asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will publish figures to show the consumption of oil and petrol per ton of opencast coal excavated.

I regret that precise figures are not available but I estimate that rather less than half a gallon of petrol and about two gallons of diesel oil are consumed per ton of opencast coal excavated.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the highest cost per ton of opencast coal at present being excavated; and what is the lowest cost.

The highest production cost at present is 57s. 5d. per ton and the lowest 14s. 3d. These figures include, of course, the cost of restoring the land.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the total amount of dollars which have been allocated for the purchase of machinery for opencast coalmining operations in this country.

About 29 million dollars.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what tonnage of anthracite for domestic purposes has been delivered to Nottingham and Newark, respectively, since 1st June, 1948.

Separate figures for anthracite alone are not available. But merchants' receipts of boiler fuel, except coke, between 1st June, 1948, and 12th March, 1949, were for Nottingham 1,509 tons and for Newark 626 tons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will include within the scope of court maintenance orders provision for maintenance to be extended to children over 16 years of age, who because of mental deficiency or physical disability are unable to follow any occupation.

My hon. Friend's suggestion would require legislation and I am afraid I can hold out no hope of the Government introducing legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the police have considered the application from the London Trades Council for permission to hold a march on 1st May; and what answer has been given.

The order made by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis with my consent under Section 3 (3) of the Public Order Act, 1936, prohibits all political processions in the Metropolitan Police District. I am advised that a procession on the lines of those organised by the London Trades Council on previous May Days would undoubtedly be a political procession. There is no power to exempt any particular political procession from the operation of the order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now prepared to met a deputation from the National Association of Probation Officers as requested by that Association on 30th December, 1948.

On 30th December the Association asked an officer of my Department to receive a deputation to discuss their proposals for a new salary scale for probation officers. I was then considering the desirability of having a negotiating body to advise me on probation officers' salaries and on 28th February the Association were informed that they would be invited to discuss arrangements for this. At the same time they were told that their proposals for a new salary scale would be for consideration by the new body.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when will the new Rules of the Criminal Justice Act, 1948, dealing with probation officers, come into operation.

I hope that it will be possible to bring the new probation rules into operation on 1st August.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation officers have left the service since the passing of the Children Act, 1948; and how many of those leaving have been employed as children's officers under that Act.

Twenty full-time probation officers have resigned since the Children Act came into operation on 5th July, 1948. Nine of these did so in order to take up appointments as children's officers. In addition one probation officer was appointed a children's officer before the Act was passed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the application of Mr. Geoffrey R. Palmer and his wife Mrs. L. M. Palmer of 31 Balcombe Street, St. Marylebone for registration has been refused; and whether he is satisfied that these persons are not eligible to vote in the forthcoming London County Council elections.

I understand that Mr. and Mrs. Palmer are registered as electors in Deptford, and that these were applications to be treated as absent voters. It is for the Registration Officer to determine such applications, subject to any appeal to the County Court under Section 70 of the Representation of the People Act, 1948, and I have no power to intervene.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made with the scheme to provide a mains water supply to villages in the Bingham Rural District.

The Nottingham Town Council have agreed terms for the acquisition of mains belonging to Government Departments and are completing negotiations for the acquisition of a site for a reservoir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken by the Commissioner of Police, to whose attention he drew the statement made by the Director of Public Prosecutions, concerning the increase of sadistic literature directed to the young which was imported from the United States of America and Canada.

The Commissioner continues to watch for the sale of this literature but no case has come to light since my previous answer to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will call for a return from all hospitals of the waiting list for admission by patients; and whether he will consider publishing, for the benefit of medical practitioners, a list of hospitals where it is known that facilities for early admission are available.

A review has just been made, and an annual return will be obtained in future. The whole matter is being studied by my Standing Medical Advisory Committee.

asked the Minister of Health whether the legal adviser to a regional hospital board has the responsibility for giving legal advice to the hospital management committees under the Board; and whether he proposes giving any advice on this matter.

This is a matter for arrangement between boards and committees.

asked the Minister of Health how many regional hospital boards have appointed full time architects; how many others have invited applications for such appointments; for what reasons these are justified; and, in particular, whether the work of the regional architect is advisory or executive in character and includes work initiated by hospital management committees under the board.

