asked the Secretary of State for Air whether any official inquiry has been or will be held into the circumstances surrounding the bombing by a German aircraft of the British steamship "Domala?"

The circumstances of this attack have been the subject of investigation, as is the practice in the case of all such enemy operations.

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that the attack was made from mast-head height, and that no British fighter aircraft took off?

No Sir.

Is it the case that the German aircraft indicated by signs that they were British aircraft?

asked the Secretary of State for Air to what extent the business books of the sub-contracting firm are open to the scrutiny of his accountants, in all cases where there is subcontracting, with regard to a Government contract; and whether the terms of the sub-contract itself are disclosed to his accountants?

It is the normal practice of my Department to include in all negotiated contracts provision for the supervision of sub-contract prices where the items are substantial, and for Departmental access to sub-contractors' works and records for the purpose of making independent costs estimates. As regards the second part of the Question, no difficulty has been experienced in obtaining any requisite information.

Does the right hon. Gentleman's Department require the disclosure of any interest that the contracting firm may have in the sub-contracting firm?

Perhaps the hon. and learned Gentleman will put that question down.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that officers and airmen of the Royal Air Force in France receive, in effect, shorter periods of leave than those stationed in the United Kingdom; and will he take steps to remedy this grievance?

The amount of leave of absence from the unit is broadly the same both at home and in France. I appreciate that more time is spent in travelling by personnel serving in France than by those serving in this country. I am afraid, however, that it is impossible to compensate for the extra time spent in travelling, because the number of personnel who can be absent at the same time from units overseas and the transport available are limited.

Would my right hon. Friend consider, in view of those difficulties, allowing the officers and men overseas to accumulate the time that they spend in travelling, so that when they are posted to a home station they may take that extra accumulated leave?

Officers commanding may authorise the carrying forward, within the leave year, of any leave not taken, provided that they are satisfied that special circumstances precluded its being taken during the period for which it was granted.

Will my right hon. Friend satisfy me that this time which is spent in travelling will be considered by the air officers commanding?

I cannot extend the answer I have just given.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether negotiations for further purchases of American aircraft by the United Kingdom have been discontinued?

No, Sir, negotiations are proceeding normally.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that there is a growing opinion that if he would take greater advantage of the wood-working industry in this country to produce more wooden aircraft, he could considerably curtail the expenditure of dollars in purchases from American firms?

Considerable advance is being made in the direction suggested by my hon. Friend, but there are other considerations which have to be taken into account in regard to these American purchases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Jews and how many Arabs, respectively, have enlisted in Palestine for service overseas since the war began?

Since the war began 1,709 Jews and 392 Arabs have enlisted in Palestine for service overseas. These figures include the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps already in France, which contains 742 Jews and 306 Arabs.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say why he could not give the House the figures when they were asked for last week, and since there are two Jewish volunteers to every one Arab, does not that definitely prove the loyalty of the Jews to this country?

The reason why I did not give the figures last week was the reason I gave in answer to my hon. and gallant Friend's Question, which was that the exact figures were not available in this country, and I had to get them from the High Commissioner. With regard to the second part of the Question, nobody doubts the loyalty of the Jews to this country, and we very greatly appreciate it. We appreciate the help we are getting from both the Jews and the Arabs in Palestine.

May I ask—

rose—

On a point of Order. Statements have been made, presumably officially, that there were 700 members of the Auxiliary Pioneer Corps which left Palestine for France. The right hon. Gentleman now intimates that there are about 1,100 members of that Corps, and surely I am entitled to ask the right hon. Gentleman who was responsible for the first so-called official statement of 700 compared with the 1,100 to which he has referred?

I am afraid I have not seen the official statement to which the hon. Member refers, and I very much doubt whether it was official. The figures I have given are the accurate figures of the unit serving in France.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us how many M.Ps. have volunteered for service?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that amongst the Jewish illegal immigrants into Palestine there are German citizens, many of whom are German spies; and what steps he proposes to take to stop this illegal traffic on that account?

Yes, Sir. Though local inquiries have not yet produced conclusive proof, the High Commissioner has strong reasons for suspecting that the passengers of two ships which about a month ago landed illegal immigrants in Palestine included German agents. These persons, together with other illegal immigrants, are held in detention camps. As regards the second part of the Question, His Majesty's Government and the Palestine Government are taking various measures to suppress the traffic in illegal immigrants.

Will the right hon. Gentleman state exactly what he implies when he states that many of these illegal immigrants may or may not be German spies?

