asked the Minister of Health what is the approximate total amount contributed to Emergency Medical Service or public health services from the Viceroy of India's War Purposes Fund or any Indian funds; how many non-European Indians have been appointed as medical officers or specialists to the Emergency Medical Service; and whether Indian doctors and specialists receive equal consideration with British and friendly alien medical applicants for posts?

Of the total amount of nearly £9,000 which we have received from Indian sources, £300 was specifically for the provision of hospitals beds and the remainder was given for purposes connected with the evacuation scheme, but other contributions of the kind mentioned by my hon. Friend may have been made directly to local authorities or hospitals. Upwards of 20 Indian doctors have been employed by my Department in the Emergency Medical Service, but I cannot give the exact number without special investigation of the records and I understand that others have been employed directly by hospital authorities. The answer to the last part of the Question is, Yes, each candidate for a post in the Emergency Medical Service being considered according to his qualifications for the post to be filled.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will have inquiries made into the conditions prevailing at the East Didsbury Emergency Hospital, where a number of evacuees from the South London area are staying, particularly with reference to the treatment of Mrs. Tolladay, late of East Street, Walworth, who is in need of special medical attention, but who, after several weeks' illness, is still without medical advice?

I have made full inquiries through my Regional Officers, who have visited this institution and interviewed Mrs. Tolladay, a number of her companions and the medical officer responsible for them. From the report made to me it appears that Mrs. Tolladay is not at present in need of any special medical treatment, that she would receive it if she were in need of it, and that both she and her companions expressed themselves to be well satisfied with the attention which they have been receiving.

asked the Minister of Health why The Beeches, Saffron Walden, which was requisitioned for the military and later released by the War Office for use as a school, has been occupied by a private person; whether he will refuse his sanction to any application for its derequisitioning, which would mean the transfer of the Tottenham high school for girls to a place 100 miles from London; and. whether, in view of the danger that many children will return to London, he will take steps to secure the property for the school?

On the facts before me, it is doubtful whether this house can legally be held to have been under requisition at the date when the person to whom my hon. Friend refers entered into occupation; and in these circumstances the requisitioning has been terminated as from 19th February last. It is, however, understood that the education authority had, for other reasons, come to the conclusion that some alternative arrangement would be preferable and this is now under examination. I will communicate further will my hon. Friend in regard to this.

asked the Minister of Health how many chronic sick and bedridden patients are still housed in public health and public assistance institutions, in voluntary hospitals and homes for incurables in London and other large cities which have suffered intensive bombing; and what effort has been made to remove such patients from dangerous areas?

I could not give this total without elaborate and detailed inquiry from a large number of different authorities. The desirability of removing as many as possible of the chronic sick from the vulnerable areas is fully recognised both by my Department and by the local authorities concerned. The difficulties of securing total removal, however, are considerable, in view of the urgent demands upon existing accommodation for the acute sick, for casualties and Service sick, for transferred industrial workers and Civil Defence personnel, and for others who have an at least equal claim to priority and the necessity of keeping a large number of beds immediately available for emergency purposes. Every effort consistent with the other priority demands has been made to assist the removal of these cases; from the London area, for example, it has been possible to remove some 8,000 of the senile or chronic sick so far—4,000 from public assistance hospitals, and 4,000 from those found in the public shelters and temporarily accommodated in London institutions.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the increasingly serious situation in mental hospitals through the withdrawal of male nurses to the Fighting Forces; and whether he is considering the possibility of an extension of the Essential Work Order to cover the need of these hospitals?

As regards withdrawal of male nurses for the Forces, no change has been made in the Schedule of Reserved Occupations. Male nurses over 30 are not called up, and those under 30 are called up only for service in their profession. Applications for deferment of individuals receive full consideration by my right hon. Friend and in suitable cases recommendations for deferment are made to the Ministry of Labour and National Service. The Essential Work Order does not affect military service, but my right hon. Friend has under consideration the question whether an Order of similar effect should be made in respect of mental hospitals.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in cases where the chairman of a medical board defers examination for a definite period for hospital treatment and makes an entry to this effect in red ink on the grade card, the man will be granted compensation for loss of income during his period in hospital?

