asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that able-bodied male Civil Defence telephonists at report centres are paid the sum of £3 10s. weekly, with meals value 1s. six days per week, together with sleeping quarters; and whether, with a view to better utilisation of their services, he will arrange for this work to be done by women?

I should deprecate the employment of able-bodied men who are capable of more strenuous duties solely as telephonists in any Civil Defence report and control centre and such is not the usual practice. If my hon. Friend has specific instances in mind and will send me particulars, I will have inquiries made.

asked the Home Secretary whether it is proposed to issue a badge similar to that issued to men discharged from the Armed Forces to members of the National Fire Service who are discharged through injury or sickness?

This matter, which is one of some difficulty in relation to the Civil Defence Services, will have careful consideration.

asked the Home Secretary what endorsements are usually put upon the identity cards of persons released from detention under Regulation 18B?

As I explained in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mr. Riley) on 4th December only such restrictions as impose a limitation on movement or prohibit the possession of certain specified articles are endorsed on identity cards in such cases.

asked the Minister of Health whether plans have been male in order that the services of all medical practitioners, whether attached to the Forces, Home Guard, civilian practice or other wise, may be efficiently used or immediately available in the event of invasion; and when such plans will be privately made known to those affected?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies which I gave on 27th January to his Questions concerning the arrangements for calling on civilian doctors in emergency and for securing co operation between the medical services.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the unsatisfactory conditions at the All Saints Emergency Hospital, Bromsgrove, and to the urgent need of repairs and maintenance; and what steps he is taking in the matter?

I am aware that there has been difficulty regarding the condensation of steam in the kitchen hut at this hospital, which is receiving the urgent attention, of the Ministry of Works and Buildings. I will inquire whether there are any other needs of the kind referred to by my hon. Friend and inform him of the position.

asked the Minister of Health how many local medical war committees are identically constituted with the local emergency committees of the British Medical Association which preceded them; and how many local medical war committees were elected by ballot after local emergency committees ceased to function?

I am informed that in the first instance all local medical war committees were identically constituted with the local emergency committees which preceded them, but they have since been subject to annual election and I could not say without special inquiry in how many cases the constitution has in fact remained the same.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to train in new occupations men discharged from His Majesty's Forces who are unable, by reason of their war service, to follow their previous trades, but whose physical disability is not extensive; and whether he is aware of the need for flexibility in classifying these men when they are applying to employment exchanges for work?

Under the scheme launched last October vocational training is available to men discharged from His Majesty's Forces whose disability does not prevent their employment in industry. I would refer also to the reply I gave on 22nd January to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. Dobbie). Every effort is made by employment exchanger to give applicants under this scheme individual care and consideration. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a descriptive leaflet on this scheme.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what are the present funds available to the Indus trial Health Research Board; and whether, in view of the importance of industrial health in obtaining maximum war production, he can arrange for an increase in the resources of this board during the war period?

The Industrial Health Research Board is financed by the Medical Research Council out of the general provision made by the Government for the work of that council. I am aware of the importance of the work done by this board but I have no reason to think that it is restricted through lack of funds.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will amend the Employment of Women, (Control of Engagements) Order, 1942, made under the Defence Regulations 58A, to secure for doctors and dentists the exemption allowed to nurses, teachers, etc., and thus avoid unnecessary disturbance of the established customs of the medical profession in regard to vacant appointments, and the satisfactory arrangements now in operation by the Central Medical War Committee?

I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has satisfied himself that nothing more can be done to accelerate the munition effort in India by sending overseas more selected engineer trainees for practical training in factories in the neighbouring Dominions, United Kingdom or North America; and whether, in co-operation with the appropriate Government Departments, he has now arranged that every available machine-tool and mechanically-skilled Indian temporarily resident elsewhere has been brought in to help in the Indian war effort?

I am satisfied that the needs of India must be met for the most part by the extensive and well-planned arrangements which have been organised in India by the Indian authorities for the training of labour. The possibility of having Indians trained in other countries is severely limited by shipping difficulties and other reasons, and similarly there is no great scope for increasing India's re sources by arranging the return to India of Indian mechanics employed elsewhere. I am also satisfied that, having regard to all the difficulties, India is getting a reasonable share of the machine tools available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the recent Report of the Retail Trade Committee, he has any plans in view for saving the retail traders and small shop keepers, in certain districts, from the danger of bankruptcy?

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave on 10th February to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Members for Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will clarify the position with regard to Excess Profits Tax post-war repayments, so as to enable companies to include it in their financial statements?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the provisions of Section 28 of the Finance Act, 1941, which provides for the post-war Excess Profits Tax repayment. As my hon. Friend will see, the conditions under which repayment will be granted are a matter to be determined by Parliament hereafter

asked the Chanchellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the owner of certain dwelling-houses in Heywood, which under a clearance order were demolished since the war commenced, but before the War Damage Insurance Acts, 1941, was passed, has received a demand for payment of war insurance premium on the property although it was not in existence on 1st January, 1941; and whether he must still pay the war insurance premium in respect of the demolished property, or whether relief is given to persons owning property which has been demolished in similar circumstances?

If my hon. Friend will send me particulars of the properties to which his Question relates, I will gladly have inquiries made and will communicate with him as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of an attempt among certain German refugees in this country, with the support of a small body of British citizens, to form a free German movement in Great Britain with a view to saving Germany after the war from disarmament and punishment for the crimes of her armed forces and agents in Russia, Poland and other countries occupied by her; and whether he will give an assurance to the House and to the country that under no circumstances will any such movement receive recognition?

His Majesty's Government are naturally informed of the activities of the German refugee groups in this country. No form of recognition has been given to any of these groups.

asked the Secretary of State for War under what Defence Regulation a transport firm is informing its staff that it must take part in no civil or military, Home Guard, defence work not directly connected with transport; and whether employees of such a firm who are members of a district, not employers, Home Guard must resign, as they have been called upon to do, or whether such Home Guards can remain in training at least until such emergency as might cause them to be mobilised for immediate trans port work?

There is no such Defence Regulation: The action taken by the firm in this case is in my opinion quite improper and has not the approval of any Government Department. Whether the employees of this firm resign before 16th February must be a matter for each man's individual decision. I realise that employees of transport firms have important civil duties to perform in an emergency. Home Guard commanders have, however, been given instructions to place in a separate category those men who by reason of their civil occupation will not be immediately available on mustering and no doubt the men referred to should be placed in this category. Should an employer consider that the civil duties of his employees may in the event of invasion conflict with their Home Guard duties his proper course is to consult with the Home Guard commander. If there is disagreement between them as to the respective importance of the men's civil and military duties Home Guard commanders have instructions to seek guidance from the manager of the local employment exchange. In the case of transport workers, the local representatives of the Ministry of War Transport are also available for consultation.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the extension by the three services of the London area, in which an extra 3s. 6d. weekly is paid to wives of men serving, so as to include the built-up districts outside the London postal area, in view of the fact that rents and cost of living is the same in both areas?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for West Leyton (Mr. Sorensen) on 7th October, 1941.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the death of the United States Minister in Bagdad, and of the great ser vices rendered by Mr. Knabenshue to the British community in Bagdad during the disturbances last May, he will arrange for suitable messages of sympathy to be conveyed to the United States Government and to Mrs. Knabenshue?

Yes, Sir. I am glad to have this opportunity of paying tribute to the memory of the late United States Minister at Bagdad. His courageous action last May in giving shelter to a large section of the British community will long be remembered in this country and wide spread regret will be felt at his untimely decease. A message of deep regret has already been communicated on behalf of His Majesty's Government to the United States Government, who have also been asked to convey an expression of His Majesty's Government's heartfelt sympathy to Mrs. Knabenshue.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to present to the House the Report on the Administration of Supplementary Pensions?

