Written Answers
Sugar Supply And Prices
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the wholesale price of sugar has risen steeply since the beginning of April and is still rising rapidly, and that there are prospects of a shortage of sugar in the United Kingdom market in the next few months; and what action he proposes to take?
I am aware of the recent increase in the price of sugar and that there are good reasons for supposing that the quotas approved by the International Sugar Council in July and January last are insufficient for the present requirements of the market. The attention of the Chairman of the International Sugar Council has been drawn to the matter and I understand that he is taking immediate steps to consult the members of the Council on the action that should be taken to deal with the shortage and that a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Council is being called for next week. Meanwhile steps are being taken to accelerate the despatch of sugar from Empire countries.
University Of Oxford (Grants To Students)
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what proportion of the undergraduates at Oxford receive grants towards the cost of their education from local or public funds and what proportion receive assistance from other than private sources?
The return made by the University of Oxford to the University Grants Committee for the academic year 1937–38 showed that, out of a total of 4,048 men and 892 women full-time students, 2,263 men and 420 women held scholarships, exhibitions or other awards providing wholly or in part for the payment of their fees. Figures are not available to show the classification of these awards under the various public, local or other bodies which gave them.
Armed Forces (War Risks Insurance)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the possibility of reaching some agreement with insurance offices and friendly collecting societies where under insured persons joining the armed forces of the Crown will be covered against war risks without additional premiums?
I am informed that the majority of existing ordinary life policies issued by most offices on the lives of civilians do not contain conditions restricting the benefit payable in the event of death caused by war and that, accordingly, the insurance offices concerned are not in a position to charge an extra premium in respect of such policies if the life assured joins the armed forces of the Crown. I am informed further that, where industrial life policies do not contain a restriction excluding war risks, no restriction or extra premium in most cases can, or in other cases will, be imposed. Where life policies contain restrictions of the kind mentioned, the offices would have to consider in due course, and in the light of the circumstances, their action in relation to the enforcement of such restrictions.
Palestine
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is yet in a position to make any further statement with regard to the policy of His Majesty's Government with regard to Palestine?
I am not yet in a position to make a statement with regard to future policy in Palestine.
Trade And Commerce
Germany (Imports Of Ores And Metals)
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the tonnage of copper, nickel, and chrome, metals and ores, imported by Germany in each of the last 10 years, and the source of supply?
The following Statement shows the imports into Germany of the specified ores and metals, during each of the years 1929 to 1938, distinguishing principal sources of supply:
| 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | |
Metric Tons
| ||||||||||
| Copper Ore (including Cupreous Pyrites)— | ||||||||||
| United Kingdom | 21,997 | 20,121 | 19,685 | 19,635 | 15,659 | 27,277 | 50,985 | 57,876 | 60,082 | 32,055 |
| British Possessions in the Mediterranean | 8,452 | 6,085 | 440 | 30 | — | — | 3,048 | 28,204 | 79,710 | 141,481 |
| British India an Burma | 12,932 | 13,221 | 15,649 | 10,831 | 11,995 | 10,739 | 9,369 | 8,605 | 8,422 | 6,841 |
| Belgo-Luxemburg Economic Union | 35,495 | 64,971 | 69,740 | 30,502 | 28,278 | 49,968 | 68,085 | 62,903 | 66,752 | 53,711 |
| Denmark (a) | 41,197 | 48,432 | 40,013 | 29,285 | 38,683 | 54,736 | 59,150 | 63,269 | 48,805 | 50,289 |
| France | 73,007 | 96,298 | 68,778 | 26,567 | 27,792 | 43,880 | 34,154 | 65,404 | 86,228 | 155,870 |
| Netherlands | 6,493 | 19,146 | 69,293 | 57,900 | 42,869 | 31,333 | 76,067 | 115,864 | 131,236 | 114,287 |
| Norway | 39,960 | 18,077 | 8,641 | 13,719 | 8,194 | 15,990 | 15,485 | 14,861 | 31,324 | 36,077 |
| Spain (b) | 57,708 | 16,987 | 16,598 | 833 | 2,494 | 94 | — | 6,368 | 7,309 | 26,563 |
