asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply, how much raw cotton is earmarked for this country under the Lease-Lend Act; and what possibilities there are for increasing supplies imported into this country?

Large quantities of American cotton have already been supplied under the Lend Lease Act for our war effort, and further supplies are being arranged for. It would not be in the public interest to give figures.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply, for the guidance of local authorities and the public, how many tons of railings are needed in the present emergency?

"The sky's the limit."

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction that exists among outdoor manual workers employed by local authorities regarding the ration of cheese; and whether he is prepared to reconsider an additional allowance to these workmen, especially as they perform work of a heavy character?

I am not aware of any general dissatisfaction among the employees of local authorities regarding the ration of cheese. As I have stated on previous occasions, the special cheese ration is not in respect of heavy work. It is designed for groups of workers who cannot take advantage of any catering facilities and require to take suitable food for their luncheon with them. In the selection of these categories the Ministry have the benefit of the advice of representatives of workers' organisations, who support the present arrangements, and I regret that special rations cannot be extended to any of the workers in question not already covered by the existing scheme.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been called to the fact that Messrs. Smedley have in stock some millions of tins of canned food-stuffs which they are not permitted to distribute, and that they will not prepare further quantities until those in stock have been distributed; and whether he will make arrangements to use the goods in store before those that have only recently come on to the market?

The reply to the first part of the Question is "Yes, Sir." The reply to the second part is that the bulk of the goods to which reference was made are canned carrots, and it is not my noble Friend's intention that these should be put on the market while fresh carrots are in abundant supply.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food how many British Restaurants have been opened in Scotland; and what steps are being taken to encourage the opening of such restaurants in Scottish towns?

There are 22 British Restaurants and one cooking depot in operation in Scotland serving approxi- mately 10,700 meals daily. "These are situated as follows:—

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in view of the failure to adopt the specification of the Medical Research Council for a national wheatmeal loaf and the enforcement in the Emergency Powers Order, No. 1291, of a definition which makes no fine selection of the most nutritious parts of the grain and permits 85 per cent. national wheatmeal to consist of white flour with added bran, he will revise the Order with a view to fortifying the nutrition of the people?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for London University (Sir E. Graham-Little) on 25th November last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any women will be appointed to the Colonial Labour Advisory Committee which his Department intends to set up?

The selection of the four non-official members of the Com- mittee has not yet been made, and I am therefore unable to state whether any one of them will be a woman. In any event, the possibility of including a woman member, or woman members, in the personnel of the Committee at a later date, as and when its activities develop, will not be lost sight of.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, to. ensure the most efficient progress of the Colonial Development Policy, he will take early steps to group the East African, the West African and the West Indian territories into governor-generalships so as to attract the best men available, and to zone the members of the Colonial Civil Service in order to secure continuity of administration?

In the Governors' Conferences in East and West Africa, and in the organisation of the Comptroller for Welfare and Development in the West Indies, machinery is already available for a measure of co-ordination within these colonial groups. The institution of the further centralising machinery suggested in my hon. Friend's Question is therefore in no way a prerequisite for the application of the colonial development policy. As regards the second parts of the Question, the creation of regional services has been considered: but it is felt that, in the present stage of development, the general unification of the Colonial administrative and other services in the policy best fitted to ensure that the qualifications and experience of the members of those services are used to the greatest advantage.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies when the export tax on tin-ore from Malaya was first imposed; and what is the total amount of revenue which has since accrued from this tax?

Researches in the Colonial Office Library have disclosed the fact that there was a duty of this kind in Selangor in 1877 and in neighbouring States not long after this date, but I am unable to state definitely whether 1877 was the earliest date on which such a duty was imposed. My hon. Friend will appreciate the fact that it would not be possible to compile the information asked for in the second part of his Question without an excessive expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Government of Malaya has requested or ordered the newspapers in British Malaya not to publish the resolution of the Tin Producers' Association of 17th November last, demanding the abolition of the export tax on tin-ore, which resolution was published in the British Press on 18th November?

My information is that no such request or order has been issued in Malaya, but I am taking steps to verify this.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of German brutality in Russia and other countries, it is proposed to issue new instructions for the civilian population in case of invasion of this country, so that they may be trained in the best methods of self-defence?

These matters are constantly reviewed by the authorities concerned, but I am advised there is nothing new in German brutality which calls for a change at this moment in the instructions which have been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the strength of the Air Training Corps at the latest convenient date?

The strength of the Air Training Corps on 31st October, 1941, was approximately 157,000 cadets enrolled in some 1,400 units. A somewhat larger figure of strength was given in June last, but this was based on estimates and not on detailed returns.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of women who have applied for enrolment in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force; the number who have been accepted for service; and what proportion of these have not yet been called up?

It would not be in the public interest to give this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many canteens for women serving under the control of the Air Ministry are there in which intoxicants are supplied; and whether any regulations concerning such supply, made by the Home Secretary or the Scottish Secretary, apply to these canteens?

