asked the President of the Board of Trade why surface workers in mines are not permitted the same extra coupons for clothing which are accorded to underground workers in mines?

Any additional coupons which may be awarded to industrial workers must be based on the net additional needs of clothing occasioned by their work. The working conditions of surface and underground miners differ widely, and the case of each must be considered on its own merits.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether permission can be obtained by comforts funds who are recognised and registered under the War Charities Act to purchase wool free of coupons?

Yes, Sir. Any comforts fund, knitting party or similar body can obtain coupon-free wool by becoming affiliated to one or more of the official comforts organisations of the three Services, or to one of a number of national organisations for the welfare of merchant seamen.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of sittings to date of the Committee on Retail Shopkeepers; whether the inquiries have yet been completed; whether he has yet received any report, or when he expects so to do; and whether all or any of the sittings have been in public?

The Retail Trade Committee have up to date held 12 meetings and there have been 13 meetings of the various Sub-committees: none of them was held in public. I received an Interim Report from the Committee last week. The Committee have not completed the inquiries necessitated by their wide terms of reference.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a manufacturer whose sales of controlled goods did not exceed £250 in any one month during the period June, 1939, to May, 1940, is not required to register, and is now allowed a quota of £100 a month, while a manufacturer whose sales slightly exceeded the £250 limit is now a registered trader with only a 25 per cent, quota; and whether, in order to correct this injustice and eliminate border-line cases, he will consider allowing a quota of £100 a month to all manufacturers whose nominal sales were below £400 per month during the period stated above?

Any established manufacturer of goods in the circumstances referred to by my hon. Friend who does not wish to supply more than £100 worth of controlled goods in any month can as a rule be omitted from the register at his request. He will then be prohibited from supplying controlled goods of his own manufacture in excess of that limit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether there have been any conferences under the auspices of his Department between the breeders of pedigree cattle and his export committees; and what steps are being planned?

By arrangement with the Business Members Committee of the Industrial and Export Council, livestock exporters and representatives of some breed societies were invited to a meeting at the Board of Trade on 29th September to consider proposals for the formation of an Export Group. The meeting was well attended and an Export Group was formed. The chairman and secretary provisionally appointed were Mr. Nevill Matthews, of John Thornton, Hobson and Company, and Mr. F. J. Bull, secretary to the British Dairy Farmers' Association, and the address of the Group is 28, Russell Square, W.C.I. Like other Export Groups, it will advise the Industrial and Export Council about all problems affect-ting the trade and will, in particular, assist in the arrangements for passing stock through the quarantine station recently opened by the Ministry of Agriculture.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether inquiry has been made into the fact that, though 7,000,000 yards of brown and white scrim for camouflage purposes were ordered to be sent to the troops in the East, a consignment of 7,000,000 yards of green scrim, designed for use in this country, was delivered; and who was to blame for the mistake?

My hon. and gallant Friend appears to be under a misapprehension. Both brown and green scrim were sent to the Middle East in response to requests for these colours. Instructions were given at the same time for white scrim to be obtained from India.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider a review of the ages and medical categories and mechanical skill of all military personnel employed as drivers of staff motor cars and motor cycles in this country with a view to their replacement, wherever possible, by older men of the lowest acceptable medical classification equally qualified; and whether he will seek suitable volunteers for such duties from drivers and motor car owners over present military age, fit for such purposes?

In operational units drivers of cars and motor cycles must be medically fit to carry out their duties under active service conditions. In home service units drivers are provided as far as possible from the Auxiliary Territorial Service, soldiers of low medical category and trained soldiers who are too young for service overseas. Voluntary enlistment for driving duties is open to men up to the age of 55, and I am glad to take this opportunity of calling attention to the valuable services that may be rendered to the Army in this way by men above military age.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the establishment of an inspector-general of man-power in the Army for the survey and examination of all units, depots and formations, the recommending of any merger thought necessary, and the better utilisation, transfer and saving of manpower, skilled and unskilled, where deemed expedient?

I am not convinced of the advantages to be derived from my hon. and gallant Friend's proposal. All these matters are kept under constant examination by the Adjutant-General, who is the member of the Army Council specially charged with problems of Army manpower and its utilisation to best advantage. Where necessary, establishments have been specially reviewed by committees appointed for the purpose, and senior officers have been appointed to each command headquarters for the specific purpose of examining and advising upon the questions raised by my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware of the growing dissatisfaction at the laborious and unbusinesslike ways of the War Damage Commission; and whether he will take steps to expedite settlements as the Inland Revenue is collecting the contributions so quickly?

