asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is intended to introduce legislation in the present Session to raise the maximum value of a house for the purposes of the Small Dwellings Acquisition (Scotland) Act.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of grants under the Rural Workers Housing Act were made in Argyll between 1929 and 1939, to persons in respect of dwellings in which they themselves dwell as owners or by feu.

I am informed that the proportion is roughly 50 per cent.

How do those figures tie up with the statement that this reconditioning was done almost completely for houses tied to farms?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is in a position to make a statement on the findings of the Scottish Housing Advisory Committee on owner-occupied houses and sub-divided houses, respectively, and the desirability of encouraging house building from non-Governmental sources.

The Committee's report on the provision of houses for owner- occupation has been received and will be published in due course. Their report on the modernisation of houses, including houses suitable for sub-division, has not yet been submitted. The Government's policy with regard to private enterprise building was fully dealt with in the course of the Debate on 17th October.

Can the Minister say when he is likely to deal with the first two parts of the Question, in view of the urgency of the housing problem?

The hon. Gentleman has been informed that one of the Committees has not yet reported. The other Committee has reported, and I have given instructions that the report is to be printed; as soon as it is printed it will be available to hon. Members.

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. May I, with great respect, call your attention to the present seating arrangements on this side of the House? We are a very small Opposition—

Now is not the time to raise that matter.

What steps does the Minister propose to take to facilitate the purchase of houses in Scotland by their occupiers?

I think my hon. Friend had better wait and see the Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can make any statement about the emergency houses in Lanarkshire and particularly Bellshill; and can he also give details of the cost of trying to make these houses habitable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the distress and inconvenience caused to the tenants of emergency houses at Westburn, Cambuslang, what steps he proposes to take to remedy this matter.

I am aware of the difficulties which have arisen in connection with these emergency houses. Various measures for improvement were undertaken last year at a cost of some £80 per house, and in the spring of this year further measures costing some £227 per house were put in hand. I am assured by my technical officers that when these further repairs have been completed the houses will be rendered reasonably satisfactory. Meantime every effort is being made to speed up the work. I have asked for a full report on the position when the work is finally completed. Claims by the tenants for rebate of rents and compensation for damage to household effects are at present being considered.

Does the Minister still persist in going ahead with houses which, in the opinion of the experts, can never be habitable?

One of my difficulties is to decide between expert and expert. My experts tell me that the houses will be rendered reasonably habitable. I thought I would try to take a balanced view between two sets of experts, and I consulted one or two of the tenants living in the houses. I must say that the balance of the argument, although not strong, is that the houses will be reasonably fit for human habitation.

Are not these houses something that we have inherited from Tory rule?

In reply to my hon. Friend, I visited Clydebank on Saturday and there, in very slight conversation, I found that the people, although not happy about them, did not describe them as unfit for habitation.

Is it intended to initiate a prosecution against the building contractors who are responsible for those houses?

I dealt with this question very fully in the Debate the other night and answered criticisms on it. If my hon. Friend wishes to raise the matter again, it would be better to do so on an occasion when it could be debated fully. It is not easy to answer questions on the subject briefly.

Is the Minister aware that his statement will give some satisfaction to the tenants of these houses who have been subject to intolerable delays by previous administrations, and will he bear in mind the urgency of the compensation question?

I agree that these people have been subject to terrible inconvenience and almost intolerable conditions. I think that in the next few weeks I shall be in a position to secure, not a final agreement, but at least a mitigation of the tenants' conditions.

Will the Minister extend his inquiries in this matter to the city of Aberdeen?

The city of Aberdeen, luckily for it, is not affected by these houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of applications made to the Glasgow Corporation for houses; the number of houses in course of erection; the number approved; and the number to be erected during each year for the next five years in the Glasgow area.

Approximately 70,000 applications for houses have been made to Glasgow Corporation. A total of 1,836 permanent houses have been approved this year and the Corporation have been allocated 2,500 temporary houses. Of these,726 permanent and 155 temporary houses are under construction. The Corporation's programme for the next five years is 5,000 permanent and 1,500 temporary houses during the first year; 7,000 permanent and 1,000 temporaries during the second year, and thereafter 10,000 permanent houses annually. In addition, the Corporation have requisitioned 518 properties, providing accommodation for 654 families.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many large houses are standing furnished but unoccupied in Edinburgh; and to what extent have the Edinburgh Corporation used their powers of requisitioning in helping to provide accommodation for this winter.