Medical boards are not empowered to require a man to undergo medical treatment or an operation, though they may in appropriate cases of temporary disability defer completion of examination and grading to a later date to be specified, together with the reason. I do not think, however, that I ought to prohibit the boards from giving advice to a man subject to his consulting his own panel doctor or other medical adviser and I could not accept a special charge on public funds on account of the expense or loss of earnings due to his following such advice. I am inquiring into the case of which my hon. Friend has sent me particulars.

asked the Secretary for Mines what number of pits have been idle in South Wales; and what number of men were affected, and number of working days lost in each week, separately, from 1st January last to 1st June 1941, due entirely to want of transport?

:. It would not be in the public interest to provide the figures required, but I shall be glad to send them to the hon. Member for his own information.

asked the Secretary for Mines what number of working days have been lost in South Wales from 1st September, 1940, to last available date in 1941, in the mining industry; what were the causes of the stoppages and how many men were affected, giving each week separately; and what action has he taken to secure a full working week?

It would not be in the public interest to provide the figures required, but I shall be glad to send them to the hon. Member for his own information.

asked the Secretary of State for War why married officers, under 30 years of age, are excluded from the special rates of family lodging allowance prescribed by Army Order 68 of 1941, for officers whose families remain at certain overseas stations?

The special rates to which my hon. Friend refers were introduced for the benefit of regular officers who in peace-time normally had their families with them at overseas stations and who were already entitled to family lodging allowance. As my hon. Friend is aware, officers under 30 years of age did not receive family lodging allowance in peace-time, but appropriate allowances were introduced as a war-time measure in order to provide for the families of officers under 30 who were called out for service or granted emergency commissions. The families of such officers are expected to remain in the United Kingdom, and, if they have in fact proceeded abroad, it has been at the officer's expense and risk and with his full knowledge that the allowance drawn in respect of his family will not be affected. As regards Regular officers under 30 whose families were at one of the overseas stations enumerated in Army Order 68 of 1941 when war broke out, they have already benefited from the fact that the allowances introduced for officers under 30, although primarily intended to meet the needs of the war-time officer, have been extended to Regular officers, and, as the families of Regular officers under 30 were not encouraged in peace-time to be at overseas stations, no further concession is warranted.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that an urgent postal telegram, dated 15th May, 1941, from the director, Auxiliary Territorial Service, requesting all Auxiliary Territorial Service officers to decide by 25th May whether they would accept commissions or be relieved of their appointments as officers did not reach many such officers until 23rd May, and contained very scanty information as to the obligations undertaken by those accepting commissions; and why longer notice and more ample information was not given?

I am aware that the original notification to Auxiliary Territorial Service officers of the decision to grant commissions was open to misunderstanding. The preliminary notice was, however, followed by a more detailed explanation of the circumstances in which commissions would be granted, and an extension of time was allowed.

asked the Secretary of State for War what amount of waste oil is drained from Army lorries and cars in the course of a week or month; what is done with it; and, if it is sold, what is the price obtained?

I am afraid that it would not be possible without calling for returns from every unit to state the amount of waste oil drained from Army vehicles over a given period. The amount of waste oil salved during the three months ended 31st May, 1941, however, was 8.56 per cent, of the amount of lubricating oil issued in that period, and this was sold at an average price of 3½. a gallon.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the medical equipment provided for Home Guard battalions contains no cotton wool, no substance out of which antiseptic lotions can be made, no vaseline, although this is officially approved for burns of the face and hands, no morphia or other sedative, no adhesive plaster or safety pins, and no splint long enough for the immobilisation of a fracture of the leg; and whether he will take steps to see that the medical stores supplied are not less than those provided for regimental aid-posts?

The Home Guard medical organisation is framed to fit in with the existing system of military and civil medical facilities. In view of the wide dispersion of sub-units of the Home Guard it is seldom practicable to adopt the system of an infantry battalion with a regimental aid post, and the normal practice is to establish sub-unit aid posts at which casualties will be collected for evacuation to the nearest field aid post or hospital, civil or military, which will have all items of medical equipment necessary for first aid. Medical equipment has been provided for the sub-unit aid posts on a scale that is considered sufficient to meet the requirements of their limited role.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the commissioning of officers of the Home Guard, he will now grant to those officers the same privileges in regard to first-class travelling warrants as those enjoyed by offices of the Regular Army?

No, Sir. It is an accepted principle in the Home Guard that no distinction is made between officers and other ranks as regards financial privileges.

asked the Secretary of State for War what are the powers that can be exercised by members of factory Home Guard units in the protection of their factories; and whether, when on duty in these factories as Home Guardsmen, they are at all times possessed of the same powers of arrest, search and detainment, as are possessed by the civil police, and as are extended to members of the Armed Forces by Section 88 (c) of Defence Regulations?

Members of the Home Guard are members of the Armed Forces of the Crown. When on duty and in uniform, therefore, they have, for the purposes of carrying out their duty, the same powers as those extended to members of His Majesty's Forces by Defence Regulation 88c. The Home Guard has, of course, no duties in connection with factory disputes. The duty of the Home Guard in factories is to protect the factory against enemy action which may take the form of sabotage or of direct attack.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider establishing an air department at the War Office as an alternative to an Army air arm?

For the last 18 months there has been a section of the War Office whose sole task is co-operation with the Air Ministry on all aspects of air support for the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the demand for trained men for munitions production, he will consider the advisability of releasing skilled men from the Forces after they have received adequate military training?

As my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary stated in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Dewsbury (Mr. Riley) on 28th May, I am always willing to consider the release of individual men from the Army where a sufficiently strong case is made out and it is supported by the Government Department directly concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the serious losses of equipment and stores which have taken place in a certain military camp in Herefordshire, which culminated in the prosecution and conviction of, approximately, 14 people for receiving these goods; is he aware that great uneasiness is felt in the district through the knowledge that between £200 and £300 worth of stores can be appropriated from such a small camp over a considerable period of time without being discovered; and is he satisfied that a system of accounting and checking, which allows this state of affairs to happen, is a satisfactory one?

I have no information about the case to which my hon.-Friend refers, but I am having inquiries made and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether full provision has been made by means of distilling plants for ensuring an adequate water supply to our troops in Palestine and Syria?

The necessary information is being obtained from the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, and I will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as a reply is received.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the hardship suffered by soldiers who, although separated from their wives, maintain them, either voluntarily or by a compulsory stoppage of pay after an order by the civil court, but in respect of whose wives no family allowance is issued because of non-cohabitation prior to enlistment; and whether he will revise the regulations so that family allowance shall be admissible in the case of any soldier who discharges his obligation to provide for his wife's maintenance?

The object of family allowance is to assist a married soldier in maintaining his home and it is not therefore issuable where the soldier's wife has been living apart from her husband. Where, however, a soldier, although separated from his wife, contributed towards her maintenance on a voluntary basis for a substantial period before joining the colours and hardship arises because as a result of joining the Army he is unable to continue his contributions at their usual level, he may apply for the grant to his wife of dependant's allowance. Where a soldier has been placed under compulsory stoppages of pay in respect of a court order, a supplementary grant may be made to the wife from Army funds under the conditions set out in the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for the English Universities on 22nd April, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information as to how many French troops were sent to Norway in April and May, 1940?

The total strength of the French troops sent to Norway was approximately 11,700.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether he will consider amending the Road Traffic Acts, 1930 to 1936, so as to make it permissible for applicants for a licence to drive a motor vehicle to pay 10s. for a licence for two years with a view to economy in clerical labour, and for the convenience of the local authorities and the applicants?

No, Sir. We attach importance to the prescribed annual declaration of physical fitness, absence of disqualification and changes of address.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will give further consideration to the application for a pension to Private Ernest Crook, 13015758, Pioneer Corps, who was passed A1 on entry a year ago and who was discharged as unfit for further service on 7th April, 1941, but whose claim to a pension has been rejected on the ground that his disability was not the result of service, notwithstanding the fact that prior to joining he had not suffered from the complaint, which he contends was caused by working long hours without proper and regular meals?

I am glad to be able to inform the hon. Member that it has now been found possible to make an award to Mr. Crook.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the present rates of allowances for wives and children of men serving in the Forces are responsible for much hardship and anxiety; and whether he will have the whole question reconsidered with a view to the authorisation of more adequate allowances?

The rates of family and dependants' allowances for the three Services were very carefully reviewed last year in view of the rise in the cost of living, and as a result of that review a general increase was made in the rates of allowance in November last. I am unable to hold out any prospect of a further increase at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether in any manoeuvres in this country special arrangements are made for airmen and soldiers to live and work together, so that they may have a proper appreciation of the peculiar needs and problems of the others?

My hon. Friend will appreciate that the extent to which soldiers and airmen can be accommodated together on manoeuvres is limited by practical considerations. Officers and men of the two Services, however, work side by side both at the War Office and the Air Ministry and in the field, and, as a result of this close liaison, there is a thorough understanding on either side of the problems of both Services.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount realised by the Government on all United States and Canadian securities taken over from British holders, and the present market value of these securities; and whether he will consider the formation of a trust company in America to hold securities over which a charge could be given to the American Government when necessary, and thereby avoid realising on securities at a time when market values are rapidly increasing, which involves heavy losses to British holders?

These questions are kept under constant review, but it would not be in the public interest to make any detailed statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now prepared to tax all capital profits on the sale of ships, land and property on the same basis as ordinary business profits for both Income Tax and Excess Profits Tax as a special war measure?

No, Sir. As at present advised I am not prepared to propose the special taxation of capital gains arising from the sale of capital assets.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that 25 per cent, of the wheat imported is used as animal feed or for patent foods; and whether he will take steps to ensure that the restricted shipping space available shall be used for a more useful purpose?

I would refer my lion. Friend to my answer of 27th May.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the hardship placed upon thousands of small ice-cream makers by the Ministry's decision not to grant an allocation of fats to firms that used only fresh milk and cream before the war, while larger firms who made a reconstituted ice cream without fresh milk or cream are allowed allocations of fats which allow them to continue production; and whether he will rectify this anomaly by granting an allocation of fats to all pre-war ice-cream makers even if this should necessitate a smaller allocation than is now granted to the larger firms?

No decision has yet been reached on the question of the supply of fats to ice-cream manufacturers who previously used fresh milk and cream which are now prohibited. The Ministry of Food are awaiting certain information from the industry which it is hoped will provide a basis on which a satisfactory scheme for meeting the requirements of these manufacturers can be worked out.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that the advice that consumers of one pint of milk or less per day should not be rationed is interfering with the smooth working of the whole scheme; and whether he will investigate the results of this decision and make a further statement?

The exclusion from the Milk Restriction Scheme of customers purchasing one pint of milk or less per day has resulted in a reduction in the quantity of milk saved for manufacture into cheese and condensed milk. The whole scheme is at present being reviewed in the light of this circumstance.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that an immense queue, sometimes numbering several thousand people, gathers at Kingston-upon-Thames market place every Thursday morning to buy eggs, that the delay covers a number of hours; that this causes both distress to women standing in the queue, many of whom frequently require attention and harm to the small children who are left unattended; and will he take prompt steps to put an end to the discontent expressed at such inconvenience which could be avoided by a system of rationing?

The queues at Kingston-upon-Thames market are at a stall where eggs are sold on the "First Come First Served" basis. In these circumstances it is scarcely practicable to avoid the formation of queues. A scheme for the distribution of eggs to retailers on the basis of registrations by consumers is now being worked out and will shortly come into effect.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, why it is not possible to purchase jellies in the ordinary shops, whereas sweets made of the same ingredients are on sale; why marrowfat peas are not to be got in shops which usually sell them but can be bought in open markets when they are soaked; and why raisins are not on sale in shops when they are sold in packets with a slight covering of chocolate at exorbitant prices?

I assume that by jellies is meant table jellies. If so, I would remind my hon. Friend that table jellies are made primarily from gelatine while the sweets which he has in mind have starch as their basic ingredient. As regards the second part of the Question all marrowfat peas are in very short supply, and I should be surprised to learn that any appreciable quantity was on sale, either dry or soaked. If, however, my hon. Friend cares to give me particulars I shall be glad to look into the matter. As regards raisins, the distribution is made throughout on a datum line basis so that manufacturers receive no more than their due proportion of the supplies available. I should be glad to receive from my hon. Friend any information regarding specific instances in which exorbitant prices have been charged.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the repair depots of the Royal Air Force are entitled to demand on contractors direct for any spares which they are unable temporarily to obtain under the M.P.O. system; and whether, when one firm cannot supply such spares in an emergency, there is any objection to its imparting to the applicant an alternative source of supply?

The reply to the first part of the Question is "Yes" and to the second part "No."

asked the Minister of Information whether any estimate has recently been made of the number of people in this country who are able to listen to the midnight news bulletin; and whether, in view of the changed habits of the population owing to the war, he will arrange for the advancement of this bulletin by half-an-hour or one hour?

The possibility of broadcasting a bulletin at 11 p.m. has been considered but in view of the fact that there has been no decline in the audience for the midnight news, it has not been thought necessary to change an established arrangement to which listeners have grown accustomed. The position, however, is being watched in the light of the evidence available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the desirability of providing householders, who have suffered as a result of enemy action, with the services of an independent surveyor to look after their interests when damages are assessed on similar lines to the help already given to poor persons to secure legal aid?

There is no provision under the War Damage Act in this connection. The matter was considered in discussions in Parliament. I understand that the professional associations concerned have initiated a scheme for assisting poor claimants with advice at low fees.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether victims of enemy action who were allowed, when the £500 limit was in existence, to start reconstruction or re-building, are now compelled to stop such work on the ground that the limit has been reduced to £100; and whether, in view of the extreme hardship from which in that case the victims will suffer, he will recognise as valid all contracts officially sanctioned prior to the date of the reduction specified?

Works of construction and reconstruction costing not more than £500 which were in hand on 14th April, 1941, when the reduction to £100 came into force, were allowed to continue without a licence. The second part of the Question does not therefore appear to arise, but if the hon. Member will send me particulars of any cases where hardship is said to have been caused, I shall be glad to have inquiry made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping whether he can give a general average of the increase in cost of freights from August, 1939, to the nearest convenient date?

So far as tramp ships are concerned practically all homeward cargo is carried on behalf of the Government in ships time chartered to the Government. For these cargoes there is no freight rate which can be compared with peace-time open market rates. As regards liners, rates for homeward cargoes are about 95 per cent, above those of August, 1939, and for outward cargoes they range between 50 and 70 per cent, above.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will direct the Assistance Board to take into account, under Section 13, Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act, 1940, the scales of public assistance payments now made, so that the increase in such payments may be passed on to claimants for supplementary pensions, who, were it not for the enacting of the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act, 1940, would have received the extra payments?

Section 13 of the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act, 1940, refers to the rates of outdoor relief granted to individual persons during the six months ending on the 3rd August, 1940, and the Assistance Board have no power under this Section to take into consideration any changes which may have been made in the scales of relief adopted by public assistance authorities since that date.

asked the Minister of Health whether any of the 15 cases of encephalitis recorded in the year 1940 proved fatal; whether any of the fatal cases were soldiers; and whether all that did not prove fatal have recovered?

Of the 15 cases of post-vaccinal encephalitis which came to the notice of my Department in 1940, five were fatal. Two of the fatal cases were soldiers. All that did not prove fatal have recovered.