asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will consult with the Secretary of State for War and the Minister of Agriculture and issue a statement for the guidance of all concerned, especially the newly appointed county public relations officers, as to whether it is in the public interest at this time that key men engaged in agriculture, such as tractor drivers, should be specially recruited for the technical units of the Territorial Army when farmers are being urged to take all possible measures to increase land fertility in spite of the existing serious shortage of labour on the land?

It is the accepted policy that nothing in the Schedule of Reserved Occupations shall prevent a volunteer from being enrolled for a service involving whole-time duty in war in his trade or professional capacity. I do not think it would be either possible or desirable to make any exceptions on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give instructions to local taxation officers to make available to National Service Committees, for their own use only, the lists held containing the names of those holding driving licences?

Instructions have now been issued to local taxation officers that the usual objection to compliance with such requests should be waived in present circumstances provided that the request is made or supported by a Government Department or by an Air-Raid Precaution scheme-making authority.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the recommendations to the public to make, where possible, some slight provisioning of households with tinned or canned foods, he will consider legislation to ensure the marking on the tins or cans of the different dates when the contained articles were placed in the receptacles?

I have been asked to reply. The powers contained in the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, which comes into operation on the 1st October next, will be wide enough to enable me to require date marking on wrappers and containers. But, as at present advised, I am not satisfied that the advantages which might result from such a requirement would outweigh the administrative and technical difficulties involved.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, in view of the highly specialised biological knowledge necessary to secure full advantage from certain forms of war camouflage, he is prepared to set up an advisory body comparable with the camouflage subcommittee of the Committee of Imperial Defence, but including in its membership persons of recognised authority on the biological principles involved, which shall be available to afford advice and guidance to those responsible for carrying out camouflage work in the four Services, Air, Army, Navy and Civil Defence?

There is already in existence a special section responsible for conducting investigations into the problems of camouflage, including the biological principles involved, and this section is in a position to obtain advice at any time from those whose special knowledge can contribute to the progress of those investigations. This is a Research Section supported jointly by the four Services to which my hon. Friend refers and it is available for consultation by those responsible for carrying out camouflage in those Services.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give any information in connection with the accident on Saturday at the works of the British Aluminium Company at Burntisland, Fife, where four men were killed; and what was the cause of the accident?

The accident was due to an explosion of a steam-heated vessel in which chemicals were being treated. The cause of the explosion is not at present known but is being investigated. I regret that three men were killed and one was seriously injured. A fifth man was slightly injured but was able to go home after medical attention.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in order to protect religious and racial minorities in this country from intolerance as evidenced in many foreign countries, he will consider introducing legislation making it a penal offence to indulge in propaganda against individuals, or incitement to disorder, or persecution on racial and religious grounds, seeing that such legislation is in being in the United States and is contemplated in France?

I am entirely in accord with the hon. Member in his desire to secure the utmost toleration towards religious and racial minorities. In this country every citizen irrespective of his creed or race is entitled to the full protection of the law and the hon. Member may be sure that I am taking and will continue to take all necessary steps to see that the law is enforced.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the fact that all taxpayers are being called on to pay for the steel shelters, he will consider supplying them free to all applicants, irrespective of income?

The hon. Member's suggestion would involve a radical departure from the basis of distribution decided upon by the Government after the fullest consideration, and I am afraid I cannot entertain it.

asked the Home Secretary whether he proposes to take any action on the recommendations contained in the Interim Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Cabs and Private Hire Vehicles?

The recommendations relating to the constructional requirements for London cabs and the revision and consolidation of the law relating to London cabs are receiving consideration. The recommendations regarding private hire vehicles are primarily for my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Transport, to consider. They are, however, largely provisional and subject to modification in the Committee's final report and I understand that in the circumstances my right hon. Friend feels that it would be premature to come to a decision in the matter until the final report is in his hands.

asked the Minister of Transport when a start is to be made on the completion of the dual carriage-way on the longstanding Road, Birmingham?

I am unable to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on the 22nd February last.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is yet in a position to make a statement on the railway companies' square deal application?

I am not yet in a position to make a statement on this subject.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the large number of accidents on the Gerrards Cross section of the London-Oxford road; and whether he proposes to impose a speed limit thereon?

My attention has been called to the accidents which have occurred on this section of road, but as it cannot be regarded as being in a built-up area I should not be justified in imposing a speed limit. On the instructions of my predecessor, refuges have been provided at the most dangerous intersection and a comprehensive scheme, which is designed to make the road safer for all road users, particularly pedestrians, will be put in hand as quickly as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport what further improvements of main-road transport facilities are contemplated for the borough of Leyton during the next five years; whether trolleybuses are to be run beyond Whipps Cross; how long tramways will continue to be used along Lea Bridge Road; how many further passenger shelters are to be erected in the borough; and whether every endeavour will be made to avoid changes of vehicle for passengers travelling between Leyton, Walthamstow, Woodford and Loughton?

