asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied that proper compensation has been afforded to fishermen and other persons whose livelihood has been adversely affected in areas of the United States bases in the West Indies?

Loss of earning power is taken into account in assessing compensation, and I have no doubt that the Colonial Governments concerned have taken all possible steps to ensure fair assessments.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to mining of copper in Kenya and the possibilities of the Macalder mine; what are the terms of the concession; and what is the basis of royalties to the Kenya Government in respect to copper, iron, zinc, lead, etc.?

Yes, Sir. My Noble Friend is in correspondence with the Governor of Kenya on the subject, and I will supply my hon. Friend with the details for which he asks when they are available.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the need in Nyasaland for a further 788 wells, 86 bore-holes and 16 dams for the improvement of health and sanitation, relief of congestion in over-populated areas for opening up new agricultural areas and for purposes of animal husbandry in others; and whether moneys under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act will be made available for these public works?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. The matter is at present under consideration by the Government of Nyasaland. When an application for assistance under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act is received it will, of course, be given full and sympathetic consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies whether a statement will be made available setting out the details of the proposed expenditure under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1940, as included in the Civil Estimates Vote of £1,000,000 for the current year?

Part of the provision of £1,000,000 will be spent on schemes already approved, of which particulars Will be laid before Parliament in accordance with section 1 (4) of the Act; but the execution of many of these schemes will be spread over a number of years, and in present circumstances it is impossible to give a precise estimate of the amount which will be spent during the current financial year. The remainder of the provision is in respect of schemes that may be made as a result of applications for assistance already received, or which may be received during the remainder of this year. But although my Noble Friend has received advance information of a number of such projects, it is, generally speaking, quite impossible to foresee the nature and scope of the proposals that will be submitted by Colonial Governments. In these circumstances it will be understood that the sum for which provision has been made is largely conjectural.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how the estimate for £200,000 included for research under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act has been arrived at, and for what objects; and whether the Colonial Research Advisory Committee, mentioned in Section 8 of Command Paper 6175, will be set up, or who will determine the schemes of research and initiate the system of research on a wider and more regular basis?

My Noble Friend has decided that, in spite of the difficulties arising out of the war, it is now desirable to set up a Colonial Research Advisory Committee as contemplated in paragraph 8 of Command Paper 6175, and I am happy to be able to say that Lord Hailey has accepted my Noble Friend's invitation to act as chairman of the Committee. It is proposed that, besides advising on the expenditure of the sum of £500,000 a year provided by the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, the Committee should advise upon and co-ordinate the whole range of research in Colonial studies, irrespective of the provenance of funds. The composition of the Committee has not yet been definitely decided, but for the present it is proposed that it should consist of a small number of persons competent to speak with authority on questions of research but with power to take into consultation any outside authorities whom they might consider appropriate, when considering proposals on matters on which the members of the Committee could not themselves speak with authority. As regards the first part of the Question, part of the sum of £200,000 for which provision has been made in the Estimates will be spent on a number of schemes that have already been approved and of which particulars will be given in accordance with the provisions of Section 1 (4) of the Act. The remainder of this provision, the amount of which is purely conjectural, will be available for expenditure on any schemes recommended by the Committee. If the amount provided should be insufficient my Noble Friend would not hesitate to invite Parliament to make further provision.

asked the Home Secretary whether full-time Civil Defence workers employed in main control centres are entitled to full uniform in addition to overcoats and berets?

The provision of uniform for Civil Defence personnel is at the discretion of individual local authorities. The authorised uniform for persons serving in report and control centres is a cotton overall, with beret and greatcoat.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, in some Metropolitan boroughs, persons serving in report and control centres are provided with no uniform other than a beret and a winter overcoat; and whether he will advise local authorities that, in view of the importance of their duties and the wear and tear of clothing, which they must now provide at their own expense, these persons should receive equal consideration in the grant of uniforms with other branches of the Civil Defence services?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to-day to my hon. Friend the Member for North Tottenham (Mr. R. C. Morrison). I understand that in the great majority of Metropolitan boroughs the authorised uniform is provided, and there is no dis- crimination against report and control centre staffs.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has yet issued instructions to every local authority in the country of the new system of playing the jet on a fire-bomb rather than spraying it; and whether he is satisfied that all Civil Defence instructors and lecturers are giving lessons on the new method rather than on the old?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative; as regards the second I have no reason to doubt that instructors and lecturers are now teaching the new method.

asked the hon. Member for Dulwich, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, which of his staff receive a gratuity on retirement at the age of 65 years apart from their pension; upon what grounds he bases his award; and whether he will standardise the pension for all his employees?