Twelve regional hospital boards have appointed full-time architects. Of the remaining two, neither has yet invited applications for such appointments. The regional boards are responsible for all capital works of construction, reconstruction and adaptation at non-teaching hospitals, and also for the supervision of major schemes of building maintenance. The majority have found that this necessitates the employment of full-time professional officers. The work of the regional architect may be both advisory and executive and include the handling of proposals designed to meet needs made known to the boards by hospital management committees.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the advisability of the formation of an interdepartmental committee to investigate the action taken by local authorities under the powers conferred by the Local Government Act, 1948, to provide entertainment for their people.

I am obtaining preliminary information on the extent to which local authorities have used their powers under the Local Government Act, 1948. When this is available I will consider whether action on the lines suggested in the Question is necessary.

asked the Minister of Health what are the allocations of new permanent houses for the local authorities of St. Albans City, St. Albans Rural District Council, Hatfield Rural District Council and Welwyn Garden City Urban District Council, respectively, for the first six months of 1949.

I do not feel justified in adding to the detailed information as to progress in housing which is already contained in the published returns.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the urgent need to increase the available number of female workers in the Nottingham area, and the absence of suitable accommodation for any such increase, he will arrange for the establishment of hostels for accommodating women workers in the city.

No. So far, with the cooperation of employers and workers, it has been found possible to accommodate transferred women industrial workers in lodgings and the provision of additional accommodation by way of hostels has not proved necessary.

asked the Minister of Labour what further steps are contemplated to bring the working conditions in all foundries up to the standards recommended in the Report of the Joint Advisory Committee on Conditions in Ironfoundries.

This is a matter for detailed action by employers and workers in the industry. This action includes structural and other alterations varying according to the circumstances of particular foundries; and the steps already taken and contemplated cannot be described within the limits of an answer to a Parliamentary Question. As indicated, however, in a booklet just issued by the Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers, considerable progress has been made in spite of serious practical difficulties. Factory inspectors are giving special attention to the matter, and the position is under constant review by the Joint Standing Committee on Foundry Conditions.

asked the Minister of Education when the report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Conference held at Beirut will be published.

The Report of the United Kingdom Delegation to the Conference was published as a White Paper on 29th March. The full text of the resolutions passed has been published separately by U.N.E.S.C.O. and is also on sale at His Majesty's Stationery Office.

asked the Minister of Education when he expects to be able to revise form 2 H.P. and circular No. 146 regarding the ascertainment of sub-normal children as promised to the hon. Member for St. Albans on 4th March, 1948.

I hope to be able to deal with this matter shortly, but some further consultations are necessary.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has considered the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for Mile End concerning the banning of school halls to Communist municipal candidates by a number of local authorities; and what steps he is taking to enforce Section 35 (1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1948.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education (1) how much milk was provided to schoolchildren in the Borough of Mossley, Lancashire, during each of the years 1921 to 1939, inclusive; and give comparable figures for the years 1945 to 1948, inclusive;(2) how many children in the Borough of Mossley, Lancashire, left elementary schools to receive higher education during each of the years 1921 to 1939, inclusive; and how many did so during each of the years 1945 to 1948.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Education what is the order of priority for the various educational buildings in his building programme.

There is no rigid order of priority. The main pattern of educational building up to the end of 1952 is described in Circular 191, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Education how many school places it is estimated will be provided as a result of the execution by the 139 local education authorities of their 1949 programmes for building new schools and classroom accommodation.

The completion of major projects for new school accommodation in the 1949 programme is expected to provide about 120,000 new places in primary schools and about 55,000 new places in secondary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what progress has been made in African land settlement in Swaziland during the last three years.

With the aid of funds provided under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, valuable work has been done in Swaziland, not only in the settlement of landless families but also in teaching these families how to use their land and to manage their animals. During the past three years, about 500 families have been settled in the three areas which are now being developed. The present schemes provide for a thousand families more, and farms for 500 of them have been surveyed.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether it is proposed to develop further the Lake Ngami area in Bechuanaland as a settlement area for the Hereros in Bechuanaland and for local tribes.