I cannot add to the answer which I have given, which was that the High Commissioner has strong reasons to suppose, from information at his disposal, that some of these people are German agents.

Can the Minister say how many have been detained?

Some hundreds.

Has my right hon. Friend any reason to believe that these German agents are Jews?

As I say, we have not any conclusive proof, but from the information we have received we understand that there are strong possibilities that some of the Jewish members of these parties are German agents.

Would they not be in serious danger of their lives in such company in such a ship?

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that youths under 21 years of age are not permitted to drive agricultural tractors on the highway whilst they are allowed to drive two and a-half ton lorry; that this is a hardship to farmers; and will he take steps to get the law amended?

I am glad to inform my hon. Friend that action has now been taken which has altered the legal position as stated in his Question. The effect of a Defence Regulation which has just been made is that a person of 17 years of age may lawfully drive an agricultural tractor on the road, not merely "in the course of the internal operations of a farm" but also on the public road from one farm to another.

asked the Minister of Transport what action he proposes to take regarding the dissatisfaction among many firms in Burnley with the inadequate petrol supplies for delivery of goods by road; and whether he is aware that the policy of instructing firms to send by rail is adding to the difficulties of the railways, who cannot supply containers for many classes of goods or cope with the existing traffic?

As the amount of fuel available for the movement of goods by road is limited, it is necessary, in order that it shall be used to the best advantage in the national interest, to divert to other means of transport a certain amount of traffic normally carried by road. In any case where the Regional Transport Commissioner is satisfied that reasonable alternative transport facilities are not available for essential traffic, supplementary fuel rations for movement by road will be granted. Restrictions in the supply of petrol are, I regret, bound to cause inconvenience, but I am not aware that there is any special ground for dissatisfaction in Burnley. The number of railway containers available for the country as a whole is limited, but I understand that the present requirements of Burnley firms are being met.

Is not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that a number of firms, the names of which I have sent him, are complaining that they are told to transport their goods on the railways, when the railways are absolutely choked with goods which they cannot move at the present time?

I am afraid that that does not alter the answer which I have given. We have a certain amount of petrol to allocate for goods transport, and we must use it to the best advantage in the national interest, irrespective of the interests of particular firms.

Is the Minister aware that one result of the congestion on the railways produced by the matters to which my hon. Friend has called attention has been that mills all over Lancashire have been held up because they cannot get coal delivered, and that the loss in the value of export goods resulting from that is really very large indeed; and cannot he do something to assist in that matter?

There is another Question on coal on the Paper, to which I shall reply in a moment.

Would the Minister consider advising those people who cannot send goods by rail to take advantage of the canal system which has been driven out of business by the railway companies?

There is also another Question on canals on the Paper.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will release extra supplies of petrol to firms in Burnley for road-haulage work in order that the rail ways may more easily deal with the problem of improving the serious position in regard to the town's coal supply?

I am not aware that the railways are experiencing any difficulty in transporting coal to Burnley.

Does the Minister not know that last week in Burnley 8,000 looms were stopped because they could not get coal, and that if he will refer to the Secretary for Mines he will find out what is the state of coal supplies in Burnley at the present time?

I have consulted with my hon. Friend the Secretary for Mines, and I must still stick to my statement, that I am not aware that the railways have experienced any difficulty in transporting coal to Burnley.

asked the Minister of Transport what instructions have been issued by his Department or by Regional Commissioners regarding petrol supplies for long-distance road-haulage; and what mileage in the case of Burnley is regarded as a long distance?

No hard and fast rules have been laid down as to what is or is not long-distance haulage. The essential criterion in dealing with applications for supplementary rations is whether the traffic should, in the national interest, go by road or whether, in view of the shortage of fuel, it should preferably be carried by some other form of transport.

Is the Minister not aware that 70 to 75 miles has been laid down by the local officer as being too far for petrol supplies to be allowed and that there are other firms who distribute in Burnley from longer distances, with consequent great disadvantage to Burnley firms from the point of view of competition? Will he look into the general position in Burnley as I can assure him that it is very unsatisfactory?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I have looked very carefully at the general position at Burnley, in view of the representations made to me by him on more than one occasion. But it is not a question of any arbitrary limit of 75 miles or any other distance; it is a question of how urgent it is to move particular goods and whether there are goods which, without being detrimental to the national interest, might be moved by some other form of transport, thereby relieving petrol for more urgent uses.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will encourage the carriage of coal and goods by making more use of existing canals; and what steps is he taking to revive this important form of transport?

asked the Minister of Transport what steps have been taken to make full use of the canal system of the country, especially in view of the fact that before the war some of these canals were operating below capacity owing to the shortage of bargemasters?

