asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, as all firms are compelled to charge the same price for home-produced hen eggs, he will instruct his Department no longer to issue three foolscap tender sheets for completion to numerous firms in connection with each contract; and whether he will see that steps are taken to remedy all such waste of paper?

The implication in my hon. Friend's Question that prices for eggs are fixed is not correct. Firms are at liberty to supply below the Ministry of Food rates, which are maximum prices. Quotations received by the Admiralty have varied considerably and those accepted were sufficiently below the maximum prices to justify the customary procedure of inviting competitive tenders. Inquiries were kept to the minimum necessary to secure effective competition, and the number of forms issued was quite small. Strict instructions have been issued and a careful watch is kept by the Admiralty on the economical use of paper.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many cruisers and destroyers were laid down during each financial year from 1924 to 1931 and from 1935 to 1939?

It would not be in the public interest to give the numbers of cruisers and destroyers laid down in 1939. The figures for the years 1924 to 1931, inclusive, and 1935 to 1938, inclusive, are, however, as follow:

asked the Home Secretary whether he is satisfied that all local authorities have given facilities to fire guards and watchers for instruction in putting out bombs and dealing with minor conflagrations so that in the event of a heavy scale bombing every effort will have been made for fire guards to act with confidence and efficiency?

Reports indicate that facilities for training fire guards vary from district to district. A large number have already been trained and every effort is being made to complete the training of the remainder. Instructions in the methods to be adopted in putting out incendiary bombs and fires resulting therefrom are contained in a booklet entitled "The Fire Guards' Handbook," which has been published and will be available in the course of the next few days. Local authorities are being asked to obtain and distribute copies to all fire guards on their books, each of whom should make himself thoroughly familiar with the contents of the handbook and should possess his own individual copy.

asked the Secretary for Petroleum whether, in view of the need for conserving oil, satisfactory steps are being taken to reclaim to the maximum extent lubricating oil?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Gravesend (Sir I. Albery) on 27th January last. Since that date further arrangements have been made for the collection of waste lubricating oil from garages with a view to its being reclaimed to the maximum extent possible.

asked the Home Secretary whether the penalties for black-marketing can be extended to those responsible for the theft of lorries containing foodstuffs and other materials of value to the nation?

This point has not been overlooked in the preparation of the measures on which my right hon. Friend will be making an early statement.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is satisfied that full use is being made of Scottish trade channels for the distribution of canned fish allocated to Scotland; and, if not, why not?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that there is a large number of children suffering from under-nourishment and other ailments in hospitals, hostels and institutions; and whether he is prepared to make or authorise an issue of fruit juices to such children up to the age of 14 years, as is made in the case of younger children?

The present fruit juice distribution scheme will shortly be reviewed when the claims of different categories of children who are at present outside the scheme will be considered so far as the supply position permits of any extension.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what royalties have been, are, or will be payable in respect of patents owned by a British milling firm protecting the process of chemical bleaching of flour used in producing 95 per cent. of the output controlled by the Ministry, and why he has continued to use chemical bleaching which is condemned by universal scientific opinion and is prohibited in flour supplied to the British Army and in several of the overseas Dominions?

In reply to the first part of the Question, I am not aware of any payments of the nature suggested. As regards the second part of the Question, I would draw my hon. Friend's attention to the reply given to him by the Lord President of the Council on 24th February last.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that it is proposed to convert the market hall at Rhyl, at an estimated cost of £30,000, for a British Restaurant; that the local café and restaurant proprietors are willing, anxious and capable of accommodating 60,000 to 70,000 people; and, as this area is not an industrial one, will he consider consultation with the local representatives in order that existing facilities may be utilised?

I am aware that a proposal for a British Restaurant at Rhyl, submitted by the local authority, is under consideration, but the estimated cost of the scheme is £3,000. A protest has been received by the Ministry from an association of local traders and inquiry is being made into the matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the number of prosecutions that have led to the imprisonment, for over six months, of persons for offences in connection with the food regulations; and how many of these people are foreigners seeking refuge in this country?