The persons eligible for pension are those on the permanent or retained staff, and up to the present all who have retired have been given a gratuity, in addition to their pension, of £1 for each year of service, paid from the Jacoby Trust Fund. The amount of pension paid to employees is left to the discretion of the Kitchen Committee, who in arriving at the amount to be paid, take into consideration the number of years service, their position, and the wages they received. I do not think it possible to standardise these pensions in any other way.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what percentage of residential Crown property in London has been requisitioned for Service Departments up to date?

I regret that the information is not available. It will be appreciated that the majority of the residential houses on the Crown estates in London are either on land Jet at ground rents or are leased at rack rents for varying terms, and any requisitions for the Service Departments would be against the occupiers.

asked the Minister of Supply whether, in the interest of the health of the population, and particularly of women and children, he will reverse the decision of the Rubber Control to prohibit the manufacture of rubber footwear and of footwear made from rubber reclaim, observing that the Governments of the United States of America and of Canada are permitting a limited number of such types of footwear to be manufactured?

I have been asked to reply. The answer is "No." The action taken by the Rubber Control to restrict the manufacture of rubber footwear has been taken on my authority and with my approval. I do not think that the health of the population will suffer from this decision. It was taken with the concurrence of the President of the Board of Trade, who, in consultation with the appropriate Departments, is especially concerned with the provision of the essential needs of the civilian population.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many registered medical practitioners are employed in his Department; how many are full- and part-time, respectively; and how many a closer cooperation with civilian medical practitioners on a part-time basis would release for the Armed Services?

My Department employs 196 whole-time medical officers. They are assisted in a part-time capacity, as and when required, by some 750 medical practitioners who are in the main engaged in civil practice. It is the definite policy of my Department to restrict the employment of whole-time medical personnel to the minimum, and to make the greatest possible use of civil medical practitioners on a part-time basis. A number of whole-time medical officers have already been released for service with the Forces and this policy will be continued so far as practicable.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many registered medical practitioners are employed in his Department; how many are full- and part-time, respectively; and how many a closer co-operation with civilian medical practitioners on a part-time basis would release for the Armed Services?

The number of registered medical practitioners employed in my Department is nine, of whom one is temporarily seconded to the Ministry of Pensions. All these officers are employed full-time. It would be impracticable to employ civilian medical practitioners to inspect and supervise the work of school medical officers employed by local education authorities.

asked the Minister of Information why men appointed to act as messengers in the employ of his Department in Liverpool have recently been reclassified as porter-messengers; whether this new classification will include the normally heavier work of porters; how many of the men appointed as messengers were King's Roll men or otherwise unfit for anything but light employment; and whether both messengers and messenger-porters are used for overtime duties as and when required?

No messengers employed at Liverpool have been reclassified as porter-messengers; there is no such grade. Messengers are allocated to duties in accordance with their suitability and only a few are actually employed on duties involving light porter work. Of forty-five messengers employed, twenty-one are on the King's Roll and one is otherwise unfit. All messengers are liable to work overtime as and when required.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the increased cost of living, and the fact that the allowances to men in the Forces and their dependants have been increased, he is prepared to make a temporary addition to the pension of officers of the Post Office on small pensions who ate finding it hard to live at the present time?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 15th April to my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Parker).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings why the railings round Kensington Gardens, including those separating them from Hyde Park, have not been removed when those around Hyde Park have been taken?

It is considered essential to retain the railings round Kensington Gardens in the interests of public Safety owing to the considerable differences in the levels of the park and of the public pavement. The retention of these railings is also desirable to prevent the straying at night of sheep penned in Kensington Gardens. The whole question has been under review upon several occasions.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings on what date Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners were appointed agents to his Ministry?

