asked the Secretary of State for War whether all precautions are taken to prevent civilians buying Army provisions from soldiers and soldiers selling such provisions to civilians; how many such cases he has had; and whether he will issue a special notice on the subject to commanding officers?

Officers in whose charge Army provisions or other stores are placed are required by regulations to take all necessary precautions to safeguard them. I could not say, without considerable inquiry, how many cases of the kind mentioned have occurred. I will consider whether any special instructions are required.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the men in Dennis Barnes' unit who were paraded for vaccination at the same time as Dennis Barnes, have corroborated his statement that a number of the men held up their hands against being vaccinated when told by the sergeant that the operation was voluntary, and that they withdrew their opposition when told by the sergeant that if they became ill and had not been vaccinated they would lose their pay and were going to be put on fatigues straight away; and whether he will make further inquiries with a view to preventing such occurrences in future?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative, and, in view of the full inquiries already made, I do not think any further action is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the announcement made by his Department on 31st July, 1939, that the question of vaccination and inoculation for members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service is entirely a personal matter and that there is no compulsion, he will inform the commandants of the Auxiliary Territorial Service that they cannot compel the women enrolled in that service to be vaccinated nor threaten with dismissal those who refuse?

All vaccination and inoculation carried out on members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service is on a voluntary basis, and specific instructions to that effect have already been issued to those concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that directly after the Budget announcement of the increased duty on tobacco the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes raised their prices for cigarettes although consisting of stock in hand; and whether he will investigate charges of this nature?

The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes sell articles, including tobacco and cigarettes, to the troops in this country at normal retail rates, and have to follow the same procedure as other retail traders in the matter referred to.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will arrange for the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes to post price lists of their many commodities, including cigarettes, tobacco, beer and similar articles greatly in use among soldiers, on the walls of every institute in which they are sold?

An abridged price list of the articles normally in demand in Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes is exhibited on the notice board provided in each room of the institute in which service is given, and, in addition, the articles displayed on the show stand bear price tickets.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether a decision has now been arrived at on the question of the granting of war substantive rank to all those officers who were offered, and accepted, such rank before taking up particular appointments?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer I gave to-day to the hon. Member for Aberdare (Mr. George Hall).

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Cruise visor for protection against preventable eye wounds has now been approved; and what steps he is taking to bring it into use in the Army?

A small number of these visors were sent to France for trial, but the reports received were inconclusive. It has been decided to make further trials with a larger number, and these are now in course of production.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the imminence in Norway of exceptional rains at this time of the year, any provision is being made for the issue of waterproofs to our Expeditionary Force; and what provision is being made to protect the troops against the large number of flies which abound in Norway during the early summer?

Troops in Norway are in possession of waterproof capes, and arrangements have been made for additional supplies to be sent out. Nets, gauntlets and veils for protection against mosquitos are in course of issue. Stocks of anti-mosquito cream and spraying liquid and various vermifuges have already been provided.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, owing to the failure of the officer in charge of the local establishment to bring to the notice of a member of his staff employed in the garrison engineer's office at Dover the contents of an Army Council instruction, containing an invitation to staffs to apply for consideration for Grade IV posts, that officer had no knowledge of the invitation, made no application at the appropriate time, and has since been informed that the application which he submitted as soon as the matter came to his notice cannot be considered; and whether, in view of the adverse consequences on the prospects of this officer as a result of circumstances outside his control, he will agree to consider this officer's application for a Grade IV clerkship?

I am aware of the circumstances described in the Question, and, while it is difficult to admit exceptional cases, I have arranged for this application to be reconsidered.

asked the President of the Board of Education what number of education authorities are now providing milk in schools at cheap rates or free; and what amount of milk was consumed in the months of January, February and March of this year?

