asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he can make a statement about the methods adopted in the concentration scheme in the fat-melting industry; and whether he has considered the protest made by the firm of Henson and Burbidge, Matusa works, London, about the matter?

The scheme of concentration of the edible fat melting industry is designed to secure economy in transport, man-power and coal consumption. The selection of the nucleus factories was made by my Department at the request of the industry and this was done after all plants had been inspected by our representative. The reply to the last part of my hon. Friend's Question is in the affirmative. The protest appears to be based on a misunderstanding as to the nature of the scheme.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he can give any information in connection with the charge made against Lee Brothers, of Philpot Lane, for labelling dyed flour as an egg substitute; whether he is aware of the statement made by the county analyst at the Henley police court, on Wednesday, 19th November; and whether he intends taking any action in the matter?

I understand that the firm to which my hon. Friend refers were fined £20 at Henley court for giving a false warranty in respect of a product called "Peakegg" which was found to consist of self-raising flour and bi-carbonate of soda. As regards the last part of my hon. Friend's Question the application received by my Department for a licence to manufacture this product under the provisions of the Food Substitutes (Control) Order, 1941, was not granted. Consequently the manufacture of this product has been prohibited since 27th October last.

asked the Parlaimentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether any arrangements are being made for the importation into this country of any consignments of sherry from Spain?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Keeling) on 2nd October last, to which I am not in a position to add anything at present.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what machinery exists for the dissemina- tion and enforcement of the Statutory Order defining national wheatmeal flour; whether he is aware that notwithstanding this Order national wheatmeal flour of 85 per cent. extraction may consist merely of white straight run flour with added bran; and whether this composition accords with the specification furnished by the Medical Research Council in its Second Momorandum, published in the spring of 1941?

National wheatmeal is made by controlled flour millers, and, in the manufacture of this product, they are bound by the Statutory Order defining national wheatmeal and also by the more precise instructions regarding its manufacture which were issued to secure adherence to the recommendations of the Medical Research Council. My Noble Friend has the necessary powers to secure compliance with such Orders and instructions. A composition consisting of white straight run flour with added bran would not accord with the specification of the Medical Research Council, nor would it be in accordance with the manufacturing instructions issued to millers. I should be glad if my hon. Friend would furnish me with particulars of any case where such a composition is being sold as national wheatmeal.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of food whether horseflesh for animal and human consumption, respectively, can both be sold in the same shop?

The answer is in the negative, the Horseflesh (Control and Maximum Prices) Order, 1941, which came into operation on 24th November, 1941, prohibits from that date the sale of horseflesh for human consumption at any premises where meat other than horseflesh is sold for that purpose or where horseflesh not fit for human consumption is sold.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of food the reason for the delay in reaching a decision as to the fixing of two different prices for horseflesh according as it is sold for human or animal consumption?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on the 19th November to the hon. Members for Twickenham (Mr. Keeling) and Don-caster (Mr. E. Walkden). An order prescribing maximum prices for horseflesh sold for human consumption came into operation on 24th November.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why a potato grower who has not gone to the trouble and expense of good cultivation and spraying to ensure a heavy crop receives the same £10 subsidy per acre as the man who has been put to all this trouble and expense?

The county war agricultural executive committees are notifying the Ministry of Food of any bad cultivators of potatoes and the Government payments may be withheld in these cases but the growers' financial reward is mainly determined by the size of his potato crop and not by the £10 grant.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what positions in the Ministry are at present held by representatives of the milling industry?

The following posts in the Ministry of Food are at present occupied by persons who have been drawn from the flour milling industry: — Director of Imported Cereals, Director of Cereal Products, three assistant directors, 19 trade officers and assistants, making a total of 24.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that parcels of comforts sent to British troops serving in the East, particularly in India, are subject to duty payable by the recipients, exceeding in some cases the value of the goods; and whether he will arrange for the receipt of such parcels by troops duty free?

