asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) how many retirement pensioners in the Midlothian area were in receipt of a weekly supplement from the National Assistance Board at the latest available date; and how many of these have received a discretionary payment over the last four months;(2) how many retirement pensioners in the area served by the National Assistance Board's offices in West Lothian are in receipt of a supplementary allowance at the latest available date; and how this compares with May, 1961.

The National Assistance Board has only one office in West Lothian, at Bathgate, which serves the whole of that county and also part of Midlothian; the rest of Midlothian is served by offices in Edinburgh, which mainly serve that city, and by an office at Galashiels, which mainly serves an area situated neither in West Lothian nor in Midlothian. The number of National Assistance supplements to retirement pension is available only at quarterly intervals and for each area served by a local office. At the end of March, 1962, it was 1,949 in the area served by the Bathgate office and 9,316 in the areas served by the Edinburgh and Galashiels offices. I regret that the other information asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what consideration he has given to the difficulties with regard to obtaining National Assistance experienced by applicants who have continued in insurable employment after reaching the age of 65 years.

If the hon. Member will let me know what are the difficulties she has in mind, I will gladly consider them.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will raise the upper limit of capital as defined in the National Assistance Act, 1948, and as amended by the National Assistance (Disregard of Assets) Order, 1959, from £600 to £1,000.

No. This figure, which is of course additional to the one for War Savings, was increased by 50 per cent. in 1959, and I do not think that a further increase, which would be of benefit only to people with substantial savings, has any particular claim to priority.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is aware that old-age pensioners, and others in receipt of social security benefits, are suffering hardship as a result of the requirements enforced by Smoke Control Orders; and what steps he proposes to take to alleviate the position.

I have been carefully into this question, and I am advised that it does not necessarily cost more to use smokeless fuels than other types of fuel. But, as I told the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun), the National Assistance Board does consider exceptional cases on their merits.

asked the Minister of Power what research is being undertaken by his Department on improving the quality, and reducing the price, of smokeless fuels; and to what extent his Department is surveying the problems of citizens in smokeless zones.

The industries involved are active in these fields of research while my Department, in conjunction with other Departments concerned, keeps under continuous review the general supply position and the problems of the smokeless zones.

asked the Minister of Power whether his attention has been drawn to the protests by Barnsley local authority and other neighbouring authorities against the plans for opencast coal-mining operations in their areas; and if he will give an assurance that no such operations will commence unless the agreement of the local authorities has been obtained.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the protests, but if the Board should apply to work sites in the areas, he would then have to consider each case on its merits under the Opencast Coal Act. I can, however, assure the hon. Member that my right hon. Friend would give full weight to objections by local authorities and others.

asked the Minister of Power what approvals he has recently given the National Coal Board regarding opencast coal mining proposals; and what proposals he has for sanctioning new sites in Yorkshire, particularly in the Barnsley area.

Since the beginning of November last year my right hon. Friend has authorised the working of eight sites under the Opencast Coal Act. He has not received any application to work sites in Yorkshire.

asked the Minister of Power what types and quantities of coal still remain in stock; and how this compares with the comparable dates in 1961.

On 31st March, 1962, National Coal Board had 19·3 million tons of coal in stock, 3·9 million tons less than a year earlier. The Board tells me that about three-quarters of both totals were of grades normally sold to the electricity industry.

asked the Minister of Power in what types of coal there are current shortages; and what is their extent.

Supplies of coal and anthracite are generally satisfactory all over the country. If the National Coal Board cannot always meet completely the demands of individual consumers for special coals, it is able to offer suitable alternatives.

asked the Minister of Power what consideration he gave to the recently announced increases in coal prices; and what proportion of the announced increases is attributable to the policies outlined in the White Paper on the Financial Obligations of the Nationalised Industries.

asked the Minister of Power if he will make a statement on the increases in domestic coal prices announced on 11th April.

I went into the matter fully with representatives of the coal trade and the Domestic Coal Consumers' Council and I have placed copies of my correspondence with the Council in the Library of the House. The Coal Board's responsibilities under the White Paper are still being considered, but the increases were necessary to help the Board fulfil its statutory duty to pay its way.

asked the Minister of Power what steps are being taken to abolish the use of horses in mines.

