asked the Secretary of State for Air what action he has taken to reduce deafness from engine-noise in the aviators and mechanics of his Department, and to ascertain and train the deafened for further service; and whether he will obtain the co-operation of the National Institute for the Deaf in the matter?

Devices to lessen the effect of aircraft noise are provided for all flying personnel and research into the question is continuing. Nerve deafness due to engine noise affects the hearing to a minor degree only and, as cases are detected at an early stage, does not ordinarily result in incapacitation. All flying personnel are examined periodically to assess the condition of their special sense organs, including the ears.

When men are found to be to a certain extent deafened, will the right hon. Gentleman consider having them trained for further service as such training is found to be practical and useful in civil life?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will have issued as a White Paper, for the information of Members of the House, the rates and regulations governing allowances to dependants of men of the Royal Air Force?

Yes, Sir. Information regarding allowances to dependants of men in the Royal Air Force will be included in the White Paper which is shortly to be published by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War.

When shall we get that? We were promised it by the Secretary of State for War last week but we have not had it yet. Shall we get it before the war ends?

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the fact that the children's allowances paid to many of the men in all the fighting forces are totally inadequate?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that members of the Royal Air Force stationed in colleges at Cambridge University are allowed no other illumination than blue lighting in their rooms; that this restriction prevents reading; that in consequence these men have no recreation after dark other than that offered by the cinemas and the streets and that the social consequences are serious; and what action he proposes to alleviate their conditions?

The Royal Air Force personnel at Cambridge are billeted in nine colleges. Until the windows of the college rooms had been darkened, ordinary electric lights could not be used in them, but these have now been restored to all the rooms in six of the colleges. The windows of the other three are being darkened as quickly as possible, and all should be completed within 10 days. I regret that while these arrangements were being made the facilities for recreation after dark should have been restricted, but in every college there have always been one or more common rooms with ordinary lighting, and the Cambridge Y.M.C.A. is open to all the men and provides entertainment every night of the week. The University authorities are arranging for the provision of a central club and canteen.

Will these men be allowed heating as well as lighting in their rooms?

Certainly.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that up to date they have not been allowed fires in their rooms?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that blue lighting is much better to read by than any other form of lighting?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that according to King's Regulations and Air Council Instructions, paragraph 3081, personnel are not entitled to subsistence allowance when on active service; and whether, as this is likely to cause considerable hardship, he will take steps to have it amended?

Subsistence allowances are still being paid under normal peacetime regulations to Royal Air Force personnel in the United Kingdom; they are also payable in respect of journeys in France when accommodation and messing cannot be provided under Service arrangements.

Do I understand that these allowances are now being paid?

Yes, Sir.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a large number of officers and men have had nothing since the war broke out?

If my hon. Friend will let me know of any case, I will look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether airmen and non-commissioned officer pilots are eligible for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross?

Non-commissioned officer pilots and airmen are, under the terms of the Royal Warrant, eligible to be considered for the Distinguished Flying Medal.

Would it not be an excellent thing if all pilots were eligible for the highest award?

There are certain distinctions, and in this matter I am sure my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that there is a certain difference in the responsibility.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what justification he can offer, in the case of a commissioned pilot and a non-commissioned pilot participating in precisely the same enterprise with precisely the same results, for one obtaining the Distinguished Flying Cross and the other obtaining only the Distinguished Flying Medal?

As I have said, there is a difference of responsibility. So far as I know, this matter has never been raised, but if the hon. Member likes I will look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that a number of unskilled men have been taken on by the Air Ministry and given a short course in engineering; that in many instances, before the completion of this course, they have been posted to maintenance units and are earning as much as £5 or £6 a week, whereas their teachers, members of the Royal Air Force and highly skilled men, are earning considerably less; and whether he will take steps to modify this state of affairs which is causing considerable dissatisfaction at the various units concerned?

A number of men who have received training in engineering at Ministry of Labour centres have been entered for employment at maintenance units on work suited to their capacity after a further period of specialised training in Air Force establishments. In the present exceptional circumstances, their normal wages are supplemented in some instances by overtime earnings, but the information available does not suggest that men receive the amounts mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend. I would add that comparison with Air Force emoluments is apt to be misleading, since service personnel receive services in kind and are entitled to non-effective benefits for which civilian personnel are not eligible.

