asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will arrange for issue with, or on the pay envelopes of, the weekly salaries of lower grade civil servants particulars of gross and net wages and bonus, and all deductions that have been made there from, and for what purposes, so that present uncertainties may be removed; and that recipients may know precisely what has been accounted for in their varying receipts?

As I indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend on the 15th July, such particulars are normally available at the pay desk at the time of payment. To record the details on each envelope would involve heavy additional work, and I could not agree that this should be undertaken in present circumstances.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is satisfied that all medically fit men, temporary or permanent, serving in Government Departments, of and under the age of 25, have now been released for whole-time service in the Armed Forces of the Crown?

In the Civil Service, as in industry generally, some deferments of the calling-up of men under the age of reservation have been granted on the grounds that the men are indispensable in work of urgent national importance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether consideration has been given to the granting of supplementary pensions to Post Office employees who now find their pensions inadequate because of the increased cost of living and present difficulties?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 9th April to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Parker).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether for the guidance of clothing manufacturers and distribution he will indicate the approximate rates of clothing coupons to normal production?

It would be unwise at this stage to forecast the effect rationing will have on the demand for particular classes of rationed goods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider making a concession in the matter of coupons for ballet shoes, in view of the fact that a ballet dancer wears out from one to four pairs of shoes a week?

The question of exempting ballet shoes from rationing is under consideration and I hope that an announcement will be made shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Cinematograph Films Council last met and when it is likely to meet again; why names of new members to replace retiring ones have not yet been announced; whether any nominations have been received from -trade bodies; whether he is aware that the chairman has declined to call a meeting although requested to do so by a member; and whether the chairman still draws the salary or remuneration of £500 per annum?

The Cinematograph Films Council last met on 27th February and will meet again as soon as it has been reconstituted. The names of new members have not been announced because membership of the new council is not yet complete. Nominations have been received from trade bodies and selections made. I am not aware that the chairman has recently refused any request by a member for a meeting to be called. The answer to the last part of the Question is in the affirmative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply whether he is aware of the danger to the industry producing food containers of the increasing shortage of raw material; that licences are issued for quantities that are not available and, in consequence, many available export orders are being held up; and, as tin containers are no longer available and have to be replaced by cardboard and the demand for containers has increased, due to the wider distribution of the population arising from evacuation, will he now consider the creation of a separate department of paper salvage under a controller with power to pay for the collection of materials?

I am aware that owing to the increased demand for containers their use has to be restricted and that, owing to the shortage of material, mills have found difficulty in supplying all the cardboard for containers for which they have obtained licences. Every effort is being made to increase the collection of waste paper and to direct it to the most important uses, and the hon. Member's suggestions will be considered.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply the relative quantities of kitchen waste collected and disposed of in the counties of Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk in the months of January and June, 1941?

The quantities of kitchen waste collected and disposed of by local authorities in the Counties of Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk in the months of January and June, 1941, were as follow;

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye as representing the Forestry Commissioners whether he proposes to take any disciplinary action in regard to the motor lorry drivers who have been transporting their friends in the evening, from one public house to another on drinking parties in the Forestry Commissioner's lorries and using Government petrol, as reported to him by the hon. Member for Walton on 10th July?

As the lorries referred to belong to the Home Grown Timber Production Department of the Ministry of Supply, I have been asked to reply. Inquiries are being made into the hon. Member's allegations, and I will let him know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply the present position with reference to a proposal that has been put forward involving the manufacture of paper from straw, thereby saving imports of pulp and shipping space and producing an article at a much cheaper price?

I understand that the proposal to which the hon. Member refers is one made by a paper merchant on behalf of a firm of publishers, under which the publishers would obtain an increased quota of paper for their publications if they provided finance for the operation of a factory designed to use a new process for the production of pulp from straw. Every effort is being made to develop supplies of paper from home produced materials, and a number of mills are converting straw into pulp. The shortage of paper and of paper-making materials necessitates the strict rationing of paper among users, and it is not possible to allow one user to have a larger quantity in return for financing production.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether it is the policy of the Government to market produce through normal trade channels?