My Department is concerned only with offences under the Defence Regulations and not with stealing or receiving stolen goods. Three prosecutions have been instituted up to 31st January, 1942, by my Department which have led to sentences of imprisonment in excess of six months. I have no reason to think that any of the persons concerned were foreigners, but I will inquire and inform my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, in some of the more isolated places, children are getting totally inadequate supplies of milk owing to the custom of crofters and others to calve their cows in spring: and whether, in order to remedy this, he will offer a subsidy for each cow in these districts that is calved m autumn or winter?

I am aware of the practice in the Highlands and Islands of arranging for cows to calve in the spring months of the year. This is dictated by the very limited amount of forage and keep which could be provided to carry both the cow and her calf during the long winter. I am advised that no subsidy on a cow basis would get over this difficulty of short supply of forage and keep. In the areas in question there are special arrangements under the National Milk Scheme for the supply of dried milk to expectant mothers and children, and my Noble Friend the Minister of Food has also made arrangements for the supply of additional quantities of condensed milk for consumers generally in those areas.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has further considered the representations of the Liverpool City Council and the hon. Member for Everton, which have been supplied him, in which is urged a revision of the rules of the General Nursing Council to enable nurses to take their final examinations in children's diseases and fevers at the ages of 20 and 19, respectively; whether, in view of the serious shortage of student-nurses in children's and infectious hospitals, he will take steps to lower the age by one year, as a war-time measure; and whether he has any statement to make?

The General Nursing Council, whom I have consulted, do not consider that the proposed change would be in the interests either of the patients or the nurses. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of their letter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has become of the proposal to market a low-priced utility lighter?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Warrington (Mr. Goldie) on 3rd March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is still the policy of the Government not to permit retailers to make a profit on the Purchase Tax; whether he is aware that profit allowance on many articles is being calculated after aggregating cost price and Purchase Tax, so that a purchaser pays the retailer a profit on the Purchase Tax as well as on the article itself; and whether he will take steps to stop such a practice?

Yes, Sir. In general, retailers are not permitted to take a percentage margin of profit on a price including Purchase Tax. I assume that the second part of the Question relates to utility clothing. For reasons of practical convenience the margins allowed to retailers on utility clothing are expressed as a percentage margin on the price inclusive of Purchase Tax paid to the wholesaler or manufacturer. This does not mean that the maximum prices for such clothing are any higher than they would be if the margins were calculated in some other way.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider consultation with representatives of small trading shopkeepers who, at present, are being ousted out of business, to ensure their livelihood and the proper distribution of commodities?

The Retail Trade Committee are at present consulting with the principal organisations representing all sections of the retail trade about the best way of dealing with the difficulties now confronting shopkeepers. Representatives of small shopkeepers have, therefore, the opportunity to discuss with the committee their most urgent problems, including the matters to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Prime Minister whether, prior to the Budget, he will consider setting aside a date for the discussion of the revision of Income Tax procedure so that the Chancellor of the Exchequer may be fully aware of the feelings of the House on this subject?

My right hon. Friend does not see his way to adopt the suggestion, which would simply anticipate the Budget Debate. Various bodies address the Chancellor of the Exchequer in advance of his Budget, so that he is aware of their point of view. The Chancellor also receives counsel and advice from various quarters of this House—as well as from outside it.

asked the Chancellor of Exchequer why a wife who, by her earnings and income entirely supports an invalid husband, is not permitted to claim marriage allowance, etc.; and why the invalid husband who is unable to work and has no income of his own can claim for these allowances and receive the amount of repayment due from his wife's earnings and income?

In the case raised by my hon. Friend where the husband has no income of his own and the wife is in receipt of earned income, the whole of the personal allowances including the married allowance of £140 would be allowed against the assessment in respect of the wife's income. If my hon. Friend has in mind a particular case in which difficulty has arisen, I shall be glad to receive particulars.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether taxpayers who have deposited sums in advance with the Board of Inland Revenue for payment of Excess Profits Tax may change over into Tax Reserve Certificates?

A few requests of this kind have been received and I have thought it only fair that persons who before the 23rd December, 1941 (the date of first issue of Tax Reserve Certificates) had paid Excess Profits Tax or National Defence Contribution in advance, in respect of a chargeable accounting period ending after that date, should be allowed to have such advance payment applied to the purchase of certificates bearing for all purposes the date 23rd December, 1941. Similar treatment would be accorded to persons who before the 23rd December, 1941, had paid in advance Income Tax (including Surtax) which for the purposes of Tax Reserve Certificates became clue after that date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was raised by warship weeks for the week ending 28th February, 1942.