Two hundred and eighty-eight local education authorities in England and Wales out of a total of 315 are providing free milk for necessitous under-nourished school children. Milk is provided on payment of the reduced price under the Milk in Schools Scheme in some or all of the schools in the areas of 311 local education authorities. According to returns furnished by the Milk Marketing Board, 1,416,667 gallons of milk were supplied under the Milk in Schools Scheme in January last, 1,675,000 gallons in February, and 1,250,000 gallons in March. The lower figure in March is due to the incidence of the Easter holidays.

asked the President of the Board of Education what number of education authorities in reception, neutral and evacuation areas, respectively, provide communal meals for school children; and what is the total number of children so fed?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to meals provided communally on payment by parents or householders, and not to the provision at feeding centres of meals for under-nourished children. As regards provision for the normal school population, the latest information available is for the year 1938–39, when arrangements for such communal meals were made in the areas of 112 local education authorities, including 63 reception areas, 22 neutral areas and 27 evacuation areas. According to information furnished to the Board, arrangements for the communal feeding of evacuated school children have been made in 53 reception areas, but it is probable that this figure is not complete, and that there are other areas where evacuated children are admitted to existing school canteens. It is not at present possible to give the total number of children receiving communal meals on payment.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether a decision has been reached as to the possibility of restarting the process of valuation under the Coal Act, 1938?

Yes, Sir. It is proposed to resume the process of valuation as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary for Mines the colliery districts normally supplying the counties south and south-west of London; and whether, at the present moment, coal supplies are still being drawn from these sources?

Most of the larger colliery districts, with the possible exception of those in the North Midlands and North-West, normally send coal to the South and South-Western Counties. Coal continues to be drawn from these sources, but not necessarily in the same proportion as before the war.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give the approximate number of vehicles that are being run on producer-gas, other gas, methane or other power, respectively, apart from coal, electric or diesel oil, in Germany, France, and Britain, respectively, during the years 1936, 1939 and 1940, respectively?

I regret that sufficient information is not available to present the comparative statement asked for by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether any decision has yet been come to regarding the provision of medical benefit to the dependants of men serving with the Forces?

Yes, Sir. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Garro Jones) on the 23rd April.

asked the Minister of Health why no deputation has been received from the Medical Practitioners' Union, who submitted a proposal to him, on 14th November, 1939, for medical benefit to be extended, on a non-contributory basis, to dependants of certain men serving in the Armed Forces and requested him then to receive a deputation for discussion of such an important scheme; and why no action has been taken to adopt this proposal which is supported by many insurance committees?

I did not consider that any useful purpose would be served by the discussion suggested. With regard to the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Garro Jones) on 23rd April.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the uncertainty which now exists amongst insurance practitioners by reason of the failure of the voluntary schemes for the protection of the medical practices of doctors who are whole-time on national work, including service with the Forces, and the amendment of the Allocation Scheme by some insurance committees under the Medical Benefit Amendment Regulations (No. 4) of 1939, as two methods are operative in some areas, namely, the voluntary scheme up to the commencement of the amendment of the Allocation Scheme, and thereafter the amended Allocation Scheme, and as, in the case of practices operating within several insurance committee areas, the voluntary scheme applies to certain patients and the amended Allocation Scheme with differing commencing dates in others; and whether he will consider a unified scheme?

I am aware that the protection of practices schemes applicable in neighbouring areas are not always uniform. The schemes are, however, promoted by mutual arrangement between the local representative bodies concerned, and I see no sufficient reason for the imposition by myself of a unified scheme.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the preparation of a scheme for a State medical service for all citizens to operate after the war; and whether, in this connection, he will consult the British Medical Association, the Medical Practitioners' Union, the Medical Women's Federation and the Medical Officers of Health Association, and appoint a departmental committee to inquire into the circumstances connected therewith?

I do not think that the present time is opportune for consideration as suggested.

asked the Minister of Health whether the members of the co-ordinating committee for the county of Kent receive any remuneration or expense allowance; and, if so, how much and by whom it is paid?

I am informed that the members of the co-ordinating committee for the county of Kent receive no remuneration or allowance for expenses.

asked the Minister of Health why a co-ordinating committee was appointed for the county of Kent, since no similar committee is deemed necessary elsewhere; and is he satisfied that this will not cause a waste of professional time?

I understand that the co-ordinating committee was formed because the several local medical war committees in Kent considered it desirable to have one fund for the whole county for the remuneration of doctors giving treatment to unaccompanied evacuated children. The matter is purely one of local arrangement between the doctors concerned, but I have no reason to suppose that the arrangement causes any waste of professional time.

asked the Minister of Health when the regulations under the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act are to be published; and whether he will consider the advisability of issuing a leaflet explaining in simple language the general effect of the Act and the regulations and the rights of pensioners there under?

