asked the Minister of Food whether he has issued as large a quantity of the ingredients required in making chocolate and cocoa since rationing has been removed as was being issued before that time; and whether the same quantity has been made available to manufacturers for each of the last six months.

Total allocations of ingredients for chocolates have been at more or less the same level since 30th January because we increased the rate of issue by 18½per cent. three months before derationing, to enable traders to build up stocks well in advance. Manufacturers may draw their allocations when they wish during the allocation period and consequently any detailed comparison would be misleading. Cocoa powder has throughout been unrationed and allocations for this have been on a replacement basis.

asked the Minister of Food if he will restrict the period of milk rationing as from 10th July to the time covered by the severe conditions of drought.

I am afraid that this would not be practicable. The reintroduction of the allocation scheme is necessary because the supply of milk is now in a seasonal decline. The hot weather has merely accentuated this decline and cool and rainy weather now would not arrest it.

asked the Postmaster General what degree of priority is extended to applications from district and area superintendents of churches and religious organisations for telephones.

No specific grade of priority is allotted to applications for telephone service from district and area superintendents of churches and religious organisations, but telephone managers are authorised to deal specially, within their discretion, with exceptional cases. If my hon. Friend would let me know of any such case where difficulty has arisen, I will be glad to look into the matter.

asked the Postmaster General when the decision, as intimated in his letter of 13th January to the hon. Member for Caernarvonshire, to provide a telephone kiosk at Bryncroes, Caernarvonshire, will be implement.

A site has been obtained for a telephone kiosk at Bryncroes, Caernarvonshire, and the work of constructing the overhead line is proceeding. It is hoped to have the kiosk in service within three months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why no warning was given to accredited poultry breeders last winter instead of on 21st June that their ration would not be increased even though they had increased the number of stock on their holding; and what consideration will be given to those accredited breeders who, relying on a ration proportionate to the amount of birds on their farm on October next, have already had extra stock and incurred expense on housing, etc.

It has been the practice to announce the basis of the supplementary rations for accredited poultry breeders immediately before each rationing period. The timing of the announcement about next year's rations was determined by the decision to suspend recruitment to the accredited scheme, taken after I received the recommendation of the Poultry (Stock Improvement) Advisory Committee in April. This decision and the feedingstuffs situation made it necessary to impose a limit on the rations of existing accredited breeders and I am afraid I cannot make any special arrangements for those who may have entered into commitments on the assumption that this ration would go on increasing without limit.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps are being taken to ensure that importations of ruminant animals into this country do not result in the outbreak of epidemics.

The importation of ruminating animals into Great Britain from countries other than Ireland and Canada is prohibited by the Diseases of Animals Acts, 1894–1937. In certain circumstances, I am empowered to make orders allowing specified animals to be brought into Great Britain, but such orders are made only when I am satisfied that there are adequate safeguards against the risk of introducing disease into this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs about how long it takes the Military Permit Office to deal with applications for permits to visit the British Zone in Germany; and when Mr. Watson, 207, Stamford Road, Kettering, may expect a decision on the application he made on 17th June, enclosing his passport and the appropriate fee?

Mr. Watson's passport endorsed with the entry permit was returned to him on 13th July. I regret the delay. Whereas previously a period of about a week sufficed for the issue of most permits, the recent opening of Western Germany to tourists resulted in a temporary congestion. Under new arrangements which have now been introduced, on most applications made by personal visit to the office, the permit can be issued within a few hours and on postal applications within two days. I am, however, sorry to say that there are some accumulated arrears, which, it is hoped, will be cleared under the new arrangements in a week or two.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will hasten a decision regarding the site of the proposed by-pass road for Stickney, Lincolnshire, as delay in reaching this decision is holding up urgent sewage disposal work in this area.

The line of the proposed by-pass to Stickney has not yet been settled, but I am advised that the sewage disposal work will not be affected. I have asked my divisional road engineer to get into touch with the Spilsby Rural District Council and discuss any further points of difficulty.

asked the Minister of Health what economies have so far resulted from the centralised purchase of medical stores and equipment?

I regret that a precise estimate of savings on central purchase of medical stores and equipment for the National Health Service is not available. If I had to give a broad estimate I should say something like £2 million.