asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on whose advice it was decided that Calderwood Estate, East Kilbride, was unsuitable for conversion into small holdings; whether it was offered by the Special Areas Commissioner for that purpose; and whether he will obtain a report from the Department of Agriculture for Scotland as to its suitability for land settlement purposes?

According to the expert advice available to the Department of Agriculture for Scotland the land in question is not suitable for the intensive cultivation required on small holdings. In any case no new land settlement schemes are being undertaken for the time being. In these circumstances no useful purpose would be served by obtaining the suggested report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken with a view to placing sheep in large numbers, and Highland cattle, on suitable parts of deer forests in Scotland as a Government scheme; and whether he will also put pigs, enclosed in folds, on bracken-infested land in deer forests for the purpose of eating the bracken, including the underground stems and roots, and so bringing the land under control for arable purposes, as is being done successfully in Devon?

As regards the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply which I gave to his question on this subject on 11th July. Careful consideration is at present being given to the scope for further increases in stocking, and if in any cases it proves necessary to take possession of forests to ensure their proper utilisation I am ready to arrange for the exercise of existing powers to that end. With regard to the second part of the Question, pigs do not live by bracken alone, and apart from the difficulties that would be involved in the provision of the necessary fencing and feeding stuffs, little of the bracken infested land on deer forests would be suitable for arable cultivation even if cleared.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what deer forests stags and hinds were killed by persons in the service of the Crown or of agricultural executive committees; by whom these deer forests, respectively, were owned, and by whom, respectively, were they tenanted at the time; what sums were paid in respect of such services by the respective owners and tenants; and whether he has any statement to make regarding further steps he proposes to take to minimise all such losses to agriculture in Scotland?

Agricultural executive committees in the Highlands have been active in encouraging deer killing operations and the very satisfactory results obtained have been largely due to co-operation among owners and between owners and the committees. No compulsory orders have been found necessary and the only action taken by executive committees involving expenditure from public funds was in Perthshire where deer drives were organised in co-operation with the owners and occupiers concerned. The area covered consisted largely of sheep farms on which deer had encroached, but included the Glenartney Forest which is owned and occupied by the Drummond Estates, Limited, whose staff co-operated in the work. The main cost of these operations amounting to £619 was borne by the committees, who received £403 from the sale of carcases. I have no information as to the sums expended by owners and tenants. As regards the last part of the Question, I am satisfied that the powers delegated to executive committees in connection with deer killing operations are sufficient and that committees will continue to take effective steps to minimise depredation by deer.

asked the Secretary for Mines what position has Lord Hyndley at the Mines Department; and whether Lord Hyndley is still connected with the directorship of collieries?

Lord Hyndley has been honorary Commercial Adviser to successive Ministers of Mines, except for one short break, for the past 20 years, and I am glad to have the opportunity of paying my own tribute to the invaluable assistance which he is still giving my Department in an entirely voluntary capacity: I hope that the Department and the Government will long continue to have the benefit of his impartial and disinterested advice. The answer to the last part of the Question is in the affirmative and I would refer my hon. Friend for details to the usual reference books.

asked the Minister of Information what number of officers are now employed in the Welsh office of the Ministry, and the total salaries paid; what are the functions of this office; and what work does it perform?

Fifteen officers are now employed in the Ministry's Welsh Regional Office, and the total of salaries is at the rate of £5,030 per annum. The functions of this office are broadly the same as those of other Regional Offices of the Ministry, which were described in my answer to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mr. Gledhill) of 16th July. Certain additional work is, however, involved in catering for the newspapers which publish in the Welsh language, and it is the practice of this office to supply these papers with suitable material translated into the Welsh language. The work in connection with Information Committees and meetings is on the increase, as in other Regions. Five Information Committees are now actively functioning, and 22 are projected, of which several are already being constituted.

asked the Minister of Information who is the officer responsible for the censorship of the Welsh Press; what qualifications he has for the post; where his offices are situated; the number of officers in his department; and the total salaries paid?

No officer, as such, is responsible for the censorship of the Welsh Press. Voluntary submissions are made by the Press in Wales, as in the case of the Press in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, to the Censorship Division of the Ministry of Information in London. In addition, however, a Regional Censorship Representative at Cardiff was appointed in May, 1940. He has no authority to suppress or release Press submissions, his duty being to advise editors and to scrutinise the Press in Wales, as is done by other Regional Censorship Representatives in Scotland, Northern Ireland and in certain Regions of England.

asked the Prime Minister why it is that the War Office, and its associate Ministry of Supply, is represented in Parliament by six Ministers, while the Admiralty is represented by three Ministers and the Air Ministry and its associate Minstry of Aircraft Production is represented by four Ministers of the Crown?

I would remind my hon. Friend that both the Ministry of Supply and the Ministry of Aircraft Production are separate and distinct Ministries. Such differences as exist in Ministerial representation are due to the inherent differences of the several Departments.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can give an assurance that civil servants who have enlisted with the permission of their Departments in various branches of His Majesty's Forces, will not necessarily be prejudiced in respect of their return to civilian duties by any adverse report made by a military authority upon them in the discharge of their purely military duties?

This is a hypothetical question on which it is not possible to make any general statement as circumstances will differ widely. I can assure my hon. Friend that any cases which arise will be dealt with on their individual merits.

asked the Minister of Information the fees and expenses allowances paid to Ministers doing propaganda for his Department?

No fees have been paid to any Ministers for any speeches, broadcasts or articles which they have made on behalf of my Department since they took office. In the case of Ministers who have addressed meetings on behalf of my Department, expenses have been allowed at the usual rates.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has a statement to make as to the sharing of orders for coal throughout all collieries; when this arrangement will begin to operate; and also the estimated average short time weekly per colliery likely to ensue?

I am in constant communication with representatives of the mining industry in regard to the production of the pits, and the discussions cover also questions of sharing orders. I would, however, point out that difficulties of transport and the widely varying qualities of coal limit the extent to which we can carry out the policy of sharing orders within each district. At the present time I am anxious to secure every ton of coal suitable for household and industrial purposes that can be transported to the consuming areas of the country. I would prefer to make no estimate of the average short time working resulting from recent developments.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Aircraft Production whether he can give any indication of the amount of aluminium scrap which has so far been obtained from the appeal; and what arrangements have been made to collect the desired form of aluminium scrap from the various aluminium scrap merchants in the country?

I am not yet able to give an indication of the weight of aluminium scrap obtained from my Noble Friend's appeal, but we know that it is substantial. Aluminium scrap of good quality can only pass into the hands of manufacturers under licence from the aluminium controller, and licences are only issued for its sale to those who are going to use it for essential national purposes.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent it has been possible so far to develop a scheme under which volunteers from the professional and clerical classes undertake a certain amount of spare time work in factories producing munitions and other products of vital national importance?

The Department is looking into the possibility of arrangements for using spare-time labour on machines during periods when they would otherwise be idle.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the serious opposition to the legitimate entertainments which are already having great difficulty in carrying on and which are a source of revenue to the State by virtue of the Entertainments Duty, he will abandon the project of providing munition workers with free entertainment at the expense of the taxpayer, particularly since arrangements are to be made to ensure them greater leisure for their own diversion?

I cannot agree that competition with the entertainments industry is involved in these arrangements. I consider they will be a valuable contribution to the contentment, and consequently to the efficiency, of workers engaged on work of vital national importance.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will take immediate steps to urge Territorial Associations to hand over to the appropriate authority for the collection of scrap metal all old guns and other valueless war trophies?

Instructions to the effect suggested by my hon. Friend have already been issued to Territorial Army Associations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in order to facilitate lending to the State, he is prepared to authorise the increase up to £1,000 of the amount which an individual may deposit in the Post Office Savings Bank in a calendar year?

I do not think that any increase in the limit on deposits in the savings banks is needed at the present time in view of the facilities for continuous subscriptions to National Savings Certificates, Defence Bonds and National War Bonds. I will, however, keep the question under review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated cost to the Treasury per annum of the present subsidies designed to prevent increases in the cost of living?

At the present time subsidies on articles of food entering into the Cost-of-Living Index are at the rate of approximately £53,000,000 a year. This figure does not include anything in respect of losses which may be incurred by the Ministry of Food as a result of the increases in price of home agricultural products recently announced.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, when retail licence holders are compelled to cease trading in certain coastal areas due to special war conditions, he will be prepared to make provision to secure for them any unexpired portion of their licence duties and provide for the payment of a proportional amount of duty in such year when trading is resumed, so as not to require them to pay licence duty for periods during which they are unable to trade

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 25th July to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth (Sir L. Lyle).

asked the Secretary of State for War what procedure is adopted to obtain from Germany the names of British prisoners of war; and whether he is satisfied with its working?

I have been asked to reply. The German Prisoners of War Information Bureau furnish lists of British prisoners of war to the United States Embassy at Berlin as representing the Power in charge of British interests. These lists are normally transmitted to the United States Embassy in London by mail and sent by the Embassy to the British Prisoners of War Information Bureau. The lists are then passed on to the Casualty Branch of the Service concerned. At the same time as the lists are handed to the United States Embassy in Berlin, a duplicate is sent by post, occasionally by telegraph, to the International Committee of the Red Cross at Geneva which also issues postcards to be filled in by prisoners on first capture. Under arrangements recently made details of identification are extracted from the lists and postcards by the International Committee and telegraphed to the Prisoners of War Information Bureau in London and the lists are being sent by the United States Embassy at Berlin to Lisbon and forwarded from there to London by air mail. In consequence of the large number of prisoners captured by the Germans, there has been considerable delay in the transmission of the lists to the United States Embassy at Berlin, but lists containing the names of about two-thirds of all British prisoners of war have now reached Geneva. It is hoped that the methods which I have described will result in complete lists of all prisoners being received by the Casualties Branches of the Service Departments concerned in the near future.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, despite assurances that refugee husbands of the C category will not be deported without their wives, notice has been served upon Mr. Jakob Felsenstein (No. 75948), detained at Huyton Camp, that he would be deported, and that a letter sent by him, on the 10th July, addressed to his wife at 49, Sigdon Road, E.8, reached her on the 23rd July and told her of his imminent deportation; whether Mr. Felsenstein has, in fact, been deported, and to what destination; and will he out-line the reasons for this, in spite of the assurances given?

I am making some further inquiries in this case and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Home Secretary whether letters from internees confined to enemy alien camps can be speeded up in their delivery; whether he is aware of delays of important business letters of two, three and four weeks; and if he will avoid imposing anxiety and hardship on loyal people by these methods?

I regret that, owing to various difficulties, including those of censorship, there has, in many cases, been much delay in the delivery of letters written to or by internees. Steps are being taken to surmount the difficulties as quickly as possible.

asked the Home Secretary how many members of the Czechoslovak Parliament are at present in this country; how many of them are interned or otherwise in custody; and whether he will release them in order to enable them to attend a meeting of the Czechoslovak Parliament to be held in this country?

The records of my Department are not kept in such a way as to show how many of the Czech nationals now in this country were members of the Parliament of Czechoslovakia, but if my hon. Friend will send me particulars of the cases which he has in mind I shall be glad to look into them.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Guido Goldschmied, who was sent to Canada on 3rd July, was sent with or against his own consent; and why the requests of his friends for information as to his whereabouts made to the camp commandant at Bury, on 6th July, and to the War Office, on i5th and 17th July, were left unanswered?

This internee was sent to Canada without reference to his own wishes. I have ascertained that the commandant at Bury informed all inquirers that the internees had left for an unknown destination, and he was clearly not in a position, on 6th July, to make any further disclosure. No written inquiry can be traced at the War Office. There were so many telephone inquiries that it was impossible to deal with requests for information by this method.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can now make a statement regarding the categories of aliens on the "Arandora Star"; and whether they were all Nazi sympathisers?

The selection of internees to be transferred to Canada in the "Arandora Star" was ordered by my Department from Germans and Austrians who were in category A, and from Italians who were members of the Fascist party. There were on board 473 Germans and Austrians, and it has been verified that all of these had been individually ordered to be interned on grounds of national security, and accordingly came within category A. Fifty-three of these persons were or claimed to be refugees, but had nevertheless been placed in category A. There were also on board 717 Italians, and it has been verified that all but 26, regarding whom inquiries are still proceeding, were listed as members of the Fascist party.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the case of an employé in the electrical department of the city of Birmingham, who is a member of the Peace Pledge Union, and who was recently found guilty of being in possession of a German revolver and ammunition without having a certificate; and whether he will institute inquiries into this man's record, with a view to his removal in the national interest from such a vital centre?

My right hon. Friend has caused inquiries to be made and is informed that this man stated that the revolver, in respect of the possession of which he was convicted, was a souvenir from the last war in which he served as a member in the R.A.M.C. On the information before him my right hon. Friend does not think that any action on his part is called for.

asked the Home Secretary what action is being taken to cope with the danger of incendiary bombs in residential areas in London where there are large numbers of empty houses, in many of which water has been cut off?

In view of the right of members of the police and fire services to force an entry into unoccupied premises if fire breaks out or is suspected, and the practice of the fire brigade of obtaining water for their appliances from hydrants or other outside sources, no special difficulty may be expected. Further, my hon. and gallant Friend is no doubt aware of the recent Order under which lofts must be kept clear of articles of any kind, thus considerably mitigating the risk from incendiary bombs. It is also desirable that buckets of water or sand should be left in unoccupied houses by the owners.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has caused, or will cause, all individuals wearing foreign uniforms to carry identification cards; and will he consult with the Secretary of State for War, with a view to the Home Guard co-operating with the police in verifying the identity of such individuals?

Arrangements have already been made by the Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry, in consultation with the Home Office, to issue suitable documents to all persons serving with the Allied armed forces in this country. Steps are also being taken to secure the necessary co-operation referred to in the second part of the Question.

asked the Prime Minister whether the policy recently announced on the subject of restrictive regulations and the silent column, has been, or is being directed, to all officials and persons responsible for the administration of justice in the country?

Wide publicity has been given to the terms of the statement which I made on Tuesday last. I have little doubt that due note will be taken of it by those concerned.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the introduction of a new award for personal bravery in wartime, to civilians in air-raids, to hospital and munition workers, and to those engaged in civil defence, apart from the more general decorations for distinguished service?

The answer to my hon. Friend's Question is in the negative. I do not think there is any need for the institution of a new civil award for personal bravery in addition to those already available, which include the medals of the Order of the British Empire and appointment to the Order, as well as the Albert and Edward Medals and the King's Police Medal.

asked the Minister of Health whether, as air raids have taken place in certain reception areas, he will give consideration to the question of evacuating school children from such areas?

The suitability of particular areas is kept under constant consideration, and certain areas which were originally reception areas are no longer regarded as suitable. The purpose of evacuating children is to disperse them as widely as possible in districts which are not densely populated, and they are in general safer in those districts even when there are aid raids. This policy of dispersal cannot prevent the risk to children, but it does minimise it.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether he will take steps to allay the disquiet and anxiety of general practitioners who have received no communications from their medical officers of health concerning the assistance which they might be best able to give, or might be asked to give in emergency;

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to him and to my hon. Friend the Member for Edge Hill (Mr. Critchley) on this subject on 2nd July.

asked the Home Secretary how many exit permits were granted to persons from England, Wales and Scotland, since 1st May, 1940, for private business and other reasons?

The number of exit permits granted since the 1st May, 1940, to persons in Great Britain including aliens is 59,136. Of these permits 28,778 were granted to enable persons to proceed to Ireland and 30,358 were granted to enable persons to proceed to other destinations. The purposes of the journeys for which the exit permits were granted are classified as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether any types of vacancies at present exist in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force; and, if so, whether he will reexamine the actual nature of the duties involved to see whether they could be efficiently performed by suitable women above the announced age-limit, in view of the thousands of capable older women seeking to find some form of service open to them?

The answer to the first part of the Question is Yes. With regard to the second part, women up to 43 years of age, or up to 50 if they have had similar service in the last war, are being enrolled in various trades, and sufficient recruits are coming forward. I am advised that in general the conditions of service are not suitable for older women.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the acreage of, and the amounts paid, for each of the six plots of land in the borough of Ipswich which his Department is purchasing from Mr. George Ravenshear, together with their rateable value?

I am afraid that I am not able to give the information asked for by the hon. Member. The land in question is being bought by the Ipswich Corporation and not by my Department.

asked the Minister of Information whether he will take steps to inform the French public by leaflet and radio of the true facts concerning the sinking of the French ship "Meknes," which was sunk whilst conveying 1,300 French naval officers and men back to France?

Every effort is being made to acquaint the French public by broadcasts in French with the facts of the sinking of the steamship "Meknes." These include broadcasts by French sailors who were actually on board. Steps have also been taken to distribute leaflets on the subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of land in Hampshire which has been taken over by the county agricultural committee on the ground that it was inadequately farmed?

The area of land in respect of which my right hon. Friend's consent has been given for the Hampshire War Agricultural Executive Committee to take possession on grounds of bad cultivation is 2,774 acres and, in addition, consent has been given on similar grounds to the termination of tenancies affecting an area of 1,629 acres, without the committee taking possession.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of land taken over by the county agricultural committees of Durham and Northumberland, respectively, upon the grounds of inadequate farming?

The Durham committee have not taken possession of any land but in a number of cases they have arranged, by voluntary negotiation, with landlords and tenants of holdings not being cultivated according to the rules of good husbandry for changes of tenancy whereby farms have been taken over by tenants approved by the committee. In Northumberland possession has been taken of 71 acres and a number of cases of badly cultivated holdings are under review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether in view of the large number of applicants for allotments in some areas on the waiting lists, he will seek powers to allot the gardens of empty houses?

Urban allotment authorities already have power, subject to my right hon. Friend's consent, under the Cultivation of Lands Order, 1939, to enter on the gardens of unoccupied dwelling houses for the purpose of providing allotments. My right hon. Friend has recently suggested to these authorities that they should not hesitate to use these powers if sufficient suitable land cannot otherwise be obtained. I must, however, point out that the use of these powers might result in great hardship in some cases, either by obstructing the letting of the houses or, on the other hand, by reason of the persons who undertake the cultivation of the land, having to give it up if the houses should be let. The powers must, therefore, be exercised with discrimination.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has been informed of the forthcoming trial of M. Daladier and other French Ministers for their action in declaring war against Germany in September last; and whether, as this indicates either that the present French Government is not a free agent or is in complete voluntary association with the German Government, he will now decide that it is no longer desirable to exchange diplomatic representatives with France?

My Noble Friend is not at present in a position to give any information on this subject.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the contribution from the public revenues to the cost of the branch of The Royal Institute of International Affairs at Balliol College; and whether it proposed to make any change in the relations between that branch and the Government in view of the altered international situation?

The amount of the grant-in-aid is undergoing a review. A reduction is anticipated, as a result of the efforts of the Institute to make all such economies as have become possible in the altered international situation. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why 42 alien students are entertained by the Government at Somerville College, Oxford, at a charge of three and a half guineas weekly, of which two guineas are paid to them for pocket money; and why there is such a contrast between their treatment and that of anti-Nazi aliens anxious to assist in the Allied war effort?

The students in question were invited to this country by the British Council for educational purposes, on the recommendation of the British Embassy or Legation in their countries of origin, all of which are either Allied or neutral. They are at present following the Oxford vacation course at Somerville College at a cost of 11s. 6d. a day for board and lodging; in addition each student receives a total grant of £8, covering the whole course, for all incidental Expenses. There can be no comparison between the circumstances and treatment of these students, who had been invited by the British Council to come to this country before the outbreak of the war, and other alien residents in this country for whose presence neither His Majesty's Government nor the Council has responsibility.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in connection with hospital arrangements for the civil population, he is aware of the financial difficulties in which certain London hospitals find themselves; that, among these hospitals, is the Golden Square Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital; and whether he will investigate this and all such cases with a view to keeping open the hospitals as long as possible in the interests of the community as a whole?

I have no general power to grant assistance to voluntary hospitals, but I am aware that the hospital referred to is experiencing special difficulties and I have already arranged for an investigation.

asked the Minister of Health from whom and how the extra outlay is to be recovered in all cases where children evacuees develop such maladies as measles or scarlet fever necessitating extra outlay on the part of the hosts?

Where the householder is willing to nurse in the house a child suffering from an ailment which can suitably be treated at home, and the medical practitioner in attendance considers that treatment can safely be provided in the house concerned and that extra outlay or attention will be necessitated, the householder can obtain from the practitioner a weekly certificate to this effect. The certificate should be sent to the medical officer of health of the billeting local authority, which will make a payment of 5s. to the householder in respect of each certificate.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take powers to protect the private practices of medical practitioners serving with His Majesty's forces, having regard to the failure of the present scheme and the dissatisfaction which exists, as many absentee practitioners have only received a few shillings from private practices producing in the same period hundreds of pounds?

I see no sufficient ground on the information before me for adopting the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that doctors conscripted into the Army are being granted senior rank and emoluments to those who joined at the outbreak and have served throughout the war at the expense, in many cases, of considerable civilian practices; and whether he will have this procedure discontinued?

I think my hon. and gallant Friend has been misinformed, since all the doctors who are serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps are volunteers.

asked the Secretary of State for War what capital sum is appropriated, and from what source, for the maintenance of E.N.S.A.; what average prices are charged to members of His Majesty's forces for admission to their entertainments; what proportion of persons employed in connection with these establishments are salaried; what is the aggregate monthly amount paid in salaries, wages and fees, respectively; and whether, and when, and by whom, any audit of the accounts of this establishment is made and published?

The Entertainments National Service Association has no funds, and therefore no capital sum is involved. The charges for admission are threepence and sixpence for non-commissioned officers and men, and up to one shilling for officers. No members of the Entertainments National Service Association as such are salaried, though payment may be made to artists for actual entertainments in which they take part. A small staff of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes carry out the administrative arrangements. As the Entertainments National Service Association has no funds, the question of an audit of its accounts does not arise. The accounts of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes Entertainment Branch are subject to audit in common with the accounts of other branches of the corporation's activities by the duly appointed auditors, Messrs. Deloitte, Plender, Griffiths and Company.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has recently given sanction for a loan of £14,360 to the Harrow Urban District Council in connection with their scheme for the purchase of land at Stanmore for the erection of an infectious diseases hospital; what is the area of the land in question; what price is being paid for it; and what was its rateable value previous to purchase?

Yes, Sir. The loan in question was for the purchase of an area of 25.6 acres of land by the Harrow Urban District Council from the Middlesex County Council. The price to be paid by the urban district council was £14,200. I am informed that the only rateable value was in respect of three cottages, of which the rateable value was £46 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reduce the age at which aliens are accepted in the Pioneer Corps to 18, in order to avoid the internment of abled-bodied young men who are ready and anxious to serve this country?

I am having this question examined.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will investigate the case of Private F. Gegan, E Company, 8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, who, immediately on receipt of information of his mother's serious illness in hospital, made urgent application for leave and whose commanding officer, three days later, confessed ignorance of the application, so that the soldier had to make another application on hearing of his mother's death, only to be informed that he must await permission from the War Office, with the result that leave was delayed a further three days?

I am making inquiries about this case, and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I have the necessary information.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the scheme to be set up for the repair of Army boots; whether there will be areas set up in each part of the country under an area boot repair controller, or will there be one central repair factory?

A panel has been constituted at the War Office, consisting of members of various representative trade associations and of the War Office, to deal with the subject of boot repairs for the Army as a whole. There will be a boot repair controller at the War Office, assisted by area controllers for each of the seven areas into which the country will be divided for the purpose. All these controllers will be civilians. The scheme is to spread the repair of Army boots over the whole country, giving the small repairer an opportunity of securing a share of the repair work equally with the large repairer.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Harry Breen, 44, Orr Street, Greenock, who left Canada and enlisted in 1915, served with distinction in the last war, being awarded Belgian and French decorations, applied for admission to the Home Guard and, though the officers admitted that he is healthy and would be of service, was refused admission because he was 70 years of age; and whether he will review this decision?

The upper age limit for enrolment in the Home Guard is 65. In view of the character of the duties of the force, which may involve prolonged periods of exposure and considerable physical fatigue, it is not considered that a relaxation of the rule would be in the interests of the efficiency of the forces, and I regret, therefore, that I cannot see my way to review the decision in the case to which my hon. and learned Friend has drawn my attention, though I deeply appreciate the patriotic spirit which Mr. Breen has shown.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make arrangements whereby members of the Home Guard, other than salaried men, called upon for duties which involve loss of wages can have such loss reimbursed?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Mr. Dobbie) on 11th July, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that great dissatisfaction is being expressed in Newport, Monmouthshire, at the appointment of the commandant of the Home Guard on the ground that he has been associated with the British Union of Fascists; and whether, in view of the fact that the appointment is having the effect of discouraging men from joining, he will have it reconsidered?

I am aware of the local dissatisfaction referred to by my hon. Friend, but understand after inquiry that the local authorities have expressed themselves satisfied with the explanation given them.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the conditions of soldiers' quarters in some parts of the country are unsatisfactory; that the present system of dealing with this problem is extravagant and ineffective; and will he take steps to see that the provision of proper accommodation for soldiers shall be dealt with by those who are qualified and experienced in matters of this kind?

If my hon. Friend will let me have particulars of any cases he has in mind, together with any suggestions he may wish to make, I shall be very glad to investigate them.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that men of the 155th Railway Workshops Company, Royal Engineers, have recently been transferred to Class W Reserve, and ordered to take up work at Derby, Wolverton and other railway centres where there is already insufficient work for existing staffs; and whether he proposes to recall any of these men for active military duties?

On its return from France, the unit in question was not immediately required for military purposes, and it was agreed that men of the unit who had previously been in the employ of the railway companies should be temporarily released, provided that the railway companies required their services and they themselves were willing. My hon. and gallant Friend may rest assured that the skilled labour thus made available is needed and is being fully employed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a cash allowance to soldiers on leave in lieu of rations not consumed during that period?

Soldiers on leave receive a cash allowance in lieu of rations.

asked the Secretary of State for War the reason for the substitution of the name non-combatant corps for that of non-combatant labour corps?

The substitution was made because the duties entailed would not all fall under the heading of labour.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many soldiers lost the sight of one or more eyes from injuries received from small pieces of metal during the recent fighting in France; and, in view of the fact that 50 per cent. to 70 per cent. of such injuries are preventable by fitting to the soldiers' helmets a special eye visor, why the Cruise visor has not been adopted by the War Office?

So far as my present information goes, 113 soldiers lost the sight of one or both eyes during the recent fighting in France. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Denbigh (Sir H. Morris-Jones) on 23rd July.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any relaxation is contemplated in the ruling that no compensation will be granted in respect of complete loss of business sustained through the curfew unless the premises are acquired by the military authorities?

No, Sir. I am afraid it is not possible to single out specially for compensation one class of cases where necessary war measures may have caused loss of profits to individuals.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has considered the allegation that upon the date of the broadcast of the Minister of Food at 9 p.m., announcing the introduction of the tea ration, this information had been given that afternoon from certain multiple shops; and whether he will make inquiries into the same?

In order that primary distributors of tea should be aware of the scheme of rationing proposed, a confidential circular was sent out timed to reach them on the morning of 8th July, the day on which my Noble Friend made his broadcast announcement to the public at 9 p.m. Primary distributors, of whom there are 300 in number, were specially instructed that the information in the circular must not be given to any customer before the morning of 9th July. It is feared that one of these distributors did not comply with this instruction. I am endeavouring to discover by whom the disclosure was made and, will take all possible steps to see that such a breach is not repeated.