asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what shortage of doctors for general practice and hospital staffing he expects in Scotland; and what are his proposals to meet the need.

There is at present no general shortage of doctors in Scotland. As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health announced on 29th November, 1961, the prospective demand would justify an increase in the intake to the medical schools in Great Britain and the University Grants Committee has been asked to consider the implications with the universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how deaths from lung cancer in Scotland compare with those in England and Wales; what are the reasons for the difference; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

The death rate from lung cancer in Scotland was 46·5 per 100,000 in 1960, as compared with 48·3 in England and Wales. The rate is rising in both countries. Expert opinion regards smoking, especially heavy cigarette smoking, as a major factor in this disease, and local health authorities have been asked to help in bringing this finding to public notice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to make Edenhall hospital available to meet the general hospital needs of those resident in the Musselburgh area.

This hospital has a specialised function and the needs of war pensioners must continue to take priority. My right hon. Friend is, however, asking the South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board to examine the suggestions that have been made and will write to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has now considered the Report of the Toothill Committee; and what action he intends to take to implement its findings.

My right hon. Friend has read with great interest this valuable Report and on his behalf I should like to express appreciation of the work and thought which the Committee devoted to its task. The Report contains a wide range and variety of recommendations, and I assure the hon. Member that all those which affect the Government are receiving urgent and careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the annual cost of rent rebates to the Scottish Special Housing Association from the inception of its rebate scheme to the latest convenient date.

The cost of the Scottish Special Housing Association's rent rebate scheme, since its introduction in October, 1958, was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the annual cost of rent rebates to the Scottish Special Housing Association in respect of its Kirkcaldy houses from the inception of the rebate scheme to the latest convenient date.

The cost of the Scottish Special Housing Association's rent rebate scheme in Kirkcaldy, since its introduction in October, 1958, was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fatal accidents there were in 1961, involving motor vehicles, in the Cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee, respectively.

There were 51 road fatalities in Edinburgh, 107 in Glasgow, 15 in Aberdeen and 12 in Dundee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to remedy the shortage of vaccine supplies in Scotland.

Any shortages have been purely local and temporary. Stocks of vaccine have been increased above normal during the past fortnight to meet any likely need for vaccination.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has yet taken steps to set up the Committee of Inquiry into the salmon and trout fisheries.

Yes. I intend to set up the Committee very shortly with the following terms of reference:

"To review the law relating to salmon and trout fisheries in Scotland, including the Tweed, and its operation, with special reference to the constitution, powers and functions of District Boards, and the responsibilities of the Secretary of State, and to consider in the light of current scientific knowledge the extent to which fishing for salmon and trout by any method, whether in inland waters or in the sea should be regulated, and to recommend such changes in the law as might be thought desirable."

asked the Minister of Transport when work will start on the provision of an underground garage in Regent's Park similar to that now being provided in Hyde Park, in view of the shortage of garage accommodation in St. Marylebone.

My right hon. Friend's Department and the Ministry of Works are studying the problems of traffic and amenity, as well as the need for legislation, which such a project would create. I cannot yet say what conclusions we shall draw.

asked the Minister of Transport what action he proposes to take about the depositing of caravans, lorries, and other objects on the verge of the A.2 trunk road near Dartford.

A letter has been sent by the Department to the Dartford Rural District Council drawing their attention to the undesirability and possible danger of this encampment on the trunk road, and asking them what steps they propose to take to secure the early removal of these structures from the highway.

asked the Minister of Transport what progess has been made towards the issuing of regulations governing the transport of radioactive materials by road.

Drafting of these regulations is now at an advanced stage; before they can be published my right hon. Friend is bound under statute to consult the Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee.Until the regulations have been circulated and the comments thereon considered, it is not possible to say when they will be made.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the results so far achieved of the one-way traffic experiment in Baker Street and Gloucester Place, and the extension of the parking meter system made in St. Marylebone in November.

Preliminary reports are encouraging. Traffic flows more smoothly. Average journey speeds have increased. The major junctions now have greater capacity. Access to premises is improved.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make Green Street, Mayfair, a one-way street from east to west in view of the fact that parking on both sides narrows the carriageway, and of the value of this street in relieving the Marble Arch roundabout system of some of the southbound traffic heading for Park Lane.

Work on a new pedestrian subway and the temporary re-siting of bus-stops at the northern end of Park Lane make it undesirable, at present, to introduce one-way working in Green Street. We will re-examine the position when the works are completed.

asked the Minister of Transport when work is to be carried out in Dagenham on the widening of Rain-ham Road, South, between Ballards Road and the Hornchurch boundary and of Rainham Road, North, betwen Bull Lane and Wanstead Corner, respectively.

The Essex County Council have submitted to us proposals in respect of both these stretches of road. We have not been able to find a place for them in the programme already announced. They will be considered for inclusion in the next extension of the programme, but I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's decision on this.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the Chequers Roundabout improvement.

The Essex County Council, who are our Agent Authority, do not now expect to have the draft contract documents available until the end of March. I regret that this will inevitably delay the invitation of tenders.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now make a statement regarding the proposed Leominster by-pass and the date of the commencement of this project.

I intend to protect a line for the by-pass and my Agent Authority, the Herefordshire County Council, are now making the necessary survey. But I cannot yet say when I shall be able to include it in my programme.

asked the Minister of Transport what estimate he has made of the future of the shipping industry in the event of Great Britain joining the European Economic Community.

Whether we join the European Economic Community or not the existence of the Community is likely to present both problems and opportunities for British shipping. In general we would expect any changes to be gradual. We are in close touch on the whole problem with the General Council of British Shipping and the British seafarers' representatives.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made towards reaching a settlement in Laos.

