asked the Secretary of State for War whether comprehensive technical reports on the reliability of such modern tanks as were used in Libya and Greece, have been furnished to the Ministry of Supply?

The Ministry of Supply is kept fully and continuously informed by the War Office of all technical reports received from theatres of war on the reliability of our tanks. In addition, an officer was sent specially to the Middle East early this year to investigate any technical difficulties being experienced there with armoured fighting vehicles, and spent two months visiting workshops and units. His report has been of great value to both the War Office and the Ministry of Supply.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend satisfied that the tanks now being delivered to the Army have a satisfactory mechanical reliability report?

It is asking a good deal for me to express satisfaction, but I can say that tanks are improving, and one hopes that this will continue.

Has any action been taken on the reports?

Yes, Sir, and improvements made as a result of them.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, on the evening of 12th July, military police were moving on soldiers who attempted to stop and listen to an orderly meeting in advocacy of Anglo-Soviet unity, held by the Communist party in Cheltenham; and whether, in view of the fact that soldiers are entitled to attend such meetings so long as they play no active part in them, he will cause the local military authorities to be informed of the soldiers' rights, under the King's Regulations, with a view to stopping any further infringement of the men's rights?

I have called for a report on this case and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon possible.

Is the Minister aware that several soldiers, one of them claiming to be a Conservative, have protested very strongly against the treatment they received at this meeting by the military police, who explained they were acting under King's Regulations?

I have called for a report to check up those facts.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the possibility of altering the Regulation under which an officer under close arrest has to be accompanied at all times by another officer?

I am looking into this question.

Is the Minister aware that many officers are prevented from carrying out their normal duties, sometimes for weeks on end, owing to this antiquated Regulation?

That is the reason why I am looking into this question.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the admitted shortage of paper in the country, he will take steps to see that an economy in the use of paper is made throughout the Army of similar proportions to that now being made in the use of petrol?

Since the beginning of the paper shortage, the question of paper consumption in the Army has been kept continuously under review. The question of reducing the number of returns has been the subject of a very thorough investigation, and not only have considerable reductions been made but instructions have been issued that no new return may be called for by any branch in the War Office without reference to the Standing Committee on Army Administration. The size of Army forms has also been reduced, and in many other directions expedients to save paper have been adopted. To illustrate the success of these efforts I may mention that the quarterly tonnage of paper in the form of manuals, Army forms and books delivered by the Stationery Office on War Office account, has been reduced by about one-third in the last 12 months.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that returns are called for from every chaplain in the Forces of the number of communicants each month? Does he think that returns such as that are really necessary?

That must be a matter of opinion.

Will my right hon. and gallant Friend send the Army Council a three-line whip on this matter?

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that 1,141 Army Council instructions were issued during the first six months of this year?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider making a grant to regimental funds to offset the additional expenditure incurred by them in paying Purchase Tax on flashes?

I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to regimental flashes. The wearing of these by units is optional, and no charge against public funds can be admitted in connection with them.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that, although it may be in theory optional, it is in fact virtually compulsory?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the method of deduction of income tax from officers' pay by the Army Pay Department without reference to basic amounts for net liability; whether he is aware that neither basic nor amount tax able is furnished; and whether he will issue orders to stop this deduction, and to ensure that all proper allowances and relief are to be given to every officer, and that the Pay Department should render a statement in each case giving credit for all proper deductions that can be made before tax is leviable before they reduce the amount?

The arrangements for the deduction of Income Tax from pay of Army officers are based on the provisions of the Income Tax Act. Under that Act the tax is deductible from pay on issue, and in practice the liability for the year is collected in twelve approximately even monthly instalments ending in March. The instalments taken at the beginning of the tax year are provisionally based on tax tables which take into account the personal and family reliefs to which an officer is entitled. These tables are published for the information of the Army. When the individual income return of the officer has been examined and certified, the instalment is revised and he receives a notice of assessment which shows his actual net liability for the year. If any officer feels that the provisional deductions of tax are excessive, his case may be specially considered with a view to an appropriate adjustment.

asked the Secretary of State for War on what basis the various items of an officer's tropical uniform are assessed; and whether he will consider increasing the present grant of £10?