I have no power to forbid the employment of horses underground, but many people feel this should be done and I have been seeing if the hitherto good reasons for their employment underground still apply under modern mining conditions. The number of horses employed was about 7,000 last year and has been growing less for many years. The National Coal Board has been most anxious to reduce the number and now tells me it expects there will be between 3,000 and 4,000 by 1967 and virtually none in ten years from now.

asked the Minister of Aviation what steps he is taking to improve the safety arrangements of moving luggage conveyor belts at airports under his control.

Additional guards and other safety devices have been introduced.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a further statement on the proposed Anglo-French collaboration on a supersonic air liner.

I have at present nothing to add to the Press communiqué which was issued at the conclusion of my meeting with M. Buron, the French Minister of Public Works, Transport and Tourism, on 26th March.

asked the Minister of Aviation for how many transport aircraft the principal airframe groups had firm orders in the export market, excluding options and letters of intent, by 22nd March of this year.

Ninety-one, including 58 fixed-wing aircraft and 33 helicopters.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he is aware that Rolls Royce, Ltd. is to dismiss 3,000 men employed in its aero-engine division, because of reduced demand; and if he will make a statement about the future of this part of the aircraft industry.

asked the Minister of Aviation (1) if he will hold discussions with the firm of Rolls Royce, Ltd. concerning the present crisis facing the aero-engine industry, with a view to taking steps to avoid the recently-announced forthcoming dismissal of 3,000 of the firm's employees, many of whom are Scottish, and have no possibility of alternative employment;(2) if he will consider placing a substantial contract for research and development in the field of civil aviation with the firm of Rolls Royce, Ltd., in view of the present crisis in the aeroengine industry and the widespread anxiety about its future prospects.

asked the Minister of Aviation what consultations he had with Rolls Royce before the firm decided to dismiss 3,000 of its aircraft industry employees; and what plans were discussed for absorbing them in some other part of the aircraft industry.

I keep in close touch with the industry about future programmes and employment prospects and I have myself discussed its programme several times with the Rolls Royce management. The present military programme with Rolls Royce is large and a number of civil engines are also receiving Government support. I am prepared to consider any proposal the company may put to me to develop further civil engines within the ambit of Government policy as stated by my predecessor on 15th February, 1960, and expect to receive such a proposal soon. Some adjustments in the industry's labour force are unfortunately inevitable. The company has, however, made it clear that its labour force after the redundancies now planned will still be larger than in January, 1960.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will make a statement on the progress of his negotiations for setting up an organisation to develop a satellite launcher in Europe.

I am glad to be able to say that the Convention for the establishment of a European Launcher Development Organisation which was drafted at the Lancaster House Conference last November, has now been signed by the Governments of Australia, Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.The initial programme, which is now proceeding, provides for the development of a launcher using Blue Streak as the first stage. A French rocket will be used as the second stage. The third stage will be developed under the leadership of the Federal Republic of Germany. The design, development and construction of the first series of satellite test vehicles will be carried out under the leadership of the Italian Republic, the equipment for the ground guidance stations under the leadership of Belgium and of the long range telemetry links under the leadership of the Netherlands. Development firings of the first stage and of the complete three stage launcher will be carried out at Woomera.A copy of the Convention will be placed in the Library for the convenience of hon. Members.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made with plans for the new maternity unit at St. Austell; and if he will make a statement.

Working drawings and bills of quantities were submitted to me on 23rd January last. My officers have been studying these with the board and I hope to give approval shortly.

asked the Minister of Health how many children there were in the children's section of Rampton Hospital at the last convenient date; what appropriate educational or recreational facilities were being provided for them; how many teachers are at present employed in the children's section; and when the last appointment was made.

Seven; training and recreation according to individual mental condition are given by nursing staff; the teacher's post is vacant, but will be filled on 1st May.

asked the Minister of Health what decisions he has arrived at concerning the employment as nurses at Rampton Hospital of immigrant or alien people.

None as yet.

asked the Minister of Health when he received a petition from inhabitants of South Caernarvonshire calling for the establishment of a general hospital to serve the area; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. Friend has asked the Welsh Hospital Board to give the petition consideration and communicate with the petitioners.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a ward in the Anglesea Road wing of the Ipswich and East Suffolk Hospital was recently closed owing to lack of nursing staff; how many hospital wards have been closed in England and Wales during the last twelve months for the same reason; and what steps he proposes to take to encourage the recruitment of nurses in East Anglia.

