asked the Minister of Food what action he has taken in view of the complaints of Durham County farmers that they are unable to get last year's wheat moved from the farms.

I have received no complaints from Durham County farmers. If the hon. Member has any specific case in mind I should be glad to look into it.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware of the statement made by the National Farmers' Union complaining of the difficulty? If he is not, perhaps I ought to send him a copy of the statement, which was made publicly.

I do not think that the hon. Member need worry about sending me the statement. As far as the North-Eastern area, which includes Durham, is concerned, the regional manager of Recommissioned Mills Limited says that no contract for purchase by the company is out of date, and that the average time taken before intake is three weeks against the 28 days allowed.

asked the Minister of Food what action he proposes to take on the decontrol of meat regarding the slaughterhouses recently built by the Government.

In accordance with the undertaking given when these places were built, the local authorities concerned have been given an option to acquire the premises for use as public slaughterhouses.

In view of the difficulties which may arise about the use of these slaughterhouses, will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman endeavour to clarify the position in each case so that there can be no question of their not being fully used when the time comes later in the year?

The local authorities have been consulted on this matter and are now looking into the proposals.

Will the Minister of Food say on what terms and conditions these slaughterhouses will be subject To the local authorities?

That is under consideration now. The right hon. Gentleman will remember that when the slaughterhouses were originally built the local authorities were given the first option. It is those terms, to which the right hon. Gentleman referred, which we are now discussing.

Has my right hon. and gallant Friend set any date by which the local authorities shall exercise the option? It is most important that if they are not to take up the option some other body of farmers, butchers and others should have the facilities.

I am fully alive to what is in the mind of my hon. Friend, and I am hopeful that after these meetings we shall be able to come to a decision.

asked the Minister of Food if he has considered the letter sent to his Department by the town clerk of West Ham, dated 26th March, concerning the use of thiourea on citrus fruits; and what action he has taken in connection with this letter.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that, following his circular of 25th January, in respect of the possibility of citrus fruits being contaminated by thiourea, the Leyton Corporation has discovered that oranges sold in Leyton are so contaminated; what evidence he has of similar contamination elsewhere; and what action he proposes to take to prevent the importation of fruit affected by this toxic fungicide originally used as a preservative.

asked the Minister of Food (1) what action he has taken with regard to the letter sent to his Department by the Town Clerk of West Ham, dated 26th March, 1954, suggesting the prohibition of importation of citrus fruit treated with thiourea:

I have seen the letter to which hon. Members refer. I am advised that the sale and importation of any article of food containing thiourea contravenes the Preservatives in Food Regulations or the Imported Food Regulations, respectively, and that such sale and importation are therefore prohibited. Food and drugs authorities and port health authorities were so informed last January. The matter has also been brought to the attention of the Governments of the exporting countries.

I am obliged to the right hon. and gallant Gentleman. Will he consult his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade with a view to taking some action? In the East End of London, and particularly in West Ham, these oranges are being sold at the moment and children are sucking the orange skins, which he will agree is very dangerous. I am informed that, unless he and his right hon. Friend implement the banning of these articles, the local authorities have not the powers to take action. Will he implement the banning?

I am naturally most concerned about this, because it is a matter of some seriousness. At the moment the local authorities and the health authorities have full powers to deal with this because thiourea is a preservative which is not allowed. Therefore it is a matter for the courts to decide whether an offence has been committed. The prohibition on imports is an important matter, and I am looking into it urgently to see what can be done if these regulations are not sufficient.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that oranges are being sold in the streets of my constituency and in West Ham and that therefore the danger is spreading and requires urgent action? Can he not do something more than giving the information and prohibit any further importation together with issuing strict instructions regarding the consumption of this important and valuable fruit?

I am very much concerned with this. I am looking at the matter to see whether the regulations regarding importing are sufficient. I am bound to say that I circularised all local and health authorities on 25th January, pointing out the danger of this particular spray. They have full powers to deal with it. All the information which I have received from various parts of the country has come from local authorities.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman see that General Franco gets a pound of these valuable oranges?

May I ask whether any cases have occurred from thiourea, and what the approximate fatal dose is?

I am afraid that I could not tell the hon. Gentleman that. As far as I can remember thiourea is the result of the action of hydrogen sulphide on cyanamide, which is not a very pleasant mixture, I should think. I am very much alive to the seriousness of this and assure the House that I shall take every action I can.

asked the Minister of Food what were the terms of agreement reached with Australia and New Zealand for the future marketing of their meat in the United Kingdom; and to what extent future prices have been guaranteed.