The information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available, but I am informed that the corporation are making a survey of the unoccupied houses in the city. A total of 45 properties have been requisitioned, including 37 which have been reconstructed to provide 45 separate dwellings for the inadequately housed.

In view of the extremely bad housing conditions which exist in Leith, will the Minister urge upon the corporation the necessity of taking immediate action to relieve this problem?

I cannot interfere with the normal working of the Edinburgh Town Council, but my hon. Friend may take it that nothing will be put in the way of the Council in requisitioning property, provided it is in order to house people who are at present either homeless or inadequately housed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial inducements are contemplated to encourage aspirants to the teaching profession to take a university degree.

The National Joint Council to deal with Salaries of Teachers in Scotland, a body representative of education authorities and of the teaching profession, have made recommendations to my right hon. Friend regarding the salaries that should be paid to graduate and to other teachers. These recommendations are embodied in a recently published draft of Regulations which the Secretary of State proposes to make, prescribing the salaries to be paid by education authorities to teachers employed by them. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the draft. Before making the Regulations, regard will be had to the representations on the subject that have been received from education authorities and other persons interested.

Will the Minister send a copy to other Scottish Members also?

If any hon. Member wishes to have one, I will see that he gets it.

Will my hon. Friend send me one?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent, in the case of an education authority which, in the enforcement of school attendance, appoints its own procurator and bears the whole expenses of the prosecution, including payment of court dues, the fines re- coverable in such prosecutions are payable to the Treasury instead of, as in the past, to the authority; and if he proposes to restore the status quo.

Under the revised arrangements in the Education (Scotland) Act, 1945, all fines imposed in the Sheriff Court are payable to the Exchequer, but under the Summary Jurisdiction Act, the Sheriff may direct that the expenses incurred by the prosecutor shall be met in whole or in part out of any such fine. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the negative.

In view of the state of Business at the end of the last Parliament when this Measure was being put through, will the hon. Gentleman speak to his right hon. Friend and have consultations with the local authorities on the question of the restoration of the status quo?

All I can say is that this is now the Act and we have got to administer it. The only question is whether the Act should be altered or not by further amending legislation. When my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State returns to his duties, I shall be pleased to consult him on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is considering for securing the optimum use of agricultural land in Scotland.

In view of the world food shortage it will be necessary to continue for the present the war-time policy of intensive crop production to the fullest extent that is possible with due regard to the productivity of the land, and our labour and other resources. My right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Secretary of State are giving active consideration to plans for securing on a long-term basis the best and most efficient use of agricultural land and I hope that it may be possible to make a statement about this before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an indication as to the methods employed by Glasgow police to put an end to the terror reigning in certain areas by gangs of youths who have been using weapons; and if he will arrange that selected persons shall visit the parents of known leaders and members of gangs known to the police and warn them of the dangers of a continuance of such violent methods.

I deplore the recent increase in clashes between rival gangs of lads, all of whom are under 19 years of age. The police, using motor patrols equipped with wireless, have dispersed various gatherings and made many arrests, and the courts have imposed salutary sentences. As regards the second part of the Question, I see grave objection to visits in individual cases, but everything possible will be done to bring home to parents and boys generally the folly of gang membership and leadership.

Will the hon. Member state whether or not the absence of the regular police has had any effect on this matter; and has not the Department received representations for the release from the Forces of ordinary police, and would the hon. Member consider speeding-up the process of demolisations.

It so happens that this matter is not quite on my side, but is the concern of my hon. Friend the other Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, who happens to be ill. But apart from that, Glasgow, with its terrible tenement dwellings and crowded population is not easy to deal with. The two problems are, lack of numbers in the police force, and also that a good number of the police are now reaching a fair age for police work. I have already raised the matter with the Home Department and we hope before long to start recruitment for the Glasgow Police Force and also to bring back some of the men from the Forces in order to increase it.

Since my hon. Friend attributes the violence of Glasgow gangs to living in tenement buildings, will he encourage the Glasgow corporation to pursue a policy of decentralisation of population?

My hon. Friend raises a wide question and in the meantime I have enough on my hands to get a few houses built.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether in view of the serious position in the nursing services and the need for more recruits to nursing, the Scottish Nurses' Salaries Committee are considering a revision of the salary scales of nurses in Scotland.

