asked the Minister of Health if he will state the total number of applications made so far this year to mental health review tribunals; how many applicants were classified in each of the four categories of mental disorder; how many discharges have been made by the tribunals; how many cases are yet to be heard; and how many have been adjourned.

The following are the figures:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities are provided for prison medical officers to obtain additional qualifications such as the Diploma in Psychological Medicine or the Diploma in Criminology; and what the response has been.

Prison medical officers who wish to obtain additional qualifications, such as the Diploma in Psychological Medicine, can be assisted by the payment of the fee for an appropriate correspondence course and by being allowed a limited amount of time off for study. Four prison medical officers in recent years have taken advantage of such a course and two medical officers are currently having time off for study.It is understood that the first course by the Institute of Criminology of the University of Cambridge leading to a Diploma in Criminology is not due to begin until October 1961 and is a full-time course lasting for a complete academic year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present number of full-time medical officers in the Prison Medical Service; what has been the total wastage since 1945 due to normal retirement, death, or ill-health; how many have resigned for other reasons; how many have joined the Service in the same period; and how many he estimates are required to implement the policies for penal reform already announced by him.

The number of full-time medical officers in the Prison Medical Service is 56. Since 1st January, 1945, 13 officers have been lost to the Service through normal retirement, death and ill-health; 26 have resigned for other reasons, and 67 have joined. No estimate can be given at this stage of the total number of full-time medical officers who will ultimately be needed to implement the current programme of penal reform.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance in how many cases special grants have been made by the National Assistance Board other than those given for footwear, clothing, and general domestic needs.

The grants referred to are, it is assumed, those described in the National Assistance (Determination of Need) Regulations, 1948, as grants by way of a single payment to meet an exceptional need. Grants made under this provision include those in respect of charges under the National Health Service, which in 1960 totalled £2,160,000. Apart from these, 197,000 grants totalling £716,000 were made during the year. The statistical records do not give details of the very varied purposes for which they were made, but a special inquiry some years ago indicated that at that time about one-eighth of them were for purposes other than those specified in the Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that taking the internal purchasing value of the £ sterling as 20s. in October, 1951, it had declined to 18s. 3d. in April, 1953, and to 16s. 1d. in April, 1957; and what was the comparable figure for April, 1961.

Yes, on the basis of the retail price index. The comparable figure for April, 1961, is 14s. 10d.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington is shortly to be auctioned; and what regulations govern the grant of export licences for works of art of this kind if they are purchased by overseas buyers.

An application for a licence to export this picture would be subject to the normal procedure for such works as set out in paragraphs 10 to 12 of the Notice to Exporters on Exports of Works of Art and Antiques, dated 13th February, 1961.