I am informed by the London Passenger Transport Board that they have in hand the conversion of the whole of the tramway system in the Leyton district to trolleybus operation. It is expected that the conversion of the tramway in Lea Bridge Road, west of the "Baker's Arms," Leyton, will be completed in June this year, and that the conversion of the section between the "Baker's Arms" and Leytonstone via Whipps Cross Road as well as that between the "Baker's Arms" and the "Napier Arms," Woodford, will be completed by the autumn. Trolleybuses will then run beyond Whipps Cross as trams do now.The board have provided three passenger shelters in Leyton and propose to erect another shelter at Whipps Cross near the hospital. Through services exist for passengers travelling between Leyton and Walthamstow (omnibus and trolleybus), Leyton and Woodford (omnibus and tram) and Leyton and Loughton (omnibus), and with the further substitution of trolleybuses for trams these "through" services will be maintained.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider restoring the system of popular election to municipalities nad village authorities in Cyprus, in place of the present system of nomination by the Governor?

As regards municipalities, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a question by the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. Gallacher) on 29th June last, of which I am sending him a copy. Village authorities have, so far as I am aware, always been appointed and not elected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered the resolution of the Jewish Labour Party in Palestine declaring that it is the right of every Jew to enter Palestine, and that they will defeat any attempt to stop them; and whether, in view of he serious international situation, he will seek the friendly co-operation of Jewish labour by suspending the immigration laws, on condition that the immigrants of military age join the British Army in Palestine?

I have seen reports in the Press of the resolution referred to in the first part of the question. I am not prepared to adopt the suggestion made in the second part.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what is the position with reference to the continuance or capitalisation of unemployment and social service benefits in the case of British insured persons who have emigrated to the various Dominions; and whether negotiations have been entered into for a reciprocal scheme to be operated as between all the Diminions and Great Britain?

Pensions under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Acts of the United Kingdom are payable in any part of the Empire, and insured persons below pension age migrating to other parts of the Empire are afforded the opportunity of maintaining their pensions insurance by the continued payment of the appropriate contribution. As regards the other classes of United Kingdom insurance, the possibility of granting surrender values to migrants in the Empire or of continuing insurance overseas to such persons has frequently been examined, notably by an Inter-Departmental Committee in 1926. The committee, whose report was presented to Parliament in March, 1926 (Cmd. 2608), found that such a systemNumbers of unemployed persons, aged 14 and over, on the registers of Employment Exchanges which serve the Special Areas.

asked the Minister of Labour how great have been the reductions in unemployment in each of the four Special Areas between the date of the first appointment of the Commissioners and the present time?

The table below gives the information desired.against the needs of the dependants concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of persons who received unemployment insurance benefit and transitional payments in County Durham, and the amount paid during 1938?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 21st March, 1939; col. 1126, Vol. 345), supplied the following statement:Statistics showing the number of separate individuals in receipt of insurance benefit or unemployment allowances

during 1938 are not available. The following table shows the average weekly numbers of payments of insurance benefit and unemployment allowances (exclusive of allowances in supplementation of benefit) made direct through Employment Exchanges in the county of Durham during 1938, and the total amounts so paid:

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the "Battle" aircraft allocated to the reserve training school at Hanworth airport is proving satisfactory; and whether he will state the total numbers of hours flown by this machine during the last three weeks?

The "Battle" aircraft allotted to the Volunteer Reserve Training School at Hanworth has proved satisfactory. I understand that it has not been flown recently as it is due for a periodical inspection. I have made inquiries into the reasons why this inspection has not been carried out and find that it was due to the non-availability at the Hanworth Centre of certain apparatus required for the purpose, but this is being issued to-day.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the extensions of the Royal Air Force base at Seletar have now been completed; the amount that has been expended on the same to date, including the work done on the extension; and what is the normal strength of the Air Force maintained there?

The extensions to the Royal Air Force base at Seletar are not yet completed. The amount expended to date, including that on work connected with the extensions, is estimated at £1,750,000. It would not be in the public interest to state the strength of the Royal Air Force maintained there,

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will state the total number of bricks used in Scotland by his Department during the past 12 months on new buildings and extensions; and how many of these were obtained in Scotland?

I regret that the information required by my hon. and gallant Friend could not be made available without undue expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many county clerks and town clerks, respectively, there are in Scotland; how many of these, respectively, have assistants; and what are the numbers of these assistants?

In each of the 33 counties and 195 burghs in Scotland there are one or more clerks to the local authority. I regret that I am not in possession of particulars as to cases in which joint clerks or assistant clerks have been appointed, or as to the numbers of such assistants.

asked the Minister of Health in what localities and under what auspices fracture clinics at present exist in Britain on the lines advocated in the Interim Report on the Rehabilitation of Injured Persons?

I am informed that fracture clinics substantially on the lines advocated in the Interim Report of the Committee on the Rehabilitation of Injured Persons have been established in the following localities: