asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the number of persons employed in his Department, the number of Her Majesty's ships in commission, and the number of men serving in the fleets in 1939, 1945, 1950. 1960, or convenient proximate dates.

The numbers of civilians and naval officers together employed at Admiralty Headquarters in the years 1938, 1946, 1950 and 1960, respectively, were: 4,407, 18,445, 10,855 and 9,953. The number of Her Majesty's ships in commission at approximately the same respective dates were: 434, 1,176, 268, 211. The number of men serving afloat on approximately similar dates were: 68,300, 159,900, 65,900 and 43,000. These figures exclude Fleet Air Arm and Royal Marine Commando personnel serving ashore.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will give per mission for the disused airfield at Great Steeping, near Spilsby, Lincolnshire, to be used for go-kart racing.

We are ready to make the airfield available to approved clubs subject to certain conditions of which the most important are that they obtain the agreement of the local authorities and take out adequate insurance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what charges are made for hospital treatment for in- and out-patients in Aden; what percentage of the Yemeni patients does not normally reside in Aden Colony or Aden Protectorates; and how successful have been efforts to recruit girls for training as nurses during the past 12 months.

pursuant to Mr. Fraser's Reply to Mr. Sorensen on 7th February, 1961 [OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 634, c. 17], supplied the following information:No charges are made for hospital treatment of out-patients, or for in-patients in general wards in Aden Colony. Patients in private wards are charged at rates published in the Colony Gazette, and details are being sent to the hon. Member. It is estimated that between 25 and 30 per cent. of patients treated in Colony hospitals are of Yemeni origin but it is not possible to identify the proportion who do not normally live in Aden Colony or Aden Protectorate. Efforts to recruit girls for training as nurses during the past twelve months have met with disappointing results, but during this period five girls originally recruited in 1956 successfully completed their training.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what reply the High Commissioner has received from the South African Government about the detention of Mr. Harry Nkumbula whilst in transit to the United Kingdom.

The Union Government have informed our High Commissioner:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will inquire into the desirability of having another Bank Holiday each year on or about the first Monday in September.

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 8th July, 1960.

asked the Minister of Labour how many boys and girls have left school in Dartford since 1st January, 1960; and how many remain unemployed.

402 boys and 339 girls have left school in Dartford since 1st January, 1960; 3 boys and 4 girls, all of whom left at Christmas, 1960, were still seeking employment on 16th January.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) how many men, women, boys and girls were registered as unemployed at the Mexborough and District Employment Exchange at the latest convenient date;(2) how many men, women, boys and girls were registered as unemployed at the Wombwell and District Employment Exchange at the latest convenient date.

The following Table gives the information desired:

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will state, in table form for each £100 of basic pension from £100 per annum to £1,200 per annum, how the Government of the Sudan has increased the pensions to ex-civil servants; and how these increases compare with those given by the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1959, to civil servants of the United Kingdom showing those that fall below the United Kingdom scale in a different kind of type.

The Pensions (Increase) Act, 1959, awarded percentage increases which varied according to the retirement date of the pensioner. I take it that my hon. Friend has in mind the total increase payable to United Kingdom pensioners under each of the post-war pension increase Acts, including that of 1959, and the total increase awarded to Sudan Government pensioners over the same period of time. In the appended table, all the Sudanese increases fall below those for the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation officers were appointed to the Probation Service during the year ended 31st December, 1960; and how many of these had completed an approved training for their posts before their first appointment.

Two hundred and nine officers were appointed in 1960, 95 were trained before appointment, and the remainder are either receiving training while in post or will be offered it as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the estimated shortage of probation officers in England and Wales at 31st December, 1960; and what numbers are now in training for the Probation Service, excluding those undergoing in-service training.

On 31st December, 1960, there was a shortage of about 70 in the establishment aimed at early in the year by Probation Committees; but I estimate that the real shortage was somewhat greater. 144 persons are now in training.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what is the current annual administrative cost of refunding prescription charges by the National Assistance Board.

About £145,000 a year, mainly costs incurred by the Post Office on behalf of the Board.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what guidance he has given to local planning authorities concerning applications for planning permission to erect aerials for purposes of relayed television.

I have no knowledge that planning authorities need guidance on this subject. None has been issued.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will circulate instructions to local authorities to define the categories of loss which do and do not, respectively, entitle farmers to claim relief for flood damage and consequential loss.

Rules for the administration of local flood funds, defining the types of damage and loss for which claims for financial assistance may be made, have been circulated to the Flood Appeal Fund Committee; and I am confident that the appropriate Committee will on request advise any farmer whether he can claim in respect of losses which he suffered as a result of the autumn floods. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the rules issued for the guidance of these Committees.

asked the Minister of Health what is the amount of estimated under-spending on the hospital capital building programme for each of the past three years in respect of central schemes and regional board programmes, respectively.

The figures are as follows:—

asked the Minister of Health (1) how many mentally defective children there are in the Dearne Valley constituency area who are in urgent need of institutional accommodation and care, and for whom beds are not available;(2) how many mentally deficient adult persons, male and female, there are in the Dearne Valley constituency area who are in urgent need of institutional accommodation and care and for whom beds are not available.

I am informed that there are seven such children and no such adults.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what is the estimated annual cost of excluding all those in receipt of retirement pensions from paying the proposed new medical prescription charges; and what percentage this amount is of the estimated total paid in such charges for the same period;

I have no means of estimating the number of prescriptions dispensed for retirement pensioners, or for those in receipt of widow's pensions.