asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Jews who enlist in Palestine receive family allowances only about half of what they are in England, although the standard of life of Palestine Jews, and the cost of living are about the same as in this country; that there is no provision for allowances to dependent parents, and no pensions for men discharged as physically unfit; and will he take steps to remedy these deficiencies, and bring conditions of service up to the standard applicable in this country?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Mr. Creech Jones) yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the unsuitable accommodation and overcrowded conditions at a certain Army record office, housed in three church halls and three dance halls, with inadequate heating and sanitation; and what steps he is taking to remedy this situation urgently in view of the continued expansion of staff and current dangers to health and safety?

Owing to the rapid expansion of the record office in question and the shortage of available accommodation in the neighbourhood, it has been decided to requisition temporarily further accommodation in the same building and to erect as quickly as possible additional hutted office blocks and an adjoining hutted camp.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that copies of the Board's Memorandum on Post-War Educational Plans were sent to the National Society of Art Masters, whose membership is under 1,000, to the Association of Teachers in Technical Institutes, whose membership is under 2,000, but not to the National Association of Schoolmasters, which has a membership of nearly 10,000; and will he explain this discrimination?

Yes, Sir. It is understood that the National Society of Art Masters represents the majority of teachers in schools of art and that the Association of Teachers in Technical Institutions represents the majority of teachers in technical institutions. While my right hon. Friend appreciates the facts as stated about the National Association of Schoolmasters, they cannot make a similar claim in respect of the proportion of men teachers in elementary schools.

asked the President of the Board of Education what steps he has taken to ensure that the recognised youth organisations have adequate trained personnel and suitable premises to deal with the young people who are being directed into them under the National Service Act?

Arrangements are in hand to safeguard existing personnel, both men and women, employed full-time on Youth Service work, whether by local education authorities or by voluntary organisations. At the same time the authorities and the voluntary organisations are being encouraged and aided by my Department to expand their training course activities and further short courses are being arranged by the Board. The question of premises is in present circumstances one of great difficulty. Existing buildings will no doubt be used to the full, and my right hon. Friend is glad to say that the Army authorities have been sympathetic over the release of requisitioned premises, a number of which have been restored to civil user. My right hon. Friend hopes further to be able to meet a number of urgent cases through the provision of prefabricated huts, a supply of which is being allocated for the purpose.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what has been the cost, per cwt., of the distribution of onions by the National Vegetable Marketing Board; and what quantity have they dealt with?

The average cost of distributing onions from the grower to the retailer is 2s. 7d. per cwt. This figure does not include a sum to cover overhead expenses of the National Vegetable Marketing Company, as a fair apportionment of these expenses between the crops handled by this company cannot be made until it has completed its trading operations for the season. The total weight of onions which had been handled by the company at 1st January, 1942, was 18,197 tons.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what is the quantity of English-grown onions that has been rendered useless for food by delays in marketing caused by the present method of distribution?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 3rd December last to a Question on this subject by my hon. Friend the Member for the Tamworth Division (Sir J. Mellor).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the National Vegetable Marketing Company has reported on any leakage of stocks of onions from the Spalding District of Lincolnshire; whether he is aware that black-market operators are regularly selling supplies of onions in Leeds at 50s. per cwt., wholesale; and what action has been taken to secure the conviction of such law-breakers?

The reply to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question is in the negative. One case has been reported of sales of onions in the Leeds market above the prescribed Maximum Wholesale Price and this is being investigated.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he is aware of the continued unsatisfactory state of milk distribution in Scotland and of the failure of the Ministry's officers to co-operate with the Milk Marketing Board; and what steps are to be taken to improve the position?

I am aware that milk production in Scotland continues to be below the average for the season and that supplies are not at present sufficient to provide for non-priority consumers on the basis of two pints per head per week, although considerable quantities of milk are being obtained from Northern Ireland. Some milk has also been sent to Scotland from England, when circumstances have permitted. The available supplies are being spread as equitably as possible and my latest information is that consumers generally are more satisfied on this point. I am certainly not aware of any lack of co-operation between the Ministry's Officers and the Milk Marketing Boards. Perhaps the hon. Member would communicate further with me on this point.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that while fresh fish has lately been obtainable at hotels it has been very scarce in fish and chip shops; and whether he will arrange that the limited supply shall be more equitably distributed?

