asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a number of shopkeepers cannot realise their stocks owing to the coupon system; and whether, as the sale of such stocks would only involve a transfer of money from the purchasers to the shopkeepers and would not divert labour or material from war purposes, he will help shopkeepers to face their heavy losses and increase the yield of Purchase and Income Tax by taking steps to enable shopkeepers to sell their existing stocks of goods of a luxury or semi-luxury character?

A situation of the kind referred to arose on the initiation of clothes rationing, and in July and August traders were allowed to sell certain luxury goods on a reduced scale of coupons. Since then the position has been closely watched, in consultation with the Retailers' Advisory Committee on Clothes Rationing, and I am advised that no further action of this kind is either necessary or desirable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now announce his decision on the request of butchers and meat traders for special consideration in regard to non-couponed aprons and overalls?

The reduction in the numbers of coupons required for industrial overalls and aprons which was announced on 19th November should enable workers needing a reasonable number of such garments to meet their needs out of the basic ration of 66 coupons. The question whether butchers and meat traders have a special claim for supplementary coupons is still under consideration with the interests concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the selection of the period 1st December, 1940, to 23rd October, 1941, as a basic period of the new Location of Retail Businesses Order, takes the place of the period hitherto used by the Board of Trade in connection with their Limitation of Supplies Order which was 1st June, 1939, to 31st May, 1940, and that it is as a consequence of the Limitation of Supplies Order that traders unable to secure goods limited under the order have turned to the sale of medicines, etc., which are not limited; and can he see his way clear to revert to the original period?

I am not prepared to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion. The basic period of the Location of Retail Businesses Order, 1941, was fixed after careful consideration of all the circumstances as the period which would be most generally equitable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the shortage of high-tension batteries throughout the country; and whether, in view of the importance of the broadcasting system in the event of invasion, he will take steps to ensure that supplies are readily available to residents in country villages who have no local electricity supply and consequently rely upon these batteries for their wireless receiving sets?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Clackmannan and Eastern (Mr. Woodburn) on 11th November, a copy of which I am sending to him. The increase in production of high-tension batteries referred to therein has been maintained.

asked the Minister of Economic Warfare whether His Majesty's Government has considered the proposal made by Mr. Hoover on 17th February, 1941, for controlled relief for the people of Belgium, which was accepted by the German Government on 26th February, 1941; and with what result?

His Majesty's Government have never been furnished either with the details of the proposals placed before the German Government by Mr. Hoover's representatives in February, 1941, or with the text of the German Government's reply. On the general issue of food relief in occupied territories, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 11th December to my hon. Friend the Member for Moss Side (Mr. Rostron Duckworth).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many active service ratings of the writer branch of the Navy have been promoted to warrant rank since the outbreak of war; and how many paymaster-commanders have been promoted to paymaster-captains in the same period?

The number of active service writer ratings promoted to warrant rank since the outbreak of war is 22; the number of paymaster-commanders promoted to paymaster-captain is nine. These figures exclude temporary and acting appointments.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the respective 1919 and 1941 rates of pay of a petty-officer on advancement, an able-seaman on advancement, an ordinary seaman and a boy first-class?

The comparative daily rates of substantive pay are as follow:

	1919.		1941.
	s.	d.	s.	d.
Petty Officer on advancement	7	0	6	0
Able-Seaman on advancement	4	0	3	0
Ordinary Seaman	2	9	2	0
Boy, 1st Class	1	9	1	3

The sixpence war bonus introduced in 1940 is now paid to all the above ratings whether on 1919 or 1941 rates of pay, except boy, 1st Class.

asked the Home Secretary whether any large numbers of members of the British Union of Fascists are detained in any one of His Majesty's prisons; whether he is satisfied that this practice involves no hardship upon other prisoners; and whether members of the British Union of Fascists are accorded any special privileges?

Almost all the persons detained under Defence Regulation 18B are accommodated in camps in the Isle of Man. It is however necessary to bring some of these people to this country from time to time in connection with the review of their cases by the Advisory Committee and such persons are then temporarily accommodated in prisons. Apart from these cases the number of persons detained in prisons under Defence Regulation 18B (1A) is 36. They are detained in a separate part of the prisons from that used for the accommodation of prisoners. As their detention is custodial, not punitive, in character, the conditions of their confinement are as little oppressive as possible and are governed by the instructions set: out in the White Paper on this subject (Cmd. 6162).

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state his plans for adjusting the Civil Defence services, not merely to the new National Service Bill, but to the expected large-scale attack on this country by the enemy?

Yes, Sir, and I would add that the organisation of the Civil Defence services is continually under review, both from the point of view of the man-power position and of the lessons learned from ' experience of active operations.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that some miners in the Forest of Dean, who have worked in steam coal collieries, are being called to work in home coal pits; and whether he will satisfy himself that this is not done until all with experience of working home coal seams have been called?

