asked the Minister of Health (1) how many gynaecological cases, other than pregnancies, are now awaiting admission to the Manor House Hospital, Walsall; and what delay is likely to ensue before all these cases are admitted;(2) how many gynaecological cases, other than pregnancies, are now awaiting admission to the General Hospital, Walsall; and what delay is likely to ensue before all these cases are admitted.

413 at the Manor Hospital and 77 at the General Hospital. Waiting time is between 3 months and 3 years according to medical need. Urgent cases are admitted immediately.

asked the Minister of Health whether the action promised on 9th May, 1960, to reduce the delay in admitting gynaecological cases in Walsall to hospital has now been completed; and what is now the maximum probable delay in admission.

I regret it has not proved possible to reduce the waiting lists by using facilities elsewhere; but additional operating theatres, for which the working drawings are expected in May, will relieve the position.

asked the Minister of Health what consideration the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board is giving to the provision of an eye department in the specialist services provided in the Gateshead Group of Hospitals.

The board is considering this now in drawing up its plans for capital development.

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied that the appointment of a new house governor to the board of governors of Hammersmith Hospital is in accordance with the recommendations of Ministry of Health Circular 60/31.

No, but I am satisfied that the arrangements made in this case, which had my prior approval, satisfied the purpose of those recommendations.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the recent refusal by a Reading dentist to treat a coloured patient suffering from severe toothache; and what steps he is taking to prevent any recurrence of such discrimination.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Chapman) and Salford, West (Mr. C. Royle) on 13th March.

asked the Minister of Health how many applications have been made to mental health review tribunals in each region and from each of the special hospitals, respectively, since applications were first invited.

The following is the Answer:

asked the Minister of Health (1) what was the number of people who suffered from chronic bronchitis for each of the past three years; and how many items of prescription would normally be required in each case during a winter period;(2) what was the number of people who suffered from rheumatism for each of the past three years; and how many items of prescription would normally be required in each case during a winter period.

I regret that the number of cases is not known. As the needs of individual patients vary greatly, it is not possible to say how many items a doctor would normally need to prescribe.

asked the Minister of Health what the estimates the saving to the Exchequer will be in a full year as the result of his advice to doctors to prescribe drugs whenever possible from the British National Formulary and other recommended official publications.

I regret I cannot estimate the financial effect of the Cohen Committee's advice.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what is the cost of the ingredients of a week's treatment with amylobarbitone ¾ grain tablets;(2) what is the cost of the ingredients of a week's treatment with fersolate tablets.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what is the cost of the ingredients of a week's treatment with glyceryl trinitrin, 1/100 grain;(2) what is the cost of the ingredients of a week's treatment with stilboestrol, 0·1 milligram.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost of the ingredients of a week's treatment with beplete tablets.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost of the ingredients of a week's treatment with ferromyn tablets.

The amount used in a week's treatment, and therefore the cost, will vary from case to case.

asked the Minister of Health if he will estimate the aggregate revenue that will accrue in a full year arising from prescription charges, charges for dental, optical and other appliances and for dental treatment on the assumption that the National Health Service Bill is enacted in its present form.

About £41·7 million in England and Wales.

asked the Minister of Health by what authority he requires pharmacists to collect prescription charges on his behalf; and what changes in the form of contract signed by the pharmacist and by him have been made for this purpose since the inception of the National Health Service.

Regulations made under Section 38 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, as amended by Section 16 of the National Health Service (Amendment) Act, 1949, entitle a chemist to recover prescription charges, and his terms of service, as amended in 1952 and 1956, empower the Executive Council to reduce the payments it makes to him by the amount of the charges.

asked the Minister of Labour what inquiries have been made into the high rate of pneumoconiosis in Stoke-on-Trent.

Coal mining and the pottery industry both give rise to pneumoconiosis in the Stoke-on-Trent area. The pottery industry was recently the subject of a special survey and I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ellis Smith) on 6th March. Coal mining is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power.The number of newly diagnosed cases of pneumoconiosis, in all industries, in the area covered by the Stoke-on-Trent Pneumoconiosis Medical Panel has dropped from 1,439 in 1955 to 380 in 1959 and the figure for the first nine months of 1960 suggests that the total for the year will be lower still. This reduction is greater than for the country as a whole.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that mass X-ray of pottery workers has shown a high prevalence of simple pneumoconiosis in china turners and throwers; and, in view of the absence of flint in the materials used, what is the agency causing the fibrosis of the lungs.