Yes, Sir. The report is being presented to-day by my right hon. Friends the Minister of Labour and National Service, and the Secretary of State for Scotland, and myself. Copies will be available to hon. Members in the course of the day.

asked the Minister of Health whether the information in his Department shows that it is the general policy of rating authorities to apply a lower standard of value to council houses than to houses built by private enterprise?

I have no such information as would enable me to confirm the view suggested in the Question as a general proposition.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the long waiting lists of voluntary hospitals and their unwillingness to transfer them to emergency hospitals in the district in order that they may get treatment; is he prepared to recommend that the emergency hospitals be made available for people desiring treatment; and whether he has considered the action taken by the Department of Health for Scotland in this matter?

Where hospitals have been found to have unduly large waiting lists their attention has been drawn to the facilities which exist for transferring patients to other hospitals under the Emergency Hospital Scheme. The object in view is similar to that under the Scottish plan referred to by my hon. Friend, but the financial arrangements are not quite the same owing to the difference between the hospital systems of the two countries.

asked the Minister of Health why persons insured under the National Health Insurance Acts and rendered in capable of work by reason of war injury or war service injury, as defined by his recently issued Memorandum, are disentitled to sickness or disablement benefit in respect of such injury, seeing that they and their employers have paid the requisite contributions by way of premium, and such benefits are statutory?

The rates of contributions payable under the National Health Insurance Acts are based on the expectation of incapacity under normal conditions, and are not intended to cover the risk of incapacity due to war injury or war service injury.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will allow the Cambridge, or some other experimental station, to conduct an investigation into the science of hydro-ponics from the stand point of increasing the total national food output?

Investigations of methods of soil-less cultivation of plants have been carried out at several Agricultural Research Centres in this country and are being continued during 1942 at one of these Centres—the Department of Horticulture of Reading University—with one of the methods that shows promise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the changed situation in the war, he will now divert food rations used for horses running under National Hunt Rules to milk production?

No, Sir. The quantity of feeding-stuffs involved is insignificant and in any case racing under National Hunt rules will soon come to an end for this season.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that most farmers are harassed by the filling in of forms and returns for which they are untrained to such an extent as to interfere with the maximum production; and whether he will simplify the systems of control?

I am aware that most farmers have a good many forms to complete but I can assure the hon. Member that as far as my own Department is concerned the number of forms issued is restricted to the barest minimum compatible with the efficient organisation of the food production campaign.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware of the hard ship which service men's families often suffer while awaiting the issue of a war service grants special allowance; and whether he will arrange with the Assistance Board for their area officers to make suitable advances to applicants, pending the decision of the advisory committee, with subsequent recovery of the cost of the advance from his Department?

All the Departments concerned have been and are making special efforts to deal with applications as speedily as possible. As a result of steps recently taken there will, I hope, be further progress in this direction, but if the hon. Member has in mind any particular case where delay is causing hardship, I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will make available to Members the report of the committee presided over by Lord Horder upon which the policy relating to the granting of pensions in cases of neurosis is based.

I am arranging for copies of the report in question to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Pensions the present procedure for dealing with men who suffer amputations whilst serving in the Armed Forces: at what stage are the men discharged from hospital and from the service; and whether it is intended to restore the procedure adopted during the last war and retain such men in the service, with service pay and family allowances, until they are satisfactorily fitted with, and have become accustomed to, their artificial limbs and ready to resume, as far as possible, normal civil life?

