asked the Secretary of State for War the mean average charge for an American tin containing about half-a pint of beer to the troops in the Middle East; how this price compares with the price at which it is landed; and who pays for the cost of unloading it?

I have no information about the price of beer in the Middle East other than in N.A.A.F.I. canteens. American beer was at one time sold by them at 1s. 8d. a pint. The beer was bought through local agents who no doubt included the cost of unloading in their price. It is not known what was the price of the beer when it was landed. American beer has not been sold by N.A.A.F.I. for some time. All the beer now sold by them is brewed locally and is sold on the average for 8d. a pint.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that the Egyptians are making between 200 and 300 per cent. profit on this beer sold to the troops, and cannot he persuade the Egyptian Government to ask Egyptians to be content with a more reasonable profit like 100 per cent.?

The Egyptian Government is a sovereign Government.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Lieut.- Colonel Parkinson ordered to be distributed, on 24th February, 1943, to units under his command over 200 copies of a piece of verse entitled "Less Nonsense," which is offensive to the Soviet Union and calculated to injure our friendship towards that country; that these copies were to be distributed on the scale of three copies for every unit down to batteries and companies, one copy for the officers' mess, one for the sergeants' mess and one where it could be seen by the men; and whether he will take immediate steps to put a stop to this political activity and arrange that lectures on the Soviet Union be given to the units involved to counteract the effects of this propaganda?

I am making inquiries into this matter. On the facts as stated, I do not think the action of the Divisional Commander was at all suitable. The troops in the area in question are already getting lectures on Soviet Russia from both military and non-military sources besides a good deal of other material on the subject, and I doubt if any special steps are necessary.

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to raise an objection to the terms of this Question. I did not want to interfere with the putting of it. The hon. and learned Member for North Hammersmith (Mr. Pritt), having put this Question down, gave an interview to the Press in which he stated that I was the author of the verses named in this Question. I have no opportunity of knowing whether that is so, because he did not think fit to show me a copy of the verses and ask me to check them and say whether they were mine or not. I must, however, take his word for it, and, therefore, I must take exception to the description of the verses in the Question, to which he has committed himself as a statement of fact, which I say is false, foolish and offensive.

The hon. and learned Member who put the Question down was quite entitled to put it down in any terms he liked. He is responsible for it. It is not for me to deal with that matter.

Is it not true that this poem contains nothing offensive to Soviet Russia, and is it not British patriotism from a British point of view?

I have been careful to express no opinion on the merits of the verses.

Can they be circulated as a White Paper?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these verses whatever their merits, were not directed against Russia at all, but against certain British citizens who are never happy unless they are running down their own country and the efforts of their own countrymen in the war?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that on the opening day of the German attack on the Eighth Army the enemy lost 33 tanks, whilst the British did not lose a single armoured unit; that in action with the First Army Churchill tanks have proved a match for the German Mark VI or Tiger; and whether he has any statement to make on the subject?

No detailed reports have yet been received about the performance of Churchill tanks in Tunisia, but such general accounts as have arrived speak favourably of them. Some Tigers were certainly destroyed in the recent actions in which Churchill tanks were engaged but it is not known whether the Churchills were responsible for this or our other weapons. General Montgomery has reported that during the recent attacks by Rommel against the Eighth Army positions, a total of 52 German tanks were damaged and afterwards blown up by our sappers. Many others must have been hit and damaged and some were seen being towed away. In this engagement no armoured battle took place.

asked the Secretary of State for War why military prisoners, sentenced by military courts-martial, serve their sentences in His Majesty's civil prisons instead of under military detention; whether such prisoners receive remission from their sentences for good conduct; and whether they are liable for call up upon release?

In general imprisonment in a military prison is confined to soldiers convicted of purely military offences and serving sentences of less than two years. In the case of an officer a sentence of cashiering always accompanies a sentence of penal servitude or imprisonment. This makes him a civilian, and he usually serves his sentence in a civil prison. The answer to the last two parts of the Question is "Yes, Sir."

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there are any officer prisoners incarcerated in the Tower at the present time, or are they all in civilian prisons?

Perhaps the hon. Member will put that Question on the Paper.

Do officer prisoners have their sentences reviewed every three months the same as other ranks, and will the right hon. Gentleman give consideration to the very hard case that I put before him recently, in which there was a very severe sentence?

