asked the Minister of Health whether, before he gave his provisional approval to the Whiterdine housing site in the village of Fownhope, Herefordshire, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Town and Country Planning were consulted; whether he is aware that this site is on excellent agricultural land; that it is subject to river mists and has no water supply; and whether he will state why the alternative site, with a potential water supply, was rejected.

Before the provisional approval was given, a joint inspection of the site was made by the county planning officer and technical officers of the Department and in accordance with the usual practice the views of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries are now being obtained. Full account was taken of the factors mentioned and the Whiter-dine site was considered on both planning and housing grounds to be more suitable than the alternative site to which reference is made.

asked the Minister of Health (1) which building material is in such short supply as now to prevent him from allowing private builders to build houses for purchase as well as for letting;(2) if he is aware that according to the official Statistical Digest there are now more building trade operatives than there ever have been in this country; and why private builders are not permitted to take advantage of this situation and allowed to build houses for purchase as well as for renting.

I would refer the hon. Member to the information given in the Housing Returns on the supply of materials and on the size and disposition of the labour force. The arrangements for the issue of licences for the building of private houses are set out in Circular 108/48, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Food why carcases of over 240 lb. classified grade "A," are being sent from his Department abattoir, Woolwich, to manufacturers instead of being reserved for the domestic ration as was previously the rule.

I presume my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to four pig carcases of an average weight of 261 lb. which were too large and too fat for the retail meat trade and were sent to manufacturers during the week commencing 25th April. This involved no change in the normal procedure; clean pig carcases not below the standard of fair quality manufacturing meat are graded "A" for purposes of calculating payments to producers but are allocated to either the retail trade or manufacturers according to size and quality of the carcase.

asked the Minister of Food if he will see that where a supplier has not sufficient material to provide the quota of food in any one week, the unobtainable food is available in the following week.

No one need forgo his rations in any week because his retailer cannot supply them. Any difficulty of this sort should be reported to the local food executive officer who will issue a document enabling the consumer to get his rations from another retailer.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the difficulty now experienced by housewives under the present allocation of rations, in providing their families with meals containing sufficient variety and energy-producing qualities; and if he will look into this and correct this situation.

I think that housewives experience less difficulty under rationing than they do when scarce foods are not controlled. The only solution to their problems is to get more food, and this we are constantly trying to do. Many foods which add variety to the diet, such as milk, which has been decontrolled since 27th April, eggs, fruit and vegetables, have been more plentiful in recent months. The weekly rations of sugar and fats, both energy-producing foods, have recently been increased, and whenever supplies permit, other rations will also be increased. Meanwhile there are many energy-producing foods, such as bread, which are not rationed.

asked the Minister of Food how many licences for the manufacture of sugar confectionery have been granted since the end of the war; and how many of these have been issued to disabled ex-Service men.

I have issued 146 licences to manufacture chocolate and sugar confectionery since the end of the war, 40 to disabled ex-Service men, and the balance to ex-traders who were forced to close down as a result of circumstances directly attributable to the war.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has any statement to make concerning the review of the system of meat inspection.

Yes; I have decided, in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, to appoint an interdepartmental committee to consider the present arrangements in England and Wales and in Scotland for the inspection of home-killed meat and the certification of imported meat and to make recommendations for their improvement.The terms of the minute of appointment are as follow:INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON MEAT INSPECTION

asked the Minister of Food whether he is now in a position to announce his proposals for a review of the legislative and other arrangements for securing that meat products are produced and handled under hygienic conditions.

Yes; I have decided, in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Health, to appoint a Working Party to consider the whole question of hygiene in the trades concerned with the manufacture of meat products and to make recommendations.The terms of the minute of appointment are as follows:MANUFACTURED MEAT PRODUCTS WORKING PARTY

asked the Minister of Food what quantities of tinned beetroot have been imported during the current year; from which countries; and at what cost.

Canned beetroot is not separately classified in the returns of imports of canned vegetables supplied by His Majesty's Customs and Excise and there is no other source of information. Consequently it is not possible to state the quantities and countries of origin of any which have been imported this year. It can be imported either under the token import scheme, in which case the quantities are likely to be negligible, or under specific import licence. Only one such licence has so far been issued this year—for 58¾ tons from Australia, value £4,171 c.i.f. United Kingdom for June-July shipment under our bilateral trade agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what surveys have been made, or are contemplated, of water power in British Guiana; and what report has been made of the possibilities of hydro-electric development in the Colony.

