asked the Minister of Health the constitution, personnel and functions of the Advisory Emergency Hospital Service Committee; who was responsible for its formation; when it was formed and how were its members appointed; who nominated them; and how often and where has this committee met up to date?

This committee consists of representatives of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, Surgeons and Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and also of group officers, the Central Medical War Committee, the London County Council, the staffs of London Voluntary Hospitals, and the medical profession in the provinces, with the secretary and deputy-secretary of the Central Medical War Committee. Its function is to advise the Minister of Health on the organisation of medical personnel in the Emergency Medical Service. I will send my hon. Friend a list of the present members. The committee was first appointed in October, 1939, and subsequently enlarged, by the Central Medical War Committee, and was re-appointed by that committee in the present month. The members are nominated by the bodies they represent or directly appointed by the Central Medical War Committee, as the case may be. The committee has met on nine occasions at the offices of the Central Medical War Committee.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that disquiet exists by reason of many doctors under 45 years of age being appointed to reception areas at the instance of local medical war committees or the Central Medical War Committee; and will he investigate the position having regard to the needs of the Armed Forces for doctors and to the fact that many doctors, either with greater domestic responsibilities or more advanced in years, are available for professional work in reception areas?

I am informed that most of the doctors transferred from vulnerable areas to reception areas at the instance of the Central Medical War Committee or its local committees are over 45 years of age. In any case all doctors of military age come up for consideration with a view to selection for service with the Forces. The Central Medical War Committee would be glad to have particulars of the doctors referred to in the last part of the Question as being available for professional work in reception areas.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to decide the respective priority of needs of medical practitioners between those of the civil population, of local authorities and of the Fighting Services?

The questions of priority referred to by my hon. Friend have already been considered by the Committee on the allocation of medical man-power which was mentioned in a reply given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Mander) on 6th February, and action is being taken on their recommendations. I am considering with the other Ministers concerned what organisation should be set up to deal with similar questions that may arise in future.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that various local authorities advertise for billeting officers asking them to state what salary is required; and whether he has evolved any appropriate scale of such salaries to avoid undesirable competition?

Billeting officers are normally unpaid volunteers. If, however, my hon. Friend has in mind full-time officials taking charge of arrangements for the reception of evacuated persons in an area, it would not be practicable to prescribe any scale of salaries for these officers, as their duties and responsibilities vary very greatly according to the size of the area and the number of evacuated persons billeted there. These officers are comparable with other full-time local government officials, for whom in general no salary scales are prescribed.

asked the Minister of Health what instructions he has given to local authorities as to payment in respect of occupation and dilapidations where houses are requisitioned for re-housing purposes?

The necessary directions concerning these matters are contained in the Compensation (Defence) Act, 1939. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a circular relating to procedure which was sent to local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in instructing local authorities to requisition empty houses for re-housing purposes, he will direct them to postpone so long as other vacant accommodation is available requisitioning the houses of those householders who have had temporarily to move elsewhere in the course of civil or military duty and to ensure that, where the house of such a householder has been requisitioned, possession shall be restored to the householder at his request as soon as he is able to resume occupation of the house?

As my hon. Friend will appreciate there is great difficulty in obtaining the accommodation required for many public purposes and it would be contrary to the public interest to restrict unduly the exercise by local authorities of their powers. I assume, however, that the houses which my hon. Friend has in mind will normally have been left furnished, and I have made it clear to local authorities that such houses should be requisitioned only when other accommodation has been exhausted. Local authorities would doubtless give sympathetic consideration, whenever circumstances permit, to such a case as that referred to in the last part of the Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any statistics have reached the Treasury from district valuers showing the number of owner-occupier houses which have been damaged or destroyed by enemy action; and, if so, what is their nature?

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Education what steps have been taken to provide that when it is necessary to keep children of school age for long periods in shelters during school hours at least a modified form of educational work shall be carried on; and whether any arrangements are made to ensure that the children shall be fed when warnings interfere with meal times?

:I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 10 and Appendix I of the Board's Circular 1535, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Home Secretory whether, as the free blue dungarees issued to ambulance drivers in the London area are inadequate protection in inclement weather, he will favourably consider the possibility of issuing them with greatcoats and hats?

Proposals made by the London County Council in this matter are at present under examination, but I din not yet in a position to make any statement as to the ultimate decision.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of apprehension caused because certain local authorities are refusing to undertake to restore after the war lands and buildings requisitioned for air-raid shelter and similar purposes; and under what statutory authority this policy is being adopted?

I presume that my hon. Friend has in mind the return, after the war, of lands and buildings, possession of which has been taken on behalf of the Crown with a view to their use by a local authority for war purposes. The possession so taken can continue only so long as the Defence Regulations are in force.

asked the Home Secretary whether persons suffering illness caused by the carrying out of duties at their place of employment as fire watchers from exposure to the elements or from fatigue arising from long hours without adequate rest will, as such risk is not part of the normal risk of their employment, be entitled to their wages during incapacity, or will they be covered by the provisions of the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme; and what would be their position and rights under the National Health Insurance Regulations?

:I am advised that a person carrying out duties as a fire watcher at premises which are business premises as defined in Regulation 27A of the Defence (General)Regulations will be covered by the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme in respect of any physical injury which is certified to have arisen out of and in the course of the performance of his duties. In respect of such an injury sickness and disablement benefits under the National Health Insurance Acts will not be payable for the first twenty-six weeks and will, for any period after the first twenty-six weeks, be subject to the adjustments laid down in Section 7 of the National Health Insurance and Contributory Pensions (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1939.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that some assistance boards are refusing to pay the 43s. a week injury allowance where such has been awarded under the Personal Injuries (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1939, for the weeks during which 18s. sickness or disablement benefit has been paid under the National Health Insurance and Contributory Pensions (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1939; and whether, as the weekly 18s. is in the nature of an advance to keep the individual going until the claim is admitted, he will put a stop to this action by assistance boards?

Section 6 of the N.H.I. and Contributory Pensions (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1939, precludes the payment of sickness or disablement benefit in respect of war injuries or war-service injuries for a specified period, but where such benefit has in fact been paid for any period the present rule is that no injury allowance shall be paid in respect of such period. The question of an amendment to the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme whereby the difference between the sickness benefit and the appropriate rate of injury allowance would be made up to the injured person is now, along with other points arising in the scheme, under active consideration.

asked the Minister of Pensions what compensation, if any, under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme, a whole-time or part-time paid fire-watcher would receive should he be injured, say, by falling off a ladder whilst pursuing his duties, although the injuries were not directly due to enemy action at the time?

Arrangements are being made for all fire-watchers, whether paid or unpaid, whole-time or part-time, to be enrolled in an appropriate civil defence organisation under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme. Persons so enrolled will be civil defence volunteers and will therefore, be eligible for consideration for compensation under the Scheme in respect of any injuries arising out of and in the course of the performance of their duties as such.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that his relatives and friends can get no news of Kurt Morgenroth, 57754, who is presumed to be interned at No. 8 Eastern Command Internment Camp, Haig, New South Wales; and will he make enquiries to find out if he is alive and well?

Kurt Morgenroth is in Hay Camp, Australia. I sympathise with the anxieties caused to relatives by the time involved in getting communications from Australia. From the latest information in my possession, there is no reason to suppose that he is other than fit and well.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps are taken to ensure that soldiers serving in the country and drawn from districts which may happen to be bombed are kept in touch with the fate of their families?

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a statement which has been issued on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the medical officer in charge of the 47th London Division, Petrol Corps, Royal Army Service Corps, is threatening men who refuse inoculation, telling them that they will have to pay for hospitalisation should they contract a disease and that if they are discharged from the Army through disease they will get no pension; and whether he will put an end to this practice?

I have called for a report on this case, and will inform my hon. Friend of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information to show that the greatcoats and battle-dress captured by the enemy in France have been used for clothing our prisoners of war in Germany; and whether it is in accordance with the usages and customs of war that such clothing should be used for this purpose?

Issues of battle-dress and greatcoats to British prisoners of war in Germany appear to have been made at dates before any consignment from this country could have reached the camps. This would justify the assumption that these issues were made by the German authorities from stocks captured in France. Article 12 of the Geneva Convention provides that clothing, underwear and footwear shall be supplied to prisoners of war by the detaining Power. The Convention does not specify the sources from which the detaining Power may obtain these supplies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will instruct the war agricultural executive committees to allow more latitude to smallholders in suitable districts, in the planting of fruit, as in many cases where the growing of vegetables has been substituted the financial results have been disastrous?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to bush and cane fruits, which, with strawberries, are the only kinds which could produce a return within a limited period. Growers are already entitled to plant without permission such fruits, excluding strawberries, to the full extent of the acreage grown in 1939, and this acreage may be exceeded in exceptional cases if the written consent of the County War Agricultural Executive Committee is obtained. In the case of strawberries, permission to plant must be obtained from the county war agricultural executive committees, and such permission is confined to approved stocks. I do not think it desirable to encourage a further extension of soft fruit production in present circumstances. I might add that a remunerative market for certain vegetable crops, such as onions, is now assured.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will include the growing of fruit in the "Grow more food" campaign, now that his Department has recognised its value in our national diet?

As fruit trees or bushes cannot furnish any appreciable contribution to the food supply within a reasonable time, I do not feel justified in encouraging new plantings, although I agree that every effort should be made to secure the maximum output from existing trees or bushes, and this is indeed one of the objectives of the campaign.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the increasing encroachment on marginal grazing and arable land of bracken which already renders useless 1,500,000 acres in Britain, he will lend agriculturalists mechanical bracken cutters and so reclaim bracken areas for grazing; and will he impress upon agriculturalists the usefulness of cut bracken for potash, compost and litter?

Measures for assisting bracken eradication in England and Wales are under consideration and a statement on the subject will be made as soon as possible. In reply to the second part of the Question, I have already drawn attention to the value of bracken for the purposes indicated and will continue to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take steps to ensure that oats which would be sown for 1941 are tested for germination, and are dressed with one of the known compounds to check various plant diseases?

The Seeds Act, 1920, requires the seller of seed oats to deliver to the buyer a statement certifying that the seeds have been tested in accordance with the Act, and giving the percentage of germination. The dressing of seed oats is not compulsory, but the Ministry does all it can to encourage the practice, which is extensively followed. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a leaflet on the subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what conditions of enlistment are imposed in the case of members of the Women's Land Army; and whether there is differentiation in respect of their period of service as compared with that laid down for the recognised women's branches of the Fighting Forces?

The function of the Women's Land Army is quite different from that of the women's branches of the Fighting Forces. On enrolment, the volunteers for the Women's Land Army for England and Wales give a promise to hold themselves available for full time service on the land for the period of the war in any part of England or Wales where their services may be required by farmers, and to notify their Women's Land Army county secretary if circumstances arise which prevent their carrying out this promise. Volunteers are placed in employment with individual farmers as their services are required and then bound by the terms of their employment with the farmer in the same way as any other agricultural worker.

asked the Postmaster-General the wages he proposes to pay the women who will be drafted into the Post Office engineering service; and how these wages will compare with those paid to men similarly employed?

Women employed in the Post Office Engineering Service will be paid the following rates:

Age.	London.	Provinces.
	s.	s.
21	44	40
22	46	42
23 and over	48	45

The women in question will be employed only on the simpler duties and the rates represent 80 per cent. of the men's basic pay plus the amount of Civil Service war bonus appropriate to the resulting figure.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps are being taken to repatriate civilian prisoners of war in Germany; and will such repatriation apply to fishermen taken prisoner whilst on their lawful occasions?

My right hon. Friend has constantly in mind the possibility of negotiating an exchange of civilian internees, other than those of military age. The hon. Member will, however, I am sure, appreciate that transport difficulties are a very great obstacle to the negotiation of an exchange at the present time. In any case no arrangements would be likely to include men of military age.

asked the Minister of Supply the number of small firms which have offered collaboration in the war effort but whose offers have not been accepted in the last 12 months; and whether he is satisfied that the maximum of such collaboration is now being arranged?

I regret that, so far as the Ministry of Supply is concerned, there are no statistics available to give the number required. Whenever a small firm offers capacity to this Ministry its suitability either for direct contracts or sub-contracts is carefully considered. In the majority of cases the capacity is found to be more suitable for sub-contracts, and the offer is referred to the appropriate Area Officer of the Ministry, who then makes every endeavour to help the firm to obtain sub-contracting work. I should add that where an offer of capacity is received which is more appropriate to another Supply Department, machinery is available for referring it to the appropriate Area Board, on which the other Departments are represented.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the composition of the Minister's Advisory Committee on Poultry; and how often he has consulted it in the last six months?

My Noble Friend has not appointed a formal Advisory Committee on poultry. He has, however, consulted the national organisations concerned with poultry on problems connected with the poultry trade. Only one meeting, on the 20th January, has so far been held, and a further meeting has been arranged for 25th February and further meetings will be convened as necessary. The national organisations invited to send representatives to these meetings are as follow: —.The National Farmers Union.The National Farmers Union Chamber of Agriculture of Scotland.The National Poultry Council.The Scottish National Poultry Council.The Auctioneers Estate Agents Institute of the United Kingdom.The Institute of Auctioneers Appraisers in Scotland.The National Federation of Inland Wholesale Fish Merchants.The Parliamentary Committee of the "Co-operative Congress."The London Chamber of Commerce.The National Federation of Wholesale Poultry Merchants.The Scottish Federation of Wholesale Poultry Merchants.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, whether he is aware that the corporation of Hull is ready to supply 100,000 emergency meals at half the estimated cost of his Department; and will he authorise the supply of meat for this purpose?

My Noble Friend is not aware of the charges which the Corporation of Hull propose to make for their emergency meals, but he recognises that the cost of meals on the scale suggested should be much lower than in the case of normal community kitchens supplying a relatively small number of meals. The supply of meat for emergency meals is a matter that must depend upon conditions at the time of the emergency.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, whether he is aware that although fried fish, especially in the large industrial towns, is regarded as a staple article of cheap popular food, fish friers suffer through preferential supplies of cooking fats being granted to restaurant and cafe proprietors on the ground that they are classed as caterers, whereas his Department does not so regard fried-fish dealers; and why this view is held when the Ministry of Labour, for military purposes, does regard such fish friers as caterers?

Restaurants and cafes are not granted any preferential treatment in the supply of cooking fats as compared with fish friers. Dripping and oil are rationed to fish friers, but their demands have priority.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Treasury deposit receipts borrowed by the Treasury from the joint stock banks at 1⅜per cent. are convertible at any time into subscriptions to long- or medium-term Government loans bearing a considerably higher rate of interest?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 3rd December, 1940, to similar Questions on this subject to my hon. Friend the Member for Evesham (Mr. De la Bère). I should add that the rate of interest paid on Treasury deposit receipts is not 1 ⅜ per cent. but 1⅛ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to stop inducements to wasteful expenditure of money, time and labour in aid of Service funds such as the public display of spring fashions in women's hats advertised as taking place at the Hotel Ritz on Wednesday and Thursday, 12th and 13th February?

The Government, in view of the need to restrict the home consumption of goods, rely on the good sense of traders to limit to a minimum any special displays for the home trade. Indeed, I should hope that, unless the circumstances are very exceptional as in the present case, such displays will not take place.

asked the Minister of Shipping whether he is aware that certain agents, in booking passages for people wishing to travel abroad to places for which there is little accommodation, ask for the sum of £10 for a booking fee in certain cases; and, as in view of the long waiting list such a fee is likely to amount to many hundreds of pounds, and that agents would therefore have the benefit of this money probably for many months in view of the shortage of passenger berths, whether he will reconsider this arrangement in view of the fact that an exit permit is only obtainable on production of a statement that a passage has been applied for?

One or two cases have been reported where shipping agents have asked for deposits from persons seeking passages overseas. The matter appears to be primarily one for the shipping companies to take up with their agents. Inquiries about the cases already reported are being made through the companies and I am also sending them for their information a copy of my hon. and learned Friend's Question.

asked the Minister of Health the number of deaths from tuberculosis in all its forms in England and Wales in the second quarter of 1940, with comparative figures for the corresponding quarter of 1937, 1938 and 1939?

The following table gives the information required.

Deaths from Tuberculosis (all forms) registered in England and Wales.
—	Males.	Female s.	Persons.
2nd Quarter, 1940	4,027	3,089	7,116
2nd Quarter, 1939	4,027	2,836	6,863
2nd Quarter, 1938	4,150	2,823	6,973
2nd Quarter, 1937	4,256	3,117	7,373

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to secure modern and adequate fracture treatment of industrial injured workers; whether the organisation of such treatment will be on the lines recommended by the British Medical Association Committee and by the Delevigne Inter-Departmental Committee in approved fracture clinics in hospitals or other centres; whether appropriate steps are being taken or intended to be taken to secure the necessary subsequent physiotherapy as well as proper rehabilitation and retraining after the stage of minimum residual disability has been reached; and whether, having regard to the need for national economy and for the provision of similar treatment in cases of injuries in other than industrial workers, he will consider, in co-operation with the other Government departments concerned, the advisability of the immediate establishment of a comprehensive national scheme for the fracture treatment and rehabilitation of all injured persons?

In conjunction with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Labour and Secretary of State for Scotland I am considering the better organisation of facilities for the fracture treatment, rehabilitation and, where necessary, retraining of injured industrial workers, and will make a further statement as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that many old age pensioners in the country, drawing supplementary pensions, are willing to do gardening and similar work for which there is a demand, but are afraid that if they do so they will have to forfeit their pensions and not, when the work ceases, be able to reclaim them; and whether he will make a statement as to the extent to which these pensioners may accept such work?

An old age pensioner in receipt of a supplementary pension who gets work for which he receives more than 5s. in any week must report the amount of his earnings to the Assistance Board. Whether he can continue to draw a supplementary pension when working depends on the amount he earns, but pensioners can be fully assured that the fact that they have been working will in no way affect their right to a supplementary pension when the work ceases.