asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied that supervision is adequate to prevent unnecessary damaging of houses requisitioned for billeting troops; and if, as such damage is unjust to owners and is national waste, he will hold commanding officers responsible for stopping this waste?

I am fully aware of the importance of this question. In order that damage to requisitioned premises may be brought to light at once, responsibility fixed, repairs effected where necessary and charges properly assessed, inspections of all such premises are held by the Royal Engineers at intervals of not more than one month. These inspections are additional to the normal inspection when the unit marches in and marches out. Where- ever possible, the amount of the damage is charged to the individuals responsible, and all accounts not traceable to individuals are shared as a general charge by the unit. In addition, commanding officers have been informed that any case of avoidable damage will be regarded as a serious reflection on the discipline and administration of their units.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a soldier's proficiency pay of 6d. per day is being used as a means, not to improve the soldier's position, but to increase the allotment to his wife who suffers a reduction in her special allowance of 3s. 6d. per week; and whether he will authorise a change in the existing arrangement so as to allow the soldier to enjoy the benefit of such an increase in his pay?

A married soldier is required, as a condition of the issue of family allowance, to make an allotment from his pay, and the amount of this allotment will vary with the soldier's rate of pay. In some cases, but by no means in all, the allotment is increased by the same amount as the increase in pay. In such cases, however, although the soldier himself derives no direct personal benefit, the wife does get the benefit. In no case does an increase in the soldier's allotment mean any diminution in the amount of the family allowance payable from Army Funds. If my hon. Friend is referring to the procedure under the War Service Grants Advisory Committee administered by the Ministry of Pensions, he will, I am sure, realise that it is the purpose of grants made by the Committee to relieve serious hardship caused by the calling-up of the soldier for war service. An increase in the soldier's pay must be regarded, therefore, as reducing the degree of hardship, in the same way as any other increase in income, and must therefore be taken into account in assessing the grant.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that when men serving in the Army are moved from one district to another in this country it not infrequently happens that their pay and, in the case of married men, the wife's allowance falls into arrears; that cases are known where a soldier and his wife have had no pay for a period of nine weeks; that this is causing great distress to the wives who are known to have been left without a penny, and will he take steps to speed up the machinery of his Department in order to avoid this delay in forwarding the soldier's pay; and, if the delay cannot be entirely eliminated, will he provide a fund, available to the local commanding officer, out of which advances can be made to the soldier or his dependants to relieve their distress?

The Question is in such an indefinite form that it is clearly impossible to give a definite answer, but, if my hon. Friend will send me any specific cases, I will have them examined immediately.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the hardship imposed upon small tradesmen in giving extended credit on articles purchased by Home Guard units; and will he expedite the payment of these outstanding accounts upon a current basis?

I am not aware that the settlement of accounts in respect of authorised purchases by Home Guard units is unduly delayed. If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind, and will let me have details, I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider arranging for experienced platoon commanders of the Home Guard to be transferred back to their Home Guard unit after they have been called up for regular war service, or, alternatively, to arrange for their exemption from such military service?

The Home Guard is essentially a part-time force, and its value lies to a large extent in the fact that it enables men engaged in ordinary civil occupations to make an active contribution to the defence of this country. The exemption of members of the Home Guard from the provisions of the National Service (Armed Forces) Acts or the posting for full-time duty in the Home Guard of men called up under those Acts would be inconsistent with the basic principles of the Force and would not be an economical use of man-power.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that mem bers of the Home Guard were wearing their own private boots for Home Guard duties from the time of their joining until issued with Army boots; that no Army boots were issued to the Hampshire Territorial Association for distribution to the Home Guard prior to 18th September, 1940; and whether he will allow the official life of initial issues of Army boots to date from the time a man joined the Home Guard if, on discharge or resignation, he wishes to purchase his Army boots?

It was generally understood that members of the Home Guard would make temporary use of their own boots and clothing when they first enrolled as a patriotic contribution to the national need. Boots and other articles of dress were issued as rapidly as possible. It would not be possible now to antedate the issue of boots without serious complications, and it would certainly add to the burden of paper which we are endeavouring to lighten. I hope therefore that my hon. and gallant Friend will not press his suggestion.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will draw the attention of Ministers responsible for Departments who have to requisition property to the growing habit of individuals arriving at houses, etc., and demanding to be shown over while refusing to inform the owners of the purpose of their visit or to provide credentials as to their authority thereby causing unnecessary friction and confusion; and whether, to prevent fraud and abuse of the Defence Regulations, he will consider giving warning in writing of the intention to visit property and also informing the local police of such intention?

My right hon. Friend regrets that the great urgency with which requisitioning has often to be undertaken makes it impracticable to adopt my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion; but he is reminding all Departments responsible for requisitioning of the necessity of seeing that their representatives sent to inspect property are in possession of proper credentials and carry out their unwelcome task with every consideration.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has arranged for the Departments concerned to provide anti-waste officials in areas where private residences have been taken over and occupied for Government purposes, so as to keep down the charge on the taxpayer caused by avoidable injury to the residences?

It is already the responsibility of the occupying Department to ensure that proper care is taken where private residences are occupied for Government purposes and the appointment of additional officials would not therefore in my view serve any useful purposes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings what duties Mr. Appleton, who has been recently appointed to the staff of his Department, is to perform; and what are his civil, building or engineering qualifications?

No doubt the hon. Member's reference is to Major-General Apple-yard, who has been appointed to direct the Emergency Repair Organisation of the Ministry, the function of which is to organise and co-ordinate all available resources of labour, materials and transport for the repair of air-raid damage; Major-General Appleyard is an engineer of considerable experience, both in the Royal Engineers and in civil life, and is a member of the Institution of Mining and Mechanical Engineers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, before framing his Budget, he will consider the views of the spending Departments as to the great value of the 100 per cent. Excess Profits Tax as a deterrent against excessive quotations especially in that substantial proportion of contracts placed without competitive tender?

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my Budget statement but he can rest assured that I shall take account of all relevant considerations both in regard to Excess Profits Tax and upon other questions which have to be reviewed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider taking the necessary steps to make it compulsory for hounds at the age of six months to be licensed, as all other dogs have to be, instead of the present system which allows exemptions in the case of hounds until the age of 12 months?

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

r asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the permitted addition to maximum prices for rabbits, sold in scheduled industrial areas to cover transport costs, is having the desired effect on the distribution of rabbits?

The information which has so far been received regarding the permitted addition to maximum prices for rabbits sold in the scheduled industrial areas indicates that the addition is tending to attract supplies to such areas.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will give the reason for the reduction by 2d. a pound of the maximum wholesale prices for skinned wild rabbits; and whether he obtained the approval of the Minister of Agriculture to this reduction?

The maximum prices for wild rabbits before the recent amending Order was issued were as follow: —

	Skinned.	Unskinned.
	Per lb.	Per lb.
By wholesale	9½d.	7½d.
By retail	10d.	8d.

A retailer buying rabbits in skin can sell them either in skin (in which case he has the right to skin the rabbit after sale and to retain the skin), or skin them first and sell them skinned. In either case he has the skin, whose present value is about 4½d., and his margin on the sale of a rabbit at the maximum price would average about 5½d. If, however, he bought the rabbit already skinned his margin on the sale of the rabbit averaged about 1d. only, and my Noble Friend received representations from the retail trade that his margin was inadequate. Further, he was informed that a practice was rapidly growing of wholesalers skinning rabbits and retaining the skins and so making undue profits. The maximum wholesale price of skinned rabbits was therefore reduced by 2d. to restore equitable margins as between wholesaler and retailer. In reply to the last part of my hon. Friend's Question, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries was not consulted on this reduction as the matter was essentially one of wholesale margins of profit and did not affect the return to the producer.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that samples of undesignated milk collected and submitted to bacteriological examination by the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Corporation during last month showed: satisfactory 15, unsatisfactory 14, total 29; and what steps are being taken to improve the quality of this class of milk supplied for food into the Newcastle area?

I have received recent reports on samples from the corporation though I cannot identify the particular figures referred to. As promised in reply to my hon. Friend's recent Question, local investigations have been made and I understand that as a result more effective supervision is likely to be secured.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that medical services, directly or indirectly, controlled by the Government embrace the Armed Forces, the emergency medical and air-raid precautions services, medical benefit under the National Health Insurance Acts, public assistance, services in respect to factory workers, and medical officers of health, he will consider instituting a State medical service to solve the problem of the distribution of medical man-power as between the claims of the civilian population and the Armed Forces?

I do not think that the present time is opportune for considering the suggestion made in the Question. As my hon. Friend is aware, machinery for securing that the best use is made of the medical man-power available has been in existence since the beginning of the war.

asked the Minister of Health the names of the local medical war committees whose representatives attended the meeting recently addressed by him in London and the names of such representatives; and whether the meeting was private or whether the Press was generally invited to send reporters?

I am not in a position to supply the information asked for in the first part of the Question. I understand that the Press was not invited to be present.

asked the Minister of Health whether the air-raid precautions services are to cater for casualties amongst the Home Guard as they do for civilian casualties; and, it so, whether he will cause all local authorities to be notified without delay?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. The position is being made known by my regional officers to local authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Health whether consideration has been given to the co-ordination of the emergency medical services and the air-raid precautions medical services under the control of the regional commissioners for civil defence in their respective regions, so as to obviate duplication of control, to improve the medical services, and to use medical man-power better, as well as ensuring unity of control with the co-operation of the Royal Army Medical Corps?

Due provision has been made in the civil defence regions for coordinating the control of the services referred to and for securing the best use of medical man-power for either of the services in such a way as to meet the general needs of the Army and the civilian population.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is authorising air-raid precautions authorities to establish addi- tional first-aid facilities to meet the needs of Home Guard units in their areas; whether they are authorised to incur expenditure on such provision; and whether that expenditure will be repaid to them?

I am advised that additional first-aid posts are not required for the purposes indicated. The arrangements for augmenting, if necessary, the personnel attached to existing first-aid posts and for paying the necessary remuneration are being made known by my regional officers to the local authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Health what is the fee payable for radiological examination and report on a service out-patient to voluntary hospitals, at which medical staffs are remunerated for Emergency Medical Service work on the occupied-bed basis; and why is the total fee received by the radiologist and not divided amongst the medical staff.

I will send my hon. Friend particulars of the arrangements under which fees are payable in the cases referred to. These arrangements are at present under revision.

asked the Minister of Health what procedure is adopted by the Central Medical War Committee and the local medical war committees in order adequately to decide the relative claims for doctors of the Armed Forces and civilian practice?

The procedure adopted by these committees in selecting doctors for recruitment to the Forces provides for a full investigation in each case of the needs of civilian practice. The local committee invites representations both from the doctor himself and from interested parties, such as his partners, or, if he is an assistant, his principal, a hospital or any public authority by whom he is employed, and if he is an insurance practitioner, the Insurance Committee. These recommendations are fully considered and if so desired are made orally. If the local committee recommends recruitment, objecting parties may make representations to the Central Committee in the same way.

asked the Minister of Health what is the personnel of Sir Arthur Robinson's committee in relation to the recruitment of doctors for the Armed Forces; when the committee was constituted; what are its functions; to what extent it works in conjunction with the Central Medical War Committee; and how is the liaison effected?

As regards the first two parts of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to my hon. Friends the Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Mander) on the 6th February and the Member for Rochdale (Dr. Morgan) on 6th March. As the Committee completed its task in January the remaining parts of the Question do not arise.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether it is his intention to make a scheme for re-training of ex-service men disabled in the present war and provide facilities for such re-training; and when he will be in a position to make a statement?

Arrangements for the rehabilitation of disabled ex-service men under medical supervision are already in operation by the Ministry of Health's Emergency Service and my own Department. If the hon. Member has in view vocational re-training, the Question should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether he will publish the correspondence between the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Ministry with regard to consultation and co-opera-ion together with the memorandum submitted by the Institute?

My Noble Friend has received a memorandum from the Royal Institute of British Architects on post-war reconstruction, and expressed his desire to promote co-operation. I understand that the memorandum has already been published.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether he will consider setting up a special committee under the auspices of the Minister of Works and Buildings for the purpose of planning a new Britain after the war and, in particular, for consideration of such matters as the place of agriculture in the national economy, distribution of industry and the organisation of transport?

The preparation of plans for the post-war reconstruction of Britain is being undertaken under the auspices of a committee of Ministers of which I am chairman, and all the matters to which my hon. Friend refers will be considered by that committee. As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings stated in the course of the Debate on 19th March, my Noble Friend has invited a consultative panel of experts to assist him in the preparatory work for physical reconstruction.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will take steps to make it known to all civilian medical practitioners who are called in to attend naval ratings that they have to certify whether the rating is unfit to travel, as many medical practitioners are unaware of it and consequently become involved in an exchange of correspondence?

A notice drawing the attention of medical practitioners to this matter has recently been inserted in the "British Medical Journal" and" The Lancet."

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can give an assurance that all possible steps have been taken during the past few months to expedite the extension of ship repairing and building facilities in all Dominions and Colonies where there are reasonable possibilities of such extension?

Yes, Sir. While I can obviously not give details I can assure my hon. Friend that effective measures have been taken to extend shipbuilding and repair facilities in the Empire. During the last six months the number of warships building in the Dominions, India and the Colonies for the Naval Forces of the British Commonwealth has been more than doubled, and orders for a substantial number of merchant vessels have also been placed. The extension of naval repair services in the Dominions is a matter which can only be dealt with by the Dominion Governments; I am pleased to be able to record my thanks for the eagerness these Governments have shown to assist and the readiness with which they have welcomed Admiralty technical advice and co-operation. I am glad to say that warship repair facilities now exist and are being increasingly employed and constantly extended at almost all the main seaports of the Dominions, India and the Colonies. I am informed by My right hon. Friend the Minister of Shipping that he has taken, through his representatives in the Dominions, India and elsewhere, and with the full co-operation of the Governments concerned, all possible steps to ensure that repair facilities are adequately co-ordinated and improved.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will define the responsibilities of Ministers in connection with the British Broadcasting Corporation; to what extent the responsibility for administration remains with the Postmaster-General; and to what extent the Minister of Information is responsible for the work of the British Broadcasting Corporation?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the agreement between the Postmaster-General and the British Broadcasting Corporation, presented to Parliament in December, 1936 (Cmd. 5329). On 5th September, 1939, notice was given to the Corporation transferring to the Minister of Information the powers granted to the Postmaster-General under Clauses 4 (1), 4 (3), 5, 7 (3), 8 and 21 (except the last paragraph of Sub-Clause (2)) of this agreement. A further modification was introduced by the agreement between the Postmaster-General, the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Minister of Information, presented to Parliament in February, 1940 (Cmd. 6177).

asked the Minister of Shipping whether he will consider permitting owners who have lost their ships by enemy action or marine casualty and have received their insurance money to buy replacement tonnage which has been and continues to be built to the order of the Ministry?

It is open to ship owners, with the approval of the Government, to place orders for the construction of new ships. The general question of the disposal of ships already built and building to the order of the Ministry is under urgent consideration.

asked the Minister of Shipping whether, to avoid, particularly at this juncture, prosecutions of non-Aryan seamen, such as Chinese and Fijian, he will see that in such cases the war risks bonus of £5 is granted impartially to all over and above any differential wage, since the risk run is common to all?

Rates of pay, including bonus, are not a matter for my determination. I am, however, arranging for representations which have recently been made to me as regards the bonus for Chinese seamen to be discussed with the owners concerned.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will consider amending the Royal Warrant in order to give compensation to parents of youths in the Merchant Navy who lose their lives through enemy action?

The War Pensions and Detention Allowances (Mercantile Marine, etc.) Scheme already makes provision for the grant of pensions to the parents of merchant seamen who while serving at sea in British ships lose their lives through enemy action under similar conditions to those laid down for the Royal Navy. The terms of the Scheme on this point were most carefully considered in consultation with my statutory Advisory Committee and I have seen no ground for amending them.

asked the Minister of Supply which urban local authorities in Kent have sacrificed municipal railings for scrap?

The following urban local authorities in Kent have surrendered municipal railings for scrap:

asked the Minister without Portfolio what steps he is taking to survey South Wales with regard to the location of new industries, new roads and railways, canals, cleaning of rivers to reclaim agricultural land and the improvement of dock facilities; and whether he is taking steps to consult local authorities and experts in these matters?

The general policies which would guide action in the matters referred to by my hon. Friend are under the consideration of a Committee of Ministers of which I am chairman. Executive action in accordance with policy approved by the Government would be for the individual Departments concerned which are in touch with local authorities and equipped with expert advice.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give an assurance that where a vehicle has been impressed from an operator he will not sell the vehicle elsewhere without affording the original owner an opportunity to re-purchase at the price paid by the War Department, less proper allowance for depreciation?

I have been asked to reply. Arrangements for the disposal of vehicles acquired by the Fighting Services are under discussion but, as at present advised, I do not think it will be practicable to give first refusal to the original owners if the vehicles are to be distributed to the best advantage in the national interest.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the experience of the recent snowstorms, he is satisfied that all those highway autho- rities whose roads are liable to be obstructed in winter by falls of snow had provided themselves with adequate modern mechanical appliances for snow clearing; and whether he will instruct his road officers to report specially any instances where such a highway authority had neglected this precaution?

For the reasons given in my reply to a similar Question put by my hon. Friend on 13th March last, I feel that an instruction on the lines suggested would hardly be justified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the numbers of women members of the Land Army employed in Yorkshire?

The number of members of the Women's Land Army employed in the County of Yorkshire on 1st March, 1941, was 322.