asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, with a view to strengthening the domestic economy of this country and improving the health of the people, he will now authorise the spending of Marshall Aid dollars in purchasing feedingstuffs for livestock, since the present shortage is retarding increased home food production.

Supplies of animal feedingstuffs from non-dollar sources have so far proved sufficient to meet the requirements of the livestock rationing scheme at current ration levels, including the extension of the scheme to include new entrants to pig and poultry keeping and the special bonus issues for pigs and poultry announced in November, 1948. Negotiations for the sterling purchase of feedingstuffs are now proceeding. If it should become necessary at a later date to consider the purchase of feedingstuffs from North America for dollars owing to their non-availability in other markets for sterling, we shall be prepared to contemplate the possibility of using some dollars for that purpose. The possibility of making further improvements in ration scales is dependent on the longer term prospects of supplies of feedingstuffs from all sources, including home production.

Does the hon. Gentleman really think it right to give an answer of that sort to the House? Is he not fully aware that every farmer in the country knows that the difficulty of producing more beef and pork and of keeping livestock is the shortage of feedingstuffs? In view of the shortage of food throughout the country, is it not time that Ministers who make remarks like that should be asked to resign forthwith? The hon. Gentleman has no right to give an answer like that.

I think that the hon. Member does not quite realise that if we can buy additional feedingstuffs with sterling, we shall not be in a position to buy less food as a result. If we spend more dollars on feedingstuffs we shall have less food—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."]—and in those circumstances it is more sensible to try to buy feedingstuffs for sterling first.

Ridiculous.

Does my hon. Friend's answer mean that requests for feedingstuffs which have recently been refused will now be granted?

I am not quite sure which requests my right hon. Friend has in mind.

Any of them.

Requests for feeding poultry.

What I said was that if it were impossible to obtain additional feedingstuffs from sterling sources, we should consider using dollars for that purpose. I was not referring to individual applications for feedingstuffs in this country.

Can the hon. Gentleman say, in view of the fact that he stated that there is no demand for this, why it is that every branch of the National Farmers' Union and every branch of the Central Landowners' Association is complaining of the lack of feedingstuffs? Are they right, or is he?

I did not say there was no demand, or anything like it. I said that supplies, so far, had proved sufficient for the present rationing scales.

Has the hon. Gentleman read the reply of the Minister of Food saying that he is having to store feedingstuffs at the present time, and that no more is coming in for some considerable time? Will the hon. Gentleman check up between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Food to find out what has happened to the feedingstuffs?

Of course, it is the case that we had very large supplies from Argentina and Russia last year. The supplies coming at the moment are not so large, and it is only prudent in those circumstances, to store them against the demands of the coming months.

Is the hon. Gentleman really going to suggest to the House and the country that anyone is satisfied with the present rationing scales? Is he suggesting that the present rationing scales are sacrosanct and ought not to be increased if we can get more feedingstuffs?

No. I said nothing of the kind, as the right hon. Gentleman will see if he will read my answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT tomorrow.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make available to France, through the Intra-European Payments Scheme an extra sum of sterling on the understanding that this sterling is spent on the purchase of British tractors.

No, Sir.

Since more tractors for France mean more employment in Britain, and, in the long run, more food for Britain, will my hon. Friend consider providing alternative credit facilities?

We have considered that point very carefully indeed for the reasons my hon. Friend gave, but we have already made very large sums of sterling available to the French Government under the European Payments Scheme, and there must be some limit to free gifts made in this sort of way.

In view of the serious situation created in Coventry, and the unemployment throughout the Midlands, what action does the Administration mean to take to raise employment in the motor industry?

There is, of course, other action, such as the opening of export markets in many other countries. This problem does not depend simply on exports to France.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the present Purchase Tax on gas heaters is 66 per cent. while it is 100 per cent. on electric heaters which is adversely affecting many citizens in council houses where only electricity is available; and, in view of the necessity of having hot water in every home, if he will abolish this tax.

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget Statement.

In view of the fact that these things are now really necessities, will the Chancellor of the Exchequer give this matter special consideration next Wednesday?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the increased expenditure likely to be incurred next year by our commitments under the Atlantic Pact.

It would be premature to attempt any such estimate at this stage.

Has the Treasury given any estimate to the Foreign Secretary before he signs the Atlantic Pact, or is he going to sign a blank cheque—the Atlantic Pact—without any idea of what it will cost?

Is the cost as much as that of the "demob" clothing?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many properties have now been accepted by the National Land Fund; to whom have they been transferred; what costs has the fund incurred to date; and what expenditure has the fund incurred in acquiring tracts of country for public use, and in assisting the National Trust and other appropriate bodies.

Seven properties have been accepted, at a total cost of about £275,000, of which five have been or are about to be transferred to the National Trust, one to the Youth Hostels Association and one to the Minister of Agriculture. This expenditure has served the purposes mentioned in the last part of the Question, but there is no statutory power to use the Fund for paying grants or for acquiring land other than land offered in lieu of Death Duties.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make it clear that the National Trust receives no annual grant from the State?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now prepared to grant the necessary currency to students in this country to enable them to attend universities or schools in France or Switzerland.

Currency is already provided for students to attend full-time courses at universities abroad. Limited facilities for education at schools in Switzerland, under arrangements agreed upon with the Swiss authorities, have also been in force for some time. So far as France is concerned, my right hon. and learned Friend is now prepared to make reasonable amounts of currency available to enable children to be educated at schools in that country.

Could the right hon. Gentleman give us some indication of what the figures are? He said "reasonable amounts" in his answer.

That will, of course, have to be a matter for arrangement.