asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Explanatory Note to Statutory Instrument No. 60 of 1951 does not make it plain that the effect of the Instrument is to levy Purchase Tax on stationery produced by firms for their own internal use.

I am advised that an Explanatory Note appended to a Statutory Instrument must not purport to construe the law and thereby usurp the functions of the courts. The Explanatory Note to Statutory Instrument, 1951, No. 60, therefore states the effect of the Instrument on the provisions of the Act in question but does not attempt to interpret those provisions in relation to any particular processes or persons performing them. I must, however, admit that this Explanatory Note is by no means easy to understand and I have asked those concerned to take special care to make these notes clearer in future. I may add that Notice No. 77D, issued by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, explains the official view of the effect of the Order.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the serious effect upon a large number of medium-sized and smaller manufacturers of the shortage of certain raw materials and the restrictions to be imposed on the use of certain nonferrous metals as from 1st February next, he will now give the National Union of Manufacturers an opportunity to nominate a representative of those manufacfacturers for appointment by him to the National Production Advisory Council of Industry.

I have nothing to add to the replies given to the hon. Member on 21st November and 14th December. 1950.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when the hon. Member for Billericay can expect an answer to his letter of 29th November. 1950, concerning Mrs. B. E. Wakefield of Laindon, Essex.

I have now replied to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the temporary staff of the clerical officer grades in the

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will give the hours worked by the various grades of civil servants; and the holidays granted in the course of a year.

The following are the present arrangements for hours and leave for the principal grades of non-industrial civil servants:Civil Service were given no increase in the recent award.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Financial Secretary to the hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Mr. John Rodgers) on 5th February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the visit to this country of two Japanese trade representatives in search of markets for silk, rayon and cotton goods; and to what extent is this visit being supported by His Majesty's Government.

Visas are given from time to time to Japanese traders for visits to the United Kingdom. His Majesty's Government does not give any special facilities to such visitors. I cannot identify the two Japanese to which the Question refers without further particulars, but a number of visas have been given, for example, for visits connected with the sale of cotton grey-cloth, the purchase of wool and the supply of raw silk. For balance of payments reasons imports of Japanese textiles are strictly controlled by import licence.

asked the President of the Board of Trade from what countries we import sulphur ores; and the approximate tonnage in each case.

Sulphur ores are not defined as such in the Trade Accounts but 196,000 tons of iron pyrites mainly from Spain, and 198,000 tons of zinc ore and concentrates mainly from Australia and Canada were imported in 1950. I will, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, circulate the figures of imports from particular countries in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether there has been any change in the attitude of His Majesty's Government with regard to the date and scope of the Census of Distribution, arising out of the deteriorating world situation and the need for substantial re-armament.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of steel exported to Canada in 1949; and what was the total amount exported in 1950.

I am not sure what my hon. Friend would include in the term "steel," but United Kingdom exports to Canada of iron and steel as defined in Group 111C of the Trade Returns together with axles, tyres and wheels for railway rolling stock from Group 1115 were 242,000 tons in 1950, compared with 79,000 tons in 1949.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, although the price of utility cotton drill was increased by about 6d. a yard on 8th December 1950, there has been no increase in the price permitted to manufacturers whose raw material has increased accordingly by 17½ to 20 per cent.; and if he will explain the reason for this.

Yes. It has always been our policy to allow a period to elapse between an increase in the maximum prices for cloth and an increase in the maximum prices for garments, so as to ensure as far as possible that stocks of cloth bought at the lower prices are used up before the maximum prices of garments are raised.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the present allocation of sulphur is likely to be increased in the near future, having especial regard to the possibility of unemployment which may result from shortage and the interference with production for re-equipment and rearmament of the Forces.

There is no likelihood of the present allocation of sulphur being increased in the near future unless we can secure considerably larger supplies than at present from the United States, and representations have been made to the United States Government about the effects on the United Kingdom economy of the present shortages. Statutory control has been instituted over sulphur and sulphuric acid, and under that control, arrangements will be made to see that, so far as possible, necessary rearmament needs are met.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what circus equipment has recently been imported from Germany.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Southend, East (Mr. McAdden) on 6th February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the position of apple wraps to be used for the storage of apples in gas chambers this coming season; and whether, in view of the large capital expenditure that has been made in the construction of refrigerated storage and the essential need to use oiled paper wraps in the process, he will take special steps to ensure that the quantities needed will be adequate to growers' requirements.

