asked the Minister of Information whether he is now in a position to reply to the comments submitted on request to him by the Member for Rochdale on the Memorandum of the British Broadcasting Corporation on the working of the North American Wireless Service, having regard to the fact that these comments were made six months' ago and have not yet been acknowledged; whether he is aware that this service is still capable of great improvement; and what steps for improved propaganda he is taking in this matter?

An acknowledgment of the hon. Member's comments on the B.B.C.'s broadcasts to the West Indies was posted to him on 23rd December and his comments were brought to the attention of the B.B.C. The Corporation want to keep on improving all their services and they have appointed a representative to study on the spot the needs of their West Indian audience.

asked the Minister of Information whether, in order to discourage anti-Semitic feeling in the Near East and elsewhere and thus to deprive the Germans of opportunities for Nazi propaganda in this direction, he will take especial care in regard to the personnel staffing important posts in his Ministry?

Character and ability are the qualities required of those who seek to join the staff of the Ministry of Information. In making appointments to the staff of this Ministry I cannot pander to anti-Semitic prejudice in the Near East and elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Information whether, despite the temporary severance of land communications with China, he will take steps to increase the amount of publicity in this country over China's war effort in respect of films and photographs?

Yes. The Ministry will certainly make the fullest use of any film or photographic material which can be obtained from China.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether he will give comparative figures of the tonnage of coal supplied to Government Departments in London during the past three months and that supplied to the same Departments during a similar period in 1941?

I regret that it is not possible without undue expenditure of time and labour to give the total tonnage of fuel supplied to Government Departments in London as certain offices are housed in leased premises where heating is a liability of the lessor. The quantities of fuel supplied to premises where this Ministry is responsible for heating are as follow:

• Three months ending 30th April, 1942, 49,876 tons.
• Three months ending 30th April, 1941, 41,868 tons.

This increase is more than accounted for by the considerable expansion that has taken place during the period under review in the staffs of Government Departments and consequently in the number and area of the premises provided for them. The consumption for individual premises where conditions have remained fairly constant shows a decrease of approximately 12 per cent. over the same period.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what is the present position with regard to the canning of fresh vegetables during the coming summer?

The fruit and vegetable canning industry will be maintained on a footing capable of providing the supplies required by the Fighting Services, and of preventing the wastage of perishable surplus produce as far as possible, having regard to the availability of tin-plate. The quantity of fresh vegetables which will be canned during the coming summer will probably be not less than last season's pack. The canning of certain vegetables, however, which are not normally in abundant supply has been prohibited.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what decision his Department has reached regarding the petition forwarded to the Ministry from the fishermen of Looe, Cornwall?

The petition is concerned with the payment of carriage charges on fish landed at Looe and consigned to Cardiff. While my Department pay transport charges on all fish consigned from ports of landing to inland markets it is contrary to my Department's practice to pay carriage charges on fish consigned from one port to another and I regret that I am unable to make an exception to this rule in the case to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Attorney-General what steps will be taken by legislation or new orders or regulations to ensure the further protection of the public against bogus charitable appeals; and whether,

CASUALTIES IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE FROM
September 3, 1939 to September 2, 1941
(excluding deaths from natural causes)
	United Kingdom.	Dominions.	India and Burma.	Colonies.	Total British Empire.
ALL RANKS: Total	145,012	23,824	8,519	6,123	183,550
Killed	42,267	4,656	1,439	611	48,973
Wounded	32,903	7,279	5,374	807	46,363
Prisoners of War	53,634	3,104	1,714	6	58,458
Missing	16,208	8,785	64	4,699	29,756
OFFICERS: Total	12,543	1,624	459	61	14,687
Killed	5,607	554	106	29	6,296
Wounded	3,306	461	273	24	4,064
Prisoners of War	3,047	257	70	—	3,374
Missing	583	352	10	8	953
OTHER RANKS: Total	132,469	22,200	8,132	6,062	168,863
Killed	36,660	4,102	1,333	582	42,677
Wounded	29,597	6,818	5,101	783	42,299
Prisoners of War	50,587	2,847	1,644	6	55,084
Missing	15,625	8,433	54	4,691	28,803

