asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether a decision has been reached regarding naval travelling expenses; and, as the matter has been under consideration for more than a year, whether retrospective effect will be given to improvements?

Subsistence rates for naval officers have been revised with effect from 15th January, 1942.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons deferred from military service on the recommendation of the Entertainment National Service Committee who, at the time, were under 32 years of age and the number between 32 and 35 years of age, respectively; what is the longest period for which deferment has been given in such cases; whether there is any minimum age limit for such deferment; and the number of cases of female applicants heard and deferred?

Five men under the age of 32 and 31 men between 32 and 35 have been granted deferment of calling-up for military service on the recommendation of the Entertainment National Service Committee. Six months is the longest period for which deferment is given at one time and it is not normally granted to men under the age of 30. No applications for deferment of calling-up have yet been heard in respect of females.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has ascertained the number of able-bodied men still working on the upkeep of golf courses; and whether the services of these men, if not required for the Armed Forces, will be deflected to agriculture, or other essential work without delay?

I regret that I am not in a position to give the figures for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks in the first part of the Question. As regards the second part no men have had their calling up for the Armed Forces deferred in respect of work on the upkeep of golf courses; wherever practicable men so employed will be transferred to essential war work. I am making inquiries into the case which my hon. Friend has sent me.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the necessity of perfecting plans before an invasion actually occurs, he will instruct the Regional Commissioner for the North-Western area immediately to issue E.L. labels at least to all senior members of the Cheshire Corps of Air-Raid Wardens to enable these officers to perform their duties in a period of invasion?

I am looking into the matter and will communicate further with my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has any further statement to make on the arrangements for supplying Northern Ireland with better class coal?

I am in constant touch with the Minister of Commerce in Belfast regarding supplies for Northern Ireland. Coal is distributed to the best advantage from a national standpoint, and the object of discussions with the Minister of Commerce is to ensure that Northern Ireland receives the same treatment as other parts of the country.

asked the Secretary for Petroleum whether, in order that motorcar owners, who so desire, may have longer notice of their position after the discontinuance of the basic ration on 1st July, he will authorise applications for allowances for the subsequent period to be made forthwith and dealt with as soon as possible?

I am afraid it would be difficult to adopt this suggestion. Arrange- ments have been made for the issue early in May of supplementary coupons covering professional and business purposes. Car owners who do not at present qualify for supplementary allowances should apply to the local divisional petroleum officer between 1st and 8th June, when they will be dealt with as speedily as possible. I hope that the statement which I made to the House on 21st April will leave car owners in little doubt as to their position after the discontinuance of the basic ration.

asked the Secretary for Petroleum whether he will take steps to ensure that the abolition of the basic petrol rations will not cause a drift back to the towns from country areas where the ability of many persons to reside and yet reach their work is dependent on the use of a motor-car to reach some point where public transport is available?

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made in the House on 21st April.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any reports or authenticated accounts of the condition of the peoples in Malaya since the Japanese conquest?

No, Sir. But every endeavour is being made through the Protecting Power and by the International Red Cross to obtain such information.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now announce the composition of the Advisory Committee on Labour Questions; and whether he himself will preside at its meetings?

Yes, Sir. The Committee, which will be called the Colonial Labour Advisory Committee, has now been formed. It will consist of persons with first-hand knowledge of labour questions selected from within and without the Colonial Office. The former will comprise Sir William Battershill, K.C.M.G., Major G. St. J. Orde Browne, C.M.G., O.B.E., and Mr. J. G. Hibbert, M.C. The latter will comprise Sir Frederick Leggett, C.B., Sir John Forbes Watson, Mr. Joseph Hallsworth, Mr. Cecil W. Murray, D.F.C., M.I.Mech.E., and Mr. Andrew Dalgleish. In the event of any particular question necessitating the advice of persons with special knowledge, the Committee will have power to co-opt such persons as members to assist its deliberations.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the revenue of the Nigerian Government in 1937–38, its principal items and what sums were expended on account of salaries, allowances, gratuities and pensions of European officials, pensions, leave pay, family allotments, etc., of Europeans, passages of British officials and their dependants, and debt charges, interest, sinking fund, etc.?

The total revenue of the Nigerian Government in 1937–38 was £7,342,450 7s. 8d.; the principal items being: Customs, £3,504,807 13s. 2d.; interest, £913,192 14s. 11d.; and direct taxes, £854,156 16s 6d. The annual accounts do not distinguish between payments in respect of European and African officials. The amount expended on pensions and gratuities for all officials was £530,089 16s. 7d. The expenditure on ocean passages was £109,932 2s. 5d. Payments for debt charges, including interest and sinking fund, were £1,748,193 15s.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that members of the Land Army are not permitted to be served at Service canteens or British Restaurants; and whether he will take steps to have them placed in the same position in this respect as women members of the Forces?