Supplies of apple wraps for the 1951 season will probably be as great as last year but will still not meet the demand, owing to raw material difficulties and the incidence of the defence programme. Special steps to ensure that apple-growers obtain all that they require could not be taken without prejudicing supplies for other essential uses.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the large number of applications and specifications awaiting examination at the Patent Office; and what steps he is taking to remedy this situation.

Yes. The procedure in the Patent Office has been simplified where possible and new staff with technical qualifications have been recruited and trained since the end of the war. During the past three years, a continuous reduction in the arrears from a peak figure of over 30,000 has been effected and I hope that there will be further reduction this year. However, owing to the heavy depletion of the staff during the war, the strength of the staff now available is no greater than it was in August, 1939, and an increased technical staff will be required before the arrears can be rapidly reduced. Everything possible will be done to secure the recruitment of further staff.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of United Kingdom exports to Hong Kong and China, respectively, for the first nine months of 1949 and the first nine months of 1950, and the principal commodities they comprised.

The value of United Kingdom exports to Hong Kong and China was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for War why privates and corporals travelling by car back to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, are compelled to walk from the hospital gates, whereas senior non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers are permitted to drive to the hospital.

This order has now been rescinded.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the hardship which will accrue to officers who have to purchase uniforms when they are recalled for training; and if he will provide free the minimum uniform required for this period, such as battledress, shirts and headgear.

For their own comfort and convenience, as well as for reasons of economy, officers recalled for training will be asked to bring any uniform in their possession. Any necessary items of clothing, including badges of rank, which they may still require will, however, be issued to them on loan for the period of training.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that warm and waterproof clothing issued to British troops fighting in Korea is still inadequate and compares unfavourably with clothing issued to American troops; what is the reason for this; and what immediate steps he will take to improve the situation.

Reports received in the War Office, both official and unofficial, indicate that the warm and waterproof clothing issued to British troops in Korea is not inadequate, nor does it compare unfavourably with United States clothing. Certain United States items are considered preferable to ours but, on the other hand, some British clothing is considered better than that of the United States. In order to improve the former, British articles of an improved pattern have been ordered.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will publish a list of warm and waterproof clothing issued to all officers and other ranks in the front line in Korea; and on what scale other such clothing is available for these men.

I will, with permission, circulate this list in the OFFICIAL REPORT. In addition to the items in the list, sufficient stocks have been provided to allow for the issue to each officer and other rank of a sleeping bag, a duffle coat and six blankets.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements he has made for Service personnel in Korea to register their votes by proxy.

All eligible Service personnel are given the opportunity annually to complete Armed Forces. Declaration Cards if they have not previously done so. One part of the card provides for the nomination of a proxy. With regard to the supply of Armed Forces Declaration Cards in Korea, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Howard). on 12th December, 1950.

asked the Secretary of State for War what would be the additional annual cost in dollars of permitting British Forces in Korea to change, on request, the whole of their pay into United States military payment certificates, so that they can have access, to such additional luxuries and comforts as are available in the American Forces P.X. and not available in the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes; and whether he will make arrangements for such exchanges to be permitted, in view of the fact that these men deserve every additional comfort that can be made available to them.

Assuming that all British Army personnel in Korea were to request the whole of their pay in United States military payment certificates and were in a position to spend it all in P.X. establishments, and making no allowances for allotments, expenditure in N.A.A.F.I. or other sterling commitments, the annual cost in dollars of this suggestion would be of the order of £2 million. Adequate N.A.A.F.I. facilities have been provided for the British Forces in Korea and I have no evidence that they need supplementing in the way suggested by the hon. and gallant Member. In any case, I understand that P.X. facilities would not be available to our troops in forward areas.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that discrimination by commanding officers against the Rugby League code is taking place in the matter of issuing kit and the allocation of grounds; whether he is aware that these facilities are freely given in the case of the Rugby Union code; and whether he will investigate charges of partiality in this matter made by the Leeds Rugby League Supporters' Organisation, a copy of which has been sent to him.