:The rates of outfit allowance in the case of officers who have to provide themselves with tropical kit are at present under examination.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give the extent to which the national loaf and national flour are used in the feeding of the Army?

Arrangements are being made for at least 25 per cent. of the bread supplied to the Army to be made from the new national flour, and this percentage will be gradually increased as existing stocks of white flour are used up.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman direct his attention to the advertisement of the Ministry of Food in the papers to-day, and will he ask officers to use their efforts to increase the use of this excellent loaf?

I have said that we are already using 25 per cent, of national flour, and that amount will be increased as the stocks of white flour decrease.

asked the Secretary of State for War what was the final cost of the Militia camp programme against the estimated cost of £21,000,000?

The report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General on the 1939 Army Account shows that against the Estimate of £ 20,000,000 for militia accommodation, including militia camps, presented to the House in July, 1939, me expenditure brought to account up to December, 1940, was of the order of £ 22,750,000 and that a comparatively small amount remains for final settlement. I am glad of the opportunity which my hon. and gallant Friend's Question gives me of again drawing attention to this fact, since statements continue to be made in the Press and elsewhere that the cost of militia camps was £ 80,000,000. This figure is based, I believe, on a misinterpretation of the Fifth Report of the Select Committee on National Expenditure, and has no foundation in fact. In this connection I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Sir W. Smithers) on 6th May.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say how many camps were covered by the actual expenditure of £ 22,000,000 odd and how many were included in the first estimate? Otherwise the figures completely mislead the House.

I have not those figures by me.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is in a position to make a statement on the recruitment of women auxiliaries for the Land Army in Scotland; whether a satisfactory proportion of farmers in Scotland is applying for this type of harvest labourers; and is he satisfied that Scottish farmers are aware of this source of harvest labour?

The vital importance of securing this year's harvest makes it imperative that all available labour will be used. Among the volunteers to assist in the gathering of the harvest are 650 women who have enrolled as an auxiliary force to the regular Women's Land Army. Applications by farmers for assistance at harvest time from these women auxiliaries should be sent at once to the local Agricultural Committees who will allocate the volunteers available in the neighbourhood according to priority of application, etc. So far comparatively few applications have been received for the services of these volunteers, but I am taking every step possible to bring the matter to the urgent attention of the farming community.

Will the right hon. Gentleman, as one of the steps, consider making a personal broadcast to farmers dealing with all types of available harvest labour?

I will consider that, but there is a large number of available channels for harvest labour in addition to women auxiliaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the provision of suitable accommodation for women of the Land Army and others who are engaged on work on the land; and whether, where accommodation is limited, he has considered the hiring of caravans?

Farmers who employ members of the Women's Land Army must themselves in the first instance make definite efforts to provide suitable accommodation for them as well as for other agricultural workers, if possible in the farm premises or in nearby lodgings, but failing this by utilising caravans or similar vehicles or huts. If suitable arrangements cannot thus be made by the farmers in an area, hostels are being provided at convenient centres and I am certainly prepared to supplement these hostels where necessary by caravans and the local agricultural committees will be glad to have particulars of any caravans available.

Will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that these caravans are provided with keys which the girls can have so as to assure reasonable privacy?

Certainly, Sir.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that some practical women are consulted about accommodation in the hostels?

That is already provided for. There are women officers attached to all the agricultural district committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that Mr. Bowman, who lost four members of his family in an air raid, has received from the public assistance department of Clydebank a demand for the payment of 4s. 6d. per week for billeting his remaining children, together with a demand for the payment of £8 2s. arrears; and whether he will look into this case with a view to relieving Mr. Bowman who has suffered such grievous loss?

I am having inquiries made regarding this case, and I will communicate with the hon. Member in the course of a day or so.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of fatal and serious accidents, respectively, during the six months ended 30th June; and the various causes of the accidents.

As the Answer involves a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the figures show an increase or a decrease over last year?

There is a decrease of one in fatal accidents and a decrease of nearly 200 in serious accidents.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of the varying policies adopted in the coalfields towards holidays, he will make an authoritative statement as to the policy which His Majesty's Government have decided shall be pursued?

