asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware of the case of a colliery pithead gear attendant who has not worked for three-and-a-half years because he gets £10 18s. in social service payments and three pints of milk a day free, and who lives in a subsidised council house, which, together with what he earns from rabbiting, is sufficient for his family needs; if he will amend the regulations to prevent such abuses of the social services; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of this case, and have written to my hon. Friend about certain aspects of it.The figure quoted in his Question includes £2 18s. family allowances paid in respect of seven children, and these are of course payable whether the father is in work or not.In accordance with its normal practice the National Assistance Board limited the supplement to unemployment benefit paid in this case to a level which brought the combined total payments to a lower figure than this gentleman could earn in the occupation stated. I am told that payments of National Assistance have now ceased.So far as unemployment benefit is concerned, this has not been continuously in payment over the period, and the question of his availability for work is at present before the statutory authorities.I do not think that this case, which has some very special features, discloses any defect in the statutory provisions, which as the House knows include power to withhold benefit, and so far as assistance is concerned to prosecute, in appropriate cases.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, if he is aware of the widespread discontent among ex-Service men who have lost one or more limbs during their war service at the amount of the pensions paid to them; and if he will examine the case of the limbless men with a view to granting them additional increases in their pensions.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made on 2nd November and to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse) on 7th November.

asked the Minister of Power when he proposes to produce a plan for fuel which will provide guidance to the National Coal Board, the Central Electricity Authority, and the Gas Council.

My right hon. Friend is in constant consultation with the heads of the fuel and power industries on their future policy and on all major issues of national fuel policy. He does not consider that any additional guidance is necessary.

asked the Minister of Power what amount of liquid methane has been imported into the United Kingdom since the initial import.

Since the initial experiment, which involved seven voyages of the "Methane Pioneer" carrying a total of 12,000 tons of liquid methane, none has been imported.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the percentage of children and adults, over 21 years of age, respectively, who have now been immunised against poliomyelitis.

I regret that available records distinguish between those under or over 18 and 28, but not 21. At 30th September, 76 per cent. of those under 18 and 52 per cent. of older persons up to 28 had had at least two doses of poliomyelitis vaccine. These figures do not include any of the 687,000 persons in the special priority groups, not classified by age, who had had two doses.

asked the Minister of Health what proportion of young people in Reading and Berkshire have been vaccinated as protection against poliomyelitis; and what further plans he has for impressing on those most susceptible the value of this precaution.

At the end of September over three-quarters of those over 6 months and under 28 years in Reading and Berkshire had received at least two doses of poliomyelitis vaccine. On the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given to the hon. and learned Member for West Ham, South (Mr. Elwyn Jones) on 27th October.

asked the Minister of Health how many people have been vaccinated against poliomyelitis in the Manchester area.

168,000 people in the area of the County Borough had had at least two doses of vaccine by the end of September.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the recent incidence of poliomyelitis in Warwickshire; and what action he is taking in order to encourage a more widespread inoculation against this disease.

Yes. Fifteen cases of paralytic poliomyelitis have been provisionally notified this year to 5th November in Warwickshire, including Birmingham, compared with six in the corresponding period in 1959. On the second part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to the hon. and learned Member for West Ham. South (Mr. Elwyn Jones) on 27th October.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons are working in the development unit of his Department; how many of these hold senior administrative posts; and if he will make a statement about the work of this unit.

The unit comprises 13 full-time and 8 part-time professional officers.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the abnormally high incidence of chest and heart cases in industrial areas of Great Britain, he will give immediate consideration to measures to protect the health of citizens from the effects of smog in the forthcoming winter.

Yes. Facilities for the care and protection of persons liable to suffer in smog conditions will be available under the National Health Service, including provision of special masks. Warning and advice will be broadcast by the B.B.C. when persistent fog is expected.

asked the Minister of Health what would be the estimated extra cost to the National Health Service if drugs and dressings, which are now available free to British subjects and foreigners who attend doctors in the National Health Service, were made available to all British subjects whether they attend a National Health Service doctor or their own private practitioner.