I understand that the report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stoke for 1959, recently published, draws attention to the incidence of pneumoconiosis among these workers and comments that flint is absent from the materials used. The main cause of fibrosis among such workers is the presence of free silica in the materials used, particularly Cornish stone and china clay.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the increase in total numbers and percentage of youths employed as apprentices in Ayrshire at mid-1960 over mid-1957.

I regret the figures are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the figures of linoleum workers registered as unemployed at the Kirkcaldy Employment Exchange in January, February and March, 1960, and in the corresponding months of 1961 to the latest available date.

100, 106 and 120 in the first three months of 1960; 78, 97 and 376 in 1961.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) if he will give the figures separately for each class of disablement registered with his Department from the mining industry; and how many men so registered are not in employment because of their disability, giving the figures for each region;(2) how many cases are registered with his Department of disablement from the mining industry; how many are not in employment because of their disability; and what are the prospects in such cases for rehabilitation, giving each mining district separately.

The information is not available, except in respect of miners suffering from pneumoconiosis, of whom 9,534 were registered as disabled on 11th April, 1960, including 546 unemployed. 394 of them were in Wales and only small numbers in other areas. Rehabilitation facilities are generally available for persons likely to benefit from them.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the strike of Yorkshire coal miners has resulted in uneconomic use of power-loading and other mining machinery; whether he will intervene in this matter in order to secure a resumption of work; and whether he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend will know that there was a full resumption of work by 13th March. I am aware of the serious effects of this unofficial strike and deplore the loss of production it caused.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on his recent meeting in Glasgow with employers and trade unions in respect of youth unemployment and training.

The meeting was called on the initiative of the Industrial Training Council to discuss the urgent problems of employment and training for young people in Scotland over the peak years of the "bulge". The meeting was attended by representatives of employers' organisations, trade unions, the nationalised industries, the youth employment service and educational interests. The meeting unanimously endorsed a suggestion that a Scottish committee of the Industrial Training Council should be established to keep the situation under continuous review.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent it is now his policy in Scotland to encourage workers to move from the remoter areas to the industrial centres of the lowlands.

This is not my general policy but unemployed persons who cannot find work locally and are willing to move may be offered work in other districts. In some cases, financial assistance may be given under the Ministry's Transfer Schemes.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent he expects the migration of Scottish workers to England to increase during the next two years.

It is not possible to estimate the future extent of migration, but as more jobs become available in Scotland, there will be less need for workers to migrate in order to obtain employment.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the ratio of apprentices to journeymen in the Scottish engineering industry in 1954, 1957, and 1960, respectively.

The Scottish Engineering Employers' Association informs me that in its member firms the ratios were: 1:3·3 in 1954, 1:3·12 in 1957 and 1:3·36 in 1960.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of apprentices who started in the Scottish printing trades in each of the past three years; and what proportion of those who commence apprenticeship in those trades normally complete their apprenticeship.

Two hundred and twenty-two apprentices and learners in 1958; 250 in 1959; and 419 in 1960. No figures are available to show the proportion who complete their apprenticeship but I understand that it is the great majority.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the ratio of apprentices to journeymen in the Scottish electrical engineering industry in 1954, 1957, and 1960, respectively.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of apprentices who started in the Scottish shipbuilding industry in each of the past three years; and what proportion of those who commence apprenticeship in that industry normally complete their period of training.

479 in 1958, 402 in 1959 and 399 in 1960. Figures are not available to show the proportion who complete their apprenticeship, but I understand that it is the great majority.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the ratio of apprentices to journeymen in the Scottish shipbuilding industry in 1954, 1957 and 1960, respectively.

The ratios were 1:3·76 in 1954, 1:3·73 in 1957 and 1:3·92 in 1960.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the ratio of apprentices to journeymen in the Scottish building industry in 1954, 1957 and 1960, respectively.

The Ministry of Works census of the industry shows that the ratios were 1:3·5 in 1957 and 1:3·67 in 1959. Comparable figures are not obtainable for 1954 and the 1960 figures are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of apprentices who started in the Scottish engineering industry in each of the past three years; and what proportion of those commencing apprenticeship in that industry normally complete their apprenticeship.

1,896 in 1958, 1,421 in 1959 and 1,490 in 1960. Figures are not available to show the proportion who complete their apprenticeship, but I understand that it is the great majority.

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of the labour force employed by American firms in Scotland is skilled; and what ratio of apprentices to skilled operatives is customary in those firms.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of apprentices who started in the Scottish building industry in each of the past three years; and what proportion of those who commence apprenticeship in that industry normally complete their apprenticeship.