Yes, Sir. This matter is being given very serious consideration. The Committee is meeting next week to review the position in the light of the difficulties that are being experienced by hospitals and other employing authorities. Unfortunately, Professor T. M. Taylor has felt obliged to resign from the Chairmanship because of pressure of other work. I am glad, however, to announce that Mr. John Wheatley, Advocate, has placed his services at our disposal as Chairman of the Committee. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing our gratitude to Professor Taylor for his invaluable work.

Will my hon. Friend consider, along with the question of salaries, and in order to cope with the very serious problem of nursing, providing greater amenities in the various institutions where the nurses are employed?

I will certainly put before the Committee the suggestion which my hon. Friend has made, or any other suggestion any hon. Member makes to deal with this very important section of the community.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that men in release group 26 are still being dispatched overseas to the Middle East; and whether in view of the shortage of transport, he will take steps to prevent, as far as possible, the posting overseas of men who are likely to be released within the next few months.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Aston (Major Wyatt) on Tuesday last.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether His Majesty's Government is prepared to bring home the bodies of British soldiers buried abroad whose relatives wish to have them interred on British soil.

A full statement on this question was issued to the Press by the Imperial War Graves Commission on 4th October, 1945. I am including a copy of the statement in the Official Report.

As it is generally expected that a statement of this great importance should be made to this House, and as I have not had access to the statement to which my right hon. Friend has referred, may I ask him if it is the intention of the State to bear the cost in cases where the bodies are being transferred for interment in this country?

This is a very long statement and I am sorry I cannot read it to the House, but, generally speaking, the policy of the Imperial War Graves Commission is not to allow the removal of any bodies that have been buried in consecrated cemeteries.

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday we had an announcement referring to some statement by the B.B.C., and to-day we have had an announcement referring to a statement made by some outside authority. Is it in Order for a Member of the Government to make an announcement of a statement which is not available within the archives of this House?

The right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for War made reference to a statement of the War Graves Commission, and that certainly is in Order.

I pointed out that I would circulate the statement in the Official Report.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is some obscurity about the future treatment of the bodies of prisoners of war who died in Germany or enemy-occupied country, and will he get that matter cleared up?

I will make inquiries but I am unaware that there is any difference in the policy in that type of case.

What does the right hon. Gentleman mean by the phrase "generally speaking"? Does that mean that there are exceptions to the rule laid down by the War Graves Commission?

Possibly I used too wide a phrase. There are no exceptions.

Will the Minister get the Services also to consider making payments for the burial of men who have died as a result of wounds and disease contracted during the war?

I do not know the practice on the matter, but I will give the point my consideration.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is not the fact that the next-of-kin in every case has received a copy of the statement of the Imperial War Graves Commission?

I think that that is the policy, but I would not be sure. As an ex-member of that body, I know that they are very considerate in dealing with the next-of-kin of the men who are interred.

Does the right hon. Gentleman desire the House to understand that the War Graves Commission itself lays down the policy in matters of this sort? Surely it is a Government decision and not one for the War Graves Commission?

No, Sir, the War Graves Commission is only carrying out the policy laid down after a very long Debate in this House.

asked the Secretary of State for War why military dispatch riders are still permitted to speed along the crowded streets of cities and the country roads since military urgency no longer is a justification.

All War Office vehicles are required to observe the ordinary speed limits imposed on other road users and, in addition, to keep within certain overriding speed limits on all types of roads.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have listened to that same answer for the last five years; and in view of the tragic statement made by his right hon. Friend the Minister of War Transport yesterday as regards the destruction on the road, will he take some steps to try and enforce a limited speed on Army vehicles, and especially motor cycles?.

I will see what I can do about it, and if the hon. and gallant Gentleman or any hon. Member has any particular case to bring to my notice, I will consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it has yet been decided to equalise the rations of the Forces with those received by the civilian population of this country now that war conditions no longer exist.

As already announced, it has been decided, in view of the general food shortage and to assist in maintaining the supplies for the civilian population of this country, to make certain reductions in the overseas Services ration, except in the case of S.E.A.C., with effect from 1st November, 1945. The reduction applies to all three Services. For the same reasons, and with effect from the same date, it has since been decided to revise the Forces home ration scale as a temporary measure. The revised scale provides for reduced issues of the more important items at present in short supply, viz., meat, bacon and sugar.

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that very satisfactory reply, may I ask him to what extent civilian rations will be improved as a. result of this concession on the part of the Forces?