I am informed that transference of the men to whom my hon. Friend refers will not take place until discussions now in progress have been concluded. All the relevant circumstances will be carefully considered and I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour what standards of accommodation for women serving in the auxiliary services have been agreed by him?

I am in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Service Ministers on this matter and hope to be in a position to make a statement at an early date.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the lowering of the age of enlistment of men and women and the consequent necessary inclusion of large numbers of university students half way through their courses for degree examinations, he will give the university recruiting boards, composed of officers of the universities with intimate knowledge of the students concerned, special powers of deferment of service in individual cases?

The lowering of the age of call up in the case of men to include men born in 1923 will not affect the special arrangements that have been made with regard to students following certain specified scientific or technical courses. Other male students at the universities who are in the 1923 age class may apply to University Joint Recruiting Boards and if they receive a favourable recommendation they may, after enlistment into one of the Fighting Services be placed to the reserve and subject to the exigencies of the Service be allowed to complete one year at the University while receiving training in the Senior Training Corps or the Air Training Squadron. These arrangements will not extend to students who have already completed three terms at the University. At present it is not intended to call up women under the age of 20. The arrangements to be made in respect of women students over that age are now being considered.

asked the Minister of Aircraft Production whether he will consider posting regularly in all factories producing aircraft, stimulating messages and appeals such as the one issued by the Prime Minister last Monday?

It has, for some time, been the practice to send messages and appeals of this nature for posting in aircraft factories from time to time and, in fact, the particular message referred to in the Question had already been brought to the notice of employees in aircraft factories by posters and other methods.

asked the Minister of Labour how many registered medical practitioners are at present serving as combatants in any of the Fighting Services; and whether, in view of the shortage of medical personnel for both civilian and military needs, he will allocate such practitioners to medical duties?

I have been asked to reply. Arrangements have been made to secure that normally a registered medical practitioners may serve in His Majesty's Forces in a medical capacity only and although I cannot give a precise figure I have reason to believe that the number serving as combatants is negligible. The matter referred to in the last part of the Question appears to be for the Service Ministers who, I am assured, agree that it is only in exceptional circumstances that a medical practitioner may be employed in a non-medical capacity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the advisability of allowing shopkeepers to issue War Savings Certificates since there are numerous cases of applicants being told to come again when wanting to buy such certificates?

My hon. Friend is no doubt aware that applications to purchase National Savings Certificates can already be forwarded to the Post Office through shopkeepers acting as honorary official agents for the War Savings Campaign. There are over 8,000 of these agents in England and Wales and the possibility of providing them with stocks of certificates is at the moment under consideration as part of the Government's

			Year ended 31st December,1939.	Year ended 31st December,1940.
Beer, home-made—
Great Britain—Standard barrels	…	…	18,509,000	17,796,000
Bulk barrels	…	…	25,109,000	25,068,000
Northern Ireland—Standard Barrels	…	…	40,000	39,000
Bulk barrels	…	…	56,000	57,000
Beer, imported—
Great Britain—Standard barrels	…	…	654,000	594,000
Bulk barrels	…	…	672,000	616,000
Northern Ireland—Standard barrels	…	…	126,000	126,000
Bulk barrels	…	…	150,000	154,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that in a typical case of payment of compensation for war damage, the depreciated value claimed for was approximately £950; that the settlement was for £655, of which £275 was advanced, the remainder being due after the war; and whether, as the operation of the Purchase Tax reduces the sum granted to £500, he will consider introducing in his forthcoming legislation a provision to refund Purchase Tax in such cases?

No, Sir. I should not be prepared to introduce such legislation. In this connection, my hon. Friend will no doubt bear in mind the first part of the answer which I gave him on 2nd December. If in the case referred to, the person concerned considers that the advances of compensation already made are inadequate for their purpose and further particulars are given, I will have the question of making an additional advance investigated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of standard and bulk barrels of beer, distinguishing home made and imported, retained for consumption in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, respectively, for the years ended 31st December, 1939 and 1940?

The approximate number of standard and bulk barrels of beer, home made and imported, retained for home consumption in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, respectively, for the years ended 31st December, 1939 and 1940, is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of proof gallons of home-made and of imported spirits and the number of gallons of imported wines in bonded warehouses on 31st December, 1939 and 1940, respectively?

The approximate quantities of home-made and imported spirits and imported wines in bonded warehouses on the 31st December, 1939 and 1940, respectively, were as follows:

	1939. proof gallons	1940. proof gallons
Spirits, Home Made	156,398,000	141,441,000
Spirits, Imported	6,251,000	10,227,000

		gallons	gallons
Wines, Imported	…	10,714,000	12,283,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated revenue for Great Britain for each of the calendar years 1939 and 1940 for spirits, homemade and imported, beer, home-made and imported, wines, imported, British wines, licence duties, club duty; and monopoly value?