I am not aware of any ground for the suggestion in the first part of the Question. As regards the second part, perhaps I may refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 16th instant in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Sir R. Gower).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in regard to disputed builders' claims, a portion of which is disallowed both by the National Federation of Building Trades employers and by the regional assessor, if such claims have been paid by the householder, the latter can recover from the builder the amount of the claim disputed, or what procedure should be followed?

The Commission is under a statutory obligation to pay the proper cost of making good war damage. If the owner has been charged more than this by the builder, the matter is one for settlement between the parties, and the Commission has no authority to intervene. It is hoped, however, that the arrangements made with the National Federation of Building Trades Employers to which reference is made in the Question will contribute to the solution of this difficult problem. The arrangements were, in fact, made with that object.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is against the public interest to give Christmas presents this year?

I am confident that we shall all wish that our Christmas presents should be such as not to hinder and if possible to help our war effort. The National Savings Committee, with the cooperation of the Post Office, have arranged for National Savings gift tokens and Christmas cards to be available, whereby National Savings to any amount from 6d. upwards can be given as a present, and this is clearly the best form of Christmas gift. Similar arrangements are being made in Scotland and Northern Ireland. I am confident that as regards other gifts the public will exercise reasonable discretion. As regards the sending of Christmas presents abroad, there are already in existence special arrangements for evacuated children. Subject to this exception, goods cannot be sent from this country to most overseas countries outside the sterling area except in return for payment in accordance with the regulations governing exports. This means that in the normal case the sending of gifts is ruled out and it would not be consistent with our war needs at the present time to make any general exception for Christmas presents. No cash remittances outside the sterling area can be permitted.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport, whether efforts have been, or will be made, to have members of the Merchant Navy interned in enemy countries who have been injured, or are suffering from chronic illness, exchanged with like prisoners of war from Germany and Italy in this country?

The International Convention relating to the Treatment of Prisoners of War 1929 does not apply to merchant seamen but if it should ever be possible to arrange for the mutual repatri- ation of persons not covered by that Convention His Majesty's Government would certainly do their utmost to see that sick and injured seamen were included in those arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will suggest to local authorities the desirability of offering prizes, in August, 1942, for war-time garden produce?

My Department already operates a scheme for the award of certificates of merit to allotment holders and others who cultivate their plots to the best advantage. The adoption of this scheme was recommended by the Domestic Food Producers' Council, which advised in favour of the award of certificates rather than of money prizes. A number of local authorities have combined the Ministry's scheme with arrangements of their own for the award of money prizes, but I cannot commend this course to authorities generally.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the proportion of two-furrow ploughs used in this country; and whether this particular plough is regarded as the most serviceable in the present emergency?

While exact particulars are not available of the number of two-furrow ploughs used in the country as compared with other types, sales to farmers of two-furrow ploughs very greatly predominate over those of other types, probably in the proportion of three to one. The choice of plough is governed by too many factors—soil, crop, depth of ploughing, weight of plough, weather, contour—to enable any general opinion to be expressed as to what plough is the most serviceable. It is obviously desirable that the fullest possible use should be made of three and more furrow ploughs rather than two-furrow ploughs so far as conditions permit.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of feeding-stuffs per week per bird given to poultry keepers owning 12, 50, 60 and 100 birds, respectively; and whether there is strictly pro rata allocation according to the number of birds kept?

With the exception of domestic poultry keepers owning from 1–12 birds, rations for poultry are calculated not on the basis of existing numbers of birds but on the numbers returned as having been kept before the war. Allowances at present are at the rate of 4½ ozs. per day in the summer months, and 3 ozs. per day in the winter months, for one-sixth of the total number of birds returned as being on the holding on 4th June, 1939. These allowances are further modified by a deduction representing the acreage of the holding. Domestic poultry keepers owning from 1–12 birds are rationed on the basis of their existing numbers and receive balancer meal at the rate of approximately 1 lb. per head per week.

asked the Minister of Labour in view of the large number of unemployed still recorded, exactly what work these men and women, as a whole, are fitted to do or wish to do?

I cannot accept the implications of my hon. Friend's suggestion that there are large numbers still recorded as unemployed. In the case of men, 30 per cent, of those wholly unemployed have been adjudged unsuitable for ordinary industrial employment and the great majority of the others were on the day of the count simply passing from one job to another. In the case of women, the determining factor is often that they are not mobile and cannot readily be sent to employment available in other districts, and the only means of absorbing them is by the withdrawal of mobile women from local employment for employment elsewhere, and replacing them so far as possible by the women who cannot leave home. The register is made up of applicants for a great variety of different employments and it is not practicable to state what employment they are, as a whole, fitted to undertake.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will cause inquiries to be made as to why it is that so many men and women of military age, employed at the various greyhound tracks in and about London, have not been called up for military service?

No reservation or deferment is provided for occupations in greyhound racing, and it is not intended that any persons of military age should be retained in civil life for such employment. I understand that some men who are reserved in respect of their main occupation may be employed outside their ordinary working hours on the race tracks as a subsidiary occupation.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that at the Garrioch Road Employment Exchange, Glasgow, a closed letter addressed to the chairman, Appeal Board, Garrioch Road, containing confidential information regarding the state of health of the girl who brought the letter and who was appealing against the class of work proposed to be allotted to her, was opened at the public counter by a girl clerk, read by her and then handed back open to the appellant with a direction to hand it to the chairman when her appeal was heard; and whether he will take appropriate action to prevent such a breach of confidence, particularly as on the information becoming known to the appellant she has had a relapse and is again under medical treatment?

I am having inquiries made and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Scottish Advisory Council has selected the personnel to study the problem of post-war Scotland; whether he can announce the names of those appointed; and whether they will work as individuals on a full-time basis or as voluntary committees?

I would refer the hon. Member to my previous statements regarding the functions of the council. It will be seen that it is not the intention to set up one single committee to study the various problems likely to arise in post-war Scotland, but to appoint separate committees to inquire into particular subjects. The council is at present engaged in the selection of personnel to conduct inquiries of immediate importance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will ensure that full and careful record is kept of the results of the placing by the Scottish war agricultural committees of sheep upon hill grazings in Scotland, including the Islands, such record to include full costings, mortality rates among the sheep and the net food production resulting from the operations?

Yes, Sir. I have arranged that full accounts will be kept.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he accepts full responsibility for the high-frequency apparatus surrendered by medical practitioners to his Department in accordance with a recent order prohibiting their use or possession, with certain exceptions or does such impounded apparatus still remain at the risk of the doctors concerned?

For reasons of national security an Order was made by the Secretary of State prohibiting the possession or use of certain high frequency apparatus, except under permit. In order to assist owners, who were not eligible for the grant of a permit and might otherwise have been unable to dispossess themselves of their apparatus without difficulty and loss, an option was given them to deposit the apparatus with the Post Office. Those who availed themselves of the option constituted the Postmaster-General a bailee of the apparatus, and in that capacity his obligation is to take reasonable and proper care of the property committed to his charge. He is not however liable for damage produced by causes beyond his control, which remains at the risk of the owner and should be covered by insurance.

asked the Postmaster General whether, if it is essential that sub-post offices must be allowed to close at midday, they can at least be instructed not to do so in the normal lunch hours of people engaged in trade and industry since, as matters stand, these are quite prevented from satisfying everyday requirements?

Full consideration is given to the needs of the local public before the time of midday closing of a sub-post office is fixed. If the hon. Member knows of any cases in which the time of closing is particularly inconvenient to people engaged in trade and industry, I shall be pleased to look into them.

asked the Postmaster General why his Department refuses to authorise the establishment of those telephone sales representatives who, in normal circumstances, would have gained such establishment after performing five years' service but who, owing to the war, have either been lent to other branches of the telephone department or to other Government Departments; whether such refusal is in accord with the general practice adopted with regard to other grades in the Civil Service; and whether he will reconsider his decision?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Parker) on 15th October and of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that some retail distributors of milk are under the impression that the Ministry's instructions are that they should supply only tinned milk to people with emergency cards; and will he take steps to remove such misunderstanding of the Ministry's instructions?