The ward was closed because of sickness among trained staff. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.Recruitment is the responsibility of the employing authorities, but generally I would refer the hon. and learned Member to my replies to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Boyden) on 4th December.

asked the Minister of Health how many wards of hospitals in the North-West Regional Hospital Board's area have been closed during the last three months for want of adequate staff; for what periods they were closed; and what was the total number of beds involved.

None, so far as I am aware.

asked the Minister of Health how many members of the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board live in Shropshire or have direct association with the county; and if he is satisfied that the interests of Shropshire are adequately represented on the Board.

Three. Yes.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths have been

asked the Minister of Health what agreement has been reached for the distribution to doctors of the reserved £1,000,000 and the special fund of £500,000 under the Pilkington settlement.

Twenty.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of consultants in each specialty and the relative numbers of A plus, A, B, and C merit awards on the most recent date for which figures are available, together with comparable figures for the previous year.

The figures for England and Wales are as follows:

As regards the reserved £1 million, a joint working party of the Health Departments and the profession has recommended that £250,000 be set aside for payments to doctors in respect of postgraduate education and the remainder used to increase the loading for patients between the 1,000th and 1,500th on doctors' lists.

asked the Minister of Health when the decision, promised as soon as possible in his letter of 5th July 1961, to the hon. Member for Rye, may be expected regarding the supply of a small Ministry car to Mr. Anthony Grant of 15, Fairfield, Herstmonceux, Sussex.

I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the numbers of deaths from drowning whilst bathing in and boating on canals, rivers and the sea; and if he will give advice to the public through the medium of television, radio and Press in order to reduce the numbers of such fatalities.

Approximately 840 each year in 1960 and 1961 in England and Wales. Advice of the kind suggested in the Question is outside my right hon. Friend's responsibilities.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the figures of Section 1 disabled unemployed, and Section 2 disabled unemployed, respectively, at the most recent convenient date; and how these figures compare with those of 1959.

48,320 and 4,864 respectively, on 19th March, 1962, compared with 56,719 and 4,170 respectively, on 16th March, 1959.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Section 2 disabled have been unemployed for more than six months; and what plans he has to provide employment for them, either by providing more Remploy factories or by other means.

There were 3,222 severely disabled persons registered as unemployed for more than six months when the last analysis was made in December, 1961. We have provided for an increasing grant to Remploy during its current five-year plan to enable it to employ more severely disabled people. We have also recently increased the maximum grant payable in respect of sheltered workshops provided by local authorities or voluntary organisations.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement setting out the policies he has pursued to deal with the situation revealed by his last Departmental survey of Section 1 and Section 2 disabled unemployment; and to what extent they have been successful.

It is not possible within the limits of an Answer to describe the various rehabilitation, training, and employment services provided by this Department to help disabled people to find satisfactory work, but if there are any special aspects in which the hon. Member is interested, I should be glad to supply detailed information.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent the relevant figures indicate that there is now need for a fresh survey of employment opportunities for the disabled; and what proposals he has for further means of providing such employment.

The Department's Disablement Resettlement Officers are constantly endeavouring to find suitable employment for disabled people who are unemployed, and in general there is no lack of employment opportunities. In areas in which there is considerable local unemployment, the Government's measures to stimulate the growth of industry is designed to provide opportunities of work for the disabled as for others.The Department will continue to give financial assistance to Remploy, to local authorities, and to voluntary organisations providing sheltered workships, in order to help provide more sheltered employment for severely disabled persons in areas where this is needed.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the average percentage of unemployment in the Greenock—Port Glasgow area during 1961.

The average in 1961 was 7·2 per cent.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men and women in the Bishop Auckland travel-to-work area are at present on short-time working; and which trades are particularly affected.

According to reports received at my local offices, there were 135 men on short time in the week ending 13th April; the industries affected were iron and steel and fluorspar mining. No women were reported to be on short time.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he expects to receive the report from the International Control Commission on the nature and scale of foreign military intervention, contrary to the Geneva Agreement, in Vietnam.

I understand that the International Control Commission is in- vestigating complaints from both sides and that it will report on the situation fairly soon.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total amount of grants to small farmers in the borough and rural district of Newcastle-under-Lyme in each of the last five years; and for what purposes they were made.