I hope to lay these regulations before the House in the latter part of this month. As I have stated in reply to previous Questions, explanatory leaflets will be available to the public in good time before supplementary pensions begin to be payable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what encouragement his Department is giving to the sowing of linseed, which, owing to its oil content, is now of great value; and whether any research investigations have taken place as to whether the resultant straw from this flax plant could be utilised for paper-making?

Farmers have been informed that the ploughing-up grant of £2 per acre may be paid in respect of land ploughed and sown to linseed following a direction by the War Agricultural Executive Committee. My Department has recently issued a leaflet dealing with methods of cultivation and harvesting of this crop. The Minister of Food is prepared to purchase home-grown linseed this autumn at the price then ruling for imported linseed; the grower will be given the option of purchasing 10 cwt. of linseed cake for each ton of linseed which he delivers. I understand that the utilisation of the straw of the flax plant for the making of paper and other industrial materials has been the subject of much investigation, but that no process of treatment has yet reached the commercial stage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the total acreage under sugar-beet planted for the 1939–40 harvest, and what acreage was harvested?

The agricultural returns for June, 1939, showed a total of 342,751 acres as having been planted to sugar-beet. I am informed that the British Sugar Corporation estimate that the area of land which produced the 1939–40sugar-beet harvest was approximately 340,000 acres.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his recent estimate that the decrease in the poultry population since the outbreak of war has been infinitesimal was based on a census limited to certain classes of breeders of poultry, and not including the commercial egg-producer?

The return to which my hon. Friend refers was obtained from persons occupying one acre or more of agricultural land and related to the position on 4th March. It therefore covered all classes of poultry farmers. No census was taken for the corresponding date in 1939, but the information in my possession leads me to believe that the present poultry population is not substantially below normal.

asked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government have pronounced in favour of allowing the Austrian people to decide their own political future for themselves when the war ends; and whether complete impartiality is shown towards Socialists, Monarchists and all groups of refugees who are co-operating with us in the Allied war effort?

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister in a broadcast address of 25th November, in which he said that we sought to establish a Europe in which each country should have the unfettered right to choose its own internal form of Government. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative.

asked the Home Secretary what is now the estimated annual cost of feeding, clothing and housing an inmate at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, one of His Majesty's prisons and a Borstal institution, respectively, as compared with the annual rates of cost in August last?

It is not possible to estimate annual rates of cost for different parts of the financial year. The most recent available figures are for the year ended 31st March, 1939, and are as follow:—

—	Maintenance, i.e. Victualling, Clothing, Medicines, Fuel, etc.			Full Cost, Including Staff and Overhead Charges, etc.
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Local Prison	23	9	6	124	2	2
Borstal Institution	32	13	6	153	5	0
Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum.	25	10	0	138	19	2

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware of the distress among Post Office pensioners owing to the rise in the cost of living; and whether it is proposed to make some allowance to meet the increased costs to the poorest classes of pensioners?

As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for North Camberwell (Mr. Ammon) on 7th November last, His Majesty's Government are not prepared to take such action, which would require legislation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the inconveniences attending the use of the hexagonal shaped three penny pieces, especially for conductors of omnibuses during the black-out; and whether he will consider not making a further issue of such three penny pieces?

I have received no such complaints of inconvenience from the use of the twelve-sided three penny piece. My information is that the use of this coin has been found an advantage to the conductors during black-out hours because it can easily be identified by touch, and I see no reason to stop its issue.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give details of the amounts and percentages of direct and indirect taxation, respectively, in each financial year from 1930–31?

Following are the figures:

—	Direct.		Indirect.
	£000.	Percentage.	£000.	Percentage.
1930–31	462,991	65·77	240,918	34·23
1931–32	482,915	65·88	250,073	34·12
1932–33	442,268	61·00	282,702	39·00
1933–34	427,522	60·29	281,534	39·71
1934–35	424,182	59·82	284,970	40·18
1935–36	440,451	59·57	298,932	40·43
1936–37	466,791	59·71	314,931	40·29
1937–38	511,839	60·78	330,309	39·22
1938–39	561,738	62·63	335,209	37·37
1939–40*	622,293‡	61·19	394,762	38·81
1940–41†	740,770§	61·64	460,930	38·36
* Exchequer receipts.
† Budget estimate.
‡ Including National Defence Contribution and Excess Profits Tax £26,980,000.
§ Including National Defence Contribution and Excess Profits Tax £70,000,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is prepared to relax the tax on cigarettes in the case of soldiers serving at home to the extent of 100 cigarettes per week at duty-free prices?

