asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has considered the case of nine Lowestoft skippers who, when required, volunteered immediately for patrol service, sacrificing their civil employment, and who, after rendering excellent service for about three months, to the satisfaction of the officers of the Royal Navy concerned, have not been re-engaged, and are now without employment; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

I am making a special investigation into the cases which my hon. Friend has sent to me and I will shortly communicate to him the result of these inquiries.

If I put down a Question next week does the Parliamentary Secre- tary anticipate that he will be in a position to give a definite answer?

I hope so.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the increased payments made to officers and men on mine-sweeping, on account of greater risks and discomforts entailed, also applies to those engaged on paddle mine-sweepers?

Hard-lying money, to which I presume the hon. Member is referring, is paid to naval officers and men employed in paddle mine-sweejers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that officers of the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve with the rank of lieutenants have been placed in command of paddle mine-sweepers on account of past naval experience but only receive the pay of their original rank plus 3s. per day command money; and whether he will reconsider their status of rank for increased remuneration?

Naval officers are given appointments appropriate to their rank and it is not unfitting that lieutenants should be in command of vessels of this type. Certain of the officers to whom the hon. Member refers are, however, under consideration for promotion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider the compilation of a school text-book, for use in schools in Palestine, about the history of the mediaeval culture that resulted from close co-operation of Moslem and Jew in the Baghdad Khalifate and later in Spain, with a view to the permanent improvement of the relations between Arabs and Jews in Pales tine at the present time?

I will pass on my hon. Friend's suggestion to the High Commissioner for his consideration.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that in the remit a suitable reference is made to the importance of Scottish architecture?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the appointment of Inspector-General of Agriculture for the West Indies as part of the general scheme of reconstruction and development proposed by the Royal Commission and accepted by His Majesty's Government has yet been approved; whether the duties of this officer have been defined; and whether his reports will be at regular intervals submitted to Parliament?

I would draw my hon. Friend's attention to the Government's recent statement of policy on Colonial development and welfare, in which they accepted the proposal for the appointment of an Inspector-General of Agriculture in the West Indies. I am taking steps to select a suitable officer for this post, and I hope to be able to make a further announcement regarding his status and functions shortly.

Is my right hon. Friend keeping in view the importance of the continuity of the College of Tropical Agriculture in Trinidad as part of the functions of the new Inspector-General, and will he see that that work, which has already given admirable results, is continued?

Certainly, I attach the greatest importance to the work of that college, and the Inspector-General will act in the very closest contact with it and its officers.

Does the Minister's reply mean that the appointment of this officer will not have to wait for legislation?

That is so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much of the annual cocoa crop of the Gold Coast is sold direct by African farmers to merchants and shippers; how much of the balance of the crop is sold by farmers to African brokers and middle-men, who, in turn, sell this to merchants and shippers; what prices African farmers now receive for their cocoa; and whether African brokers and middle-men receive a larger percentage of present cocoa prices than do merchants and shippers?

No statistics are available to show the exact proportions of cocoa sold by African farmers to merchants and shippers on the one hand and brokers and middle-men on the other, but undoubtedly the bulk of the crop is sold through brokers. The price for cocoa delivered at the port of shipment is 8s. 6d. per load of 60 lbs. For cocoa delivered at up country buying centres the farmer receives a price based on that figure after deduction of transport costs in accordance with an official schedule. The brokerage payable varies according to arrangement between the farmer and the broker; the percentage of the present price received by African brokers and middle-men is somewhat less than that received by merchants and shippers, but it is quite impossible to determine which class receives the larger net profit after deduction of expenses.

Is the Minister aware that there is a certain amount of discontent among the African cocoa growers regarding the basic price paid to them for their crops, and will he see whether this matter cannot be remedied, in view of the rising prices of the commodities which these people have to buy?

I have kept in touch with the situation, but I am not aware of the complaints to which the hon. Member has referred. If he has information which leads him to that conclusion, I shall be glad to look into it.

Are the prices of cocoa affecting the amount of cocoa exported from West Africa to this country?

asked the Minister of Information whether his attention has been drawn to broadcasts emanating from what describes itself as the new British broadcasting station, purporting to operate from Great Britain and concluding all its programmes with the playing of the British National Anthem; and as that station is, in fact, part of the German propaganda machine and situated in German territory, and propaganda of this character is likely, because of its purported British origin, to create confusion in this country which it is desirable to avoid by answering or otherwise dealing with this new Nazi device, what steps it is proposed to take for this purpose?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Peebles (Captain Ramsay) on 20th March. This station is monitored and its propaganda, with that of other German broadcasts, is dealt with.

