asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that the Welsh wool merchants' maximum price for selected Welsh fleeces is 11d. per lb.; that the same wool is released by the Wool Control for resale at 1s. 6½d. per lb.; and, in view of the discontent existing among the hill-farmers, will he take steps to see that the producer gets a fair share of the final price?

The lower price quoted by the hon. Member appears to refer to wool specified in the Control of Wool (No. 9) Order, 1939, as "Ordinary Welsh," and relates to ungraded farmers' clips of this type. The higher price mentioned is charged for the better portion of the "Ordinary Welsh" wool which may, after selection and grading, be classifiable as "Washed Selected Welsh Fleeces," and it also includes appreciable expenses incurred for grading, carriage, handling, etc. The maximum prices payable for the home-produced wool of the 1939 and earlier clips owned by farmers are set out in the Order mentioned above and cannot be exceeded. Consideration is now about to be given to the prices to be paid for the 1940 clip.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will now co-ordinate with the Board of Trade the release of controlled raw materials so that grants of priority and facilities of transport may enable export traders to quote firm prices and delivery dates as provided in paragraph 3 of Cmd. 6183; and is he aware that the indeterminate system of priority permissions now practised by the controls prevents traders accepting overseas business and will defeat the war effort to increase exports?

Every effort is made to ensure that export trade is not hampered by avoidable difficulties over raw materials, and the machinery of the controls is being brought into conformity, as rapidly as possible, with the policy outlined in the Command Paper to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement regarding the Benbecula-South Uist viaduct?

Work which was commenced in January of last year has been retarded by severe weather conditions. At present an average of 35 men are employed, and the work will be completed as quickly as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement on progress made in each of the crofter counties schemes, first-class roads in the Outer Hebrides, and on future intentions regarding them?

Following is the answer:

asked the Minister of Transport whether the main road in Berneray Island, in Harris, has yet been placed on the Inverness County highways list?

The main road in the Island of Berneray, Harris, extending from Loch Borve and the Ferry at the south end of Berneray to Rushgarry and Mass camber at the north end of the island, was added to the Inverness County Council list of highways in 1903.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the recent decision to increase the bonus paid to workers in His Majesty's dockyards to enable them to meet the increased cost of living, he proposes to take any step to make a pro rata increase in the small pensions paid to those who have retired from service in the yards and who are equally affected by the rise in the cost of living?

My hon. and gallant Friend is aware that increases of remuneration for dockyard workers granted from time to time apply only to the personnel actually engaged in the dockyards when such increases are made and cannot apply retrospectively to those who have left the dockyard service.

asked the Minister of Food how many officials are employed under the Meat and Livestock Control Scheme in respect of the county of Norfolk, and what is the aggregate amount paid by way of salaries to the officials in question?

The number of full-time officials employed under the Meat and Livestock Control Scheme in respect of the county of Norfolk is 37. The aggregate amount paid by way of salaries is at the rate of £9,967 per annum. There is in addition a staff of 37 employed by the South Eastern Wholesale Meat Supply Association and attached to wholesale meat distribution depots and 62 part-time auctioneers and members of certifying authorities.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that in the event of any meat being condemned as unfit after arrival at the butchers' shops the loss falls on the retailer as the meat has already been paid for; and what steps he is taking to remedy this grievance?

Property in the meat sold to butchers passes to them at the wholesale distribution depot. In accordance with the usual trade practice, losses arising from condemnation after the arrival of the meat at the butcher's shop fall on the butcher except when the condemnation is due to disease. In such cases a refund is made to the butcher. Full investigation is made into every case of condemnation that is brought by butchers to the notice of the wholesale depot manager concerned.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that there are only three Government slaughter-houses to meet the needs of Great Yarmouth, the Flegg and Blofield areas; that these are attempting to do the work previously done by 30 slaughter-houses; and, in order to relieve the present congestion and avoid unnecessary transport is he prepared to increase the number of slaughter-houses in these areas?

While three slaughterhouses in Great Yarmouth kill stock for the areas to which my hon. Friend refers, parts of the Flegg and Blofield area receive a portion of their supplies from Norwich. I am aware that there has been a considerable reduction in the number of slaughter-houses in this area, as in other parts of the country, but it is the capacity rather than the number of slaughter-houses in use which is of importance. I am assured that the capacity of the existing slaughter-houses at Great Yarmouth is adequate for the needs of the area they serve, and I am not satisfied that there are good grounds for adding to their number.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the indefinite promise to the farmer of a satisfactory price when the winter period arrives will not induce him, in view of his past experience, so to order his dairy herds that cows will be coming into milk in the winter period; and whether he will take the necessary steps to ensure that there is no shortage of supplies of milk as there was in the last war?

The assurance regarding the guaranteed return to milk producers for the winter period from 1st October, 1940, to 31st March, 1941, was given after full preliminary consultation with representatives of the producers themselves. I am satisfied that this statement gives adequate assurance to producers to encourage them to make the necessary preparations for maintaining the output of milk during the winter period.

asked the Minister of Food why farmers have to wait so long for payment for the milk delivered to the Milk Marketing Board; and whether he will ask the Board to try and expedite payments in future?

I understand that the Milk Marketing Board pays producers for the milk they deliver as soon as possible after the date on which the detailed returns of sales have been received from producers. These returns should be in the Board's hands by the 7th of the month following the month in which the milk was delivered. Since the war less than 20 per cent. of returns from producers have reached the Board within the seven days mentioned. Notwithstanding this, the Board is this year paying slightly earlier in the month than was the case a year ago.

asked the Minister of Food when he hopes to be in a position to reply to the letters addressed to him by the Liverpool Fruiterers' Association, of 28th February and 16th March, and a telegram on 8th March with regard to sugar control?

The matter referred to in the two letters in question involved local inquiries, and replies to these letters have now been sent. A reply has also been sent to the telegram of 8th March.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the serious position arising throughout the country owing to the depletion of the staffs of the pork and bacon trades; and whether, in order to secure the maximum production of pork and bacon, he will consider the reducing the reserved age of employés in such trades to 25 years, instead of 30 years as at present?

I am in communication with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service in regard to this Question.