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made on 1st May in the Debate on the Tobacco Duties. The limitation which he proposes would not effectively meet the objections which have been pointed out.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can now give the public detailed guidance as to what are overseas non-essentials the purchase of which should be avoided?

By far the greater part of the imports into this country are regulated either by the operations of the different controllers or by the system of import licensing. The whole of this machineryis kept under continuous scrutiny, and it is adapted and extended from time to time in such a way as to restrict more and more the volume of non-essential imports. The effective working of this machinery can be greatly facilitated if the public abstains, so far as possible, from the purchase of imported goods; but, as I have indicated on previous occasions, for example, in broadcasting upon the Budget, I do not think it is practicable to give specific guidance to the public as to particular commodities the purchase of which should or should not be avoided.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that in broadcasts, intended to promote saving, the public has been asked to cut down its buying of things the Government need; and whether he is in a position to state what those things are?

Economy in the buying of things the Government need is only a part of the essential requirement that the citizen should avoid non-essential expenditure in every direction as much as he can.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consult with the Glasgow Corporation Education Committee with a view to the opening of East bank Academy at Shettleston for the education of junior pupils under seven years of age; and whether he can state the number of pupils affected, and date of closing down of these classes?

I am informed that, as the necessary air-raid shelters are now being constructed, the primary department of Eastbank secondary school, which was closed on the outbreak of war, will be re-opened at a very early date. The number of children under seven years of age is about 230.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking or proposes to take to improve our postal communications with Finland as no Allied newspapers are on sale in Finland?

The postal service to Finland is at present suspended owing to the closing of the normal route, but I am taking all possible steps to provide a service by an alternative route.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) how many of the male adult full-time temporary manipulative employés of the Post Office are paid less than 40s. a week, between 40s. and 50s., between 50s. and 60s., and over 60s.;

(2) how many of the female adult full-time temporary manipulative employés of the Post Office are paid less than 40s. a week, between 40s. and 50s., between 50s. and 60s., and over 60s.?

—				Male.		Female.
				Full-time.	Part-time.	Full-time.	Part-time.
31st March, 1939	…	…	…	3,200	2,500	2,300	700
31st December, 1939		…	…	13,300	2,800	3,900	1,000
31st March, 1940	…	…	…	15,500	4,000	5,200	1,100

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the paper shortage, he will experiment with the issue of a supplement to the telephone directory, showing periodical changes, in place of the large volume now issued every six months?

The whole question of economising in the use of paper for telephone directories has been fully examined, and it has been decided to extend to a year the period for which the directories are current. I think this arrangement is preferable to the issue of periodical supplements. The issue of the directories yearly, instead of half-yearly as at present, will produce an annual saving of some 6,000 tons of paper, and as another step towards economy we have

The numbers of male and female adult full-time temporary manipulative employés who are paid within the specified wage ranges are approximately as follow:

Wage range.	Men.	Women.
Under 40s. a week	—	25
40s. and under 50s.	2,600	2,900
50s. and under 60s.	12,600	150
60s. and over	250	—

asked the Postmaster-General what were the numbers of Post Office temporary manipulative employés, full-time and part-time, male and female, at the outbreak of war; and the numbers at 31st December, 1939, and 31st March, 1940?

The numbers of Post Office temporary manipulative employés, full-time and part-time, male and female, on 31st March, 1939, the latest pre-war figures available, and the numbers on 31st December, 1939, and 31st March, 1940, were as follow:asked subscribers who receive more than one copy to reduce their requirements as much as possible. We also have other steps of a similar nature under consideration.

asked the Minister of Pensions what action he has been able to take to deal with claims by sufferers eligible for compensation in respect of injuries received from the recent tragic incident at Clacton-on-Sea?

