asked the Minister of Power the Scottish share of the total throughput of oil refineries in Great Britain in 1949, and in 1959, respectively.

Fifteen per cent. and 7 per cent. respectively.

asked the Minister of Power the industrial consumption of fuel oil in Scotland and Great Britain, respectively, in each of the years 1949 and 1959; and to what extent the Scottish percentage share of the total consumption was increased or decreased.

The use of liquid fuels for burning purposes by the larger industrial consumers has been as follows. Scotland 140,000 tons and 590,000 tons respectively, Great Britain 2·2 million tons and 7·3 million tons. Scotland's share has increased from 6·4 per cent. to 81 per cent.

asked the Minister of Power whether he will state comparative figures for 1959, and 1954, in respect of deaths and injuries caused by coal gas poisoning in premises of all types, excluding mines.

The Gas Council estimates that there were 774 accidental deaths from coal gas poisoning in 1954 in Great Britain and (provisionally) 958 in 1959. I have no information about injuries.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he is aware that an aircraft passing through the sound barrier on 9th December last caused over £100 worth of damage to a poultry farmer near Port William, Wigtownshire; and what instructions he has given to prevent a repetition of such damage.

The poultry farmer was informed on 4th January that the supersonic boom at Port William on 11th December was probably caused by Lightning aircraft on a test flight over the Irish Sea, and regret was expressed for the incident.Instructions are in force which are designed to keep to a minimum any possible disturbance from supersonic flying; these were described to the House on 15th December, 1958, and 15th April, 1959.

asked the Minister of Aviation when the short-range naval guided weapon Sea Cat will be put into production.

Subject to the negotiation of a satisfactory contract, we have decided to place a substantial production order with Shorts of Belfast for the production of the Sea Cat guided weapon.

asked the Minister of Aviation what proposals he has for testing either of the vertical take-off jet engines being developed by Rolls Royce in collaboration with M.A.N. of Germany and by Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd. in the Short SC1 vertical take-off plane.

I shall naturally keep in mind the possibility of improving the performance of this aircraft by installing more advanced engines, but there is still much to be learnt from it in its present form.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will now allow the nationalised Air Corporations to compete freely with the privately-owned airlines for trooping contracts.

I see no reason to change the existing arrangements.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many accountants are employed in his Department in checking the estimates of firms making guided missiles; and how many were so employed five years ago.

This task is carried out mostly by the technical staff, but the Department's accountants, of whom there are eighty-eight, give such assistance as may be required.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many skilled planning engineers are employed in his Department in checking the proposals of companies making guided missiles and how many were so employed five years ago.

Over 500 skilled professional and technical staff are currently employed in my Department on guided missile work, an important part of which is checking proposals for development and monitoring the subsequent work. No comparable figure is immediately available for five years ago, but the numbers were much smaller.

asked the Minister of Aviation what share of the additional expenditure involved in making guided missiles has been borne by the contractors.

For the reasons I have already explained to the House, the course suggested by the hon. Member would not have been appropriate.

asked the Minister of Aviation (1) whether there was a break clause in contracts for the three guided missiles estimated to cost £8 million and eventually estimated to cost £110 million;(2) how many of the contracts for guided missiles were on a cost-plus basis.

A break clause was included in the contracts for these three missiles and the work is being paid for on the basis of reasonable costs plus profit. In view of the many novel technical problems and other unknown factors involved the cost of development could not be estimated accurately. It was therefore impracticable to place the contracts on any other basis.

asked the Minister of Aviation (1) what checks have been introduced on current contracts for the development of guided missiles to prevent a recurrence of gross underestimating on defence contracts;(2) what steps have been taken within his Department to tighten up the check on estimating, since earlier revelations of mistakes connected with the Swift, the Vickers V 1000, the Sperrin and the Sturgeon.

The improvement of financial control including that of estimating the cost of projects is a continuous process to which my Department has devoted considerable attention over the last few years. As part of the process, studies have recently been made of methods of improving the procedures and techniques for preparing estimates of the cost of development projects. As a result, some changes have been made. However, it must be recognised that in the case of the development of an equipment of an entirely new or greatly improved type and involving the use of new techniques and skills, it is usually quite impossible to predict accurately at the outset either the course of the development, or the amount of effort that will be involved. Sometimes it is not even possible to be sure in advance that the technical problems involved are capable of satisfactory solution.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps he proposes taking to safeguard the interests of the British State Air Corporations against increased competition resulting from the merger to be formed by the major Continental civilian airlines.