The Lake Ngami area is already intensively used by the Hereros and by the other tribes of Ngamiland, and there are no immediate plans for further development. If such plans were carried out, they would, of course, have to be for the benefit of Ngamiland as a whole; they could only be carried out if communications were improved.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of the controls still exercised by his Department in the licensing of manufacturers and the purchase, acquisition and allocation of raw materials, respectively.

Following is a list, setting out (i) the goods which require a licence for trade or manufacture; (ii) the materials purchased for resale on Government account; (iii) the materials which cannot be acquired without a licence. I should make it clear that this list does not include import licensing or any non-statutory arrangement for the allocation of materials.(1)

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many officials from his Department have gone to Japan in the last two months on temporary visits; what particular sections of trade, export and import, do they represent; and what was the purpose of their visits.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what increases in the price of flannelette, cloth and cotton garments have been authorised by his Department; what is the actual increase in the retail price; and why he has authorised these increases.

Following is a list of the orders published during the last six months which contained revised maximum prices (including some decreases) for manufacturers and distributors of utility cotton garments including those made from flannelette. The increases relate to the increases in the price of raw cotton which occurred last spring.MANUFACTURERS' ORDERSThe Knitted Goods (Manufacture and Supply) (Amendment) (No. 5) Order, 1948—S.I. 1948 No. 2326.The Utility Apparel (Men's, Youths' and Boys' Outerwear) (Manufacture and Supply) (Consolidation) Order, 1948—S.I. 1948 No. 2335.The Utility Apparel (Waterproofs) (No. 2) Order, 1948—S.I. 1948 No. 2339.The Utility Apparel (Gaberdine Raincoats) (Manufacture and Supply) (No. 2) Order, 1948—S.I. 1948 No. 2412.The Utility Apparel (Men's and Boys' Shirts, Underwear and Nightwear) (Manufacture and Supply) (Consolidation) Order, 1948—S.I. 1948 No. 2637.The Knitted Goods (Manufacture and Supply) (Amendment) (No. 6) Order, 1948—S.I. 1948 No. 2761.The Utility Overalls and Aprons (Manufacture and Supply) (Amendment) (No. 3) Order, 1948—S.I. 1948 No. 2852.The Utility Corsets (Manufacture and Supply) Order, 1949—S.I. 1949 No. 39.The Knitted Goods (Manufacture and Supply) (Amendment) (No. 7) Order, 1949—S.I. 1949 No. 223.The Utility Apparel (Women's and Maids' Underwear and Nightwear) (Manufacture and Supply) Order, 1949—S.I. 1949 No. 287.The Utility Apparel (Men's and Boys' Shirts, Underwear and Nightwear) (Manufacture and Supply) (Amendment) Order, 1949—S.I. 1949 No. 351.DISTRIBUTORS' ORDERSThe Utility Apparel (Maximum Prices and Charges) (Amendment) Order, 1948—S.I. 1948 No. 2468.The Utility Apparel (Maximum Prices and Charges) (Amendment) Order, 1949—S.I. 1949 No. 174.The Utility Apparel (Maximum Prices and Charges) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order, 1949—S.I. 1949 No. 226.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of the raw wool material in a man's good quality utility suit; and what proportion in value of the whole suit this constitutes.

The maximum price for the top utility suit in cloth 209F, the best utility worsted suiting, is £11 4s. 5d. (ready-made). The cost of the raw wool used in the manufacture of the cloth for this suit would be about 40s. to 45s., according to the type used. This represents 18 to 20 per cent. of the retail price of the suit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what changes have been made recently in the production efficiency service of his Department; and what are the duties of the newly appointed Adviser on Production Efficiency.

None. The duties of the Adviser on Production Efficiency are to advise industrial firms, particularly the smaller firms, at their request, on problems associated with their industrial efficiency. He is responsible for the advice on these problems offered to industry by the Production Efficiency Service, and for the technical efficiency of the Service.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many trade commissioners have been appointed in the United States of America since 1st September, 1948; and what are their terms of appointment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the names of the four trade commissioners to be appointed to direct Britain's dollar exports drive; and whether he will ensure that they will be in touch with trade associations in this country.