The only commission given to this firm by the Ministry of Works and Buildings was on 28th January, 1941, to act as consulting engineers for a combined building and civil engineering scheme. Since that date my Department have taken over from the Ministry of Supply responsibility for the completion of three ordnance factories for which the firm was, and is still, acting as agents and civil engineers on their original appointment by the Ministry of Supply.

asked the Minister of Supply on what date Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners were appointed agents for his Ministry; and on what date that appointment was cancelled?

The date of appointment was 7th September, 1939. The firm continues to act as agents for the Ministry of Supply on certain building work.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that supplies of coal of any description to the Belfast Co-operative Society are below their requirements so that many working-class homes are without fuel; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this state of affairs?

I am aware of the difficulties encountered by the Belfast Cooperative Society, which arise partly from the difficulties of the general supply position. Special steps have been taken, at the request of the Northern Ireland Government to direct additional supplies to the society.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that the experiment of restricting domestic coal supplies for Northern Ireland to Welsh coal is a failure; whether this discrimination against this part of the United Kingdom Will now cease; and whether special efforts will be made to release reasonable quantities of Lancashire, Yorkshire and Staffordshire coal for purchase on behalf of Northern Ireland consumers?

As I have informed the House on more than one occasion, supplies for domestic purposes to Northern Ireland are not confined to Welsh coal; and discrimination is not, therefore, involved. The question of the future programme of supplies to Northern Ireland is at present under discussion with the Northern Ireland Government.

asked the Secretary for Mines the latest available figures showing the average wages of adult workers at the coal face in British collieries?

Separate particulars for face-workers are not available. The average cash earnings per man-shift worked above and below ground at coal mines in Great Britain were 15s. 6d. during the third quarter of 1941 and 15s. 8d. (provisional) during the last quarter.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether, having regard to the concern felt at the continued high incidence of silicosis among miners in South Wales, he is taking additional steps to combat this disease; and what these are?

I share the concern as to the continued gravity of the situation but as regards precautionary measures at the mines I have at present little to add to the full reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on 9th September last. The measures therein described are being made more effective and they now apply to the mines of the first and the second largest undertakings in the anthracite area, which, as my hon. Friend knows, covers almost all the anthracite pits. We hope to get guidance towards further improvements from the impending report of the Committee of the Medical Research Council.

asked the Lord President of the Council when the Report on the investigation into the problem of silicosis among coalminers will be available?

I regret that there has been some unexpected delay in the final stages of the publication of this Report, as a result of war conditions. I am informed, however, that the printed sheets will be ready for the binders to-morrow, and that bound copies should be available for issue by 18th May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the increasing difficulties of old age pensioners in managing on their pensions, in view of the present cost of living, he will consider granting outdoor relief where necessary to those pensioners who are in financial difficulty?

I have been asked to reply. An old age pensioneer who finds his pension inadequate to meet his needs can apply to the Assistance Board for a supplementary pension.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the rise in the incidence of venereal diseases and the danger of dissemination of these diseases in the Armed Services from sources outside the control of commanding officers, a recent instance of which has been furnished to him, he will grant powers to medical officers of health to have persons of both sexes, who are suspected as being sources of infection, examined and, if necessary, treated?

I am considering what action can most appropriately be taken to deal with the problem to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Minister of Health how many medical practitioners of alien nationality, but loyal to our cause, are at present in this country; and how many are employed either in civilian practice or in the Armed Services?

I am informed by the Central Medical War Committee that of 1,032 alien medical practitioners in this country available for employment, other than those on the permanent medical register, 735 have obtained civilian medical employment or commissions in the medical branches of H.M. Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that 4th April was the first holiday for months for the workpeople in the Manchester area, who were asked to remain at home, and that Blackpool is only 50 miles away; and why the football players serving in the Royal Air Force were not given leave for a few hours in order that they could have taken part in a football match, which would have had a beneficial effect on thousands of hard-worked workpeople and men serving in the Forces.

