asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will relax the restriction on the entry of game and poultry eggs into this country;(2) what restrictions there are on imports of live poultry into this country; and what is the reason for these restrictions.

The import of live poultry and hatching eggs from most countries is prohibited because of the risk of importing poultry diseases, especially fowl pest. Imports are allowed under veterinary conditions from Ireland, Scandinavia, and Australia and New Zealand.The Plant Committee recommended that where possible, the import of hatching eggs should be allowed if it was in the industry's interests, and I am examining where relaxations can with safety be made. I hope to be able to make a statement shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now received the views of the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire as to the establishment of an agriculture college at Aberystwyth; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes. I have now received the views of the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire. As the Question is bound up with wider issues of agricultural education I am at present in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Education and the Minister for Welsh Affairs and I hope to make a further statement shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to ban the use of sex hormones on animals.

The use of synthetic oestrogens for fattening livestock has been kept under review by the Agricultural Research Council in consultation with the Medical Research Council and by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health's Standing Committee on the Medical and Nutritional Aspects of Food Policy. On the available evidence, it does not appear that a ban on these 'substances would be justified on the ground of hazard to the consumer.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it is intended to sign the International Convention for the Protection of Plant Obtainments.

Yes, and it is hoped that signature will take place this month.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the number of fully qualified farm safety inspectors employed by his Department at the last convenient date; and how this number compares with that twelve months ago.

124 officers qualified in farm safety work, including 31 whole-time specialists, were employed in my Department at 13th November this year. A year ago the Safety and Wages inspectorate numbered 68.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of his responsibilities for health and safety on farms and of the increased number of deaths caused by tractors overturning, what consultations he has had with tractor manufacturers and the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering on this matter.

The number of deaths from tractors overturning fell by 10 to 36 in the year that ended on 30th September. This is a welcome change for the better. The consultations which my Department is having with the tractor manufacturers and the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering on this problem as a whole are at the moment particularly concerned with the design and testing of safety cabs, which seem a promising method of reducing deaths from tractors overturning.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect that the proposals to reduce fish supplies on British Railways will have on the fishing industry.

I understand that on most of their trains with restaurant cars, British Railways have replaced the four-course meal by a three-course meal at which fish will normally be available as an alternative main course and may also he available as an alternative to soup or hors d'oeuvre. No estimate of the effect on fish supplies can therefore be made.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will set up a committee to consider the extent of demand for a helicopter station in Central London and the economics of running a helicopter service from such a station in the foreseeable future.

No. It is the responsibility of the airlines to assess the demand for and the economics of running helicopter services into Central London.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will cause an inquiry to be held into the effect of noise from jet engines upon the workmen employed upon the production and testing of these engines.

The Medical Research Council and the National Physical Laboratory are jointly undertaking a programme of research at the request of the Government into the effect of noise on workers in industry.The production and testing of jet engines is being considered for inclusion in this programme.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether any decisions have yet been made about the further development of the Spey engine for use in civil aircraft.

The Government have decided, subject to satisfactory contract terms to support developed versions of the Spey 2, 2W and 25. These developments should widen the market for aircraft using Spey engines, in particular the Trident and the BAC.111.

asked the Minister of Aviation what conclusions have been reached following evaluation research with the Short SC1; and what further developments of multijet vertical take-off and landing aircraft are planned in the United Kingdom.

Experience with the SC1 research aircraft has provided valuable data on the basic aerodynamic and piloting problems of V.T.O.L. aircraft.The hon. Member will be aware that the multi-jet solution has since been adopted for certain fighter aircraft abroad.We are inclined to believe that such a solution is more appropriate to transport aircraft and is likely to have important applications in that field.At present, however, we have no firm plans for the development of a multi-jet V.T.O.L. aircraft in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Aviation whether, in sanctioning those applications for air service licences that came to him on appeal and which resulted in the duplication of existing British European Airways air services by private airlines, he considered the extent to which this will cause losses to both operators.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Aviation what is the average annual radiation dose attributable to cosmic radiation received by the crew of a British Overseas Airways Corporation Boeing 707 aircraft; and how this compares with the average sea level dose from all sources received by the population of the United Kingdom.

The average annual dose, attributable to cosmic radiation, received by the crew of a British Overseas Airways Corporation Boeing 707 operating in northerly latitudes is estimated to be less than 0·25 rems.This figure, which is supported by measurements carried out by British Overseas Airways Corporation over a period of about 12 months, is only a small fraction of that permitted for radiation workers.The average natural background radiation from all sources at ground level is given as 0·126 rems/year in the second report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on Radiation.

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will introduce legislation to enable compensation to be paid out of public funds to those airlines that suffer losses as a result of new air service licences being granted.

No.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why the Oldham man, whose name has been communicated to him and who made application for national health insurance benefit on 19th October had not received any payment of benefit by 6th November.

Sickness benefit is paid in arrears and in this case should have been paid on 31st October, when we received the final medical certificate. It was not paid until 6th November and I can only apologise for the delay. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why, in the case of the Oldham man, whose name has been communicated to him, the grant of an increased disablement assessment from 50 per cent. to 180 per cent. has been accompanied by a decrease in supplementary allowances of 19s. 6d. a week.

