asked the Prime Minister when the communications and transit organisation of the League of Nations last met to consider the fixing of a regular date for Easter; and what decisions were arrived at?

The Advisory and Technical Committee of the League of Nations for Communications and Transit last met on 9th September, 1937, to consider this question. A resolution was then adopted that it was not considered expedient at that time to contemplate the calling of a conference to carry out a reform of the calendar.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many foreign Powers agreed to fall in with the suggestion put forward by the British Government?

I think all the Powers present at the Conference.

asked the Prime Minister whether the representations made by His Majesty's Government to the Japanese Government on 14th January, respecting the re-opening of the Yangtze River to commercial traffic, have had any effect?

The position remains unchanged, but we are continuing to press for the early restoration of normal trading conditions.

asked the Prime Minister what has been the practical effect on trade with North China of the regulations imposed at the instance of the Japanese Government, under which, since nth March, a high proportion of the export trade of North China is prohibited unless the foreign exchange proceeds are sold against Federal Reserve banknotes at 1s. 2d.; and what answer has been received from the Japanese Government to the protest of His Majesty's Government?

These regulations have resulted in the cessation of practically all the foreign trade of Tientsin, and, so far as my Noble Friend is aware, of other North China ports as well. We are still awaiting the Japanese Government's reply.

asked the Prime Minister whether the representations of His Majesty's Government to the Japanese Government relating to the seizure and confiscation by the Japanese of the British-owned cotton mill at Ghun-Tah, on the Soochow Creek, have yet secured the restoration of the mill to its lawful owner; and, if not, whether he will introduce legislation to authorise the impounding of securities in this country belonging to the Japanese Government to the value of British-owned property in China wrongfully seized by the Japanese authorities?

My Noble Friend is at present awaiting further information from His Majesty's Ambassador in China as to the present position in regard to the Chun Tah and other cotton mills occupied by Japanese at Shanghai.

asked the Prime Minister what has been the result of his representations, both to the Imperial Japanese Government and to the local Japanese authorities at Shanghai, on the danger to life and property owing to the lack of control and general prevalence of disorder and lawlessness in the so-called bad lands in Shanghai, outside the jurisdiction of the Shanghai Municipal Council, and at present occupied by the Japanese military authorities?

It is hoped that the arrangements which have been made for co-operation between the Shanghai Municipal Council and the Japanese authorities will result in an improvement in conditions in the areas in question.

asked the Prime Minister (1)whether, following the termination of hostilities in Spain, German troops and war material have been withdrawn from Spanish territories;

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the war is over in Spain, he has any information as to the date when Italian and German troops will be withdrawn?

So far as I am aware, the Italian and German Governments have not yet withdrawn their troops from Spain, and I have at present no indication how soon this withdrawal will take place.

Is it not the concern of His Majesty's Government, having regard to the fact that the Italian Government undertook in the Anglo-Italian Agreement to withdraw their troops and material as soon as the war was terminated? Is it not a fact that the war has been officially declared by General Franco to have ended?

Yes, Sir, the war is just over and His Majesty's Government propose to watch the situation.

Have the Government made any inquiries in Rome whether the Italian Government intend to carry out their undertaking?

I have said that we are fully aware of the assurances that have been given, and that the war is just over and we propose to watch the situation.

Have the Government made any representations to the German Government, in view of Herr Hitler's avowal the other day that in spite of the Non-intervention Agreement he had allowed a great number of German troops in Spain?

No, Sir.

Can the Under-Secretary say whether His Majesty's Ambassador in Spain has been instructed to remind General Franco of his undertaking that Italian and German troops would be removed from Spain on the completion of the war?

I have no doubt that His Majesty's Ambassador, like His Majesty's Government, will watch the situation in the light of the declarations that have been made.

Have any instructions been given to him?

In view of the knowledge that we have of our Ambassador and his knowledge of the situation, special instructions are not necessary.

Has not the position been accentuated by the fact that General Franco has joined the Berlin-Rome axis?

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any information as to the number of Italian troops in Spain at present; and as to whether their number has increased or decreased recently?

I regret that I am unable to give any figures for the accuracy of which I cannot vouch, but we have had indications that certain replacements were sent to Spain while hostilities were still in progress.

Can the Under-Secretary say when these replacements arrived, and where?

I cannot give the exact date. The information we have is that they took place while hostilities were in progress.