No special steps are necessary.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Middlesex County Council is proposing a chiropody scheme, under the National Health Service Act, expressly excluding the services of privately practising chiropodists in their own surgeries except where such arrangements already exist; and if he will withhold his approval from this scheme.

The County Council's proposals have been submitted to me but I would not feel justified in withholding my approval for the reason mentioned by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the report of the International Medical Study Group of the World Health Organisation on lung cancer; and what steps he is taking to ensure a decrease in mortality from cancer of the lung.

I am aware of this recent report, which supports the statement made by the Medical Research Council in 1957 on tobacco smoking and cancer of the lung; on the second part of the Question I would refer my noble Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) on 29th February.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet concluded his preliminary discussions with the medical and dental professions; and if he is now in a position to make a statement on the Report of the Royal Commission on Medical and Dental Remuneration.

Yes. The Secretary of State for Scotland and I have informed representatives of the medical and dental professions that Her Majesty's Government are prepared to accept the Commission's recommendations as a whole as they stand provided that the doctors and dentists respectively for their part are ready to accept them on the same basis.We have drawn attention to various matters which are an integral part of full acceptance of the recommendations, including the establishment of a Standing Body to keep medical and dental remuneration under review on the lines proposed by the Commission. For a number of reasons, however, it is not possible to adopt the Commission's proposal that the Inland Revenue should furnish the Review Body with comprehensive information about professional earnings generally, but the Government are confident that the Review Body will be able to obtain the necessary information by other means, such as sample inquiries, and will of course be ready to give the Body any help to this end that lies within their power.The preliminary discussions we have had with representatives of the professions have been helpful and we have been able to clarify a number of points. We have offered as the next step to arrange for the proposals to be worked out in detail jointly by officers of our Departments with representatives of the professions in order that as clear and comprehensive a picture as possible of their practical effect may be put before their members. We understand, however, that before this offer to engage in detailed discussions can be accepted it will need to be put to the professions through their appropriate channels. It is our hope that the professions will reach their decisions, and that discussions will begin, as soon as possible.It is estimated that the extra annual cost falling upon the Exchequer if the proposals are agreed will be about £11½ million net. The extra cost which would fall in 1960–61 is, however, estimated at £41½ million net, because the payments recommended by the Commission in respect of earlier years would fall to be made in that year and because of other temporary features.

asked the Minister of Health whether as opticians generally refuse to show National Health Service frames in their windows and display cases, he will consider making arrangements with local authorities for the showing of the range and alternative colours of the frames in reference libraries and information centres.

No. It is desirable that optical advice about their particular needs should be available to persons who are choosing frames for their glasses.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the acute shortage of district midwives, particularly in the County of Derby; and whether he will take steps to try to augment the service by offering appropriate inducements.

There is an acute shortage of district midwives in a few areas only. I am informed that in Derbyshire a vacancy for one midwife exists in each of seven districts, the total complement being 93 full-time midwives. Conditions of service are a matter for the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council and the individual employing authorities; and there have been substantial improvements recently.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement about his meeting with a deputation from the British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association, the British Legion and the Royal Air Force Association.

I was very glad to meet this deputation which represented 44 Service and Ex-Service organisations and was led by the National Chairman of the British Legion. I discussed with the deputation points arising from my statement on 4th April about the provision of small cars for war pensioners, and we also discussed the scale of petrol duty allowances paid to the users of Ministry vehicles, and the development of the artificial limb service.

asked the Minister of Health how many schemes he has so far approved for local authorities to provide a chiropodist service; and how many of these schemes are or will be based upon the clinic system.

Sixty-two; all of them allow for the use of clinics as one of the methods of making the service available.

asked the Minister of Health what consultations he has had, or has arranged to have, with local authorities and regional hospital boards in respect of the increased expenditure necessary to meet the provisions of the Mental Health Act.

No particular increase in expenditure will fall on these bodies in meeting the provisions of the Mental Health Act. I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the development of the local health authority services under the National Health Service Act for care in the community. Consultations with the local authority associations took place on this before the amount of the general grant was fixed for the first period.

asked the Minister of Health the number of applications received from disabled persons by his Department for invalid motor tricycles since the scheme started; and how many have been granted.