The Government of India and the Government of Burma grant exemption from Customs duties on articles sent by parcel post to soldiers and airmen serving in India provided that such articles are in the nature of war comforts. The only exceptions to this exemption are tobacco, alcoholic liquor and articles of high intrinsic value such as jewellery.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give any information in connection with West End night clubs which have a number of gaming machines; how many of these machines have been seized during the past year; and what action he intends taking about the matter?

Of 139 machines seized by the police in the last twelve months, 21 were taken from West End clubs. The courts usually order the destruction of the machines in addition to imposing penalties on the offenders, and the number of such machines now in West End clubs is not believed to be large. The police will continue to give vigilant attention to this matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the amount of tax per ton upon tin ore exported from Malaya; and what quantity of ore has been exported during the last 12 months to countries outside the British Empire?

The export duty on tin ore varies in the different States which form part of Malaya, and I append a table showing details. No tin ore has been exported from Malaya to countries outside the British Empire during the past 12 months.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply whether he will permit retailers to use up for wrapping purposes paper they have in stock and thus enable it to become available later for salvage purposes instead of being kept unused in store?

In view of the paper shortage, it is not possible to make any relaxation of the Order. A retailer who has more wrapping paper in stock than he requires for his own permitted purposes should dispose of the surplus for uses which are allowed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply whether he has had an estimate made of the many thousands of tons of tramway lines no longer in use in Greater London and in the provinces; and whether he will consider using the metal thus being wasted before taking ancient and/or ornamental ironwork and fencings which may never be replaced?

Yes, Sir. Steps have already been taken, in co-operation with local authorities, for the removal of disused tramrails; and over 40 per cent. of the total estimated tonnage available has so far been recovered. Ordinary railings, which do not serve any useful function, are also to be removed to assist the war effort, but steps are being taken to ensure that railings of special artistic merit or historic interest are not taken.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether there is any method of segregating the sexes of day-old chicks; whether any training is required to do this; and whether he will recommend the destruction of very young cockerels in view of the food situation?

In the case of sex-linked crosses and of certain auto-sexing breeds of fowl such as the Cambar, the sex of day-old chicks may be determined through differences in the colour of down, legs, etc. In other cases, segregation can be effected by trained chick-sexers. The maximum prices fixed for table poultry do not encourage the production of roasting chicken, and poultry keepers have been warned that feeding-stuffs cannot be provided for such birds in war-time. Maximum prices have also recently been re-introduced for petit-poussins, that is, birds of about eight weeks old, at a level designed to encourage the sale of cockerels as soon as they can readily be identified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture (1) whether he will reconsider the case of Guardsman T. C. Emmington, who was called up from the Army Reserve at the outbreak of war and subsequently granted indefinite release to carry on farming in Huntingdonshire and subsequently refused release, although he had purchased another farm in Cambridgeshire; and is be aware that a second notice of recall to the colours had been cancelled before this man completed his purchase of such farm and that he has been for months past acting as a batman instead of carrying on urgent work upon his farm;(2) whether he is aware that Guardsman T. C. Emmington was not permitted to state his case before the Cambridgeshire War Agricultural Executive Committee, either in person or by his solicitor, and that such committee, unaware of the advice given by its expert officials to Mr. Emmington regarding the soil on his new farm and other matters, came to the decision that he had purchased the farm to keep out of the Army, which was, in fact, untrue; and whether, in the national interest, he will reconsider the suggestion that Mr. Emmington should either sell his farm or find a tenant to rent it?

I have decided after careful consideration of the circumstances that I would not be justified on agricultural grounds in recommending release from the Army in this case. I see no grounds for reconsidering this decision, the reasons for which I have already communicated to my hon. Friend.

asked the right hon. Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what is the acreage of land now owned or tenanted by the Forestry Commission; and what acreage is planted and plantable?

The Forestry Commission own or lease 1,224,027 acres of land. This includes 755,682 plantable acres, of which 404,228 acres have been planted.

asked the right hon. Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what is the Forestry Commission's planting programme for the present year; and what was felled, -thinned and planted last year, respectively?