Retail distributors have already received instructions from Food Offices which indicate clearly that liquid milk may be sold to holders of temporary or special ration documents. They have received no instructions to supply only tinned milk in such cases.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the request by retail butchers to be allowed to take part in the distribution of imported tinned meats, on the grounds that it would be a fairer method of distribution to the public; and whether this request is to be granted?

I am aware of this request. At the suggestion of the National Federation of Meat Traders Associations the whole question is to be discussed at the next meeting of the Ministry's Consultative Conference for the Retail Meat Trade on 22nd October. As I stated in reply to a Question put by the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. Liddall) on 8th October, the retail butchers are at present the sole distributors of canned corned beef, mutton and pork and it is not proposed to alter this arrangement. The present request applies to imported canned meats other than these. Certain additional information is now being furnished to the Ministry with the help of the National Federation and further consideration will be given to the subject when this information is available.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food how many counties have mobile British Restaurants at work?

I am not quite clear what my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind. The provision of mobile British Restaurants from which meals would be served en roule is not contemplated by the Ministry of Food so far as day-to-day feeding facilities are concerned. Meals served from British Restaurants are consumed on the premises or may be carried away for consumption at home. There are also arrangements under which meals are transported from kitchens to dining centres. It may be that my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to the provision of British Restaurant facilities in rural areas, where it would appear that small restaurants or "Cash and Carry "Kitchens, supplemented, where necessary, by mobile services would meet requirements in certain areas. In such cases the mobile service would merely transport the food. Certain experiments have been started in this direction. Three British Restaurants are now in operation in the Sevenoaks area. At Kemsing and Edenbridge there are "Cash and Carry" Kitchens and at Penshurst a "Cash and Carry" Kitchen with a Restaurant. A mobile service in addition is under consideration. In the Eastern Division a comprehensive and successful scheme was carried out by the Women's Voluntary Services and Women's Institute for sending out packed meals twice a week to field workers during the harvest period. In the Hatfield district a scheme whereby meals were sent out from a school canteen to a farm three miles away is being extended with the opening of a British Restaurant and a regular delivery will be instituted to all farms in the neighbourhood which wish to participate.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that members of the Royal Observer Corps have not been provided with uniform or uniform allowance; and whether, in view of the valuable services of this corps, he will arrange for suitable warm uniform without delay?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for West Leyton (Mr. Sorensen) on 15th October.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether, in view of the appeal of the Minister for railings, he is aware that the public would respond more readily if they saw a serious attempt. being made to clear up the iron and steel debris in bombed buildings in all our cities hitherto attacked; and whether, to remove the impression that such clearance is insufficiently rapid, he will welcome communications setting out the spots where greater activity would be appreciated?

I am glad to be able to assure my hon. Friend that effective arrangements have been in existence during the last 10 weeks for the salvage from bombed buildings of all steel and iron, and that in this time approximately two-thirds of the estimated total amount available has been dealt with. Nevertheless, I would welcome information from anyone who would be good enough to tell me where the work does not seem to be going fast enough. I would add my appreciation of the way in which the public generally is responding to the call for iron railings.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that difficulty is being experienced in the Wigan area in obtaining the miners' hickory handles, commonly known as pick shafts, which are a necessary part of a miner's equipment; whether he will have inquiries made as to how to improve the supply; and whether the restriction of shipping space is the cause of the shortage?

I am aware of a complaint from a merchant in Wigan regarding an alleged shortage of hickory handles for miners' pick shafts. Supplies of hickory logs held by the importer from whom this merchant normally obtains supplies of finished handles became exhausted but a consignment has now reached him and delivery of handles has been resumed. The merchant has also been informed of an additional source of supply in the North-West area from where deliveries can be obtained. My Department has received no complaints from colliery companies indicating any shortage or difficulty in obtaining delivery of miners' pick shafts.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in fixing the curfew arrangements for entertainments during the coming winter, regard will be paid to similarity of treatment under which dance halls and similar places of amusements will be placed on the same plane as theatres and cinemas?

The considerations which apply to cinemas and theatres do not apply to premises used for dancing and I cannot undertake that the same closing hour will always be fixed for both. Premises used for dancing are not subject to the general closing hour laid down by the Public Entertainments (Restriction) Order, except in Central London, but chief officers of police are empowered to prohibit or restrict the use of such premises when it appears necessary to minimise risk from enemy action.