I regret that this information is not obtainable without a disproportionate amount of work, but 13,285 power propelled tricycles are at present on issue in England and Wales.

asked the Minister of Health the qualifying conditions for the grant of a two-seater small car by his Department to disabled persons, as compared with the conditions for the grant of a single-seater tricar.

Patients may be eligible for power-propelled invalid tricycles, if, briefly, they have suffered amputation of both legs—at least one amputation above the knee—are suffering from such a defect of the locomotor system that they are to all intents and purposes unable to walk, or are similarly but slightly less severely disabled with very limited walking ability and need a machine to get to and from work. As I explained in my statement on 4th April I propose to provide small cars for those war pensioners disabled in the service of their country who are eligible for Government power-propelled tricycles.

asked the Minister of Health the cost of the small car and the single-seater tricar, respectively, supplied by his Department to disabled persons.

It would be contrary to Government policy to disclose the prices at which Government contracts for these vehicles are awarded.

asked the Minister of Health how many single-seater tricars and two-seater small cars, respectively, have been supplied to disabled persons by the Welsh Board of Health in each of the last eight years.

I regret that information is not available in the form asked for, but the numbers of cars and powered propelled invalid tricycles, delivered through the appliance centres in Wales, which were on issue on the dates shown below as as follows:

—	Cars	Tricycles
31st March, 1952	66	325
31st March, 1953	70	369
31st March, 1954	67	432
31st March, 1955	69	447
31st March, 1956	66	448
31st March, 1956	68	490
31st March, 1956	70	516
31st March, 1956	65	542
31st March, 1956	67	546

asked the Minister of Health whether accommodation for those suffering from skin diseases will, in the near future, be made available in a Hartlepool hospital.

I am informed that the regional hospital board has this under review, but has not yet reached a decision.

asked the Minister of Health if he will cause inquiries to be made into the allocation of beds for non-emergency operation cases at the Walsall General, Sister Dora, Hospital as between fee-paying and National Health Service patients.

Beds are not allocated specifically for non-emergency surgical cases, but are used according to the urgency of admission. Since 1st January last 33 private and 501 National Health Service patients have been admitted as non-emergency surgical cases.

asked the Minister of Health how many gynaecological cases, other than pregnancies, are await- ing admission to the Manor Hospital, Walsall; and what delay is likely to ensue before all these cases are admitted.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is 389, and to the second part up to two-and-a-half years according to urgency.

asked the Minister of Health how many gynaecological cases, other than pregnancies, are awaiting admission to the General Hospital, Walsall; and what delay is likely to ensue before all these cases are admitted.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is 51, and to the second part up to eight months according to urgency.

asked the Minister of Health the number of hospital beds in Cardiff available for the chronic sick, and the estimated number of chronic sick people waiting admission to hospital.

There are 326 beds available and 140 patients awaiting admission.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the patients com-pulsorily detained at the Darenth Park Mental Hospital, who could leave the mental hospital if suitable accommodation was available for them, are employed away from the hospital; how many receive wages of over £7 per week; and what is the highest average weekly wage received.

Thirty-two, of whom 18 receive over £7 a week, the highest average weekly wage being £10 15s. 0d.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the concern arising from the disclosure that 125 people are being compulsorily detained at Darenth Park Mental Hospital who could leave if other suitable accommodation such as homes or hostels were available; and what action is being taken, and by whom, to release them from the atmosphere of a mental hospital.

I am not aware of any concern about the actual well-being of these patients. There is no question of them being improperly detained or of hospital care being unsuitable; but provision of more suitable accommodation by local health authorities here and elsewhere will inevitably take time.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that people in South Wales who suffer burns have to be taken to Chepstow Hospital for skin grafting; and whether, in view of the hardships this involves, he will take steps to establish equal facilities nearer the heavily populated area of South Wales.

Highly specialised units of this kind must of necessity serve very wide areas. The possibility of a more suitable location for the unit will however be considered in connection with the long-term development of hospital services in South East Wales.

asked the Minister of Health how many deputy supplies officers at present engaged in the Wessex area are acting in the capacity of full supplies officers and thereby losing the benefits of pay and holidays.

None.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the work of the Industrial Therapy Organisation in Bristol in relation to the rehabilitation of patients in Fishponds Mental Hospital, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Bristol, North-East; if he will publicise the merits of such schemes; and if he will encourage their establishment in other parts of the country.

This welcome experimental project has aroused widespread interest, and further measures to publicise it do not seem necessary at this stage.

asked the Minister of Health which of the four eye hospitals in the London region have on view for patients the range of National Health Service spectacle frames; and whether he will arrange for all of these hospitals to show the range and alternative colours.