The Forestry Com-mission's planting programme for the present season cannot in the existing circumstances be fixed definitely but it is anticipated that approximately 21,500 acres will be planted. 5,793 acres of woodland were felled and 4,834 acres were thinned in the last 12 months for which returns are completed. 26,944 acres were planted last season.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps are taken to ensure that guns placed on merchant ships are always kept manned and ready for action; and whether he is satisfied with existing arrangements?

The responsibility for seeing that the guns of a merchant ship are properly manned must necessarily lie with the master. Masters of ships are, therefore, supplied with printed instructions which deal in detail with state of readiness of the armament. Both in these instructions, and by the staff officers at the various ports, it is impressed upon masters how essential it is in dangerous areas that the armament should be instantly ready to open fire. The guns' crews are trained with this object in view. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) whether a booklet on the work of the Naval Air Service, giving some details of the operations of the Fleet Air Arm units in the North Sea, Atlantic. and Mediterranean, can be prepared and published, as has been done in the booklets dealing with the Battle of Britain, Bomber Command, etc.;(2) whether a booklet on the work of our submarines and destroyers, respectively, in the North Sea, Atlantic and Mediterranean, can be prepared and published, as has been done in the booklets dealing with the Battle of Britain, Bomber Command, etc.?

The Admiralty contemplate publishing a series of booklets on naval operations, and endeavour will be made to include in this series booklets on the subjects to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether officers quartered in towns where their homes are situated can be allowed to reside with their families instead of having to live in barracks or, in some cases, where barrack accommodation is not available, to pay for accommodation in hotels?

The circumstances in which military personnel can be given permission to reside with their families depend on operational considerations, and the decision is consequently a matter for the local commander. The general policy is to permit the issue of sleeping out passes to married personnel when and where operational requirements admit.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether part of a soldier's increase in pay is compulsorily added to any allotment he may be making; and in what proportion is the increase divided between the soldier and the allotment received by his dependant?

I append a table showing how the allotment which a soldier is required to make as a condition of the issue of family or dependants' allowance varies according to his rate of pay:

asked the Secretary of State for War why there is no prospect of promotion to non-commissioned rank for privates in the Army Dental Corps at Army dental centres, casualty clearing stations and military and base hospitals; why the sole exception is made for clerk orderlies in field ambulance units; and is he aware that the ordinary service clerk orderly in the Army Dental Corps who carries no rank has important duties to carry out and responsibilities equal to those of a battalion orderly-room sergeant or battalion quartermaster-sergeant?

Promotion to noncommissioned rank is made for clerk orderlies of the Army Dental Corps filling vacancies in the war establishment of certain dental centres, casualty clearing stations, military and base hospitals either at home or abroad, as well as in all field ambulances. There are no authorised war establishments for static army dental centres at home, and non-commissioned officers of the Army Dental Corps are posted to the larger of these, as and when available. The adequacy of the existing proportion of non-commissioned officers for the Corps as a whole is at present under examination.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he will prohibit the use of Army vehicles and petrol in game shooting, and thus prevent public money being used to subsidise private sport, while at the same time assisting to conserve petrol;(2) who authorised the use of Army lorry No. 4452632 for a shooting expedition on Wheeldale Moor, near Whitby, on Saturday 8th November, 1941, a standstill day so far as use of Army petrol is concerned; what was the amount of damage done to the vehicle; and who paid for the repair or replacement of damaged parts?

The use of Army vehicles for private purposes is, of course, strictly forbidden. As regards the particular case to which my hon. Friend refers, I have called for an immediate report and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as the required information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many cases of small-pox have occurred amongst recruits who have refused vaccination?

No cases of smallpox in the Army have been reported since the outbreak of war.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many civilian doctors have passed through an Army school of hygiene course; and how many have taken courses for treating mechanical warfare casualties?

