asked the Secretary of State for Air how many prisoners there are in enemy hands of the Royal Air Force?

The total number of Royal Air Force personnel so far reported as being prisoners of war is 3,162, of whom 895 are officers and 2,267 airmen.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he has any information as to how many units of the Royal Air Force with their personnel escaped from Singapore; how many on arriving in Java had to be left behind wounded; whether any medical officers attached to the Royal Air Force were left behind in any parts of Java, either wounded or to attend to wounded Royal Air Force; and whether any information has so far been received from the Japanese Government, either through the International Red Cross or otherwise, as to the members of the Royal Air Force in Java, either as wounded or prisoners?

It is not possible to say, from the information available, how many complete units succeeded in getting away. It is known that very considerable bodies of R.A.F. personnel who escaped from Singapore and Java are now safe in other countries but that a large party, which included some medical officers, were still in Java at the time of its fall. The answer to the last part of the Question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether this year the wages earned by evacuees in agricultural work will be paid to the boys and girls or to the local authorities where they are billeted?

The wages earned by children engaged on agricultural work are payable to the children themselves, unless other arrangements have been made on their behalf for the disposal of the wages by their parents or guardians. Any such arrangements, to be valid, must be to the benefit of the children.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can now state the progress made with the scheme for establishing county garden produce committees and village produce associations?

County garden produce committees have now been set up in practically all counties in England and Wales and considerable progress has been made in establishing village produce associations. The primary object of the scheme is to encourage well-planned domestic food production in rural areas so that so far as possible rural communities may be self-supporting in food-stuffs and commercial supplies are reserved for the larger centres of population. The organisation of these domestic producers into local associations is an important part of the scheme, and I am glad to say that in some counties more than 50 village produce associations have been established in localities where no comparable organisation previously existed. These results have been achieved very largely through the praiseworthy efforts of voluntary workers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will modify the regulations in circular F.I.C. 1248, issued by his Department, to permit the provision of communal meals and refreshments for workers attending entertainments at places of recreation during their stay-at-home holidays and thus relieve hard-worked housewives from some part of their domestic duties during the holiday period?

My Noble Friend regrets that he will not be able to provide additional food supplies for holiday-at-home weeks but catering estabhshments, includ- ing works canteens and British Restaurants, will be able to draw their usual allowances and it is hoped that local authorities who are engaged in making arrangements for those holiday weeks, will be able to arrange with caterers for the provision of tea and light refreshments in public parks and other suitable places.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether there has been any reduction in the consumption of bread since the change-over from white to national whole-meal flour; and, if so, what is the percentage?

There has been a slight decline in deliveries of flour since the introduction of national wheatmeal, but statistics of bread production are not yet complete. It is, therefore, as yet too soon to say whether the decline in flour deliveries has been due to a fall in bread consumption or to other contributory factors. More complete statistics will be available in July, but on the evidence at present available I am unable to say whether any change has occurred recently in the trend of bread consumption.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the fact that confectionery and chocolate are about to come under the points scheme of rationing, he will take steps to limit the supplies to bona fide confectioners whose living almost entirely depends on the sale of these goods and that supplies should not be made available to those who have not sold these goods prior to the outbreak of the war?

While I am not yet clear what my hon. Friend has in mind, chocolate and confectionery sales will be permitted only by retailers holding retail confectionery licences, and licences will not normally be granted to those not already holding them. Supplies have for a long time been distributed by the industry, broadly, on the basis of pre-war purchases, adjusted for movements of population. Under the Sugar Confectionery and Chocolate and Chocolate Confectionery (Special Reserve Stocks) Order, 1942, supplies are required to be delivered to distributors until the commencement of rationing in proportion to deliveries since 1st January, 1942; and it is contemplated that this will be continued for a further introductory period.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can confirm that no changes will be made from existing leaseholds into freeholds of European agricultural and township land in Kenya?

A copy of the report of the Kenya Land Tenure Committee, to which I assume my hon. Friend refers, has been received in the Colonial Office, but the Governor has not yet forwarded to my Noble Friend his recommendations on the proposals made in the report. Inquiries on the matter are being made.

asked the Home Secretary whether, now that the imminence of invasion appears somewhat to have abated, he will consider amending Defence Regulations in such a manner that those detained under them may in future have their appeals heard by a judicial tribunal?