All four hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the recent death of a hospital patient through a defective cardiac monitor; why there was no effective examination of the apparatus in this case; what evidence he has of similar cases; and what action he has taken to ensure that in future all hospital electrical apparatus used in the treatment of diseases is thoroughly inspected before use.

I am aware of this sad event, and I should like to take this opportunity of expressing my sympathy with the patient's relatives. Inquiries into the circumstances are not yet complete and when they are I will write to the hon. Member.I am not aware of any similar case. My right hon. and learned Friend relies on hospital authorities to arrange for regular inspections of this kind, and I am sending to the hon. Member a copy of the Safety Code issued for their guidance.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has received against the proposed decision to abolish the special allowance given to nurses caring for tuberculosis patients; and whether he is now reconsidering the matter.

From the medical superintendents of three tuberculosis hospitals and the medical advisory committee of one hospital group. The Answer to the second part of the Question is "No. Sir".

asked the Minister of Health what reply he has sent to the protest of the Standing Advisory Committee on Tuberculosis against the proposed discontinuance of the special allowance given to nurses caring for tuberculosis patients.

No such protest has been received.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has received on the subject of hospital accommodation for the new town of Peterlee; and what replies he has sent.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government has drawn my attention to the representations made to him by the Development Corporation and I have passed on to him the explanation which I gave to the right hon. Member in my letter of 8th February, 1960.

asked the Minister of Health why the new operating theatres at Greenbank Hospital, Plymouth, are to be fitted with Super-Hanalux lamps from Germany instead of Kelvin and Hughes lamps made in Great Britain; and what is the difference in the cost of these lamps.

I am informed that the regional hospital board, after consulting the hospital management committee, decided that the German lamp was preferable for this purpose. It costs £315—of which £39 is import duty—and the British lamp costs £270.

asked the Minister of Health the number of people on the waiting list for eye examination in the Cardiff Royal Infirmary; and what steps he is taking to reduce the present long waiting period.

Seven hundred and eighty-five patients are on this waiting list. The board of governors of the Cardiff United Hospitals and the Welsh Regional Hospital Board are together considering the provision of additional facilities in the Cardiff area.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are taken by his Department to obtain an early warning of epidemic infections overseas which are liable to spread to this country so as to ensure adequate time for the preparation of appropriate vaccine.

Early information regarding epidemics occurring abroad is made available to this country by the World Health Organisation.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Minister for Science, what is the latest information he has received from the Agricultural Research Council about the increase of strontium 90 in milk; to what causes it is attributed; and what action he will take to warn the public about possible dangers.

Measurements of strontium 90 in milk up to the end of June, 1959, were published last Monday in the Agricultural Research Council Radiobiological Laboratory's Second Report. The increase shown is attributed to the high rate of fall-out between November, 1958, and May, 1959, resulting from atomic weapon trials in northern latitudes in the autumn of 1958. Such information as is available for samples collected after June, 1959, shows that the values have since decreased. The highest levels of strontium 90 recorded in milk would not lead to levels in human bone which, in the opinion of the Medical Research Council, would necessitate immediate consideration. As I informed the House on 18th February, the Medical Research Council keeps the matter under constant review and is preparing a comprehensive assessment of the significance of all available evidence.

asked the Minister of Health, as representing the Minister of Science, whether he has considered the possibility of the next report of Harwell scientists on strontium in human bone giving figures of strontium deposits in the bones of children between 5 and 10 years, in addition to the age categories now covered by their periodic reports; and whether he will make a statement.

The possibility of giving such figures in future reports is being kept in view but the mortality rate of children between 5 and 10 years old is happily extremely low and bone samples for this age group have therefore been too few to justify separate analysis. Measurements for this age group have up to now been included in the figures for the larger group of 5–20 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been made from German sources to the British Embassy in Bonn requesting a list of the names of Nazis who were interned by the British at the time of the liberation in Gadeland Camp, Schleswig-Holstein; and what replies have been given.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the discussions of his Department with the German Ambassador on the subject of compensation for stateless refugees.

No. The discussions are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what further conversations he proposes to have with the Governments of the Common Market countries concerning the European Economic Community and European Free Trade Area.