Trading in Australian meat will revert to private hands as from 1st July for mutton and lamb, and from 1st October for beef, veal and pork. The Australian Government are now considering proposals by the United Kingdom Government under the terms of the 15-year Agreement for deficiency payments in certain circumstances when the trade reverts to private hands.

May we take it from what the Minister has told the House that there will continue to be a completely open door for the imports of meat from both Australia and New Zealand, and that as far as the guarantee of price given to Australian producers is concerned, the British Treasury will, if necessary, play its part in seeing that they get the price as arranged?

On the question of quantities, there is no restriction of any kind. I would rather say nothing about the question of price yet, because discussions are going on with the Australian Government.

Do I understand that the 15-year contract only now applies to quantity, and that the Government from now on will accept no responsibility for the price of the guaranteed quantity?

As far as New Zealand is concerned that is so, but in the case of Australia the agreement is different, and that is a matter for discussion now.

Do I understand that the Government will make themselves responsible for deficiency payments to the Dominions in the event of private trade not giving the prices which are guaranteed at the moment?

As I said just now, the agreement with New Zealand is different from that with Australia. The position as regards New Zealand is as I have stated in answer to the Question. There is a different position in the case of Australia with regard to price, and that is what is being negotiated at the moment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which Colonial Territories, other than Kenya, have banned the importation of the "African and Colonial World."

I am informed that the import of this publication has also been banned in Northern Rhodesia and in Uganda.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this paper is now amalgamated with "The Indian at Home and Abroad" which has got the same publishing office, the same telephone number and the same staff as heretofore? In view of the continuous anti-British and anti-Commonwealth attitude of this paper, will the Secretary of State make make representations to the High Commissioner on this matter?

I will certainly follow up the suggestion of the hon. Member.

Has the attention of my right hon. Friend been drawn to the increase in population of the Indians and Syrians in West Africa, and does he consider that this is a good thing for the Africans?

That is getting a little wide of the Question on the Paper.

Has the right hon. Gentleman seen copies of this journal. If not, will he do so and then reconsider the Governor's prohibition of this journal?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many non- Europeans in Colonial Territories in Central Africa are receiving three-fifths of the salary of Europeans in equivalent posts; and what steps he will take to end this discrimination.

In Northern Rhodesia 30, and in Nyasaland 15. Both Govenments intend to consider this matter further, but are awaiting the report of the East African Salaries Commission.

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that he is aware of the adverse effect that this continued discrimination has on the morale of Africans, many of whom have professional qualifications, and are working hard in order to take a growing share in the government of their own countries?

As the hon. Lady probably knows, the reasons for the three-fifths rule were stated in the Holmes Report on East, and not Central, Africa in 1948. I will supply the hon. Lady with a copy if she wishes. Circumstances have altered since 1948, and I hope that we shall be able to improve on this result. The East African Salaries Commission Report is awaited in two or three weeks time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what expenditure has been made from colonial development and welfare funds and on what projects in the Sukumaland area of Tanganyika.

Since the war approximately £147,000 from colonial development and welfare funds has been spent in Sukumaland on tsetse clearance, water, education, technical training, roads and housing. Sukumaland has also benefited from development and welfare expenditure in other areas of Tanganyika and in East Africa generally, on geological surveys, stock routes, rinderpest control, medical surveys and medical research.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the people themselves in Tanganyika know what is being spent and how it is being spent? Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that it is important that he should publicise amongst the people the benefits that they are getting?

I will certainly look into that matter. I might also mention that the Sukumaland development scheme financed schemes to the extent of about £350,000 by the end of 1953.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now make a statement on constitutional development in the Gold Coast.

I hope to be able to make a statement shortly after the Easter recess.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see whether the statement that he is going to make will cover all the points which were raised by Dr. Nkrumah last year?

I do not want to commit myself to that, but I think the statement will give satisfaction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds the Governor of Tanganyika refused recently to meet a delegation from the Lake Province branch of the Tanganyika African Association on the subject of the limitation of livestock; and on what grounds tear gas was used to disperse a meeting held by the Bukoba branch of the association on 2nd December, 1953.

In reply to a letter from the hon. Member I wrote to him just over a week ago giving him full information on these matters.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have received that letter, and that it is because I am not satisfied with that letter that I have asked this Question, and will the right hon. Gentleman exert the greatest influence to see that representative bodies of Africans are received and that tear gas it not used for the dispersal of gatherings in that Protectorate?