Fresh fish is in short supply and all distributors including hotels, retailers and fish friers, are receiving less fish than they require. Without full statistics of fish distribution it is impossible for anyone to say whether one class of trader is getting more than its fair share of available supplies. As I stated in my reply to a similar Question yesterday, a scheme of fish distribution is now being prepared and should remedy any existing inequalities of supply.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in order to ensure an adequate supply of milk, meat, bacon and eggs, and prevent a further decrease in the livestock of the country through lack of feeding-stuffs, he will assign at least one-third of the grain at present being supplied to the brewers to the farmers, cattle-raisers, pig-producers and fowl-keepers in the United Kingdom?

No, Sir. It would not be in the national interests to reduce the production of beer as my hon. Friend suggests.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in order to end the wholesale smuggling of food and other commodities across the border from Northern Ireland into Eire, he will have such goody destined for Northern Ireland as flour, tea, coffee, cocoa, candles, oil and other merchandise which is being smuggled, properly checked before they are exported from Britain; and arrange, in conjunction with the British Home Secretary and the Government of Northern Ireland, to have the border more closely and carefully guarded to deal with smugglers than it has been up to the present?

As regards smuggling of flour into Eire, statutory restrictions which have been in force since April, 1941, prohibiting the delivery to any person in Northern Ireland of any flour in excess of his 1938–39 trade are now being made more stringent. Shipments of flour from mills in Great Britain to Northern Ireland have already been stopped. As regards tea some steps have already been taken and further measures are being put into operation almost immediately to stop illicit trading. As regards coffee and cocoa I have no evidence of any substantial amount of smuggling into Eire. As to candles and oils my hon. Friend is doubtless aware that the Ministry of Food is not responsible for controlling the supply and distribution of these commodities. As regards the last part of my hon. Friend's Question I would refer him to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

asked the Secretary for Mines, to what extent progress has been made since the outbreak of war in the use of mechanical conveyors and loaders below ground in mines; whether the greater proportion of our coal output continues to be carried by conveyors; whether many more mines are now using conveyors; and whether conveyors are now used in the mines of the anthracite area?

There has been an increased use of conveyors and loaders since the outbreak of war, but it would not be desirable to publish the figures. The answer to the second and fourth parts of the Question is "yes," but the use of conveyors in the anthracite mines of South Wales is still on a comparatively small scale.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of fatal and nonfatal accidents in the coal mines of this

Period (Annual averages)			Number of Persons		Rate per 1,000 Persons Employed
			Killed	Seriously injured*	Killed	Seriously injured*
1913–1922	…	…	1,243	4,663	1·15	4·4
1923–1932	…	…	1,079	4,254	1·05	4·1
1933–1941 (9 years including prov. figures for 1941)	…	…	876	3,145	1·12	4·0
* Injuries which, because of their nature or severity are, under the terms of Section 80 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, required to be reported to His Majesty's Divisional Inspectors at the time of their occurrence.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of horses and ponies employed below ground that are carrying electric battery lamps affixed to their collars or bridles, as recommended by his Department; and to what extent it is estimated that the general provision of such lamps would lead to greater efficiency and safety of horses and their drivers?

The latest figures available are for June, 1940, where the number of electric lamps specially provided for horses was approximately 600. The proportion of horses so provided with lamps is too low to enable any definite conclusions to be drawn regarding the effect upon the accident rate for horses.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is satisfied that the horses and ponies employed in mines receive adequate daily supplies of nourishing country for the last three decennial periods, respectively; the accident rate, per thousand persons, engaged in the mines during those periods; the number of mines inspectors employed in 1911, 1921, 1931 and 1941, respectively; and the annual cost of that inspectorate for each of those years?

