asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make any statement regarding the recommendations of the Public Service Committee appointed four years ago to inquire into the working of the Civil Service in Jamaica; and whether it is proposed to take any action arising from the investigations of the committee?

Subject to a few minor modifications made by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council, the recommendations of the Public Services Committee for the regrading and reorganisation of the Jamaica Civil Service have been approved, and the necessary provision was made in the estimates for 1943–44 which have been passed by the Legislative Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether chief probation officers for Jamaica and Trinidad, as recommended in the recent Stockdale Report, have been appointed?

No, Sir. Although my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has been most helpful and the National Association of Probation Officers have given every assistance, it has not so far been possible to secure the services of suitable candidates for these two appointments. Efforts to do this are, however, being continued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action it is proposed to take in Barbados following on the presentation of a Select Committee's Report on a Bill to amend the Representation of the People Act, this Bill having provided for the reduction of income qualifications for voters and the introduction of the female franchise?

This report by a Select Committee of the Barbados House of Assembly has been under discussion in that House, but I have not yet heard whether, and, if so, in what form, they passed the Bill. The next step would be consideration of the Bill by the Legislative Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the hardship experienced by the people of Barbados due to the shortage of firewood; and whether the Government are taking any steps to improve the position?

Yes, Sir, I am aware of the shortage of firewood in Barbados, and the Colonial Government are doing what they can to meet the position. But there are grave difficulties, owing to the lack of timber on the island itself and the shortage of supplies from Trinidad and the Windward Islands, due partly to the lack of shipping and partly to the necessity for maintaining the existing forests in those islands to avoid soil erosion.

In view.of the urgency of this matter, may we take it that the Minister is doing his best to rectify the position?

Yes, Sir, the hon. Member is quite right. This is a serious difficulty, one of the many caused by' shipping difficulties in that area, and I will give it attention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many natives of Kenya are working in the tea and coffee plantations under forced labour; and why this compulsory labour on tea and coffee production is considered essential for war purposes?

Compulsory labour has been suspended since February. There are, however, at present, according to the latest figures available, about 550 Africans who have been recruited for the coffee industry and rather less than 100 for the tea industry under the Defence Regulations. The main object of declaring these two important industries in Kenya to be essential undertakings under those Regulations was in order that they might be maintained in operation on a scale which would enable the Colony to play its part in meeting the food supply requirements of the United Nations, including those of the large numbers of refugees and prisoners in East Africa.

Is it considered necessary that these 700 should be subject to enforced labour? Is there no other means by which the requisite labour can be obtained?

I think it was because it could not be obtained by other means that these Regulations were brought into force.

Can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say how I am to distinguish between coffee produced by enforced labour and coffee that is not?

I am afraid I can make no useful suggestion at all to my hon. Friend on that point.

In view of the very severe food shortage and the breakdown of food supplies due partly to the fact that native labour has been diverted to work other than food production, would the right hon. and gallant Gentleman give special consideration to the transfer back to the reserves of some of these men, so that they can build up the food supply necessary for sustaining the lives of the natives in the reserves?

As I said in my answer, compulsory labour has been suspended since February.

I understand that there are 700 still employed?

No, Sir. I said that compulsory labour had been suspended in February. At that time, when it was suspended, those were the numbers employed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has under consideration a revision of the legislative Constitutions of our West African Colonies, particularly with a view to the extension of self-government in the coastal areas?

I cannot at this stage add anything to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 14th April.

Is it not time, in view of the fact that our declared policy is to give self-government in our Colonial Empire, for something to be done in the West African Colonies, after the change in Jamaica?

I do not think that that. necessarily follows. Changes to be made in any Colony must depend on the conditions in that Colony. We are anxious to see an advance there, as elsewhere.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman give an assurance that this matter of constitutional development in West Africa will be seriously considered?

It is being seriously considered now.