asked the Postmaster-General whether he is prepared to institute a system whereby letters and parcels can be delivered, post free, to members of His Majesty's Forces serving overseas?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to questions on the same subject by the hon. Members for Gillingham (Sir R. Gower) and Shipley (Mr. Creech Jones) on the 19th October.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is able to report any recent improvement in the transmission of news by telephone, cable, or air to neutral countries, particularly Belgium, Scandinavia, and the United States of America?

Facilities have now been provided for Press messages to be sent by telephone to all neutral countries to which a telephone service is available, including Belgium, the Scandinavian countries and the United States of America.Cable services are available to all neutral countries, and every effort is being made to ensure that Press messages are transmitted as rapidly as possible.Air mail services to Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland were introduced on the 30th October. As regards the United States of America, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Air, on the 8th November on the question of an air service connecting at Lisbon with the Transatlantic air service.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether it is proposed to keep the machinery for rationing gas and electricity in being; and whether this involves any expense?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on Thursday last to the hon. Member for Aberdare (Mr. G. Hall).

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that taximeter-cab drivers of Portsmouth are having to lay their motor cars up for the rest of the month owing to their petrol ration having been expended, with the result that numerous demands from the naval and military establishments and from hospitals are having to be refused, even though they are being given preference over ordinary civilian requirements; and whether, in view of the inconvenience caused, and for other reasons, he will give instructions that the ration should be increased forthwith, as it is still only two-thirds of that allowed to London taximeter-cabs?

I have under consideration the possibility of making certain adjustments in the scale of allowances at present in operation for provincial taxis, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of the reduced sale of petrol by garages owing to petrol rationing, the possibility of using the large numbers of tanks lying empty at garages throughout the country for the purpose of storage of reserve supplies has been considered?

Yes, Sir, but I am satisfied on inquiry that the normal storage facilities available are at present adequate without having recourse to this suggestion.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that adequate petrol supplies are being withheld from distributors of potatoes and other foodstuffs in the Downham market district of Norfolk; and whether he will give an assurance that distributors of essential foodstuffs will be given special consideration during the next petrol-ration period?

Supplementary fuel rations have been withheld from certain operators m this district, but I understand that this should not occasion any difficulty as regards the distribution of essential foodstuffs. In the cases in question long hauls by road were involved which would have resulted in a waste of petrol in view of the availability of adequate alternative means of transport.

asked the First Commissioner of Works how many buildings in London in which Government staffs are employed have had no structural alterations made by way of air-raid precautions; and what these buildings are?

Of Crown buildings in London one only remains to be dealt with. Of 220 buildings which fall to be dealt with by the Lessors under the Civil Defence Act shelters have been provided in the case of 182. Of the remainder, 24 have been afforded a measure of temporary protection and 14 have still to be dealt with.In some 30 buildings where the staff numbers less than 50 schemes are under consideration, but the work for a variety of reasons has not yet commenced. In addition, as buildings are acquired for increased staffs temporary A.R.P. protection is being provided.

asked the Home Secretary whether in view of the need for relaxation from the industrial stress endured by so many Birmingham workers, he will permit the Birmingham Football Club to recommence their matches, and consider whether it will be necessary to restrict the number of spectators?

Under the Public Entertainments Order, a chief officer of police is empowered to prohibit the use of any premises in his district for the purpose of an entertainment to which the public are admitted on payment, if in his view opening would be attended by undue risk. My right hon. Friend understands that the Chief Constable has exercised this power in respect of the Birmingham football ground, as he regards the situation of the ground as particularly vulnerable in the case of air attack. My right hon. Friend does not feel able to intervene with the chief officer in this case.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, because of the alteration in the Hull air-raid warning system, it will be more difficult for factory workers and children playing in the streets to take effective cover, since there will not be a sufficient interval between the sounding of the warnings and the commencement of gunfire to allow of the warnings being clearly heard, if heard at all; and whether, in the interests of public safety, he will order an investigation of the Hull system, with special attention to the desirability of instituting a 75-miles warning radius?

The air-raid warning system in force in Hull, and the considerations governing its operation, are the same as in the rest of the country. The policy announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air in his statement on 25th October, to which I would refer the hon. Member, does not involve any alteration in the time allowed for taking shelter when the available in-

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that head wardens of Village posts have not been receiving yellow warnings recently; and whether, in view of the difficulty in being ready for air-raids without sufficient warning, he will inquire into this matter as it affects country districts with a view to some modification?

The Preliminary Caution or "yellow" message is issued only to certain recipients who require a longer period to take essential action than that given by the Action Warning. The question of the extent to which the message should be transmitted to personnel in the Air-Raid Precautions services is now under consideration, and any special factors affecting country districts will be carefully examined.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost to the Treasury, expressed in annual, monthly or weekly terms, of the Civil Defence services?