Is not my right hon. Friend aware that this station purports to be used by British Socialists, and will he have copies of the broadcasts placed in the Library of the House so that hon. Members opposite may see how Germans use their propaganda for purposes which can only be of use or value to the Germans?

Is the Minister aware that the right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Admiralty is the most quoted person in the German broadcasts?

Is it not the case that reports of these broadcasts are already regularly placed in the Library?

Can the Minister tell me whether these broadcasts can be reached on ordinary machines, and is he aware that when I tried to get this station last Sunday night, I found that my wavelengths were not low enough?

asked the Minister of Information whether he is now satisfied that vigorous action is in process to counteract the highly organised schemes of propaganda maintained in Belgium and Holland by the agencies of the German Government?

Yes, Sir; increasingly vigorous action is being taken, and we believe it will be increasingly effective.

Is my right hon. Friend really taking steps to see that nothing is given away from this country to the enemy?

I am really doing my best.

Is my right hon. Friend considering counteracting the German propaganda in France?

Is the Minister aware that that propaganda is making no impression?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what acreage of grassland was scheduled to be ploughed up in Worcestershire under the £2 an acre scheme; and how many acres have actually been ploughed?

As I stated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for North Cumberland (Mr. W. Roberts) on 18th March, the ploughing-up quota allowed to each county represents only the minimum addition to the tillage area to be secured, and I do not think that it would be in the interests of the food production campaign to publish the information asked for at this stage as it might lead to a relaxation of effort.

Can my right hon. and gallant Friend tell us when he thinks it will be of advantage to publish this figure, because if it is a good figure it will give a great deal of encouragement, and if it is a bad one we ought to do something about it?

I can tell my hon. Friend that he will have reason to be proud of the result in Worcestershire.

May I say to my right hon. and gallant Friend that, for the first time for many months, I thank him very much?

When will the grant of £2 an acre for ploughing-up reach the farmers, as a great many of them have not yet had it?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements are being made by his Department to remove the restrictions on the transfer of currency from countries abroad to Great Britain, in view of the fact that this is an essential part of any development of our export trade?

Arrangements with this object in view have been made with a number of countries, generally by negotiating payments or clearing agreements. Further arrangements will be made as occasion arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether strict examination and censor ship is now exercised over publications printed in this country or imported from overseas which, by implication, attack this country and France and distort the facts of war incidents to the advantage of the enemy; and whether appropriate action is being taken to deal with printed matter of this nature?

It is necessary to draw a distinction between the censorship of publications printed in this country which are submitted voluntarily to the Press Censor in order that information which may be of use to the enemy shall not be published, and the control exercised through the medium of the postal censorship over the importation of publications printed abroad. With regard to anti-war propaganda published in this country I would refer to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 21st March to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Epsom (Sir A. Southby). With regard to the second part of the Question, I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Information, who is now respon- sible for postal censorship, that a strict examination and censorship is now exercised over imported publications of the kind referred to and appropriate action is taken to deal with them.

Is the Home Office quite satisfied that every effort is being made to prevent any information getting out through these stupidly prepared pamphlets put out by peace societies, and is the Home Office satisfied that nothing is being given away that will be hurtful to us and helpful to the enemy?

The Home Office keeps a very careful watch on activities of that kind.

Is it not time that these traitorous societies were suppressed?

Will the Minister watch the OFFICIAL REPORT and Conservative speeches?

asked the Minister of Food whether he is satisfied that he will be able to provide enough sugar to make into jam the present supplies of fruit pulp held by jam manufacturers, and the coming season's home-grown fruit crop; and will he prohibit the importation of any further supplies of fruit pulp until he is so satisfied?

All endeavours are being and will be made to provide sufficient sugar for the purposes referred to in the first part of the Question but, naturally, I can give no definite guarantee as to the future. As regards the second part of the Question, an Order has been issued prohibiting the import, except under licence, of further supplies of fruit pulp, and the questions whether licences should be issued and, if so, to what extent, are being considered in consultation with the agricultural and trade interests concerned.

Can we have a guarantee, at any rate, that the amount of sugar available to the housewife for making jam from home-grown fruit will not be jeopardised by any importation under licence of fruit pulp?

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has made inquiry into the facts that sound bread is despatched from London as bakery sweepings and sold as cattle food; and whether such practices have been stopped?

It has always been the practice of bakers to dispose of, for feeding to animals, any residue of broken and stale bread and dough unfit for bread making. I have made inquiries and I am assured that the particular consignments to which my right hon. Friend has referred were unsuitable for human consumption.

Is my hon. Friend aware that some of this bread was found to be perfectly sound and was actually consumed in Devonshire after having been sent there as cattle food?

In this case we have made elaborate inquiries. If it were true that bread which was suitable for human consumption was used in that way, it would be highly reprehensible; but according to the information which we have received that is not so, and if we were not to use this for animal feeding-stuffs, it would be a net loss to the nation's agricultural effort.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the fact that in summer-time 40 per cent. of the liquid milk produced normally goes to factories at something under 6d. a gallon, he will consider if the total extra required to pay the farmers an adequate price during the summer could be put on the price of milk going to factories and no increase made in the retail price of milk for liquid consumption?

The suggestion made by the hon. Member has already been adopted, and the price of milk for various manufacturing purposes was increased on 1st April. As was stated, however, on 20th March in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson), it will also be necessary to increase the retail price of liquid milk at some date in the summer, but it is at present impossible to indicate that date as the effect of the increased prices for manufacturing milk cannot yet be stated.

While it may be true that the price to the factories has been increased, does the Minister not recognise that those people who use milk in factories have made enormous profits and are much better able to bear a further increase in price than the vast majority of the consumers of liquid milk?

We have their costings and everybody's costings under constant review.

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that it is most undesirable to reduce the consumption of liquid milk at a time when the children of the poorer people are going without butter?

The suggestion that there must necessarily be a reduction in consumption may not be justified by the facts.

Is it not the case that in the prices which the Minister enumerated last night was a price of 8d. per gallon to certain classes of manufacturers; and could he not put the full price on to them, and then let them make their representations to him and not the consumers?

The complete charges for manufacturing milk are not yet ready, as I pointed out last night. Perhaps the hon. Member would be well-advised to wait until they have been fully prepared.

In view of the Minister's statement that an increase in price does not necessarily mean a reduction in consumption, may I ask whether it is not a fact that his own experts have put down as one of the main causes of the low consumption of liquid milk, the very high prices already paid for it?

Is the Minister aware that the cost of production of milk is now going down, owing to the fact that grass is growing?

asked the Minister of Food whether the standardisation and control of sausages respecting price and meat content is confined to foodstuffs sold as sausages; whether this will apply to all foodstuffs of a similar nature; whether an obligation rests on the seller to indicate the kind of meat utilised; what steps will be taken and what penalties exist respecting infringements; and whether he will take similar action respecting potted meats and similar foodstuffs?

The provisions of the Sausages (Maximum Prices) Order, 1940, to which the hon. Member refers, apply to sausage meat as well as to pork and beef sausages but not to other foodstuffs of a similar nature. The Order does not require the seller to indicate the kind of meat utilised in the manufacture

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that he is now giving us information which we already possess; and will he answer the latter part of my Question in which I ask whether he will take steps to widen these regulations and to apply them to other foodstuffs?

I have already said in my answer, if the hon. Member had done me the courtesy of listening to me, that it is not intended to extend these provisions to other foodstuffs.

Will the hon. Gentleman explain then why this principle should be applied to sausages and not to other foodstuffs?

Because we feel our way before we act.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will state the average prices, wholesale and retail, respectively, of eggs of all descriptions in the City of Leicester for the first two weeks of March, 1940, and 1939, respectively?

As the reply is in the form of a statistical table, I will, with my hon. and learned Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the price of eggs last week was very much lower—only about 1s. 6d.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Supply whether, in view of the unusual position of the Nuffield Mechanisation Company, who act both as agents for, and manufacturers of the Bofors gun, he will consider publishing the amount paid to them as agents and the basis of payment made to them as manufacturers?

The position of Mechanisation and Aero, Limited, in relation to my Department is not unusual. Under the agreement with the firm, the Department pays the actual costs of production. In addition, the firm are paid a management fee for acting as the Department's agent for the specific purpose of producing Bofors guns. As I informed the hon. Member on 20th March last, it would be contrary to established practice to state the fee paid to the firm.

asked the Minister of Supply, how many local authorities are installing apparatus to reduce waste products suitable for feeding-stuffs to a form of meal or otherwise?

Twenty-five local authorities already have utilisation plants for treating organic waste materials and all such plants are capable of reducing suitable waste materials to feeding meals. With my hon. Friend's permission, I will circulate a list of these authorities in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Supply, what dealings his Department has with the Union of Manufacturers, of which Mr. J. A. R. MacDonald is chairman; who initiated the formation of this association; and whether he is satisfied that this association has the confidence of small manufacturers throughout the country?

According to the information supplied by the body of which Mr. J. A. R. MacDonald is chairman, a number of the smaller manufacturers formed themselves into a federation which was, at the date on which the information was supplied, namely, January, 1940, in course of being registered as a company limited by guarantee, having no share capital, to be called the Federation of Manufacturers and Producers of Great Britain, Limited. A deputation from the federation was received in the Ministry, at their request, on 17th January last when the question of the employment of the smaller firms was discussed, and it was agreed that the federation could be of assistance in enabling small groups of manufacturers to place information of their productive capacity at the disposal of the various Supply Departments. No such information, in a form in which it could be used, has, however, been received. With regard to the last part of the Question, such evidence as I have does not lead me to the view that the federation has the confidence of small manufacturers throughout the country.

Is the Minister keeping in mind that this organisation has no relationship to the present existing National Union of Manufacturers, which has been carrying on its activities for several years?

Yes, Sir, that is quite clear.

When the Minister met representatives of this federation did they agree that any representation should be made through small groups, through this Mr. MacDonald, through the federation, or through the small groups themselves?

I cannot answer that without notice. I did not receive the deputation myself, and it would involve looking up the Minutes.

Has this association any representatives in this House?

Not that I know of.

asked the First Commissioner of Works how many local government and private buildings have been taken over by his Department for Government purposes; how many are vacant; and what is the estimated annual cost of these seizures by way of rent, compensation or other charges?

The number of buildings now held under requisitioning powers by my Department is 1,131, of which 13 are local authority premises. 176 of the premises are vacant. Of the 1,131 premises requisitioned, some 650 are slaughterhouses. I regret that it is not possible to assess the annual cost which will eventually result from the settlement of claims until they have all been received and examined.

May I ask how many of the buildings requisitioned are hotels?

asked the First Commissioner of Works on what terms the Assembly Rooms, in Bath, have been taken over for use as a Civil Service canteen?

In consequence of large increases in staff and in order to provide more accommodation, arrangements have been made to use about one-third of the Assembly Rooms for restaurant purposes. The accommodation has been requisitioned and the terms are at present under discussion. As the accommodation taken over will only be required between about 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. the use of part of the premises by Government staffs should not interfere with the normal use of the Assembly Rooms for evening entertainment.

asked the Prime Minister whether the terms of the recent speech of His Majesty's Ambassador in Tokyo are an indication of any change in the Far Eastern policy of His Majesty's Government or whether it is intended to fulfil in the letter and in the spirit the policy of support of the National Government of China under the Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek?

My Noble Friend has given attention to the speech referred to which His Majesty's Ambassador made at a meeting in Tokyo of the Japan-British Society. It is not customary on such occasions for His Majesty's representatives to submit the text of their speeches in advance, but my Noble Friend is quite ready to accept responsibility for what was said. Meanwhile, I am authorised by the Ambassador to say that he had no intention of suggesting that the policy of His Majesty's Government had undergone any change or that it in any way diverged from that which has been repeatedly explained to the House. It follows from this that there is no question of His Majesty's Government changing their view as to what they continue to regard as the legitimate Government of China. Nor is there any question of a departure from the general attitude which they have adopted towards the Far Eastern question or any modification of their desire to see a settlement of the dispute on equitable terms.

Is it not unfortunate that an impression should have been created in Japan that the British people condone aggression in Asia although they are resisting aggression in Europe?

I am not aware of any such impression, but I feel satisfied that the terms of my answer will dispel that impression.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in view of the misunderstandings which have been aroused by this speech, he will make it clear again that it still remains the policy of the Government that the provisions of the Nine Power Treaty must continue in operation until they are abrogated or amended by the mutual consent of all the Powers?

It has always been our endeavour to conduct our policy in the Far East in accordance with the principles underlying the Nine Power Treaty, and so to keep in step with the French and the American Governments.

Has the Under-Secretary's attention been called to the following sentence in the speech of the Ambassador:

"Both countries"

"are ultimately striving for the same objective,"

"It is surely not beyond the powers of constructive statesmanship to bring the aims of their national policies into full harmony."

It would serve no useful purpose, I think, to seize upon certain expressions in the speech. It is more valuable to accept the statement I made as representing the Government's policy, and I will go further and say that His Majesty's Government see nothing inconsistent with that policy in taking steps to improve their relations with Japan.

Would you not ensure that we should have a war with Japan?