On a rough estimate, the extra annual cost of providing drugs and dressings on National Health Service terms for residents in Britain not now registered with a National Health Service doctor might be between £2 million and £3 million.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he intends to take to publicise more widely the wide range of facilities available for children at local clinics.

None. I consider the present methods of publicity to be the right ones.

asked the Minister of Health what categories of persons, other than school children and war-pensioners, are now being supplied with transistor hearing aids; and what is the number of these appliances which have been issued to such persons.

On the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given on 23rd May last to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. McLaren), of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. By the end of October approximately 30,000 transistor aids had been supplied to adults, including war pensioners.

asked the Minister of Health as representing the Minister for Science, if he will give details of the experiments carried out on behalf of his Department which show that diesel fumes are not endangering health.

Investigations into the effects on health of diesel exhaust fumes form part of the programme of research on air pollution undertaken by the Medical Research Council. They have included statistical studies on a large group of patients with lung cancer, which showed that in this group there was no greater proportion of persons who might have been expected from the nature of their employment to have greater exposure to vehicle exhaust fumes; and a study on London Transport employees, in collaboration with the Chief Medical Officer of London Transport, which provided no evidence of significantly greater mortality from lung cancer among men working in diesel bus garages. Analyses of the air in bus garages and busy streets have shown that motor exhaust fumes are only one of many pollutants and that their content of benzpyrene, a known cancer producing agent, is very small in relation to the total amount in the atmosphere from all sources. Even in congested spaces such as vehicular tunnels, pollution from exhaust fumes has been found to be no greater than the pollution of an urban atmosphere by coal smoke on many winter evenings. It seems reasonable, therefore, to deduce from these findings that diesel fumes are not endangering health

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is aware that Herr C. Probst, Deputy Minister for Posts and Communications in East Germany, has been refused permission to enter this country for the purpose of discussing the placing of a £1,000,000 order with a British electrical firm; whether it was with his authority that an official of his Department stated that a person, other than a Minister, would be admitted for this purpose; and whether this procedure will be adopted with regard to other contracts now pending with East Germany.

Herr Probst was refused a travel document by the Allied Travel Office in Berlin in accordance with the common policy agreed by all the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries regarding visits by East Germans to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries, which I described in my speech of 4th November. I am not aware of a statement by any official of the Foreign Office that a person other than a Minister would be admitted.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will increase the contribution made by Her Majesty's Government to the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law in accordance with the unanimous recommendation of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe at its Session of 22nd September, 1960.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has not yet finished consideration of Recommendation 270 of the Consultative Assembly which deals with an increased contribution to the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law. It has to take into account Article 6 of the Agreement of 12th January, 1954, between the Council of Europe and the Institute. Meanwhile I am not in a position to give a final answer.

asked the Minister of Labour the total numbers of unemployed for the North Eastern Region in mid-October; how many men, women, and school leavers, respectively, were unemployed; and what steps he is taking to deal with the problem.

33,863 persons were unemployed in the Northern Region on 10th October giving a percentage rate of 2·5 per cent. unemployment; 23,523 were men, 8,208 women and 690 school leavers. My local officers and the Youth Employment Service are continuing to do all they can to place unemployed persons in suitable employment.

asked the Minister of Labour what labour requirements have been notified to him in respect of the Number 2 Area, North Eastern Divisional Coal Board, on the latest convenient date; how long there has been a labour deficiency in this area; and what steps are being taken to improve the situation.

Vacancies for 1,194 workers in coal mining were outstanding on 5th November in local offices of my Department in the No. 2 Area of the North Eastern Divisional Coal Board. Shortages of some types of labour in the area have persisted for some time. My local officers are doing all they can to fill the vacancies from labour available locally and have circulated them to other regions. I understand that the Board is also conducting an intensive recruiting drive in the area.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the occupational analysis of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at the Gateshead and District Employment Exchange for the latest convenient date.