Subject to the right of the public to fair distribution of food at reasonable cost, and to the need for the greatest possible economy in the use of transport and man-power, it is the policy of the Ministry to avoid unnecessary interference with the normal machinery of food distribution.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the fortified loaf now in the market contains any added calcium; and, if so, in what form and in what proportion?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative and the second part does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will consider raising the present price of eggs to the producer so as to ensure the producer receiving 3s. 3d. per dozen for the summer period and 3s. 9,d. per dozen for the winter period, instead of the present price of 2s. 8d. per dozen for the summer period and 3s. 5d. per dozen for the winter period?

No, Sir. The increased prices of 2s. 8d. per dozen for the summer period and 3s. 5d.. per dozen for the winter period were only recently fixed after full consideration of all the circumstances. There have been no subsequent changes to justify an increase in price.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that, during the period of the last two months' quota of fats to fish friers, their shops have been closed for an average of three weeks, thereby causing considerable deprivation to many workers; and whether, as soap manufacturers are receiving 100 per cent. ration of fats, it is now decided to end this discrimination?

Buying permits to fish friers for their supplies of oil and dripping are issued for a two months' period. I understand that there have been cases in which fish friers have used the whole of their allocation during the early part of the two months' period, with the result that towards the end of the period they have been short of supplies. It is regretted that in view' of the supply position the total quantity of oils and fats for fish friers cannot at present be increased. Most of the raw materials used in soap making are unfit for edible purposes and so could not be used to meet the requirements of fish friers. Moreover, it is specially important to maintain the output of soap at a high figure, in view of the necessity for producing the maximum quantity of its by-product, glycerine, which is urgently required for munitions.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the tonnage of each grade into which the 277,000 tons of potatoes which were sold for pig food, in the first six months of 1941, were classified for payment; and the amount that this cost the Exchequer?

I would refer to the reply which I gave to a similar Question by my hon. Friend on 30th July. In reply to the last part of the above Question the information will not be available for some time. I would add that the raw potatoes and processed potatoes were fed to all classes of livestock.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will consider affording greater facilities for supplying harvest beer in the coming weeks as this is regarded as essential by heavy industrial and other workers?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answers I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Epsom (Sir A. Southby) on 8th July, and to the hon. Member for Evesham (Mr. De la Bère) on 17th July. Active attention is being given to the prevention of possible shortages of beer for workers, including harvest workers, so far as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information about the treatment of prisoners at Stalag VIII; and whether he can give any reason for the lack of communication between prisoners in this camp and their relatives here?

The latest reports on Stalag VIIIB indicate that conditions are not on the whole unsatisfactory, although there is room for improvement on certain points, including the postal arrangements at the camp. Representa- tions have been made to the German authorities on these points.

asked the Minister of Health whether Miss Brownlow, lately matron at Farnborough Hospital, has now agreed to the publication of a letter he wrote to the council; and, if so, will be now give the terms of that letter?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 31st July, 1941, col. 1537 Vol. 373], supplied the following copy of a letter:Ministry of Health,Whitehall, S.W.1.10th June, 1941.99044/670/37/2.SIR,

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is intended to set up a court of inquiry into the recent damage done in a certain village, early in July, as the result of the detonation of certain explosives by Royal Engineers; Whether the Claims Commission have carried out a full examination of the loss and damage that have been caused to property; what steps are to be taken, and under what grant, to pay compensation; and whether the War Office, in conjunction with the Ministry of Works and Buildings, will undertake that the necessary licences shall be granted for labour and material to enable the essential and urgent repairs to houses and other buildings to be carried out?

It is not considered that any court of inquiry is necessary in this case. The damaged properties have been examined by the district claims officer, and owners and occupiers were advised to submit their claims to him. Arrangements were made with local contractors for the immediate execution of emergency repairs necessary to make the damaged premises habitable. Licences for material will be granted where necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War why the regimental paymaster discontinued the payment of Army dependants' allowance to Mrs. Dora May Downer, of South Street, Pennington, Lymington, in respect of her son 151152 Private J. W. Downer, Royal Army Service Corps, on and after 22nd December, 1940; and why no settlement has yet been arrived at although Army Form 0.1700-1 was sent to her on 10th April, 1941, by the regimental paymaster, indicating that a call would shortly be made on her in order to obtain additional particulars needed, Claim No. D9578?