The question of relations between the European Economic Community and the European Free Trade Association is being studied by the special Trade Committee which held its first meeting in Paris on 29th and 30th March. The next meeting of the Trade Committee will probably be held in May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the reduction of manpower in the Soviet armed forces, what proposals he has received from the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for some form of disengagement in Europe.

None.

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects to lay before the House the safety regulations for constructional and civil engineering.

Two sets of preliminary draft regulations have already been issued to interested organisations for comment and the third and final set is in course of preparation. These drafts have to be discussed with many of the organisations concerned and thereafter to be published as statutory drafts, following which, after we have considered any objections, my right hon. Friend will be able to make the regulations.It is impossible to forecast how long this will take, but my right hon. Friend intends to proceed as quickly as possible and hopes to lay the first regulations before the House before the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Labour if the proposed new safety regulations for constructional and civil engineering will include separate and special regulations for steel erectors.

The safety regulations my right hon. Friend is proposing to make will apply to all workers in constructional and civil engineering. Many of the requirements will have a direct bearing on the safety of steel erectors.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the factors he takes into account when assessing the efficiency figure which he uses for the annual price review.

As indicated in the recent Annual Review White Paper, the annual gain in efficiency can only be assessed broadly taking one year with another but experience bears out the estimate of an annual gain equivalent to about 2 per cent. of the value of gross output. The estimate of £25 million for Review commodities is intended to cover such factors as improvement to buildings, drainage and water supply, the development of farm mechanisation, improvements in feeding and breeding, disease eradication, improved varieties of crops, better use of fertilisers, the more economical use of labour, feedingstuffs and other resources, improvements in farm organisation and management and greater attention to marketing. The Government contribute substantially to the improvement of production methods through its expenditure on capital grants, advisory services and agricultural research.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the amounts paid in respect of the general milk subsidy to the several marketing boards in the United Kingdom in the last financial year.

The amounts paid during the year ended 31st March, 1960, in respect of sums due to the milk marketing boards under the Milk (Guaranteed Prices) Order, 1956, were:

	£
Milk Marketing Board (England and Wales)	2,141,530
Scottish Milk Marketing Board	2,082,692
Aberdeen and District Milk Marketing Board	523,727
North of Scotland Milk Marketing Board	241,015
Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland	3,553,238
United Kingdom	£8,542.202

But the guarantee on milk is a United Kingdom guarantee, and it would be misleading to regard the boards as separate units in this context.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he is aware that there is a demand in the Doncaster rural district area for milk to be available for retail distribution in half-pint containers; if, in anticipation of the next review of distributors' margins, he will cause inquiries to be made as to why retail distributors of milk in this area are reluctant to make such quantities available; and whether he will make a statement;(2) in view of his responsibilities in connection with milk prices, if he will consult with the Milk Marketing Boards to ascertain if the present distributors' profit margin is sufficient to enable retailers to supply milk in half pint containers, at all reasonable times, to meet the requirements of old-age pensioners and other persons of restricted needs and limited incomes.

Milk distributors' margins, which are determined by my Ministry on the evidence of costings investigations, are at a level which should be sufficient to enable dairymen to supply milk in half-pint bottles to those who need this service.I am not aware of any particular difficulties in the Doncaster rural district. But I am having inquiries made and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in the negotiations to secure the abolition of slaughtering on Sundays.

Discussions on ways of getting 100 per cent. meat inspection have included the abolition of Sunday slaughtering. This is a special problem in some areas only. I am not in a position to make a further statement at this stage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of uninspected meat from slaughterhouses in England and Wales is sold for human consumption.

No precise figures are available, but it is estimated that over 90 per cent. of meat is inspected before leaving the slaughterhouse.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give the details of the estimated cost of Exchequer support to agriculture for 1960–61.

I would refer the hon. Member to the details given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on page 11 of his Memorandum on the Civil Estimates (Command 116-Memo.).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his estimate of the reduction in the total value of the guarantees for the purposes of the 1960 Annual Price Review which will be effected by the reduction in the guaranteed prices for fat sheep and wool.

The reductions in the guaranteed prices for fat sheep and wool together represent a reduction of about £1¼ million in the total value of the guarantees as calculated for the purposes of the Annual Review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the widespread depredations by foxes of newly born lambs on the mountains in the Gilfach Goch area of Glamorgan; if he will estimate the number of foxes that thrive in the forestry plantations at Dymbath and Maindy; and what steps it is intended to take to destroy these foxes, in order to avoid the heavy losses to the mountain farmers concerned.