If my hon. Friend's suggestion is that there should be an appeal to a court of law, it is not one which I could accept. The object of Defence Regulation 18B is to enable the Minister responsible for national security to detain in time of war certain limited classes of persons as a preventive measure and not because they have committed any specific criminal offence. The question whether detention under the Regulation is necessary on grounds of national security is not one which is appropriate for investigation by a court of law; and the objections to such a proposal are not affected by the imminence or otherwise of invasion.

asked the Home Secretary whether in connection with the recent amendment of the Business Premises Order substituting a new proviso for the last sentence of sub-paragraph (d) of paragraph (2) of Article 5, with respect to subsistence allowances for fire-watching, he will take steps to prevent local authorities ruling that numerous buildings or shops in several blocks, some separated by a street, are to be classed as one large building; and is he aware that in one district in London 54 shops or business premises have been classed as one large building so that reimbursement cannot then be claimed for the different managers resident above any one shop; thus depriving many fire-watchers of remuneration for compulsory duty outside normal hours of work?

I would refer to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Tottenham (Mr. Messer) on nth June. Where joint arrangements are made for a group of adjoining or neighbouring business premises, all those premises are treated as one for the purposes of the Business Premises Order. No person is entitled to remuneration for compulsory performance of fire prevention duties under that Order.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Strood Rural District Council completed a programme of air-raid shelters nearly 12 months ago but are still without the necessary bunks in spite of applications in writing made to the regional officers of the Ministry on six occasions from 14th March, 1941, to 30th April, 1942; and, as many householders in the belief that bunks would be available did not apply for Morrison or Anderson type shelters, will he ensure the supply of the necessary bunks without delay?

I have made inquiries and am informed that the Strood Rural District Council were supplied with a number of public shelter bunks last summer. In December last they were asked to specify their further requirements of these bunks and it appeared from their reply that they needed only nine more. In April of this year, however, the council wrote to the Regional Commissioner's office for further supplies, but by this date the shortage of materials and labour had made it necessary to give priority to areas regarded as of greater vulnerability, and the council were informed that their application could not be considered until those for these other areas had been dealt with. I am still in communication with the Regional Commissioner's office in the matter, and will let my hon. Friend know the result in due course.

asked the Home Secretary how many aliens have been granted naturalisation papers since September, 1939?

4,434 certificates of naturalisation were granted between 1st September, 1939, and 31st May, 1942, including 2,864 readmissions of women to British nationality who had lost it by being married to aliens. Of the remaining 1,570, 1,251 were granted before 1st July, 1940.

asked the Home Secretary the average daily population in civil prisons. Borstal institutions and Home Office schools, respectively, on the last available date with comparative figures for the three previous years?

The daily average population of Borstal Institutions in England and Wales was, in 1939, 1,777 males and 111 females; in 1940, 1,044 males and 95 females; and in 1941, 1,212 males and 160 females. The actual population on the 2nd June, 1942, was 1,514 males and 228 females. The daily average population of civil prisons in England and Wales was, in 1939, 7,885 males and 553 females; in 1940, 7,399 males and 839 females; and in 1941, 8,455 males and 810 females. The actual population on the 2nd June, 1942, was 9,742 males and 884 females. The figures for the year 1939 are effected by the releases on the outbreak of war and those for the year 1940 and subsequent years by the increase in the rate of remission granted to prisoners for good conduct. The actual number of boys and girls in approved schools at the end of May in the years in question was, in 1939, 7,422 boys and 1,534 girls; in 1940, 7,583 boys and 1,520 girls; in 1941, 7,739 boys and 1,599 girls; and in 1942, 8,335 boys and 1,709 girls.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total present annual cost of the war supplementations to wages and salaries to all civil servants, including the postal and police services?