The payment of dependants' allowance to Mrs. Downer was stopped on 22nd December, 1940, because a review of her circumstances disclosed that her income from other sources has risen to an extent which rendered her ineligible for dependants' allowance. Mrs. Downer was notified at the time of the reason for withdrawal of the allowance. Mrs. Downer's case was again reviewed in April, last, and she was found to be once more eligible for an allowance. Accordingly, her son's consent was sought to the deduction from his pay of the necessary qualifying allotment. The payment of dependants' allowance was authorised as soon as his consent was received.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that many persons, such as old age pensioners, widows, etc., find it impossible to meet the demand now being made under the War Damage Act; and will he take the necessary steps to relieve them of this insurance payment?

I would remind my hon. Friend that at the Committee stage of the War Damage Bill I made a statement recognising how heavily the contribution in respect of house property will press upon certain individuals and sections of the community. The Inland Revenue Department will allow payment to be made by instalments in cases where people find themselves in difficulty in meeting a demand for immediate payment in full, and in any such case the contributor should explain the circumstances of the particular case to the collector of taxes concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the hardship caused to the blind population by the incidence of the Purchase Tax on wireless sets; and whether he will consider exempting blind folk from the Purchase Tax?

As the tax is charged at the wholesale stage it would be impossible to administer any general exemption for goods purchased from retailers by blind persons. As regards wireless sets, many blind people use ordinary receivers, and as those adapted for the use of the blind are not unsuitable for other uses it would not be practicable to provide for their exemption.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in districts where evacuation has been officially ordered, he will consider incorporating in the coming legislation a provision that the payment of ground rent and loan interest shall not be required for the period during which such evacuation is deemed essential on the understanding that the State will compensate where necessary?

My hon. Friend will be aware that under the Evacuated Areas Regulations, 1941, certain sums payable in respect of premises situated in evacuation areas ace made irrecoverable during the evacuation period. These sums include ground rent and interest on loans secured on such premises. Parliament has already made provision for the relief of persons whose financial affairs have been detrimentally affected by war circumstances in the recent Liabilities (Wartime Adjustment) Act, 1941, and in the Courts (Emergency Powers) Acts. It would appear that the existing emergency legislation should suffice to afford proper relief.

asked the Secretary of State for Air to what extent men of military age are being given commissions in the Air Training Corps; whether such men are thereby enabled to avoid military service and to carry on their normal occupations; and whether he will revise the regulations to prevent this method of evasion?

Candidates for commissions in the Training Branch of the R.A.F.V.R. for service with the Air Training Corps are normally required to be between the ages of 35 and 55. By arrangement with the Minister of Labour and National Service, accepted candidates are not called up for general service with the Armed Forces under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act. It has not been easy to find men of the right type to act in an unpaid and part-time capacity as officers of a corps of nearly 200,000 boys; and I do not think that any change in the present practice is called for.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that the educational position in South Northamptonshire and North Buckinghamshire is such that all secondary schools are over-full and no further places can be found for children who have already reached the required standard; and whether he will take steps to improve the transport of children to the secondary or grammar schools at Buckingham, Towcester and Bletchley?

It is the case that secondary schools in the district in question are very full, largely owing to the influx of evacuated children. It is understood, however, from inquiries made through His Majesty's Inspector that so far it has not proved necessary to refuse admission as day pupils to any duly qualified children. I will examine the transport facilities for schoolchildren in these districts in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of War Transport.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of children of school age in England and Wales in full-time attendance at school on 1st July; the number attending for part-time only; and the approximate number of those not receiving school education?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Consett (Mr. David Adams) on 31st July.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the term full-time attendance, as used by the Board of Education, means attendance at school for a morning and afternoon session on every school day; and whether the term part-time attendance, means attend- ance at school for only one session per school day?

For the purposes of the returns recently obtained from local education authorities by the Board, "full-time attendance" was defined as including attendance for one meeting a day if it covered three hours or more of actual school work, excluding intervals for luncheon or recreation.