asked the Minister of Information whether his attention has been drawn to a copy of the widely-read German weekly, "Die Woche," of 31st January, in which a five-page article is devoted to a detailed exposition of how the British Commonwealth of Nations

asked the Minister of Labour the number of medical boards for the examination of recruits which have been appointed, and how many chairmen of such boards have had experience in a similar capacity during any period of the past war?

Yes, Sir, my attention has already been drawn to the article in question. It is part of the task of the Ministry to make plain the consequences of a German victory to this country, to the Empire and to neutrals, and I shall certainly give wide publicity to the plans revealed in this article, together with other published material, as evidence of German intentions.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of days lost in the pits of Durham from the beginning of September, 1939, up to the most recent date, which unemployment is due to no fault of the workmen?

The only figures I can give relate to the numbers of insured persons, aged 16–64, in the coal-mining industry, recorded as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in Durham on one date in each month. The figures for each month since September, 1939, were as follow:—

The number of medical boards at present appointed is 164. It is the practice wherever possible to select as chairmen of medical boards practitioners with special experience of work of an analogous kind. I have no information, however, as to the number of chairmen who acted in a similar capacity during the past war.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the essential qualifications for, and conditions applicable to, the appointment of the chairmen of medical boards for the examination of recruits; and whether any regard is given to available doctors who have had similar or any practical medical board experience in the last war?

Chairmen of medical boards are selected from practitioners of standing in the profession whose names are supplied by the British Medical Association to the medical officers of the Ministry of Health. Wherever possible practitioners are selected who have had special experience in work of an analogous kind.

asked the Postmaster-General what are the regulations governing the grant of 10s. weekly to postal employés of less than six months' service now serving in the fighting forces?

There is no provision for the grant of a specific sum of 10s. weekly to the postal employés in question. If they are established they are eligible to receive the balance of their civil pay under the Treasury regulations applicable to the Civil Service generally.

asked the Home Secretary (1) whether he will inquire into and report on the understandings reached and the undertakings given in the negotiations between local authorities and the Home Office in regard to air-raid precautions work, and the extent to which those understandings and undertakings have been varied; and by what authority and to what extent;

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 29th February to Questions by the hon. Members for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson), Stratford (Mr. Groves) and West Leyton (Mr. Sorensen).

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many exemptions for a lower wage and shorter hours were granted by county agricultural wages boards in 1939 to labourers who, by reason of age or infirmities, became unfit for whole-time employment and who wished to continue in employment?

The permits which may be granted under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act, 1924, to workers who were so affected by physical injury, mental deficiency or infirmity due to age or other cause, as to be incapable of earning the minimum rate, exempt the employment of those workers from the minimum wage provisions of the Act subject to such conditions as may be specified in the permit. The number of permits granted by Agricultural Wages Committees in England and Wales in 1939 was 4,177, but I have no details to show the number of cases, within this total, in which a reduced number of hours had been specified as a condition.