asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that Parry's egg shop, in Main Road, Darnall, Sheffield, obtains more eggs than all the other local shopkeepers put together; and what are the reasons for this preferential treatment in the supply to this shop?

The prices of home-produced eggs are regulated but the Ministry of Food does not control distribution. I understand that the firm mentioned by my hon. Friend own two licensed egg-packing stations and a number of retail shops, which were established before the war. The shop in Sheffield no doubt receives supplies from one of these packing stations.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that difficulties have arisen between his Department and the National Cold Storage Committee, representing the cold storage industry, regarding the terms under which the control of the industry is to be assumed by the Government; that although negotiations were still in progress with this committee his Department has issued direct instructions to individual undertakings under Statutory Rules and Orders 1941, No. 71; and whether, in view of all this, he will take steps to rescind the order in question until the negotiations have been resumed and a satisfactory agreement arrived at?

The Order referred to has been rescinded. It is the intention that a new Order shall be made and laid upon the Table in the near future, but I cannot accept the suggestion of my hon. and gallant Friend that my Noble Friend must wait until agreement has been reached with an industry regarding the terms and conditions under which that industry is to carry out its operations under control before any controlling Order is made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will issue instructions to local food officers to issue extra tea and sugar rations to night fire watchers who require some refreshment during a 12-hour tour of duty at night?

My Noble Friend is considering whether it is practicable to make some arrangements for the issue of rationed refreshments for consumption by fire watchers on duty at night but as at present advised he does not consider that the supply situation will admit of any concessions. In the circumstances he feels sure that fire watchers will as a rule be willing to provide their own refreshment.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that transportation is being used to convey bacon from the Tyne to London, and. that the same vehicles are provided with return loads of bacon; and whether he will inquire into this, and have the wasteful process stopped?

So far as the records of my Department show, there is no foundation for the allegation in the Question.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has considered the strain involved on men in the heavy general engineering industry already working long hours of overtime and Sunday work, if they are in addition called upon to perform fire watching duties; and what steps he is taking to prevent these men having this burden put upon them?

Under the Fire Prevention (Business Premises) Order the appropriate authorities have discretion to exempt from the performance of fire prevention duties persons engaged on vital work for exceptionally long hours.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the difficulty experienced by civil defence workers in making long journeys to and from the places to which their families have been evacuated in the period of three days covered by the cheap railway vouchers issued to them, he will consider extending the period covered by these vouchers to seven days, to enable these men to spend their full leave with their families, and to obtain as much rest as possible in a quiet area?

The cheap railway tickets to which the Noble Lady refers were introduced primarily to enable parents to visit their evacuated families. In answer to Questions on 5th December last, I announced in this House that the period of validity of these tickets would be extended where necessary to three days to ensure that the time spent in the reception areas is not unduly short. I do not think it would be reasonable to expect the companies to go further than they have gone.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a number of stall-holders on certain beaches, of which he has been informed, have had to close down in consequence of an order of the military authorities; that these people had already paid rents in advance to the local authority; and whether he proposes to refund to these stall-holders the amount of the rents so paid?

:The action to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers is, I understand, authorised by a direction of the Regional Commissioner, but, so tar as 1 am concerned, I regret that there is no provision in the Compensation (Defence) Act, 1939, whereby payment can be made in respect of loss of trade due to denial of access.

asked the Home Secretary the date upon which the Regional Commissioners last met in conference under his chairmanship for the purpose of exchanging experience and views?

On taking office I called a Conference of Regional Commissioners, over which I presided, on the 25th October last. The last Conference with all Regional Commissioners was held at the Ministry of Home Security on the 7th February. I was not able to preside on that occasion. Since that date Regional Commissioners have attended meetings on specific questions affecting particular Regions. Also I have discussed regional problems with individual Commissioners in the course of my visits to the Regions. It is not possible nor indeed desirable under present conditions to have frequent Conferences in London with all the Regional Commissioners: but I endeavour, by discussions with individual Commissioners in London and by visits to the Regions, to keep myself informed of their views and experience.

asked the Home Secretary when he proposes to announce the areas to which the Compulsory Fire Watching Order will be initially applied; and whether he can make any statement on the subject?

Particulars of the areas to which the Fire Prevention (Business Premises) Order, 1941, has been applied in each region have already been published in newspapers and Regional Commissioners have been requested to arrange for lists of these areas to be posted in public places.

asked the Home Secretary whether a motorist fulfils the terms of paragraph 17 of the Lighting (Restrictions) Order, 1940, if any diffusing material used by him for his head-lamp prevents the light being emitted in excess of 2.5 feet candles?

Paragraph 17 of the Lighting (Restrictions) Order, 1940, provides inter alia that an authorised headlamp must be fitted with a mask so as to satisfy the conditions that the light emitted is diffused by the insertion in the mask of a screen of some diffusing material or by other similar means, and that the intensity of illumination of a vertical surface at any point 10 feet from the lamp does not exceed 2.5 foot candles. If my hon. Friend is aware of any difficulty which has arisen in interpreting these provisions, perhaps he will communicate with me.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the office of the Assistance Board for the borough of Finchley is outside the area which it administers and that the shortest distance from the borough to the office is nearly four miles; and whether, in view of the difficulties experienced by so many residents in these days in travelling long distances, he will consult with the Assistance Board and establish an office in the borough of Finchley itself?

I have been in communication with the Board, who inform me that they hope shortly to have an office within the borough.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of commissions awarded to men from the lower deck, under the mate scheme of promotion, in each of the three branches, executive, engineering and Royal Marines, in the last war years of 1914–15, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1917–18 and 1918–19, respectively; the number of commissions awarded to men from the lower deck, under the sub-lieutenant scheme of promotion, in each of the four branches, executive, engineering, Royal Marines and accountant, in the years 1939–40 and 1940–41, respectively; and the number of lieutenancies awarded to commissioned warrant officers under the new accelerated promotion scheme, in each of the branches concerned, in the years 1939–40 and 1940–41, respectively?

The following table gives the information desired.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether he is aware of the shortage of the necessary materials needed to enable first-aid repairs to be carried out to property damaged by enemy action; whether he has considered representations to this effect from the Metropolitan borough of Deptford; and will he give consideration to means necessary to remedy this shortage?

There is a shortage of certain building materials, which is the reason for the establishment of a control of building materials. It is the policy to give priority to materials for the first-aid repair of essential buildings, houses and war production factories. Representations from the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford have just been received, and I have given instructions that they should receive close and urgent attention.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will indicate the result of salvage work for each Metropolitan borough and for the large cities outside London, respectively, for the month of January, 1941, giving the population in each instance?

The following table shows for each of the Metropolitan boroughs, and the larger cities outside London, the value of the sales of salvaged material for the month of January, 1941. These figures do not include material collected and sold by voluntary organisations or merchants.

asked the Secretary of State for War why the application of Gunner J. Green, of 380th Searchlight Battery, for a transfer to the Royal Navy has been refused; whether he is aware that this man expressed a special desire to serve in the Navy at the time of his calling-up, and has persistently made representations to try to secure his transfer; and whether it is the Government's policy to force men to remain in one Service when a preference is expressed for another?

The claims of men who express a preference for the Royal Navy or Royal Air Force at the time of calling-up are considered by officers of those Services, but the number of such claims is always more than can be accepted, and I infer that this is why Gunner Green was not originally accepted for the Navy. When a man has been posted to the Army, an application for transfer to the Navy is not entertained unless the applicant has some connection with the Navy or the Mercantile Marine, or some appropriate qualification. No such connection or qualification was disclosed in this case.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements have been made to provide vocational training for those men discharged from the Fighting Forces after a short period owing to disease, previously unsuspected, and who are consequently unable to follow their former employment

Such men are eligible for munitions training under the various schemes administered by my Department, and, in so far as the disease is attributable to war service, they will be eligible for any special scheme of vocational training that may be devised for the war disabled.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will have inquiries made into the case of Mr. W. L. Howells, registered under the Armed Forces Act as a social worker and subsequently permitted to amend the description of his employment to that of company secretary on the ground that he had had no experience of social work despite his initial registration; and why that was accepted by the Ministry of Labour?

If my hon. Friend will send mo particulars sufficient to enable me to identify this case, namely Mr. Howell's address, the name of the local office of the Ministry of Labour at which he registered under the Armed Forces Act, and the date of his registration, I shall be glad to have inquiry made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings when he expects to present a report on the work of his Department; and whether he is now able clearly to define its duties?

In answer to the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by the Lord Privy Seal on 13th February, of which I am sending him a copy. With regard to the second part of the Question, I hope that hon. Members will be prepared to wait until the promised Debate for a definition of the duties of the Ministry of Works and Buildings.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the position to which Mr. Frank Pick has been appointed is a new one; what is the present salary and what was the salary received by the previous holder of it; and when Mr. Pick was chosen for the position?

Mr. Frank Pick was appointed on February 17th, 1941, to investigate on my behalf the carriage of traffic on canals and inland waterways. His salary is at the rate of 2,000 per annum. The appointment is a new one and is not permanent.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the dependants of men fighting in the forces to-day who are from the Channel Isles and whose dependants are still living there will get their dependants' allowances when they come to the British Isles; will they also get their back pay; and is there any news of the people who are still living there as their relatives cannot get any news?

:As regards the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given yesterday by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for North Camberwell (Mr. Ammon), of which I am sending him a copy. As regards the second part, my hon. Friend will now, no doubt, have seen the recent statement by the Director of the Foreign Relations Department of the War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John, explaining that the only method of communicating with the Channel Isles or any other territory in enemy occupation is through the Red Cross and the International Red Cross.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps have been taken to ensure the comfort, when ashore, of soldiers who have volunteered to serve as gunners with the merchant service; and whether these men are receiving their proper quota of leave when ashore?

Army liaison officers are located at ports, and they ensure, in conjunction with naval officers, that men are provided with suitable billets or other accommodation. The proper amount of leave is given.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, when a soldier with the sanction of his commanding officer and approval of the circumstances by the regimental paymaster, has instituted divorce proceedings, the wife in the meantime, having taken no proceedings for maintenance or secured a court order, and an order in the proceedings is made against him for alimony pendente lite the marriage allowance to the wife is reinstituted during the currency of the order on condition that the soldier makes the qualifying allotment?

No, Sir. Family allowance is not issuable in such circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether a serving soldier wishing to institute divorce proceedings, whose case is put forward to the regimental paymaster by his commanding officer, supported by a certificate from a practising solicitor that the soldier seems to have a good prima facie case, can be given by the regimental paymaster, as an advance, such sum not exceeding £5 as may be necessary to institute the proceedings under the Poor Persons Rules?

No, Sir. I can see no good reason for such a course.

asked the Home Secretary the terms under which a barrister-at-law of Jerusalem, and member of the English Bar, can be admitted to the United Kingdom to practise his profession in London as a junior King's Counsel in appeals before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council coming from the Supreme Court of the Holy Land?

Applications by aliens for permission to come to this country are considered on their merits in the light of the circumstances of each case. If my hon. Friend will give me particulars of any case which he has in mind, I shall be glad to consider them.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will publish in the Official Report a list of Members of each House of Parliament who hold salaried appointments under the Crown but are not either Ministers of His Majesty nor are serving in His Majesty's Forces, showing in each case the amount of salary attached to the appointment; and whether, and to what extent, the salary is received?

I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the White Paper published to-day.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the practical reasons for permitting the public offer for sale of units by unit trusts, while prohibiting the public offer for sale, without Treasury consent, of shares or debentures by investment trust companies; and whether he will consider taking steps to amend the definition of securities for the purposes of Regulation 6 of the Defence (Finance) Regulations, 1939?

I will give this matter consideration and will communicate with my hon. Friend when I have examined it.

asked the Postmaster-General what instructions he has given with regard to priority for trunk and toll telephone calls claimed by local authorities to be urgent?

The Post Office instructions provide for priority facilities to be afforded to local authorities and other subscribers not on the priority list, when they need to make a call of real urgency and importance. In such cases the caller is required to explain the circumstances to the exchange supervisor when booking the call. Individual officers of a local authority are placed on the priority list where this is justified by their duties in the Civil Defence or other comparable services.