Since the beginning of April I have made it clear to the district Production committees, representing both owners and men in each colliery district, that in the opinion of the Government the needs of the country demanded that mining holidays this summer, including both Easter and Whitsun, should be limited to six days in all. A month ago, in view of the slow progress being made in increasing output, both the Coal Production Council of my Department and I myself made a further appeal that the usual week's holiday with pay, if taken at all this year, should be deferred until the Autumn, only the Bank Holiday, and perhaps the previous Saturday, being taken in August. I do not think therefore that it can be said that the industry lacks authoritative guidance in this matter.

:Is my hon. Friend aware that the Minister of Labour announced, quite rightly, that holidays ought to be taken by all the industrial community, and will he see that an authoritative statement is carried out by the districts, if necessary, in view of the fact that a great many of the miners' federations in various districts are disregarding the advice given by his Department?

I am not responsible for announcements made by any other Department. I can only speak on behalf of my own, and we are conveying to the local committees our wishes on this matter.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the general practice of the officials of the collieries is to take their full holidays?

I am not commenting on the behaviour of either men or officials; I am simply saying what the request of my Department was.

Is it not a fact that the whole situation in relation to output depends on man-power? Is not my hon. Friend's difficulty that he has not complete control of man-power, and will he take steps to take that control?

I do not think that I can be charged with being vague on that point. I have been perfectly clear on it over and over again.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that those who are most concerned with the miners having a few days' holiday are those who can take holidays whenever they like?

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is satisfied with the production of coal from the Scottish pits in view of the coal shortage on Clyde side; and whether he is satisfied that all concerned with the production of coal in Scotland are co-operating to get the maximum output at the present time, and are following the example of their Engish and Welsh confrères with regard to holidays?

As long as the output of coal in this country is not sufficient to enable us to build up such stocks as would remove any risk of shortage next winter, I cannot say I am satisfied. Indeed there is no district in the country where with the full co-operation of all concerned the output could not be materially increased. At the same time I would like to express my appreciation of the efforts which so many in the industry, owners, managements and men, are making to meet the nation's needs under difficult conditions of lack of man-power, food rationing and restricted supply of materials. On the general question of holidays I would refer to my answer of to-day to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Miss Ward).

:Is my hon. Friend aware that stupid Questions like this appearing on the Order Paper—

The hon. Member must not comment on other Members' Questions.

On a point of Order. Will my hon. Friend state whether the miners in Scotland have taken more holidays—

That is not a point of Order.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that there is a large supply of eels that can be trapped in English rivers; and whether he has taken the initiative to provide any district of England, where fish is scarce, with this additional food supply, or is he working to that end with the Ministry of Food?

I am well aware that there are eels in abundance to be had for the taking throughout England and Wales and, from the outbreak of war, my Department has been active in promoting fishing for eels. Demonstrations on the use of a Dutch pattern of fixed net, hitherto practically unknown here, were carried out last year and are still continuing this year in various parts of the country. In addition every opportunity has been taken of advising owners of weirs provided with racks to bring the racks into repair in order to exploit the supply from this source to the full. The practicability of establishing regular silver eel fisheries on a commercial scale on certain rivers is at present under consideration.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether an estimate has been made by his Department of the additional food that could be obtained in this way with Government assistance, and if so what it is?

:In pre-war days we were large importers of eels, and I should hope that if full advantage is taken of the advice and assistance that my Department is giving we shall be able to make good a very large proportion of that pre-war supply.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will take into consideration the necessity of providing meals for air-raid precautions workers engaged on night shifts; and whether preferential treatment can be extended to air-raid precautions canteens, in view of the strain which workers engaged in this service undergo?

The Answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question is in the affirmative. Air-raid precautions canteens registered as catering establishments receive supplies of rationed foods in accordance with an approved scale of allowances. In answer to the second part, these canteens have been granted priority in the supplies of certain manufactured foodstuffs. The list of the articles in respect of which such priority is accorded is under revision and the special needs of air-raid precautions canteens will be borne in mind in this connection.

:Has my right hon. and gallant Friend received any complaints from Birmingham that people on night shifts cannot get hot meals in the morning?

The matter has been called to my attention and is now under investigation.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the hardship to many small shopkeepers if they are denied supplies unless they have at least 25 registered customers, he will, to help economy in transport, consider a scheme of delivering supplies to each town to a central depot from where each small retailer may collect his supplies; and, in view of the unfairness of eliminating all bona fide small retailers because a few take advantage of the position to register as a retailer for the purpose of supplying their own families, whether opportunity will be given to each retailer to establish his bona fides and have his case for receiving supplies judged on its merits?