If I bring actual cases to my right hon. Friend's notice, will he go into them, as I can assure him that there is great dissatisfaction in these units in this connection?

Yes, Sir, I will look into any cases which are brought to my notice.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that none of these wages are brought down, but that the others are brought up?

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to employ skilled men for this work, and not unskilled men?

I have already replied to that question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that men who have had only six months' training in engineering have been put on the maintenance staff, and skilled engineers have not had that employment given them?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that work on the extensions at Abbotsinch have been stopped, leading to many men becoming unemployed; and whether this is a temporary stoppage or a permanent closing down?

Part of the work in hand at Abbotsinch will be completed. The actual extensions will not be proceeded with, as arrangements have been made elsewhere which will expedite the provision of the facilities required. Considerable construction work is in progress in the neighbourhood, and I hope that the men concerned will find employment there.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether retired officers of the Royal Air Force who, before the outbreak of war, were being employed at the Air Ministry as substitution officers in the place of officers on the active list, will now be placed on the active list like officers who have been recalled since the outbreak of war?

This matter is at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether any arrangements have been made for sending clothing, food and medical supplies to Royal Air Force prisoners of war in Germany?

As stated last week by my hon. Friend, the Financial Secretary to the War Office, a permanent scheme for sending parcels to prisoners of war in Germany is under consideration and details will be announced as soon as possible. Interim arrangements have, however, been made by the Air Ministry, and the first consignment of parcels to Royal Air Force prisoners of war was despatched on 20th October. Parcels for individual prisoners of war may be addressed to the Red Cross, c/o The Lord Chamberlain's Office, St. James's Palace, London, S.W.1, for transmission to Germany. I should like to take this opportunity of thanking the Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John for their great assistance in this matter.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether our prisoners of war in Germany are allowed to send any communications home pointing out how they are being treated there?

Will my right hon. Friend call the attention of the War Office to these arrangements made for the Royal Air Force, with a view to the War Office hurrying with their permanent arrangements?

I am sure the War Office will do all they can in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what steps he is taking in the Crown Colonies and India to develop further their flying organisations, with a view to using them in the war; and whether he is contemplating extending the scheme regarding the utilisation of flying services in the Dominions to the Crown Colonies and India?

Flying facilities will be developed and utilised to the fullest possible extent throughout the Empire, and my hon. Friend may be assured that the question of extending the Air Training Scheme as he suggests will be carefully considered as part of the wider question of making the fullest use of available resources to meet the essential requirements of Empire Defence.

Is it not the case that in India and East Africa an immense number of people are eager to fly and to fight for the Empire?

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for India has already made a statement on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what civil aviation services have been, or are about to be restored, and, in particular, what steps have been taken to inaugurate a regular bi-weekly service to Scandinavia; and whether special regard will be taken to the importance of transporting newspapers and urgent mail to neutral countries, in view of the regularity of the delivery of German mails and newspapers?

As the reply to the first part of the question can best be given in tabular form, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. With regard to the second part, it is not at present contemplated to increase the frequency of the existing British weekly service to Scandinavia, but communication by air with Scandinavia will shortly be established on a bi-weekly basis by the inauguration of a Swedish-Norwegian weekly service in addition. A service from Copenhagen, to be operated by Danish Air Lines, has been authorised and will shortly start. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is considering a proposal for the postponement of the elections for any of the legislative bodies and local authorities in the West Indian Colonies?

No proposal of this kind has been put before me.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the suggestion has been made that there should be an extension in Jamaica for another term, and in that case would he consider that it should be for the duration of the war rather than for another period of five years?

If and when the suggestion is put before me, I will bear in mind the hon. Member's point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present scale of income taxation in operation in Jamaica; whether, in addition to the standard Income Tax scale there is a Super-tax; and, further, what was the total amount of the income of persons in Jamaica liable for Income Tax assessment; and the total receipt of standard and Super-tax for the last completed financial year?

As the reply is rather long and contains many figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the rates of Income Tax now operating in Jamaica are adequate for the existing situation, in view of the fact that at the present time on an income of £1,000 a person pays £17 as against £127 in this country for a single man?