I have nothing to add to my Written Reply to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Derby, South (Mr. P. Noel-Baker) on 29th January.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps he has now taken to make available to Members the text of the Agreement reached by the European Economic Community on the agricultural provisions of the Rome Treaty; and whether it will be in English.

I would refer my hon. Friend to what I said in reply to Questions on 29th January.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what reply he has received from the Government of Guatemala to his representations regarding the raid by armed Guatemalans into British Honduras; and whether the time and place has now been agreed for talks about Guatemala's claim to British Honduras.

The Guatemalan Government has informed Her Majesty's Government that it regrets the incident and will take all possible steps to prevent a repetition. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway) on 24th January.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to Recommendation 290 on air pollution, adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 23rd September, 1961, and what action will be taken in the matter.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Attercliffe (Mr. J. Hynd) on 29th January.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) to what extent the Industrial Health Advisory Committee of his Department has discussed the rôle of his Department in the development of a comprehensive industrial health service; what conclusions have been reached; and what recommendations have been made to him;(2) what consideration he has given to the proposals contained in the pamphlet, The Future of Occupational Health Services, sent to him by the British Medical Association; and what action he proposes to take.

The proposals in the pamphlet envisage a comprehensive service under statutory authority. A development of this kind has not been discussed by the Industrial Health Advisory Committee. The Government's policy is to encourage the development of industrial health services on a voluntary basis. The experimental group schemes now being set up with the help of the Nuffield Foundation will provide further information on the subject.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the increased number of unemployed persons registered at 11th December, 1961, compared with 13th November, 1961, in the northern region, why, compared with the previous month, vacancies filled have decreased and remaining unfilled vacancies have increased.

The increase in unemployment was entirely among adults, whereas the rise in unfilled vacancies was confined to young people and reflects the demand for school-leavers becoming available at the end of the Christmas term. Some slackening in the demand for adult labour, with a corresponding fall both in placings and in unfilled vacancies, is normal at this time of the year.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the fact that the future prosperity of the North-East Coast depends on the provision of more skilled men and women, what plans he has for providing the necessary training in trades in the area.

I re-opened the Government Training Centre at Felling, near Newcastle in October, 1961; 90 places are available, mostly in engineering trades, and 77 persons were in training on 25th January. There are also two classes with 12 places each for first year apprentices in engineering and both are full. Further classes both for adults and apprentices are being discussed with local industry and with the trade unions. My hon. Friend will also be glad to know that the Industrial Training Council has decided to make a grant to the Mid-Tyne Group Training Council towards the excellent work which it is doing in the area in the development of group apprenticeship schemes.

asked the Minister of Labour how many new jobs were created in Fife in the year 1961; how many are anticipated in 1962; and how many will be lost in 1962 and in each of the next 4 years consequent on the closure of pits.

I understand that between January and November, 1961, some 700 jobs arose in Fife from projects for which an Industrial Development Certificate had been issued; there are about 1,500 jobs in prospect, most of which should materialise this year. The National Coal Board expects that 140 jobs will be lost in 1962. In the following four years 3,000 men will be displaced from collieries where coal reserves will have been exhausted, and a substantial number of men may be affected by the closure of other pits.

asked the Minister of Labour with which industries he has recently held discussions on the improvement and development of apprenticeship training; and with which industries he will hold such discussions in the near future.

I have had joint talks with both sides of the construction and engineering industries. I have also had separate talks with the two sides of the shipbuilding industry, and I hope to follow these later with joint talks.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will reconsider his decision to close the Government training centres at Kidbrooke and Long Eaton, in view of the decision of the National Joint Advisory Council on 24th January to consider the extended use of government training centres to make good the serious shortage of skilled workers in many occupations.

No. The number of places available in Government training centres will still fully provide for present and anticipated demands. There is also room for an increase in demand on the basis of payment by employers, if this should materialise following the recent discussion on my National Joint Advisory Council. I have already said that if demand increased substantially, the position would be reviewed.

asked the Minister of Defence to what extent he consults with high ranking retired officers with experience on the staff of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on problems relating to defence strategy in Europe.

I have no arrangements for formal consultation on the lines the hon. Member suggests, but if I wished to consult a retired officer on any point I would of course do so.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases decisions of the negotiating machinery for government employees, clerical and manual, have been varied because of the wage pause; and to what grade they apply.

Three. These are awards by the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal for certain Post Office engineering union grades, and for certain Post Office telephonists who work full-time on night and Sunday duties; and an Industrial Court Award for assistant storehousemen and assistant laboratorymen in the Admiralty.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance when he intends to implement the recommendation of the Industrial Insurance Advisory Committee for an inquiry to be undertaken on the incidnece of occupational deafness.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Totnes (Mr. Mawby) on Monday.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what was the greatest number of aircraft employed in a predominantly anti-submarine rôle in the last war; and what is the number of predominantly anti-submarine aircraft in operation at the present time.

In the spring of 1944 there were some 850 Royal Air Force aircraft employed mainly on anti-submarine work. I am not prepared to give details of the current operational frontline.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will terminate the airport fee charged to school parties going abroad by air on educational outings.

No. I could not justify giving special treatment to a particular class of traveller.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what stocks are held of emulsified fuel oil; at what rate the stocks are increasing; whether any of them are being disposed of; and what methods are being used.

Present naval stocks of emulsified oil in the United Kingdom are about 16,000 tons. Stocks are not increasing although there may be temporary fluctuations in the stock level. All emulsified oil is treated in naval oil fuel depots and some 23,000 tons of usable oil have been recovered in the past twelve months. No stocks of emulsified oil have been disposed of.Treatment is by heating and separation of water, aided or accelerated where necessary, by the addition of liquid detergents.

asked the Minister of Health when oral poliomyelitis vaccine will become available for routine vaccination.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are today informing local health authorities that supplies are now available for use by them and by general practitioners taking part in their arrangements.