The aggregate cost of Civil Defence services (excluding the Ministry of Supply) as provided in the Estimates and Supplementary Estimates of the current year amounts to £78,870,847. The provision for the different services included in this total is set out below. What increase in the total figure may result from the outbreak of war cannot be stated with precision.

asked the Minister of Labour how the cost of living at the present time compares with the average rate during the period 1914 to 1918 in relation both to all items and food only?

The following table shows the average percentage increase, as compared with July, 1914, in the retail prices (a)of food and (b)of all items taken into account in the calculation of the official cost-of-living index figures, in each of the years 1915 to 1918 and at 30th September, 1939 (the latest date for which figures are at present available):

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India why the censor of news telegrams to India has forbidden news to be transmitted to India which has been published in England; and whether, in future, he will give instructions to the censor that any news published in newspapers in England may be transmitted to India for publication there?

Apart from the messages referred to in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the hon. Member for Leyton West (Mr. Sorensen) on 9th November, there have been no cases so far as can be traced in which the censorship has stopped the transmission to India of news which has been published in England. Responsibility for censorship rests, as stated by the Prime Minister on 3rd October last, on the Department concerned with the subject-matter. So far as India is concerned, I am unable to accept the suggestion made in the last part of the question. It is possible, for example, that, as the censorship of Press matter is on a voluntary basis, the Press in this country may happen on occasion to publish matter to which it would be undesirable to give immediate wider currency.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give an area example of the percentage of claimants in receipt of winter allowances, unemployment assistance; and whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the instructions issued to area officers in relation to the application of the winter allowances?

I regret that the information asked for in the first part of the hon. Member's question is not available. A copy of the general instruction issued to the Board's officers with regard to the grant of extra allowances during the winter months has been placed in the Library of the House, and in the circumstances it does not seem necessary to have it printed in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour and National Service whether he can give the numbers of unemployed in Oxford and the vicinity in each of the last three months for which figures are available; and the number of skilled workers unemployed?

pursuant to his reply(OFFICIAL REPORT, 31st October, 1939; col. 1764, Vol. 352), supplied the following statement:The total numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of the Oxford Employment Exchange at 14th August, nth September and 16th October, 1939, were 1,038, 2,417 and 3,834, respectively. Statistics are not available as to the numbers of skilled workers included in these totals.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the German broadcasts alleging that the members of the German consular staff in Glasgow received harsh treatment before their repatriation; and whether he can make any statement on the subject?

On the outbreak of war three persons who had been employed in the office of the German Consul at Glasgow were detained in custody until arrangements could be made for their return to Germany. There is no foundation for any suggestion that during the period of their detention they were harshly treated. On the contrary, everything was done to make their detention as little irksome as possible, and two of them expressed thanks for their kindly and considerate treatment.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can give an assurance that, during the war period, steps will be taken to continue the progress which was being made before hostilities broke out to increase the proportion of established men employed in

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the present approximate number or proportion of retired officers of the Royal Navy on the various reserves who are under the age of 55 years, and who have not yet been recalled and allocated to some war appointment?

; I regret that it would not be in the public interest to give the information asked for by my hon. and gallant Friend.

Improved quotas of established men were settled in 1936. No recent figures are available to show the present proportion of established men, as a very large number of temporary men have been employed in the dockyards since the emergency. My hon. and gallant Friend will be pleased to hear, however, that it has also been decided to make temporary additions to the established list in certain circumstances, as a consequence of the retention of established men beyond the normal retiring age.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how the present wage rates of employes in the Royal Dockyards compare with those in operation during the period 1914 to 1918?

The following occupational examples show the weekly rates of pay of workmen in the Royal Dockyards (mechanics and labourers) in 1914, in 1918, and at the present time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his guarantee to agriculturalists includes crops sown and reaped in 1940 but not sold from the farm till 1941; and will he bear in mind the importance of this question in bringing land under the plough?

Yes, Sir, provided, of course, the crops are sold during the cereal year in which they are harvested.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether it is compulsory for the Volunteer Reserve to have the letters V.R. on the collar?

Officers of the Volunteer Reserve are required to wear the letters V.R. on the collar of the Service dress jacket and airmen to wear these letters on the sleeve of the jacket.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what are the reasons why marriage allowances are not granted to officers of the Royal Air Force as they are to officers in the Army and Navy?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a similar question on 1st November.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will state the number of cubic feet of ash and the number of cubic feet of Canadian birch contracted for outside the United Kingdom in the four weeks prior to the 16th September last, returned on form No. 44, by the firms of Messrs. Louis Bamberger and Sons, Messrs. Taylor and Lowe Brothers, and Messrs. J. Gliksten and Sons, respectively?