I understand that my hon. Friend is referring to courses given to civilian doctors on entering the Army Medical Service. Some 5,000 medical officers have passed through a course at the Army School of Hygiene and over 1,000 through a course for the treatment of mechanical warfare casualties.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will recommend the institution of some badge, token or other recognition of good service to the State by men who have carried on in established laborious and uncongenial jobs, in face of the temptation to go over to easier and more lucrative work in munition factories?

No, Sir. I doubt whether it would be possible to draw such a distinction in such a way as to meet with any degree of general acceptance.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will stop organisations working to secure a negotiated peace by directing that the staffs so employed be transferred to work of national importance?

I do not think this would be a suitable method for suppressing political activities, however objectionable they may be to the majority of citizens. I should, however, make it clear that when in the ordinary course people are required to transfer to work of national importance, the fact that they are working for organisations of this kind would not excuse them from transfer.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any uniform definition exists of the term, "except for serious misconduct," mentioned in Section 4 (1) (a) of the Essential Work Order, No. 822, of 1941?

The Essential Work Orders do not define this term.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in connection with his plans for education, he will consider the institution of a more satisfactory and reliable examination of the schoolchild, ensure a suitable school meal, reduce home work and abolish entirely examinations which are pitched higher than are necessary?

The matters to which my hon. Friend refers are all such as would call for consideration in connection with any comprehensive review of the public system of education.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, to avoid undue hardship and discontent, he will revise the methods of assessing shipyard workers for Income Tax purposes so that in any week in 1942 they will be paying against a week in 1941 in which a comparable amount of overtime was obtainable, since overtime in shipyards must vary with the amount of daylight available?

I regret that it would not be practicable to adopt the proposal put forward by my hon. Friend. I may remind him, however, that under the regulations governing the deduction of Income Tax from wages, the amount of the weekly deduction for Income Tax is required to be restricted if necessary so that the wages shall not be reduced below certain limits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the approximate cost of giving effect to the proposed war bonus for Civil Service pensioners, the terms of which were supplied to him by the National Whitley Council, Staff Side, to meet the increased cost of living?

The proposals of the Staff Side were made in the most general terms. They did not specify the amount of the bonus, or the limits of pension on which it was to be paid. It is therefore impossible to form any estimate of the cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, under Section 25 of the War Damage Act, 1941, each and every mortgage must exceed one-third of the price of acquisition before each mortgagee can be called upon to contribute, or whether it is only mortgagees whose individual holdings exceed one-third of the total amount?

I am not sure that I understand precisely what my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind. If he will let me have full particulars of the case concerned I will gladly have it examined.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the methods being practised by certain ground landlords or their solicitors of sending out demand notices for half-yearly ground rents, less income tax, without deduction of their contribution for war risks contribution; and whether he will take steps to give the necessary publicity and warning to ground landlords reminding them of Section 7 of the Finance Act, 1941, so that the necessary protection may be afforded to leaseholders in this connection?

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind Section 28 of the War Damage Act, 1941, under which a person who is entitled to recover from his landlord part of an instalment of the War Damage Contribution may deduct the amount recoverable from any payment of rent falling due to the landlord. This method of recovery, which applies without prejudice to any other method of recovery, is explained in the leaflet which was issued with all the demand notes for the first instalment. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the leaflet.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply whether he will give the quantity of scrap-iron and steel shipped from Great Britain and Northern Ireland for each of the five years preceding the outbreak of war?

I have been asked to reply. The quantity of iron and steel scrap and waste, fit only for the recovery of metal, exported from the United Kingdom during the period specified was as follows: —

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in order to save fuel, he will prohibit window-display lighting in all shops?

The attention of all shopkeepers has been directed to the necessity for strict economy in the use of electricity and it is hoped in this way to obviate the necessity of prohibiting the lighting of shop windows, but the position will be further considered in due course in the light of the results obtained.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in considering the allotment of coupons for the purchase of boots, he will take into account the special circumstances of men working in iron foundries and other places where footwear is subjected to great heat and is, in consequence, liable to wear out very rapidly?