The question of the fuller use of the canals has been very carefully considered both by the Regional Transport Commissioners and by the Canal (Defence) Advisory Committee, on which are represented the waterways and carriers, as well as the various Government Departments concerned in getting traffic moved. Steps have been taken to bring the facilities offered by the canal carriers to the notice of traders and Government Departments.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour is taking special measures to fill vacancies for canal boatmen, and at the last meeting of the Canal (Defence) Advisory Committee representatives of the employers and of labour agreed to make jointly an immediate inquiry into the labour position. I have also asked the representatives of the industry whether, upon the basis of some measure of financial assistance from the Government, they can formulate practical plans for carrying more traffic by canal.

Will the Minister consider the case of the Kennet Canal, west of Reading, and use his influence to get the Great Western Railway to take off the embargo which has been on the canal for many years?

I hope the canal people will consider every canal in putting forward their proposals.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman take steps to see that railway-owned canals are brought back into use? Can he make grants available for clearing weeds in such canals as the Kennet and Avon, through which you cannot get a motor boat drawing from 2 feet 8 inches at the moment?

I think that before we distribute any money we shall have to make sure that it will be well spent and that any canal which can be opened will give us a good return.

Will the Minister consider that canals, as a means of transport in bulk, are the cheapest form of transport in the country and have been deliberately put out of commission by the railways? Will steps be taken to encourage canal companies to put their waterways into operation and thus save petrol on the roads?

The fact that I have been able to say in the last part of my answer that we are asking representatives of the industry to work out a plan on the basis of some financial assistance from the Government is, I think, the best assurance I can give to the House that we are taking this matter seriously.

Is not the attitude of the railways on this matter very unsatisfactory?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is in accordance with Admiralty instructions that naval pensioners of over 50 years of age, mobilised since the outbreak of war, are exempt from service on sea-going vessels unless they are medically fit and volunteer for such service?

It has been necessary to employ men of certain branches at sea, up to the age of 55, whether they are volunteers or not. All men are medically examined before being drafted to sea to ensure that they are fit for sea service. As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary has previously stated, as and when the supply of trained younger men is sufficient to meet all Fleet requirements, the older men will be relieved, and this process is already going on.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has considered the representations made by the Largs Town Council on the subject of the restriction on the hiring of small boats and motor-boats this summer, which will bring ruin to the boat-hirers at Clyde resorts; whether he is aware that many young people go with their parents to these resorts, but will not do so if boating facilities are not available; and, as this would be a blow to family life, will he consider these restrictions?

I have not seen the representations to which the hon. Member refers. No restrictions have yet been imposed, but the considerations advanced by the hon. Member will certainly be taken into account in deciding on the scope of any restrictions deemed to be necessary.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this will be received as glad news on the Clyde, because there was a feeling in the Clyde area that the First Lord of the Admiralty was not seeing to it that the Firth of Clyde was being properly safeguarded against German submarines?

I am not at all sure about that point. We have some evidence to the contrary.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the unfortunate contrast in the character of the funerals at Blyth, Northumberland, of three German airmen and an unknown British sailor; and whether, whilst preserving the traditions of Britain respecting the treatment of enemies killed in warfare, he will take all steps to secure that British seamen who lose their lives at sea shall be accorded dignified and considerate interment?

No German airmen have been buried at Blyth. Two unidentified bodies of unknown nationality which were washed ashore on 14th February and 6th March respectively were buried by the local civil authorities in accordance with the usual practice. The naval authorities always endeavour to provide proper funeral ceremonies for British naval personnel who lose their lives at sea, and I am asking that during the war this practice shall be extended as widely as possible to cover the kind of case the hon. Member has in mind.

While appreciating the reply of the First Lord, may I ask him whether he is aware that this case has aroused considerable interest and feeling and that the Question was directed to securing the very reply which the right hon. Gentleman has made, which, I am sure, will give great satisfaction?

I am glad that the hon. Member put the Question down. It is certainly one which requires attention.

While the First Lord's answer will, I am sure, give great satisfaction, in view of the tremendous interest which has been taken in the matter, may I ask him whether his answer will apply to all seamen as well as naval men? Would it be possible to ask the Seamen's Mission to conduct a service somewhat in keeping with the sacrifices which the seamen have to make?

Yes, Sir. I intended my reply to apply not only to the regular personnel of the Navy, but to the large number of British seamen who are risking their lives every day in the North Sea in essential measures for our protection. I cannot guarantee that there will be available at every port and at all times a naval firing party, but we will do the best we can to make it available for all these cases which the hon. Member has in mind. May I express my obligation that the matter has been brought forward in this way?

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that no merchant seaman who loses his life shall be buried during the course of this war by the public assistance authority, but shall be given an appropriate burial?

I cannot add to what I have said, but I entirely agree with the hon. Member.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the prompt action of the seamen's missioner and the local vicar redeemed it from drabness and bareness?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the ship, built for the Holt Line in the Dundee shipyard, taken over by the Admiralty, in September; for conversion to naval purposes has proved satisfactory; and whether it is now proposed to turn the ship back to merchant purposes?

Yes, Sir. Until she is needed for Admiralty service, she will be employed on commercial service.

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain why the expenditure on this ship has been undone, and why all the shipyard labour has been wasted?

It is rather a lengthy story, but I think I could carry conviction to the hon. Member.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the recent air raid upon the naval base at Scapa Flow, he is considering a re organisation of the defences?

The defences of Scapa Flow and of all naval bases are reviewed constantly in particular relation to the results of enemy attack. We must probably expect attacks of this kind as a regular feature of the war in the coming months, and we shall do our best to resist them and to return them. The evident desire of the enemy to portray this petty and ill-directed raid on Scapa Flow as an important military affair is significant and encouraging.

Is the right hon. Gentleman quite satisfied, after the recent air raid on Scapa Flow, that there is that efficient co-operation between the three Services which should exist? Would it not be better if the Navy took over the responsibility for the whole defence of the port?

I think a very good arrangement exists, and there is the closest liaison between the three Services.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will state the amount paid to the Nuffield Mechanisation Company by way of fee for managing the production of the Bofors gun; and whether any other payment whatsoever is made to that company for work in connection therewith?

It would be contrary to established practice to state the fee paid to Mechanisation and Aero Company, Limited. The only payments made other than the fee are those recouping the firm for its actual expenditure on the work of preparing the factory and producing the guns.

Will the Minister say on what basis that remuneration is based?

The principle upon which fees are paid for managing agency factories are settled by the Government as a general policy applicable to all Service Departments.

Will the Minister state the basis on which remuneration is paid for, the manufacturing process?

That cannot be done by Question and Answer. Quite obviousy, managerial fees for conducting an agency factory producing a Service equipment must follow in the circumstances, and the general principles are laid down by the Government.

asked the Minister of Supply the number of persons who have been recruited to his staff from the Central Register since the outbreak of war; and what percentage this is of persons recruited in these grades?

I regret that the information is not immediately available as it involves reference to outstations, but I will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

Will the Minister publish these figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT?

Yes, Sir. When I have obtained the figures and communicated them to the hon. Member, there will be no difficulty in publishing them in the Official Report. A large number of appointments are made to outstations, and I must secure a return of them before I give the hon. Member a reply.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will give a list of the larger municipalities which have not yet made adequate provision for the reclaiming of waste?

I have interpreted the hon. Member's inquiry as relating to county and municipal boroughs in Great Britain with over 100,000 inhabitants, other than London. According to the information at my disposal I should judge that most needs to be done in the following boroughs:

May I ask the Minister to pillory those local authorities which are recalcitrant, through the Ministry of Information or the British Broadcasting Corporation?

Are there any facilities for local authorities to obtain the necessary machinery for drying the food which is salvaged in order to be able to distribute it over a wider area?

That matter has been dealt with quite recently in Question and Answer. I understand that the Minister of Health will in proper cases sanction a loan for the purchase of the machinery in question.

Is the Minister aware that most of the authorities which are backward in this matter are Tory in administration?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that Ealing has the most' modern and up-to-date plant for reclaiming waste and that they have set an example which should be copied by the rest of the country, and would my right hon. Friend care to visit it some time?

asked the Minister of Supply whether, having regard to the wide public interest in the matter and the fact that the House is about to rise for the Easter Recess, he will make a statement as to points left outstanding in relation to the question of commission on contracts, notably in regard to the visiting card of the Minister of Supply used by Captain V. R. Ullman, M.C.?