When the Under-Secretary uses the word "replacements," does it not give the impression that certain troops were withdrawn?

We have had information that there were many casualties.

asked the Prime Minister whether the immunity from hostile action guaranteed to ships sent by the International Relief Commission by the new Spanish Government extends to ships returning from Spanish ports with political refugees?

The International Commission were given an assurance on behalf of the Spanish Government that certain ships carrying relief supplies would not be molested on their way to the Republican ports for which they were bound. The Commission did not ask for an assurance to be given to these ships once their cargo was discharged.

Are we to understand that the immunity does not extend to these ships on the outward journey, whether they are carrying refugees or not?

No, Sir, that assurance was not asked for.

Is it a fact that British warships have been told not to go to Spanish ports in connection with the rescuing of refugees?

I have no knowledge of any such instruction.

Is it not the case that General Franco was asked whether he would accept the evacuation of refugees, and, in view of his refusal, can His Majesty's Government do what they have done in previous wars and extend some humane help to those refugees who are in danger of their lives?

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the dependence of Germany on imports for the supply of such essential materials for rearmament as iron-ore, petroleum, copper, lead, sulphur, cotton, aluminium, rubber, manganese, nickel, chromite, tungsten, phosphates, antimony, tin, mercury and mica, he will enter into discussions with countries possessing such materials with a view to arranging for them to be withheld from Germany and any other country guilty of unprovoked aggression?

The commodities enumerated by the hon. Member are not in general used exclusively or even mainly for the purpose of rearmament. An arrangement to withhold them from certain countries would constitute in effect a form of sanctions, the imposition of which is no part of the present policy of His Majesty's Government.

Is it the case that the Government prefer military methods rather than peaceful economic pressure to prevent war?

I cannot accept the alteration which the hon. Member puts forward.

In view of the extreme importance of this matter in preventing war by peaceful methods, will not the Government give it more serious consideration than they are apparently prepared to do at the present time?

I can assure the hon. Member that the Government have given this question and similar questions very careful consideration.

On a point of Order. Is there any method whereby Supplementary Questions which would not be accepted at the Table can be excluded?

The only way would be for me to call to order the Member who asks the Supplementary Question, which I sometimes do.

This is not the Reichstag.

Is it not a fact that rearmament would be impossible without the materials enumerated?

Obviously, most of these materials are used for armaments.

asked the Prime Minister whether, following on the guarantee to Poland, His Majesty's Government will enter into conversations with Holland, Switzerland, Denmark, and Belgium with a view to giving similar undertakings to those countries?

I have at present nothing to add to the Prime Minister's speech in the Debate on 3rd April, but I would remind the hon. Member that this country already has treaty obligations towards Belgium.

Has any guarantee been given to any of these countries?

I can add nothing to what was said by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 3rd April.

Surely, it is of the utmost importance that if any guarantee has been given the world should know it?

I would refer the hon. Member to the very important statement made by the Prime Minister.

asked the Minister of Transport when the report made by the chief engineering inspector of the Electricity Commissioners as to the outcome of the public inquiry into the causes of the failure of electricity supply in Blackpool, Lytham St. Annes and the Fylde Coast, during the week-end of 7th January, will be published; and whether the inspector has suggested to the commissioners any means of preventing such a breakdown in the future?

The Electricity Commissioners will publish the report as soon after Easter as possible. As regards the second part of the question, my hon. Friend will no doubt await the terms of the report.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that gas - light and coke companies never fail?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any native labourers are recruited for countries where Governments have not yet conformed to the labour conditions of the International Labour Office; and, if so, will he consider the advisability of prohibiting such recruitment until the conventions are conformed to?

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to recruitment of the natives of certain dependencies for the Union of South Africa. I do not regard the fact that the Union Government have not been able to adopt all the International Labour Conventions as a ground for adopting the suggestion in the second part of the question, especially as special arrangements have been made with the companies concerned by which in effect the provisions of the Recruiting Convention apply to the natives from the Colonies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the native produce of British West Africa is now largely controlled by large British buyers; and whether he will give the types of commodity and the names of the buyers in question?

I am aware of the extent to which the West African native producers rely for the marketing of their produce on a number of merchant firms, British and foreign. Among the more important British firms are the United Africa Company, John Holt and Company, the Co-operative Wholesale Society and Cadbury Brothers. The most import- ant products are palm products, cocoa and groundnuts.

