sexes, whether skilled or unskilled, respectively, and in which particular trades, respectively.

The following table gives the information required:

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed registering at the Kilmarnock and Newmilns exchanges, respectively, at the latest available date, and the percentages of the insured population those figures represent.

The latest figures relating to 14th March, 1960, will be available in a few days and I will send them to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour how many youth employment bureaux were reported on by his inspectors in 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1959, respectively, as needing repairs or modernisation costing over £100; how many of these recommendations have now been carried out; and how many remain to be completed.

The information is contained in the following table:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the increasing cost of the National Health Service, he will now abolish or materially reduce the present Purchase Tax which is maintained on a wide range of medicines and drugs, with a view to enabling individuals to purchase simple home remedies as cheaply as possible and so reduce their demands on the National Health Service.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why eyelash curlers are liable to Purchase Tax at 50 per cent. whilst eyebrow combs are chargeable at 25 per cent. and artificial eyelashes are free from Purchase Tax altogether; and whether he will, at an early date, introduce a lower and uniform rate of Purchase Tax for all equipment designed to improve, or remedy the deficiencies of, human hair, or free such equipment of tax altogether.

Together with a number of the other more essential toilet requisites, combs are taxed at a lower rate than eyelash curlers because the law so provides. Following consultation with the trade, artificial eyelashes have not been regarded as toilet requisites. In answer to the last part of the Question, I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons it was laid down that the Purchase Tax on gloves shall not apply to gloves which have no provision for the thumb separate from the fingers; and what would be the effect on the Revenue if all gloves were charged at the same rate of Purchase Tax.

Articles which have no provision for the thumb separate from the fingers are not gloves.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a large number of people are seriously affected financially by the fall in the value of gilt-edged securities; whether he will consider a level below which he will not allow the value of these securities to fall; and what are the terms of the agreement between the Government and the holders of these securities in this respect.

I am well aware that all holders of gilt-edged securities are affected by a fall in the market value of their holdings, and that such a fall may involve actual loss for those who are obliged to sell. The conditions on which stock is issued are defined in the prospectus for each issue: broadly speaking, they relate to the rate and frequency of interest payments and the date of redemption, which in the case of the undated stocks is not fixed but is at the option of the Government. They do not include any obligation in respect of the prices at which stock is bought and sold in the market. Her Majesty's Government are not prepared to set a "floor" to market prices, since they do not believe that the market should be insulated by official action from buying or selling pressures by holders. But the hon. Gentleman will be aware that the Government issue a variety of non-negotiable securities redeemable at short notice, which are available for small investors who do not wish to incur the risk of fluctuations in market prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he estimates Government revenue would increase as a result of charging the hydrocarbon oil duties in respect of fuel oil for industrial and heating purposes, distinguishing the yield as between imported and home-produced fuel oil

About 3,800 million gallons of fuel oil were delivered during 1959 for use in the United Kingdom for industrial and heating purposes; none of this oil was indigenous. I cannot provide any useful estimate of the yield from extending the present hydrocarbon oil duty of 2s. 6d. a gallon to fuel oil since it is not possible to assess the very considerable effect this would have on consumption.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated loss to the Revenue which would be caused by the remission of the duty on diesel oil for all road transport, and on diesel oil for road passenger transport only, respectively.

My right hon. Friend's Budget estimate included £74½ million in respect of the duty on diesel oil used in all road transport, of which £26½ million related to diesel oil used in passenger transport only.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that civil prisoners are not entitled to temporary parole, even in special circumstances; and whether he will introduce legislation to remedy this situation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on 17th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he hopes to be able to make a statement on Summer Time.

I cannot yet say, for the reason indicated in the Answer given to my hon. Friends the Members for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall) and Newbury (Sir A. Hurd) on 17th March.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress he has made in considering the general issues of broadcasting policy which will have to be settled before a decision is taken on the possibility of pay-as-you-view television; and when he expects to undertake field trials to assess the comparative merits of the available systems.

I cannot add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Mayhew) on 9th December, 1959.