asked the Secretary of State for War the normal length of time taken to bring a soldier before a court-martial; and whether he will arrange that in all cases such trials shall take place without undue delay?

I regret that there are no statistics readily available which would enable me to answer the first part of the Question. As regards the second part, every effort is made to reduce to a minimum the period between arrest and court-martial, and I am considering whether any further instructions are necessary. If my hon. Friend is aware of any case in which there appears to have been undue delay, I should be very glad if he would bring it to my attention.

Will my right hon. and gallant Friend give equal attention to the time which elapses between conviction and promulgation of sentence?

Yes, Sir. I will look at both points.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider utilising the large number of laid-up motor-cars for the purpose of making the Home Guard more mobile and therefore more efficient?

Adequate arrangements have been made to meet the transport requirements of the Home Guard, both under present conditions and in time of emergency. These arrangements include the use of unlicensed and uninsured cars or their earmarking for future use, where necessary.

Does not my right hon. and gallant Friend think it would be a good thing if these cars were issued out now, so as to enable Home Guard commanders to keep in closer and more constant touch with the various units?

I do not think that would be a good plan at present. The transport is earmarked if and when it is needed, and the primary role of the Home Guard is a static one.

Is there a large number of laid-up cars?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now give an assurance that complete co-operation now exists between the Army and the Royal Air Force and that actual operational exercises have been and are being continued as a part of Army training in tactics?

All possible steps are being taken to secure the highest degree of co-operation between the Army and the Royal Air Force. Exercises in conjunction with formations of the Royal Air Force have been and are being carried out as part of Army training in tactics.

asked the Secretary of State for War the reason for the long delay, from 8th February till 21st April, 1941, in giving consideration to the case of 2nd-Lieutenant H. D. Pullein-Thompson, who was informed that his period of absence from duty on full pay after illness had terminated on 2nd February; and whether, in view of the importance in cases where the facts are disputed, he will give directions for more rapid action in future, owing to the difficulties likely to be experienced by officers under these circumstances?

The delay to which my hon. Friend refers was due to the fact that it was necessary to obtain full reports of the medical history of this case through the Command. I would not like my hon. Friend to think, however, that the more urgent aspects of the case were not being considered in the meantime because authority was given on 14th March for the continuance of the officer's pay up to 2nd May. As regards the second part of the Question, the importance of dealing promptly with cases of this kind has been impressed on all concerned, and further instructions on this subject have been issued in the last few days.

Do I understand that this officer's pay has ceased from 2nd May?

Yes, Sir. He was given an extended period for a further three months.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give a rough estimate of the cost of increasing the outfit allowance to Army officers from £30 to £40 as from the date the purchase tax became effective and the additional annual cost?

I am afraid that it would not be in the public interest to give these figures, since they would enable the enemy to calculate the number of officers commissioned since the introduction of the Purchase Tax and the number that it is estimated will be commissioned annually.

I appreciate that, of course, but does not my right hon. and gallant Friend realise that with the figure at £30 an officer without private means either has to incur a debt or to go without something that might be important, and according to. the War Office official list they are not even expected to wear socks, pants, vests or a macintosh, not to mention other things?

Conversations are taking place between my hon. Friend and myself, and perhaps we might leave it at that.

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman's statement mean that we are going to impose the means test here?

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman also bear in mind that to-day a number of poorer people are being promoted from the ranks to commissioned rank and find themselves in a difficult financial position? Will he consider their cases when he is considering the whole matter?

I do not quite appreciate the hon. Member's point. The point raised was that of kit allowance for officers, and, as I have said, certain conversations are going on.

Assuming that it is fair that officers should have to pay Purchase Tax on normal replacements, does my right hon. and gallant Friend think it fair or desirable that they should have to pay Purchase Tax on their outfits when first commissioned?

That is a point which has been dealt with in Questions and answers in this House on many occasions, both by myself and the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

asked the Secretary of State for War, what is the average weekly amount of swill obtained from military units in this country; and of what it mainly consists.

I am afraid that no figures are available for the total amount of swill obtained from military units in this country, but from experiments carried out in selected units, it is believed that it averages about six ounces a head a day. This represents a very considerable reduction on the corresponding figure for a year ago. The swill consists of vegetable waste and plate scrapings.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend quite satisfied that nothing is left in this swill that is still suitable for human food, in view of the report which appeared in the Press lately of 200 loaves having been found in the swill from one unit?

I can only say that a very great improvement is taking place all the time, and as my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary said on the case raised by my hon. and gallant Friend:

"I am able to say that there is no foundation for the statement that the stores in question were reclaimed from Army swill tubs"

asked the Secretary of State for War what has been the reduction in the daily number of accidents caused to, or by, military motor-vehicles since he issued his recent preventative instructions.

I am glad to say that the number of accidents reported in March in which Army vehicles were involved was 19 per cent. less than those reported in February, and the figures for April show a further reduction of 12 per cent. on those for March. In this connection the House may like to know the results of a recent census and analysis of the fatal accidents in which War Department vehicles have been concerned in the first three months of 1941. During this period a total of 2,264 persons were killed in traffic accidents throughout Great Britain, and of these 2,137 were civilians. The number of civilians killed as a result of an accident in which a War Department vehicle was in any way concerned was less than 6 per cent. of this total and the number of cases in which an Army driver was to blame was just under 2 per cent. That is to say about 40 civilians were killed as a result of negligence by soldiers. The number of soldiers who were killed on the roads during the same period was 129, and, of these, 52 were killed as a result of the negligence of another soldier. I hope that these figures will help to remove certain misconceptions which have arisen with regard to the extent to which Army vehicles are responsible for casualties on the roads. But I would not like the House to think that the position is regarded with complacency by my Department, and I can assure them that the problem of securing a further reduction in the accident figures will continue to be pursued with the utmost vigour.

Very satisfactory.

Does not my right hon. and gallant Friend agree that Army drivers are taught to drive with resolution and confidence, and in an emergency would be called upon to do so, and is it not inexpedient to weaken that confidence by exaggerating the extent of the damage done by Army vehicles?

I am very glad to hear that tribute to Army drivers, with which I thoroughly agree.

But will they be trained to see that they do not kill the people on their own side?

Most certainly. The training of Army drivers is a most careful business.

When the right hon. and gallant Gentleman says that in only 2 per cent. of the cases were the accidents caused by the negligence of soldiers, will he tell the House who was the judge of that? How did the right hon. and gallant Gentleman arrive at the conclusion that in only 2 per cent. of the cases was there negligent driving by soldiers?

I presume that the remainder of the cases were not due to negligence.

The right hon. and gallant Gentleman is not seized of my point. In a particular case, who has to decide whether there has been negligence and who was negligent?

I take it that this information is the result of inquiries and investigations, possibly in civil courts.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is in a position to make a statement regarding the future of education in Scotland comparable to the declaration regarding England and Wales made by the President of the Board of Education?

I am aware that my right hon. Friend has referred in public statements to various aspects of the educational position after the war. These are matters which are being considered as part of the post-war reconstruction problem which, as my hon. Friend knows, is under consideration by a Cabinet Committee presided over by my right hon. Friend the Minister without Portfolio. I can assure him that Scottish traditions and Scottish needs in education will be fully presented.

Are we to understand from that reply that the Secretary of State realises the importance of keeping Scotland ahead in matters educational?

In view of the Answer of the right hon. Gentleman, and as I understand that the President of the Board of Education himself has announced that he is making a very full inquiry into English education, may I ask whether any appropriate Minister of Scotland is making the same kind of inquiry?

Yes, Sir, but these reports will go through the appropriate Cabinet Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he is now in possession of sufficient information with regard to the costs of production in Scottish hill sheep farming; and whether he can give an assurance that these costs will be taken into account when the new wool prices are fixed?

I have a good deal of information as to the very difficult financial position of hill sheep farming in Scotland, including evidence as to the increase and relative importance of the different items of cost in the farmers' outlays. This information will be fully taken into account when the 1941 wool prices are being fixed.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that breeders of black-face sheep are receiving 11½d. per lb. for their wool, while the Wool Controller is selling it at 1s. 2d. per lb. in Scotland, and that the merchants are further selling it at 1s. 5d., free on rail, in Scotland? Does he not consider that 50 per cent. increase is far too much, when the farmers are in want?

The latter part of my hon. Friend's question should, I think, be put to the Minister of Supply. The Question on the Order Paper was as to the amount that should be given to the wool producers. I would point out to the hon. Member that there are other considerations that must be taken into account besides actual wool prices. There is, for example, the 2s. 6d. subsidy given to hill sheep farmers for each breeding ewe.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the resolution recently passed by the Glasgow Corporation Emergency Housing Committee to the effect that, in the case of any persons deprived of their houses through enemy action, preference was to be given to previous tenants of corporation houses for rehousing in corporation-scheme houses; whether he is aware that tenants bombed out of houses not previously included in a corporation scheme have been informed that they cannot be given any accommodation in corporation schemes until all previous tenants of corporation schemes have been rehoused, and that a petition by such tenants against this announcement has been rejected by the corporation and whether he will consider compelling the Glasgow Corporation to rescind this decision and put all bombed-out citizens on an equal footing?

I have received representations against the resolution to which the hon. Member refers and have communicated with the Corporation of Glasgow in the matter. They inform me that only a small number of corporation houses are available. Of this number more than half have in fact been let to previous tenants of privately owned houses, although the number of corporation tenants requiring to be rehoused is nearly twice the number of corporation houses available. The resolution in question, however, has implications in relation to the corporation's future policy which seem to me to warrant further inquiries, and I will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as they have been completed.

Has my right hon. Friend any information whether any other local authority in the whole Kingdom has adopted this very unfair attitude, and is he aware that great indignation prevails in Glasgow in regard to this matter?

I have no information that any other local authority has passed a similar resolution.

Is it not a fact that the allocation of houses built under the Housing Act must be determined by the conditions laid down in the Act of Parliament, and also that Glasgow Corporation are not called upon to provide houses for bombed-out families, as such houses never were provided for?

Yes, Sir, but may I point out to the hon. Gentleman that Section 47 of the Act of 1935 specifically says that preference in the selection of tenants is to be given to those who are living under unsatisfactory housing conditions?

Has the right hon. Gentleman any information that the allocations do not conform to the conditions laid down in the Act?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has received the Report of the Commission on the Glen Affric Scheme of the Grampian Electric Supply Company; and whether, in view of the strong feeling in Scotland over this scheme, and the fact that this scheme will not benefit the war effort, he will suspend the consideration of the report until the end of the war?

Yes, Sir, I have received the Report of the Commission, who after inquiry into the Grampian Electricity Supply Order recommend that it should be issued, with certain modifications. I have no power to prevent individuals from promoting Orders nor to prevent Parliament from discussing and deciding upon contentious private legislation. In accordance with my duties under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1936, I shall be required to submit at some convenient date a Confirmation Bill. The responsibility for accepting or rejecting that Bill will then rest upon Parliament.

Since it lies within the jurisdiction of the right hon. Gentleman to submit the Bill, will he take care that the Bill is not submitted until the war is finished—if he is then still in his present office?

I am afraid that I have no option in the matter.

When is the Bill likely to be submitted?

I cannot say. I said it would be at some convenient date.

Will the right hon. Gentleman remember that, if we had only passed the Caledonian Power Bill, we should be better off to-day?

That is a highly disputable question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can make a statement re the hearing of the case for the Glen Affric plans of the Grampian Electric Supply Company; on whose authority members of the public were refused admission to the hearing; whether a shorthand verbatim report of the evidence was taken; and whether this will be printed and circulated, as is the rule in other important cases heard by the Commissioners and in which the public is keenly interested?

Yes, Sir. The Defence Regulation 6b provides that, where it is certified by the Secretary of State that it is necessary in the interests of- the Defence of the Realm that an inquiry by Commissioners under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act should not be held in public, the Chairman of the Commissioners is to give directions accordingly, and also to secure that no copy of the evidence is to be supplied except to the Secretary of State or to any party having a locus standi to appear at the inquiry. In the case of this inquiry I was advised that statements were likely to be made not only about the proposed new works but about the position and capacity of existing generating stations and transmission lines and the present and prospective load in the area north of the Forth for domestic, industrial and war needs, and I therefore granted a certificate under the regulation. A shorthand verbatim report of the evidence was taken, and while its publication would be contrary to the Regulation, I am considering means by which Members will have an opportunity of seeing the evidence.

Is this not a complete violation of the whole situation in this part of Scotland? Is it not a fact that all that is necessary to be known is already known, and that all this secrecy is causing great unrest in Scotland in regard to the promoters of the Scheme? We should like to know why this matter is being singled out, as it is something which cannot in any degree be of help during the period of the war?

I can only say that the advice given to me was entirely contrary to the statement made by the hon. Gentleman, and that the position and capacity of existing generating stations and transmission lines were likely to be elaborately referred to before the Committee.

Are they not already in operation and already known to the public as well as to other countries, and conse- quently there would be no divulging of secret information; and is it not the case that the right hon. Gentleman has been very badly advised in having this matter held in secret and behind closed doors?

I can only repeat that we must go by the highly specialised technical advice that we receive.

Is not such advice sometimes very untechnical? I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter at the first opportunity on the Motion for the Adjournment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the grievances suffered by Scottish male nurses serving away from home on account of their conditions being worse than those agreed for similar staffs in England and whether he has been able to ensure not less favourable conditions to the Scottish male nurses than those in effect in England?

I am glad to be able to say that the conditions for transferred male mental nurses in Scotland have been assimilated to those applicable to similar officers in England and the provisions operate retrospectively from the same dates. The new conditions briefly state that where a married officer is required to transfer his home he will be paid £1 1s. per week or be provided with free billeting, and that officers who can arrange to remove their homes will be refunded their removal expenses. In addition there are allowances to unmarried officers who have continuing liabilities. For further details I would refer the hon. Member to the terms of the circular, of which I am sending him a copy.

Does that mean that the retrospective payments will be made quite soon?

Yes, and they will be made back to the same dates as those from which they are paid in England.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why police action has been taken in several towns in Scotland against Scottish Nationalists; why their homes have been visited and searched, documents and papers seized, numbers of individuals taken to police stations, detained and subjected to prolonged cross-examination; and whether he can state on whose authority this action was taken, and under what powers?

I have been asked to reply. No action has been taken against any person because of his association with Scottish Nationalism or the Scottish Nationalist Party. In consequence, however, of information in the possession of the authorities, search warrants obtained under Defence Regulation 88A were executed on 3rd May at certain premises in which it was believed that evidence would be found bearing upon the commission by certain persons of acts prejudicial to the public safety and the defence of the realm. Some of the occupiers of these premises, who are not necessarily suspected of any offence, were asked to accompany the police to the police station for the purpose of inquiries, but there has been no detention except in one case, in which an Order was made under Defence Regulation 18BB, in one in which a conviction has since been obtained for a contravention of Section 3 (4) of the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939, and in another in which a charge has been brought for a contravention of the Firearms Act in respect of the unauthorised possession of quantities of firearms and ammunition. Investigations are still proceeding and I am not in a position to make any further statement.

Are people no longer allowed to have shot guns in Scotland for sporting purposes, and will the right hon. and learned Gentleman answer that part of the Question which asks on whose authority the action was taken?

With regard to the first part of the hon. Member's supplementary question, the firearms which were revealed were not of a kind used for sporting purposes. As regards the second part of the question, the procedure under the search warrants followed the ordinary course. They were granted on sworn informations, by sheriffs in certain cases and by justices of the peace in certain cases.

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman tell me that the whole series of raids on respectable citizens was carried out on the responsibility. of Sheriffs-substitute, and that he and the Secretary of State for Scotland are shuffling the responsibility on to the Sheriffs-substitute?

Certainly not. I think the hon. Member asked me whose authority was given for the search warrants, but, as I stated in my original Answer, the action was taken because of information in the possession of the authorities indicating that acts prejudicial to the public safety and the Defence of the Realm were being committed or were in contemplation, and the action was deliberately concerted with a view to the detection and prevention of those acts.

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman think that melodramatic nonsense of this sort is of any use to anyone?

rose —

I am not so easily shut up. I do not interrupt very often.

The hon. Member knows perfectly well that I should not allow that kind of language in a supplementary question.

That was just an aside. I want to ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he believes that the people whose homes were raided by the police—respectable citizens, many of whom he knows—many of whom are his personal friends and have been for years, have criminal intentions against the general welfare of this country? I am asking the Secretary of State for Scotland, to whom I put the Question down.

I have already made it plain that the purpose of the search, as the Defence Regulations make it plain, was to enable evidence to be obtained of the commission of certain offences by certain persons, not necessarily the persons whose premises were searched. I have made no allegation against any specific person.

You just sent police to break into the premises.

But I have stated, and I repeat, that the information in the possession of the authorities justified the search being made and I would venture to add that the discovery of the firearms and ammunition in itself justifies the action taken.

It is a lot of rubbish.

asked the Lord Advocate whether the General Board of Control for Scotland are in possession of the documents necessary to validate the detention of T. S. Taylor in Morningside Asylum, Edinburgh?

Mr. Taylor was placed in the Fife District Mental Hospital upon an order granted by the sheriff, and his transfer to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital for Mental Disorders was carried out with the sanction of the General Board of Control granted in accordance with their Statutory powers. The original Order, which is still in force, is kept at the Fife District Asylum to which Mr. Taylor was first committed, and a copy of it is in the possession of the General Board of Control.

May I ask whether, in the removal of this patient from one place to the other, one of the two certifying doctors was a private doctor or the family doctor of the individual?

I cannot answer that without inquiry, but I will endeavour to find out.

asked the Secretary for Mines, what progress is being made in the provision of canteen facilities at mines in the various districts?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Ince (Mr. G. Macdonald) on 26th March. Efforts are being made, in conjunction with the Miners' Welfare Commission and the mine managements, to provide further canteen accommodation at the pits.

Will that include mobile canteens, because some mines have not a suitable room for this purpose?

I think it must.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether it is intended to publish, in an abbreviated form, the Annual Reports of his department?

A general decision has been taken to suspend for the time being the issue of Department Reports not immediately essential to the current war effort. It is not, therefore, proposed to issue the Reports in question at present, even in an abbreviated form.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that there are plenty of matters in the mining industry which are far from satisfactory and which might warrant at least the issue of a summary?

I do not think there is any reason why we should not discuss in this House, or give publicity in another way to urgent matters of that kind, but there is a large mass of statistical information which would serve no good purpose at present.

But Ministers for other Departments have promised reports in an abbreviated form.

Yes, but there is really no reason why we cannot give all the information required without handing it round in printed form.

asked the Presirent of the Board of Trade whether he can make a statement as to the present position in relation to the concentration of the Lancashire textile industry.

For the spinning and weaving sections of the industry, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made on 29th April in reply to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Royton (Mr. Sutcliffe). I have discussed the concentration of the finishing sections with representatives of employers and operatives of those sections, and plans are now being prepared. Doublers and waste cotton spinners and manufacturers who wish to put forward voluntary schemes for the concentration of production should communicate with the Cotton Control, as soon as possible, and in any event not later than 15th June.

How far have these concentration negotiations proceeded by way of discussion?

The concentration arrangements are still under discussion. I think I can promise that the discussions will very shortly be concluded.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the reason why gramophone records are now being made at a factory, of which the name has been given to him, including "Deutschland Uber Alles" and German soldier songs in German; and who gave the order, and who is the customer?

I understand that the record in question has been in the makers catalogue since 1932, and that copies have continued to be supplied on demand until recently. I am informed, however, that no further copies of the record are now being made, and that there are no orders outstanding.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that they were being made, only a week ago? Does he think that this is at this stage the most useful way of employing British labour; or does he think that somebody was preparing a welcome for Rudolf Hess?

My information is that 22 copies of the records were made since 1st January. I hope that my hon. Friend will realise that other people's sense of humour is not always the same as his and mine.

Does my right hon. Friend really think it funny that British labour should be used in making these records?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any statement to make about the retail trade?

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he will be in a poistion to make a statement in order to alleviate great anxiety in the retail trades of this country, following the announcement that the whole question of the future of the distributive trades was under consideration?

The House is aware of the many and urgent problems which confront retail traders at the present time. My object is to ensure that the present disabilities from which they suffer do not press with unfair severity on any particular class or section of the retail trade. In order to ensure that the problem is fully considered in all its aspects, I have decided, after consultation with my right hon. Friends the Ministers of Labour and National Service and Food, to appoint a committee to advise me. I am not yet in a position to announce the full membership of the committee, but Mr. W. Craig Henderson, K.C., has agreed to act as chairman. I propose that the committee should include two members of independent standing, two representatives of labour, and five or six members with experience of the various categories of retail trade. This makes rather a larger committee than I could have wished, but I am satisfied that if it is to include knowledge and experience of the subject it cannot well be smaller, and it is my object to secure that any proposals put forward shall take full account of the various interests concerned. The terms of reference of the committee are as follow:

"To examine the present problems of the retail trade in goods other than food, having regard both to the immediate needs of the conduct of the war and to the position after the war, and to report."

When my right hon. Friend speaks of the representatives of labour, does he mean representatives of the trade unions in the distributive trade?

Yes, Sir.

Can my right hon. Friend give the House an assurance that, pending the report of this Committee, he will take no steps, by order or otherwise, for the concentration, or telescoping, of the retail trade?

It has never been part of the Government's policy to formulate plans for the concentration of the retail trade.

Arising out of my right hon. Friend's reply—

rose—

This is rather important.

We have spent about five minutes over this Question already.

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. In connection with the rather lengthy Reply to Question No. 31, could it not be arranged that when Ministers have very lengthy Answers they should be given at the end of Questions, so that there would be ample opportunity for Supplementary Questions? The Question raised very important issues, and you, quite properly, prevented further Supplementary Questions because of the slow progress being made; nevertheless, that did have the effect of excluding one or two Supplementary Questions of very considerable importance.

Very often when the Reply to a Question has been of unusual length, I have arranged for it to be taken at the end of Questions, so as to give an opportunity for further Supplementary Questions, but on this occasion I did not know that the Reply was going to be so long.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered the communications from Leyton and other education committees respecting an undesirable restriction in the manufacture of children's boots and shoes; and whether he is satisfied that the supply of this class of footwear will be adequate in the future?

The answer to the first part of the Question is, Yes, Sir; but I would add that the education committees who have made representations to me about the manufacture of children's boots and shoes appear to have relied on a communication addressed to them by the trade, for the information contained in which I cannot accept any responsibility. In reply to the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Mr. Benson), on 6th May.

Am I to understand that the impression conveyed by this trade association is quite unwarranted and unjustified?

As far as it is possible to secure it, we have arranged that the output of children's footwear should be the same as in 1940, with no serious shortages occurring.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the proposal that short propaganda films for this country are to be made in America; and whether he will take action to ensure that Government propaganda and other films are made in this country?

I am not aware of any proposal of the kind to which the hon. Member refers. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Information informs me that no films are being made or are likely to be made in U.S.A. for his Department; and as regards other films, I have already said several times that the Government will do all they can in present circumstances to maintain film production in this country.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a well-known film star recently announced that she was departing to Hollywood in order to make propaganda films for the Government?

My hon. Friend will scarcely expect me either to substantiate or to refute the statements of film stars.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made investigation into the cost of any scheme or schemes of family allowances, in order to ascertain the total cost of such schemes, after deduction of consequential savings, to the unemployment fund and other public services?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) on 20th March last.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider arranging for the payment of wages twice a week or on a staggered system during the week and make the existing currency do more work as an alternative to increasing the fiduciary issue of notes with the consequent danger of an uncontrolled expansion of credit by the joint stock banks?

No, Sir. An increase in the fiduciary note issue does not in present circumstances involve the danger which my hon. Friend fears. The volume of notes in circulation is governed by the public demand for them, and that demand is largely determined by the volume of employment caused by the Government's war expenditure and by the methods by which that expenditure is financed. The Government's financial policy is directed towards precluding the possibility of an unnecessary expansion of credit in any form.

While appreciating that answer, is it not the case that the volume of notes will also increase the volume of notes lying in the banks at certain times and enable the banks to issue more credit on account of this; and will the right hon. Gentleman also consider this subject from the point of view that the staggering of wages would be a great convenience to distributive trades in making purchases spread over the week instead of on one day?

Yes, Sir. I appreciate the last point put by my hon. Friend, but I think that, though his proposal about wage payments is presumably to secure economy in the use of bank notes, it would scarcely have any appreciable effect even in that direction. Any saving in the amount of bank notes would be non recurrent and confined at the most to those issued early in the first week of the change.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the desire of parents to maintain their children who have been evacuated to the United States of America, he will consider relaxing the present restrictions to permit small but regular sums of money to be sent to the American foster-parents; or whether he will consent to the formation in this country of a contributory fund, invested for the time being in war savings, but understood to be destined, after the war, for the American foster-parents, or whatever American charities may be agreed upon?

I fully appreciate the desire of parents to maintain their children who have been evacuated to the United States of America, but I would remind my hon. Friend that, in deciding to send these children to the United States, parents did so with a knowledge that permission would not be given to remit funds for their maintenance, and in practically all cases a declaration was signed before the children left this country to the effect that no application to make such remittances would be made. I fear that I cannot agree to waive this stipulation, for it is essential to our war effort that our exchange resources should be conserved to meet our very large overseas commitments in gold or dollars. As regards the second part of the Question, our need for dollars after the war will certainly be very great, and I fear that I could not agree to an arrangement on the lines proposed which would involve a burden on the exchanges after the war.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will include in the Finance Bill provisions to give some relief from Death Duties in the case of civilians killed as the result of enemy action?

Yes, Sir. The existing law provides certain relief from the Death Duties payable on the death of a member of the Armed Forces of the Crown, and also on successive deaths of such individuals, where the death occurs owing to enemy action. I have had under reconsideration the position in the case of civilian deaths and have decided to propose that relief should be allowed in their case. The Finance Bill will accordingly contain a clause providing for the extension to the case of civilians, whose death is due to injuries caused by the operations of war, of a relief from Death Duties similar to that given in the case of the Armed Forces. This provision will be retrospective to the beginning of the war.