The figures asked for in the third and fourth part of the Question are as follow:

Year.	Number of Inspectors.	Cost. £
1911	63	27,359
1921	93	38,120
1931	111	64,605
1941	132	76,197

I regret that it is not possible, without longer notice and considerable research, to give the accident figures for the same decennial periods, but the following are figures for comparable decennial periods:food, both at the underground stables and while at work during day and night shifts; whether the increased strain on the animals, owing to the drive for greater production has shown any ill-effects; and whether the total number of hours worked by them per week is being reduced in cases where signs of physical strain is observed?

There have been difficulties as regards supplies of animal feeding stuffs, but special priorities have been given for pit horses and ponies and while changes in their diet have been inevitable there has been no shortage of suitable food. The condition of the horses is being closely watched by the responsible mine officials and by the Inspectors of Mines and in general continues to be satisfactory: but the constant vigilance of all concerned is necessary to ensure that any signs of deterioration in individual horses are corrected by an improved or better balanced diet or by some lightening of their work.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he can now state what reorganisation has taken place to improve the ground defences of aerodromes, including aerodromes upon which aircraft factories are located; and whether the existing dual responsibility in this matter between the War Office and Air Ministry is satisfactory?

My right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal in his statement on 8th January outlined the measures of reorganisation which have been adopted and explained that they also covered aerodromes with which the Ministry of Aircraft Production are concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will consider remustering, for aerodrome defence duties, Royal Air Force personnel who have had similar experience overseas, especially in Royal Air Force armoured car units?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the fact that the training of cadets depends to a large extent on charity, only about one-third being paid by the Government, he will investigate the possibility of at least defraying the cost of fares incurred in travelling for training purposes?

I cannot agree with my hon. Friend that the facts are as stated. While the A.T.C. scheme is based on voluntary effort, the cash grants from public funds and issues in kind from R.A.F. socks are intended to cover all essential expenditure on training, only the provision of amenities being defrayed from non-public funds. The question of extending the scope of the Exchequer assistance to include travelling expenses to local headquarters is now being examined in the course of the financial review of which my hon. Friend is aware.

asked the Minister of Aircraft Production, to what extent work is still being done for his Department on the old basis of cost plus 10 per cent.

Less than 2 per cent. in number and 3.5 per cent. in value of the contracts placed by my Department in 1941 were on a cost plus percentage basis. This type of contract is used only when it is impossible to estimate the extent or cost of the work to be done, such as in repairs, and the profit allowed is not 10 per cent., but averages about 5 per cent. I regret in answering a supplementary Question of my hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Ness Edwards) the other day, this point was not made clear. When cost-plus-profit contracts are unavoidable, endeavour is always made to arrange a fixed sum for profit rather than a percentage.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied with the response made by all concerned to the despatch, of 9th September last, addressed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to all Colonial Governments on the necessity for savings; and whether he can indicate what that response has been in terms of co-operation by all colonial territories?

As I indicated to my hon. and gallant Friend in my reply of 16th December, no despatch was addressed to Colonial Governments on 9th September. The latest despatch on this subject was dated 5th June, and was signed by my Noble Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies, who alone is responsible for communications to Colonial Governments. I have nothing to add to the reply to which I have referred.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied that the best possible air-raid precautions, emergency food conditions and medical service are being adopted for the native and white population in the Colonial Empire; and whether advice and assistance, arising from our own experience has been conveyed for appropriate application to colonial conditions?

In most Colonial Dependencies A.R.P. organisations have been established and specially trained A.R.P. officers have been sent from the United Kingdom to a number of the Dependencies to advise Colonial Governments on A.R.P. measures. Particular attention has been given to fire-fighting organisations and anti-gas precautions. Measures have also been taken to ensure that in an emergency food stocks will be adequate to feed the population and that medical attention will be available. In addition, all Colonial Dependencies have been supplied with copies of the circulars issued by the Ministry of Home Security to civil authorities in this country regarding air-raid precautions. Special reports on the lessons of air-raids learnt in this country and elsewhere have also been supplied in appropriate cases.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of children of school age in Jamaica; and the average attendance at school of this total?