I am sorry I cannot answer that question.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the lack of civilian facilities and the higher ratio of medical staff to personnel in the Army as compared with the civilian population, he will now consider extending full treatment to Servicemen who contract tuberculosis.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for the Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke) on 16th October.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a statement on the future organisation of, and conditions of service in, the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War when he will be in a position to announce the conditions of service for the post-war Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that many desirable candidates are being deterred from applying for Regular commissions, owing to the un certainty prevailing as to pay, allowances and conditions of service in the post-war Army; and whether he will cause information on these points to be published at the earliest possible moment.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Members to the replies given on Tuesday last to the hon. Members for Kingston-upon-Thames (Major Boyd-Carpenter) and Rugby Mr. W. J. Brown).

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that yesterday's Debate gave no comfort to anybody in these respects, and will he say when he hopes to be in a position to make a statement?

I am afraid I cannot. All I can tell the hon. and gallant Gentleman is that, as he knows and all Service Members know very well, this is a very complicated subject, and I want to be in a position to give a full reply to the House when it is given.

Are we to understand from the right hon. Gentleman's reply, that no suggestions have been made by the Service chiefs; and is it not notoriously true, that the reason why there has been no decision is because the Government cannot make up their own mind?

No, Sir; it is nothing of the kind. The fact is that there has been a good deal done on this subject, and we are working very hard on it, but it is a very complicated subject, and deals not only with officers but also with other ranks. I want to be in a position to make a full statement to the House.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the first part of Question No. 75, which asks about many candidates being deterred from applying for commissions owing to uncertainty? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, at the end of the last war, this delay was one of the principal causes why we lost a great many desirable officers, who could not wait any longer for the conditions to be laid down?

I am well aware that there are thousands who would be influenced, in taking commissions, by the conditions which will be laid down, and, therefore, they are not yet taking the commissions, but I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that we are going to do better in this matter in this war, than was done on the last occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will arrange for widows of serving soldiers, whose husbands have been executed for committing a criminal offence, to receive the gratuities and post-war credits to which their husbands were entitled prior to committing the offence.

War gratuity is not admissible in respect of soldiers executed by sentence of a military or civil court. Post-war credit is not subject to this disqualification and would be disposed of as part of the soldier's personal estate. I am, however, looking into this question and will write to my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the. Secretary of State for War whether, owing to the pressing nature of the housing problem in Northern Ireland, he will arrange that all houses no longer required for the Army will be derequisitioned at once and release requisitioned houses as they are vacated by the military for civilian occupation.

Yes, Sir.

Will my right hon. Friend consider the early de-requisitioning of these houses, because the problem in Northern Ireland is very serious?

I must say that the figures I have already given to the hon. Gentleman, show that we are not doing so badly in this matter on the whole.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the bad living conditions for troops at Castle Camp, Inverary, Argyllshire, Scotland; and whether he will take steps to remedy this state of affairs.

This is a normal Nissenhutted camp and is in good condition. Apart from the fact that it is situated in a somewhat exposed position, I am not aware that the general conditions are inferior to those existing in many similar camps in the United Kingdom. In view of the natural pressure on my Department to release requisitioned buildings, this camp, like most others, may have to be used for some considerable time.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it rains a great deal in Scotland, and that, on these occasions, the rain pours through the roof of this camp; that there are no shelves or lockers provided for the men, and that separate beds are not provided? Does he regard such conditions as desirable now the war is over?

All I can say is that Nissen huts are in no sense permanent structures, and, as soon as it becomes possible to release camp accommodation, this type of structure is regarded as among the first to be disposed of.

Why does not the War Office put the troops in the castle, which is a lovely place, and let the duke and his family live in the camp?

Cannot some temporary improvement be made in the conditions of the men at this camp?

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is now prepared to recommend the release from the Army of Captain Clokey, details of whose case have already been sent to him and whose release has been requested by the Ministry of Health.

I have no authority to deal with individual applications for release in Class B. Such applications are made through the sponsoring Department, in this case the Ministry of Health, to the Ministry of Labour and National Service, and are passed to my Department for action if approved and within the permitted quota. I have not, so far, received any request from the Ministry of Labour and National Service for release in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the present number of British troops employed on cooking and other similar duties for Polish Forces in this country; how many British troops per 1,000 Poles are so employed; and whether arrangements can now be made for British soldiers to be diverted from work of this kind, in view of the general shortage of labour.