The police services are not part of the Civil Service. They are paid by the police authorities. As regards non-industrial civil servants, the existing bonus scheme provides for 10s. a week for adult men and 7s. 6d. for women on salaries up to £250 per annum; 5s. 0d. for men and 4s. 0d. for women on salaries between £250 and £500; and for juveniles 3s. 0d. for those under age 18 and 5s. 0d. for those of 18 and over but under 21. No statistics are now available as to the distribution of civil servants according to age and salary groups, and I regret therefore that the total figure for which the hon. Member asks cannot be supplied.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what are the grades of the no male publicity officers over the reservation age for their grade; and what are the ages of reservation for these grades?

The grades in which these men are employed are administrative, executive, or professional and technical grades, with a reservation age of 30; and clerical grades with a reservation age of 35.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is the policy of the Government to differentiate, as far as reservation is concerned, between journalists employed in Government offices and those doing similar important work in the newspaper industry?

No, Sir. Reservation in the Civil Service, as in industry generally, depends upon a man's present, not his former, occupation. Accordingly, former journalists now in the Civil Service are reserved at the age appropriate to the grade in which they are employed; this age being determined, as my hon: Friend is aware, on the advice of the Kennet Committee.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there has been no improvement in the shortage of wireless valves, chiefly rectifier valves, which is holding up the repair of thousands of wireless sets often for many months; and whether immediate steps will be taken to deal with this matter in view of the undesirability of large numbers of the public being cut off from wireless announcements?

I am well aware of the importance of securing an increase in the supply of wireless valves for civilian use. Short of interfering with the needs of the Services, everything possible is being done to release valves of British manufacture and to obtain supplies from the United States.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the allowance of extra clothing coupons for protective clothing for workers employed in the grocery trade, in view of the great wear and tear of outer clothing in this occupation?

I shall give full consideration to any claims which may be put to me by trade unions representing these workers through the Trades Union Congress in respect of the present rationing period.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will order all clothing coupons to be cancelled by retailers in a manner similar to the cancellation of insurance stamps in order to ensure that clothing coupons can be used once only for a retail purchase?

No. Sir. An Order in the sense suggested would impose an additional burden on retailers and would be difficult to enforce. The obligation on the retailer to surrender clothing coupons in return for further supplies of rationed goods is an effective safeguard against the re-use of coupons for retail purchases. It would be against the retailer's real interest to allow coupons to be used twice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the control of cheap pottery prices will also affect glassware?

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will investigate and report why a letter written by Mr. White, of Blyth, Greene, Jourdain and Company, Plantation House, Fenchurch Street, E.C.3, on 7th April, to the War Damage Commission, was not acknowledged until 20th April; and why, although forms were filled up immediately after that, nothing more has been heard by Mr. White, although he is being pressed for payments by his building society meanwhile?

I have asked the War Damage Commission to make inquiries into this case, and as soon as I hear the result I will write to my hon. and gallant Friend on the subject.

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been drawn to the recent decision of the Court of Appeal limiting the meaning of the word "money"; and whether he will introduce legislation giving the word its connotation in common usage?

My attention has been drawn to the case to which I think my hon. and gallant Friend is referring. I understand that leave to appeal to the House of Lords has been granted and I am not, therefore, in a position to answer the second part of the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that owing to the practice of usually giving several days' notice of proposed visits of general officers to military stations a great deal of time is taken up at the stations concerned in special preparations for such visits and, in addition, the general officers are unable to see the stations in their normal state; and whether he will direct that such visits shall normally be made without warning?

I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Tamworth (Sir J. Mellor) on 24th March.

asked the Secretary of State for War why troops stationed in Northern Ireland who have not had periods of 48 hours' leave are not allowed the additional two days granted to troops in other parts of the United Kingdom when taking their normal period of seven days' leave; and why troops who take their leave in Northern Ireland should not be treated in a similar manner to those in Great Britain?

To make full use of shipping it is essential to ensure an even flow of men coming from and returning to Northern Ireland, which would not be possible if some men were away for a longer time than others. Troops stationed in Northern Ireland who take their leave in Great Britain and troops stationed in Great Britain who take their leave in Northern Ireland are given a longer period of privilege leave than troops in Great Britain who take their leave in Great Britain and troops stationed in Northern Ireland who take their leave in Northern Ireland. The leave rules for the last two classes are the same.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of missing soldiers who took part in the retreat from Dunkirk and who have not yet been traced?