The figures for 1940, the latest year for which they are available, are as follow: The number of children of school age (7–15) is estimated at 249,000; the average attendance (exclusive of private schools for which no figures are available) was 108,948.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps the Jamaican Government are taking to deal with the causes of malaria in the island, particularly in the Westmorland district; what schemes have been submitted to Sir Frank Stockdale for consideration; what action has been taken; and what is the total Government expenditure on medical and health services in the island, particularly in the preventive field?

A malarial survey was carried out in 1928 and 1929, and since that date measures which have been carried out continuously in fourteen control areas have successfully reduced the incidence of malaria in several centres in the coastal zone of Jamaica. The Comptroller for Development and Welfare and his Medical Adviser have recently paid a visit to Jamaica, and it is understood that proposals will shortly be received for extending and improving existing measures of control and for providing a research unit with assistance from the Colonial Development and Welfare Vote. No information specially relating to the Westmorland District has been received. The total provision for medical and health services during 1942 was £350,900, of which approximately 14 per cent. was devoted to health services.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the Jewish refugees deported from Palestine to Mauritius died on the way from Palestine to Mauritius and since their arrival in the island, distinguishing between those whose deaths were caused by infectious or contagious diseases and those who died from other causes?

I have no information to show whether there were any deaths on the voyage from Palestine to Mauritius. The number of deaths since the arrival of these Jews in Mauritius, up to the 30th September, 1941, was 54. Of these 26 were due to infectious or contagious diseases and 28 to other causes.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies why the censorship in Palestine refused to allow the publication in the Jewish papers in Palestine of descriptions of parades, meetings and rallies held in Palestine to induce Jews to volunteer for service in the Armed Forces; and, as this prohibition was injurious to the success of the recruiting campaign, will he now have it withdrawn?

My Noble Friend has asked the High Commissioner to furnish a report on this matter, but I regret that this report is not yet available.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the way in which the British censorship in Palestine is exercised; whether he is aware that nearly three-quarters of an article by Dr. Norman Maclean in the "Palestine Post", written to celebrate the Jewish Feast of Lights and Christmas Day, was deleted because it was pointed out that the Jews had given the world a universal religion and contributed to the foundations of Christianity; and on what principles this censorship is allowed to act?

My Noble Friend's attention has been drawn to this matter, and he is making inquiry of the High Commissioner for Palestine.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what agreement was recently reached at the Governors' Conference, at Salisbury, regarding inter-territorial labour arrangements between the two Rhodesias and Nyasaland; what proposal was adopted in respect to Nyasaland labour and what new labour legislation is contemplated in Northern Rhodesia?

At the instance of the Government of Nyasaland, the 1936 tripartite agreement has been so revised as to provide for a greater measure of control over the migration of native labour. The revised provisional agreement has been initialled by representatives of the participating Governments and is to be submitted to my Noble Friend for approval so far as Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland are concerned. I will arrange for my hon. Friend to be supplied with a copy in due course. I have no information regarding any further labour legislation contemplated by the Government of Northern Rhodesia.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that considerable damage is being done to the roads in St. Lucia owing to the heavy transport using them on the base work; and whether, in view of the reciprocal terms of the treaty under which neither the United States Government nor the British Government pay taxes on motor vehicles, it is proposed to give financial assistance to the local government to meet the additional cost of road maintenance?

The question of road maintenance in all the West Indian Colonies, in which American bases are situated, is at present under discussion with the Government of the United States of America.

asked the Minister of Information the reason why permission to broadcast from Singapore to the United States of America has been refused to Mr. Cecil Brown, of the Columbia Broadcasting Corporation?

asked the Minister of Information why Mr. Cecil Brown, the American radio correspondent, was debarred from broadcasting his own independent view of the situation at Singapore; whether he was requested to substitute any statement for his own; did he decline to do so; and whether he can furnish a report of the narrative Mr. Cecil Brown was asked to broadcast?