What action has been taken? What are the recommendations of the Cocoa Commission?

That matter is still under consideration in the Colonies concerned, and I am awaiting a final report on the matter from the Governors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will ascertain from the colonial territories in Africa whether they have available for publication any records showing the cost of collecting hut and poll tax from the natives?

Yes, Sir. I will make inquiries on the subject, though I doubt whether many of the figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the committee set up to consider the McMahon correspondence went beyond its terms of reference when it dealt with documents relating to, and expressed views bearing upon, the meaning of the Balfour Declaration and the nature of the responsibilities assumed by His Majesty's Government in relation to Palestine; and why the Jewish delegation was not consulted before the results of the inquiry were made public in an official document?

The Committee had no precise terms of reference beyond those of considering the McMahon correspondence; and I cannot accept the view expressed in the first part of the question. The results of the inquiry were published as a report adopted by the Conference between United Kingdom and Arab represeentatives, and in the circumstances there was no reason for consultation with the Jewish Delegation before publication.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this Anglo-Arab conference did go beyond, as they thought, their terms of reference; should not the Jewish Agency have been brought in; and may I ask whether, if they are to issue a report of some documents and not of all relevant documents, is that not likely to be misleading and create false hopes and fears?

I cannot accept the conclusion that the Committee did go beyond its terms of reference. As to the second part of the supplementary, as the subject under discussion was the correspondence which had passed between the British authorities and the Arab authorities, it would not necessarily be appropriate for the Jewish view to be taken in regard to those documents. In the light of all the circumstances I cannot agree that it would have been appropriate for them to have been consulted.

In view of the fact that Jewish interests were so deeply involved in these discussions and examinations, might not the Jewish section of the conference have been consulted as well as the Anglo-Arab section of the conference?

I think a careful study of the report will indicate that the Jewish interests in the matter were very carefully watched by the representatives of His Majesty's Government.

In view of the fact that the conclusions might definitely affect Jewish interests is it not extraordinary that they were not given an opportunity of presenting their point of view?

We were all anxious that the Arab, Jewish and British representatives should all meet together and discuss these matters, and it was not the fault of His Majesty's Government that they could not meet in common conference.

Was it the fault of the Jewish representatives that they could not all meet together?

Why not send the whole of the correspondence for the opinion of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council?

The whole matter was adequately dealt with and no amount of further examination would alter the sort of conclusion at which the Committee arrived.

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider inviting the Jews to put forward their observations and publish them in a White Paper?

The observations of the Jewish Agency have already been published to some extent in letters to the Press. It is perfectly open to representatives of the Jewish Agency to publish their documents at any time, as they have done on many occasions.

Is it not the case that if a White Paper is published it is recognised throughout the world as an official document, whereas letters to the Press are ignored by people who know the contents of the official document?

I would repeat, that the subject matter of this inquiry was the correspondence between British authorities and Arab authorities in which no Jewish authorities were concerned. The report indicates that it is concerned with these documents, and these documents alone, and it adds that there are other relevant documents which would have to be taken into consideration before a final and comprehensive conclusion is reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the exact terms of the declaration of the claim for the independence of the Arabic areas, made before the Council of Five at the Peace Conference, were submitted to the Lord Chancellor's Committee on the McMahon correspondence?

The answer is in the negative.

Is it not the case that if Palestine had been promised to the Arabs the Arab delegation would have demanded independence at the Conference?

I do not think that is necessarily so. I agree that it is an important consideration that at the Conference Palestine was not included in the territories which the Hedjaz delegation claimed.

Is it not the case that the Hedjaz delegation specifically excluded Palestine?

That is exactly the point put by the hon. Member.

What had the Hedjaz delegation to do with the Palestinian Arabs?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the concluding paragraph of Cmd. 5974, and the inference to be drawn therefrom; and, as this inference is inconsistent with the decision of the principal allied Powers and the League of Nations when they conferred mandatory power on the British Government to administer in accordance with the terms of the Balfour Declaration, and the preamble to the Mandate, will he submit the White Paper to the Mandates Commission and ask for their opinion on it?

I am aware of the paragraph in the report to which the hon. Member refers. I cannot agree with the suggestion contained in the second part of the question, and that being so I see no reason to submit the report of the committee to the Permanent Mandates Commission.

