asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the increased cost of living, consideration is being given to an increase in the family allowance for junior married officers?

The whole question of rates of family lodging allowance payable to junior married officers is at present under review.

the Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to alter the conditions of grant of the Territorial Decoration, to allow embodied service in the present war to count double, as in the case of the war of 1914 to 1918?

The conditions of award of the Territorial Decoration are at present under review.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in the case of British military operations, there are any official photographers attached to the operating forces who send photographs home for publication; whether he is aware of the complaints in America of the way in which Britain has handled news and photographs of the war in the Middle East; and whether he will rectify the matter?

:Twelve official still photographers and six official cine-cameramen are attached to British and Dominion forces in the Middle East. In addition, six newsreel cameramen are accredited to the Middle East Command. I am aware that complaints have been made of delay in the transit of photographs from the Middle East. The question has, however, been taken up with the Departments concerned, and I understand that the position has recently been much improved.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Englishmen drafted to Scottish regiments, part of whose walking-out dress is the kilt, are compelled to wear this garment?

The wearing of the kilt for walking out is compulsory for pipers and drummers in Scottish regiments. For all other personnel of these regiments in possession of a kilt, its use for walking out is entirely optional.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that some Indian political prisoners are handcuffed and put in chains; whether this is a normal and general practice respecting political prisoners; and whether he will give instructions that political prisoners whose Indian patriotic motives are unquestioned, and who are guiltless of any violent act, will not be handcuffed or chained or treated as ordinary criminals?

I have no information of any case such as is suggested by the hon. Member. The use of handcuffs and fetters is not a normal practice in India for any class of prisoner. Their use is permitted as a punishment in cases of persistent indiscipline.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has any information respecting the automobile industry in India and its possible development now and in the future?

:Several plants for the assemblage of automobiles from imported parts are at work in India, but there has as yet been no manufacture as distinct from assemblage. I should certainly welcome the establishment of the motor industry in India and that also is the attitude of the Government of India. But at present there are difficulties connected with the provision of machinery, materials and skilled labour, especially for any enterprise which cannot be regarded as directly assisting the prosecution of the war, which have to be overcome before progress can be made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping whether he is prepared to arrange that the national lifeboat service be embodied in the Civil Defence services, with adequate national provisions to equip and give security to its members?

I am informed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution that there is no desire on the part of the institution or the lifeboat crews for any change in their present status and I know of no reason why the existing arrangements should be altered. The institution inform me that they have no difficulty in obtaining the equipment they require for their boats and crews.

asked the Home Secretary what facilities have been granted to friendly aliens detained under Regulation 12 (5A), to be told what allegations there are against them; and what opportunities those aliens have been granted to furnish an answer to those allegations when they appear before the Advisory Committee?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for East Aberdeen (Mr. Boothby) on 8th May.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has given consideration to the case of Dr. and Mrs. Krock; and is any action to be taken?

I authorised the release of Dr. and Mrs. Krock on 14th May.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to recent changes in the treatment of internees who have been sent to Australia; and whether he was consulted before a ban was instituted on telegrams and restrictions were imposed on the conditions under which visitors may be seen?

:The answer to both parts of the Question is in the negative, and I shall be glad if my hon. Friend will furnish me with the information on which he bases his Question. As regards telegrams, I would refer to the reply which I gave on 24th April to a Question by the Senior Member for the Combined English Universities (Miss Rathbone). I am expecting an early decision by the Australian Government in the matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the complaints of colour prejudice in the selection of stretcher-party leaders in the borough of St. Pancras; and whether he will investigate these complaints and give public assurance that no such prejudices will be tolerated in air-raid precautions work of any kind?

I have received a report on the incident which no doubt gave rise to this Question and can, I hope, now be regarded as closed I am satisfied that it does not connote any colour prejudice and was largely due to a misunderstanding. In so far as it is a matter over which I have control, I am, however, happy to give the assurance asked for in the second half of the Question.

asked the Home Secretary why gas identification officers are not allowed samples of lewisite and mustard gas for training purposes?

This matter has already been under review and, while it is not judged necessary to provide separate samples for all officers, arrangements have been made for samples to be available for groups of officers.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make a statement as to the progress which has been made in carrying out the measures taken by him to give compensation to the internees who suffered the loss of money and property on the steamship "Dunera."

The internees who were on the "Dunera" and are now in Australia were invited to submit claims if they suffered any loss during the voyage. These claims have been examined in Australia by a representative of His Majesty's Government, and his report is on its way to this country.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings what rentals are being paid for the use of land requisitioned by his Department for storage purposes; and what is the basis upon which these payments are made?

The sums paid for sites requisitioned for the erection of storage buildings vary according to the local circumstances. They are assessed in accordance with the terms of the Compensation (Defence) Act, 1939.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will call for a return now and again in two months' time of the number of racehorses in training, indicating how many are entire, mares, or geldings; and whether, whilst recognising that organised race meetings are necessary if the high standard of bloodstock is to be retained, he will consult the appropriate authorities with a view to eliminating indifferent horses, so that the minimum of essential bloodstock is encouraged by continuing such race meetings as are considered necessary for that purpose?

:A return of the number of horses in training is being obtained each month by the Ministry of Agriculture. There has been a substantial reduction in numbers during the past two months and the reduction is continuing. The Stewards of the Jockey Club have already intimated that selling races will not be run after June. This will have the effect of eliminating a number of the indifferent animals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that several firms who were under contract for cutting and maintaining grass near aerodromes before the war have had their contracts terminated; and, as this large acreage of grass produces an enormous yield which is now going to waste, whether he will confer with the War Office and Air Ministry with a view to using officers and men who are already experienced to make grass silage and so improve the feeding-stuff position?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. I am in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Air and the Minister of Aircraft Production on the general question raised in the second part.

asked the Minister of Labour the reason for the delay in publishing the monthly statistics of unemployment?

As Monday, 14th April, the date on which the count of the unemployed register would ordinarily have been taken, was Easter Monday, the count was postponed and taken on the following Monday, 21st April. The issue of statistics for April was correspondingly delayed and it was not possible to issue them until yesterday.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will inform local authorities that it is contrary to the policy of His Majesty's Government that they should dismiss or otherwise persecute their employés because they have asserted the right accorded to them by Parliament of being conscientious objectors?

The view taken by His Majesty's Government on this subject has been frequently expressed, notably in the reply by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 20th March of this year and also in replies which I gave on 18th July and 1st, 8th and 15th August of last year. I have no doubt that local authorities are aware of these replies.

asked the Minister of Labour what consultations took place between his Department on the one hand and the employers and workpeople in the coal industry on the other before applying the Essential Work Order to that industry?

Frequent consultations in regard to this matter with representatives of the employers and workers in the industry took place before the Order was made. These consultations were conducted by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, and my hon. Friend the Secretary for Mines, but my Department was represented whenever necessary.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the difficulty experienced by landlords in obtaining possession of unoccupied houses owing to the difficulty of tracing tenants who have disappeared; and whether, to ensure the proper use of all available accommodation, he will consider modification of the law?

My attention had already been called to the difficulty mentioned in the first part of the Question, and the question whether any action is practicable is being considered by my Department in consultation with the Lord Chancellor's Department.

asked the Home Secretary the reasons for the continued refusal of many chief constables to allow members of the legal profession access to statements taken by police officers after accidents; whether he is aware that this policy has been described by a county court judge as a public scandal; and whether he will look into the whole matter?

When a member of the public makes a statement to the police, this is usually done on the understanding that the statement will be used for police purposes only and will not be communicated to other people; and this confidence in the discretion of the police encourages the public to assist them. Chief constables are therefore reluctant as a general rule to pass on such information to private people or their solicitors for the purpose of civil actions. The general practice, however, is to give bona fide applicants the names and addresses of witnesses, so that the applicant may himself get in touch with the witnesses if he wishes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the arrival of better supplies of milk during the grass season coupled with the difficulty of working satisfactorily the system of non-reduction of milk supplied to those consumers who only take one pint or less, he will suspend the limitation scheme for the time being?

The aim of the Milk Restriction Scheme was to curtail milk consumption with the object of saving milk during the summer and converting the amount saved into cheese and condensed milk as a reserve for the winter months. The concession made in the case of households taking one pint or less of milk per day has resulted in a smaller saving of milk than was originally contemplated, but my Noble Friend still considers it very desirable to increase supplies of cheese and condensed milk and is not prepared to suspend the existing restriction.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why Messrs. T. Wall and Sons, Limited, and Messrs. Poulton and Noel, Limited, receive preferential treatment in the material allocated by the director of manufacture of meat supplies; and whether he is aware that the rest of the trade are ignored?

No preferential allocation of manufacturing meat has been made to either of the firms mentioned.

asked the Minister of Information how many newspapers are in circulation, giving separate figures for daily and weekly publications?

The latest information is that there are 133 daily newspapers and 1,680 weekly newspapers in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Economic Warfare whether he will consider the advisability of applying to Japan the system of rationing of supplies as adopted in other cases in this and the last war?

:By means of export licensing a careful check is already kept on supplies from British sources to countries which may be assisting our enemies by passing on such supplies, and the position is under constant review.