:The arrangements suggested in the first part of my hon. Friend's Question, while they might result in some saving of transport, would not in any way reduce the labour involved to traders in breaking bulk, packing, invoicing and delivering, nor the clerical work in the food offices in issuing buying permits. My Noble Friend is, however, anxious to do whatever is practicable to avoid inflicting hardship on any bona fide food trader, and he has therefore already issued to food control committees instructions to the effect that both in town and country districts registration below the 25 minimum should not be automatically transferred to other retailers and that before action is taken in this direction consideration should be given both to the convenience of the consumers and to the hardship of individual small traders.

:Is not my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that instructions have already been given out, or are about to be given out, ordering registered customers at these small shops to register elsewhere? That is information supplied by the Department. Should not the whole matter be held up?

The new instructions will make my hon. Friend's suggestion possible.

:What discretion is used? The whole thing is most unsatisfactory and unjust. Is there not a tendency for the Government to punish the individual and to throw trade and business into the hands of the multiple shops and the great combines?

:If my hon. Friend will read my Answer, he will see that steps have already been taken to avoid hardship in individual cases.

Would not my right hon. and gallant Friend look at this matter from the point of view of the morale of the people, and bear in mind that transactions of this kind have more effect upon the people's morale than being bombed out?

I would ask my hon. Friend to read my answer. Discretion has already been given to food control committees in both town and country districts.

:Is not the right hon. and gallant Member aware that a tremendous amount of hardship is caused to people, and would it not be better to prevent it than to take action after the harm has been done?

We want to avoid hardship, but it is not easy not to take some measures to alter the present situation when we need to save transport.

Do we understand that the Ministry are prepared to approach this matter from a different angle and will endeavour to jump their fences without kicking down so many people?

Would my right hon. and gallant Friend consider the possibility of establishing central depots from which small shopkeepers might collect?

I would again call attention to the terms of my answer from which it is clear that the bona fide trader is meant. Many of these people are not bona fide traders, but merely wish to obtain rationed food for their families at wholesale prices.

In view of the still unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise this matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he has now put into effect his scheme to control the price of salad, spring or young onions?

Yes, Sir. As announced in the Press last week an Order came into force on 21st July prescribing maximum prices for green (or salad) onions.

asked the Minister of Information whether it is the intention of the Government to discontinue in factories the making of political speeches and to encourage speeches by serving officers describing the usefulness in action of the articles being made by the workers?

Speakers employed by the Government do not make political speeches either in factories or anywhere else. While I am fully aware of the excellent effects of speeches made in factories by serving officers, I would remind the hon. Member that there is a limit to the number of such officers who can be spared from their regular duties. Civilian speakers are accordingly indispensable.

In view of the fact that the Minister of Aircraft Production has announced his intention of adopting the practice mentioned in my Question, would my hon. Friend say whether it is proposed to introduce it into all Departments of the Government?

I can give the hon. Member an assurance that it is not proposed to introduce it in the Ministry of Information.

asked the Minister of Information whether he will consider the setting up of a special "V" department of political warfare to co-operate with the allied Governments and the Soviet information bureau, for the purpose of fostering anti-Nazi and anti-Quisling propaganda in the occupied territories; and further, whether he will consider the regular use of the morse letter "V" as the time signal for all foreign broadcasts?

My right hon. Friend does not think that additional machinery is required to achieve the purpose the hon. Member has in view. As regards the second part of the Question, the "V" morse signal has already been introduced as the interval signal for the European Service of the B.B.C.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that the "V" campaign abroad may be the best opportunity we have had of smashing the Goebbels propaganda machine on the Continent; and can he say whether there is the closest co-operation between the Russian Information Bureau, Allied Governments and the Ministry of Information, and whether Colonel Britton has full power and authority to make this campaign a success?

I am afraid I am not in a position to give an answer to the detailed points made by the hon. Member, but I can assure him that the Ministry is fully sympathetic to this "V" campaign, which it regards as a sort of "Lift up your heart" signal to the oppressed peoples of Europe.