Polish units in this country are administratively self-contained and no British troops are employed as cooks or on similar duties. Individual Poles who have elected immediate return to Poland have been transferred to transit camps under British Command and control. Even at these camps, however, the Polish repatriates provide men to carry out all their own domestic duties, including cooking. The British cooks and other duty men at the camps are employed in looking after the British permanent staff. The only instances where British troops would be employed on tasks of this nature for Poles are when Polish troops are allotted vacancies to attend British Army courses.

Is the Minister aware that, in Oxfordshire, in a transit camp for Poles, there are 164 British troops employed for 1,000 Poles, who have nothing to do except wander aimlessly about the countryside?

No, Sir; I am not aware of that.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is now able to state the intentions of his Department with regard to the return of the civilian population to the village of Imber in Wiltshire.

With the exception of five properties, including the church, the Imber battle training area, including Imber village, is the property of the War Department. Large sums of public money were spent on acquiring it for military training and it is in fact the only large infantry battle training area owned by the War Department. All the letting agreements in Imber contained a provision enabling the War Department to determine the tenancy if, inter alia, the property was required for naval, military or air force purposes. In other words, all the lettings were subject to the requirements of military training. Notice was duly given. The War Department's tenants, therefore, were not dispossessed by requisition under the Defence Regulations but under a resumption clause which has always formed part of the agreements by which they occupied their farms. The future of Imber village depends upon the type and intensity of the training allotted to the area in the post-war programme and I am not yet in a position to announce any decision on that point.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I know of the conditions under which the population were there, but in considering this question will he bear in mind that there is an agricultural interest involved, that there is very good housing in the village, and that quite a considerable number of people are anxious to get back to their homes? Whilst I do not want to prejudice any decision he may reach, I hope he will bear those facts in mind and come to a decision as soon as he can conveniently do so.

It is for that reason that I have been rather reluctant to arrive at a decision on this matter before I have looked at the question as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider making a grant of money or additional civilian clothing to men who came out of the Army before the improved issue of civilian clothing came into operation in October last.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Southend-on-Sea (Mr. Channon) on Tuesday last.

Does not the Minister think it is time that justice was done to the men who gave their services earlier in this war before decent conditions had been obtained for the Service men by pressure from Labour Members?

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the maximum age or demobilisation group beyond which a soldier is not posted for service overseas.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Chichester (Lieut.-Commander Joynson-Hicks) on 16th October last.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men who served in the Chindit campaigns in Burma are not eligible for the Burma Star.

I regret that figures are not available and could not be obtained without a disproportionate amount of labour. The verification of claims is continuously going on.

Is it not a fact that some of these men are not eligible for the Burma Star, and does not my right hon. Friend think that some very special exception ought to be made in these cases? Will he undertake to investigate the matter?

It is very difficult to give a definite decision upon any particular case in regard to this question. I have made very close inquiries, and there is a continual investigation going on with regard to each case, and that is the most I can say to my hon. and gallant Friend.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that this was one of the questions that cropped up at his meetings in Burma with the men out there recently—

Yes, Sir, I am aware of that.

—that he undertook to raise with the Cabinet on his return, and that the men are relying on him to keep his word?

I am very well aware that there is very strong feeling upon this question and indeed upon all questions affecting Burma.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has yet received the proceedings of the court of inquiry on the conditions at the Stakehill Military Detention Barracks; and whether he has any statement to make.

No, Sir. But I understand that the court of inquiry proceedings on the individual case, which were suspended pending the result of the inquest, have now been completed and are being forwarded to the War Office. As already promised I will make a statement regarding this establishment when my inquiries are fully completed.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the relations not only of men who are serving sentences in these detention barracks, but of men in detention barracks all over the country, are extremely concerned about the stories that have been given out that a man committed suicide there recently? Will he treat the matter as one of urgent public importance and make a statement on the whole question of detention barracks as soon as possible?

Pending the result of the enquiry being received, would my right hon. Friend make certain inquiries himself, as they are necessary to allay public anxiety in this respect?

There is reason for very close investigation into this particular case and I think there will be need for a very comprehensive report. When I get that report the House shall have a statement in any case.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether this was purely a Service court of inquiry or whether anyone else was represented on it?

So far as my memory goes, though I would not say for certain, I think there were other than Service people on this court.

