asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will give particulars of what is included as domestic consumption of gas, electricity and fuel in the statistical basis of the rationing scheme produced by Sir William Beveridge; and the sources from which these statistics were secured?

The Mines Department of the Ministry has taken regular returns of deliveries of coal to domestic consumers, and from gas and electricity undertakings since an early stage of the war. The proportion of the total amount of coal consumed by gas and electricity which can be attributed to domestic consumers was calculated on the basis of information supplied to the Department by the gas and electricity industries.

asked the Minister of Fuel and- Power how much coal is consumed annually as miners' coal: how much of this is granted free; and how much at reduced prices?

The quantity of coal disposed of direct from collieries to miners is about 4–2/3 million tons per annum. It is not possible to say how much of this is supplied free or at reduced prices.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, although all inhabitants, native or British, of all territories under the control of the Government of the United Kingdom have the right to address petitions to Members of both Houses of Parliament, the people of Palestine have been advised that the covers of such petitions must bear the appropriate postage; and whether, as there is no representative government in Jerusalem, he will consider the desirability of extending the special postage facilities already accorded to petitions to Government Departments to such correspondence from this territory and will cause this information to be circulated in the "Official Gazette" published by the High Commissioner's administration?

If a petition to Parliament in proper form were transmitted through the official channel of the High Commissioner and the Secretary of State, there would be no postage charge for its conveyance to this country. My Noble Friend sees no sufficient cause, however, to recommend to the Government of Palestine that petitions transmitted direct to an hon. Member should be exempted from the ordinary postal regulations of the territory.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the wives of British members of the volunteer force in Malaya whose husbands have fallen into the hands of the Japanese will receive allowances?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs' whether he can give further information as to the abolition of the Gabar system by the Emperor of Ethiopia; and as to any steps which are being taken to confirm the abolition of slavery and of forced labour in Ethiopia?

I am informed that the Emperor of Ethiopia proclaimed the abolition of the Gabar system on 2nd November, 1941. The proclamation was broadcast by the Addis Ababa wireless transmitter. The two decrees issued by the Italian Administration in Ethiopia relating to the abolition of slavery and forced labour have been maintained in force.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the benefit of the recently announced reduction in the price of malting barley of the 1943 crop will accrue to the brewing industry?

No, Sir. The cost of brewing materials is one of many factors which will be taken into account when the time comes to review the rate of duty on beer in future Budgets.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the modified arrangements respecting utility goods, he can now reconsider the reduction of the Purchase Tax upon black-out material?

If the black-out cloth in question complies with the requirements of the Board of Trade Order as to Utility Cloth it will be exempt from Purchase Tax, but not otherwise.

asked the Minister of Labour in what circumstances full-time healers in spiritualist churches have been denied treatment as ministers of religion in regard to liability for National Service; and whether he will reconsider this decision?

I am only aware of one case in which a spiritualist healer has claimed to be excluded from liability under the National Service Acts on the ground that he is a regular minister of a religious denomination, within the meaning of Section 11 (1) (e) of the principal Act. I am advised that this case does not come within the exception provided by the Act.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Registrar-General has instructed Wandsworth Borough Council and, presumably, all other local authorities, to charge 6d. for the replacement of identity cards which bear the name and address of the holders' next of kin; that an announcement was made by the British Broadcasting Corporation about two years ago calling on everybody to carry particulars of next of kin with their identity cards; and, in these circumstances, will he give instructions for the identity cards so defaced to be replaced free of charge?

Under the National Registration Act and regulations the making of any mark, entry, erasure or alteration upon an identity card except as required by the Act and regulations or under arrangements authorised by the Registrar-General, is prohibited, and constitutes defacement of the card. The regulations also provide that a defaced card must be surrendered to the local national registration officer and application made for a substitute at the prescribed rate of charge. No special instructions have been given to national registration officers with reference to the cases referred to. It is understood that the B.B.C. broadcast in question advised that the name and address of next-of-kin should be written on a piece of paper kept within the identity card, and not upon the identity card itself. The fact that defacements may be committed in error does not render them less prejudicial; and I see no reason to distinguish the cases referred to for any special treatment.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will introduce legislation to make possible the training for useful employment of persons becoming blind after attaining the age of 40 years?

Legislation is not required. It is open to local education authorities to arrange for the training of blind persons over the age of 40, if they are capable of benefiting by it, and expenditure on that training is recognised for grant by the Board.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will allow local authorities in industrial areas a reasonable supply of paper for publication of programmes showing the arrangements made for the entertainment and recreation of the workers during their stay-at-home holidays?

The question of making a limited quantity of paper available for this purpose in suitable cases is under discussion with the Ministry of Labour.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether calcium is being added to whole wheat flour from which nothing has been taken away?

The makers of speciality flours, including wholemeal, are not required to add calcium to these products. The question is under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, now that "One hundred food facts and cookery recipes" have been published in the daily Press, he will arrange to have these printed in book or pamphlet form, to be obtainable on payment?

The Ministry of Food has published a number of leaflets grouping recipes and cookery recommendations under appropriate subjects. The recipes published in the Press and in "Kitchen Front" broadcasts are intended to help housewives to make good use of the foods that are in good supply at the particular time; but consideration is being given to the desirability of arranging for the re-publication of some of them in a more permanent form.