| Finland | 27,442 | 16,015 | 33,696 | 30,740 | 36,745 | 49,944 | 56,448 | 26,412 | 4,642 | — |
| Italy (c) | 32,404 | 37,063 | 29,797 | 2,240 | — | 40 | 18 | — | 50 | — |
| Lithuania | 13,895 | 12,168 | 15,303 | 5,317 | 14,191 | 17,476 | 10,085 | 9,354 | 10,975 | 9,688 |
| Other Countries | 67,107 | 73,212 | 38,683 | 10,279 | 14,002 | 23,444 | 17,644 | 23,351 | 20,043 | 27,069 |
| Total | 438,089 | 441,796 | 426,316 | 237,878 | 240,902 | 324,921 | 400,538 | 482,471 | 555,578 | 653,931 |
| Copper, Crude— | ||||||||||
| British South Africa (d) | 1,242 | 1,253 | 874 | 25,675 | 35,702 | 45,405 | 47,624 | 40,037 | 52,026 | 76,541 |
| Canada | 7,963 | 1,645 | 792 | 1,787 | 7,065 | 9,663 | 2,067 | 1,524 | 6,414 | 18,995 |
| Belgo-Luxemburg Economic Union | 22,718 | 28,586 | 31,950 | 16,671 | 10,161 | 10,441 | 4,576 | 3,395 | 5,314 | 5,932 |
| Yugoslavia | 8,125 | 15,907 | 15,095 | 13,970 | 18,576 | 8,930 | 11,671 | 13,000 | 11,527 | 7,011 |
| Belgian Congo | 4,328 | 8,728 | 21,897 | 18,145 | 22,592 | 24,871 | 24,991 | 27,807 | 29,608 | 39,931 |
| U.S.A. | 85,647 | 49,500 | 36,319 | 21,356 | 20,536 | 49,643 | 16,588 | 6,568 | 23,395 | 62,330 |
| Chile | 39,597 | 23,725 | 20,084 | 17,486 | 27,123 | 22,806 | 35,173 | 18,994 | 19,920 | 40,007 |
| Other Countries | 25,010 | 40,384 | 23,959 | 16,038 | 12,888 | 8,488 | 10,675 | 16,224 | 21,716 | 21,653 |
| Total | 194,630 | 169,728 | 150,970 | 131,128 | 154,643 | 180,247 | 153,365 | 127,549 | 169,920 | 272,400 |
| Copper, scrap (including copper coins)— | ||||||||||
| United Kingdom | 3,260 | 825 | 1,107 | 1,274 | 3,777 | 2,447 | 5,826 | 9,095 | 10,359 | 8,839 |
| Belgo-Luxemburg Economic Union | 1,257 | 1,138 | 717 | 554 | 1,065 | 575 | 1,325 | 1,135 | 765 | 394 |
| Netherlands | 2,001 | 1,575 | 978 | 1,148 | 1,355 | 593 | 1,157 | 1,824 | 1,753 | 1,261 |
| Sweden | 1,432 | 879 | 927 | 975 | 1,708 | 975 | 2,297 | 1,646 | 1,368 | 1,637 |
| U.S.A. | 11,165 | 8,416 | 17,631 | 9,482 | 4,850 | 5,364 | 5,867 | 5,706 | 13,178 | 11,452 |
| China | 733 | 2,421 | 65 | — | — | — | 1 | 265 | 1,254 | — |
| Other Countries | 5,825 | 4,935 | 3,373 | 4,094 | 5,156 | 4,085 | 3,418 | 4,601 | 4,026 | 3,725 |
| Total | 25,673 | 20,189 | 24,798 | 17,527 | 17,911 | 14,039 | 19,891 | 24,272 | 32,703 | 27,308 |
| 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | ||
Metric Tons
| |||||||||||
| Nickel Ore— | |||||||||||
| British India and Burma | … | 2,840 | 2,712 | 2,589 | 2,803 | 3,118 | 3,454 | 4,277 | 4,471 | 3,594 | 3,366 |
| Canada | … | 140 | 99 | — | 248 | 3,487 | 4,109 | 5,306 | 7,457 | 13,251 | 13,368 |
| Netherlands Indies | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16,571 |
| Greece | … | 10,661 | 8,839 | 15,992 | 14,326 | 27,187 | 29,698 | 19,256 | 5,283 | — | — |
| Other Countries | … | 177 | 161 | 1,008 | 321 | 721 | 348 | 174 | 440 | 3,145 | 910 |
| Total | … | 13,818 | 11,811 | 19,589 | 17,698 | 34,513 | 37,609 | 29,013 | 17,651 | 19,990 | 34,215 |
| Nickel, Crude and Scrap— | |||||||||||
| Canada | … | 487 | 329 | 684 | 167 | 689 | 1,104 | 275 | 50 | 133 | 652 |
| United Kingdom | … | 1,290 | 777 | 727 | 615 | 1,178 | 1,196 | 1,536 | 1,215 | 1,491 | 1,273 |
| Norway | … | 258 | 48 | 66 | 112 | 228 | 771 | 592 | 637 | 683 | 924 |
| U.S.A. | … | 1,690 | 726 | 469 | 905 | 1,911 | 1,848 | 1,846 | 1,122 | 782 | 949 |
| Other Countries | … | 755 | 770 | 653 | 525 | 472 | 469 | 830 | 368 | 276 | 186 |
| Total | … | 4,480 | 2,650 | 2,599 | 2,324 | 4,478 | 5,388 | 6,079 | 3,392 | 3,365 | 3,984 |
| Chrome Ore— | |||||||||||
| British South Africa (d) | … | 19,594 | 13,366 | 15,645 | 17,942 | 20,611 | 27,379 | 41,351 | 36,767 | 52,219 | 73,393 |
| British and French Isles in South Seas | … | 8,603 | 4,515 | 5,222 | 6,667 | 5,126 | 10,924 | 2,539 | 10,305 | 39 | 7,271 |
| Greece | … | 407 | 324 | — | — | 677 | 6,162 | 5,610 | 8,423 | 11,508 | 13,975 |
| Yugoslavia | … | 2,576 | 2,541 | 1,125 | 2,534 | 1,470 | 5,374 | 2,106 | 360 | 475 | 12,693 |
| Turkey | … | 421 | 1,622 | 4,779 | 11,565 | 11,666 | 18,619 | 40,595 | 65,848 | 65,070 | 52,585 |
| Other Countries | … | 10,094 | 6,520 | 759 | 3,945 | 8,154 | 8,525 | 3,239 | 1,672 | 2,851 | 16,489 |
| Total | … | 41,695 | 28,888 | 27,530 | 42,653 | 47,704 | 76,983 | 95,440 | 123,375 | 132,162 | 176,406 |
| Chrome, Crude and Scrap (e) | |||||||||||
| Belgium | … | 67 | 23 | 18 | — | 21 | 199 | 145 | 943 | 683 | 489 |
| Norway | … | — | — | — | 168 | 743 | 1,306 | 749 | 2,848 | 4,447 | 4,833 |
| Belgian Congo | … | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 331 | 793 |
| Other countries | … | 298 | 234 | 519 | 462 | 553 | 1,367 | 717 | 323 | 1,144 | 1,475 |
| Total | … | 365 | 257 | 537 | 630 | 1,317 | 2,877 | 1,611 | 4,114 | 6,605 | 7,590 |