In addition to his pension this pensioner receives an allowance for lowered standard of occupation. Under the terms of the Royal Warrant this allowance may not be paid at a rate which would bring the aggregate of pension and allowance above the 100 per cent. pension rate. The increase in pension in February, 1961, from 50 per cent. to 80 per cent. (not 180 per cent. as stated) therefore resulted in a reduction in the allowance for lowered standard of occupation from 34s. to 17s. a week but the total amount the pensioner received by way of pension and allowances increased from £4 5s. 3d. to £4 19s. a week. Since the general pension increases in 1961 he has been receiving £5 11s. 6d. a week including 19s. 6d. allowance for lowered standard of occupation.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether officers of the National Assistance Board are empowered to disclose their identity to the landladies of assisted persons and to discuss or comment on individual cases.

The National Assistance Board informs me that it regards the preservation of the confidentiality of its officers' transactions with applicants as of great importance and that it is therefore not the practice for its officers to disclose their identity to landladies or to discuss cases with them without the applicant's consent, unless the circumstances are quite exceptional.

asked the Minister of Power when the findings into the Hapton Valley Pit disaster will be made public.

On 29th November.

asked the Minister of Power whether the proposed Medway power station is to be dual-fired.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the number of vacancies for nurses in the whole of the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board area.

The Board aims at recruiting about 2,000 more nurses.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the year when building will commence on a new hospital to replace the present Montagu Hospital in Mexborough.

Not yet.

asked the Minister of Health what plans he has for the maintenance of hospital services where, owing to lack of finance, nursing and domestic staff have been dismissed; and if he will give an assurance that the conditions of nursing and domestic staff will be safeguarded in these circumstances.

The hospital services are being expanded; terms and conditions of employment will continue to be observed.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's special difficulties arising out of his Department's request to limit financial expenditure in hospitals, particularly their problem of recruiting nurses, and of its effects on their hospital management committees, including Barnsley; what steps is he taking to help them; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Health what measures he intends to take to ensure that the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board's present financial diffi- culties will be removed so that the Board can continue to put its plan into operation.

The allocation allows for expansion of the service to continue. The Board has a duty not to exceed it.

asked the Minister of Health how many units of accommodation are now being built for resident doctors at Guy's Hospital; how many of these will be married quarters; and when the building will be completed.

61; 2, plus 11 convertible from single quarters; 1964.

asked the Minister of Health how many patients were on the waiting list for treatment in hospitals in Cardiff at the latest convenient date, in view of the fact that a ward at St. David's Hospital has been closed since January, 1961.

This was a general medical ward; the general medical waiting list in Cardiff was 291 on 30th September.

asked the Minister of Health what instructions have been given to hospitals in Cardiff, including St. David's Hospital, about the recruitment of further nursing staff.

None.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the number of vacancies for nurses at each of the hospitals in the Dearne Valley constituency area.

The Board aims at recruiting additional nurses as follows: Montagu, eleven; Sandygate House, Nil; Wathwood, two; Conisbrough, eight; Fullerton, three; Crookhill Hall, four.

asked the Minister of Health why recent instructions have been issued by him to regional hospital boards to cut down on administrative services and to adopt a policy of standstill on establishments, in view of his recent policy of general expansion of hospital services.

I have issued no such instructions.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give, for the Sheffield,

asked the Minister of Health if he will state what percentage the number of hospital confinements was of the total number of confinements in the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board area for the years 1959, 1960, 1961, and up to the latest available date in 1962.

The percentages of institutional confinements were:

asked the Minister of Health what steps he has taken during the last three months to minimise or stop the hardship suffered by some nursing sisters in hospitals under his control who have to supervise and work simultaneously in male and female wards when they are adjacent.

I am not aware of such hardship.

asked the Minister of Health how many totally disabled ex-Service men are awaiting accommodation in hospitals or homes; and what is the average delay in admission.

Following is the information available, for the financial year 1961–62:

I regret this information is not available, but ex-Service men have priority for treatment of their accepted war disabilities in all National Health Service hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health in what form he will make public the proceedings of the review body for doctors' and dentists' remuneration.

The proceedings are in private, as recommended by the Royal Commission on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now reconsider the proposal of the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation that his Department should bear the extra cost of replacing the tricycles now provided for the 400 mining paraplegics by two-seater motor cars.

No.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons had barbiturate sleeping tablets prescribed on the National Health Service in the last year for which figures are available; and how this figure compares with those for each of the previous nine years.

I regret these figures are not available.

asked the Minister of Health what evidence he has from experience in this country, in the United States of America or in any other country that fluoridation of water can have harmful consequences; and if he will ensure that unfluoridated water will always be available for those who want it.

None; no.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make regulations under the Public Health Acts requiring all local authorities to carry out frequent inspections of all milk turbulator vending machines, in view of the danger of infestation resulting from inadequate cleaning of these machines.

The Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations, 1959, already cover this.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the number of boys and girls unemployed in the Port Talbot and Glyncorrwg area at the latest available date, specifying the number of claimants and non-claimants registering and estimating the number of non-claimants not registering.

82 boys and 94 girls were registered for employment on 12th November. Of these, 52 boys and 52 girls were claimants; 30 boys and 42

None.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons, male and female, respectively, committed suicide in the last year for which figures are available; and how these totals compare with those for each of the previous nine years.

Following is the information for England and Wales:girls, non-claimants. If any unemployed young people are not registered, the number is certainly small, but it is not practicable to suggest a figure.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the rate of unemployment, at the last count, for the area previously scheduled as the Bargoed Group under the Local Employment Act, 1960.

5·4 per cent. at 12th November.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the greatest height reached by any building which he proposes to erect for the new Post Office headquarters on the site bounded by St. Martin's-le-Grand, Newgate Street and King Edward Street; and what is the approximate horizontal distance of this highest building from the nearest point of St. Paul's Cathedral.

Consultations are at present proceeding between my Department and the local planning authority, the London County Council, about the form which a building erected on this site for the Post Office might take. Until these consultations are completed it is not possible to give an answer to my hon. Friend's specific Question. I have well in mind that the form of this building, and its height, must be carefully considered in relation to St. Paul's Cathedral.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what arrangements he has made for the evacuation of British nationals residing in the Brahmaputra valley and Assam in the event of their safety being threatened by the Sino-India fighting.

The safety of British nationals resident in India is in the first instance the responsibility of the Indian Government. Her Majesty's Government have been in the closest touch with the Indian Government about measures which may be necessary as the situation develops. There is no question of any large-scale evacuation at present and the House may be assured that all appropriate steps are being taken to ensure the safety of British residents.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if he will increase the number of juveniles in his Department granted day release training beyond the present two-thirds of the juveniles employed, and ensure that at least 80 per cent. are given the opportunity of such further education.

Information about opportunities for further education is available for juveniles entering the Admiralty service, and they are encouraged to attend suitable classes. Attendance is, however, voluntary, but I am again drawing the attention of heads of departments to the need for encouraging these young people to take advantage of these opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will increase the number of juveniles in his Department granted day release training from the present figure of 50 per cent. of the juveniles employed, and ensure that at least 80 per cent. are given the opportunity of such further education.

All juveniles under 18 years of age have the opportunity to attend day release classes but attendance is voluntary except for those under 16 years of age. We shall continue to encourage young people to take advantage of this opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State for Air, what troop-carrying aircraft belonging to the Royal Air Force, or on Charter to Service Departments, landed at Gan in the Maldives in the weeks commencing 28th October, 4th November and 11th November; how many Service men and how many civilians each carried; and how many places were vacant.

I will write to my hon. Friend when I have obtained the detailed information he requests.

asked the Postmaster-General why a telegram from the Vice President and Foreign Minister of the Republic of the Yemen addressed to the hon. Member for The Wrekin at the House of Commons from Sanaa on 4th November has not been delivered to the House of Commons; and if he will make a statement.

The Post Office has no record of the receipt of this message.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the number of children's homes which are not subject to inspection by his Department; and if he will introduce legislation to bring them under some measure of control or inspection.

Children's homes which are not subject to inspection either by my Department or by some other public authority are rare, and I am not convinced that there is any real need to extend the present range of inspection; but if the hon. Member has any particular class of establishment in mind, I shall be glad to consider the matter again.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Police have been accepted; and when it is proposed that action shall be taken.

I am not able at present to add anything to the replies that I gave to Questions on this subject on Thursday last.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he will express his views on the City of Lichfield town map.

Before my right hon. Friend will be in a position to give his views, either by approval or publication of proposed modifications, certain proposals have to be further discussed. A meeting with the local authority representatives has been arranged to take place shortly and my right hon. Friend has every hope of an early decision thereafter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science whether a decision has been reached regarding a suitable nuclear reactor or reactors for marine propulsion purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Good progress is being made in the programme of research on marine reactors. I hope to be able to give some further information shortly.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress is being made towards improving conditions for the safety of pedestrians at the junction of Fountain Street and Britannia Road, Morley, Yorkshire.

Details of a scheme to widen the trunk road and install pedestrian refuges have been discussed with the borough council which is now considering them. If the proposals are acceptable the work will be put in hand soon.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now give financial approval for the construction of a prototype merchant ship powered by one or more nuclear reactors.

Not yet.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will increase the number of juveniles in his Department granted day release training from the present figure of 50 per cent. of the juveniles employed, and ensure that at least 80 per cent. are given the opportunity of such further education.

It is my policy to encourage all juveniles in my Department to continue their general education either by day release training or by attendance at evening classes.Any juvenile under 16 years of age can be released to attend day continuation classes. Day release training is, however, compulsory only for non-industrial juveniles under 16 and for apprentices of all ages.Juveniles under 18 years of age are released whenever possible. If they cannot attend day classes they are allowed to leave early to go to evening classes.