asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances prisoners attending public hospitals for treatment are required to wear handcuffs; and what measures are taken to ensure privacy.

The prison governor decides, in consultation with the medical officer, whether a prisoner who is to attend a public hospital as an outpatient should be handcuffed; but in view of the large numbers of such prisoners who have escaped my right hon. Friend has had to give instructions for stricter precautions to be taken. Prisoners under escort are exposed to public view as little as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it a conditon of registration made by him for the carrying out of experiments on animals that establishments so registered should give facilities to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for visits by its representatives.

No. Parliament has placed on the Home Secretary, through inspectors whom he appoints under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, the responsibility for ensuring that the experiments he authorises comply with the requirements of the law, and my right hon. Friend does not think it would be reasonable to require laboratories to submit to inspection by unofficial persons as well as by his inspectors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why an officer of the Special Branch made inquiries at the Chelsea College of Advanced Technology about Miss Nicola Seyd, particularly in view of the fact that she is neither employed on work involving security nor seeking to be employed on such work.

It would not be appropriate to disclose the reasons why the police might find it necessary to make inquiries in a particular case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what communication he has received from the British Safety Council about the specification laid down by the British Standards Institution for drip-feed oil heaters; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a letter from the British Safety Council alleging that an oil heater manufactured in conformity with the British Standard specification was unsafe when exposed to a draught. I understand that the British Standards Institution is ready to examine this heater if details are supplied to it, and that it will in any event review the draught test in connection with the current revision of the specification.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made of the persons who took part in the mailbag robbery of 22nd May, 1952, when £250,000 in cash was stolen from a Post Office mail van in London.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that despite the most thorough investigations no arrests have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet completed his consideration of the Ingleby Committee's Report dealing with children and young persons, particularly the recommendations of paragraph 87 that authority to initiate proceedings should be confined to the police or the local authority; and, in view of the fact that this is to the exclusion of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, whether he will now give an assurance this specific recommendation will not be accepted.

I am not yet in a position to add to the replies I gave to Questions on 9th February by my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr. John Hall) and on 30th March by my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Mr. Dance).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of petitions he has received from clubs protesting against the provisions of Part III of the Licensing Bill, and the total number of signatories to such petitions.

The number of petitions against Part III of the Licensing Bill that I have received, or have had sent to me by hon. Members, is 968. The number of signatures is estimated to be about 89,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has completed his review of the regulations that permit the marriage under certain conditions of persons serving a prison sentence; and whether such prisoners will in future be permitted to marry in order to legitimise a child that has already been born.

Yes. I have decided that all persons serving a term of detention in prisons, borstals and detention centres may be allowed out under escort for the purpose of marriage where the marriage would legitimate any child, born or unborn. I do not propose to extend the concession to prisoners who are on remand or awaiting trial or sentence except where there is some circumstance that makes it urgently necessary to allow the marriage before the outcome of the proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been for living on immoral earnings, for each year since 1948, when that crime ceased to be punishable by corporal punishment; what estimate he has made of the rise or fall in this type of crime since the abolition of this punishment for it; if he will reintroduce corporal punishment for this offence; and if he will make a statement.

Available figures relate only to the years from 1954 onwards. For the years 1954 to 1960 the numbers of persons found guilty of living on the earnings of prostitution (including cases of women exercising control over prostitutes) were 124, 131, 151, 204, 220, 272 and 223 respectively. The abolition of corporal punishment can have had no effect on the prevalence of this type of offence, since corporal punishment had not been ordered for such offences for many years prior to its abolition in 1948 and I have no proposals for reintroducing it.

asked the Secretary Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases are known to the police of wage robbery, for each year since 1948, when robbery with violence ceased to be punishable by corporal punishment; what estimate he has made of the rise or fall in this type of crime since the abolition of this form of punishment for it; if he will reintroduce corporal punishment for this offence; and if he will make a statement.

The only relevant figures available are those for robberies from roundsmen and messengers going to and from banks and offices in the Metropolitan Police District. There were fewer than 20 of these offences in each of the years from 1949 to 1955. The figures for the years 1956 to 1960 were 25, 31, 42, 103 and 114 respectively. These figures suggest that there is no connection between the abolition of corporal punishment in 1948 and the more recent increase in this kind of offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give instructions that all copies of the Barry Report, Command Paper No. 1213, which on page 33 gives the number of persons found guilty of robbery with violence as having risen from 493 in 1948, when corporal punishment was abolished, to 1,031 in 1959, shall have the correct figure written for 1959 and not left at 886, with the paper slip correction, since this can be lost, with the result that the wrong information still stands.

Arrangements have been made for the correction slip to be pasted on to page 33 of all unsold copies of the present edition of the Report. The correct figure will be printed in any new edition.

asked the Minister of Education how many children in England and Wales, respectively, are being taught in schools condemned in the pre-war years as unfit for use.

Many of the schools classified as unfit before the war have been substantially improved, and I cannot give the hon. Member any useful figures arising out of a list which was compiled in 1925 and is now out of date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now make a statement about the development of Malta dockyard.

The Board of Messrs. Bailey (Malta) Limited has recently been considering proposals put to it by Her Majesty's Government regarding the financing of an enlarged dockyard development plan. Further discussions with members of the Board are taking place today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a further statement on the importation of Charollais cattle into this country.