I am afraid I can give the hon. Member no such assurance. I have given him full details of the circumstances in which tear gas was used, and I am afraid I can add nothing to that information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what the policy of the Trinidad Colonial Government is in regard to the provision of housing for the working classes; what loans are available for persons to build their own houses; and how far subsidies from State or local funds are available for government-built houses.

A Housing Policy Committee was set up last year by the Trinidad Government and its report, due shortly, is expected to include recommendations regarding the provision of housing for the working classes. Housing loans are made to sugar workers from the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund up to a maximum of 1,000 dollars per person and by the Government Housing Loans Board to civil servants; loans may also be obtained through the Building and Loans Association. Government funds are used to subsidise the slum clearance and rehousing schemes carried out by the Planning and Housing Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now give figures showing by how much the territories of Bermuda, Bahamas and Jamaica benefited from the American tourist trade in the last year for which figures are available.

It is difficult to be exact, but estimates in respect of 1953 amount to about £4 million for the Bahamas, £4 million for Jamaica and £8 million for Bermuda. These estimates do not take account of expenditure by the territories on dollar imports for tourist trade purposes.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the Bahamas there is a colour bar in the hotels just as there is in Jamaica? Is it not possible that if the colour bar were removed from Bermuda and the Bahamas, there would be a greater influx of tourists into those countries?

I am afraid that I cannot indulge in hypothetical conjectures on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total value at the latest available date of the British Guiana rice and sugar stabilisation funds; and what part of these funds is available or used for welfare work and housing of the plantation employees.

The Sugar Price Stabilisation Fund totalled 5,569,067 dollars at 31st December. There is no Rice Price Stabilisation Fund. As my right hon. Friend stated on 7th December, 2,500,000 dollars have been diverted from the Stabilisation Fund to the Labour Welfare Fund, which exists specifically for the purposes mentioned in the Question. This sum will speed up the rehousing of sugar estate workers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has yet considered his future policy regarding colonial development and welfare arrangements after 31st March, 1956, when the 10-year development period is due to end.

Until I have received and examined, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the plans for future development which all the Colonial Territories have been asked to submit, I cannot add to the information about further colonial development and welfare assistance which I gave the House on 24th June last. I still hope that it will be found possible to introduce new legislation on this subject early in the next Session.

Can the Secretary of State tell the House how much of the money that was originally devoted to this purpose in 1946 has been spent and how much is still committed?

The hon. Gentleman had better put that Question on the Paper.

Pending legislation, can arrangements be made to ensure that long-term research is not handicapped by the inability to vote sums for long-term research work?

The right hon. Gentleman knows that, as I said on 24th June, the Colonial Governments can commit themselves to certain sums in advance of the legislation, and if there is any shortage of money such as the right hon. Gentleman appears to fear, I should not hesitate to come to the House again.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies under what conditions British citizens domiciled in the United Kingdom may enter islands in the British West Indies and British West African Colonies, respectively.

As the reply is long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the undertakings, both financial and otherwise, which these territories require of United Kingdom citizens desiring to go to them are far greater than any undertakings required of peoples of those territories desiring to come here? Secondly, is he aware that the undertakings required of United Kingdom citizens going to West Indian territories are far greater than those required of United States citizens? Should not these matters be brought into line?

What my hon. Friend says is undoubtedly so. In many of these territories the requirements asked of British subjects greatly exceed those which are required by our authorities in respect of immigrants from the West Indies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what authority financial undertakings are required of persons domiciled in the United Kingdom who desire to visit islands in the British West Indies.

Power to require these undertakings is conferred by the immigration laws of the territories concerned.

Will the Minister indicate whether his Department has any responsibility for these regulations? If it has, will he take steps to vary them?

No. I can make representations from time to time, but most of these matters are within the competence of the local governments.

Surely this is a much more important matter than appears at first sight? Surely British-domiciled citizens, when visiting colonial possessions, ought not to be asked to give undertakings in excess of those given by persons who are not domiciled in Britain?

I have this matter under consideration at the moment. I should have framed the Question in a slightly different way from that in which my hon. Friend has framed it. What has to be asked is whether some reciprocity should not be established in this matter. Naturally, the amount of money required in respect of an immigrant to a very overcrowded Colony may be different from that which would apply in this country. I think that my hon. Friend was really asking for some sort of reciprocity, and that is what I am looking into.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why a visitor to the East African territories has to declare his race on the application form for a visitor's visa.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the declaration form which every visitor or immigrant must complete on arrival in the territory. The particulars of race asked for in that declaration are needed for statistical purposes.