An officer of the Ministry was despatched to Clacton early on the morning after this incident, when he took immediate steps to visit hospitals and otherwise to get in touch with the injured persons. Necessary treatment was found to have been provided with great promptness. My representative made immediate arrangements for the opening of a local sub-office, and with the help of the Assistance Board's local officer took steps to make known, by means of posters at Post Offices and other places, the arrangements for the grant of injury allowances and pensions. It is too early yet to give particulars of the claims that may arise, but an officer of the Ministry will be available to ensure that any necessary advice is provided.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he can give an assurance that pensions and allowances to dependants of officers and men who die as prisoners of war will not be withheld or suspended because the medical advisers are physically unable to certify the cause of death; and that the term "service in this war" includes moral and physical privations necessarily attendant upon captivity in alien hands?

I do not anticipate that difficulty will be experienced in reaching decisions on the information we may expect to receive as to the circumstances of a war prisoner's death. As regards the second point, the effects of hardships and privations experienced as a prisoner of war are always taken into account.

asked the Minister of Supply whether, in view of the shortage of newsprint paper, he will consider the advantage of restricting the use of, or the size of, newspaper contents posters?

Yes, Sir. I understand that a considerable degree of restriction is already being made by voluntary arrangement.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will cause a note to be made of those instances where the removal of iron railings and their use in the national cause is likely to be hindered by reason of procedural delays in obtaining legal permission from ecclesiastical, civil and other authorities; and, if an appreciable number of such instances are likely to occur, will he anticipate the position by taking steps to provide means of obtaining the requisite permission with the minimum of delay and legal proceedings?

Note is already being taken of those cases where legal difficulties tend to interfere with or delay the collection of material useful as scrap. The answer to the second part of the Question is that the matter is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will take the opportunity of removing and putting to national use the large quantity of iron railings in public places, such as those in Parliament Square and in many provincial towns, in order that the demand for imported iron ore may be reduced to a minimum?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Parker) on 18th March. I understand that the question of the railings in Parliament Square is being considered by my Noble Friend the First Commissioner of Works.

asked the Minister of Supply the number of persons who have been recruited to his staff from the Central Register since the outbreak of war; and what percentage this is of persons recruited in those grades?

pursuant to his reply (Official Report, 20th March, 1940; col. 1979, Vol. 358) supplied the following information:The number of persons recruited to the staff of the Ministry of Supply from the Central Register (other than staffs in the various Raw Materials Controls) over the period 3rd September to 19th March was 493, being 61 per cent. of the total recruitment in the corresponding grades.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that men over 55 years of age are debarred from employment at Government ordnance factories; and will he take steps to secure that men over that age will be able to be considered for employment at such establishments?

No, Sir. The instructions at present in force regarding the engagement of workmen at Royal Ordnance Factories and other Ministry of Supply establishments provide that the governing consideration is industrial suitability. Men who are of the necessary standard of health and who are qualified by experience, ability, etc., for the work required are, therefore, eligible, irrespective of their age.

asked the Minister of Supply what orders for finished steel sheets were recently placed in America; and, as these could have been produced in this country, why this was not done?

It would not be in the public interest to give the information for which the hon. Member asks, but he may rest assured that all imports of finished steel are strictly controlled and are only allowed when it is necessary in the national interest to supplement home production.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent, in his endeavours to find work for those on the unemployment register, he has encountered difficulties in suggesting the transference of such labour to places where work is available?

The policy of the Government in planning the production necessary for the war effort is, so far as strategic and technical considerations permit, to place the work in areas where there is available labour, thus reducing to the minimum the need for transfer of labour. When transference is necessary to meet shortages of labour, difficulties are sometimes experienced of which the chief is finding accommodation, but machinery has been set up to co-ordinate the efforts of Government Departments to overcome difficulties of housing.

asked the Minister of Labour and National Service how many disabled ex-service men are at present registering as unemployed; and what was the number at the last convenient date before the outbreak of war.

pursuant to his reply (Official Report, 11th April, 1940; cols. 688–9, Vol. 359) supplied the following statement:The number of disabled ex-service men registered as unemployed on 8th April, 1940, was 22,883.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in the cases of conscientious objectors who are permitted to remain in their present positions, he will suggest to the tribunals that they should at least give them some other occupation which has relation to the sacrifices which are made by men in the Fighting Forces?