As the hon. Member will be aware, special steps were taken to reduce passenger travel on the railways to a minimum during the Easter period in order to make the lines more fully available for urgent goods traffic and travelling for pleasure, or business that was not vitally important, was discouraged. The Service Departments were invited to cooperate and rail travel for leave purposes was restricted. It would have been inconsistent and inequitable to have made an exception in favour of the players referred to.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that in South Shields two squadrons of the Air Training Corps have found it necessary, owing to the smallness of the grants for the support of the units from Air Ministry funds, to appeal for financial support from the townspeople and the local authority; and will he see that sufficient funds are made available to make these units independent of grants from outside sources?

The grants paid by the Air Ministry to units of the Air Training Corps together with issues in kind from Royal Air Force stocks are intended to cover the essential needs of the Corps and are in most cases ample for this purpose. In exceptional circumstances supplementary grants can be made. The grants normally paid are not intended to cover the provision of amenities, the cost of which is usually met from non-public funds, but where units experience difficulties in this connection they may apply for special grants out of a central welfare fund. The attention of the South Shields units has been drawn to the arrangements referred to above and the question of making additional funds available to them both for training and welfare is now being considered.

asked the Minister of Health how many registered medical practitioners are at present employed, full-time and part-time, respectively, in the work of infant welfare clinics; how many women doctors are included; and whether a larger use of the latter will be made in order to release male practitioners for the Armed Services?

The information asked for in the first two parts of the Question could not be supplied without special inquiry, which I do not consider justifiable in present circumstances. The increased employment of women doctors as suggested in the last part of the Question has been referred to in a recent circular to local authorities, a copy of which I will send to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, with regard to the discharge from the Forces of men in certain low medical categories in order to take up employment in industry, he will state briefly the exact types of men who can benefit by the Order and the procedure to be followed by those who wish to take advantage of it?

I think my hon. Friend is under a misapprehension. A number of low medical category men are being discharged because they are not consistently equal to the duties appropriate to their medical classification. Their names and trade qualifications are in fact sent to the Ministry of Labour, so that they may if possible be found employment. But they are not released on industrial grounds, nor is it open to them to take an initiative in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a statement on the present state of the supply of doctors for the Army and its relation to civilian needs?

The allocation of doctors for the needs of the fighting Services, in relation to those of the civilian population, is based on a careful system of priorities worked out by the Medical Personnel Priority Committee set up by the Minister of Health, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the three Service Ministers. These arrangements have up to the present enabled an adequate supply of doctors to be available for Service needs; but it will be appreciated that as the Army becomes further engaged in overseas operations, its requirements will inevitably make additional demands upon members of the medical profession, and it is the object of the Committee to secure that these are met with the least possible detriment to the medical care of the civilian population.

asked the Secretary of State for War why, despite the protest of the citizens of Belfast made at six large meetings held in different parts of the city against the opening of theatres and music halls on Sundays for the entertainment of members of His Majesty's forces and the refusal of the Belfast City Council to give a licence for the holding of such variety shows, he gave his sanction to the holding of them; and, in particular, why the opening performance was held in the Hippodrome, which had been commandeered on the evening of the Sunday appointed as a national day of prayer for victory over all our enemies?

The refusal of the Belfast City Council related to the opening of places of entertainment for performances open to the public. The arrangements made by the General Officer Commanding the Troops in Northern Ireland afforded entertainment to members of the Services only. He exercised powers, conferred by Section 174A of the Army Act, which for many years have been exerciseable, under a delegated authority by local military commanders at their discretion. As to the last part of the Question, I do not think that wholesome amusement is inconsistent with the worship of God or the defeat of our enemies.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the introduction of educative entertainment for troops on Sundays in those districts where it is not legal for cinemas to be open?

Concerts of good music and similar entertainments on Sundays are already encouraged and are regularly held where halls can be made available and suitable talent found. Special attention is paid to places where there is no other entertainment.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the comparison between the wages paid to band boys and the wages paid to boys of a similar age in civil life, he will now consider an increase in their pay as many of the articles necessary and purchased by these band boys have increased in price?