Do I understand that my right hon. Friend intends other alleged difficulties in that camp to be investigated apart from the specific case?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is yet in a position to make a statement about the demobilisation of men in the Radio Security Service at reduced rates of pay and allowances for the period of release leave.

A number of soldiers were enlisted for or transferred to the Radio Security Service for employment on special duties. During that employment, they were paid by that Service at special consolidated rates of pay in lieu of the normal Army pay and allowances. When such soldiers become due for release under the ordinary Release Scheme, they are returned to Army service for the purposes of release, and they are consequently granted the normal pay and allowances of their rank during release leave. As they have finally ceased to do duty with the Radio Security Service, it is not considered that the special rates of pay applicable to that service should continue. It is the normal practice for special rates granted for the performance of special duties to cease from the beginning of release leave, and there are no grounds for an exception in favour of this particular class of men.

asked the Secretary of State for War if members of the A.E.C. are eligible for release under Class B in order to resume teaching at the request of the Ministry of Education.

Yes, Sir. As regards the release of teachers generally, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given on 16th October to a Question by the hon. Member for Henley (G. Fox). The releases are, of course, subject to military requirements, and in view of the importance to the nation of the Army Education Scheme and the need for a sufficiency of Army Educational Corps personnel in this connection it is not in every case possible to spare members of this Corps as Class B releases.

Whilst I agree with the right hon. Gentleman that there must be a priority for the Army, would he make it clear to the men themselves, because several have been sent to India in the last three weeks, and they are suffering from a sense of frustration because they think they are eligible under the "B" scheme to be released at home?

I am sorry to hear that it is not clear to these men, and I will take the necessary steps to see that it is brought to their notice.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many of these qualified teachers who are being posted to India are in Groups 27 and 28, and are being kept hanging about doing nothing at depots for very long periods of time, awaiting postings to units?

Is the Minister aware of the great dissatisfaction among the very large number of bona fide teachers who are not being asked for by local education authorities, and who have no means of getting release under Class B?

Is the Minister also aware that there are still in the Army qualified teachers, with up to 10 years' experience as schoolmasters, who are not employed by the A.E.C. or in any capacity a teacher, but are doing scullion jobs?

I would like positive information of that.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider in consultation with the Secretary of State for Air, the introduction of a daily direct Transport Command air service between Vienna and London to serve British troops in Austria, thus by-passing the present circuitous route via Udine, Naples and Marseilles.

A twice-weekly R.A.F. Transport Command service to Vienna via Munich was commenced on 14th September, 1945, and has proved adequate for the present demands. All services are constantly under review by the Air Ministry and recommendations are made, wherever necessary, by Air Priorities Joint Staff to the London Air Transport Priorities Board.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the vast majority of Service travellers still have to go by a more Southerly route around Naples on their way from Austria to London, and is not this solely in order to keep the headquarters at Naples in being?

I am not aware of that.

asked the Secretary of State for War approximately how many camps and other institutions capable of accommodating 500 men or more he has had at his disposal at any time since the ending of hostilities.

The information is not readily available in the War Office and will necessitate considerable investigation. Inquiries are being made, and I will inform the hon. and learned Member of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any statement to make about the incidents in Cyprus on 4th October when Indian troops were set to fight Cypriot troops; and whether, in view of the effect on Indian and Cypriot public opinion of these bodies of troops being set to fight against each other after fighting together against Fascism in the war, he will take steps to avoid further incidents by remedying the grievances of the Cypriot troops.

In recent weeks there has been a series of minor disturbances among Cypriot troops awaiting embarkation for foreign service after having had home leave. These demonstrations have been for the expedition of demobilisation and against further service overseas. Incidents have been evoked by these de- monstrations, and full inquiries as to the nature and causes of these incidents are now being made. When the report on these inquiries has been received I will write to the hon. and learned Member.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether officers and men of the Territorial Army, who are so entitled, may resume the wearing of the "T" (Territorial), or "Y" (Yeomanry) badges as before the war.

No, Sir. It would be premature to authorise the restoration of these badges until more information is available as to the future of the Auxiliary Forces. There are also practical difficulties.

Is the Minister aware that the question of the future of the Territorial Army has nothing to do with this particular case, and that the Territorial Army, before the war, gave up their leisure in order to train themselves for military service?