The duty of specifying the civilian work which certain conscientious objectors must undertake as the condition of their registration is placed by the Act not upon me but upon the tribunals. In deciding what work to specify the tribunals have regard to the national interest, and I have no doubt that at the same time they keep in mind the sacrifices made by men called up for service in the Armed Forces.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the proceedings of a certain conscientious objectors' tribunal, of which he has been informed, during which 71 objectors, many describing themselves as students, were heard, of whom two were granted total exemption and four were listed for military duties, the majority being registered in Class B, enabling them to evade their national duties and obtain lucrative work; and whether he will consider bringing in amending legislation immediately to allocate, without exception, all physically fit men who plead conscientious objection to military units in order that they may obtain the benefits of military discipline and be given the non-combatant duties appertaining to their units, in view of the fact that the exploitation of the existing law is the cause of much discontent and ridicule?

My right hon. Friend has seen a Press report of the proceedings of this tribunal on 18th and 19th April, and it is understood that the great majority of the men were registered as conscientious objectors on condition that they undertook work in agriculture or forestry. The National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939, makes provision for tribunals to order that a man shall be conditionally registered as a conscientious objector, the condition being that he must undertake specified work of a civil character and under civilian control, and this provision is intended to meet the cases of men who have a genuine conscientious objection to performing non-combatant duties in the armed Forces. My right hon. Friend is keeping under close review the manner in which the provisions relating to conscientious objectors operate but does not think the results of one or two days' hearings of one tribunal point to any urgent need for amending legislation which would require all conscientious objectors to be posted to military units for non-combatant duties as suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Information what steps he is taking to counteract the German propaganda alleging that one of the reasons why the English troops were unsuccessful in the recent fighting in Norway was that many of the troops were poisoned by the tinned food sent over?

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War has assured the House that there is no ground for this allegation. Arrangements have been made to issue this answer to the Press, and the B.B.C. has agreed to broadcast it in the news to-night.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to give an improved service between London and Leeds; and, particularly, to arrange for a day train from London reaching Leeds before 1 p.m.?

I regret that, owing to the heavy occupation of the lines by coal trains and important war traffic, it is not at present practicable to improve the service to Leeds. The Railway Executive Committee have the situation continually under review, and my hon. Friend's desire will be borne in mind when circumstances permit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why, instead of continuing the special preference to the sugar-producing Colonies on the same allocation as before between them, he has not accepted the recommendations of the West India Royal Commission in favour of a more equitable basis of distribution?

As I explained in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 1st May, His Majesty's Government have reached the conclusion that the recommendations of the Commission on the system of certificated preference are not suitable for adoption during the war. Equally they would not regard it as practicable to select certain of those recommendations as regards sugar, for immediate adoption without the rest. Under the conditions for Government purchase of Colonial sugar now operating the producers in the individual West Indian Colonies are getting higher aggregate returns than they would have done had the Royal Commission's recommendations been applied to the prices prevailing before the war.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Ceylon Government have placed an embargo on the importation into Ceylon of metal toys, while the importation of toys other than metal is unrestricted; that this discrimination against metal toys is seriously affecting the manufacturers of British metal toys; and whether he will consult with the Ceylon Government with a view to placing metal toys in the same category as toys made of other materials?

Representations have been made to me on this matter, and I am at present awaiting a report from Ceylon.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will consider the advisability of setting up a small interdepartmental committee to draft legislation to modify existing Acts of Parliament and regulations there under with a view to reducing to a minimum, as a measure of economy, the circulation by post and the printing in newspapers of lengthy documents now required by law and requiring and authorising learned, charitable, and technical societies and institutions to suspend such of their rules and articles of association as involve the distribution by post of printed documents otherwise than at the request of members or subscribers?

The practical effect of the suggestions made by the hon. Member do not appear to warrant the expenditure of time and labour by a committee, but if the hon. Member has any proposals to put forward, I shall always be pleased to give them careful consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has considered the resolution of the Greenock Vigilance Committee protesting against the rise in food prices, a copy of which has been transmitted to him by the hon. Member for Greenock; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

Yes, Sir. I am communicating with the hon. and learned Member on the matter.