I will answer the last part of the question first, and in that comprehend the other part. The matter has been reviewed, and reviewed with extreme care, by the Army Council. I regret that beyond the ordinary remission it is not possible to review the sentence or to reduce the sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Order regarding communications to relatives from the Middle East has twice been altered at different dates; and whether he will ask the new Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, to consider the question in the light of the representations which have been made?

I am well aware that three General Orders have been issued by the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, on this subject. The second and third repeat word for word the original prohibition on cables and telegrams and give the same reason for it, although other points are added which were not in the original Order. In answer to the second part of my hon. Friend's Question I therefore have nothing to add to the answer I gave him on 10th March.

Is it not reasonable that, in view of the widespread interest of the families of troops in this question and the support this has received in the House, my right hon. Friend should at least ask the new Commander-in-Chief to look into the question again and see whether he can reconsider it?

No, Sir. Quite frankly, I think the Commander-in-Chief has other and much more important things to do.

Is it not treating the House with contempt if my right hon. Friend refuses to ask a perfectly reasonable question of the Commander-in-Chief on a point on which there is great interest in this country.

There is no evidence, apart from the hon. Member's persistence, of the great interest to which he refers, and, as I have said, I think the Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East and the authorities in North Africa generally have much more urgent tasks to do at the moment.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the use by troops in the Middle East, during the time when it was permitted to them to communicate with relatives in this country, of their right to do so had the object and the effect of alleviating anxiety in this country and not increasing it?

The object was not in fact fulfilled, if that was the object.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment at an early opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number or percentage of members of the Home Guard who have received training in matters appertaining to Civil Defence; and whether it is proposed to institute any measure of compulsion in this connection?

Instructions have already been issued for training in Civil Defence duties to be given in those places where it is necessary to do so, but I regret that the figures asked for by my hon. and gallant Friend are not available. This training is carried out as a military duty and a member of the Home Guard can, therefore, be ordered to undertake it.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the amount of work called for from the Home Guard is already having a serious effect on production throughout the country, and will he see to it that if the Home Guard are ordered to do Civil Defence duties, their duties with the Home Guard will be proportionately reduced?

That is another question than the one on the Paper, and I have already answered that on one or two occasions.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the enormous damage to fencing, hedges, ditches, roadways and gates occasioned by Army manœuvres upon agricultural land; and whether, since neither labour nor material is now available to landowners and farmers, he will arrange for Service personnel to carry out proper permanent repairs either shortly, or following temporary repairs, immediately after the war?

It is essential for war-time manœuvres to be realistic, and a certain amount of damage is unfortunately unavoidable. Bearing this in mind, I trust my hon. and gallant Friend will agree that the damage caused by these manœuvres is not unduly heavy. Land repair units are provided in connection with large-scale exercises to carry out the repair work essential for the working of the land. They clear ditches, repair roads and supply and fix fencing and gates. Gates are difficult to get, but a large number is being obtained, and a fair proportion of them is, I understand, already available. Where hedges have been destroyed chestnut paling or wire fencing on timber posts is fixed across the gaps. It is unfortunately impossible for the Army to undertake the replanting of hedges and other skilled and long-term repairs of this kind. The compensation paid to the farmer should enable him to carry out such work when circumstances permit.

Can I have an assurance that my right hon. Friend has not closed his mind to reconsideration of the matter as supplies become available?

I certainly have not. I left out the last sentence of my answer. May I finish it, though it does not add very much to what I have said? I should have added that I sincerely regret that manœuvres inevitably cause damage. The Army is, however, doing its best to reduce the inconvenience and make good the loss suffered by farmers, and I understand that these efforts are widely appreciated by the farmers themselves. That answers my hon. and gallant Friend's somewhat premature Supplementary Question. I shall be glad to arrange for him to visit the areas in question with the President of the Claims Commission if he would like to see what is going on and how claims are dealt with.

Surely my right hon. Friend is aware that a great deal of the damage has nothing to do with manœuvres? It is because people who drive Army vehicles are not taught how to reverse properly.

On the contrary, the experience of everyone who has been in the area in which these manœuvres were going on has been that the road discipline of the Army is exceedingly good. I have had letters from Members of the House to that effect.

Would my right hon. Friend like to see some of the damage done in the Noble Lord's constituency, which I shall be pleased to show him?

Can I pour any oil on the troubled waters?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Miss May Findlay, lecturing to troops in Scotland on 16th February, made a strongly anti-Soviet speech, stating inter alia that Russian citizens are slaves of the State, that children are and have for the last four years been taken from their mothers at birth and, save by chance, are never seen by their parents again; that there is no public religious observance at all and that persons who grumble are shot; and whether he will put a stop to this sort of thing and provide the troops with lecturers that tell the truth about the Soviet Union?