The following table gives the information desired:

OCCUPATIONAL ANALYSIS OF VACANCIES NOTIFIED TO THE GATESHEAD EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AND REMAINING UNFILLED AT 12TH SEPTEMBER, 1960
Occupation	Men	Women	Total
Carpenters, joiners	17	—	17
Other construction occupations	11	—	11
Turners	14	—	14
Machine-tool setters, setter-operators	42	—	42
Other Shipbuilding, Boilermaking, Engineering occupations	59	—	59
Wholesale heavy clothing manufacture	—	33	33
Light clothing manufacture	—	26	26
Public service vehicle drivers, conductors	9	—	9
Other transport occupations	3	—	3
Shop assistants	10	11	21
Shorthand typists, typists	5	14	19
Labourers	23	3	26
All other occupations	16	42	58
Total	209	129	338

asked the Minister of Health what consultations have taken place with the Colonial and Commonwealth Relations Offices to facilitate the acceptance by doctors of posts overseas and their subsequent reabsorption into medical service in the United Kingdom: and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any special obstacle to the reabsorption into medical service here of doctors who have taken posts overseas; but I will be happy to consider any specific problem which the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the number of State Supplementary Scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge Universities taken up and prematurely terminated in each year since 1950–51.

The following table shows the numbers of Supplemental State Scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge Universities taken up and prematurely

OXFORD						CAMBRIDGE
Academic Year			Annual Intake	Premature Terminations		Academic Year	Annual Intake	Premature Terminations
				Academic Reasons	Other Reasons			Academic Reasons	Other Reasons
(1)			(2)	(3)	(4)	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
1950–51	…	…	230	†		1950–51	371	†
1951–52	…	…	319	2*		1951–52	342	1*
1952–53	…	…	242	10*		1952–53	258	8*
1953–54	…	…	313	6	—	1953–54	363	3	—
1954–55	…	…	358	6	1	1954–55	420	3	4
1955–56	…	…	409	9	2	1955–56	409	6	1
1956–57	…	…	453	4	5	1956–57	474	1	5
1957–58	…	…	597	3	22	1957–58	598	1	8
1958–59	…	…	671	7	13	1958–59	645	2	7
NOTES
* = Detailed information not available for these years.
† = Information not available.
— = Nil.

asked the Minister of Education when he will state the numbers of premature terminations of State scholarships and supplementary scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge Universities for the academic year 1959–60.

1959–60 (provisional)	OXFORD			CAMBRIDGE
	Scholarships taken up	Premature terminations		Scholarships taken up	Premature terminations
		Academic Reasons	Other Reasons		Academic Reasons	Other Reasons
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)
A. Ordinary State Scholarships (including State Studentships)	430	5	24	505	2	10
B. Supplemental State Scholar ships	569	13	3	549	2	4
Total	999	18	27	1,054	4	14
NOTE.—The numbers of State studentships included in columns A(4) and A(7) are 18 and 7 respectively.

The following table shows the provisional numbers of ordinary State scholarships—including State studentships—and supplemental State scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge universities prematurely terminated in the academic year 1959–60. Final figures will be available early in 1961.

asked the Minister of Education, as representing the Minister for Science, whether he will consult with the Minister of Transport to devise methods to reduce the pollution of the air by exhaust and other fumes from vehicles of all types.

The Warren Spring Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has already been in consultation with the Ministry of Transport and also the Motor Industry Research Association on methods of reducing pollution from internal combustion engines. The emission of smoke from diesel engines can be effectively eliminated by good maintenance and correct operation. The possibility of reducing the emission of carbon monoxide from petrol engines is under consideration.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what steps he intends to take to ensure that the cost of producing pamphlets by the Central Office of Information for various Government Departments is kept within reasonable bounds and bears some relationship to the relative importance of the subject matter contained in such pamphlets.

The Select Committee on Estimates in its Third Report of last Session made a recommendation on this matter, which is under consideration. The Treasury will submit its observations to the Committee as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he replied to the communication sent to him by the Civil Service Clerical Association concerning methods of reducing the number of clerks in the Civil Service by over 13,000; what was the nature of his reply; and if he will make a statement.