I am aware that there have been losses among newly born lambs in this area. Reliable estimates of the numbers of foxes in the plantations at Dymbath and Maindy cannot be provided, but numbers have been sufficient to call for controlled drives by the Ministry's divisional staff. Operations which are continuing and are receiving the full support of the Forestry Commission have already accounted for 40 foxes this season.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will so amend the Merchandise Marks (Imported Goods) No. 3 Order, 1934, as to ensure that the country of origin is indicated on all bacon sold in shops.

The question whether this order should be amended to require imported bacon cut into slices or rashers to bear an indication of origin has been referred to the Standing Committee set up under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926. The Committee will hold a public inquiry on 2nd May, 1960, to consider the matter.There is no power under the Act to require the actual country of origin to be indicated. The word "Empire" or "foreign", as the case may be, may be used as an alternative to the country of origin.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the acreage of land which has been acquired for afforestation by the Forestry Commission and private owners in each of the Welsh counties for the last two years.

The area of land acquired for afforestation by the Forestry Commission in each of the Welsh counties in the years ending 30th September 1958 and 1959 is given in the table below:

ACREAGE OF LAND ACQUIRED FOR AFFORESTATION BY THE FORESTRY COMMISSION
County	1958	1959
Anglesey	158	133
Brecon	2,567	1,574
Caernarvon	334	193
Cardigan	764	389
Carmarthen	904	502
Denbigh	308	158
Flint	7	167
Glamorgan	1,253	1,623
Merioneth	491	494
Monmouth	692	383
Montgomery	506	422
Pembroke	276	349
Radnor	618	1,432
	8,878	7,819

Since private owners are not required to give information about purchases of land for afforestation I regret that I cannot give details.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the acreage of derelict woodlands which have been reafforested in each of the Welsh counties by the Forestry Commission and private owners for the years 1957, 1958, and 1959.

The acreage of felled and derelict woodland reafforested in the years ended 30th September, 1957, 1958 and 1959, by the Forestry Commission and an estimate of that reafforested by

ACREAGE OF FELLED AND DERELICT WOODLANDS REAFFORESTED
Country				1957		1958		1959
				By F. C.	By Private Owners	By F. C.	By Private Owners	By F. C.	By Private Owners
Anglesey	…	…	…	14	—	4	—	31	—
Brecon	…	…	…	249	160	152	160	299	150
Caernarvon	…	…	…	255	110	200	40	186	70
Cardigan	…	…	…	478	40	241	40	334	30
Carmarthen	…	…	…	505	190	386	170	350	150
Denbigh	…	…	…	266	100	203	100	191	220
Flint	…	…	…	108	110	97	160	92	160
Glamorgan	…	…	…	752	70	230	70	280	30
Merioneth	…	…	…	363	80	351	100	293	180
Monmouth	…	…	…	550	170	501	80	531	190
Montgomery	…	…	…	393	260	544	320	386	240
Pembroke	…	…	…	202	320	113	390	167	100
Radnor	…	…	…	340	160	138	160	204	100
				4,475	1,770	3,160	1,790	3,344	1,620

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was paid out in grants, and in guaranteed loans, to each of the four

Calender Year			London, Midland and Scottish Railway	London and North Eastern Railway	Southern Railway	Great Western Railway	London, Midland and Scottish Railways Joint Committee	Midland and Great Northern Railways Joint Committee
			£	£	£	£	£	£
1929	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—
1930	…	…	217	50	—	2,037	—	6
1931	…	…	11,977	10,892	5,731	32,586	58	178
1932	…	…	32,957	38,477	42,774	105,995	293	189
1933	…	…	47,494	74,596	104,503	164,177	321	189
1934	…	…	45,665	94,024	108,130	213,506	321	189
1935	…	…	45,989	99,545	122,426	229,037	321	189
1936	…	…	39,819	91,983	112,335	225,530	263	11
1937	…	…	31,073	73,300	91,396	205,494	—	—
1938	…	…	18,650	55,013	92,822	192,107	—	—
1939	…	…	11,805	45,571	93,919	185,906	—	—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will reintroduce the tobacco token scheme for old-age pensioners, in view of the recent increase in the price of cigarettes and tobacco.

No loans to railway companies were guaranteed by the Treasury under this Act. The following are the details of grants:

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date his figures for the rise and fall in the price of imports and exports from 1951 and the internal rise and fall in the cost of living and the £ sterling.