Is the Secretary of State not aware that this application form is filled in at East Africa House in London? Does not he agree that this is a most pernicious practice? Would not it be sufficient to ask merely for a declaration of nationality? Can he tell the House how a South African subject of the Queen would answer a question of this nature?

I think the hon. Member is making rather more of this matter than is necessary. The form asks for the usual particulars regarding sex, age, marital status and nationality, and specifies five categories of race, i.e., European, Indian, Goan, Arab and "others." This information is required for statistical purposes. If the hon. Member has any other points to raise, I shall be glad to look into them.

For what precise purpose is this statistical information being collected, in view of the fact that we do not seem to require it of visitors to this country? Can he say whether it would be a sufficient answer to the question to write in the word "human"?

If the hon. Member were present more often during Colonial Office Questions—

I am always here for Questions.

—he would know that I am frequently asked about statistics of immigrants to various territories. They cannot be given unless this information is obtained.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that this question should be dropped altogether? Can he tell us how a South African subject of the Queen would answer a question of this nature?

I cannot be asked to say what a South African would say to a series of hypothetical questions. It seems to me desirable to know what immigrants there are between these territories, and that information cannot be obtained except by asking questions of this kind.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether other Colonies ask similar questions and have a similar need to collect statistical information?

Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, and Zanzibar all have similar legislation about immigration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he approved the language used in the new title of the Crown Agents for the Colonies.

A change was required because the Crown Agents act for a number of principals who are not Colonial Governments. The new title was decided upon after various shorter alternatives had been found open to objection on legal or constitutional grounds.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this Question was originally put down for answer by the Prime Minister, as he is the master of the English language? It is the language about which I am complaining. Is my right hon. Friend further aware that the new name is "Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations" —a most cumbersome title? Will my right hon. Friend make another attempt, with the Prime Minister, to see if better English can be used, instead of Civil Service jargon.

I agree that this name is perhaps not so elegant as my hon. and gallant Friend would like, but to all people who are aware of Government terminology, it exactly describes the fields over which these crown agents now operate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he is taking regarding the implementation of direct elections for Africans at the next general election in Kenya.

I would refer the hon. Member to my proposals published as Cmd. 9103. All unofficials accepting appointment as Ministers will be invited to subscribe to the statement of policy which promises a study by Government of the best method of choosing African Members of the Legislative Council before 1956.

Does the Minister not agree that it would be an enormous and vital psychological gesture if it were implemented? So far, Asians and Europeans have direct elections, but the Africans have not.

The hon. Member must be careful about using the word "direct." All that is promised is a study of how to broaden the basis upon which African members are elected. It may be by what are usually called direct methods, or by a system of electoral colleges, but the method will not be determined until a study has been made.

Has it yet been decided, in any of the steps taken to arrive at a decision in this matter, what precise organisation will consider this problem? I think the right hon. Gentleman said that it would be considered by the Government, but can we be told at an early date what arrangements have been made for setting up a body to consider this matter?

The promise I gave in Kenya was that the membership would be predominantly African, but they would require to obtain the services of an expert in matters of franchise and constitutional practice to assist with this. I am still in communication with the Governor on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many members of the Kikuyu tribe have been arrested in, and deported from, Nairobi; and under what conditions they are being detained.

Since the emergency began detention orders have been issued in respect of 1,781 Kikuyu in Nairobi. The conditions of their detention accord with the provisions of the appropriate Emergency Regulations. In addition, some 5,000 Kikuyu have been repatriated from Nairobi to their reserves, but they are not subject to any special restrictions there.

Has the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been drawn to the recent report that it was intended to deport 50,000 Kikuyu from Nairobi? Can he make any statement on that.

That is quite a different matter from the subject of the hon. Member's Question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many leaders and members of the Mau Mau gangs in Kenya have surrendered; and under what conditions.

Up to 23rd March, two leaders and 167 others. Of these, 94 surrendered in response to the Kenya Government's offer of August, 1953, the details and conditions of which are available in the Library.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what proportion of the Mau Mau forces is represented by this surrender of leaders and men?

A very small percentage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in the efforts to induce Mau Mau leaders to surrender in Kenya.

I have at present nothing to add to the announcement made by the Kenya Government on 30th March. A meeting was held that day between Government representatives and six terrorist leaders, who afterwards returned to their gangs to discuss surrender arrangements. It was agreed that a further meeting would be held later, but this has not yet taken place.