Note:(1) The particulars relate to imports for consumption into the German Customs area, which includes the Saar Territory from 18th February,1935, and the Sudetenland from 1st October, 1938. Austria is outside this Customs area, but the 1938 particulars exclude any imports from Austria. | |||||||||||
| (2) So far as possible the particulars relate to the country of origin. | |||||||||||
| (a) Including Iceland and Greenland, (b) Including Spanish Colonies up to and including 1936 (c) Including Italian Colonies up to and including 1936. (d) Union of South Africa, Rhodesia and Nyesaland. (e) Chrome, Cadmium, Wolfram and Other unspecified non-precious metals. | |||||||||||
Royal Navy
Establishment And Strength
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the establishment of the Royal Navy, its present strength, and its strength a year ago?
The establishment of the Royal Navy (including Royal Marines) is 133,000, this figure being the maximum bearing to be reached during the present financial year. The strength on the 31st March, 1939, was 122,073; the corresponding figure for the 31st March, 1938, was 111,810.
Sale Of Stores
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why, in view of the increased demand for naval stores by reason of naval expansion, surplus naval stores are being sold by auction at the Portsmouth dockyard on Tuesday, 16th May?
No stores are put up for auction at these sales except such as are of no further use in the Royal Navy, either because they have been superseded by articles of a different design or for other reasons.
British Army
Supplementary Reserve Of Officers
asked the Secretary of State for War whether members of the supplementary reserve of officers who fail to carry out annual or spread-over preliminary training due to sickness are refused the annual gratuity or the part thereof to which they are entitled; and if he will state the specific reference in the Conditions of Service, issued on 30th November last, in which it is indicated that no concession will be made for sickness of any sort?
The regulations provide that a member of the Supplementary Reserve of Officers who fails in any one year to carry out annual training through sickness may be granted the gratuity, but, should be fail to undergo training in a second consecutive year, the gratuity will be granted only for special reasons and with the consent of the Army Council. Cases of absence from spread-over preliminary training through sickness are dealt with similarly.The "Conditions of Service" pamphlet does not refer to this matter. As indicated in its opening paragraph, it is intended to be a short guide for prospective candidates, and is not to be regarded as an authority regarding emoluments.
Territorial Recruits (Training)
asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the newly-announced arrangements for training of fresh Territorial recruits, he proposes in any way to use for this purpose the services of officers who fought through the War, who have passed out of the Special Reserve and who are still physically fit?
I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Chatham (Captain Plugg) on 18th April last.
Recruitment (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the number of recruits who have joined the Regular Army and the Territorial forces, respectively, since 31st March, 1939?
During the period 1st to 29th April last, 3,254 recruits were finally approved for the Regular Army, and approximately 88,000 recruits were enlisted or in process of enlistment for the Territorial Army.
Bren Gun
asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Bren gun is being produced at Redditch; and, if so, how many of these guns this factory has produced to date?
The Bren light machine gun is not being made at Redditch.
Royal Ordnance Factory, Euxton
asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of men engaged on any given date in 1939 at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Euxton, Lancashire, in each of the four categories, pre-war ex-regulars, hostilities only, post-war ex-regulars and non-service men?
I have been asked to reply. The total numbers of industrials
| — | Pre-war ex-regulars. | War ex-service. | Post-war ex-regulars. | Non-service men | Totals. | |
| War Office | … | 6 | 169 | 131 | 86 | 392 |
| H.M. Office of Works | … | 1 | 9 | 2 | 18 | 30 |
| Totals | … | 7 | 178 | 133 | 104 | 422 |
directly employed by the War Office and H.M. Office of Works at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Chorley, on 15th April last, belonging to the various categories mentioned in the question are as follow:
information is available with regard to the categories to which these employés belong.