Can the Minister tell us the reason for the differentiation between his Department and the Air Ministry? Is he aware that those employed in a part-time temporary capacity before the war were allowed to use the letter "A" on their uniforms during war-time service? Why cannot a similar right be exercised in the Territorial Army?

I am not aware of that fact, but I will note it.

Is not the Minister also aware that it was the practice when I left the Army for Territorial soldiers to remove the "T's" from their shoulders and secrete them under the lapels of their coats, so that it is not a difficult matter to put the "T's" back again?

That docs not indicate that they want to wear the letter publicly. I should be rather sorry if that was the case.

asked the Secretary of State for War what the total casualties have been, to the latest convenient date, in the recent disturbances following the liberation of French and Dutch territories in the Far East; and how many of these have been in the British Forces involved.

Complete figures are not available, but the following British and Indian casualties in the recent disturbances were reported up to 14th October, 1945: In French Indo-China: 1 British officer and 40 Indian other ranks.

In Java (all in the Batavia Area): 1 British officer, 1 Viceroy commissioned officer and 1 British other rank.

Sumatra: None.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many British prisoners of war were believed to be in Java at the time of the Japanese capitulation; how many have since been rescued; and whether there is any information available as to the condition of the remainder.

At the time of their surrender the Japanese reported that all the British prisoners of war in Java were concentrated in Batavia. Reports received from ALFSEA stated that there were 1,389 prisoners of war and civilian internees from the United Kingdom in Java at that time. Reports so far received indicate that in all 1,416 United Kingdom personnel have been evacuated from Java on the first stage of their journey home, and it is now reported that there are no British ex-prisoners of war remaining in Java. The second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Prime Minister whether, before announcing the Government's decision on Palestinian policy, he will agree to the immediate dispatch of a Parliamentary Commission to investigate the situation on the spot; to make contacts with the principal protagonists; and to report to this House.

Perhaps the hon. and gallant Member would await the statement which will be made in the near future.

Would it not be more to the point if the right hon. Gentleman took his courage in both hands, and acted on the principles previously enunciated by his party leaders and by the Leader of the present Opposition?

Could the right hon. Gentleman define a little more closely what is meant by, "in the near future"? Does it mean next week, the week after or this time next year?

It will be very soon, but I cannot give an exact date. The Noble Lord will realise that I want to give it at the right moment, and that I am not yet clear as to the exact day.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the utterances of the Leader of the Opposition on this matter have been completely contradictory?

Pending the making of this statement will the right hon. Gentleman see that any broadcast given on the question of Palestine will be carefully vetted so that there shall be no mis-statements similar to those made on Friday evening, which were quite contrary in some respects to the declarations made by various important Ministers in this House?

I have no information about that broadcast; I am not aware that the Government made any broadcast.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give instructions for the publication, at such time as he may think desirable, of a supplement to Cmd. 6564, Statistics Relating to the War Effort of the United Kingdom.

I propose to lay before the House shortly a White Paper giving figures showing the strengths of the Armed Forces and Auxiliary Services and the casualties sustained by them during the war. This will cover an aspect of the United Kingdom war effort details of which had to be omitted on grounds of security from the White Paper (Cmd. 6564) published last year. In the interval since the publication of that White Paper individual Departments have released a large amount of information supplementing and bringing up-to-date the statistics given in it and, while I do not wish to rule out the possibility of publishing a revised version, it is perhaps doubtful whether there is a sufficient demand to justify this at the present time. I contemplate, however, that at a later date, when all the necessary material has been collected, a volume of statistics relating to the war should be published.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the need for research into the possibilities of atomic energy, he will cause immediate steps to be taken to open and explore existing known deposits of uranium ore in this country and to search for additional deposits in order to save purchases of this metal from overseas and to be ready to take advantage of any future developments for its industrial use.

Yes, Sir. All necessary steps have been taken.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when the House will have an opportunity of debating this subject?

That is another question.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will amend the present conditions of service for British personnel serving in Germany under the Commission of Control in order that they may be made more attractive to those who would wish to make their career in this most important service and who are at present discouraged from doing so by the uncertainty regarding its future.

Yes, Sir. Improved conditions of service have been settled and will shortly be published. In particular, appointments will be offered for a period of seven years, and compensation will be paid in the event of employment being terminated at an earlier date for reasons of redundancy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the hardship caused by the delay in making payments of war damage value payment claims on houses destroyed by enemy action, he will authorise the interest upon such payments, as provided by the War Damage Acts, to be paid without further delay.