Proposals for considerable increases in Income Tax in Jamaica are at present before the Legislative Council there, and I very much hope that they will be accepted early.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many civil servants in the service of the Government of Jamaica have been transferred from civilian service to war service; and whether, in the case of any such transference, steps have been taken to provide new officials for the posts vacated?

I have not the information for which the hon. Member asks. But I am satisfied that the Governor is fully alive to the importance of maintaining essential Government services at as high a level as the exigencies of the local situation in war permits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the findings of the Nutrition Committee, he can give an assurance that the welfare, social, and medical services in the Colonies will not be arrested or diminished because of war expenditure or war conditions?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is the policy of the Government during the period of war to develop and improve the existing social services in the Colonial Empire?

I cannot yet add to the answer which I gave to a similar question by the hon. Member for Shipley (Mr. Creech Jones) on nth October.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he is likely to make a statement in regard to this matter?

I cannot make any statement until I am ready to make a comprehensive one, as a great many factors are involved, and it will take a little time to get the matter straightened out, but I am getting ahead with the examination of this question as rapidly as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the actions of Mr. Wallace Johnson which, as being likely to be prejudicial to public safety or defence, led to his detention under a Sierra Leone defence regulation?

Mr. Wallace Johnson's objections to the Detention Order have now been heard, in accordance with the Regulations, by a committee which consists of the acting Chief Justice, a senior administrative officer, and one of the unofficial members of the Legislative Council. I understand that the committee are preparing their report for presentation to the Governor. In these circumstances I think it is undesirable for me to make any comment at present on the case.

If I put a question down later, when these reports have been submitted to the right hon. Gentleman, I suppose I shall get an answer?

What was the action which led to this man's detention?

The detention was under an Order which gave the Governor power to detain him in order to prevent him from taking action detrimental to the safety of the State. We are working under very similar machinery in the Colonies to that which has been set up here, and while the matter is under consideration by this committee it would be undesirable for me to make a comment of the kind asked for.

Surely the Governor has formulated certain charges against this man? Cannot the right hon. Gentleman tell us what the charges are which this man has to meet before the committee of inquiry?

These matters are being considered in confidence by the committee of inquiry. When it is possible to make a public statement on the matter I shall not have any hesitation in doing so.

Will the right hon. Gentleman keep in mind that at least one member of the investigating committee is one of the most bitter opponents of Mr. Wallace Johnson?

I cannot accept that.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman believe that the powers which this Governor is exercising bear a remarkable resemblance to those of a dictator?

I can only say that these are powers which have been accepted in this country by, I think, the whole House.

No!

Is this the kind of democracy we are fighting for?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he has taken, or intends to take, to secure that the wages and conditions of labour in the Colonial Empire shall not be adversely affected through the incidence of the war; and whether increased recruitment of natives for His Majesty's Army is taking place?

Considerable progress has been made in recent years with the enactment of labour legislation in the Colonial Empire and with the establishment of labour departments and inspectorates charged with the supervision of labour conditions and the welfare of the workers. Progress will be continued along these lines so far as circumstances permit. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer to the answer which I gave on 19th October to a question by the hon. Member for North Islington (Dr. Guest), of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

Will the more comprehensive statement pay special reference to the questions of wages and working conditions?

In any further statement I will certainly be willing to expand on the present answer.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the delays in the delivery of parcels by the railways as a result of the extra traffic thrown upon them because of the restrictions placed upon road transport; that these delays are holding up work and causing unemployment; and what steps he is taking to remedy the matter so that road transport may play its full part in keeping the industries of the country running efficiently?

The war has inevitably thrown a heavy burden on the railways and made some degree of delay unavoidable, but no specific cases of any special delays in the delivery of parcels whether as a result of extra traffic or otherwise have been brought to my notice. If it is the case that there are delays of this character which are holding up work and causing unemployment I should be glad to have particulars. Subject to the overriding need for rationing the consumption of imported fuel, all possible steps are being taken to enable road transport to play its full part in keeping the industry of the country running efficiently.

If I submit details to the right hon. Gentleman will he undertake to go into them?