I am not aware of any such discrimination. If my hon. Friend will provide details of the cases he has in mind, they will be investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for War what additional precautions will in future be taken to avoid a repetition of the recent case in which a Liverpool woman was wrongly informed by the regimental-paymaster that her husband was missing in action in Korea.

I deeply regret this case in which an error arose owing to the failure on the part of those concerned to ensure that the correct account was being dealt with. The whole procedure is being examined with a view to ensuring that no mistake of this nature can occur in future.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the arms, equipment and vehicles which will be issued to units during the 75 days' period of Class Z Reserve will be up-to-date equipment.

These equipments may not be of the most modern type now in production, which must go first to reequip the Regular Army, but will be of the type with which the units concerned would at present be equipped on mobilisation.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will direct that the Class Z reservists being called up for training with Territorial Army Units report to the Territorial Army centre for the necessary documentation and medical examination prior to their departure for camp.

Territorial Army centres are in many cases unsuitable for this purpose. Arrangements are, however, being made for the medical examination of Z reservists to be carried out prior to recall.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the weekly rate of pay and allowances, shown separately, of a typical major, captain, lieutenant, second lieutenant, company sergeant major, sergeant, corporal and private of an infantry regiment serving in Hong Kong; what would be the rates of pay if such persons were on active service in Korea; and whether he is satisfied that the active service rates are commensurate with the responsibilities, risks and discomforts involved.

The rates of pay and marriage allowance for officers and other ranks are shown in the White Paper on Service Emoluments, Cmd. 8027. In addition, officers and other ranks in Hong Kong receive the local overseas allowance shown in my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. and gallant Member on 6th February. There are no special rates of pay for active service and my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the present rates of pay are adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the discontent that prevails among long-service military pensioners, under Chelsea Hospital, in view of the limit of income having been lifted and fixed at £275 per year in 1939 to meet the then prevailing higher cost of living; and if he will consider raising the limit again in order to encourage fit pensioners to help in increasing production in these days of emergency.

There is no income condition for an Army service pension itself, but I assume my hon. Friend has in mind the scheme for the increase of certain pensions given under former regulations. This scheme and its conditions, including an income condition, follow the Pensions Increase Acts and my right hon. Friend is unable to consider adopting, for Army cases, standards differing from those of the Acts. The income limit for increase of pension is, however, normally £502 a year for a married man, not £275 a year. The latter figure applies only in the case of certain pensioners drawing their pensions under regulations in force before 1921 who can, if they have less than that amount of income, get a further increase over and above that provided by the current scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will amend the regulations, recently criticised by a Metropolitan magistrate, which permit young soldiers to be away from barracks every night until the next morning.

A permanent pass to enable a soldier to remain out of barracks when off duty up to a maximum of 48 hours may be given by commanding officers to qualifying soldiers who, in their opinion, are deserving of this privilege. The War Office have directed that the privilege must be earned, in the case of young soldiers by diligence, good conduct and a satisfactory response to training over a reasonably long period, while in the case of older soldiers its retention will be dependent on their maintaining a high standard of training and continuing to set a good example in conduct and attention to duty. The privilege is withdrawn for a period from any soldier who, by his abuse of the freedom given to him by it, renders himself in any way inefficient. To restrict further the privilege of a permanent pass would, I consider, be an unnecessary infringement on the liberty of soldiers.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning when he intends to approve plans for improving the water supplies in the rural areas of the Dover Division to bring it into line with other parts of Kent for which seven water schemes were approved in 1950.

I have received no such plans either from local authorities or private water companies. When I do, I will give them careful consideration.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning when the rural district council of Battle may expect a reply to their letter of 25th November, on the subject of rural water supplies to the parishes of Brightling and Dallington.

I have been consulting my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agri- culture and a reply to the council's letter has now been sent.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he will satisfy himself that alternative accommodation is available to, the families now occupying huts at Red Brow Farm Camp, Bank Lane, Kirkby, near Liverpool, before any order for their eviction is put into effect.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning how many applications have been made from January, 1950, to the latest convenient date for the requisitioning of houses or flats for tenants who are threatened with dispossession; how many of these applications have been successful; and what are the material factors he takes into consideration in arriving at a decision.