I have been asked to reply. With regard to the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given yesterday to the hon. Member for Twicken ham (Mr. Keeling). With regard to the second part of the Question, the courts have power in cases of a conviction of a misdemeanour under the Larceny Act, 1916, to impose a fine of unlimited amount instead of, or in addition to, any other punishment.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the figures already given of casualties sustained by the Armed Forces of the British Empire from the outbreak of war to 2nd September, 1941, he will now distinguish between casualties suffered by the United Kingdom Forces and by the Forces of the Dominions, India and Burma and the Colonies?

The following are the figures asked for by my hon. Friend:

asked the Home Secretary whether he has had reports from the local police of the abnormal amount of petty pilfering in the North-west district of London, especially Hampstead, and particularly of air-raid precautions implements left by request of the authorities outside front doors for emergency use; and what special steps are being taken to bring the offenders and instigators to justice?

No, Sir. I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that the police have no evidence of any abnormal amount of pilfering in the district referred to. If my hon. Friend will supply me with the information on which his Question is based, I will have further inquiries made.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether his attention has been called to the advertisement by headquarters Royal Air Force, Northern Ireland, dated 23rd January, 1941, for the establishment of Royal Air Force security police, calling for these men for the period of service for the duration of the war; how many of these men have been discharged already; and how many have secured other employment?

My hon. and gallant Friend will by now have received from me a copy of Form 2168 and of the contract of enlistment under which these men entered the R.A.F.V.R. and I have drawn his attention to the governing passages. In all, 31 men have been discharged from the Service. Of these, 20 are now in suitable alternative employment and 6 are about to be interviewed. Of the remaining 5, one refused employment offered him, one refused any offer of assistance, one was found unsuitable for any available work and the whereabouts of the other 2 are unknown.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what minimum of training is required for orderlies who dispense medicines; and what steps are taken to prevent the handling of dangerous drugs by untrained personnel?

At hospitals and large sick quarters the posts for dispensers are filled either by qualified pharmacists or by Service-trained regular airmen who have undergone a minimum of nine months' full-time instruction in pharmacy and reached a satisfactory standard of competence. At small sick quarters the measuring of doses of prepared medicines is done, under the supervision of the medical officer, by trained nursing orderlies who are given a minimum of three months' instruction in medical subjects before undertaking this work. Dangerous drugs are stored under lock and key in the custody of a medical officer or qualified dispenser.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to what extent it is the practice of the Milk Marketing Board to divert payments due from the Board to farmers to the Tithe Commissioners for the collection of tithe arrears; and the number of such cases from September, 1939, to a current date?

It is not the practice of the Milk Marketing Board to divert to the Tithe Commissioners any payments due from the Board to registered producers except under an order of the Court. Since September, 1939, the Board has diverted payments in 64 cases, in each instance as the result of a garnishee summons.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give any information in connection with the death of Home Guard Charles Holman, in Folkestone Hospital, on Saturday, 30th May, from a gunshot wound; and whether Mr. Holman's wife and children will be compensated

The circumstances of Mr. Holman's death are being investigated by a Court of Inquiry. Mrs. Holman will be entitled to a pension. I understand that she received a first payment on 5th June.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give any information in connection with the drowning of private J. Robinson, No. 3387444, D Company, Welsh Regiment, Private W. Duff, No. 13007610, and Private J. Men-kovitch, No. 3974362, A Company, Welsh Regiment, at Cardiff Bridge River on 24th March; how the soldiers got drowned; whether they had any protection when ordered to cross the river; whether there was an inquest; who gave evidence at the inquest; whether the evidence of platoon sergeant Ariel, who was in charge of these men, was produced; and who paid for removing the bodies from the mortuary to Accrington and Aberdeen?