Section 10 (5) of the War Damage Act, 1943, provides that interest on a value payment shall be payable when that payment is discharged. There is no power under the Act to authorise an earlier payment.

Is the Minister aware that people who have lost their houses will have to wait for many years, and that a small contribution from him would be welcome?

Yes, but the law does not permit that and we have a lot of amendments to the law to make which are more important than this.

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider, when dealing with these amendments, the difficulties that arise when a person has mortgaged his house and has to pay a larger interest in respect of the mortgage than that which is allowed under the war damage scheme?

I shall be glad to keep the matter under review but it is difficult, under the present law, to do what hon. Members wish.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, where building materials forming part of war damaged houses are looted through delay in granting licences to carry out the necessary first-aid repairs, such loss may be included in war damage claims.

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to introduce the Bill, promised by his predecessor, Kingsley Wood, dealing with war damage contributions from public utility undertakings.

Not at present. I am trying to simplify this Bill now that the risk of further war damage has disappeared.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the accumulated pay accrued to Service personnel who have been prisoners of war is subjected to Income Tax

The Service pay of members of the United Kingdom Forces who have been prisoners of war was liable to United Kingdom Income Tax in the same way as the pay of members of those Forces who were serving abroad.

In view of the hardship which the small man is suffering would the Minister give the matter his consideration?

I do not know whether, on principle, we can justify giving a tax concession to officers and other ranks who were captured, as against those who were not captured.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will exclude from personal income tax assessments the 56 days' leave pay now being given to all Servicemen on demobilisation, as the inclusion of this pay in an individual's taxable income is a deterrent to his taking up remunerative employment before his leave pay ceases.

I have no power to do this under the existing law, and I doubt whether the deterrent to which the hon. and gallant Member refers is a factor of great practical importance.

Will the Minister not make the welcome announcement that he will withdraw the tax from all pay?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will now arrange for a list of all stockholders in the Bank of England to be published, stating the amount of each holding and the amount of Government stock which each such stockholder will receive on the proposed nationalisation of the Bank of England;

(2) whether the accounts of the Bank of England for the last 20 years, upon the basis of which it is proposed that compensation should be assessed on the nationalisation of the Bank of England, can now be published for consideration by this House;

(3) what proportion of the gross income of the Bank of England, in each of the last 20 years, was attributable to work done or service rendered by the Bank of England for or on behalf of His Majesty's Government.

With the permission of the hon. Member I should prefer to deal with these Questions when I move the Second Reading of the Bank of England Bill.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the House should be presented with the facts I have asked for, and that the whole House would like to have them before the Bank of England Bill is read a Second time? I am sure that not only the whole House but the public generally would like to know who are the stockholders we are going to compensate so handsomely.

It would cost a lot in printing, because there are more than 17,000 of them.

Could my right hon. Friend say whether there are any nominee holders in the Bank of England, and will he ascertain whom these nominees represent?

No. Sir. I think that is of no public interest whatever.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, taking the purchasing power of the £ in 1900 as 100, he will state the corresponding figure at the latest available date; and the figure calculated for the whole field of personal expenditure.

According to the best calculations available, the figure for September, 1945, is 45. Calculated over the whole field of personal expenditure, the figure for September 1945, would probably be about 40.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the interests of keeping the rent of permanent houses as low as possible, he will apply the same condition of freedom from Purchase Tax on kitchen furniture fitments to be used in permanent houses as at present applies to temporary houses.

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he proposes to set up a special economy committee similar to the Geddes Committee after the last war.

No, Sir. Certainly not.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent he in tends to restrict private investment in order to provide funds for investment in Government loans to pay for the capital cost of nationalisation.

The hon. Member should not assume that loans of new money will be required to pay for the capital cost of nationalisation. No such loans will be needed, for example, in the case of the Bank of England.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the decision of the Eire Government to tax all allowances paid by Britain to members of His Majesty's Forces from Eire, which decision being retrospective is causing hard ship and inconvenience, he will consider making some form of taxation relief to members of the Forces so affected.

These allowances are not charged to United Kingdom Income Tax and I cannot, therefore, give tax relief in respect of them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual expenditure in 1913 and at the latest available date respectively, on social services.

For 1942 and 1943 I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton) on 14th December last. Figures for 1913 are not available, but the comparable figure for 1910 was £62,817,000.