asked the Minister of Supply what conditions apply to the sale of Government stores and war equipment to ensure the protection of the public from profiteering on the part of dealers and retailers.

Where necessary, prices are controlled, either by agreement with the trade, by Statutory Order, or, as in the case of machine tools, by my Department conducting the sale at a fixed price for each article.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that in the case of officers' field boots, his Department disposed of these at 25s. a pair, and that their price in the shops is 65s., and that, in the case of deck shoes, his Department are getting 7s. 6d. a pair, whereas the retail price to the public is 22s. 6d. a pair? Does he consider it justified that the price should go up three times before the public get them?

The price of second-hand clothing to the consumer is fixed after consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

Does my right hon. Friend consider that a price increase of 300 per cent. is a fair margin?

I should have to look at those margins.

asked the Minister of Supply what civilian products are now being manufactured at the Royal Ordnance factory, Irvine; how many men and women are employed there; and whether it is contemplated increasing production and employment.

This factory is producing sulphuric acid for industrial purposes and is recovering steel, copper, brass and ammonium nitrate for civilian use from I he breaking down of ammunition. Four hundred and five men and 37 women are employed, and I hope, for the present, to maintain employment at about this level.

asked the Minister of Supply what steps he is taking to secure the manufacture in this country of specialised engineering equipment, hitherto imported.

By such means as helping manufacturers to obtain raw materials, to erect buildings, to purchase manufacturing rights and to raise capital, and by putting at their disposal the general services of the Department and its advisory bodies.

As my right hon. Friend appears to be the chairman of a committee which is producing, so we are told, machinery for the coalmines, can he give us any further statement than that which he has given as to the extent of production?

I think that my hon. Friend had better put that question down.

I will.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will now publish the Report recently submitted to him by the National Advisory Council for the Motor Manufacturing Industry.

Yes, Sir. I will include the substance of it in the report of the work of the National Advisory Council for the Motor Manufacturing Industry, which I will publish shortly.

asked the Minister of Supply why the contract allotted to Roy Fedden, Limited, for the development of a low-powered airscrew-driving turbine has been cancelled.

In the interests of economy it was necessary to review the propeller turbine engines within this power range now under development and it was decided that the continued support of this project was not justified. I welcome this opportunity of stating in public, as I have already assured Sir Roy Fedden personally, that the decision does not, of course, imply any reflection on the ability of the company.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the jet turbine business is a great source of income to this country from hard currency areas and, when this particular turbine was so very near completion, why should he be so shortsighted as to cancel the contract?

In view of the tact that other turbines were in a more advanced state of development, it was not considered justified to continue incurring expenditure on this one.

is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is said that this turbine would have been completed and running within three months? Why cancel it then?

That is in conf with the advice which I received.

May I ask the right non Gentleman why it was necessary to cancel this contract when he has also made it impossible for this factory to produce anything else? Will he see that Sir Roy Fedden and the group of skilled workers around him will be used in the national interest?

The factory was used on this contract purely on research and development work. The question of the use of the factory for production is one for my right hon. and learned Friend the President of the Board of Trade to decide.

(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether the Government have any statement to make on the grave and tragic events which have lust taken place in Burma.

I have nothing to add to the very full reports that have appeared in the Press. We are in the closest touch with the Governor, and any information received from him will at once be made available.

The House will join with me in deploring this brutal outrage which has met with universal condemnation. My colleagues and I who had long talks with U Aung San and Thakin Mya had formed a high opinion of them both. They were, in our view, men of great intelligence, courage and public spirit who could ill he spared in Burma in these critical days. U Aung San had shown high qualities of leadership. The underlying causes of the plot are not yet clear. Everything is being done to trace the culprits and to fix responsibility.

The House will have seen that a new Executive Council has now been formed by Thakin Nu, the President of the Constituent Assembly, who has, as the House is aware, very recently visited this country as the head of the Burma Goodwill Mission. The swift formation of a new Council is the best guarantee of the early restoration of normal conditions in Burma. The shocking events that have taken place will in no way deflect His Majesty's Government from their settled policy. Their attitude towards Burma and Burma's aspirations and their anxiety to see her progress to her goal, remain unchanged.

The House will wish to join with me in extending their deep sympathy to the relations of the victims and their earnest good wishes to the new Council for the successful fulfilment of its vital tasks.

While sharing the right hon. Gentleman's sentiments about this outrage, may I ask if he can give any information as to what are the position and responsibilities of any British troops in Burma, in view of the grave situation which exists there now?

The responsibility for maintaining internal security rests with the Governor of Burma. The troops are available for that purpose and are, of course, under British command, and under the control of the Governor. There is no restriction on their employment. As the right hon. Gentleman realises, it is not yet a Dominion Government and, therefore, we have our responsibilities for law and order. I should add that every step is being taken to provide for reinforcements if they are needed, and a request has been sent to India for the use of Indian troops if they should be necessary. So far they have not been necessary.

Will my right hon. Friend specially convey to the Burmese people the real and deep sorrow which is felt by Members on this side of the House who learned to respect U Aung San and his comrades, and will he bear in mind that the moral guilt of the assassination attaches less, perhaps, to the brutal gunmen in Rangoon than to the comfortable Conservative gentlemen here who incited U Saw to treachery and sabotage?

Oh!

The hon. Member is not entitled to make imputations of that kind. I would point out that that is an unnecessary imputation. After all, we do expect reasonable Parliamentary manners here, and I must say that the hon. Gentleman went quite outside what is reasonable.

With respect, when I said "here" I meant here in England. I was not specifically referring to this House.

It would certainly appear that the hon. Member referred to hon. Members here.

I know the Prime Minister and the country will not pay any attention to that sort of question. May I ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the crucial nature of the tragedy and the grave menace which it strikes at the future stability of Burma, he will give the House an opportunity for debating this matter?

I should have thought it was premature to come to any decision on that point. We will see how events proceed.