I do not think it desirable to publish this information.

asked the Secretary of State for War from how many designs the present design for the Auxiliary Territorial Service uniform was originally chosen; whether the advice of recognised dress or uniform designers was sought on the matter; and will he consider whether a more suitable and becoming uniform can be designed for future use and for replacement purposes when existing stocks have been exhausted?

The present uniform of the Auxiliary Territorial Service has been arrived at by successive modifications made in the light of experience and expert advice. The latest of these modifications were embodied for the Department in a sample design by a tailor of Savile Row. I am not at present contemplating any further alteration.

asked the Postmaster-General what facilities are being given to our Armed Forces recently operating in Burma, to communicate with their friends and relatives in Britain?

I have been asked to reply. Owing to the breakdown in the Burma postal services and the impossibility of buying stamps, the Commander-in-Chief, India, arranged for each man of the troops engaged in Burma to be allowed one free air mail letter a week, and free postage for all surface mail. Since they have left Burma he has allowed them to keep these privileges temporarily.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether there is any ban in the Army Regulations which prevents a soldier exercising his citizen's rights of writing to the Press on other than Army matters?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are made to enable officers and men in the Army stationed in England to record their votes at by-elections?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department to my hon. Friend the Member for Denbigh (Sir H. Morris-Jones) on 14th October, 1941, and my hon. Friend the Member for Wood Green (Mr. Baxter) on 10th June, 1942, of which I am sending him copies.

asked the Secretary of State for Burma how many British subjects have now been evacuated to India and elsewhere; and what steps have been taken to provide them with financial and other aid?

The great majority of evacuees from Burma have gone to India in the first instance. The total number of arrivals in India is not yet known exactly, but it is estimated that up to the end of May possibly 400,000, of whom the vast majority were Indians, had come through by sea or air or overland. This means that in spite of the enormous difficulties in the way of evacuation after the sea routes were closed, a large proportion of those wishing to leave Burma have been safely evacuated. Evacuation is continuing by the land routes, which so far have been used by some 125,000 persons. The numbers reaching India by road have now dropped, but though estimates are very difficult it is believed that there are considerable numbers still trying to make their way on the main route to India by the Chindwin Valley and also on the more difficult routes further north. The authorities in India are taking comprehensive and vigorous steps to the utmost in their power to assist those still on the way; but the problem has become an increasingly difficult one owing to the deterioration in the state of the tracks and the flooding of rivers with the breaking of the monsoon (the weight of which is, of course, most severe on the hills of the Assam-Burma border). This further slows down the pace of the less physically fit and produces the result that among those who have not yet got out the proportion of elderly people, women and children is high. I fear that grave dangers and hardships will inevitably be faced by those who are still en route.With regard to the second part of the Question, the principal measures being taken to help evacuees are as follow:Rescue parties are being sent into Burma and tribesmen and villagers have been promised rewards for acting as guides and picking up stragglers. Food and medical and other supplies, including clothing, have been dropped by aircraft at suitable places on the routes and also dumped at reception points. Numerous camps capable of accommodating from 1,000 to 5,000 have been established, all fully stocked with food and water; each has a commandant and one or two doctors and medical supplies. On reaching a motorable road the refugees are taken by motor transport to the nearest railhead. All facilities provided from the Indian border to railhead are free of charge, and at railhead those who have no funds are provided with free railway fare to their destination. A subsistence allowance is also paid in cases of need.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether an opportunity will be given to domestic consumers of coal to change from their present suppliers?

Under the Fuel and Lighting Registration and Distribution Order, 1942, which will become operative on 1st July, the unconditional right which the domestic consumer of coal now has to change his supplier on 1st July of any year, will be withdrawn as it is inconsistent with other provisions of the Order designed to secure economical distribution. The consumer, however, retains his opportunity to apply to the local fuel overseer at any time for a change to be effected. The local fuel overseer will have discretion to grant such applications if he is satisfied that the change will not involve uneconomical deliveries and that the consumer's reason for asking for the change is a good one.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that there is great wastage of fuel in many factories, and that by stricter supervision and more modern methods of operating plant considerable economies could be effected; and whether he will issue directions to local inspectors to this end?