These soldiers were drowned crossing the River Taff during an exercise on 22nd March. The company commander had reconnoitred and chosen the shallowest place for crossing. He and his two leading platoons had crossed and none of the men had got. wet above the knees. The platoon in which the three deceased were serving then came to cross. Sergeant Ariel, who was commanding the platoon, reconnoitred the crossing and saw Corporal Williams cross without getting wet above the knees. The three deceased were next in line behind him. They were then seen to be in difficulties, having deviated five yards to the right and got into the mud. The section covering the crossing were ordered to remove equipment and go to their help, but were unable to save them. An inquest was held at Cardiff on 1st April, at which a verdict of death by misadventure was returned. I have asked my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary for information on the other points connected with the inquest which I will communicate to my hon. Friend in due course. The bodies were conveyed at public cost from Cardiff to Accrington and Aberdeen.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give any reason why sleeping-out passes are not granted to a certain battalion of the Welsh Regiment?

It is not practicable to grant sleeping-out passes to men of this unit owing to their operational role which makes it necessary for them to be available at short notice.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he has considered the statement forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Maryhill, regarding the unsatisfactory productive position of a specified Royal Ordnance Factory; and has he any statement to make?

Yes, Sir. I have considered the statement referred to and the convenor of the shop stewards of the factory has been informed that matters such as are raised in the memorandum are suitable for discussion on the Joint Production Committee. At the same time a full explanation of the position has been given to all the workers in the factory.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements are made for the service of ophthalmic surgeons to be available to factory workers throughout the country; and to what extent he relies on the service of sight-testing opticians?

There are no special arrangements of a comprehensive kind for the services of ophthalmic surgeons to be available for factory workers as such, but I understand that in a few cases factory managements have made arrangements to assist their workers in obtaining advice from such surgeons or from sight-testing opticians.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he will now reconsider his former refusal to institute a 30-miles-per-hour speed limit to secure a reduction of petrol consumption and of road accidents?

In view of the increase in the vehicles and man-power of the mobile police force which would be needed to enforce a statutory limit, the Government does not, at present, propose to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion. In order to save fuel and tyres, however, my Department in collaboration with the Ministry of Information intend strongly to urge drivers of private cars not to exceed 40 miles an hour outside built-up areas. Instructions are being issued to all Government Departments to ensure that the drivers of their vehicles observe that limit except for Service reasons of over-riding urgency.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport how many Chinese seamen are serving in the British Mercantile Marine at the present time; how many have lost their lives during the war; what are their rates of pay; and what arrangements have been made to provide pensions for the dependants of those who lose their lives in the service of this country?

About 10,000 Chinese seamen are employed on British oceangoing ships and the remuneration paid to a seaman or fireman is approximately £17 a month, including war risk money. A special bonus is also paid on the renewal of each yearly contract. The number that are known to have lost their lives owing to enemy action is 583. Others are known to be missing. Arrangements had been made for compensation to be paid to dependants through the Hong Kong and Straits Settlements Governments, but these arrangements are now impossible. The Ministry of Pensions, my Department and the Chinese Embassy, are now discussing the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the fact that no provision is made between the Great Powers under the Geneva Convention, or otherwise, with regard to the treatment of civilian women prisoners of war who may be arrested in occupied countries and as to the right of visitation by the International Red Cross; and whether steps will be taken to rectify this omission, with a view to protecting such women prisoners and preventing treatment like that recently suffered by women and children with British passports at the camp at Besancon in Occupied France?

My hon. Friend is under a misapprehension. The omission to which he calls attention was rectified when, by agreement reached soon after war broke out with Germany, His Majesty's Government and the German Government each undertook to apply generally to all interned civilians, irrespective of sex, the provisions of the 1929 Prisoners of War Convention in so far as these are applicable to civilians. The British women and children who were interned at Besancon were covered by the German Government's undertaking.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of people who are chargeable to Sur-tax for the financial year ended 31st March, 1942; and the total income chargeable?

Sur-tax for the year 1941–42 is not payable until 1st January, 1943, and the figures are not yet available. For the year 1940–41 for which the Sur-tax was payable on 1st January, 1942, the number of assessments was approximately 100,000 and the total income chargeable was of the order of £500,000,000.