asked the Minister of Agriculture the total cost of the war agricultural executive committees, including their staffs, rents, etc., in England and Wales far the year 1944.

:I am afraid that final figures for the financial year 1944 are not yet available. They will be published in due course in the Civil Appropriation Accounts. In the meantime, my hon. Friend will find the figures for 1943 in Class X of the Civil Appropriation Accounts for that year.

:As the splendid work of these committees, which has been mainly concerned with the ploughing up of grassland, is practically finished, is it not time something was done to economise their expenditure by the closing down of redundant departments?

Yes, but my hon. Friend will no doubt realise from his knowledge of agriculture that many of these accounts cannot be closed for a long time. They generally include such accounts as tenant right and live and dead stock on hand, and more important still, betterment claims for individual farms.

Will the Minister now be able to give the figures for separate war agricultural committees?

Not for some time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, in order to obtain reliable statistics for breeders of dairy cattle, he will institute a scheme of compulsory milk recording.

Under present conditions I am afraid it would not be practicable to institute a compulsory scheme.

:Will the Minister appreciate how very necessary this is in the interests of milk production, and how important it is for milk producers?

Yes, but I am sure the Noble Lady will appreciate that great progress has been made. Shortage of labour is the limiting factor in extending what she and I would like to see done.

Is the Minister aware that since the Milk Marketing Board took over the administration from the milk recording societies, there has been a considerable reduction in milk recording herds, while at the same time a considerable increase has been shown in the Milk Marketing Board's accounts for milk recording? Will my right hon. Friend look into the whole matter?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will state the number of veterinary surgeons employed by his Department in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively.

As the answer contains a number of figures I will circulate it in the Official Report.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when the fishing fleet of Great Britain will be restored to its pre war strength both in boats and personnel.

I hope as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will instruct the River Hull Catchment Board to clear at once, the channel of debris at its mouth as this is causing silting and possible flooding in the Holderness area; and if he is aware that there is need for dredging and immediate repair of the lower banks of the river.

I am not aware that any debris at the mouth of the River Hull is causing silting or possible flooding in the Holderness area, or that there is any need for such works as are suggested in the second part of the Question.

Will the right hon. Gentleman send one of his own officers to see the mouth of the river for himself, and he will then find that it is in a deplorable state?

I have had special inquiry made as a result of this Question, and everyone concerned is mystified at what induced my hon. Friend to put it down.

Is the Minister aware that no such complaints have reached the hon. Member for Holderness?

Did the Minister receive his report from Beverley, or from one of his own officers?

On a point of Order. Is there no answer to Question 55?

The hon. Member who put down Question 55 desired it to be postponed.

Does not the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton) realise that he has denied the Minister of Agriculture an opportunity of giving us something more than a monosyllabic reply?

Is it not in Order for an hon. Member to postpone his Question, and thereby delay the delight of the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. W. J. Brown); and may I inform him that I am attempting to postpone his delight until Tuesday next?

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning if he is aware that the Rev. E. A. Hatrison, chaplain to the Whipps Cross Hospital and of the Central Homes, Leytonstone, had agreed with the owner to purchase No. 14, St. Vincent's Road, Southend, for use as a holiday home for aged poor persons, but that owing to objection by certain residents in the road being lodged, with the Southend Corporation the purchase is being held up; that this action of the residents is widely resented; and if he will take steps to secure for the aged poor of East London an opportunity for rest and change by the purchase of these premises.

I am aware that objections have been raised to the proposal to use these premises as a holiday home for aged persons. A formal appeal has been made to me against the refusal of the Southend-on-Sea County Borough Council to grant permission for this use of the premises, and I am accordingly instructing one of my Inspectors to hold a local inquiry. On the receipt of his report, I will give full consideration to all the representations made.

Is the Minister aware of the very widespread indignation in the district? Will he take a poll of the people in the immediate area? He would find that only nine people are objecting.

It is my statutory duty to consider both sides, but I will give due consideration to all the representations that are made.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that not only in Southend, but in Leyton, Leytonstone and Walthamstow, this matter has aroused considerable feeling?

asked the Minister of Pensions whether for the general convenience of the patients, and particularly those who have just come out of operations, he will arrange to have headphones installed over each bed at the Roehampton Hospital in the place of the present loud-speaker in each ward, which is working practically all day.

All beds in Roehampton Hospital are equipped for headphones, but at present a number of these instruments are under repair or awaiting repair. My right hon. Friend is making every effort to remedy this position. In the meantime, a complete headphone service is maintained in the wards set aside for very sick cases, and it is only in other wards, which are temporarily deficient in working headphones, that independent wireless sets are in use.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is yet in a position to state when the hearing will be resumed of the case of Private R. W. Bryan, 14, Lancaster Road, Stamford, which was adjourned at Nottingham on 29th November, 1944.

The case has been referred back to the tribunal, and I hope the date of resumption will soon be fixed.

Could my hon. and gallant Friend give an indication when the tribunal will sit? The case has now been hanging fire for six months.

The actual fixing of the date for the sitting of the tribunal is the responsibility of my Noble Friend the Lord Chancellor, but it is hoped that it will be at an early date.