Except under the Small Farmer Schemes no distinction is made between small farmers and other farmers for the purposes of paying grants and subsidies. I regret that borough and rural district figures relating to the Small Farmer Schemes are not readily available and could not be produced without very considerable expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the threatened potato shortage and consequent rise in prices, what discussions he had early in the season with the Potato Marketing Board to assess the supplies required by consumers later on; and what action was taken as a result of such discussions.

Frequent consultations took place between the Board and the Ministry from the beginning of the season. The end of October census suggested that supplies were sufficient to meet requirements for the season and the census taken at the end of December showed that sufficient stocks were available to last through the spring months. It was not until 13th March, when the end of February stock census became available, that it appeared that there would be a significant shortage. Imports were therefore authorised within two days.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the anxiety still felt by many bird lovers and others because of repeated reports of the widespread poisoning of birds resulting from the use of certain toxic compounds as dressings to protect seed grain, he will publish in some detail the reports he has received from his field officers in each of the main arable areas covering the 1961 autumn sowing period, when these toxic compounds were still recommended for use against wheat bulb fly, and the spring sowing period now ended.

My right hon. Friend intends to publish as soon as possible a report of the Ministry's survey of wild bird deaths covering the autumn 1961 and spring 1962 sowing seasons, which will summarise the information received from various areas. Few deaths from toxic chemicals were reported in those seasons.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the names of those who form the Government's Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances.

The Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances Used in Agriculture and Food Storage is at present constituted as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of notifications received by his Department and by the Secretary of State for Scotland, under the Notification Scheme for Chemicals used in Agriculture, in each year since the scheme's commencement, and the total number of instances each year when the notified product failed to gain clearance by the Government's Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances.

Precise records are not available for the early days of the Notification Scheme but in each of the four years 1957 to 1960 about 50 notifications were received under the Notification of Pesticides Scheme, and in 1961 there were 80 notifications. In no case has the Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances found it necessary to refuse clearance altogether to a new product, but clearance is only given subject to acceptance by the notifier of such recommendations for safe use as the Committee may specify, including where appropriate restrictions as to the crops to which the product is to be applied. In some cases the notifiers have not proceeded with their marketing plans, possibly because they may have felt that acceptance of the stringent precautionary measures recommended by the Advisory Committee would have made the product insufficiently attractive commercially.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new toxic chemicals for use in agriculture have been put on the market since the inception of the voluntary Notification Scheme, without prior clearance by the Government's Advisory Committee on Poisonous Substances; and if he will give details of such instances.

None, so far as we are aware.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what arrangements are being made to open the Commonwealth Centre at Marlborough House for the public to view.

Except when meetings are in progress, Marlborough House will be open to the public from Easter Sunday to the end of October on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. and at fixed times on Mondays to Fridays.I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the Press notice giving fuller details which was issued on 29th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now make a statement on the result of his discussions with the Prime Minister of Malta concerning the revision of the Constitution of Malta.

I have been discussing with the Prime Minister of Malta a number of changes in the Malta Constitution.I have agreed that the Constitution should be amended in the following respects:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposals have been made by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for independence; and what reply has been sent.

The Trinidad Government have requested independence as early as possible in 1962. I have replied proposing that as soon as convenient an independence conference should be held at which I would expect the Trinidad and Tobago delegation to include representatives of the political parties represented in the legislature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the proposals which he has received from the Governments concerned for a federation of Barbados and the Leeward and Windward Islands.

I have informed the Governments concerned that Her Majesty's Government have reached the conclusion that a Federation of Barbados and the Leeward and Windward Islands appears to offer the best solution to the problems of the area, provided that the Constitution of the Federation is such as to provide adequate powers to the Federal Government and to offer a reasonable prospect of economic and financial stability. I have proposed to the Governments that there should be a meeting in Barbados early in May, under the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, to discuss the matter.

asked the Minister of Education when he will announce the revised list of technical colleges to be recognised as regional colleges which he has at present under review.

When I have received further information from bodies I have consulted I shall announce the revised list as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Education what is the ceiling for the number of technical colleges which may be recognised as regional colleges throughout England and Wales; and how many colleges he proposes to reclassify as regional colleges in his forthcoming list.

