asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what assistance is given by Her Majesty's Government to the organisation for Voluntary Service Overseas.

Her Majesty's Government have given £34,000 to Voluntary Service Overseas since 1959. The amount to be given in the present financial year is under consideration.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now propose a definite date for the suggested participation of Heads of States in the 18-nation disarmament discussions at Geneva.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has from the Farm Management Survey of the average income of farmers with holdings of 50 acres and under, 75 acres and under, and 100 acres and under, for 1960–61 and 1961–62, respectively.

The average net farm income in 1960–61 for full-time farms of under 50 acres in the Farm Management Survey was £708. The corresponding figure for farms of under 100 acres was £835. Information is not readily available for farms under 75 acres. Data for 1961–62 are now being collected, but the results will not be known for several months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the quantities of butter imported from Argentina, France and South Africa, respectively, in the last two years; and what percentages these represented of total home butter consumption.

The following are the figures:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the number of inspectors under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, was last increased; by what percentage the number of inspectors was then increased; and what percentage increase or decrease there has been since that date in the number of premises licensed for experiments on living animals under the Act.

The establishment of inspectors was increased from 5 to 6 in April, 1961, when the number of places approved for experiments was 503. The number has since fluctuated between 500 and 516 and now stands at 512.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish a table showing how the numbers of nursing

asked the Postmaster-General what plans he has for simplifying the arrangements under which money orders may be sent overseas.

For money orders payable in countries outside the Scheduled Territories

The following is the information for England and Wales:and expressed in sterling my right hon. Friend is introducing a new procedure by which the transaction can be completed in a single visit to the local post office instead of in two visits. My right hon. Friend will shortly be laying amending regulations to permit this change, which he hopes to bring in on 4th June.

asked the Minister of Power if he will give the number of collieries closed in all United Kingdom coalfields and South Wales coalfields, respectively, since January, 1952; and what tonnage of coal they were producing when they were closed.

I have asked the Chairman of the National Coal Board to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will ensure that new sheriff court buildings are provided where necessary in the new towns.

I shall certainly keep in mind this aspect of the development of the new towns.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many road accidents occurred on zebra crossings during the last three years; and how many of those were fatal.

On zebra crossings in Scotland in 1959 there were 49 accidents involving personal injury three of which were fatal. In 1960 the corresponding figures were 52, eight of which were fatal, and in 1961, 55 of which six were fatal.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average percentage poll at the recent local elections; and what was the approximate total cost involved.

Information about the average percentage poll at the elections held on 1st May is being collected and I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as the returns are complete. Information about the total cost of local government elections is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were convicted of drunken driving offences in Lanarkshire in each of the last three years.

The information requested is set out in the table below:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacancies for nurses in Scottish hospitals existed at the latest convenient date; and how many vacancies there were for domiciliary midwives.

This information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total estimated expenditure on the social services, current and capital, in the years 1960–61 and 1961–62 by the Exchequer, the National Insurance Fund and local authorities, respectively.

The figures in the table below cover expenditure on education, child care, school meals and milk, welfare foods, National Health Service, National Insurance, National Assistance, war pensions, non-contributory pensions, and family allowances. They also include housing. To avoid double counting, grants from the Exchequer to the National Insurance Funds and to local authorities are excluded from the figures given for Central Government expenditure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the percentage of central Government revenue devoted to current expenditure on the social services for the years 1960–61 and 1961–62.

Current expenditure by the Central Government on the social services and housing, including grants to the National Insurance Funds but excluding grants to local authorities, was 23·5 per cent. of Central Government revenue (excluding national insurance contributions) in 1960–61 and about 22·2 per cent. in 1961–62. If current grants to local authorities, which are mainly but not exclusively for social services, are also included, the corresponding figures are 33·4 per cent. and 32·0 per cent. Central Government revenue has been defined as in Table 38 of the National Income Blue Book for 1961, which differs in several respects from the Exchequer receipts "above the line".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the estimated percentage of the national income spent by all public authorities on the social services in 1961; and what were the corresponding figures for 1951 and 1960.