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Transport what decision has been reached on the urgent question of the relaxation of lighting restrictions in railway shunting yards and signal boxes?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on 18th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Abingdon (Sir R. Glyn) on the subject of lighting in shunting yards. With regard to the lighting of signal boxes, no specific cases of difficulty had been brought to my notice until I received the hon. Member's letter yesterday. I am having inquiries made immediately into all the cases he has cited.

While thanking the Minister for his reply, may I ask, in view of the fact that he has had the question before him some time and of the fact that accidents, fatal and otherwise, are increasing in shunting yards and that the strain on the men in signal boxes is considerably increased, whether he can do something to expedite the inquiry?

We are expediting it by every means we can. Nobody is keener than I am that the extra strain on all classes of railway employés should be relieved as soon as and as much as possible. I am sure that the hon. Member will be the first to recognise that there are important considerations to take into account before making alterations in the black-out.

Now we have an assurance that the inquiry is being expedited, can we have an assurance that the decision will be expedited?

As much as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that flowering shrubs and rose trees enclosed in iron and wire fencing are being planted along the Crawley By-Pass by the road employés; and whether, in view of the war situation and the necessity of economising on unproductive work he will postpone for the present all work on the roads that is not helping to win the war?

The shrubs and trees in question were purchased by the West Sussex County Council, as my agents for the construction of the Crawley By-Pass, some months before the war started. The planting out is taking place now because this is the proper season. As regards the second part of the question the policy of the Ministry in regard to unfinished road works is that they will only be completed if this proves to be the most economical way of dealing with them, or if they can be shown to be essential in the national interest.

Is it in the national interest to use rabbit wire and iron posts in this way when they are difficult to obtain for food production and other things, and does my right hon. and gallant Friend really think that it is in the national interest that this work should be done at this time?

I do not believe that the amount of rabbit wire required will put a great strain on the national effort.

Is not my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that it is not possible to get a great deal of rabbit wire, and does not work such as this make null and void the appeals of the Minister of Agriculture to farmers to increase food production?

asked the Prime Minister whether the Royal Commission on the Location of Industry intends to make an early report; and, if not, will he state the cause of delay?

I understand that the report is now being signed, but, for the reason which I gave the hon. Member on 27th September, I cannot fix any date for its printing or publication. I do not think that the time taken by the Commission in its preparation is unreasonable, having regard to the range and difficulty of the subject.

Can the Prime Minister give any indication whether it is intended to have the report published at an early date, or does he intend not to publish it during the war?

I have already explained that in present circumstances the pressure of urgent work more directly connected with the war precludes the printing and publication.

Are we to understand that it is not to be published until the war is ended?

I did not say that, but we cannot publish it while there is the pressure of other work more connected with the war.

Is not the Prime Minister aware that there are thousands of printers out of work who would be glad of a job now?

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree, in view of the fact that the peace we hope for will come at an early date, that this question of the location of industry is of fundamental importance to places like Scotland which is concentrating on heavy industry and will be faced with tremendous unemployment immediately peace comes?

Should not the war effort be taken into account before any such report is printed and published?

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether as herring are now in their most nutritious condition, and having regard to the economic food conditions now prevailing, he will make widely known the most economical methods of cooking herring and particularly the methods of removing the bone before cooking to eliminate waste?

The question of encouraging, with the assistance of existing agencies, the economical use of essential articles of food is receiving the close attention of my Department. I understand that excellent advice on the matter to which my hon. Friend refers is contained in "The New Herring Book" issued by the Herring Industry Board to the trade, the schools, and the general public.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that at the present moment there is a glut of herring in Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and that boats are being held in port because there is no market for the fish; and will he take steps to encourage the use of herring so as to allow the boats to go to sea at the present period?

I shall be very glad to do anything in my power to encourage the use of this valuable food.

Will my right hon. Friend, as representing the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, invite all the Service Departments to use the maximum quantity of herring?

Will the Minister undertake to clear these stocks of herring from Lowestoft and Yarmouth?

Will the Minister suggest to his right hon. Friends in the Army, Navy and Air Force that they should take more herring?

Will my right hon. Friend give me the opportunity of showing him a telegram I have received?

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will consider the recasting of the Meat Control Scheme in England; and whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement as to the sites of slaughter houses, the area served by each, the names of the meat executive officers and the rates of salary?