Ninety-nine warship weeks were held during the week ended 28th February and provisional results for 90 of them are now available. The total amount raised in these go weeks was £31,891,709.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the London County Council has announced its decision, as local education authority for London, to reduce by more than one-sixth for the duration of the war its pre-war grant to London University; and whether he will have this circumstance in consideration when making the allocation of the forthcoming Treasury grant to London University.

I have been informed of the decision of the London County Council to which my hon. Friend refers. In accordance with the policy of which I informed the House on 24th February, the fact that in wartime conditions London University has been able to effect savings and thus to make considerable additions to its reserves, would not, in itself, have been regarded as a ground for reducing the Government grant. The maintenance of the grant would have been felt to be justified in view of the heavy immediate expenditure with which the University will be faced on resuming its life in London after the war, and in view of the desirability that the University should have some power of laying its plans in advance. The London County Council, however, have taken a different view. In view of the importance of maintaining the long-standing principle that Government grants to universities are affected by the amount of local support given to the universities, the University Grants Committee have felt obliged, with great regret, to inform the Court of London University that the action of the London County Council makes a reduction of the Treasury grant inevitable. The grant will accordingly be reduced on the advice of the University Grants Committee, by an amount equal to the total reduction made by the London County Council, with effect from the 1st April next. I am advised that this reduction will not involve any curtailment in the present activities of the University. The grant withheld will not be surrendered to the Exchequer but will remain in the hands of the University Grants Committee.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, arising out of the conversion operations on Treasury deposit receipts and the £46,000,000 converted into Government securities carrying 3 per cent. up to the 31st January, 1942, the Treasury will take action to prevent banks making further conversions into 3 per cent. interest bearing securities; and whether, in order to relieve the taxpayer, he will consider issuing a special I per cent. Government security, which would be utilised for all such conversions as and from 6th April, 1942?

No, Sir. I see no reason to change the present arrangements?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the date of the introduction of Treasury deposit receipts and the first occasion on which the Empire banks were permitted to participate with the London clearing and Scottish banks?

The scheme came into operation on the 1st July, 1940. The first occasion on which Empire banks participated was on the 2nd January, 1941.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in connection with the Treasury deposit receipts, he can give an assurance that it is not the intention to extend to financial institutions other than the Empire banks and the London clearing and Scottish banks the right of supplying credits for Treasury deposit receipts?

No, Sir. I do not consider that on a matter of this kind it would be advisable to lay down binding rules as regards future policy.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War how many cases of soldiers in uniform driving unauthorised Army vehicles and colliding with other vehicles or with pedestrians have been reported in the last six months; and what has been the maximum penalty imposed in each such type of case?

To date there have been reported to the War Office as having occurred during the last six months 42 accidents in which an Army vehicle being driven without authority by a soldier in uniform has collided with a civilian vehicle, and 7 cases in which such a vehicle has collided with a civilian. In only 24 and 3 of these cases respectively has the Claims Commission decided that, as the War Department would not have been legally liable had it been a private employer, it could not assume responsibility for the damage or injury caused by the collision. As the soldier responsible is usually arraigned on more than one charge arising out of the escapade, and as only one sentence is awarded in respect of all the charges on which an accused soldier is found guilty, I am not in a position to answer the last part of the Question.

asked the Prime Minister on what date the examination was made of Mr. F. G. Creed's invention of seadromes; whether any engineering experts outside the Services took part in the examination and who they were; on what grounds the invention was rejected; and whether he will reconsider the invention in view of considerable improvements which the inventor claims to have made in it?

The type of seadrome advocated by Mr. Creed has been examined on a number of occasions since 1937. It is known that a number of engineers outside the Services have examined and expressed opinions on this scheme, but I regret that a list is not readily available. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave him on 1oth February. Mr. Creed's scheme was rejected for Service use for strategical and tactical reasons and not merely on engineering grounds. The decision could not be affected by structural modifications to the proposed seadrome.