The normal procedure when a man has suffered amputation during service in the Armed Forces is to discharge him from hospital when his stump is soundly healed unless the special surgical needs of the case make this course undesirable. A short interval must elapse between the healing of the stump and the fitting of an artificial limb to enable the stump to settle down, and medical opinion is that generally it is better that during this period the man should not be in hospital. The man who has left hospital is kept under observation at a limb-fitting centre of my Ministry, and, in due course, is fitted with an artificial limb.With regard to the second part of the Question, I am glad to be able to inform my hon. Friend that, as a result of discussions between officers of my Department and the Service Departments, I hope that instructions will very shortly be issued by the latter which will ensure that any man who has suffered an amputation in service shall be retained in the service and on service pay and allowances until at least 28 days after he has been satisfactorily fitted with an artificial limb.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will give sympathetic consideration to the question of supplying a free duplicate artificial limb to men who suffer amputations whilst serving in the Armed Forces and whose disabilities are not accepted for pension purposes as directly attributable to war service, so as to give these unpensioned men every opportunity to become self-supporting and lead, as far as possible, a normal life?

In this matter my Department acts on behalf of the Service Departments whom I will consult in regard to the hon. Member's proposal.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what is the estimated cost of providing the two new factories for the production of synthetic vitamin B; whether he will give the names and technical qualifications of the persons put in charge of this manufacture; and whether there will be any connection between the management of the new factories and the firm of Roche Products, Limited?

The information asked for in the first part of the Question is not yet available. Two of the principal firms in the fine chemical industry will be concerned in the management of these factories. Neither of these firms has any connection with the company mentioned in the last part of the Question.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether our war-time purchase of the Icelandic fish output is based on any guarantee of activity by the Icelandic fishing fleet; and how many Icelandic trawlers are laid up at the present time?

I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewes (Rear-Admiral Beamish) on 19th November, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what effect has been given, or is being given, to his appeal to the public last year to concentrate of catching fresh water fish to help to meet the shortage of the salt-water variety?

I have no recollection of making the appeal to which my hon. Friend refers. As regards the production of fish this, in England and Wales, is primarily the concern of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what are the methods of wheat purchase practised by the Ministry; to what extent these purchases are made for the cereal division by one miller and his assistant; and whether this buyer retains his commercial connections while holding a Government appointment?

The purchase of imported cereals and cereal products by the Government is effected through the Imported Cereals Division of the Minis try of Food, of which the director is also a director of a flour milling company and the chief members of the staff are leading members of controlled firms in the grain or the flour importing trades. The principal method followed is for the Ministry to make direct from the Canadian Wheat Board from time to time large purchases of wheat "futures." These are subsequently converted into actual wheat after the receipt by the Ministry of offers of wheat on f.o.b. terms at ports of loading, which offers are either accepted or declined after examination by the Imported Cereals Division. The profits of all flour millers, flour importers, and members of the grain trade who are con trolled are limited by ageement with the Ministry, and the activities of the Imported Cereals Division cannot affect the controlled profits of any firms in these trades. The Director of Imported Cereals retains, with my Noble Friend's full knowledge and approval, his commercial connections.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will arrange to print for sale in pamphlet form the cooking recipes which his Department has published from time to time in the daily Press?

The cookery recipes published by my Department in the daily Press are designed to meet day-to-day changes in food supplies. If re printed in pamphlet form they might very rapidly become out of date. Leaflets are, however, available containing recipes which have been carefully prepared so as to remain practical unless there are radical changes in the food situation.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will name the scientific advisers under whose guidance the Minister has acted in making his decisions re the bread supply, together with the date of their appointment and the special qualifications determining their respective selection; whether there is any published record of the advice so tendered that would allow of its criticism by other scientists; and what are the relations of the Ministry with the Medical Research Council?