I regret that the information asked for in the first two parts of the Question is not available. Each case is considered on its merits.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that cases have arisen where families have been evicted from their homes and have ended up in the police station because there is-no longer any statutory obligation on the local or county welfare authorities to give them accommodation; and what steps he will take to ensure that this cannot happen in future.

The provision of accommodation for evicted families who cannot find homes for themselves is a matter for the local housing and welfare authorities to consider together.' Those authorities are doing their best within the limits of their resources.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what incentives he intends to provide to enable the present labour force to produce an additional 30,000 houses a year.

I am glad to see that the building industry have recently agreed to the wider use of methods of incentive payment.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he has considered the recent decision given in the House of Lords in the case of Batten v. Langford Property Company in relation to Section 3, subsection (3), of the Rent Restrictions Act, 1939; and what action he proposes to take to safeguard tenants in this respect.

This point has been noted in connection with any future amendment of the Rent Restriction Acts.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what special provision he is making for additional houses to accommodate the additional workers who will be required in re-armament factory areas where there are already long waiting lists.

These needs, as they arise, will be taken into account in the distribution of the housing programme.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he will speed up the payment of compensation to those people whose property was destroyed by enemy action 10 years ago, the ground being subsequently compulsorily acquired, in view of the loss of business which they have suffered and the long time which has elapsed.

This is a matter between the owner and the local authority.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if she will give the number of old age pensioners who applied for National Assistance in June, September and December for the years 1949 and 1950; and the comparable amounts paid to them in each of the three months in both years.

The numbers of non contributory old age pensioners and retirement pensioners receiving regular weekly grants of assistance (either directly or as a wife dependent on her husband) at the end of each of the months stated were estimated as follow:

asked the Minister of National Insurance what is the position in regard to the national insurance contributions of prisoners detained in legal custody.

Prisoners are not liable to pay contributions but they may pay them at the non-employed rate if they so desire or arrange for someone to pay on their behalf. A generous period is also allowed for payment of contributions retrospectively after discharge from prison.

asked the Minister of Labour in each category of employment the number of unemployed in Blackpool at comparable dates in the second week of January, 1950 and 1951.

As the reply contains a detailed table of figures I am sending the information to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour how many foreign miners have been introduced into the mines since the beginning of 1946.

Approximately 19,000. Recruitment did not start until 1947.

asked the Minister of Labour when, in view of the urgent necessity of amending the present regulations under the Catering Wages Act, he will give an assurance that he will do so in time for them to become effective by the beginning of the holiday and tourist season.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the wages regulation order covering licensed hotels. I cannot make an amending order under the Catering Wages Act except upon proposals submitted to me by the Wages Board. I understand the Board is about to publish amending proposals specifying a period of 28 days during which representations may be made to it. The Board must consider any such representations before submitting its proposals to me. It is possible within the statutory procedure for an amending order to be made effective before the summer season, but I am afraid I cannot give any more specific assurance.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are registered as unemployed in the City of Cardiff; and what is the number of building operatives unemployed, with their respective occupations.

The total number of unemployed persons on the registers of employment exchanges in Cardiff at 15th January, 1951, was 3,005. The numbers of men and boys, included in this total, whose last employment was in the building industry, were as follow:

asked the Minister of Labour for what occupations, in what industries, and by what percentage in each case has the National Advisory Committee, appointed under Section 17 of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, recommended increasing the number of disabled persons to be compulsorily employed since 1st January 1950; what action has been taken on these recommendations; and what steps he proposes to take.

No such recommendation has been made during the period in question.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the reason for the delay in publishing the report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops for the year 1949; and when it will be published.

The exceptional delay on this occasion is in part due to pressure of work in the printing industry which was accentuated by the trade dispute in the autumn. It is anticipated that the Report will be published in about three weeks' time.

asked the Minister of Labour what employment will be available for the workers on the London County Council Housing Estate, Merstham, Surrey, now in course of erection.

As far as can be foreseen, adequate employment will be available. There is already a shortage of labour in the area and local industrial estates are expected to provide jobs for 600 more men and women. Other work will also be available on the Salfords and Holmthorpe Wiggie estates close to Merstham In addition many of the incoming residents are likely to retain their present jobs; some may choose jobs other than in local factories