The Treasury informed the Secretary of the Civil Service Clerical Association, some time ago orally and last week in writing, that his Association's proposals are being examined in collaboration with the main employing Departments. On the merits of those proposals. I have nothing to add to what my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary told the House on 8th November.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will ensure that the facilities and advice of the Council of Industrial Design are fully used in the building and equipment of the new transatlantic liner.

The Cunard Company and the Government are equally determined that the design of the new ship and its equipment will be to the highest possible standards. Equipment is a considerable time ahead, but the assistance which the Council of Industrial Design could give will be borne well in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress he has made in considering with the Secretary of State for Scotland the recommendations of the Law Reform Society for Scotland that the existing law of security on moveables should be amended; and whether he proposes to amend the Companies Act, 1948, in order to effect this.

The matter is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Defence whether the conditions laid down in paragraph 48 of the 1957 Defence White Paper, Command Paper No. 124, that, if voluntary recruiting fails to produce the number required, the country will have to face the need for some form of compulsory service to bridge the gap, still remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government; and whether he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Yes. But as my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence informed the hon. Member on 22nd June last, we have no plans for the continuance of the call-up after this year.

asked the Minister of Defence what is the explosive force of the warheads of the Polaris missile in terms of the bomb dropped at Hiroshima or of its trinitrotoluol equivalent.

It would not be in the public interest to state the precise power of the Polaris warhead.

asked the Minister of Defence whether, in the agreement concerning the establishment of a Polaris submarine base in Holy Loch, any limitation has been placed on the number of Polaris missiles with nuclear warheads which may be held at any one time on the supply tender "Proteus".

No. I do not think that such a provision is either necessary or desirable

asked the Minister of Defence what information he has received from the United States Government regarding the means of transportation to be used for the delivery of Polaris missiles and nuclear warheads to the supply tender "Proteus", stationed in Holy Loch.

Any replenishment of the missile stocks would be carried out by sea. It is not the practice to confirm or deny the presence of warheads at any particular site

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the reorganisation of the Teritorial Army.

Yes. I propose to publish a White Paper giving details of the reorganisation of the Territorial Army tomorrow, 15th November.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will reconsider his refusal to permit Lieutenant John Howard Seton Gordon to resign his commission in the Royal Marines, in view of the fact that this officer has no wish to remain in Her Majesty's service.

Lieutenant Gordon's application is reconsidered at regular intervals and he will be released from his obligations as soon as the requirements of the Service permit.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware of the harmful effects of his policy of retaining Regular officers in Her Majesty's service against their will; and if he will in future permit officers who so desire to resign their Regular commissions in the Royal Navy or Royal Marines.

I recognise the disadvantages of the present situation. The Admiralty has no wish to retain unwilling officers in the Royal Navy or Royal Marines, but at the present time all those wanting to go cannot be allowed to do so immediately. Outstanding applications for voluntary retirement and resignation from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines are continually under review to ensure that officers are released from the Service as soon as they can be spared. First priority is given to officers with compassionate reasons for asking to leave the Service; other applications are granted in the order received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what percentage of children of school age are attending schools in each of the Colonial, Trusteeship and Protectorate Territories for which his Department retains responsibility.

The following are estimated figures for 1959:

—	Primary Education	Secondary Education
	Per cent.	Per cent.
West Africa:
Sierra Leone	18	2·8
Gambia	13	2·5
East and Central Africa:
Kenya (6 year primary and 6 year secondary).	56	3
Uganda	45	2·1
Tanganyika (6 year primary and 6 year secondary).	27	1·6
Northern Rhodesia (Africans).	60	2
Nyasaland Protectorate (Africans).	60	1·2
Zanzibar	31	4·4
Far East:
North Borneo	67	8
Sarawak	68	6
Brunei	100	11
Hong Kong	60	12
West Indian Territories:
The West Indies:
Barbados	96	36
Jamaica	82	6
Antigua	95	31
Montserrat	95	10
St. Kitts-Nevis	Compulsory	17
Trinidad	91	14
Dominica	Compulsory	18
Grenada	78	14
St. Lucia	95	8
St. Vincent	99	9
British Guiana	100	25
British Honduras	100	15
British Virgin Islands.	95	10
Mediterranean:
Gibraltar	Compulsory	27
Malta	100	36
Western Pacific:
Fiji	91	23
Gilbert and Ellice Islands.	Compulsory	0·5
British Solomon Islands Protectorate.	66	—
Tonga	Compulsory	6
Atlantic and Indian Oceans:
Bahamas	100	18
Bermuda	Compulsory	55
Aden Colony	33	20
Mauritius	100	29
Seychelles	91	18