2,339 started as apprentices or learners in 1958, 2,420 in 1959 and 2,495 in 1960. Figures are not available to show the proportion who complete their training, but I understand that it is the great majority.

asked the Minister of Power whether he is now in a position to report on the result of his investigations into the siting of a new power station or power stations on or near the Durham coalfield.

My right hon. Friend has been in touch with the Central Electricity Generating Board and has been informed that the first set at the new 1,200 MW station now being built at Blyth will be brought into service in 1962 and the other three sets by 1965. The Board at present has no other plans for stations in the North-East of England.

asked the Minister of Aviation how many additional Boeing 707 aircraft have been ordered by the British Overseas Airways Corporation; and what is the cost of these aircraft and the spares.

No order has yet been placed, but I am considering a request from the British Overseas Airways Corporation for permission to order three more Boeing Rolls-Royce 707 aircraft. The price would be a matter for negotiation between the parties.

asked the Minister of Aviation what proposals he has had from the British European Airways Corporation that it should be allowed to build its own separate terminal at London Airport; and what reply he has made.

British European Airways has proposed in general terms that it should be allowed to erect its own terminal building in the central area at London (Heathrow) Airport. It is doubtful whether this would be the most advantageous way of developing the Airport in the general interest, but before making a decision I am awaiting the report of the joint B.E.A./Ministry of Aviation Working Party which is examining the need for more accommodation.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether the Air Transport Licensing Board has started its public hearings; how many applications for air service licences have been received; and when he expects to appoint a chairman of the board.

The Air Transport Licensing Board held its first hearing on 14th March and tells me that it has so far received 213 applications for licences. I hope to be in a position to announce the name of the new chairman shortly.

asked the Minister of Power if he will state, on the basis of information supplied to him for the purpose of compiling his Statistical Digest, how many tons of coal have been produced for each of the last ten years; what has been the cost in wages and salaries respectively; how much per ton wages and salaries have cost; what was the total capital expenditure each year; how much its amortization costs per ton; how much of this capital expenditure will be recovered; how much has been contributed from public funds to the coal mining industry; what were the average wages per week of underground men over 21 years of age; and what was the total number employed.

The following figures relate to collieries operated by the National Coal Board:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of freeing all ladders from Purchase Tax as well as those over 11 ft. in length.

Traders are not required to make separate returns of tax paid on individual types of articles and the information is therefore not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, having regard to the fact that miners' grade 1 safety boots and miners' safety helmets are exempt from Purchase Tax, for what reason a miner's battery strap, which is indispensable to safety underground and particularly at the coal face, and the sole use of which is to support the battery which provides the power for the light on a miner's safety helmet, is subject to Purchase Tax at the rate of 5 per cent.; and whether he will now review this matter and remove miners' battery straps from Purchase Tax.

A miner's battery strap is a form of belt and as such is taxable under Group 2 (b) of the tax Schedule.The difference in tax treatment results directly from the wishes of hon. Members on both sides of the House, as expressed in the Budget debate of 1958 and at Question Time on 24th April, 1958, and I would refer my hon. Friend to what was said on those occasions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the result of the last examination he made of the present effect of 50 per cent. Purchase Tax on radio and television sets upon exports of electronic equipment, radio, and television.

I cannot anticipate any of the results of my right hon. and learned Friend's annual review of the effects of taxation.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he has considered the case, details of which have been sent to him, of Mr. W. E. Holmes, 52 Westrigg Road, Morton Estate, Carlisle, a prison service pensioner, whose pension has been reduced by 5d. because his pension, plus his present pay, exceeds by that amount his average pay on retirement; and whether, since the equivalent earnings of his former post are now substantially increased, he will so adjust the earnings rule that the pensions of this man and others similarly placed are not reduced by reference to out-of-date pay scales.

The reduction in Mr. Holmes's pension of a little over £1 a year is required by the provisions of the Superannuation Acts, under which the pension of a retired civil servant is liable to suspension or abatement if he becomes re-employed in any public department. The possibility of changing the law in the direction suggested by the hon. Gentleman has been closely examined in recent years, notably by the Royal Commission on the Civil Service 1953–55. After examining all the evidence the majority of the Commission decided to recommend no change in the present arrangements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the dates on which he expects to publish the Economic Survey, the White Paper on Personal Incomes, and the White Paper on the Balance of Payments, 1960, respectively.