Surveys of individual falls in the past have pointed to the need for flow gauging over a period of years before any decisions to develop hydro-electric power can be taken. Such gauging is at present in progress at three falls and is being extended to four more. The Governor is considering whether any further action can usefully be taken pending the results of these investigations.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many months must a soldier serve in Germany before being entitled to home leave.

Subject to the exigencies of the Service, National Service men called up before 1949 may be granted leave to the United Kingdom after eight months' service in Germany, provided they have a minimum of six weeks' service to complete on their return to duty. Subject to the latter proviso there is no qualifying period for the grant of leave to regulars. The scale of leave for National Service men called up since 1948 has not yet been settled.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what is the maximum period of service in the British Army on the Rhine and the various overseas stations before repatriation; what leave is normally granted; how much of this may be taken in the United Kingdom; and to what extent are free travel warrants provided;(2) what leave is normally allowed to men serving in the United Kingdom; and how many free travel warrants a year are now allowed for this purpose.

With the exception of West Africa the normal period of overseas tour is at present 3 to 3½ years, service in North-West Europe counting as half. In West Africa the present tour is 18 months followed by 42 days' recuperative leave in the United Kingdom if the individual volunteers for a second tour. Full information concerning eligibility for leave and travel facilities at public expense is contained in Army Council Instructions 1123, 1124 and 1125 of 1948, copies of which are in the Library of the House. The scale of leave for National Service men called up in 1949 has not yet been settled.

asked the Prime Minister if any decision has yet been made as to the re-formation of the Home Guard.

I have been asked to reply. The question is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many persons are now accommodated at the former United States Army Camp at Milton Road, Cambridge.

About 100 officers and other ranks and two military families are living at this camp. In addition about 330 officers and other ranks and 220 civilians are employed in it during the day.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the average price respectively, of pitwood and of sawn fir timber imported into this country from Germany, compares with the permitted maximum price of home-grown pitwood or timber ex a country mill.

The maximum free-on-truck price provided by order for home-grown pitwood is on the average some 20 per cent. higher than the f.o.b. price of the last pitwood bought from Germany. Sawn fir timber imported from Germany must conform to certain specifications which do not apply to homegrown softwood. But if the price of homegrown softwood ex a country mill were adjusted to make allowance for these specifications, it would be roughly the same as the f.o.b. cost of the German imports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the control which he proposes to exercise over funeral charges.

No statutory control of these charges is proposed; but the Central Price Regulation Committee have made an arrangement (which came into effect on 1st June) with the National Association of Funeral Directors and the Parliamentary Committee of the Co-operative Congress, which provides that no funeral director shall charge more for a funeral than he was charging in February, 1949, and that the maximum charge for a simple earth burial or cremation shall be £20 (exclusive of items such as clergy and interment fees). The simple funeral will consist of a hearse, four bearers and one following car, and is subject to the distance not exceeding 10 miles. In addition, maximum charges, which will apply to all funerals, and not only to the simple funeral which is subject to a maximum charge of £20, have been agreed for additional mileage, extra following cars, the use of a chapel of rest and removal of the body before the funeral. Funeral directors will make available in their establishments an itemised list of their charges for all their services in connection with funerals.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that it is impossible for new subscribers to obtain a copy of the "Nursery World" periodical; and whether, in view of the increased number of babies born in this country this year, he will increase the supply of newsprint so that mothers may obtain copies of this publication.

As from 1st July next, the "Nursery World" in common with other periodicals will be allowed to use approximately 50 per cent. more paper than at the present time.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will take urgent action in regard to the telephone exchange at Llanuwchllyn, Merioneth, in order that more telephones can be provided for persons who are in great need of them.

Arrangements are in hand to instal a larger switchboard at Llanuwchllyn, but owing to extreme pressure of work in the North Wales and Chester areas I regret that it will be some time before the work can be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost in England, per head of the population, of the Police Force.

For the financial year 194849 the estimated cost on the latest available information is £1 0s. 4d. per head of the population.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Civil Defence Staff College is to be established; and if it is to be a new building or an old one converted.

Premises have been acquired at Sunningdale Park, Sunninghill, Berkshire. The building is not a new one but no structural alterations are necessary. The date of opening has not yet been fixed but it is hoped that it will be ready to receive students in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Civil Defence Regulations, which he promised would be announced before the beginning of June, will be published.

Drafts of these Regulations were presented to Parliament on 31st May.