The estimated revenue for Great Britain for each of the calendar years 1939 and 1940 under the under-mentioned heads of duty is as follows:

		Calendar Year 1939.	Calendar Year 1940.
		£	£
Spirits—
Home Made	…	31,837,000	30,251,000
Imported	…	5,011,000	9,935,000
Beer—
Home Made	…	69,236,000	119,051,000
Imported	…	2,857,000	4,138,000
Wines-
Imported	…	5,074,000	6,853,000
British	…	588,000	1,482,000
Licence duties	…	4,791,000	4,704,000
Club duty	…	195,000	210,000
Monopoly value	…	284,000	170,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will repeal or reduce the Stamp Duty on cheques in order to encourage payment of bills by cheque and thus reduce one of the dangers of inflation?

While my hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate the contents of next year's Budget, I do not think that a reduction of the Stamp Duty on cheques would make more than a negligible difference to the extent of their use.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the rate of war damage insurance in the £ for a cottage wholly occupied but not owned by an agricultural worker?

The rate at which the annual instalment of contribution under Part I of the War Damage Act, 1941, is chargeable in respect of buildings is generally 2s. in the £. In respect, however, of an agricultural cottage which is occupied with agricultural land and is on or contiguous to that land the rate is 6d. in the £. For this purpose an agricultural cottage means a dwelling-house of a person who is employed in agricultural work on the land by the occupier of the land and is entitled, as tenant or otherwise, to the use of the house only while so employed. Where cottages are included in the Schedule A assessment on a farm the 6d. rate is applied to the whole of the property included in the assessment.

asked the Minister of Health the names of the members of the subcommittee of the Central Medical War Committee, which is dealing with the matters referred to the committee; how often the sub-committee has met for the 12 months ended the 30th November, 1941; the attendances of each member of the sub-committee during this period; and the attendances of each of the observers of the Government Departments?

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the services committee, which the Central Medical War Committee has authorised to deal with questions affecting the recruitment of individual medical practitioners to His Majesty's Forces and other cognate matters. This Committee has met 17 times in the 12 months ended the 30th November last. The names of those who have been members for the whole or part of this period and the number of their attendances, as well as those of the observers for Government Departments, are as follow: —

Names of Members	No. of Actual	Attendances Possible
Sir Alfred Webb-Johnson	9	12
Sir Girling Ball	15	17
Dr. J. A. Brown	11	12
Dr. A. E. Clark-Kennedy	—	5
Dr. H. Guy Dain	—	5
Dr. R. O. Eades	11	12
Sir Francis Fremantle, M.P.	15	17
Dr. F. Gray	12	12
Dr. D. G. Greenfield	6	17
Dr. E. A. Gregg	11	17
Dr. G. Lilico	16	17
Dr. Peter Macdonald	15	17
Dr. J. C. Matthews	13	13
Dr. C. Newman	8	12
Prof. R. M. F. Picken	12	17
Col. A. H. Proctor	12	17
Prof. W. Fletcher Shaw	—	5
Mr. H. S. Souttar	12	17
Sir Charles Wilson	2	5
Dr. S. A. Winstanley	7	12
Chairman until succeeded by Sir Girling Ball.

Observers for Government Departments.
Admiralty	…	10	17
War Office	…	10	17
Air Ministry	…	9	17
Ministry of Health	…	17	17
Ministry of Pensions	…	10	10

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied that adequate canteen facilities now exist for members of the Armed Forces at all the main London and provincal stations?

Yes, Sir. Canteens are in existence either at or in the immediate vicinity of 119 railway stations throughout the country, including the ten principal London stations. At the majority of these stations cloakroom, washing and lavatory facilities are also available free to troops. Sleeping or rest rooms for troops are available at or in the immediate vicinity of 69 of the most important stations. At the present moment amenities are in process of being established at seven stations in addition to the above, and the existing amenities are being enlarged at five of the above stations.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons are engaged on the task of inquiring, examining and determining the claims of the supplementary old age pensions; and the approximate annual cost for this work to be done?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th November, 1941; col. 887, Vol 376], supplied the following information:As indicated in the reply to my hon. Friend, the staff of the Assistance Board is engaged in a variety of duties and none is exclusively employed on supplementary pensions work. On the basis of an inquiry made about a year ago it is estimated that at the present time the administration of supplementary pensions accounts for the equivalent of about 7,000 members of the Board's staff, and its cost (including travelling, services rendered by other Government Departments, and other overhead expanses, is at the rate of about £2,250,000 to £2,500,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that quite recently a number of soldiers on leave were brought to Pontypool, Monmouthshire, at 11.45 p.m., an hour which made it impossible, because no means were available, for them to reach their homes; and whether he can take steps to arrange leave so that soldiers can reach their destination?