If the right hon. Gentleman is unwilling to do that, may I ask whether it is not the case that the presence of Great Britain in Palestine is only as long as we fulfil the terms of the Mandate, which involves the establishment of a National Home, among other things?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the statement made by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, on 25th July, 1921, in reply to a question, was considered by the Anglo-Arab Committee; and, if so, why it was omitted from the White Paper published on 16th March, 1939?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what information he has as to the social and economic position in St. Helena, particularly relating to unemployment and infantile mortality, and the social services available for dealing with these problems?

The Governor submitted a comprehensive report on the social and economic position in St. Helena in a despatch dated 20th August last year, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. With regard to infantile mortality, the latest available figures are for 1937, when the rate was approximately 45 per 1,000 births. As to the action now being taken to improve conditions in the island, I would invite the hon. Member's attention to the replies which I gave to the questions asked by the hon. Member for Kirkdale (Sir R. Rankin) on 22nd December and 22nd February. In addition I have recently approved a grant of children's allowances for the families of men who are in receipt of relief. As regards health services, one infant welfare clinic was established in 1938; and I have now approved the opening of a second and the appointment of the necessary staff.

Having regard to the very considerable uneasiness which exists in the minds of many people about the social conditions in this small Dependency, will the right hon. Gentleman arrange for an independent inquiry to be made by this House in order that active steps may be taken in the matter?

I do not think such a step is necessary. At the present time, my chief agricultural adviser and another representative of the Colonial Office are in the Island conducting an examination into the situation, and I expect a report from them in the very near future.

Will the terms of the report be made available to hon. Members after the Government have had an opportunity of considering it?

I will consider that when I receive the report. As was indicated in my original reply, there is available in the Library a very recent report on the whole matter from the Governor of the Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make any statement on the report of the Kenya Settlement Committee; whether the recommendations for the provision of water supplies in the areas being offered for settlement have received his consideration; and whether he will recommend that the repayment of any grant made by the Colonial Development Fund for this purpose, as also any financial provision for the main scheme, shall not fall upon the native population of Kenya?

I have not yet received the Governor's observations on the report of the Kenya Settlement Committee, and am therefore not yet in a position to make a statement on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government will publish the Franco-British proclamation of 9th November, 1918, to the inhabitants of Mesopotamia and Syria?

I presume that my hon. Friend is referring to the Anglo-French Declaration of 7th November, 1918, which has already been published as Annex I, to the report contained in Command Paper No. 5974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that a law was enacted in 1933 by the Legislative Council of British Guiana to regulate the employment of children and young persons; that this enactment was promulgated only in April, 1938, and up to the present no regulations have been issued for its application; and what is the explanation for the non-application of this enactment passed in 1933?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am not aware of the reasons for the delay in bringing the Ordinance into operation.

Am I to take it that this Act has not been in operation, although it was passed in 1933? Can the right hon. Gentleman give any reasons why it has taken six years for the Act to be put into operation?

The Act is in operation to-day, but the regulations have not yet been made under some of its sections. Quite recently a Labour Department was established in the Colony, and no doubt it will be its duty to advise the Governor as to what regulations may be necessary.

Is any specific officer charged with the duty of seeing that the Act is actually applied?

Yes, Sir. I think that will come under the authority of the labour officer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that children under 12 years of age are being employed on sugar estates in Trinidad, Barbados, and British Guiana; that at certain periods of the year these children are employed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.; whether the employment of children below 12 years of age on sugar estates in the Islands mentioned is legal; and whether any officials are charged with the duty of preventing violations of the law?

In Trinidad the law prescribes that a child under the age of 12 shall not be employed in any occupation. But whilst there is legislation fixing 12 as the minimum age for the admission of children to industrial employment in Barbados and British Guiana, there is no similar legislation fixing a minimum age for employment in other occupations. I have already brought the desirability of making such legislation to the notice of the Government of Barbados and British Guiana and I am awaiting their replies. A Labour Department has already been set up in British Guiana, and these departments are also in process of being established in the other two Colonies. It will be the duty of these departments to see that any laws governing the employment of children are observed.

May I take it that the statements made in the question are correct, and that children under 12 years of age are being employed in these islands? Does the right hon. Gentleman regard that as being right?

