asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider authorising a suspension of fees for patents and registered designs, which are temporarily rendered of little or no value on account of the Limitation of Supplies Order or the Concentration of Industry Scheme?

I do not regard this proposal as practicable. As I explained to my hon. Friend the Member for West Birmingham (Mr. Higgs) on 4th February, Section 18 of the Patents and Designs Act allows a patentee who has suffered loss as such by reason of hostilities to apply to the Court for an extension of the term of his patent. Where such an extension is granted, no renewal fees are charged. This provision should afford some relief in the circumstances envisaged in the Question.

Does not my right hon. Friend think it rather hard luck that people who have no income coming in should have to go on paying fees to preserve their rights, when they have been deprived of a living by my right hon. Friend's own action?

If they think that the patent is no use to them, they should not use it.

I think my right hon. Friend has not grasped the point. People are prevented by him from using their patents, yet his Department goes on collecting fees from them for something which he will not let them use,

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to concentrate production in the printing industry?

For the reasons explained by my hon. and gallant Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, in Debate on the Motion for the Adjournment on 13th May, no 5uch steps are being taken.

Has the attention of my right hon. Friend been drawn to the very large quantities of printed matter which are sent out each week by the big stores? Does he appreciate that this unnecessary printing is a great waste of our shipping space, and that it is very subversive to the savings campaign?

The control of paper is not a matter for my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for War the percentage of men of military age serving in His Majesty's Forces in Northern Ireland, and the comparable figure for Great Britain?

I regret that the required information is not available.

Is the information being withheld, or is it not available?

No, Sir, it is not being withheld; the difficulty is to obtain accurate information. Many people go from Southern Ireland to Northern Ireland and enlist there, because they cannot do so in Southern Ireland and men from Northern Ireland sometimes enlist in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether there is any rule preventing the private showing of films to troops within a certain distance of any public cinema?

The contracts under which the War Office and the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes hire films from the trade provide that they should not be shown within two miles of a public cinema. No restrictions are, of course, placed on the exhibition of films owned by the War Office or Ministry of Information or of films hired from film libraries available to the ordinary public.

Would my right hon. and gallant Friend make this perfectly clear to the military authorities, because I think many of them are under a misapprehension on the point?

Certainly. If there is any doubt, perhaps the Answer I have given to-day will clear the matter up.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that mechanical transport instructors in the Auxiliary Territorial Service hold the same rank and receive the same pay as the latest-joined recruit whom they instruct; and whether he will reconsider this system, which is not good for discipline or fair to the instructors?

Instructors at the training centre for motor transport companies of the Auxiliary Territorial Service are either section-leaders or sub-leaders. In addition, a certain number of drivers, some of whom may be chief volunteers, may act as assistant instructors. I am not aware that this system gives rise to any difficulties in practice.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend not aware that it is contrary to all precedent and usage to have instructors and recruits on the same basis both of rank and of pay, as is the case in this Service?

On the figures I have, I do not think there are many in that position. As I said, I am not aware that any difficulties have arisen.

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether he is now in a position to make a statement regarding officers' outfit allowance?

I have given this question very careful consideration, and have had the advantage of discussing it with Members from all sides of the House. Hon. Members are aware that the existing outfit allowance is mainly based upon an official price list, which has been accepted, through their trade organisations, by tailors throughout the country; and I would emphasise that uniforms of War Office standard materials can, in fact, be obtained at these prices. I am aware that, in some cases, tailors will quote higher prices for uniforms made up in their own materials, and will not quote the official price for uniforms made up in standard materials unless specifically asked to do so by the customer. Newly-commissioned officers, therefore, should insist, in their own interests, upon seeing the official price-list which has been agreed between the War Office and the trade organisations of the tailoring industry.

I have drawn attention to this aspect of the question because it is clear to me that officers are not always aware of their rights in the matter. On the general question, however, I realise that officers, even so, cannot always buy in the cheapest market, and that some articles which are not included in the list of essential articles of uniform are, nevertheless, often bought by officers. For these reasons, and to ease the position of newly-joined officers generally, I propose to increase the outfit allowance from £30 to £35, with effect from 1st January last.

While thanking my right hon. and gallant Friend for that answer, might I ask whether the camp kit will be issued free of charge to officers, in addition to the allowance of £ 35? Will he publish the official price list in the OFFICIAL REPORT, for the guidance of all concerned?

I see no objection to publishing the official price list. As a matter of fact, every man leaving an Officer Cadets Training Unit is provided with that list.

Is it not perfectly clear that if a man or a number of men persist day after day and hour after hour, they can get what they want?

Is the tailor bound to supply the articles at the official price?

Yes, they have agreed to do it.

Is dating the concession from 1st January the best that the right hon. and gallant Gentleman can do? Is not that a rather arbitrary date? As there were many officers who obtained their commissions before then, cannot he date the concession from the date suggested by the deputation, to the beginning of the war?