Yes, Sir. I recognise that, despite the increases in fuel efficiency in recent years, there is still scope for improvement in the use of fuel in many factories. I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement in paragraph 23 of the recent White Paper on Coal, that the Government are satisfied that substantial economies can be obtained through improved methods of fuel consumption, and that a committee of experts has, for some months, been discussing with the different industrial organisations how improvements can be made. They have at their disposal a staff of expert combustion engineers to advise factories how to reduce their fuel consumption, and this staff is being steadily strengthened.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Trans- port whether, in view of the serious effect and hardship upon many activities of national importance, such as those of doctors, by reason of the contemplated curtailment of supplies of petrol, consideration has been given to alternative motor fuels, in particular, the methane system; and whether he has considered granting special facilities to doctors and others whose work is of national importance?

Very full consideration has been and is being given to the possibilities of utilising alternative fuels in road vehicles. The recently announced Government scheme for the development of producer gas is one of the methods to be adopted for reducing the consumption of imported liquid fuel, and other alternatives, including the use of coal gas, methane and electricity are being examined. It should, however, be borne in mind that these alternative fuels, or the sources from which they are derived, are all in short supply. The amount of methane which can readily be made available for use is small and there are difficulties in regard to distribution. My hon. Friend the Secretary for Petroleum will give full consideration to the needs of doctors and others engaged on essential work.

asked the Minister of Health, what steps are in contemplation with regard to the more intensive efforts to be made, on his direction, by the Central Medical War Committee for calling up more doctors for the service in the Armed Forces, thereby depleting still further the civilian medical services; is he in consultation with the Central Medical War Committee and the National Association of Insurance Committees for the purpose of eliminating overlapping of the work of general practitioners; and will he undertake to give any conclusions arrived at to the House before putting these into action?

In order to meet the essential requirements of the Services during the next few months, steps have already been taken by the Central Medical War Committee, as set out in circulars which the Committee has issued to local medical war committees and hospital authorities, to call for additional quotas from general practitioners and to limit the period for which recently qualified practitioners will hold hospital appointments. I am anxious that these steps shall cause the least possible detriment to the civilian medical services and as one of the means of safeguarding these services, measures for avoiding the overlapping of practices have been discussed by my officers with the bodies named in the second part of the Question. As a result the Central Medical War Committee has sent to local medical war committees a model scheme for urgent consideration and amendment in the light of the circumstances of each area. These committees have been asked to enter into full consultation with the insurance committees, with whom I am also communicating on the same matter.

asked the Minister of Health what steps have been taken to coordinate the activities of those arranging billets for the Services and for Government Departments in order to avoid continuous inspection being made of the same premises by the agents of different Departments?

Liaison arrangements are in operation centrally, regionally and locally in regard to billeting. I am arranging for the position to be reviewed in districts where special billeting problems exist or are anticipated, and I am suggesting the establishment by the local authorities of these districts of local advisory committees of representatives of the authorities and bodies mainly concerned, so that difficulties may be foreseen and prevented. I am suggesting to these local authorities, after consultation with the Women's Voluntary Services, that there would be an advantage in an arrangement by which visits to premises to ascertain their suitability for billeting should be undertaken by members of that organisation, a limited number of houses being allocated to each voluntary worker. I hope that such an arrangement will mitigate the inconvenience to householders to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers.

asked the Minister of Health, how many cases of diphtheria and deaths from that disease were notified or registered in Lambeth in 1938, 1939, 1940 and 1941; and whether any of the cases or deaths were amongst immunised children?

The number of cases of diphtheria and deaths from that disease notified and registered in Lambeth in 1938, 1939, 1940 and 1941 is as follows:—

		Cases.	Deaths.
1938	…	609	12
1939	…	235	3
1940	…	124	7
1941	(provisional)	122	3

The information asked for by my hon. Friend in the second part of the Question is not readily available, and to obtain all the particulars referred to would mean imposing a laborious task on the local authority concerned. I do not feel justified in thus adding to the heavy strain under which local authorities and their medical officers of health are working at the present time.