I could not vouch for the accuracy of all the statements in the first part of the question. I have already indicated that I have told the Governments of these Colonies that I think it is very desirable that there should be a minimum age for the employment of children in any occupations.

Will the right hon. Gentleman, in considering the terms of new legislation, have regard to what this House in the last two years has decided to be appropriate conditions for the employment of young persons in this country, and will he see that the employment conditions in the Colonies are brought into harmony?

Will my right hon. Friend let the Colonies know that we think 12 years of age is a little too young for children to work in any country?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a travelling bag, containing secret anti-aircraft plans for which Scot land Yard had been hunting for 24 hours, Was handed in to Bow Street Police Station on Sunday night by a man who was unaware of the importance of its contents; that the bag belonged to a young officer who discovered his loss whilst staying in London on Saturday on his way to Somerset; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

Inquiries are not yet completed, but I am informed that the officer was a Territorial who was returning from an elementary anti-aircraft course at Biggin Hill. The bag in question was in his car, which was stolen in London. The bag contained some précis, not of a secret nature, and the notes taken by the officer.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the discretion now given to county councils to substitute council control for police control of the air-raid wardens service with out necessarily securing the approval of his Department, the words, "with the concurrence of the Air-raid Precautions Department, if the Department is satisfied," contained in the last paragraph on page 3, of Memorandum No. 4, 2nd edition, published in February, 1939, are in future to be disregarded?

I am afraid that I unwittingly misled my hon. Friend and the House in a reply to a supplementary question on 30th March. The position is that, while the local authority is responsible for arranging for the organisation of the air-raid wardens' service in its area, I have recommended that this service should normally be organised by and under the control of the chief constable; and I have asked that any local authority desiring to defer the adoption of this arrangement should inform the Department in order that I may be satisfied that there are in the particular case special reasons for deferring the adoption of what I regard as the normal system of organisation. I am obliged to my hon. Friend for giving me this opportunity of making the position clear.

Are we to take it from that reply, that the right hon. Gentleman's Department accepts full financial responsibility for employing the police for this purpose and not the local authorities concerned?

I do not think the question of finance arises. If any additional expense is involved in the arrangement by which the chief constable is made responsible, that additional expense will rank for grant.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied about the co-ordination between the local authorities and the police?

Broadly speaking, yes.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied about the co-ordination between the working classes in these areas and the police?

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is aware that in the urban district of Seaham out of 30,000 gas-masks required only 18,150 have been supplied; and whether he can say when the balance will be at the disposal of the local authority?

The deficiency of respirators for Seaham Urban District Council was reported by the Durham county authorities on 21st March to be 7,537 and these were delivered to Seaham yesterday.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this week I received a letter from the clerk to the Seaham council stating that only 18,150 gas masks had been delivered.

The figure communicated to the Department was communicated by the Durham county authorities who undertook the distribution. It may be that the Durham county authorities had a supply which, together with the supplementary supply from the Department, enabled them to satisfy the demand.

Can I have an assurance from the right hon. Gentleman that the full number of 30,000 gas masks will be supplied?

The number required by the Durham county authorities has been supplied, but I will look into the point raised by the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether his attention has been called to the action of the air-raid precautions officer for Croydon in asking a candidate for appointment as industrial liaison officer was he a member of the Labour party, and, on receiving an answer in the affirmative, saying that that would make it difficult for the appointment to be offered to him; and whether he will make it clear that questions about their political opinions should not be put to candidates for appointment under air-raid precautions schemes?

I am informed that out of 280 applicants for this appointment, one candidate appeared to interpret a question put to him about his previous experience upon joint industrial councils as an inquiry regarding his own political opinions. I am assured by the local authority that no question about his political opinions was put to him or would be put to any candidate for appointment.

Does the right hon. Gentleman know that the man in question is a most responsible man with a very considerable amount of public experience, and that it is exceedingly unlikely that he misinterpreted any question which was put to him?

I have given the House the information given to me by the local authority.

In view of the great importance of ascertaining the truth in a matter of this kind, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he thought it necessary to interview the applicant concerned and get his version of what happened; and, if not, will he do so?

It seems to be a very small matter. [HON. MEMBERS: "No!"] The House knows that the Government have always maintained that in this matter of civil defence, no question of political opinion arises.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that no charge or suggestion is being made against the Government and that this question suggests that the local authority have misinterpreted their duties; and will he do his best to clear the matter up in a more impartial manner than he has done?