All articles necessary for band boys are provided free of charge and my hon. Friend's argument that their price has increased does not therefore apply. Moreover the pay of any Service category must be fixed in relation to service pay generally and on this basis I cannot agree that an increase in the pay of band boys is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the permission recently given to men in the Army to wear civilian boots when off duty is extended to members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service?

No, Sir. When members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service are off duty, they wear their service shoes.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has considered the proposal to increase the pay of junior officers of the Auxiliary Territorial Service; and with what result?

I am not aware of the proposal to which my hon. Friend refers. But the pay of all members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service bears a definite relation to that of the corresponding rank in the Army, and I could not consider any proposal to depart from this.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, in spite of the letter to officers commanding sent from his Department a year ago, emphasising the fact that threats of stoppage of pay, or the withholding of pensions, to dependants in the event of illness being contracted by men who have refused inoculation, are contrary to the regulations and must not be made, medical officers are still making such threats; and whether, in view of the anxiety felt by a large number of soldiers who object to vaccination and inoculation, he will make it clear to all ranks that vaccinated and unvaccinated, and inoculated and un-inoculated, victims of disease are, and will be, treated in exactly the same way, both as regards hospital treatment and pay and pensions?

No, Sir. I am not aware of such instances, but if my hon. Friend will give me particulars I shall be glad to make inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of officers under and over 55 years of age, respectively, who have ceased to be employed in conse- quence of the recent order, and the number of appeals that have been entered in respect of each class?

Up to 23rd April, 1,137 officers under 55 and 653 officers over that age had been recommended for relegation to unemployment, but as the appeals of some of them are still being considered the exact number whose employment will be terminated cannot yet be given. Some reports have still to come in, and the exact figures of the number of appeals are therefore not yet available.

NOTE: —In most European countries, rations for heavy workers are usually on a higher scale than those of normal consumers, but in catering establishments rationed foods cannot be obtained without coupons. In this country, except in regard to cheese, there is no discrimination in the case of heavy workers, but in canteens and catering establishments, rationed foods are obtainable without the surrender of coupons.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the hardship involved under the present basis of assessment for Income Tax to companies registered in the United King-

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare whether he can give comparative tables, at the latest available date, of the rations allowed per week for bread, meats and fats in German occupied territories in Europe and this country?

The comparative figures for enemy countries, enemy-occupied countries in Europe, and for this country are as follow:

dom, operating in territory in the Far East, now under enemy occupation, he will consider amending the provisions of Section 11, Finance (No. 2) Act, 1939, as extended by the 1940 and 1941 Acts, so that the relief now afforded to individuals may be extended to such companies as are directly affected by the enemy occupation of their properties?

I am afraid I cannot see my way to extend to companies the relief that is given to individuals in respect of a fall in personal earnings by Section 11 of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1939, and subsequent Acts. The British companies operating in Malaya, to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers, will be entitled to be treated as still carrying on trade for the purposes of both Excess Profits Tax and Income Tax. The company will thus be able to obtain repayment of Excess Profits Tax in respect of the extent to which its current profits fall below the pre-war profits standard as adjusted in respect of lost capital. For Income Tax the company will continue to be liable on the basis of the profits of the preceding year. This Income Tax charge may be unfavourable at the moment but it should be borne in mind that the recognition of the company as still carrying on trade carries relief from Excess Profits Tax and that in addition to this compensation in Excess Profits Tax there will be a compensating Income Tax advantage in the future when the company's trading operations are resumed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the difference in the stock-in-trade of a farmer and that of a tradesman, he has consulted representatives of the farming community on the methods to be adopted in valuing livestock, tillages, unexhausted manures and growing crops for Schedule D assessment; whether he has been in touch with the surveyors and land agents societies on this matter; and whether his decisions will appear in the Finance Bill this year?

As I said in my financial statement on 14th April, the Inland Revenue authorities propose to consult with the agricultural Departments and the representatives of the farming industry regarding the valuation of livestock bred on the farm, tillages, unexhausted manures and growing crops. I do not anticipate that any legislation will be required.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he proposes to take any steps to secure that batteries in motor vehicles which are being laid up shall be available for public services and needs connected with the war?

Owners of such vehicles have been asked, by public announcements, to offer the batteries for sale to garages for use for essential civil transport.