I assume that the hon. Members are referring to Press statements about the appointment of additional commercial staff to the Foreign Service in the United States. I hope to deal fully with this subject as soon as a suitable opportunity presents itself.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the recent restriction of imports by South Africa has resulted in the cancellation of contracts for the supply of British manufactures; what representations he has received on this matter; and what action he has taken and with what results.

Yes. I have received representations from trade organisations and from a number of firms and industries who have goods on order or in production especially for South Africa, which they were unable to despatch for shipment by the operative date, 11th March. The Senior Trade Commissioner in South Africa was instructed to seek an extension of the period of grace beyond 11th March, but the South African authorities have not been able to accede to this request and such goods will accordingly require import licences. It seems reasonable to hope that the South African authorities will issue import licences in cases of hardship and the Senior Trade Commissioner has been asked to seek an assurance to this effect.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when a report on the result of the Anglo-French trade talks may be expected; and whether he will make a statement.

No trade talks are in progress at the moment. As regards the recent discussions on Anglo-French economic co-operation, I cannot add to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to my hon. Friend the Member for West Coventry (Mr. Edelman) on 15th March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the order controlling the export of goods of potential military value will be made.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 15th February last and to a supplementary answer given to the noble Lord the Member for South Dorset (Viscount Hinchingbrooke) which arose on a Question put by the hon. Member for Shrewsbury (Mr. Langford-Holt) on 24th March. Many items of potential military value are already subject to export licensing control in our security interests. An order has been signed today and will become operative on 8th April extending this control over a wider range of these goods. His Majesty's Government will continue to keep the position under close review, and export control will be extended to other items where this course is necessary in our security interests.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether arrangements have been made to continue to recruit for the Royal Navy in Newfoundland after Confederation with Canada.

At present all candidates for the Royal Navy must apply in the United Kingdom, and there are no special arrangements for entry in Newfoundland. The change in the status of Newfoundland will not, therefore, affect this position.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what facilities are granted to civilianised ex-prisoners of war for cashing their British and America credit notes.

Most of them had the opportunity to draw their credits while on leave in Germany. They may also transfer their credit money to a nominee in Western Germany or Berlin.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how long the Joint Export-Import Agency has been in existence; to whom it is responsible for its activities and financial accounts; and whether any financial account has yet been submitted.

The Joint Export-Import Agency was established on 1st January, 1947. Under the terms of the Fusion Agreement of 2nd December, 1946, it was made responsible to the Bipartite Board which consists of the British and United States Military Governors in Germany, who are in turn responsible to their respective Governments. In October, 1948, the foreign trade of the French zone was amalgamated with that of the combined zone, and French zone representatives were added to the staff of the Agency on the same footing as their British and United States colleagues. The financial accounts for the calendar years 1947 and 1948 are at present under examination by commercial auditors and will in due course be submitted to the Military Governors.

asked the Postmaster-General how much was contributed by the British taxpayer to the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1948 in respect to foreign, Dominion and Colonial broadcasting, respectively.

The amount of the grant-in-aid paid to the B.B.C. in the calendar year 1948 for overseas broadcasting was £4,025,000. The B.B.C. spent £2,007,000 on its foreign broadcasting services and £1,576,000 on overseas broadcasting to commonwealth countries (including the Colonies), and English-speaking communities in all parts of the world. The remainder of the grant-in-aid payment was either spent on other services performed for Government Departments, or was carried forward at the end of 1948.

asked the Postmaster-General how long it will be before new equipment is installed at the Headington telephone exchange in Oxford; how many applicants are now waiting for service in that area; and what is the average time for which they have been waiting.

The Headington exchange was extended in April, 1948, and no further extension is contemplated at present. There are 390 outstanding applications for service in this area, and these are held up by shortage of line plant and labour. The average period of waiting of these applications is about 18 months.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he has any further statement to make arising from his reconsideration of the question of demobilisation clothing allowance for National Service men.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 30th March to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the 5,291 persons detained in Malaya and Singapore without charge on 21st January have made an objection to the advisory committees; how many of these have been released; and whether the proceedings and findings of the advisory committees have been made public.