I can undertake that in any locality in which it is found that the arrangements made under the Meat Control Scheme do not operate satisfatcorily, those arrangements will be reconsidered. In view of the large number of selected slaughter-houses, in England and Wales, my hon. and gallant Friend will perhaps agree that a statement of the sites of each slaughterhouse and of the area served by each as well as a list of the names of the personnel would be too lengthy to circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I will, however, arrange for a list of the selected slaughterhouses to be placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

May I ask when that will be, and whether in the scheme which my right hon. Friend now envisages he will permit the continuance of slaughtering at Wellington and other towns in Shropshire which have been put out by his Department?

The list will be available as soon as possible. I am reconsidering the second matter mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend.

Does this mean that Smithfield is shortly to be reopened?

No, Sir.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the meat control is working satisfactorily?

Is the Minister aware of the amount of difficulty to which butchers are put, having first to go to market to buy their offal and then not being allowed to collect after four o'clock in the day the allocations of meat made to them? Will he consider in his control supplying to butchers meat of the type they have been used to serving to their customers owing to the fact that many people cannot afford the higher prices of English meat?

If the hon. Member will give me particulars I will gladly reconsider it.

Owing to the abandonment of the fish scheme will the Minister consider the abandonment of the meat scheme?

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what quantity of meat has been handled by the 10 meat depots in the outer London distributing areas since they were established; and what staffs are maintained, including their numbers?

I have made inquiries from the London Wholesale Meat Supply Association and have been informed that the quantity of meat handled in the 10 meat emergency depots in outer London distributing areas since they were established at the outbreak of war amounts to 3,773 tons. The total staff at these depots is at present 631 persons, of whom 206 occupy executive and clerical posts. The staffs are being drawn upon as the need arises at the inner depots. I understand that these men were employed in the London wholesale meat trade before the war; that their salaries and wages, which are equivalent to 0.0875 pence per lb. of the meat being handled by the Association, are met by economies affected in other directions, and that consequently no cost falls on the taxpayer nor any additional cost on the consumer on account of the staffs of these depots.

Does not the Minister realise that figures which show that only five tons per person were handled over a period of seven weeks point to a complete redundancy of staff?

The hon. Member is dividing the total staff, including clerical and executive workers, into the total amount of meat.

Of course.

If the hon. Member gives me further particulars, perhaps I can examine his calculations at leisure.

But did not the Minister tell us that a certain number of tons of meat were handled and so many persons were employed, and is it not very simple to divide the one by the other?

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will reconsider the decision that potato growers may no longer continue to sell to retailers and consumers; and why, since the existing custom of direct sale was continued by the Potato Marketing Scheme, he insists on the whole trade being placed in the hands of the authorised merchants, thus increasing cost of transport and destroying direct retail supply by farmers on well-established lines?

There has been no decision that potato growers should not continue to sell to retailers and consumers, or that the whole trade should be placed in the hands of the authorised merchants. Apart from the issue of Maximum Prices Orders, no steps have yet been taken to control in any way the trade in potatoes.

Is the Minister fully seized of the fact that a decision of the kind referred to would be regarded with the very gravest apprehension by the trade itself?

No such decision has been taken, and no such decision will be taken without further examination.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the relationship between the London Employment Joint Price Committee of the Baking Trade and the Millers Mutual Association?

I am informed that there is no connection between the two bodies referred to by. my hon. Friend.

Is my right hon. Friend quite sure of that, because I so often wonder whether his information is entirely reliable?

In order to obtain this information I asked both the bodies in question, and they both assured me that neither has any connection with the other.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will give an assurance that he will not sanction an increase in the price of bread in the provinces without an independent inquiry as distinct from the joint price committees which may be set up?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers which I gave to the questions he put to me on nth October. I do not follow his allusion to "joint price committees which may be set up."

Can my right hon. Friend give the House an assurance that never again shall the milling combine be allowed to manoeuvre and manipulate the price of bread? What has become of the Food Council and who is protecting the consumer to-day?

I can give the hon. Member an assurance that no one will be allowed to manipulate and manoeuvre the people's food.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has given consideration to the correspondence complaining of the reduced supplies of butter, bacon, sugar, etc., forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Stoke; and what action is to be taken to prevent the causes that have given rise to these complaints?