Canteens for women only are not run under Air Ministry auspices. There are over 100 licensed canteens for civilian personnel which may be used by women employees. These canteens are subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be agreed between the competent authority under Defence Regulation 60AA and the Secretary of State for the Home Department or the Secretary of State for Scotland, as the case may be. Canteens for R.A.F. personnel, which members of the W.A.A.F. may use, are subject only to Service regulations which prohibit, save on special occasions, the sale of intoxicating liquors other than beer.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps are being taken to ensure that the propaganda value of photographs of such victories as the sinking of the "Bismarck" is not wasted through there being no official photographers present?

The number of official naval photographers has recently been considerably increased. In addition a number of cinematograph cameras has been acquired for issue to His Majesty's ships for operation by members of ships' companies. Although it is hoped that these measures will prevent historic pictures being missed, my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that on many occasions—notably the sinking of the "Bismarck"—the conditions have been such as to preclude any possibility of successful photography.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty who was responsible for the loss of a motor-car, in which were import- ant specifications for the Admiralty, at Notting Hill; and have the motor-car and papers been recovered?

The motor-car in question was the property of an employee of a firm of paint manufacturers. The specifications to which my hon. Friend refers are well known to the trade, and, therefore, neither secret nor confidential. Both the motor-car and the papers have been recovered.

asked the Home Secretary under what conditions was Miss Frieda Utley given an exit permit to America?

This lady was given an exit permit in October, 1939, for the purpose of undertaking a lecture tour in the United States, where she appears to have remained ever since. As my hon. Friend is aware, more stringent precautions have had to be adopted to deal with cases of this kind, but it is unhappily impossible to give them retrospective effect.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in order to lessen the present disparity between the pay of men and women in the Forces and those in industry, without increasing the danger of inflation during the war, he will consider a scheme of additional deferred pay for men and women in the Forces to be made available for them after the war?

As regards the comparison between the position of members of the Forces and workers in industry, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on nth November to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Finchley (Mr. Crowder) and Swindon (Mr. Wakefield). As my hon. Friend is aware, the Government had recently under consideration the general question of the remuneration of members of the Forces, as a result of which it was decided to introduce the improved arrangements for the payment of War Service Grants set out in Command Paper No. 6318, and they think that it is desirable to await experience of the working of the new scheme before considering whether any further improvement should be made in the position of members of the Forces.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the present salary and future maximum rate of pension of the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet and the Commander-in-Chief of the Army in the Middle East?

The present emoluments of the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet, are pay as Admiral, £6 6s. 8d. a day, table money, £4 10s. 0d. a day, together with furnished residence and services in kind. The gross cash emoluments amount to approximately £3,954 a year (pay £2,312, table money £1,642). If retired in the rank of Admiral the present holder will be eligible for maximum retired pay of £1,289 a year. The normal emoluments of the post of Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, when held by a British Service officer are £9 1s. 0d. a day, with the usual allowances in cash or kind for a General Officer, and an entertainment allowance of £750 a year. The gross emoluments amount to approximately £4,960 a year (pay £3,300, entertainment allowance £750, other allowances £910). The retired pay, assuming the officer is a substantive General, is £1,300 a year. The present holder of the post is, however, an Indian Army officer with reserved rights to Indian rates of pay and retired pay. The exact rates of pay are still under discussion and in the meantime he has drawn advances of pay on a provisional basis. The rate of retired pay for which he is at present eligible as a General of the Indian Army is £1,490. The maximum admissible is £1,500, which he will have earned if he serves until June, 1943.

asked the Minister of Information what steps have been taken to exchange information on policy and technique in propaganda with the Soviet Propaganda Ministry and to establish coordination between the two countries in this matter?

The hon. Member will recall that Sir Walter Monckton, while Director General of the Ministry of Information, made a special visit to Russia for this purpose. Information on policy and propaganda technique was exchanged with the Soviet Information Bureau and arrangements were made for closer cooperation through exchange of information and material. This material includes news, background information, films and photographs.

asked the Minister of Information whether he can arrange for the more rapid transmission of British newspapers, magazines and periodicals to Switzerland; and whether any special organ dealing with this war is being circulated in Switzerland at the instance of his Ministry?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Oral Answer given to-day to his Question No. 29.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is satisfied with the omnibus service between Churchdown and Cheltenham; and whether he will try and arrange for some improvement?

Railway works have necessitated the temporary closing of two bridges, with the result that this omnibus service has been temporarily interfered with. To ease the position the Church-down railway stop is again being used and I am inquiring if its use can be extended.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport the number of Moslems at present serving in the merchant service?

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider granting an allocation of eating chocolate to members of the Home Guard, particularly when their units are on night duty after a full day of civilian work?

In view of the shortage of supplies I am afraid that this proposal would not be practicable at the present time. As my hon. Friend is aware, members of the Home Guard already have certain advantages over the general public with regard to the purchase of chocolate in garrison and regimental institutes or canteens conducted by voluntary bodies.