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the minimum monthly wage in each of the Colonial, Trusteeship and Protectorate Territories for which his Department retains responsibility.

Minimum wages are usually determined on an industrial or occupational basis, either under statute or by collective agreement, and are not fixed on a territory-wide basis, although minimum wages for unskilled workers in particular areas are sometimes prescribed. It would be a lengthy task, involving consulation with each Government, to obtain particulars of all current minimum wages. If, however, the hon. Member will let me know the territories and occupations in which he is particularly interested I will do my best to obtain the information for him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of doctors per thousand of population serving the indigenous peoples in each of the Colonial, Trusteeship and Protectorate Territories for which his Department retains responsibility.

I am asking overseas Governments for the statistics requested, and will write to the hon. Member when I have received their replies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the fact that interested registered producers of the Tomato and Cucumber Marketing Board were improperly prevented from taking a normal and orderly part in the proceedings of the Annual General Meeting on 27th October last, what action he proposes to take to prevent similar occurrences in future and to remedy the injustice towards registered producers on this occasion.

The conduct of the Annual General Meeting is a matter for the Board itself.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will tabulate, in the OFFCIAL REPORT, the amount invested in economic and agricultural development by Her Majesty's Government in Bechuanaland, Basutoland, and Swaziland, respectively, for each of the last

—	1955–56	1956–57	1957–58	1958–59	1959–60	1960–61
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Basutoland	137,000	231,000	223,000	165,000	219,000	356,000
Bechuanaland Protectorate	235,000	472,000	387,000	265,000	282,000	319,000
Swaziland	126,000	339,000	282,000	261,000	475,000	485,000
	£498,000	£1,042,000	£892,000	£691,000	£976,000	£1,160,000

NOTE: In addition an Exchequer loan of £200,000 was issued to Swaziland in 1959–60 under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1959, and the following amounts were invested by the Colonial Development Corporation over the period 1955–60:

Bechuanaland Protectorate	…	…	…	£140,000
Swaziland	…	…	…	£6,760,000

2. For the period 1960–64 the total amount of Colonial Development and Welfare funds allocated, including the total shown above for 1960–61 is £3·75 million. In addition, the raising of the following Exchequer loans under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1959, has been approved for expenditure in this period:

Bechuanaland Protectorate	…	…	…	£300,000
Swaziland	…	…	…	£1,120,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish as soon as possible the results of the analysis of fire reports for 1959, so as to reveal the reasons for the increase in fires affecting property referred to in the Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services.

The annual statistical analysis of fire reports prepared by the Joint Fire Research Organisation is not published, but copies are made available to fire authorities and to others interested, and a digest of the analysis is published annually as an appendix to the annual reports of the Fire Research Board and the Director of Fire Research. The figures for 1959 will be ready early next year, and I am considering whether

The amounts of Colonial Development and Welfare funds that have been issued by Her Majesty's Government for the economic, agricultural and social development of Basutoland, Bechuanalard Protectorate and Swaziland during the five financial years 1955–56 to 1959–60 and the amounts planned to be it-Rested during the financial year 1960–61 are tabulated below:any change is called for in the arrangements for making them available. Meanwhile the Joint Fire Research Organisation, in consultation with my Department, is making a special study of the causes of the increase in the number of fires attended by fire brigades in 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of widespread doubts about the legality of the bartering of babies; and whether he will introduce legislation to clarify this matter.

Under Section 50 of the Adoption Act, 1958, it is already unlawful to make any payment or give any reward in consideration of the transfer of an infant for adoption whether in law or in fact.