In reply to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question, the Ministry's scientific advisers who have advised my Noble Friend in regard to the fortification of white flour and the specification of wheatmeal are Professor J. C. Drummond, scientific adviser, and Dr. T. Moran, deputy scientific adviser. In addition my Noble Friend has consulted Lord Horder, personal adviser to the Minister on medical aspects of food problems. Professor Drummond was appointed on 1st February, 1940, Dr. Moran on 24th June, 1940, and Lord Horder on the 7th July, 1941. The special qualifications and experience of these officers are well known. The advice given by officers of a Government Department to their Minister is confidential. Consequently it has not been published in the manner suggested by my hon. Friend.In reply to the last part of the Question there is a close contact between the Ministry of Food and the Medical Re search Council, the secretary of which is one of the members of the Scientific Food Committee appointed by the Lord Privy Seal in June, 1940, to advise upon problems of national food requirements.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he will consult the railway companies in order to ensure that loudspeakers are fixed at side stations where, luring the blackout, visibility is nil, in order to ensure passengers knowing when the train stops at a station?

Loudspeakers are already provided at a number of stations but to install them in all stations would be difficult in view of the labour and materials required. I will, however, consult with the Railway Executive Committee and if my hon. Friend has in mind any particular station where an installation is specially desirable, perhaps he will communicate with me.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Trans port what is the origin, and who uses, a special private train which runs on certain Sundays from Bath to Bristol, leaving the former station at varying hours from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.; and whether this train is necessary in the public interest, will he arrange for it to run on every Sunday for the convenience of the general travelling public who are now unable to depend upon its regular running?

I am making inquiries and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Trans port whether his attention has been drawn to the difficulties which arose in certain areas during the recent heavy snowfalls, when many hours' work were lost by war workers, owing to transport and traffic difficulties, in consequence of the insufficient labour supply for snow clearance work; and whether he will seek the collaboration of the military and Civil Defence services so that an adequate labour reserve shall be available for snow clearance work?

The staffs of highway authorities are much depleted, and there has been difficulty in securing additional labour for snow clearance. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour has instructed his Regional representatives to render every assistance in their power. Under arrangements already in force, much valuable assistance was rendered by the military authorities and the Royal Air Force with both personnel and plant for clearing the roads.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that there is anxiety among educationists regarding the probable results of the general calling up of students following courses of study in other subjects than science and medicine, and the cessation of the supply of future teachers of the humanities; and whether he will confer with the Minister of Labour and the Ministers for the fighting services to secure some reservation hr non-technical pupils, although of military age?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to-day by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service to a similar Question put by the hon. Member for the English Universities (Mr. Harvey). I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend on the matter.

asked the Minister of Health the position of the County Borough of West Ham so far as the Goschen Loan is concerned; what was the original loan, the rate of interest, the amount outstanding upon the liquidation of the West Ham Union, the proportion transferred as a liability to the West Ham Borough and the annual charge upon the rates; and whether, in view of the war disabilities of the borough, he will cancel further payments?

The total amount of Goschen Loans raised by the late West Ham Union was £2,700,000. The loans were raised at various dates between the years 1921–22 to 1926–27 at rates of interest ranging from 4¾ per cent. to 6 per cent. The amount outstanding at the date of liquidation of the Union was £1,663,438 5s. 1d. of which sure £620,579 5S. 9d. was transferred as a liability to the West Ham County Borough and is repayable by 15 equal annual instalments, free of interest, of £41,371 19s. 1d. The last instalment falls due for payment in March, 1945. The West Ham County Borough Council are receiving substantial financial assistance from the Government to meet conditions arising out of the war and in assessing the amount of such assistance regard is had to all the commitments of the Council and accordingly I do not consider that any question of relieving the Council of its liability to repay arises.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the County Borough of West Ham has suffered severely from enemy action, evacuation and loss of trade, and has not greatly benefited from Government con tracts on war work; and whether, as the present Government assistance is not adequate, he will meet a deputation from the borough members on the matter?

I have been asked to reply. I have received no representations from the Council in this matter but if they submit a statement showing the points they wish to discuss I should be glad to arrange for a deputation to be received.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can indicate the extent of the shortage of dwelling-houses in the Welsh regional area?

I regret that I cannot indicate with any precision the extent of the shortage at the present time, but my hon. Friend will appreciate that in any case it is not possible under present conditions to proceed with the erection of new houses unless they are required for urgent war purposes.