I have been asked to reply. The military authorities decided to discontinue the status of accredited Press correspondent granted to Mr. Brown, and broadcasting facilities were also withdrawn. This action was taken most reluctantly after consultation with the War Council at Singapore, who considered it essential in the general interest. Action which in normal times would be unnecessary and undesirable may be necessary in special circumstances. While there was no desire to stifle free criticism, it was felt that in the abnormal conditions prevailing, Mr. Brown's comments passed the bounds of fair criticism and were a source of danger. As regards the second, third and fourth parts of the Question of the hon. and gallant Member for Sudbury (Colonel Burton), I have no information on the particular points there raised.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has any statement to make regarding the cancellation of the broadcasting permits in Singapore of Mr. Cecil Brown and Mr. Martin Agronsky, of the Columbia and National broadcasting systems?

With regard to Mr. Cecil Brown, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave to-day to the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Mander) and the hon. and gallant Member for Sudbury (Colonel Burton), of which I am sending him a copy. In the case of Mr. Agronsky, I am informed that broadcasting facilities have not been withdrawn.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is in a position to say what has happened to the Sultans of the Malay States which have been overrun by the Japanese?

According to the latest information, the rulers of the States occupied by the Japanese have by their own wish remained in their States, with the exception of the Rajah of Perlis who joined the Sultan of Perak. No news has been received of their Highnesses since the occupation of their States, but the High Commissioner has conveyed to them by broadcast an assurance that it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to see them righted in our final victory.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether, in view of a statement in the thirteenth annual report of the Amani Institute in East Africa, that the question of glycerine produced from the spent lyes from soap manufacture was a war problem which had to be solved; and, as such information could have been supplied had the Government possessed a central department for the exchange of technical information, he will consider setting up such a department?

The facilities for obtaining up-to-date information from the Imperial Institute and such Government Departments as the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research are well known to technical departments and organisations in the Colonies. Replies to inquiries on such subjects could not be accelerated and might well be retarded if they had to be forwarded through a single channel as proposed by my hon. Friend. The Imperial Institute already serves as a centre to which inquiries can be addressed, if the inquirer does not know which authority to consult.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his Department is consulted by other Government Departments before they appoint as temporary civil servants men of military age who thereby secure exemption; if this is not the case, what control exists of such service evaders; and whether he can investigate specific cases of the kind brought to his notice?

It is the practice of Government Departments to recruit war-time staff through the registers maintained by my Department apart from cases of special urgency or other exceptional circumstances. Men of military age appointed to Government Departments since 3rd December, 1941, cannot be retained in such posts except by individual deferment by the Ministry of Labour, unless they were already reserved in their previous occupation and are above the age of reservation for the new post. The retention in Government service of all civil servants below the current ages of reservation will be subject to review by the Kennet Committee.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply the total amount of money paid in overtime to the clerical staff of the Ministry in London during the last month for which the figures are available?

The total amount paid in overtime to the clerical staff of the Ministry of Supply in London for the month of December, 1941, was £10,345.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of the figures recently published as to the number of unemployed are unemployables; and the reason why work cannot be found in these times to absorb the balance?

The figures most recently given by my Department for publication show that on 8th December the number of men registered at Employment Exchanges as wholly unemployed was 84,235, of whom approximately 33 per cent. had been classified by Interviewing Panels as unsuitable for ordinary industrial employment. The corresponding figures for women at the 8th December were 62,058 and 4 per cent. The fact that a person has been classified by a Panel as unsuitable for ordinary industrial employment and a woman as unsuitable for normal full-time employment does not mean that they are unemployable. Upon the second part of the Question I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies which I gave on 7th August, 1941, to the hon. Member for South Croydon (Sir H. Williams) and on 13th October to the hon. Member for Bournemouth (Sir L. Lyle).

asked the Minister of Agriculture what upward or downward movements in the prices of agricultural products have been recorded in the six months July to December, 1941?

The general index number of prices of agricultural produce, after adjustment for seasonal changes, was 147 in July, 1941, and 151 in December, 1941, compared with 100 in the base years 1927 to 1929.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will issue an order that all dogs must be on a leash after black-out time, seeing there is a great increase in sheep worrying?