Of the persons under detention in the Federation of Malaya and Singapore on the 21st January, 4,076 had made objections to the advisory committees. The latest available information is that 112 of those whose objections have been heard have since been released. The proceedings and findings of the advisory committees in individual cases are not made public.

asked the Minister of Food how many enforcement inspectors in his Department are exclusively employed in visiting farms; and how many visits have been made in the past 12 months.

No enforcement inspectors are solely employed in visiting farms. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not readily available and I do not feel that the extensive inquiry necessary to obtain it would be justified.

asked the Minister of Food what percentage of cattle slaughtered for human consumption in England and Wales was found on inspection of the carcases to be infected with tuberculosis during each of the years 1941–48.

I regret that, for the reasons given in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport (Mr. Peter Freeman) on 4th March, I am unable to indicate the percentage of carcases of home killed beef condemned on account of infection by tuberculosis.

asked the Minister of Food if he will enumerate all the items of food on which his Department make a profit; and indicate the total and the amount per pound or per tin.

The following table gives the information:

Commodity	Estimated total profit in year to 31st March, 1949	unit	Estimated average United Profit
	£'000		d.
Canned fish	2,466	tin	4·2
Canned fruit	652	tin	3·4
Edible pulses	317	lb.	1·0
Dried fruit	400	lb.	0·3
Edible nuts	544	lb.	2·9
Fresh fruit and fruit pulp.	4,400	lb.	0·7
Fancy cheese	150	lb.	2·0
Refined oils and fats (other than for domestic use).	2,896	lb.	2·7
Rice	350	lb.	0·02
Coffee	466	lb.	1·1
Cocoa	1,606	lb.	1·6
Canned meat (other than canned corned meat).	1,585	lb.	4·4
Rabbits and hares	256	lb.	1·0
Poultry	86	lb.	0·6

It should be noted however that in some cases the profits were secured on stocks bought at prices materially lower than present cost, and do not therefore represent the current rates of profit.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will give details of the fruit and vegetables to be imported into this country under the Anglo-Polish and Anglo-French Agreements, specifying the tonnage authorised.

So far as imports from Poland are concerned, no further arrangements have been made than those set out in the Trade and Finance Agreement which has been published as a White Paper, Cmd. 7628 of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. Although in fact importers may not, of course, purchase up to the full tonnages mentioned under the Anglo-French Agreement we are prepared to license private traders to import up to the following amounts:

Tonnage for 1949 to be imported by Ministry of Food
Sweet oranges	30,000
Tonnage for 1949 to be imported by Private Traders
Lemons	1,500
Plums	3,000
Pears	500
Mandarines, tangerines and clementines	6,750
Grapes	1,670
Peaches and nectarines	4,000
Melons	330
Currants	4,300
Apricots	375
Cherries	3,000
Strawberries	2,000
Green figs	250
Gooseberries and raspberries	200
Onions	3,750
Garlic	100
Tomatoes	10,000
Asparagus	800
Broccoli and cauliflower	2,500
Lettuce and endive	4,000
Radishes	30
Peas	1,000
Beans	120
Cucumbers	200
Other fresh vegetables	750
New potatoes	20,000

asked the Minister of Food to state separately the values of the butter, cheese, condensed milk, milk powder, blockmilk, lactose and whey powder which, to a total value of £11,750,000, are to be imported from the Netherlands this year.

The agreement provides for the import of £300,000 worth of blockmilk, £250,000 worth of lactose and £100,000 worth of whey powder but I cannot give figures for the remaining items at present since provision has been made for considerable interchangeability between them. The bulk will, however, be made up of butter and cheese.

asked the Minister of Food what number of sheep were slaughtered in the counties of Anglesey, Caernarvonshire, Merionethshire, Denbighshire and Flintshire for consumption in those counties during 1948; and how many sheep left those counties during the same period for slaughter for food consumption elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

121,687 and 198,906 respectively.

asked the Minister of Food what was the number of sheep slaughtered in Scotland during 1948 for consumption in Scotland; and what was the number of sheep sent out of Scotland for slaughter for food consumption elsewhere in the United Kingdom during the same period.

1,257,000 and 33,000 respectively. In addition during the same period the carcases of 370,000 sheep slaughtered in Scotland were transferred for consumption elsewhere in the United Kingdom.