asked the Minister of Labour whether he has consulted the whole of the Ministries involved on the need for the training of disabled men and rehabilitation courses for men and women affected while serving in the Armed Forces, industry or in any other way; what steps have been taken to meet the difficulties over public assistance payments if a person desires to receive training in order to cope with the big problems that will arise in future; is he satisfied with the Leatherhead and St. Loyes training centres; is it intended to extend the training in the near future; and can a statement be made on this matter?

This matter is receiving the active consideration of my right hon. Friends the Minister of Health and the Minister of Pensions and myself, and I am not at present in a position to make a statement.

:Is the Minister satisfied that when men have received training every effort is made to place them in employment? Is he aware that at Treforest, in South Wales, for example, there are large numbers of trainees who have been idle for many weeks, even months, awaiting replacement in industry?

This question is about rehabilitation in trades.

Is the Minister aware that, although there are facilities at the two training centres mentioned, there is no organisation to advise people who require rehabilitation of their existence?

I have already explained that this rehabilitation problem has received the consideration of the Government, but the Forces, the A.R.P. and industrial workers are all involved, and it is essential that the Departments referred to should work out a properly co-ordinated scheme in order that the matter might be handled properly. We are now engaged on that work.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that there is a large number of workers, heads of families, doing essential war work in various branches of industry and for wages lower than the assessment of needs laid down by the Ministry of Labour for men undergoing courses of training and instruction; and whether he contemplates taking any steps to remedy the position?

I do not understand the basis on which my hon. Friend makes this comparison.

Does the Minister consider that is. 2d. per hour is a reasonable wage in these days of rising costs of living for semi-skilled men such as were referred to in the previous Question who have been trained by the Ministry?

:Unless my hon. Friend can give me information where those wages exist and on what the men are engaged, it is impossible for me to answer,

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider cases I may send forward?

I will.

Have the Government any comprehensive policy for dealing with the remuneration of labour during war-time?

That does not arise out of this Question.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make arrangements for many more Northern Ireland men to be admitted to Government training centres in Great Britain with a view to their better equipment for various kinds of war work?

:The number of places open to Northern Ireland men in Government training centres in Great Britain was largely increased last December, and is now fully sufficient to accommodate the men coming forward for training.

As the matter is urgent, will my right hon. Friend look into this matter again, as we have lots of capable men in Ulster ready for training, and I hope that he will give them a chance of becoming more efficient in war work?

asked the Minister of Labour whether recordings are taken of illness, fatigue and injuries which may be caused by speeding up of factory and other workers; and whether employers are informed of any evil consequences arising therefrom?

Factory employers are encouraged, as a part of their arrangements for proper supervision in the interests of health and efficiency, to keep records of sickness and absenteeism which may afford indications of excessive fatigue or of something else amiss in the factory or in a particular department of it. It would not usually be possible without close inquiry at the particular factory, which would primarily be a matter for the management, to ascertain how far any evident fatigue or ill-health or accidents are attributable to speed of working as distinct from long hours and other factors, but the importance of optimum rates of work from the point of view both of efficiency and of accident prevention is stressed in the Industrial Health Research Board Report on Industrial Health in War, which received wide publicity, as well as in other publications.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that answer, may I ask him to bear in mind that there are some National Health Insurance approved societies which cover the whole of the workers in a given factory, and is it not possible to get some reflection of what is happening from their statistics?

I am not aware of any approved society that covers all the workers in a particular works. My experience in the administration of approved society work is that the people working in a particular works may be in insurance companies, friendly societies and trade unions. I have never known one society to cover everybody.

I will give a case to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, following upon the appeal which he has made for the immediate registration of 100,000 women for employment in munitions production, he will state the organised methods which are being set in motion in order to bring this appeal to the homes of workers and to enlist the advocacy and co-operative effort of employers, trades union leaders and representatives of various societies dealing with the interests of women whose influence can be employed in this great national work?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of women for whom it is estimated there are immediate vacancies in war industries; and by what date he proposes these vacancies shall be filled?

I propose to make a general statement on this subject at an early date.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that when an appeal of this kind is made by Ministers or their representatives it is important that some organisation should be created to follow it up and put into practical shape the substance of the appeal?

The appeal was made to get an immediate response to fill certain vacancies. It is not in substitution of the more comprehensive scheme in which the two will be dovetailed together in the announcement I am to make.

Is it not a fact that there are hundreds of thousands of machines engaged on war work in the day-time which, owing to the lack of female labour, are idle at night; and does not my right hon. Friend think that some more advantageous steps should be taken to get these women into industry even though he cannot announce his full plans in the immediate future?

The problem of night work and the problem of instructing women are two separate problems. I am afraid that some employers imagine that to order women with domestic responsibilities into factories at night is an easy problem. I can assure the House that to handle this women's problem is a very delicate matter.

Is it not a fact that although women with domestic responsibilities may not find it easy to work at night, there are hundreds of thousands of women without domestic responsibilities who, if they were correctly approached, would go into industry?

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that it is essential in the interests of national unity to understand that this appeal is not to working women only but to other women who are now wasting their time?

The proposed registration will be universal.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to ensure that workmen transferred to new areas for work are suitably housed; and whether he is aware that some of those recently transferred have had to return because no suitable arrangements were made?

:My Department and the Ministry of Health have this matter constantly under review and work in close co-operation with the local authorities, who are being assisted in their task of finding accommodation by the grant of powers of compulsory billeting, where necessary, and of priority for approved housing schemes. Hostels are also being built by the Government. There have, 1 understand, been individual cases of transferred workers quoting dissatisfaction with the accommodation offered to them as a reason for returning home, but I am not aware that these have been numerous. I shall be glad if my hon. Friend will let me know of any particular cases which have come to his knowledge, so that I can have them looked into.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered the serious wastage of labour involved in keeping open butchers', and other retail shops, which have little to sell; and whether he will consider reducing the days of opening to three per week, or, alternatively, compulsorily closing redundant shops, with a view to employing the thousands of men and women, so released, on essential war work?

I have consulted my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, and I do not think that either of these suggestions would provide the best method of obtaining the release of labour from the retail trades. My right hon. Friend has announced his intention of introducing a system of compulsory registration which will enable any labour that can be released from these trades to be transferred, as it is required, to more essential work.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the majority of butchers in this country have a buying permit for £40 or less of meat a week and that these able-bodied men are doing one day's work instead of a week's work?

My hon. Friend will realise that, as Home Secretary, my interest in the matter is in relation to the hours at which shops can open or close. I hardly think that the shutting-down of shops on certain days of the week would solve the problem he has in mind, which is best dealt with as part of the general problem through the machinery of the Ministry of Labour.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I put this Question down to the Minister of Labour because the most important part of the Question dealt with wastage, and that, without my consent, it was transferred to my right hon. Friend?

Then we are both unlucky.

If the right hon. Gentleman is considering this problem of part-time opening of butchers' shops, will he bear in mind the trade-union complications which will arise?

I recognise that that is one of the problems that will arise.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will arrange for a five minutes gas mask drill, to be given through the British Broadcasting Corporation, at a certain time each week, say, immediately before or after the 9 0'clock news, so that, at a given signal, every listener-in throughout the country should be asked to put on his respirator and follow the instructions given over the wireless?

I am considering my hon. Friend's proposal.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the example of the Middlesbrough Chief Constable, who has his men work in their gas masks for a period every day?

Yes, Sir, it will be taken into account.

If this suggestion is tried, might it not be advisable to try it just before the Priestley broadcast?

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that he advised the hon. Member for Consett, on 10th September, 1940, that Felix Mayer, interned in the Isle of Man, was released on 13th August, 1940, and that on 8th January, 1941, the Home Secretary again wrote to the hon. Member stating that Felix Mayer would now be released; and, as he is still interned, will he take steps to ensure Mayer's promised release?

I regret that there has been a confusion between two men of similar names. My hon. Friend the Member for Consett (Mr. David Adams) in earlier correspondence described the internee as Felix Meyer (with an e) and the replies of 10th September and 8th January referred to a man of that name. Further inquiries were made when my hon. Friend informed me that the internee in whom he was interested spelt his name Mayer (with an a). The release of both these men has now been authorised.

Was it not carelessness to rely upon the spelling of the name, as Meyer is notoriously a very common name?

I do not see why the Department should be presumed guilty. If the name in question was spelt another way, it was not unnatural that one got on the wrong track.

I was not aware of any mistake in spelling.

If the hon. Gentleman wishes to discuss the matter, perhaps I can arrange for him to see my Department, so that he can satisfy himself, or we can be satisfied, one way or the other.

asked the Home Secretary when the mixed camp for married internee aliens will be opened?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for North Lambeth (Mr. G. Strauss) on 6th March.

If I remember aright, my right hon. Friend did not indicate the date in that Answer. Is it possible for him to do so now, in view of the great hardship caused to internees by this separation? Will the camp be opened within a measurable time?

I cannot give a date, but I can assure my hon. Friend that it will be opened. I hope it will not be unduly delayed.

Will not all the internees be let out before then?

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the appeal of the Minister of Labour for engineers, he will order the immediate release from internment of Mr. Peter Cahn Speyer a trained engineer, who has employment assured at Glasgow?

:This case does not come within the terms of any of the White Paper categories of eligibility for release, but I am considering it as a special case, and will notify my decision to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

:Is my right hon. Friend aware that this gentleman, whose loyalty is unquestioned, was sent to Canada and brought back again, and that he states that he was told in Canada by an officer there that he had better apply not for admission to the Pioneer Corps, but for the specalist work for which he had been trained? In view of the demand for trained men, can this man not be released as soon as possible to help the national effort?

This man exercised his right to apply, but he did not come within the category of specialists. He is not in that category at all. As my hon. Friend raises the point, perhaps I had better point out that the man in question is in Category A. His case can be reviewed and will be considered, but that is where he is at the moment.

:Is my right hon. Friend aware that before the man went to Canada he was employed by Messrs. Weir, of Glasgow, who are prepared to take him back?

That may be so, but I have given to the House the information at my disposal, and I cannot submit to pressure beyond a certain point.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in considering priorities in the issue of indoor shelters, regard will be had to areas so low-lying as to render the present Anderson shelters practically useless owing to flooding?

The first consideration in selecting areas must be vulnerability; but local authorities of those areas have been told that householders whose Anderson shelters are unusable may be regarded as eligible to apply for the new indoor shelter.

asked the Home Secretary whether all large public shelters have been examined by Regional technical staffs with a view to scheduling them if the standard of protection can be secured, as recommended last November by Lord Horder's committee?

:I am informed that this examination has been substantially completed, but the shelters referred to in the recommendation are "self-chosen" shelters, and I am not in a position to say that there are no such shelters in existence which have escaped notice. This is one of the points which I am considering in connection with the proposed Defence Regulation to which I referred last week.

If the examination referred to in my Question was in any particular instance unsatisfactory, was the shelter disallowed or was it permitted to continue?

Where a shelter is definitely unsatisfactory we do our best to close it, provided alternatives are available; but the public too have views about this matter. They are sometimes resourceful in finding for themselves shelters which are not always satisfactory. We are doing our best to deal with the problem.

Is it not a fact that if the instructions of the right hon. Gentleman's Ministry had been properly carried out, the serious disaster that occurred recently in a well-known railway station in the Metropolitan area, resulting in 220 casualties, might have been avoided?

asked the Home Secretary whether arrangements can be made to enable fire-watchers under the compulsory scheme to obtain their out-of-pocket expenses and, in particular, their travelling expenses, from the owner or occupier of the premises concerned?

asked the Home Secretary whether arrangements are being made for suitable meals to be supplied to fire-watchers on duty in the factories where they work; and whether it has been made clear that this is the duty of the employer wherever circumstances render this desirable?

:These matters, with others arising out of the Fire Prevention (Business Premises) Order, are now being examined in consultation with representatives of the Trades Union Congress and employers' organisations.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a great deal of dissatisfaction has been caused because some of the fire watchers have to pay their bus fares out of their pocket?

I am aware of that fact. It is one of the points which are the subject of discussion.

:Will the right hon. Gentleman also bear in mind that this matter is urgent, as arrangements have to be made to supply meals to fire watchers in works canteens? Can he say whether rations will be issued for the purpose?

:That is also one of the factors in the discussion. I can assure the hon. Member that I am very conscious of the great urgency of the whole matter.

asked the Home Secretary by what date all Regional Commissioners are to report to him regarding the fire watchers available in their regions?

It was not necessary to fix any particular date, as I am being apprised of the general position by the periodical reports which I receive from Regional Commissioners, supplemented by special reports as occasion demands.

Would my right hon. Friend assure the House that he will not allow this question to drag on, where there are insufficient voluntary fire watchers, before the compulsory scheme is put into effect?

:I do not think that I could be suspected of letting this matter drag on. Indeed, it may be a comfort to my hon. Friend if I remind him that I have been strongly criticised for doing things too quickly.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will empower local authorities to occupy empty or vacant houses which could suitably be used as rest centres and assembling places for street fire watchers, since such centres would help both the scheme and the volunteers in residential areas?

I am not aware that the fire-prevention scheme has been handicapped by the want of suitable premises for the purpose in view, but I will look into the matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will abolish altogether the curfew restrictions on those aliens who have already volunteered for, and are actively engaged in, the voluntary fire-watching and fighting scheme?

:I have no doubt that chief constables will grant exemptions from the curfew restrictions by means of an appropriate endorsement on an alien's police registration certificate to any alien who can show that he is engaged in the schemes referred to. This method is in my view preferable to a general order of exemption, since otherwise there would be no means of indentifying the aliens benefiting from the exemption.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that John Joannides, a seaman, on the arrival of his ship, steamship "Armathia," at Liverpool last December, was admitted to the Royal Southern Hospital, and, on his discharge from hospital on 6th February, was granted permission to stay in Liverpool for a month's convalescence by the immigration officer, but on his discharge from hospital was arrested on 10th February and is lodged in Waltham Prison; and what is the reason for imprisoning the seaman?

This alien seaman's leave to land was withdrawn by the immigration officer on the ground that he had been engaging in activities prejudicial to the Allied war effort. I have considered this case, and, in accordance with the policy which I announced in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 30th January last, I propose to deport this man to his native country as soon as transport is available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, although a town of which he has been informed has been declared an evacuation area, and that consequently the local authorities have evacuated all possible women and children, they have now been requested by the Ministry to prepare for the reception of further women and children, namely, the wives and families of workers coming into the city: and whether he will take steps to see that the bringing of women and children into such a vulnerable area is discouraged by every possible means?

:My right hon. Friend is sending my hon. Friend a copy of the communication in question, which extended the billeting powers of billeting officers in certain areas to include the families of war workers as well as the workers themselves. The local authority which my hon. Friend has in mind will not be asked to operate the powers save in very exceptional cases.

Is the Minister aware that I have already received a copy of the Order issued, but that it was issued only on 24th February; that the district to which I refer has been evacuating women and children now for 18 months, and it looks as if we are going to be asked again to fill the district with women and children, which will be very undesirable in the case of further attacks?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now order the release of pails for stirrup pumps by wholesalers for the necessary supply of the Greenock area?

:An officer of the Board of Trade has recently visited retailers in Greenock and discussed this matter with the Provost and Town Clerk. He drew attention to the recommendation of the Ministry of Home Security that use should be made of empty four-gallon petrol tins which have been released by the Army. I trust that it will be possible to solve any difficulties in Greenock by the use of these tins.

Is a supply of these tins available, and are they suitable for domestic use?

Yes, Sir; I understand that they are most suitable, and that there is a supply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to remit Estate Duties in the case of the estates of civilians killed by enemy action?

My hon. Friend will not expect my right hon. Friend to anticipate his Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of persons engaged directly in the collection of Import Duties and the cost of same for the 12 months to the latest date, together with the value of the duties collected?

The collection of duties on imported goods is undertaken by the staff of the Customs and Excise Department as part of their general duties, and there are no separate figures available as to staff or cost of the kind requested. The total receipts from all Customs duties for the year ended 31st December, 1940, were £349,000,000.

Has the right hon. and gallant Gentleman considered the loss of self-respect to men engaged on utterly useless work of this kind, and does he not realise that the cost involved is added to the bills which come back to the Government?

I could not accept that as a statement of the case.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman look into the matter?

asked the Minister of Supply whether, as conditions in Northern Ireland are specially favourable for the production of war material, he will make early arrangements whereby the workmen available there are kept fully employed within its bounds in providing their quota of the needed war equipment for the defeat of our enemies?

My hon. Friend will be aware from replies to his previous Questions on this subject that every endeavour is being made to make full use within Northern Ireland of the facilities available there.

Is the Minister aware that there is in Northern Ireland a strong feeling that owing to freedom from air raids the men there ought to be employed at home on war work?

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will have samples taken in additional districts of Northern Ireland where there are deposits of iron ore, with a view to the establishment of what would be a valuable war industry in Ulster?

The iron ore measures in Northern Ireland have been investigated generally; the deposits at a particular spot appeared to be the most promising, and special steps were, therefore, taken to determine the quality and quantity of the ironstone in this area. I am advised that no other area would justify similar special investigation.

Is the Minister aware that up to about 20 years ago there were very considerable shipments of low-grade iron ore from County Antrim to Middlesbrough, where it was mixed with Bilbao ore of a higher grade; and if there is a shortage of iron ore, could not anything be done to resuscitate this industry?

That is the purpose of the investigation which is now going on in this particular place.

asked the Minister of Supply the percentage of fire watchers Upon Ministry of Supply property who are unpaid; and whether those who are paid are all whole-time fire watchers?

:I regret that the information asked for is not available, but in the ordinary non-industrial buildings we have no persons directly employed as paid fire watchers. In the industrial establishments, ordinary operatives engaged on fire-watching duty are not paid as fire watchers, but may be drawing their ordinary wages for the time they are on such duty. Conditions vary widely, and in some cases ordinary employés have been supplemented by whole-time paid watchers.

Does that mean that very frequently those who do a day's work in the Department are being paid overtime rates for fire watching?

I was asked about property.

Yes, the property of the Department.

My hon. Friend will realise that the property directly under the control of the Department is of a very varied kind. In certain storage depots, for instance, where the fire risk is very great, we have to engage full-time watchers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can now make a statement concerning the future livestock policy of the Government, having special regard to the recent reduction in the supply of available feeding-stuffs; and whether he will now consider some alternative method not based on cutting down prices in order to reduce the number of pigs and sheep on the farms?

The measures that will be necessary, in addition to the devaluation of the ration coupon, to secure a reduction in the livestock population to accord with the reduced supplies of feeding-stuffs of all kinds, including grazing, are now under consideration. As announced on 1st March, prices of certain classes of fat pigs have already been increased temporarily to facilitate a reduction in numbers.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that one effect of the Government's policy will be to curtail the pig population, and that a temporary concession is no permanent solution of the hardships we have had to go through as a result of the unjust methods employed?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that farmers are being charged excessive prices for feeding-stuffs because they have insufficient credit to pay cash prices, and will he look into this?

Perhaps my hon. Friend will let me have particulars.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the Government's policy of reduction in poultry stocks necessitated by the shortage of feeding-stuffs, he will confer with the Minister of Food with a view to ensuring that no further reduction of prices paid to poultry keepers takes place, since poultry keepers will, by reason of the decrease in their stocks, be facing a loss in revenue, which, added to the reduction in the prices they receive for their eggs, will conspire to put them out of business altogether?

I am already in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food about the future course of prices of eggs and table poultry, and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the great hardship involved in the reduction of feeding-stuff rations for poultry to ex-Service men and to small persons whose sole livelihood is poultry, he will consider some scheme whereby supplementary rations could be allowed to hard cases?

owing to the exigencies of the feeding-stuffs supply position, it is not possible to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will confer with the Minister of Supply and the Minister of Food with a view to ensuring an increased production of concentrates derived from kitchen waste being available for pig and poultry keepers throughout the country early in April, 1941, in view of the further reduction in feeding-stuffs ration which has taken place?

I would deprecate on the one hand exaggeration of the amount of waste available and on the other lack of appreciation of what is already being done. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply gave yesterday figures showing the large proportion of available waste already being collected by local authorities. In addition, farmers, and contractors on be-half of farmers, are collecting material quantities privately. Moreover, we have organised no fewer than 750,000 backyarders with nearly 15,000,000 hens who must collect in the shape of waste two-thirds of the food consumed by the poultry. In addition, the number of pig clubs is steadily increasing. They depend almost wholly on local voluntary collection of waste food. Finally, as my hon. Friend stated yesterday, further steps are being taken to provide more local authorities with concentrator plants.

Will my right hon. Friend give full and concentrated thought to this matter? Is he not aware that his puny, piffling and unfinished thought must cease, and will he talk to Colin D. Campbell, the wheat expert, with a view to seeing whether we cannot get more foodstuffs over and above these waste foods? The poultry and pig position is really a matter of life and death, and he is not tackling the matter seriously at all.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the distribution of waste food plays any role in the spreading of foot-and-mouth disease, and is it not a fact that the boiling of swill eliminates that danger?

I cannot accept for one moment that there is any lack of drive. We are in fact collecting the greater part of the waste food available in this country to-day, and what is left is merely a small part. As far as foot-and-mouth disease is concerned, it is perfectly true that boiling swill is a safeguard against the spread of the disease, but most, if not all, of the outbreaks caused by swill are due to the distribution of raw swill from the towns to the farms, and the infections have undoubtedly arisen before the swill could be boiled on the farms.

:Is my right hon. Friend aware that I am acutely dissatisfied with the Ministry of Agriculture?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement as to the progress of rat destruction?

:I am satisfied that the campaign for rat destruction has already met with a considerable measure of success, and I am determined that there shall be no relaxation of effort in this direction in the future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what Government Departments and what categories of authorities, owners, and occupiers are responsible for destruction of rats in Great Britain?

The Government Departments responsible for the administration of powers relating to the destruction of rats in Great Britain are the Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Food, and the Department of Agriculture for Scotland. The authorities vested with powers are certain local authorities, port sanitary authorities, county war agricultural executive committees and food control committees. Under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919. occupiers of land are required to take steps for the destruction of rats on their premises.

Does not my right hon. Friend think that there are too many authorities responsible for the destruction of rats, and is not that one of the reasons why some authorities do their job and others do not, with the result that the rats are increasing by thousands; and will my right hon. Friend consider centralising the destruction of rats under a national campaign?

There is already a national rat campaign going now.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that some farmers in Kent have been returning seed and curtailing their vegetable crops on account of an expected shortage of labour for gathering the crops; and will he give an assurance that adequate steps will be taken to ensure the gathering of all crops planted?

I was not aware of the facts stated in this Question, although I understand that there is some anxiety among farmers in North Kent as to what the labour position may be later in the year. While I obviously cannot give any guarantee as to what may be possible in any particular district in several months time, I can assure my hon. Friend that my Department, in co-operation with the Ministry of Labour and the county war agricultural executive committees, will take every practicable step to ensure an adequate supply of labour for the planting, cultivation and harvesting of essential crops. It will, of course, be necessary for farmers to co-operate by notifying their probable requirements in good time either to their local Employment Exchange, or to their county war agricultural executive committee.

Has my right hon. Friend taken into account the fact that a great deal of the female labour which was to have been available to collect crops will not now be available owing to the increased demands for female labour?

That is a matter which obviously we cannot overlook.

Is not that entirely due to the lack of foresight on the part of the Minister of Agriculture before the present Minister?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to ensure that an adequate supply of milk will be maintained?