Yes, Sir. As to the general question raised by the right hon. Gentleman it is perhaps sufficient for me to say that the Order-in-Council under the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act which I outlined to the House on the 15th March has now been made and copies will be available to-morrow. I should desire to take the opportunity of again making it quite clear to the House that I can find no proof of the existence of a commission system recently developed in securing orders from the Ministry of Supply or placing orders by the Ministry of Supply. The policy of the Ministry is not to employ intermediaries. As regards the matters referred to by the right hon. Gentleman as left outstanding, I yesterday sent him full letter as to the case of Captain Ullman to which he particularly refers. The substance of this letter is that it has now been definitely established that the only thing given by me to Captain Ullman which could be said to be in the nature of a visiting card was a note admitting him to a Ministry of Supply Exhibition at Savoy Hill, written on a Ministry of Supply envelope which I hold in my hand, dated 9th December, 1939, and reading as follows:

I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, although he has said that agents are not employed by the Government—which was never alleged—it is not the case that the Department, by dealing with these people, have recognised commission agents acting on their own volition on behalf of firms? Secondly, can the right hon. Gentleman state the salary that Captain Ullman receives from this firm? With regard to the statements which the right hon. Gentleman has made in his letter to me, I have not yet received the letter and am not in a position to deal with it.

I have stated that the Ministry of Supply do not employ intermediaries. I emphatically deny that the Ministry recognise intermediaries at all, but the House will understand that you cannot interview a limited company. You interview somebody who calls on their behalf. In the case of Captain Ullman, he comes as the accredited contract manager of a limited company with which the Ministry of Supply are doing current business. He comes as of right in connection with contracts which are being performed, as far as I know, completely to the satisfaction of the Ministry. I cannot tell the right hon. Gentleman the relations between Captain Ullman and his employers. I have no reason to know them, but in view of the statements which the right hon. Gentleman made, I caused a senior official of the Ministry of Supply to interview Captain Ullman on Saturday last, the day following the Debate, and the information I have given to the House is gained from that interview. I am sorry if the letter addressed to the right hon. Gentleman by me and handed in in the precincts of the House yesterday has not yet reached him, but there will be an opportunity of dealing with matters in that letter otherwise than by a private notice Question.

Is it not the case that there are thousands of agents of business firms in London who work simply on commission for those firms in every type of industry?

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that under the existing grading and scale of payment there is a difference often of from 12s. to 15s. a cwt. between cow heifers and heifers which have got eight incisor teeth; and whether, in view of the fact that the latter are often as good as prime beef, he will consider a revision of the scale?

asked the Minister of Food, in view of the Government's undertaking to home agriculture that a guaranteed market at remunerative prices will be provided for all fat stock offered by farmers, how the present prices offered for high-grade fat cows are arrived at; and whether first-grade cow beef is sold in the butchers' shops at similar prices to the corresponding cuts of steer and heifer beef?

After discussion with the National Farmers' Unions of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland a special grade for young cows likely to yield carcases of first quality beef was introduced this week. The price which is now being paid for this grade of cow has been increased by 8s. 6d. per cwt. Beef from the special grade of young cows will be sold in butchers' shops at the same prices as that from steers and heifers.

Is the scale of payment in regard to calves being reconsidered?

Perhaps the hon. Member will put that Question on the Paper.

What is the new percentage increase for this kind of animal over pre-war prices?

Are second-rate cows also put into the butchers' shops at the same prices on the cut basis, or is there an intermediate price available in the shops?

The regulations apply to special-grade young cows likely to yield carcases of first-quality beef.

What retail prices do the old cows make in the shops?

That does not strictly arise from the Question. If the hon. Member will examine the schedule, which is very voluminous—I will show it to him afterwards—he will find answers to his questions.

Are these prices the result of consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture?

Certainly, Sir.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the approach of warmer weather, he is considering an increase in the number of slaughterhouses and meat distributing centres throughout the country; and will he indicate the number of new centres in mind and the areas these will serve?

The question of the adequacy of the number of slaughterhouses and meat distribution depots, both at present and when the warmer weather arrives, is constantly under review in order that adjustments may be made as and when required. Apart from this, independent local tribunals are being set up to consider cases where local interests are not satisfied that adequate slaughtering facilities have been provided.

May we take it that there is to be an increase in the number of slaughter-houses in view of the approach of the summer, and in view of transport problems?

The hon. Member may take it that there will be tribunals set up very shortly to decide that question in the light of local knowledge.

To what extent will they be local tribunals?

Probably they will be on a county basis.

asked the Minister of Food (1) what are the names of the senior area officers and technical assistants to the South-western area of the meat and livestock control;

(2) what are the names of the deputy divisional food officers and their assistants in Wales?

As the replies consist of tabular statements, I will, with permission, circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.