Local authorities are, by virtue of the Control of Dogs Order of 1930, already in possession of power to make regulations requiring dogs to be kept under control from sunset to sunrise. Such regulations are at present in force in all county areas in Great Britain, and, therefore, there seems no necessity for the making of a further Order of the kind for which my hon. Friend is asking.

asked the Minister of Labour the composition of the manpower appeal boards; and what measure of representation the Civil Service will have on them?

The forty-four district man-power boards are composed of officers of the Ministry of Labour and National Service, more than half of whom have been specially appointed from outside the Civil Service. The Boards ordinarily consist of a chairman and four other members, one of whom is a woman. No industry or service has special representation on the boards. The calling up of civil servants is determined on the advice of a special committee, of which Lord Kennet is the Chairman.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the collaboration with the United States Government in matters arising out of the presence in either country of undesirable persons who work or speak against the war effort in either country has yet resulted in definite mutual arrangements; and what these are?

No, Sir; the matter is still under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings why there is a shortage of glass, since the tenants of so many damaged houses are not replacing their windows at present; and whether he will make it clear that, should the cost of window-glass rise materially, claimants under the War Damage Act will be allowed to remodel the amount of their claims for compensation?

As regards the first part of the Question, I regret that I am unable, in the absence of the information which I asked the hon. Member to send to me, to add to the reply which I gave to him on 4th December. As regards the second part, I am informed that final claims for repairs to property are not submitted to the War Damage Commission until the work has been completed. In these circumstances, no question of remodelling the claim arises.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings what firms have been selected to tender for the new depot to be constructed at a place the name of which has been furnished to him?

It is considered that it would not be in the public interest to give the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the financial embarrassment of the Vichy Government, any offers have been made by the United States of America or ourselves to acquire, on a financial basis, the use of the French African ports of Bizerta, Dakar and Casablanca?

His Majesty's Government have made no such offer, and I am not aware that the United States Government have done so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that one of the foreign Governments now domiciled on British soil is acting contrary to British law in its detention of persons arrested and alleged to be subjects of that foreign Government without opportunity being given to such detainee to argue his case before a recognised tribunal for adjudicating on any point at issue; and what inter-governmental arrangements have been made by the Foreign Office for the protection of such aliens whose nationality is in dispute.

I am not aware that any Allied Government temporarily established in this country is acting in a way contrary to the law of the United Kingdom by illegally detaining persons alleged to be its nationals. Certain powers have been conferred upon the Allied Governments in this country by the Allied Forces Act, 1940 and the Allied Powers (Maritime Courts) Act, 1941 and, so far as I am aware, these powers are being exercised in accordance with the conditions and procedure prescribed by that legislation. If the contrary is alleged in any particular case, a legal remedy exists before the courts of this country.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply what steps are being taken to utilise scrap rubber; and whether he can state the percentage now used in this country and the United States of America, respectively?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I have given to-day to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Parker) and the hon. Member for Southampton (Dr. R. Thomas). With regard to the second part of the Question, there are no statistics available to show the percentages of scrap rubber used in this country and in the United States of America.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply what is the nature of the highly skilled work required to remove lampposts which offer potential large supplies of scrap throughout the country, and which, on account of their present uselessness and ugliness, might be removed with public assent?

Skilled labour is required because the dismantling of lamp-posts involves the cutting off of gas and electricity supplies. At present, therefore, it is best to concentrate on the collection of other scrap, more easily removed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply what steps have been taken to curtail the supply of rubber and tin for civilian uses?

All necessary steps are being taken by Statutory Order and otherwise to restrict the consumption of rubber and tin to essential uses, but it would not be possible to give details within the limits of an answer to a Parliamentary Question.

asked the Minister of Information what instructions have been given to the British Broadcasting Corporation to avoid the word "German" in broadcasts and to use the term "Nazi"?

None, Sir.

asked the Minister of Information what further communications he has received from the British Broadcasting Corporation regarding public protests against passages in the original script of the broadcast plays on the life of Jesus which offended Christian feeling?