Yes, Sir, the correspondence related to supplies to an industrial co-operative society, and I should like to make it clear that there is no discrimination by my Department as between supplies to such societies and supplies to other traders. As regards the articles referred to, supplies of butter and bacon have recently been below normal; consequently it has been necessary to reduce allocations to all distributors alike. Sugar supplies have also been impartially distributed.

Why did the Minister tell the public that we are only to get three ounces of meat a little later on?

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he intends to fix one standard quality and price for margarine; and can he state the grounds for such a decision?

All the margarine now being produced is of a standard quality and is being retailed at a standard price of 6d. per lb. Owing to the shortage of butter, it was necessary to increase the output of margarine. The adoption of a standard quality promotes rapid and efficient production and distribution of a good quality article at a reasonable price. I am, however, giving the matter further consideration in the light of existing circumstances.

Will this be the quality of margarine that the Minister has in mind for rationing, and will the effect be to raise the price to the poorest people from 4d. to 6d.?

As I said at the end of my answer, I am giving this matter further consideration.

May I ask the Minister not to be led entirely by those who are influenced mainly by advertising revenue?

Is there any reason why the only standard should be the standard of the co-operative societies?

Will the Minister bear in mind that that interruption is entirely irrelevant, because the standard imposed by the Government is the Government's standard and the standard of no one else?

How can this margarine be co-operative margarine if the Van den Bergh interests are controlling the price?

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster the total cost in salaries of £250 per annum and above of the divisional food organisation, including the organisations for London and the home counties; and when he anticipates he will be in a position to make his contemplated review of these appointments?

The answer to the first part of the question is £93,850. This figure, which relates only to Great Britain, excludes the salaries of 31 chief clerks and accountants serving in divisional food offices who have been seconded from other Government Departments by whom their salaries will continue to be paid. It also excludes the salaries of nine civil servants on the staff of the Chief Divisional Food Office for Scotland who have been similarly seconded. I do not propose to undertake a general review of these appointments at present since it would be undesirable to make avoidable changes in this stage of food control.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any undertaking as to when this review will take place, particularly having regard to the advanced age of a considerable number of the heads of the divisional organisation?

I can assure the hon. Member that this matter will be kept under constant review with a view to ensuring officiency, but I hope the hon. Member will appreciate my desire to avoid making changes at this particular moment.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give some immediate guidance to the local authorities as to the attitude of the Ministry towards the suggestion that many of these appointments should be given to public servants at part salaries—additional payment to what they are having at the present time?

I will consider what the hon. Member has said.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think this is a somewhat heavy price to pay for the reduction in the quantity of our butter and the increase in the price of our margarine?

Everything is under review.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why the Cereals Board have issued instructions not to release maize for the manufacture of glucose; and whether maize is being released to provender millers for cattle-food?

Arrangements have now been made for the allocation of maize for the manufacture of glucose to meet urgent needs. The quantity will depend upon the supply of maize available. The reply to the last part of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative.

Is it not the case that many complaints have been received from manufacturers, who have been held up because they have not been able to obtain glucose; and is the chairman of the Cereals Board the owner of the largest provender mills?

I should like notice of those questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further measures he proposes to develop the agricultural riches of Scotland in view of the national emergency; and in particular to enable Scottish farms to produce all the milk, eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables which, together with the abundant supplies of fish from Scottish waters, will supply all the food that Scotland needs?

As the hon. Member will be aware, the Government have already taken measures for bringing under the plough a large additional acreage of land in Scotland in order to increase the production of human food and feeding-stuffs for domestic stock. It is too early to estimate the success of these efforts, but the Government are fully alive to the importance of using the natural resources of the land in Scotland in full measure, and they will continue to take any practicable steps to this end. If the hon. Member has any specific suggestions to make on the subject of his question my right hon. Friend will be very happy to consider them.

Arising from that reply, may I ask the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland how many acres are now under consideration?

I could not say in respect of this year, but for 1940 it is about 260,000 acres.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster under whose authority purveyors of feeding-stuffs are now declining to sell middlings unless same is mixed with other ingredients; and whether he will take steps to prevent the continuance of this practice?