Yes, Sir. Exceptional wear and tear of boots in any particular occupation is taken into account in determining claims for supplementary clothing coupons for workers in that trade.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has received from the Malmesbury and District Hospital referring to a claim by them vis-a-vis the Wiltshire County Public Assistance Committee; and what action he intends to take in the matter?

The only representations I have received with reference to this claim are those which were sent to me by my hon. and gallant Friend in August last. In accordance with his request I replied directly 10 the chairman of the hospital committee saying that I had looked into the matter, but did not consider that I should intervene.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can give any statistics showing the development or retardation of the incidence of goitre in the community at large?

Six different varieties of goitre are internationally recognised. None of these is notifiable in this country, and there is no comprehensive statistical information available as to the incidence of this disease.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the resolutions passed by the Doncaster and Kent panel committees, held recently, supporting the appeal for a war bonus of 4s. to insurance practitioners; and whether he will consider this matter?

I have received copies of these resolutions, but I cannot see my way to grant such a bonus.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the difficulties of the average medical practitioner to meet the increased Income Tax out of a capitation fee, which despite its rise, really remains as it was at the end of the last war; and whether he will consider granting a war bonus.

I am not aware of any reason why medical practitioners should not be subject to Income Tax in the same way as other citizens. The capitation fee is to be increased for other reasons from the beginning of next year, and I am not prepared to increase it further by way of compensation for the increase in Income Tax.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in a district within 10 miles of London Bridge, which is now an official evacuation area because of enemy action, out of the original quota of 57 medical men 53 still remain; and whether he will make arrangements that the services of these doctors are better employed?

If my hon. Friend will supply me with the name of the area I will consider the matter.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that owing to war conditions the position of a large proportion of the medical practitioners is precarious; and whether he will consider a scheme whereby medical practitioners in evacuation areas can be transferred to the centres to which citizens are transferred?

In a number of cases the transfer to reception areas of general practitioners who had become surplus to the requirements of evacuation areas was arranged by the Central Medical War Committee during the earlier part of the war. Some medical officers of local authorities were similarly transferred in connection with the Government evacuation scheme, and hospital staffs have in many cases been transferred from inner to outer hospitals under the emergency hospital scheme. My hon. Friend will appreciate that there are serious difficulties in the transfer otherwise than by agreement between them of practitioners from one practice to another, owing to the personal nature of the services rendered and the difficult financial problems involved.

asked the Minister of Wealth whether he is aware that the condition of evacuated children from London shows pediculosis, impetigo and scabies; and why such children were permitted to change their residence?

I am aware that in the past children suffering from these conditions have sometimes arrived in the reception areas. It has recently again been thoroughly impressed on the evacuation authorities in the London area that, before organised parties of children are sent to reception areas, medical inspection must be carried out and where necessary the children must receive efficient treatment before they may travel. The authorities are aware that no child who is suffering from an infectious condition must be sent out until he is cured.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the general dissatisfaction within the medical profession respecting the fact that the Central Medical War Committee has met on two occasions only in the period ended September, 1941; and whether he will give this matter his consideration?

I have no evidence of dissatisfaction such as is suggested in the Question. Although the full Committee has met only twice in the year ended 30th September, its work has been carried on continuously by its appropriate subcommittees and by its officers in accordance with the authority which it has entrusted to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that a publication, entitled the "Air Force Diary, 1942," is now on sale in London; that the publication gives the names and location of Royal Air Force and civil aerodromes throughout the country, the types of aeroplanes used by each command, and the type of engine used in each type of aeroplane; and will he take the necessary action to prevent this tabulation and circulation of information which would be useful to the enemy?

The Diary was examined in my Department before publication. As all the information it contains had previously been published there was no objection to its reissue in the Diary.

asked the Secretary of State for Air in what respect Service status enhances the value of civilian instructors; and what is the nature of the economies which the grant of Service status makes possible?

Civilian instructors have no responsibility for the supervision and discipline of their pupils when they are not receiving technical instruction. These duties have accordingly to be undertaken by others. The grant of Service status makes it possible to avoid this duplication and achieve economies in establishments.