The following figures— based on 1951=100—bring up to date the table I gave in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 30th October. 1959:

—	Import prices	Export prices	Consumer price index	Purchasing power of the £
				s.	d.
Year 1959	87	109	125	15	11
February, 1960	89	111	126	15	11

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of electricity generated in Great Britain in 1948 and in 1959 was generated in Scotland.

In 1948 9 per cent. of the total output of electricity in Great Britain was generated in Scotland. The comparable figure for 1959 was 7·9 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the percentage increase in electricity generated in Scotland between 1948 and 1959; and if he will compare Scottish growth over this period with that of the rest of Great Britain.

The percentage increase in electricity generated in Scotland between 1948 and 1959 was 101·9, compared with 131·1 per cent. in the rest of Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider giving priority to the construction of a major road linking the proposed Forth and Tay road bridges in order to open up trade in this area.

No. I consider that priority must be given to the reconstruction of the Perth-Inverkeithing trunk road (A.90) because it already carries heavy traffic which will increase when the Forth Bridge is open and because it serves a number of traffic movements, e.g., traffic from Edinburgh and the south-east to Perth, to Inverness and the north and to Aberdeen by the favoured route via Forfar.Traffic to the Tay Bridge would then proceed by the improved A.90 to Milna-thort and thence by A.91 and A.914 to Newport; traffic from Kirkcaldy and the surrounding area would proceed to Newport by A.92 and A.914. Both these routes to Newport would be little longer than a new route across Fife between the two bridges; they already serve existing centres of population; and could be improved at considerably less cost than the construction of a new route. Such a route could not be built, having regard to other needs elsewhere in the country, without prejudicing the reconstruction of A.90, which in my opinion should come first.

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, what inquiries have been made by him into complaints from the East Kent area of a high-pitched hum, associated with equipment for which he is responsible, audible and aggravating to those with acute hearing, about which the hon. Member for Ashford sent a full account to the Minister for Science last December.

I understand that my noble Friend has written to my hon. Friend about this matter. Considerable inquiries have failed to confirm the existence of the noise and my noble Friend does not accept that any equipment for which he is responsible is the cause of any such noise.

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, whether, in view of the fact that the Shipbuilding Research Association has built up a reserve fund equal to between two or three years' running expenditure, he will reduce the grant made to it and use the money to further research into shipbuilding methods which is not now undertaken by the Association.

Reserves amounting to between two and three years' revenue expenditure are not excessive for a research association serving an industry such as shipbuilding which is subject to exceptional economic fluctuations, especially when heavy demands might be made for capital expenditure and for new developments such as novel forms of propulsion; and my noble Friend does not consider that there are any grounds on this account for reducing the grant. The need for research into production methods in shipbuilding is under active consideration by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, and some discussion has already taken place with the Research Association.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what security forces he has available in the British Protectorates of Swaziland, Bechuanaland, and Basutoland.

In Basutoland the establishment of the Basutoland Mounted Police is 16 officers and 438 other ranks.In the Bechuanaland Protectorate the establishment of the Bechuanaland Police is 58 officers and 304 other ranks.In Swaziland the establishment of the Swaziland Police is 39 officers and 240 other ranks.

asked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations what salaries, respectively, are paid to European, Asian, Coloured and African teachers and to officers in the public service of each of these races in Bechuanaland, Basutoland, and Swaziland, respectively.

It is impracticable in the compass of an Answer to a Question to give all the figures, but the hon. Member will obtain a general idea of the rates from Appendix A, read with paragraphs 94–103, of the report of the Salaries Commissioner, 1958–59, a copy of which has now been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in regard to the Motion passed on 6th April in the Legislative Council of the Somaliland Protectorate, calling for union with Somalia on 1st July.

I have been asked to reply.In the light of the Motion passed by the Legislative Council of the Somaliland Protectorate on 6th April, the elected Ministers have been in touch with the Governor requesting that they might pay an early visit to London to discuss independence with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Her Majesty's Government understand the deep feelings underlying the Motion. It has been arranged that my right hon. Friend will receive the elected Ministers for this purpose at the beginning of May.Independence and union with Somalia each raise many problems and these are receiving urgent study. Any union would require the agreement of the independent Government of Somalia, which will be established on 1st July. It would naturally involve the ending of all the responsibilities for government which Her Majesty's Government now exercise in the Protectorate and could only be brought into effect between an independent Somaliland and an independent Somalia. Parliament would of course be consulted at an appropriate stage. I should like to say, however, that it is Her Majesty's Government's hope that, whatever may be the constitutional future of the Protectorate, the friendship which has been built up between its people and those of the United Kingdom for so many years will continue and indeed flourish.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the establishment of a Greater Somalia, incorporating neighbouring territories.