Yes. I am convinced that there will be no difficulty in applying the full rigour of our veterinary requirements to the importation of Charollais bulls from France. In particular we shall satisfy ourselves that none of the animals we shall buy has been in contact with foot-and-mouth disease or has been vaccinated against it and we shall provide for fully effective quarantine on both sides of the Channel. In these circumstances, I have no reason to suppose that any interference with our traditional livestock trade will arise from this trial importation of Charollais bulls and I shall be arranging to obtain a limited number of bull calves from France. The bulls will remain Government property and we shall not allow them or their semen to be re-exported.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what training is given to civil defence personnel and to farmers and farm-workers in the decontamination of crops in the event of a nuclear war.

The hazards to crops and livestock from radioactive fall-out and methods of protection are described in the Ministry's booklet "Home Defence and the Farmer", a copy of which is in the Library. Information about these hazards is also included in the Home Office manual "Nuclear Weapons". All my officers who come into regular contact with farmers and farmworkers have been given instruction in the effects of fall-out, and some of my agricultural and veterinary scientists have been given advanced training in these matters. We also arrange meetings and discussions on this among the farming community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in how large an area round Windscale the local milk was considered too radioactive for human consumption following the accident to the nuclear power station; and for how long the local milk was thrown away because of its radioactivity.

After the accident to the Windscale pile, which was not a nuclear power station, restrictions were imposed on the consumption of milk produced in an area which at its maximum covered approximately 200 square miles. These controls began on 12th October, 1957, and the area subject to restriction was reduced by stages. Out of a total of 1,100 farms affected, 440 were derestricted on 31st October, 350 on the 4th November, and the remaining 310 on 23 rd November.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements have been made to stockpile un-contaminated foods and milk substitutes to be make available in the event of widespread contamination following a nuclear attack.

Radioactive fall-out is a fine dust. A fraction of it can enter into food through direct contact or into crops from absorption from the soil, or, in the case of milk, through ingestion by the cow from contaminated pastures. It cannot harm food held in dust-proof containers such as cans, bottles, pliofilm or waxed paper, or food which is stored in dust-proof buildings. Where food is exposed to fall-out dust and is stored in porous materials such as sacks, it will be free from contamination if the outer layers are set aside. My Department's stockpile of food takes these factors into account.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the restrictions placed on the sale of British motor cars to United States service personnel; and what representations he proposes to make to the United States Government to effect their removal.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the United States Government about its decision to restrict the purchase of motor cars in this country by members of the United States armed forces stationed here.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered the orders received by all commanders of United States units in the United Kingdom, a copy of which has been sent to him, stating that while individuals are not restricted from contacting dealers to conclude their own arrangements, such action will not be in compliance with the spirit and the intent of the Buy American programme; and, in view of the effect of this upon Anglo-American trade, if he will make repre- sentations to the United States authorities designed to secure a lifting of this discouragement to trade.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to his hon. and learned Friend the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Hobson) on 18th April.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any consultations took place between United States Air Force authorities and his Department before restrictions were placed on the purchase of British motor cars by members of the United States forces.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations have been made to him about the effect on the British motor industry of the United States ban on sales at United States air bases of British motor cars to United States service personnel; and if he will make a statement.

I have received representations from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and from some individual traders. As my right hon. Friend told the hon. and learned Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Hobson) on 18th April, I have made known to the United States Government my concern over the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the British Egg Marketing Board and other producers' organisations complaining of Roumanian eggs being sold here at a price below the cost of production and marketing; whether his inquiries show that an export subsidy direct or indirect is being paid; and whether he is taking action under the anti-dumping law.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of concern in Essex and elsewhere at the recent importation of cheap Roumanian eggs at a time of abundance in England; what action Her Majesty's Government have taken, or intend to take; and whether he will make a statement.

The Board of Trade has received an application from the producers' organisations for an antidumping duty on Roumanian and Polish eggs and is examining it urgently.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will announce the district valuer's valuation on the Moorhill property in Sunderland which is to be bought by the council.

No. The district valuer's recommendation to a local authority about the price at which it should seek to negotiate a purchase is necessarily confidential.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, in view of the opposition to a change of use of the Moorhill property in Sunderland, he will direct the local planning authority to refer any application for change of use to him in order that objections may be heard.

The property is allocated in the development plan for residential use. The proposed use, as a hostel for elderly and mentally infirm, persons, is not inconsistent with this allocation, and I do not think that there are grounds for me to intervene. Objections to purchase of the property by the council will be heard at an inquiry to be held by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what are the present plans for civil evacuation of large towns in the event of war; and if these include proposals to send the people of London to East Anglia and the people of Glasgow to the Clyde area.

At present I cannot add to the answer which I gave to a Question by the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mr. P. Noel-Baker) on 30th March.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason certain agricultural medicines, which are subject to Purchase Tax if put up in a proprietary form, qualify for exemption if sold in a non-proprietary form; and why this principle is not extended to other goods subject to Purchase Tax.

The tax distinction between drugs and medicines put up for sale in proprietary and in non-proprietary forms—a distinction which applies both to human and to animal medicines—reflects the view of the House that proprietary drugs and medicines are in general a proper subject for taxation.But to exempt unbranded goods of whatever kind would destroy the Purchase Tax as a practicable source of revenue.