The Governors of the B.B.C. have informed me that they have accepted the recommendation made by their Central Religious Advisory Committee which meets under the Chairmanship of the Bishop of Winchester and contains representatives of the principal churches in the country. The recommendation was that the broadcasts should continue. I am also informed that a number of alterations to the original scripts are being considered.

asked the Minister of Information whether he will take steps to withdraw from Professor Mittwoch and Professor Schacht, German subjects and advisers to the Ministry of Information, the Government passes which admit to all Government offices?

As already stated in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for East Renfrew (Major Lloyd) on 8th January, these two gentlemen do not possess passes enabling them to enter a Government office.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will arrange in one of the House of Commons committee rooms a display of the price-controlled suits and the price-controlled materials for suits under the utility clothing scheme?

Suits produced under the utility clothing scheme are beginning to appear in the shops but will not be available in quantity until the spring. I have no reason to suppose that the usual trade shows will be inadequate, but, if later there were a general desire on the part of hon. Members for a special display, I would certainly see whether this could be arranged.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much Income Tax is payable by a single man earning £2, £3 and £4 a week, respectively; how much is payable by a married man with no children; and how much by a married man with two children, under 16 years of age, earning the same wages?

No tax is payable if the total income is only £2 a week, and I am sending my hon. Friend a leaflet which gives the particulars he desires for the higher incomes.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider a resolution, passed by the Liverpool City Council, on 3rd December, 1941, expressing the opinion that the Local Government Staffs (War Service) Act, 1939, should be amended so as to enable local authorities to treat the dependants of employees killed by enemy action whilst on corporation duty, or on part-time Civil Defence service, in a manner no less favourable than the dependants of their employees who are posted as killed or missing while engaged on war service in the armed forces; and consider amending the Act on these lines in accord with public opinion on this matter?

The resolution referred to has been brought to my right hon. Friend's notice. The relevant provisions of the Local Government Staffs (War Service) Act, 1939, relate to persons who have ceased to serve a local authority in order to undertake war service as therein defined. The resolution seeks to extend these provisions to employees of local authorities who are not on war service as so defined, and my right hon. Friend does not contemplate the introduction of legislation to supplement, in the particular case of local government employees, the provisions of the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme, 1491, for the administration of which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions is responsible.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will consider a resolution passed by the Liverpool City Council, on 3rd December, 1941, expressing the opinion that the scale of pensions under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme, 1941, for the dependants of civilians, particularly those engaged in Civil Defence duties, killed by enemy action is wholly inadequate, and consider amending the scheme in a way that will increase such pensions to a point commensurate with the dependants' loss of support and in accord with public opinion on this matter?

A reply to the resolution passed by the Liverpool City Council was sent by my Department on 13th December. As I have previously explained, the scales of widows' pensions and allowances under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme are the same as those for widows of private soldiers in the Army and I should not feel justified in recommending a departure from this relationship.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. W. Peake, of 164, Broomwood Road, Clapham Common, S.W.11, who was employed by the Board of Inland Revenue as a collector of taxes at a salary of £650 per annum, but who, as a result of an accident which occurred whilst he was inspecting the damaged premises of his office after a bomb had exploded outside, has had to be compulsorily retired on grounds of ill-health at a pension from the Inland Revenue authorities of £98 8s. 5d. per annum, and who has been refused a grant from the Ministry of Pensions on the ground that his injury cannot be regarded as coming within the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme; and whether, as his accident occurred whilst inspecting air-raid damage on behalf of the Inland Revenue authorities, he will review the whole case with a view to Mr. Peake receiving a proper allowance from the State?

In the time available it has not been possible to obtain the case papers from our office in the North. I am inquiring into the case and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been drawn to a recent decision in which a tenant of a furnished cottage at a rental of £160 a year has had the cottage requisitioned by the local authority at £25 a year, and has been held liable for the difference of rent; and what steps are being taken to safeguard the rights and interests of private individuals in similar cases?

My attention has been drawn to a newspaper report of the case to which, I think, my hon. Friend is referring. If my identification is correct, the nature of the agreement and the circumstances were exceptional. In reply to the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Landlord and Tenant (Requisitioned Land) Bill which is at present before the House.