Existing instructions provide that railway transport officers should be consulted with regard to the most convenient services for men going on leave, and that where soldiers have long distances to travel, they should depart as early as possible on the day on which their leave begins. If my hon. Friend will let me have further details of the particular case to which he refers, I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Auxiliary Territorial Service receiving centres there are in England and Scotland, respectively; if the centres are inspected by representatives from the War Office; if the War Office have surprise inspections of the centres carried out in order to see that the premises are kept in proper order; and how many surprise inspections have been made in England and Scotland, respectively, in the course of the last 12 months?

There are 13 Auxiliary Territorial Service training centres in England, three in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland. These centres are regularly inspected by the Inspector of the Auxiliary Territorial Service at the War Office and members of her staff, and in addition inspections are carried out in the normal course of their duties by other Auxiliary Territorial Service staff officers and by members of the Army Council. Units are visited with or without notice as opportunity occurs, but no statistics are available which would enable me to answer the last part of the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of a driver in the Royal Army Service Corps, who was enlisted recently in the face of a bad medical record, who has already had to be operated upon in hospital since he has been in the service and whose condition is such that it will probably not be long before he has to go to hospital again; and whether it is proposed to continue to keep this man in the Royal Army Service Corps?

The soldier in question was examined by a medical board on 11th December and was classified in Category B.1, which means that he is fit for base and lines of communication duties. It is accordingly proposed to retain him in the Royal Army Service Corps.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the maximum price of malting barley paid by the brewing trade in the autumns of 1941, 1940, 1939 and 1938, respectively?

I am unable to supply information as to highest price paid for malting barley in the years in question, but the highest weekly average price of barley ascertained under the Corn Returns Acts in the three months September to November was as follows:

Per cwt.
1938		1939		1940		1941
s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
10	3	14	4	21	1	31	10

The bulk of the transactions relate to barley sold for malting.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, with a view to relieving the labour situation, he will consider withdrawing c.o.d. facilities until the end of the war?

I will consider the suggestion and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply the percentage of shell-filling factories that are State-owned and controlled?

On the basis of operational labour, 95 per cent. of the explosives filling capacity in this country is owned and controlled by the State.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied that insurance companies, in their business of issuing motor insurance policies, do not discriminate against pilots of the Royal Air Force?

I have been asked to reply. I am going into this matter and will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he intends to make any alteration in connection with the stamping of insurance cards for 1942?

It is proposed from 5th January next to reintroduce the arrangement, discontinued at the outbreak of war, under which employers may stamp the cards of their regular employees at the end of each half year, subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions. These conditions include the payment in advance of a deposit in respect of the value of the contributions which it is anticipated will be payable. No other alteration of the arrangements for the stamping of cards is in contemplation.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in the coming year, he will permit small poultry keepers growing their own wheat to retain the yield for the feeding-stuffs of their birds?

It is not possible to give any undertaking as to the uses of wheat which will be permitted next year. My Noble Friend regards it as essential that unless circumstances differ very materially from those at present obtaining, the greatest possible quantity of home-grown wheat should continue to be used for flour milling and that no mill-able wheat should be diverted to the feeding of poultry or other animals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the scarcity and of the enhanced prices of seed potatoes; and whether he will take the steps necessary to ensure a minimum price?

I have been asked to reply. The answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question is in the negative. In regard to the latter part of the Question, control of prices at each stage of marketing restricts them to reasonable levels.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in response to his circular despatch of 9th September addressed to all Colonial Governments on the necessity for savings, he is satisfied that, without exception, all Colonial territories are co-operating with him to the full extent in arranging facili- ties for the purchase of local war bonds and certificates by all alike, and giving the necessary publicity thereto?

The circular despatch to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers is, I think, the despatch signed by my Noble Friend and dated 5th June this year. This circular, which stressed the need to mobilise all available resources for the prosecution of the war, urged that the position should be reviewed in each Colonial territory, but did not call for any reports as to the action taken. I can at present add little to the reply that I gave to the hon. and gallant Member's Question on 20th November last, when I stated that my Noble Friend had reason to be satisfied with the response of Colonial Governments to earlier suggestions in regard to war loans and savings certificates, and that arrangements had been made to supply them with current literature for the purpose of propaganda. Colonial Governments have since been asked to report periodically the amounts that they have collected through the issue of war bonds or certificates and also the amounts offered for loan to His Majesty's Government free of interest. There is no reluctance, indeed there is the greatest zeal, among Colonial Governments and Colonial peoples to do their utmost to advance the war effort.

asked the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies what were the causes of the labour disturbances in British Guiana on 25th to 27th September of this year; how these troubles were settled; and whether the labour situation is now easy?

The Governor is being asked for information, and I will communicate with my hon. Friend on its receipt.