I am not aware that members of the Women's Land Army have been refused admission to British Restaurants. As regards Service canteens, I am not at the moment in a position to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for West Birmingham (Mr. Higgs) on 5th March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what methods were adopted in selecting members of war agricultural executive committees; whether the personnel has been systematically reviewed in the light of experience; how many members of these committees throughout the country are, respectively, farmers, landowners, land agents and workers' representatives; whether due care has been taken to ensure that small farmers and agricultural workers are given adequate representation; and how many members are women?

The members of county war agricultural executive committees were originally selected by the Minister as persons suitably qualified to act as his agents in exercising the powers conferred on him by Parliament for increasing food production. The constitution of committees is kept constantly under review and changes of personnel are made from time to time as occasion may require. Each committee in England and Wales comprises a person specially representing agricultural workers' point of view and, with eight exceptions, a Women's Land Army representative, but, apart from these, individual members were selected entirely from the point of view of then-suitability and not as representative of any particular class in the agricultural community. Fifty-five members are women.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will clarify the position with regard to arrangements for salvage of old worn-out motor-car tyres, and, further, explain his policy with regard to the collection and use of new or part-worn tyres at present fitted to motor-cars which are laid up?

There are arrangements for the collection of old tyres by merchants, and, in conjunction with the Ministry of Works and Buildings and local authorities, a series of special county sweeps for scrap rubber begins on 1st May. The tyres collected by either means, as well as tyres handed over on the issue of new or re-treaded tyres and tyres from Service vehicles, will be sorted. Those fit for retreading will be sent to retreaders; and those fit only for reclaim will be stored in Government depots, or in storage provided by certified waste rubber merchants, for disposal to reclaiming plants as required. The question of collecting tyres from laid-up cars, which raises practical difficulties, is under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade for what reason the Board of Trade has permitted gas companies to increase charges for street lighting?

The Board of Trade have not authorised gas companies generally to increase their charges for street lighting. In the case of some undertakings, however, they have, after investigation, authorised certain increases in the price of gas and these may sometimes, under agreements between the gas undertaking and the local authority, affect street lighting charges.

asked the President of the Board of Education in view of the post-war aspects involved, whether any steps are being taken to co-ordinate the present educational services for the Army, Navy and Air Force?

The organisation of the educational work in the Army, Navy and Air Force, respectively, is a matter for the three Service Departments, whose educational needs are not the same. I am advised that the Departments already consult each other as required, especially on adult education and other problems of common interest.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the co-operation of universities, the Law Society, and other similar professional bodies, has been sought in connection with the educational services of the Army; and with what results?

Yes, Sir. Twenty-three regional committees have been set up by the vice-Chancellors of universities and include representatives of local education authorities and a number of voluntary bodies concerned with adult education. These committees are supplying lecturers and teachers and are providing short courses for unit education officers. They arranged over 20,000 lectures and 1,000 classes in the summer months of last year. In addition some 15 professional institutions, including the Law Society, have helped to organise correspondence courses for some 17,000 students from the three Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there has been a settlement between the Mexican Government and the Shell Oil Company; and what were the terms of settlement?

No settlement has been reached.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the names of the independent panel of business men supervising the work of Departments and recommending improvements; the date of their appointment; the number of occasions they have met; and the date of the last meeting?

The members of the panel referred to in the reply of 17th March to the hon. Member for East Fife (Mr. Henderson Stewart) are Mr. J. Reid Young of Vickers Limited, Mr. W. W. Watt of the British Oxygen Company Limited and Mr. J. Ryan of the Metal Box Company. The panel was formed at the beginning of this year under Mr. Reid Young's chairmanship: six meetings have been held, the last of which was on 22nd April. The members of the panel assist between meetings, in an individual capacity as and when necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Army cadets are now enrolled; how many young men under the age of 18 are serving in the Home Guard; and what is the strength of school cadet units?

On 31st March, 1942, 74,748 Army cadets were reported as enrolled and the number will by now be larger. There are 107 school units and their strength on the same date was 8,052, but there are certainly many cadets in other units who are still attending school. I regret that I do not know the exact number of men under 18 in the Home Guard, but it is probably well over 100,000.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that certain officers on the Central Medical War Committee are exercising pressure upon the medical licensing bodies to shorten the period of training of medical students in their final years, in one instance by one-sixth, owing to the scarcity of medical officers in the Fighting Services, and that such measures injure the reputation of licensing bodies; whether any of the proposals for redistribution of medical manpower, detailed in the circular No. 2624, have been operated; and what are the prospects of so redistributing personnel as to meet the immediate demands both of the Services and of the civilian population without curtailing medical training?

No, Sir. I am not aware of any pressure of this kind having been exercised by officers of the Central Medical War Committee on medical and licensing bodies. As regards the second part of the Question, since the circular to which my hon. Friend refers was issued on the 9th April, it is obvious that sufficient time has not elapsed for the measures recommended to have been fully brought into operation. As regards the third part of the Question, I am informed by the Medical Personnel (Priority) Committee that in their view both redistribution of medical personnel and some curtailment of the period of medical training are necessary.