I have done so, and I have received an explanation which seems to be perfectly reasonable.

In view of the fact that there are two parties implicated in this matter, namely, the local authority and the man, and in view of the great importance of the matter, would it not be fair of the right hon. Gentleman to see this man personally and to balance the two statements which have been made as to what happened?

I really think that I should not be justified in rejecting what, on the face of it, is a perfectly reasonable explanation.

Is the Minister aware that if you want to know how to do this sort of thing you have to go to the Durham County Council where they will tell you that for executive offices only Labour men need apply?

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that if this continues, he will wreck the whole scheme?

Seeing that I have given the right hon. Gentleman the name and the public record of this man, and his personal associations with myself, which enable me to vouch for him as a responsible person, will the right hon. Gentleman not see the man and hear his side of the case?

I will certainly consider any representations made to me by the man in question, but I am not aware that a suggestion that he misinterpreted a question involves any reflection upon him.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can state for each of the last five years the percentage of the total Post Office revenue attributed to football pools transactions and associated business?

The percentages are as follow:

May I ask whether, in arriving at those percentages, the hon. Gentleman included anything other than the amount paid for postal orders for this purpose?

In arriving at these figures I took into account the halfpenny stamps on the letters, the poundage on the postal orders, and also the poundage on the postal orders that were sent to the winners, but I may say to my right hon. Friend that these figures represent gross and not net revenue. If I give him figures which showed also the cost of carrying on the service, they would be very much smaller than those I have just given.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take steps to secure the appointment of practical fishermen as members of the local committees under the Sea Fish Industry Act when the membership of such committees arises this year?

It is not anticipated that many vacancies will arise on local fisheries committees during the present year, but on the reconstruction of these committees in April, 1940, under the terms of the Sea Fish Industry Act, 1938, I shall endeavour to secure adequate representation of practical fishermen among the new members. My predecessors and I have always had this object in view in making our appointments, but it is by no means easy to find a sufficient number of working fishermen who are able and willing to devote the time required for service on these committees.

If it were possible to find working fishermen who could act on these committees, would the Minister not consider co-opting them?

I would like notice of that question.

Is it not the case that if working fishermen became members of these committees, they would have to lose employment in serving upon the committees and in that case would appropriate sums be found to compensate them?

That is not allowed under the Act, but I will take note of the right hon. Gentleman's suggestion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is pro posed to proceed with the Milk Products Marketing Scheme, which was considered at a public inquiry over two years' ago and has since been held up by the Ministry of Agriculture?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewes (Rear-Admiral Beamish) on 9th February last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now considered the application for a licence for incorporation of a company not for profit, under the name "The Oxford Group"; whether he has considered the petitions supporting the application, signed by 125 Members of Parliament of all parties, by many religious leaders, lord mayors, mayors, aldermen, councillors, and business and professional men throughout the country; and what decision he has arrived at?

The matter is still under consideration, but I hope that it will be possible to reach a decision at an early date.

Can my hon. Friend tell me whether he has received opinions also from a large number of Oxford men in support of the petition and from the Fellows and professors of different colleges at Oxford?

I have received a large number of representations from both sides.

In view of the beneficent influence of this movement, if a petition is submitted, will it receive careful consideration?

Can my hon. Friend say what this group has to do with Oxford?

It has more to do with Hitler.

asked the Minister of Health whether, after reading the evidence of Mrs. Devlin, at Liverpool Assizes, he is prepared to reinstate her; if not, is he prepared to recommend compensation for loss of office in addition to her retiring pension?

The question of reinstatement is one for the Liverpool Corporation themselves. In the circumstances obtaining in the present case there is no power to pay compensation for loss of office.

In view of the correspondence that I have sent to the Department, is this not a case where the Department ought to enter into consideration of the case of an official who was discharged without substantiation of the charge?

We have no authority to interfere.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the account of the slander action at Liverpool assizes last week; has he read the strictures of Mr. Justice Stable, who said that the proceedings of the subcommittee, as disclosed in the shorthand notes, were a travesty of justice; and does he intend to ask the Liverpool City Council to remove the chairman and other members from this sub-committee or what action does he intend to take?

My right hon. Friend has seen an account of this case in the Press. He has no power to take any action in the matter.