asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a comprehensive statement on the subjects discussed and conclusions reached at the talks which ended in Oslo on Saturday, 28th May, between representatives of the Norwegian and British Governments on the problems relating to international fisheries.

As I have already said, the talks in May were exploratory. Negotiations between the two countries were held in London from 23rd to 28th June when important progress was achieved. As was announced at the end of these talks, it is confidently assumed by both sides that a final agreement will be reached within the next few months well ahead of any change in the present situation in regard to fishery limits. As negotiations have not ended, however, I cannot yet make any statement.

asked the Secretary of State for War when it is proposed to close the military camp at Ogbourne St. George.

There are no plans at present for closing this camp.

asked the Minister of Aviation on what date the production order for Blue Steel, Mark I, was placed.

The first order for the production of a substantial batch for trials was placed in December, 1955. A further order will be placed shortly.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will give directions for the renaming of the self-propelled hydrogen bomb, at present undergoing its acceptance trials, and commonly referred to as Blue Steel, so as to avoid confusion with the abandoned Blue Streak rocket and other ventures.

No. To change the name at this stage would in itself cause confusion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that there are less Bank Holidays in this country than in any of the following European countries, namely, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Roumania, Spain, Sweden, and Yugoslavia, whether he will inquire into the desirability of having another Bank Holiday each year on or about the first Monday in September.

Bank Holidays were desirable in the days when they were the only opportunities for holidays available for the bulk of the population, but I see no need for increasing their number in the very different conditions of today. The question of the desirability or otherwise of moving the August Bank Holiday to a later date is one of the questions being examined by the official committee appointed by the President of the Board of Trade to consider what action the Government can take to encourage the extension of the holiday season.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he received the letter, sent to him by the honourable Member for Carlisle, with regard to the introduction of reaction testers into certain Carlisle and District State Management Scheme Public Houses; and whether, in view of the danger that these machines tend to minimise the seriousness of the problem of road safety, he will call for a report upon their use from those responsible for the administration of the Scheme.

I received my hon. Friend's letter on 1st July. These machines, the design and purpose of which have, I understand, been approved by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, are intended to emphasise in a popular way the importance in accident prevention of quick reaction. I shall keep their use under very close review.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the present estimated cost of increasing the disregard for National Assistance of earnings and disability and private pensions by 10s. a week.

About £1¼ million a year, apart from the cost of grants to any persons not eligible for assistance under the present rules who might then become eligible. My noble Friend will no doubt have in mind that the disregards for National Assistance purposes were increased by about 50 per cent. as recently as last September.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what legislation he proposes to introduce so that pneumoconiosis panels may accept that workers in dusty occupations should be entitled to industrial injury benefits, if the panel is satisfied that the pulmonary disability is due to the inhalation of the dust, despite a negative finding on X-ray examination.

My right hon. Friend has no proposals for legislation on this subject. I would like, however, to make it clear that where the pneumoconiosis panel find on clinical examination that an applicant is suffering from pneumoconiosis, benefit in respect of this disease is paid, and that the panels are not bound by the results of the X-ray examination.

asked the Minister of Education whether any objections have been received in response to the public notices issued by the Middlesex County Council in connection with the Willesden County Grammar School; and when he expects to make his decision under Section 13 (4) of the Education Act. 1944.

The notices have just expired without objection being made; I shall give my decision as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to provide short refresher courses for qualified married women teachers who left the profession some years ago but who might be more willing to return to teaching if they were offered a refresher course on full salary.

I shall shortly be asking Institutes of Education and local education authorities to let me know how they can co-operate in providing courses suitable for these teachers.