asked the Postmaster-General whether he will supply official paid stationery for use by old people's welfare committees.

As was explained in the letter of 16th February to my hon. Friend, whilst recognising the good work of these committees I regret that I cannot meet this request.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that coal merchants in the area south of the Thames are experiencing great difficulty in supplying their customers with the basic allocation of fuel owing to non-deliveries from the collieries; that some merchants have recently been without fuel for as long as a fortnight at a time, and that since they are only receiving 80 per cent. of their allocation they have no ground stocks on which to rely; and whether, in view of the hardship such a state of affairs inflicts on the population of this area, he will take steps to see that supplies to the merchants are improved and expedited.

While there has been some under-delivery to merchants in the south against their house coal allocations this winter, though not to the extent suggested by the hon. Member, supplies to depots in the Abingdon, Wallingford, Farringdon and Wantage districts have been somewhat above the level for the south as a whole and my inquiries have disclosed no evidence of any special difficulty in this area. At the same time arrangements have been made which should result in an increase in deliveries to merchants in this area and elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospital or sanatoria beds were available for tuberculosis patients in 1938 and in each year from 1946 to 1949; and whether he has any estimates of the number of patients now awaiting admission.

Following are the particulars:

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take in order to prevent the pollution of rivers, and whether the clauses of the River Board Act dealing with this matter will he enforced forthwith.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and I have already established river boards for the following areas in accordance with the River Boards Act, 1948: Avon and Dorset, Bristol Avon, Hull and East Yorkshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Severn, Somerset, Yorkshire Ouse. Further boards will be established as soon as practicable. The prevention of river pollution is one of the main statutory functions of these Boards.