asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that coal porters in other Government Departments work a normal week of 48 hours, including meal times; that, in fact, the whole class of employés covered by Agreement A 81 of the Civil Service Arbitration Board work a normal week of 48 hours, including meal times; whether he can explain why a discussion of the coal porters' grievances in his Department with their trade union representatives is refused; and whether he will agree to receive the suggested deputation in the near future?

I am not aware of the hours worked by coal porters in Government Departments other than in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and, as explained, on the 18th instant, on my behalf by my hon. and gallant Friend the Comptroller of the Household, the working week for coal porters, as fixed by the Agreement mentioned, is 48 hours, and is not intended to include definite meal reliefs. In the circumstances, I cannot admit that the coal porters have any grievance, but if they have, they are aware that they can submit it to the the Departmental Whitley Council.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War the number, respectively, of male and female non-service temporary clerks at present employed in the War Office; and the number of temporary clerks who obtained over 50 per cent. of the total marks in the ex-service examinations?

The numbers in question, exclusive of female typists, are males, nil; females, 3. There are also ten ladies employed on work involving special knowledge of foreign languages. Frequent efforts have been made to replace these by ex-service men, but so far without success. I have no information as to the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the approach of summer, what progress has been made in the promised improvements to the sewage disposal arrangements of the various local authorities on the banks of the River Lea above Hackney; and whether he is satisfied that the progress made will prevent the recurrence this year of the contamination of the lower reaches of the river, which has every summer been a source of danger and annoyance to the inhabitants of the borough?

My right hon. Friend is informed that some improvement has been effected, but not, he fears, of a very substantial nature. The chief difficulty is, of course, the heavy expenditure which would be involved I may add that he has no evidence that there is or has been danger to health. The matter is still under consideration by the local authorities concerned.

Is the Noble Lord aware that some of the authorities referred to in the question are at the present time receiving notice from the Lea Conservancy under which they will, in all probability, be prosecuted, and does not that prove the danger?

I have said that it was under consideration by the local authorities.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether, in view of the great and growing cost of policing the territorial waters of Great Britain by means of Fishery Board cruisers, he will consider the advisability of consulting with the Admiralty with a view to this duty being undertaken in future by the Royal Navy, especially as the detection and prevention of illegal trawling in inshore waters would afford valuable means of training for the officers and crews of destroyers, and in view of the fact that officers and men of the Royal Navy would welcome an opportunity of assisting in the preservation of a means of livelihood of the coast fishermen, who were their devoted comrades in the keeping of the seas during the War?

The suggestion made by the hon. Member has been considered from time to time in the past in consultation with the Admiralty. There is at present, as the hon. Member is aware, one Admiralty vessel on this patrol. The provision of additional vessels by the Admiralty would involve a heavy charge on naval funds, which it is doubtful if the Admiralty, under present circumstances, would be prepared to undertake. The Secretary for Scotland is prepared, however, to cause the suggestion to be again examined.

asked the Minister of Health if he will, before giving his sanction to the appointment of a medical officer of health for the urban district area of Frizington, Cumberland, take into serious consideration the recommendation of the County of Cumberland medical officer of health that several of the small urban areas should, in the interests of efficiency and the proper administration of the laws of public health, be amalgamated under one full time medical officer instead of the present system of appointing officers who can do no effective work as medical officers of health without sacrificing the interests of their panel patients?

My right hon. Friend has received no formal representation for the issue of an Order to combine this with other districts for the purpose of appointing a whole-time officer. He has, however, tried to arrange for such an appointment to be made by agreement. As these efforts have not been successful, he has not thought it practicable to object to the district council's proposals to appoint a part-time officer, who has, however, been required to give a written undertaking to resign the appointment in the event of a whole-time officer being appointed. My right hon. Friend cannot accept the suggestion that no effective work can be done by part-time medical officers of health without prejudicing the interests of their panel (or other) patients.

Is the Noble Lord aware that the doctor nominated for this position at Frizington does not live in the place at all, and that some of his panel patients cannot find him when they want him?

If the hon. Member will give me that information, I will inquire into it.

asked the Minister of Health whether it is intended to act on the recommendations of the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into the practice of living-in on canal boats, of which he was chairman?

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware of the conditions under which children on living-in boats on canals have to exist, and that a large proportion of them receive practically no education; and whether he is able to state if the recommendations of the Departmental Committee appointed by the Ministry of Health to inquire into the practice of living-in on canal boats, so far as they refer to the education of children, are likely to become effective?

I will answer these questions together. My right hon. Friend is aware that the conditions of life on canal boats are not favourable to the proper education of the children living in them, and he is anxious that this matter should be dealt with at the earliest favourable opportunity, but he regrets that it is not practicable to introduce legislation at the present time.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that one family, comprising the parents and nine children, whose ages range from 18 years to six months, and none of whom can read or write, are living on two canal boats, known as the Mars and Jupiter, and owned by the Midland and Coast Canal Carrying Company; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

My right hon. Friend has no information as to this case, but he will make inquiries and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Poplar Tuberculosis Care Committee has received reports of 40 consumptive persons for whom it has been impossible to arrange living and sleeping accommodation which is either adequate for the patient or reasonably safe for the other occupants; and, if so, what action he proposes to take to safeguard the general public?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Bow and Bromley on the 2nd instant, of which I will send him a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied with the method in which the Customs and Excise officers are carrying out their duties in regard to the importation of leather gloves; if he is aware that German-made leather gloves are sent into Switzerland and then imported into this country to avoid Reparation Duty; and if he will take action in the matter?

I have been asked to reply. The possibility of endeavours to evade payment of Reparation Levy by means of fictitious re-consignment from an intermediate country of goods obtained from Germany is a matter which receives the constant and close attention of the Customs authorities, and the particular case of leather gloves to which the hon. Member refers is at the present moment undergoing investigation.