It is hoped to publish the Balance of Payments White Paper on 29th March, and the Economic Survey and the National Income White Paper on 5th April.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table comparable with Table C on page 83 of the Second Report of the Royal Commission on the Taxation of Profits and Income (Cmnd. 9105), with the substitution of 1951 income for pre-war income, 1951–52 tax rates for 1938–39 tax rates, and the latest available dates and years for post-war income and 1953–54 tax rates, respectively.

The table below shows the change in taxation between 1951–52 and 1960–61 in the case of earned incomes of a married person with two children not over 11. For the purposes of this calculation it has been assumed that retail prices have risen by 26½ per cent. between these two years so that 1951 income of £x has been taken as equivalent to a present day income of £1·265 x. Accordingly 1·265 times the

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any statement to make about the progress of rabbit clearance in Herefordshire.

There are 16 rabbit clearance societies with 450 members, covering approximately 120,000 acres in Herefordshire. This compares favourably with the position in most of the adjoining counties, but the area covered represents only about 24 per cent. of the agricultural land and woodland in Herefordshire. The only reliable way of preventing a return of the rabbit menace and the vast losses it entails is by the formation of rabbit clearance societies to get rid of rabbits wherever they occur. I hope that the good work that is being done by the societies already in operation will lead to the formation of new ones.

asked the Minister of Education on what date he received an application from the Education Department of Leicester University for permission to pay out-of-term grants to students taking a diploma of education course; when permission was granted: and what was the cause of the delay.

No application was made. I received an inquiry from the Department about out-of-term grants on 25th January. A reply was sent on 16th March.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will now consent to the demolition of No. 12, Market Hill, Buckingham, which is covered by a building preservation order made by him in June, 1960.

The Buckingham Borough Council has urged my right hon. Friend to agree to the demolition of this house because it wishes the site to be redeveloped and see no prospect of a use being found for the house in its present condition. In the hope that a use could be found, my right hon. Friend has delayed coming to a decision. But unless within the next six weeks practical proposals for the use of the house are put forward by some person or organisation interested in the preservation of old buildings he will feel bound to accede to the Council's request.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) how many widows of ex-officers who retired before 1939 are in receipt of National Assistance.

I regret that the information asked for is not available, and could only be extracted from individual case records by means of an excessive expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will give in tabular form the statistics for the diagnosis of pneumoconiosis since the inception of the Industrial Injuries Act, giving for each year the number of claims made, the number diagnosed and rejected on first claim, the number of appeals, and the number of those who succeeded; and whether he will break down the national figures on a regional or local basis.

The information is not available precisely in the form asked for, but I am writing to the hon. Member and sending him a detailed table which provides a picture of the position in Great Britain and in the area covered by each of the pneumoconiosis medical panels.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why a Cardiff man, about whom details have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Cardiff, West, is to receive only 1s. a week increase as a consequence of the recent amendment to the National Assistance Regulations; and whether he will make a statement concerning increases for persons whose need was proved to be above the scale rate of assistance prior to the recent increase.

The case is one of those to which paragraph 6 of the Explanatory Memorandum (Cmnd. 1198) laid with the National Assistance Amendment Regulations, 1960, refers. The Board tells me that the income of the person concerned has already been brought substantially above the basic rate to enable him to meet an inclusive board and lodging charge and that it is the amount of the discretionary allowance for personal expenses which, in this and similar cases, is now being raised from 17s. to 18s. a week. I am writing to the hon. Member about the particular case.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will state the value of the Department of Scientific and Industries Research grants for research into the utilisation and conservation of water supplies.

It is not possible to separate precisely expenditure on research directly into the utilisation and conservation of water supplies from that which has an indirect bearing on the subject. The figures given in the table below are the best estimates of current expenditures by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the co-operative research associations grant-aided by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for each of the past five years at any convenient date the number tried for motoring offences at sheriffs' courts in Glasgow, and the number of cases still outstanding at each of those dates.

This information is contained in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for the latest convenient date the number of cases awaiting trial for motoring offences at Glasgow sheriffs' courts; and how many of this total had been waiting two months, three months, four months, six months and nine months or more.

The number of cases relating to motor offences awaiting trial—as a result of a plea of "not guilty" at first diet—at 31st December, 1960, was 462. The periods spent awaiting trial at that date were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for each of the past five years at any convenient date the total number of cases tried before the sheriffs' courts in Glasgow, and the number of cases awaiting trial at each of those dates.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for each of the past five years at any convenient date the number of cases heard at the Small Debt Courts in Glasgow, and the number charged still outstanding at these respective dates.

This information is contained in the following table: