asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will effect a large saving of shipping space by making wholemeal bread compulsory?

No, Sir. The necessity for adopting my hon. Friend's suggestion has not yet arisen. To secure the saving of shipping to which he refers it would be necessary to reduce the supply of animal feeding stuffs.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what duties are now being performed by the International Sugar Control Council; what is the present rate of subsidy on home-produced sugar, gross, that is to say, before deduction of excise duty, and net, after deduction of excise duty; and in respect of what annual production subsidy is now granted?

The International Sugar Council is charged with the administration of the international sugar agreement of 1937, which is being maintained in operation as far as war conditions permit, and its duties are set out in the text of that agreement (Cmd. 5461). As regards the latter part of the Question I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lewisham (Mr. Brooke) on 21st January. The accounts of the British Sugar Corporation for 1940–41 are under examination with a view to determining the amount of the deficiency payment for that year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the members of the organisations which undertake the collective production of jam will, for their voluntary services, be entitled to a slight increase of jam over and above the normal ration?

No, Sir.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has considered providing a special supply of sugar for jam-making to fruit-growers on the outlying islands and in the remote districts on the mainland of Scotland; and, if not, whether, in view of the fact that it is almost impossible for these growers to transport their soft fruit to the jam-making centres, he will give urgent consideration to such a scheme, to which might be attached the condition that a certain proportion of the jam thus made should be available for disposal to his Department?

Yes, Sir; special consideration has been given to the question raised by my hon. Friend. Subject to certain conditions, sugar may be released by food executive officers in such districts for the co-operative preservation of fruit in private kitchens.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what concessions will be made to people under medical orders to use a certain diet in the matter of rationing eggs, fish and other foods?

The position of invalids and persons on special diets is kept constantly under review in consultation with the Food Rationing (Special Diets) Advisory Committee of the Medical Research Council. The Committee is consulted on points such as those mentioned by my hon. Friend but I am not in a position to announce any decision in advance.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in making arrangements in respect of rationing, he will bear in mind the difficulties of rural dwellers whose distances from shops, reduced travelling facilities and occupations, ordinarily place them at a disadvantage with urban dwellers, who are able without difficulty to attend shops frequently; and whether he will consider introducing countervailing advantages in respect of local products, such as eggs and pig-meat, or of extra sugar for preserving home-grown produce?

I shall be pleased to bear in mind the points to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers but I could not agree that all the advantages are with the town dweller.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in future, when making the monthly statement of merchant ship losses due to enemy action, he will at the same time give the comparative figure of enemy merchant shipping losses arising from Allied action?

The estimation of enemy losses depends upon many sources of information and may often take a considerable time. It is not, therefore, possible to promise any regular statement such as that requested. The hon. Member will, however, have noticed that the last two announcements of our own losses have included an estimate of enemy losses up to the most convenient date.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that naval officers' uniforms cost much more than Army or Royal Air Force officers' uniforms; and whether he will consider introducing a working dress in which gold braid is replaced by blue braid?

Naval officers' uniforms cost rather more than those of Army and Royal Air Force officers because the materials employed are of comparatively expensive types, the durable qualities of which have been amply demonstrated by generations of use. The possibility of employing a cheaper cloth of the same type is being explored, but it is not intended to alter the general design of the uniform. The hard wearing qualities of the braid now in use are such that no eventual economy would be effected by the substitution of braid of a cheaper texture or different type.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will remove the ban on the publication of the "Daily Worker," so that the Communist party may be able publicly to state its present attitude to the war, without prejudice to its being banned again if necessary?

While sharing my hon. and gallant Friend's curiosity as to the present attitude of the Communist party of Great Britain, my right hon. Friend cannot regard the gratification of that curiosity as a sufficient ground for revocation of the Order which he made under the Defence Regulations in pursuance of his public duty. It is, of course, the case that the Communist party of Great Britain has other channels through which it can make clear its attitude to the war.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply in how many cases he has used powers for the compulsory acquisition of railings and other idle metals, respectively, for utilisation as war material?

In no case has it yet proved necessary to use compulsory powers for the acquisition of railings. There have been 24 cases in which such powers have been used to requisition iron and steel or non-ferrous metal.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that, whilst nucleus cotton-spinning companies are obliged to book sales of yarn, they have no means of covering these sales by purchases of raw cotton; and will he make a statement on the subject?.

Prices of raw cotton were fixed in April up to the end of July, and an announcement has now been made by the Cotton Control that they will remain unchanged until the end of October.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that manufacturers of light equipment for the Army have recently been informed that they may anticipate a decline in Government orders, and that no effort is being made to indicate to these numerous manufacturers any alternative war requirements?

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the light sewing industry. That industry has been warned not to expect the continuance of Army requirements at previously existing rates; and I fear I cannot hold out any hope that this particular capacity will be required for other war purposes.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will set out in tabular form in the Official Report the administrative areas of the Assistance Board, giving for each area the number of applications made for supplementary pension, the number granted and the average payment made; and the total supplementary pensions paid before the Determination of Needs Act, the average payment made, the total paid now and the average amounts of the supplementary pensions?

I am informed by the Assistance Board that information is not available in the form asked for by my hon. Friend and could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time necessitating the diversion of officers from the urgent task of dealing with fresh applications and reviewing existing cases, and thus causing delay to pensioners. The Board propose to submit a special report on the operation of the Act as soon as possible after the end of the year. This report will include all available statistical information though not necessarily in the form asked for by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will provide hon. Members who desire them with a copy of the instructions and circulars sent out by the Assistance Board to their local officers who are administering the Determination of Needs Act; is he aware that adjustments have been made in the rent allowance when employment has been secured at 5s. a week by applicants for a supplementary pension; and is that in accordance with the instructions?

It is not the practice for the executive directions given by Government Departments to their officers, which are frequently of a detailed and technical character, to be available in this way, and I do not think there is any sufficient reason for making an exception in this case. As regards the latter part of the Question, if ray hon. Friend will send me particulars of any case in which an adjustment such as he mentions has been made I shall be glad to have it examined.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will inquire into the administration in the North Staffordshire area of the Determination of Needs Act with reference to old age supplementary pensions, which is not being administered in the form intended by Parliament?

I have been in touch with the Assistance Board and find no grounds for my hon. Friend's suggestion that the Act is not being properly administered in the; area named. I would remind him that under the Act it is open to any person who is aggrieved by an officer's decision to apply for leave to appeal to an independent tribunal, and the chairman of the tribunal is bound to give leave to appeal if it appears that there is reason to doubt whether the case has been dealt with in accordance with the Regulations.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether, in pursuance of the policy announced on 22nd May last that a thorough overhaul of the social insurance schemes will be made in due course, the comprehensive preliminary survey of the existing schemes has been started?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the schedules of coal prices found to be appropriate for Orkney and Shetland on 8th May have yet: received official sanction?

The schedules of retail coal prices for Orkney and Shetland were temporarily amended by the divisional coal officer on the date mentioned, and were put into effect by the local fuel overseer. The official publication of the schedules has, in the meantime, been held up in order to allow for the incorporation of further amendments in connection with the Retail Coal Prices Order, 1941, which became effective on 16th June. As these further adjustments may, however, take a little time to complete, arrangements are being made for the official publication of the schedules on the basis of the temporary schedules agreed.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been drawn to the danger run by the miners employed at certain collieries in the event of the shafts being damaged in air-raids; whether any scheme has recently been brought to the notice of his Department to avert that danger; and can he give an assurance that steps will be taken to ensure the escape of the men from these pits?

No such danger would arise unless the winding arrangements at both shafts of a mine were put out of action at the same time, which is very unlikely to happen. But, as my hon. Friend knows, there has been provided, in every coalfield, transportable winding gear which can be taken to a mine and used to raise men from one or both shafts. Schemes for providing a third means of exit from each of the pits which I understand my hon. Friend has in mind, have been closely studied in consultation with the management and representatives of the workmen, but the conclusion reached is that this is not practicable in the circumstances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will reduce or abolish the fee of 5s. demanded annually from the users of invalid carriages as this imposes hardship on many who are incapacitated and have no other means of conveyance?

The duty of 5s. a year previously payable on mechanically propelled invalid carriages was repealed in 1936. Drivers of such vehicles, in common with the drivers of other mechanically propelled vehicles, must hold a driving licence, on which a fee of 5s. is payable. I could not support in present circumstances a change in the law in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many of the British officials in Turkey can speak Turkish and how many have no knowledge of that language?

On the Diplomatic Staff of His Majesty's Embassy at Ankara, there are two officials who speak Turkish, as well as two higher officials on the Commercial Diplomatic side of the Mission. The great majority of the clerical staff speak Turkish. There are two Consulates-General and six Consulates under the supervision of His Majesty's Ambassador. The great majority of the officials at these posts speak Turkish. There are of course many other British officials in Turkey at the present time on temporary employment under Ministries other than the Foreign Office, regarding whose linguistic qualifications I can give no information.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any satisfaction from the Japanese Government in reply to his protest at the denial to British firms of the use of their properties at Hankow and other places along the Yangtse?

No recent information has been received and a fresh report has been called for as to the present position.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is our present position with regard to Finland and Rumania, in view of the assistance they are giving to Germany?

Diplomatic relations are at present being maintained with the Finnish Government. As regards Rumania, diplomatic relations with that country were broken off on 10th February, 1941, and Rumania is considered as enemy-occupied territory.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any report has been issued by the Area Board for South Wales; what action have they taken with the schemes submitted to them by the Pontardawe Rural District Council and the Neath Rural District Council many months ago; and whether they have made any surveys in these areas, or what other action they have taken in this matter?

The Regional Board for Wales reported fully on 20th January on "the utilisation for war production of idle or partially idle works and other premises in West Wales" and a copy of this report was sent to my hon. Friend. Since that time a Directorate of Factory and Storage Premises has been set up and the register of buildings compiled by the Board was passed on to the Regional Controller of Factory and Storage Premises. There has thus been a thorough survey of the facilities available in the various districts of West Wales, and in this connection full consideration has been given to the list of premises submitted by the Pontardawe and Neath Rural District Councils. None of these premises was found to be suitable for use as war factories though some might be useful for other purposes. I am writing more fully to my hon. Friend in regard to the action taken by the Regional Board.

asked the Minister of Information how many of the 42 persons employed in canvassing public opinion are of military age; what has been the training and what are the special qualifications for such canvassing by those under 30 years of age; and why they are exempt from military service?

Every effort has been made to replace men by women in this work. As a result, only two of those employed in making interviews are men. One of these is aged 28; he has been invalided out of the Royal Air Force as the result of a flying accident, and is unfit for military service. The other is aged 39; he is not reserved and is at present waiting to be called up.

asked the Minister of Information what broadcasts are sent daily by the British Broadcasting Corporation to the inhabitants of Jugoslavia; and whether these will now be intensified, in view of the arrival in this country of the King of Jugoslavia?

Four fifteen-minute news bulletins in Serbo-Croat and one in Slovene are broadcast each day for listeners in Jugoslavia. In addition daily broadcasts are made in Serbo-Croat from Cairo. This represents a larger proportion of broadcasting time than is given to other Balkan countries, and it is not therefore, proposed to increase the number or length of the Bulletins. Full advantage is however being taken of the presence in London of the King of Jugoslavia and the Jugoslav Government to increase the authority and interest of the broadcasts.