Expenditure on the social services and housing by all public authorities in 1961 is estimated at 17·6 per cent. of the gross national product at factor cost, compared with 15·9 per cent. in 1951 and 17·1 per cent. in 1960. These figures relate to education, child care, school meals and welfare foods, the National Health Service, national insurance, non-contributory and war pensions, national assistance, family allowances and housing, and include current and capital expenditure, subsidies and grants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims are outstanding or are being dealt with by the District Valuer's office in Coventry in respect of land or property sold to or bought by the Coventry City Council; and how long these claims have been outstanding.

107· 4 cases have been outstanding since 1959, 11 since 1960, 35 since 1961 and 57 were referred this year.

asked the Minister of Works if he will itemise the £8,875 allocated for small miscellaneous items of expenditure at Windsor Castle.

The sum of £8,875 is for a large number of small maintenance services for the Windsor Castle estate as a whole, including the Royal Mews, Frogmore, and buildings in the Gardens and Home Park.

asked the Minister of Works if he will itemise the £70,000 needed for the modernisation of the heating, ventilation, lighting and sanitary services in the State Apartments at Windsor Castle.

This sum is required for the current year's work on modernising sanitary and engineering services and to pay final accounts for work already done. The scheme, of which this work represents the later stages, provides for the modernisation and renewal as necessary of boilers, heating mains, warm air ducts, ventilation, hot and cold water supplies, sanitary fittings, and electricity and gas services. The details consist of a very large number of items which I cannot summarise.

asked the Minister of Works if he will itemise the £7,500 allocated for re-occupation services in grace and favour and official residences not yet allocated.

This is a general provision for dealing with residences where there may be a change of occupation during the financial year.

asked the Minister of Works what is the nature of the plant at 1A Kensington Palace, which necessitates the expenditure of £8,310 for its day-to-day maintenance and operation.

As I said in Answer to the hon. Member's Question on 10th April, this expenditure is for Kensington Palace as a whole and not for Apartment 1A. The plant concerned is the boiler house and subsidiary heating plant; lighting plant; lift; and other engineering equipment.

asked the Minister of Works if he will itemise the £3,080 to be expended at 1A Kensington Palace for minor works of special maintenance.

As I said in answer to the hon. Member's Question on 10th April, this expenditure is for Kensington Palace as a whole and not for Apartment 1A. Details of the expenditure are as follows:

asked the Minister of Works why a new plumbers' shop, to cost £1,700, is required at Kensington Palace.

The new plumbers' shop will replace unsatisfactory accommodation. It is part of my Department's Maintenance Depot at Kensington Palace and will enable men employed there to work more efficiently.

asked the Minister of Works if he will itemise the £875 needed for the supply of curtains, carpets, and Royal Standards for the Royal Palaces.

The details are:

asked the Minister of Works what proportion of the total wages of industrial staffs at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, is represented by the £48,850 payable by his Department.

The provision of £48,850 is intended to meet the whole cost of the industrial staff employed on the maintenance of furniture and equipment. If payments exceed £48,850, the Vote will contribute only this amount. If payments are less than this figure, the Vote will contribute the amount actually paid.

asked the Minister of Works if he will itemise the £8,635 required at Buckingham Palace for supplies and parks services.

The details are as follows:

asked the Minister of Works if he will itemise the £13,570 required for cleaning services at Buckingham Palace.

This sum is required for such items as washing down paint-work; window cleaning; chimney sweeping; flushing out pipes and storage cisterns; clearing roof gutters, manhole chambers and sink traps, etc.; clearing air inlets and outlets.

asked the Minister of Works if he will detail the expenditure of £4,000 on the re-occupation services in Apartment 30A of St. James's Palace.

The details are:

asked the Minister of Works if he will itemise the expenditure of £5,651 for minor works at St. James's Palace.

The details are:

asked the Minister of Works (1) if he will give details of the £34,000 required at 1A Kensington Palace for repairing the structure and for occupational services;(2) if he will itemise the £18,000 to be spent at 1A Kensington Palace on engineering services;(3) if he will itemise the £6,000 to be spent at 1A Kensington Palace on drainage, plumbing and sanitary fittings.

These sums cover a very large number of items which are listed in the Bill of Quantities and I cannot readily summarise them. Plumbing items alone occupy 48 pages.