I am investigating the hon. and learned Member's complaint about this lecture.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many cases there are of soldiers being discharged from the Army unfit on account of neurosis?

I regret that it is not in the public interest to give the figures, but I can inform my hon. Friend that the proportion of men invalided from the Army suffering from neurosis was in 1942 about 17 per cent. of the number invalided out of the Army in that year on account of all diseases.

Is it not possible for the Army Medical Service completely to drop this term "neurosis," which is a vague and nebulous term used in order to deprive a large number of men of pensions?

I do not want to be misunderstood. In the matter of medical terminology the best motto is to observe the rule that "fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

Are these men treated by Army psychologists before their discharge?

asked the Secretary of State for War what percentage of married officers are receiving family lodging allowance on the old inclusive rate for those over 30 years of age?

Based on information available in the Officers' Pay Office at Manchester, approximately 54 per cent. of all married officers in the Army are drawing family lodging allowance under the old code.

asked the Secretary of State for War when it is proposed to dress cadets of the Army and the Auxiliary Territorial Service on taking up commissions in Priority A cloth as laid down in Priority A scheme issued by the Army Council and the Board of Trade in September, 1941, so that newly commissioned officers shall get the best cloth obtainable made to a strict schedule and at a maximum price as laid down in the Board of Trade Order, Goods and Services (Price Control) No. 2556?

Instructions about the scheme referred to by my hon. Friend were issued on 8th February. The scheme should ensure that tailor-made uniforms of a standard range of qualities are available for officers (including A.T.S. officers) at moderate prices. I understand that stocks of the cloths covered by the scheme are in the hands of military tailors who have been informed of the specifications of the garments and of the maximum prices laid down by the Board of Trade. Officers are, however, not compelled to buy these cloths. They buy them only if they wish to.

Why is it that the War Office has not shown the slightest desire to conform to its own Regulations? Is it because of the influence of the vested interests in the tailoring trade?

I find the hon. Member's question completely incomprehensible. He had better put down a Question saying in what respect they do not observe the Regulations.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware the tailoring trade follow by getting scores of licences to sell uniforms contrary to Army Regulations?

If the hon. Member will put a Question down, I will investigate it.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to issue details of the new scheme for extending the facilities for officers to obtain supplies of clothing and equipment through the quartermaster's stores?

I regret that all the details have not yet been settled, but I hope an announcement will be made before long.

asked the Secretary of State for War when pack drill was abolished in detention barracks?

In October, 1935.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what form of punishment has taken the place of pack drill?

Not without notice.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give any information in connection with the case made against William Edwin Higham, master shoe repairer, of Palmerston Avenue, Litherland, Liverpool, charged at the Manchester Assizes with stealing the property of the War Department; what were the things stolen; and what he intends doing to prevent a repetition?

I understand that the man referred to was a receiver of stolen goods and has been sentenced to four years' penal servitude. A case of razors and blades was the only War Department property traced to him. The circumstances of the theft are being looked into.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many chiropodists are now attached to units in the Middle East?

The reorganisation of field medical units, which involves the appointment of chiropodists to field ambulances is now being carried out in this country. The Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, has postponed the consideration of this reorganisation in his Command in view of the active operations in progress. There are, however, a number of chiropodists in the R.A.M.C. in the Middle East who are practising chiropody.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that during active operations involving a great deal of marching the services of these men might be very necessary?

I have pointed out that there are a certain number available in the Middle East. All I have said was that during active operations a general reorganisation could not take place.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has considered the case, details of which have been sent to him, of Private Philip Samuels, 3rd City of Glasgow Home Guards, who has been sentenced to 56 days' detention for refusing to carry out an order relating to dress; and, as Private Samuels adopted this mistaken attitude in the belief that he would thereby be able to bring to the notice of his commanding officer a number of grievances at his trial and expressed regret, and although Grade 4 he enrolled voluntarily in the Home Guard, will he consider remitting the remainder of his sentence?

Power to remit all or part of sentences awarded by courts-martial is delegated to General Officers Commanding-in-Chief of Commands, and I do not think it advisable to interfere with this power. I have, however, asked for a report of this case.

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider that the sentence imposed on this man, who has a business to look after, is a fair sentence?

I am asking for a report, and I think I had better postpone answering the hon. Member's question until I get it.