Before 16th September, when the Control of Timber (No. 4) Order came into force, all firms were free to purchase timber abroad. I do not feel justified in making public particulars of individual businesses furnished solely for Departmental use.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that the prices of raw material issued in a booklet by the timber control enable merchants to add 20 per cent. to the price provided the orders are under £15 and that furniture manufacturers find themselves unable to purchase in large quantities owing to this restriction; and what steps he intends to take to remedy the position?

The percentage addition to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers is provided for in the schedule of maximum prices forming part of the Control of Timber (No. 1) Order, and follows the customary trade practice of allowing for the disproportionate handling, etc., charges on relatively small orders. I shall be glad to receive particulars of any case of suggested abuse of this provision.

asked the Minister of Supply, what salary is paid to the new Controller of Timber; how many assistants work with him, and at what salaries; and what was the cost of transporting the timber control to Bristol, and the monthly maintenance in salaries and otherwise?

The salary authorised for the post of Controller of the Timber Control is £1,500 per annum but, as stated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon South (Sir H. Williams) on 2nd November, the present Controller has up to the present not accepted any remuneration. In regard to the second and fourth parts of the question, the statements which I promised to the hon. Member for Salford, North (Mr. Morris) on 19th October and to the hon. Member for South-West St. Pancras (Sir G. Mitcheson) on 26th October are nearing completion, and I propose to place a copy in the Library of the House.With regard to the third part of the question, my hon. and gallant Friend will perhaps inform me what particulars he has in mind, as the headquarters of the Control were already at Bristol when its war-time functions came into operation.

asked the Minister of Supply whether the Timber Controller and his assistants had a business interest in the timber trade, either abroad or at home; and do they retain this interest?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Sir J. Wardlaw-Milne) on 1st November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that many of the IOS. Treasury notes now in circulation are in a dirty and fragile condition; and will discretionary powers be given to bank managers to return to the Bank of England any notes which are unfit for circulation?

The question, I assume, refers to IOS. Bank of England notes. Arrangements were made for special economy in the issue of new notes during the early months of the war, but I understand that full discretionary powers remain with bank managers to return to the Bank of England any notes which they consider unfit for re-issue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the impossibility of obtaining adequate supplies of British cod-liver oil from Newfoundland and other parts of the Empire, he will consider removing the tax on Norwegian cod-liver oil?

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Food has under consideration the question of ensuring proper supplies of cod-liver oil, and, as at present advised, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer sees no reason to contemplate any change in the import duty on Norwegian cod-liver oil.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many prosecutions for profiteering in food supply have been taken by local authorities against offending persons during the two months previous to Ist November; and in how many instances has the maximum penalty been imposed?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to prosecutions by Food Control Committees, under the powers conferred on them by the Food Control Committees (Enforcement) Order of the 29th September, 1939, for offences against the Ministry's Orders for regulating prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is now in a position to state if he will, when he issues ration cards in regard to food supplies, also issue a ration card to blind men for their trained dogs, which act as their guides, as, without these dogs, hardships will be imposed on many blind people?

I feel sure that the hon. Member will agree that no special arrangements for the guide dogs of blind persons are necessary in connection with the rationing of bacon and butter.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, when rationing of butter comes into force, it will be permissible for friends in the Dominions to send small parcels of butter by post to this country?

The provisions relating to the rationing of butter have not yet been finally determined, but it is not contemplated that, subject to proper safeguards against abuse, they will prevent persons in the United Kingdom from receiving small parcels of butter by post as presents from friends overseas.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is aware that the Coatbridge Co-operative Society, Limited, which has a membership of 13,194, under the several percentage reductions of the June and July quantity of butter, find their allotted supplies quite inadequate to meet the needs of their members even on the most restricted rationing, while the multiple shops in Coatbridge have surplus butter for disposal; that this anomaly is causing discontent and serious injury to the society; whether he can state the cause of this disproportion; and whether he is taking steps to secure a more equitable allocation?

I have made inquiries and I find that the allocation of butter by the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society to the Coatbridge Cooperative Society, Limited, is strictly in accordance with the rate of distribution at present operating between suppliers and their retail customers.I am informed that the multiple shops in this town have not now ample supplies of butter. In so far as certain traders may until recently have had larger stocks of butter than others, it was due to the fact that such traders were carrying larger stocks when butter in cold storage was requisitioned by the Ministry. It would obviously have been impracticable to have requisitioned butter at the very large number of individual traders' premises, and it was, therefore, necessary to confine requisition to stocks at cold stores. Surplus stocks are virtually exhausted, and it is believed that retailers of all types are, generally speaking, now on an equal footing as regards supplies.I would add that all possible steps are being taken to ensure as equitable a distribution of butter as possible within the limits of the reduced allocation, but it should be appreciated that the control which can be exercised by the Ministry beyond the first-hand suppliers is strictly limited.