asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the current price being paid for cocoa to West African producers; and how this compares with the present world marketing figure.

The prices which the marketing boards are paying to producers for the 1950–51 season are: in the Gold Coast, about £130 a ton; in Nigeria, £120 a ton for Grade I main crop; in Sierra Leone, about £121 a ton for Grade I and Grade II.

Prices in world markets fluctuate greatly, but ruling prices in April, 1951, were around £300. Out of this the boards have, of course, to meet substantial charges. These include the commission of licensed buying agents, the expenses of transport, shipping and administration and heavy export duties. In the case, for example, of the Gold Coast, the export duties will amount this season to perhaps £55 a ton. Any profits made by the boards are used by them to build up a price stabilisation reserve, or to finance research and development of the industry.

May we take it from that reply that any profits which are made, and which are not immediately given back to the producers, are available for the future development of the industry or for compensation, and that they will not be taken by another outside country?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what the fund to which he referred amounts to?

No, not without notice. I understand that on Friday we are likely to have a debate on this subject. We can possibly deal with a number of questions then.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there are now any delays in the movement of groundnuts owing to lack of transport in Nigeria; and whether the present facilities are adequate for moving the traffic currently.

The rate of movement of groundnuts on the Nigerian railways has been slowed down by locomotive defects but it is expected that the groundnut crop will all be evacuated before the next buying season begins.

Are not the locomotive defects a matter of long standing? Ought not the difficulty have been disposed of before now? What steps have been taken to overcome it?

Is it not a fact that there have been locomotive defects for the last five years? What are the Government doing to ensure that this scandalous state of affairs is put right?

I do not know about a "scandalous state of affairs," but we have been railing all the groundnuts in the season concerned. We expect to be able to rail all the groundnuts before the next season starts.

Does not the Minister know that the reason why these responsible have been able to rail all the groundnuts is the exceptionally small crop?

Would my right hon. Friend consult the Minister of Transport, with a view to diverting this traffic from the railways by the issue of an adequate quantity of C licences?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many armoured vehicles are available to the Malayan police force.

The Malayan police have 118 armoured vehicles on their establishment. In addition, a further 59 armoured personnel carriers for the police will shortly be released from War Office stocks. They will require reconditioning before shipment to Malaya.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman feel that they have a comparatively small number, and that the addition which they are to have is totally inadequate for the purpose? Is it not rather odd that it takes so long to see that these men are provided with proper vehicles?

The hon. Gentleman will be glad to know that I have announced that a further 59 are shortly to be released and sent to them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the troubles in Malaya have been going on for a long while? I am glad that he has woken up to them at last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of casualties that have been suffered by the Malayan police force whilst being transported in open vehicles.

Statistics for the whole period of the emergency since June, 1948, are not readily available. In November, 1950, however, which was the month in which the highest number of police were killed in ambushes of vehicles, five were killed in ambushes of armoured vehicles and 15 in ambushes of unarmoured vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many E.Y. rifles are available for the Malayan police force.

Four hundred.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps have been, and are being, taken to ensure that reasonable prices are charged for food, beverages and drinks at the South Bank Exhibition.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps were taken in advance to control the prices charged by the concessionaires to whom the catering arrangements for the South Bank Exhibition were entrusted; what steps have now been taken to check the high prices of which there was widespread complaint on the opening day; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply. The prices to be charged for the principal items of food and drink were fixed prior to the opening of the South Bank Exhibition, after consultation between the Festival Office and the catering concessionaires. These agreements were in some cases departed from on the opening day. Immediately this became known, the caterers were reminded of the agreements, and certain prices were reduced. The Festival Office are satisfied that the prices now being charged are fair and reasonable, having regard to the need for providing a range of choice to suit all tastes and all pockets.

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that there were some caterers who took liberties on the opening days? Is it not vital to the success of the Exhibition that prices should be reasonable, particularly at the snack bars? Is my right hon. Friend further aware that I saw some of the official price lists being altered in pencil to higher prices, to match up with customers complaints about the amount they were being charged? These people need to be watched very carefully.

There were some unhappy experiences, but we took prompt action. We shall keep the matter under examination. There are, of course, varied classes of restaurant, about which people will no doubt discriminate, because their prices vary.

May we take it that the Festival Office did not know in advance that one restaurant would have the effrontery to charge 5s. for a light afternoon tea—1s. more than the Ritz Hotel charges? Was the Festival Office simple enough to trust these racketeers not to grab all they could in the way of profits?

The 5s. charge was wrong. The maximum arranged was 3s. Directly it came to the notice of the Festival Office it was put right.

How does a beverage differ from a drink?

Try it, and see.

Is it still true that it is impossible to get a cup of coffee anywhere in the South Bank Exhibition for less than 9d.? If so, does my right hon. Friend think that that is a reasonable charge?

I do not think that is true, but I will look into it.

Will the tariffs of the various restaurants be displayed outside quite clearly, so that people will know exactly what the charges are before they go in?

We will consider that point. I am much obliged to the hon. Gentleman.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that on Friday I was asked 8d. for a very small banana?

That is the kind of concrete information that we like to get hold of.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House why it is not possible to buy a glass of good, strong English ale at the Festival of Britain?

I am not sure that the process of cross-examination had better be carried much further, because the witness is beginning to break down in his knowledge of the details.

In view of the extremely anxious state of international affairs could not the Foreign Secretary have found a colleague to reply to these questions for him?

I happen to be here on my own business. I formerly had a responsibility for this matter. My right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal, who is now away, has been helping me, and I do not see why I should not help him. I do not take the superior view of the Foreign Office which the right hon. Gentleman seems to take.

Will the right hon. Gentleman accept it that I was not seeking to rebuke him—[HON. MEMBERS: "Yes."] No, I was not. I was merely expressing the view that is widely held that the right, hon. Gentleman, having taken over responsibilities of unparalleled importance, might want to concentrate upon them.

Now we know that the right hon. Gentleman's remarks were directed as a political attack. I do not mind being politically attacked, but I am not going to accept the view that because a person is Foreign Secretary, he has to be too superior to answer Questions about the Festival of Britain.

I am thinking of the peace of the world.