I have given that matter very careful consideration, and, have looked at it from all points and angles, and I do not think I can do better than to date the concession from 1st January.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the lack of social amenities, such as accommodation for recreation and refreshment, for the troops in a certain place of which he has been informed, and the hardship caused by the only hotel being reserved for officers' billets; and whether he will arrange for this state of affairs to be remedied?

So far as I am aware, no complaints have been received that the facilities for recreation and refreshment at the place to which ray hon. Friend refers are inadequate, but I am making further inquiries, and will communicate with him as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will remove the anomaly of non-payment of benefit in respect of a soldier's illegitimate child which is solely dependent upon him and in respect of whom benefit was paid when the soldier was in receipt of unemployment benefit before enlistment?

In the great majority of cases, a soldier who before enlistment was eligible for unemployment benefit in respect of an illegitimate child, would be eligible for family or dependants' allowance from Army funds in respect of the child. If my hon. Friend will let me know the type of case in which he considers that an anomaly arises, I shall be glad to look into it.

I will certainly give my right hon. and gallant Friend the information. But is it not possible for the War Office to adopt the policy that wherever unemployment benefit or any other benefit accrues, it shall accrue in respect of soldiers who have enlisted?

Perhaps my hon. Friend will let me look into the type of case he has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the number of serving soldiers whose homes are being destroyed in air raids, he will consider permitting commanding officers to increase the number of free railway warrants that they are allowed to issue to troops proceeding on compassionate leave?

Commanding officers already have authority to issue free warrants to all soldiers and officers below field rank who are granted compassionate leave for the purpose of visiting their homes when these have been seriously damaged or relatives have been seriously injured as a result of enemy action. These free warrants are additional to the normal entitlement of two free leave warrants a year.

Is it the fact that a man may get free warrants on two separate occasions if his home has been bombed twice?

Yes, Sir; if a soldier is unlucky enough to have his home bombed twice or three times, he gets his free warrant on each occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he can state for a date in each three months, since March, 1939, the number of those serving sentences as conscientious objectors, and the varying length of the sentences being served;

(2) whether he can state, for a date in each three months since March, 1939, the location of civil prisons; the number of males confined therein, distinguishing between those claiming to be conscientious objectors and others; and how many of the former are serving a second or third sentence under the Military Training and the National Service (Armed Forces) Acts?

As the reply involves a table of figures, I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will examine afresh the whole question of the present artificial boundaries between vulnerable, neutral and evacuation areas, with a view to a revision of the existing boundaries on lines more in accordance with recent experiences?

Classification of areas for the purposes of the Government evacuation scheme is constantly under review in consultation with the Service and other authorities concerned, and full account has been and will continue to be taken of the recent experiences referred to by the hon. and gallant Member.

In view of the fact that the public, and indeed, many of the local authorities, have no longer any confidence in the present boundaries, which were fixed before the war, and in view of the difficulties with which the right hon. Gentleman has to contend in advising them as a result of his statement, will he consider abolishing them altogether in the light of the facts?

That is an exceedingly difficult question to answer, and the balance of advantages, I think, is in favour of having, in the main outline, the scheme which has hitherto existed.

In view of his present knowledge, will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the present boundaries?

I have answered that they are continually under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of cases during air raids, where policemen have found themselves handicapped by the absence of training in the use of fire fighting appliances, he will arrange for all police personnel being provided with such training?

No case of the kind referred to has been brought to my notice, but, if my hon. Friend will give me particulars of any instance he has in mind, I will be glad to look into it. In common with all citizens, the police are expected to deal with incendiary bombs so far as their duties permit, and all members of Scottish Police Forces have been trained in methods of combating them. My hon. Friend will appreciate, however, that the use of Fire Brigade appliances is no part of normal police duties.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the reasons for the delay in making available to consumers, both the reinforced white flour bread and the whole meal loaf; and when these commodities will be freely available to the general public?

:Delay in the production of fortified white flour has been due to a mechanical breakdown, now remedied. Distribution will commence in about a fortnight's time but, owing to the heavy reserve stocks of unfortified flour, it will be a matter of some months before all white bread is fortified. Bread made from National Wheat meal is becoming generally available to meet the growing demand for this loaf. Where difficulties occur in consumers obtaining this type of bread, my Department will be pleased to advise as to a source of supply.

Would we not save 1,000,000 tons of shipping if we went over to whole meal bread and did our own milling in this country?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what steps are taken to ensure that the inhabitants of badly bombed districts receive, if necessary, some increase over normal rationing.

According to the needs of the situation, emergency feeding centres are opened and mobile canteens and food convoys sent into the area in addition to the provision of food and rest centres by the public assistance authority. When necessary food rationing may be temporarily suspended.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that inadequate supplies of sugar will involve a serious waste of home-grown fruit which might have been used for the making of jam; and whether he will officially encourage the more general use of substitutes, such as saccharine or sax in, which have the advantage of containing no fattening qualities, by all who consume tea and coffee, so that our limited supplies of sugar can be used for the making of jam?

Adequate supplies of sugar are available for fruit preservation to jam manufacturers, canners and fruit preservation centres. The possibility of making a special allowance of sugar to householders when the stone fruit crop is available will be considered in the light of the supply position. The public is already aware that saccharine is available for sweetening tea and coffee.

Is there any difficulty about the raw materials of these substitutes? The point of the Question was whether my hon. and gallant Friend will officially encourage the use of these substitutes.

I cannot say that, but the fact is that substitutes are available at the present time, if people wish to take them instead of sugar and use sugar for other purposes, but I cannot officially encourage their use.

Would it not be a greater economy to use substitutes, so that sugar could be made available for the manufacture of jam?

Sugar has certain qualities which these substitutes have not.

If the hon. and gallant Gentleman recommends the use of saccharine, will he prevent the price from jumping up?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is satisfied that the Scottish fishermen will be able to secure and land the incoming early summer herring; and whether he has plans for rendering available the transport for distributing the usual gluts of early herring quickly to inland districts?

The answer to both parts of my hon. and gallant Friend's Question is in the affirmative.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman taking steps to ensure that surplus herrings are frozen and stored in the millions of vacant cubic feet of cold storage so that feast and famine conditions can be avoided?

We are making arrangements to preserve the herrings and storage accommodation will be provided.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has considered the communication addressed to him by a Nottingham citizen who first brought to the notice of the chairman of the North Midland Food Investigation Committee the case of profiteering in tinned marmalade which was at once investigated by him and reported on with renewed recommendations; and whether, in view of the established facts, he is now prepared to make a further statement thereupon?

The reply to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative and to the second part in the negative.

Does the hon. and gallant Gentleman realise that public opinion accepts the statements made by the chairman of that committee and the facts as he showed them; and, in view of the very inconsistent and conflicting statements that the hon. and gallant Gentleman has made, will he take the House into his confidence and tell us why this committee is being side-tracked?

I have already informed the hon. and gallant Gentleman on so many occasions that I have almost despaired of his listening to anything I say. If the public accept the facts, all I can say is that the public is accepting statements that are not correct.

Arising out of the very unsatisfactory position, and owing to the fact that what the hon. and gallant Gentleman said I did not accept is not correct, I shall raise the whole matter on the Adjournment on the first available day, and ask that the report of the committee should be presented to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the air-raid precautions messenger service youths employed by local authorities perform arduous and dangerous duties; and will he arrange for them to be issued with steel helmets and civilian service respirators?

I am aware of the valuable services rendered by the youths who act as Civil Defence messengers, and arrangements have been made to secure that members of the authorised establishment receive appropriate equipment as suggested by my hon. Friend. My right hon. Friend is examining the sufficiency of the establishment with a view to making increases in particular areas as dictated by experience.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the Bristol Corporation, finding that their authorised establishment was not sufficient to cope with difficulties when communications broke down, recruited extra messengers who had to go out in a blitz without steel helmets or respirators? Would my hon. Friend hasten the decision about authorising an issue of helmets for these extra recruits?

Certainly, Sir.

asked the Home Secretary how many cases have been considered by the Committee set up by him to deal with cases of citizens of friendly countries detained under a deportation order; how many cases await hearing; and in how many cases has release from detention been granted?

The Committee appointed to advise my right hon. Friend on the cases of non-enemy aliens detained under Article 12(5A) of the Aliens Order has so far considered 316 of the cases referred to it. Fourteen further cases await hearing. Of the cases considered by the Committee, the release of 114 persons has been authorised. In addition my right hon. Friend has authorised the release of 276 detainees without reference to the Committee.

Does my hon. Friend really think the situation is satisfactory and quite fair to these people? It is quite true that they have the right to appear before the Committee, but is it not the case that they are not told what charges are to be brought against them? It is a difficult thing for a man to answer a charge if he does not know the nature of the charge.

I have examined many transcripts of proceedings before the Committee and invariably it is the practice of the Committee to put to the detained person facts which are known to his detriment.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the anxiety caused to local authorities in industrial areas by the lack of knowledge or confusion of ideas concerning the arrangements for fire-bomb watching and fire-bomb fighting, made by firms in their area; and whether he will see that firms furnish local authorities with details of their schemes, so that effective co-ordination may be understood, and be capable of adaptation for all or any emergencies?

My right hon. Friend has already arranged that Government Departments, which are appropriate authorities under Article 7 of the Business Premises Order, should advise the Regional Commissioners of the approval of fire-prevention arrangements proposed by firms with which they are concerned. My right hon. Friend is not clear that any sufficient advantage would accrue to compensate for the additional labour involved if this information was passed on to local authorities, but he will consider the matter further if my hon. Friend will give particulars of the respects in which he has found the present arrangements defective.

I shall be glad to do so.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is considering steps to oblige property owners to share the executive and financial responsibility for the fire watching of their premises; and also to enforce upon the occupiers of business premises a stricter fulfilment of the obligation already nominally entailed upon them to make adequate arrangements in this matter?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 15th May to the hon. and gallant Member for Ayr Burghs (Sir T. Moore). While my right hon. Friend is always ready to consider ways in which fire-prevention arrangements can be improved, he sees no reason, after fully considering the possible alternatives, for departing from the course at present adopted, of placing obligations on the occupier rather than on the owner and of placing responsibility for enforcement of the Regulations on the appropriate authorities concerned.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in fact many occupiers clear off to the country at night without having made any arrangements, and that none of the people doing duty on the streets know to whom to apply if they wish to enter a building?

If occupiers do that, they are breaking the law.

Will my hon. Friend instruct local authorities to initiate prosecutions without delay? It is an example that is needed.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that air attack inevitably creates a number of novel problems, affecting the movement, housing and feeding of the people, the effective solution of which demands a staff and line organisation on a national and regional basis, as in the case of fire, he will consider the advisability of appointing a Minister of Civil Defence or make such other appropriate changes in the national and regional organisation as he thinks fit so that the courage of the people and the devotion of officials and voluntary workers is worthily matched and reinforced?

His Majesty's Government are naturally fully alive to the new problems created by air attack, and we do not hesitate to make changes in the national, regional and local organisation of Civil Defence to meet new conditions. But I do not consider that a radical change in the present chain of responsibility is necessary or desirable in present circumstances.

Without asking for any definite proposal, do I understand that the Prime Minister has not a word to say on this subject?

I hope I have not yet got to my last word.

asked the Minister of Supply what percentage of factories on war munition making are working a full 24 hours' day?

Conditions vary so greatly from time to time and place to place, having regard to enemy action and other considerations, that I doubt whether any reply would give an accurate picture. Moreover, the compilation would require a very large expenditure of effort in statistical research.

Are factories getting all the coal they require to keep them going?

That is not a question for me.

Is my hon. Friend satisfied that industry as a whole is organised on a total war basis?

That is a question that we shall be discussing in the near future. My right hon. Friend is never wholly satisfied. I should describe his condition as one of qualified optimism.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he has any statement to make on a recent Report from the Select Committee on National Expenditure, which deals with a suggested process for the treatment of Army leather boots reputed to give them an extended life and effect an economy in expenditure?

The Select Committee recommended a more extended wearing test than that which had been carried out, and also agreed that it was desirable to test the boots under all conditions, both summer and winter. Arrangements have been made with the War Office to conduct wearing tests this summer. In addition to the evidence supplied by wearing tests on Army boots, it is necessary also to consider any factors which may in any degree affect efficiency. All these factors will be borne in mind in connection with the tests which are now being undertaken, and a report will be submitted to the Select Committee as soon as possible.

Would my hon. Friend agree that if the claims for this process are sustained, very great economies will be affected financially and a quantity of leather will be available for other purposes? Speed is essential in dealing with this matter.

Claims are often made by inventors, and it is necessary to establish them.

When the Minister says, "under all conditions," does it mean that he wants to test them under both war and peace conditions, and, if so, is that the reason for the delay?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the value of board and lodging will be taken into account in computing employés' assess able income?

No, Sir.

Does not my right hon. Friend think it is an unfair incidence of taxation that people with £100 or £150 a year have included in their wages free board and lodging, whereas those who do not have free board and lodging included have to bear the full burden of taxation?

That is one contention which can be made, but any additional advantage which a person may receive cannot be added to his wages for the purpose of taxation unless it can be turned into money.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the Notice of Motion down in the names of over 150 Members of Parliament of all parties favouring a national State scheme of family allowances, he will cause an estimate to be prepared of the approximate cost of such a scheme at the rate of 5s. weekly for every child under 15 years of age in the United Kingdom, on the assumption that the gross cost would be reduced to the extent of the provision already made out of State or local government funds for such children, through rebates on Income Tax, or through allow- ances directly paid on behalf of children of men in the Armed Forces, of war pensioners, of civilian widows, of persons coming under unemployment insurance or under the Assistance Board or the public assistance authorities, or for evacuated children, or any other relevant provision; and, if the figures under any of these headings are unobtainable, will he indicate the factors omitted?

An estimate is being prepared of the cost of paying an allowance of 5s. a week in respect of every child under 15 in the United Kingdom. It is uncertain how far a complete estimate could be made of the extent to which the cost would be reduced on the assumptions made in the latter part of the Question, but the matter is being immediately investigated and I will inform my hon. Friend in due course.