There is no fixed limit to the number of regional colleges which may be recognised.I shall not decide on the number to be re-classified until I have considered the views of the regional advisory councils and local education authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Education what criteria, apart from number of students in all grades on full-time, sandwich, part-time day and evening courses, he applies when deciding whether or not to grant regional status to a technical college.

The criteria were set out in my Department's Circular 3/61, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will institute an inquiry into the present state of school buildings.

Yes. I have decided to conduct a survey by means of a questionnaire to local education authorities. I am consulting both the local authority associations and the teachers' associations about the form of the questionnaire.By this means we shall obtain a full record of the progress made in bringing school buildings up to standard, of the deficiencies which still remain, and of the likely cost of remedying them. This will be of great assistance in deciding future school building policy.I am considering how best to keep the information provided by the survey up

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give figures showing the totals of the assistance provided to all the less developed countries, including the Commonwealth and Colonies, from Great Britain during the last three years; how much of this aid was from Government sources: and how much was private investment.

The figures are as follows. (Figures for private investment are available only on a calendar year basis, and figures for assistance from Government funds are not yet available for the financial year 1961–62).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the names of the iron and steel companies which have not been denationalised, the number of employees of each firm, and the proportion of the total output of the industry which is produced by these companies.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Central African Office) what special measures are being taken to check intimidation of the Northern Rhodesia electorate, in view of such threats of violence as those made in a public speech by the publicity secretary of the United National Independence Party against Africans who might stand as Independents and against Europeans, and such incidents as the breaking up by United National Independence Party supporters of an African National Congress meeting at Bancroft, on the same night, resulting in the death of one African and injury to others.

I am satisfied that the Governor has adequate powers and will take all necessary measures to deal with intimidation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what professional or technical qualifications are required of inspectors for the administration of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876;(2) how many inspectors are employed full-time by his Department with responsibility for the administration of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876; and how many are employed part-time.

There are six inspectors under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, all of whom are required to have medical qualifications. There are no part-time inspectors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places authorised for experiments on living animals are situated in London; and where the remainder of such places are situated.

There are 100 such places in the London Postal Area; the other 416 are in various parts of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the recent increase in vegetable prices in Scotland: what estimates he had previously made of the likelihood of such increases because of ruined crops; and if he will introduce legislation to enable him to control the retail prices of these commodities in order to mitigate the hardships caused to pensioners and others.

I am aware of the increase in prices. Adverse weather conditions during the growing season of 1961 resulted in below average yields of most vegetables, and the position was further aggravated by the severe winter which caused heavier than usual wastage of root crops in store. Moreover, crops which are harvested during the winter—winter cabbage, leeks and Brussels sprouts—made very little growth during this period and frost damage was considerable. I do not intend to introduce legislation to control retail prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the danger of demolition of St. George's Church, in Charlotte Square,

I am aware that the future of St. George's Church is under consideration following the decision of the congregation to unite with that of St. Andrew's Church and to give up St. George's as a place of public worship. The future of St. George's is a matter for the Church of Scotland as owner of the building to decide in the first place and I understand that it is considering the possibility of some other use for its own purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of grant aid given to each of the Highlands and Islands county councils in the last five full years in respect of the building of new permanent school canteens; and what was the value of new permanent school canteen building in those years in each of the islands in the Outer Hebrides, undertaken by the County Councils of Ross and Cromarty and Inverness, respectively.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many public and private companies connected with the building trades had their registrations cancelled in each of the last five years.

The information is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to ensure that a certificate with respect to smoke prevention is required on the sale of all used diesel vehicles.

I do not think that such a certificate would effectively serve the end which the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made towards the completion of the Heads of the Valley road from Abergavenny to Brynmawr; and whether he will expedite the work within the County of Brecon.

I hope that nearly half the new road will be opened before the autumn. Owing to adverse weather and other difficulties, I do not expect the remainder of the scheme to be completed until next year. The section in Breconshire entails difficult engineering work through the Clydach Gorge, which is being done as fast as is practicable.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the fact that representations made by local authorities have been unsuccessful, whether he will take action to improve road conditions on the main road from Gilwern to Clydach, Breconshire, caused by the contractors whose lorries are engaged on the Heads of the Valley Road.

The existing road is being widened by excavation of the adjoining hillside. In wet weather it is difficult to prevent mud and other debris getting on to the road. The contractors are, however, doing all they can to keep the road as clean as possible by manual labour and mechanical sweepers.