I have been asked to reply.Her Majesty's Government do not, and will not, encourage or support any claim affecting the territorial integrity of French Somaliland, Kenya or Ethiopia. This is a matter which could only be considered if that were the wish of the Governments and peoples concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the application of the 1897 Treaty and the 1954 Agreement between the United Kingdom and Ethiopia to the proposed union between the Somaliland Protectorate and Somalia.

I have been asked to reply.Following the termination of the responsibilities of Her Majesty's Government for the government of the Protectorate, and in the absence of any fresh instruments, the provisions of the 1897 Anglo-Ethiopian Treaty should, in our view, be regarded as remaining in force as between Ethiopia and the successor State. On the other hand, Article III of the 1954 Agreement, which comprises most of what was additional to the 1897 Treaty, would, in our opinion, lapse.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give instructions for a comprehensive inspection of schools in the Seychelles for the purpose of making a long-term plan for reforms and improvements.

My Deputy Education Adviser is visiting Seychelles later this month and he will discuss educational problems generally with the Seychelles Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies who is conducting the official inquiry into the recent troubles at schools in Northern Rhodesia; and when the findings are likely to be known.

The Governor of Northern Rhodesia is at present making arrangements to set up a Commission of Inquiry which he hopes will begin its work after Easter. It has not yet been decided who the members of the Inquiry will be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the progress being made in Northern Rhodesia in the establishment of new schools to replace those in the flooded area of the new Kariba lake.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd February, 1960; Vol. 618, c. 38] supplied the following information.There were nineteen schools, including two boarding schools, in the area inundated by the Kariba Lake and all have been moved with the minimum of interruption to the education of the children concerned. Six additional schools have been provided where the population has been split up in the resettlement.In order that the schools might be erected more quickly and also transported from one site to another if the people moved on from their original resettlement areas, prefabricated buildings were used at the new sites in the first instance. These are in no way inferior to the original school buildings now under water. Where it is clear that resettled communities are stable the prefabricated buildings are being replaced by permanent ones. Five permanent buildings have been completed and work has begun on a sixth. The two boarding schools have been rebuilt and enlarged in permanent materials.The resettlement programme has not held up the expansion of educational facilities in the area. Two existing schools have been up-graded from lower to full primary status, and two entirely new schools have been opened. The permanent schools replacing the prefabricated ones will be used to provide new or increased facilities where these are required.

asked the Minister of Defence (1) from how many representative bodies, elected and otherwise, respectively, and individuals in the Isle of South Uist he has received messages in support of the proposal to make the Hebrides guided missile range available for the training of German forces;(2) if he will specify the evidence obtained by him that the inhabitants of the Isle of South Uist are not averse to the offer by Her Majesty's Government of facilities for the training of German forces in the use of tactical nuclear weapons in that area; and what steps he has taken to assess the local support for the contrary point of view.

I have not received any representations or made inquiries on this matter, but I am aware of the recent B.B.C. television programme in which a number of inhabitants of South Uist gave their views on this subject.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance his estimate of the number of men and women, respectively, who will qualify for a retirement pension under the National Insurance Acts in each of the next 10 years from 1960.

Two hundred thousand men and 260,000 women were awarded retirement pensions in 1959. Various factors can affect the figures from one year to another, but mainly because the numbers of men and women reaching minimum pension age is rising, these numbers are expected to increase gradually to 260,000 men and 320,000 women by 1970. At present about 1·8 million men and 3·65 million women receive retirement pensions: by 1970, these numbers are expected to be about 2·3 million and 4·5 million respectively.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the proportion of retirement pensioners who are in receipt of supplementary pensions in the age groups 60 to 65 years for women and 65 to 70 years for men, and in the age groups 65 and over 70 years, respectively.

The proportions of retirement pensioners receiving supplementary pensions are, for men, 12 per cent. between the ages of 65 and 69 and 17 per cent. over that age; and, for women drawing pensions on their own insurance or as widows, 16 per cent. between the ages of 60 and 64 and 29 per cent. over that age. Some of the awards to men provide for the needs of more than one pensioner.