asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the increasing demand for man-power, rendered worse by the loss of many thousands of prisoners, he will consider the desirability of making more use of elderly men, especially in scientific posts, so as to release younger men for active service, of making more use of women graduates in scientific occupations for the same purpose, of applying more selective sifting of present reservations, and of putting a stop to the practice by which persons with no previous agricultural experience purchase farms in order to become exempt from service?

Whenever practicable younger men are replaced by older men and by women in scientific as in other posts. Under the Control of Engagement Order arrangements have been made to secure, with the assistance of University authorities, the effective allocation of women graduates in science to the most appropriate employment. As regards the last part of the Question, I have no control over the purchase of farms but would point out that a person who purchases a farm is only reserved from calling up if he is primarily occupied as the working principal.

asked the Minister of Supply what steps he proposes to take to reduce the hours of labour worked in the Royal Ordnance factories in such instances where they are at the present time excessive?

The matter is under active review and I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, having recently raised the rate of commission paid to agents, acting in the cherry trade, from 2d. per chip to 1s., upon advice received from the trade bodies concerned, he will identify these bodies to the House and also take steps to take other advice in future?

I should be obliged if my hon. Friend would provide me with the evidence upon which he bases his statement that the remuneration of collecting agents was formerly 2d. per 12 lb. chip of cherries. I will then gladly consider this information in relation to the pro-visions of the Cherry Maximum Prices Order. The negotiating bodies in the matter were the National Federation of Fruit and Potato Trades, Ltd., and the Retail Fruit Trade Federation.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether a householder, having a child or sick person in his house who is entitled to extra egg rations, can obtain an equivalent extra amount of poultry-food rations for his hens?

No, Sir. There appear to be no grounds upon which a larger ration of balancer meal should be given on the surrender of a child's or sick person's registration, in view of the fact that the eggs produced as the result of the proper use of a normal ration of balancer meal should exceed considerably the number of eggs allowed for a member of the priority classes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what is the minimum number of meals the landlady of a boarding-house must serve before she can obtain a catering licence; and whether any general advice on the point is given to local food committees to obtain similarity of treatment?

Food control committees do not grant catering licences to boarding houses merely by reference to the number of meals served. In considering applications they take all the circumstances into account and are guided by general considerations affecting the convenience of these establishments in purchasing rationed foods.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the case of Woodlands (Chemists) Limited, two of whose directors were each fined £10,000 and costs at the Guildhall, on 12th March, and have since filed their petitions in bankruptcy; is it the case that such a step has been held recently to be evidence of lack of means and the court had no power to impose a term of imprisonment in default; and what steps he proposes to take to stop this practice of criminals evading justice?

I am aware of the facts of this case and am considering the judgment to which my hon. Friend refers: but in a case where a court decides that the offence can properly be dealt with by the imposition of fine, it is not, I think, correct to suggest that the offender evades justice by filing a petition in bankruptcy. On the contrary, this course ensures that the monetary penalty imposed by the court will be exacted to the limit of his capacity to pay; and the Defence Regulation recently made provides that bankruptcy proceedings may be used for the recovery of large fines.

asked the Minister of Information, in view of the remarks made by the magistrate at the South-Western police court at the trial of two employees of the Ministry, Botterill and Pampa, who was responsible for their engagement and who recommended them; and will he ensure in future that more care is taken when selecting persons for employment in his Ministry?

The two boys concerned are employed by the Ministry of Information as temporary clerks and were engaged through the usual machinery of the Ministry of Labour. I can see no signs of any lack of care in their selection. The sum of their offence consisted in going to a public dance, one of them wearing an old Italian Air Force uniform which had belonged to an uncle of the other. They thought it funny. I do not, but I think it is the sort of thing that lots of boys might have done. One of them has now left to join the R.A.F. where I wish him all luck and a better uniform; the other has volunteered but has not yet been accepted.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport what steps have been taken to recall ex-seamen to the Merchant Navy; and will he take the necessary measures to ensure that all qualified navigation officers and marine engineers who want to go to sea and do not want shore jobs shall, if physically fit, whatever their age, be enrolled forthwith?

In May, 1941, all officers and men who had served in the Merchant Navy since 31st December, 1935, and who were then ashore in the United Kingdom were by Order required to register. They are recalled to the Merchant Navy as and when they are required. Any seaman who has not registered under that Order, but who wishes to return to sea, should send his name and the details of his previous service to the Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen, Wood Street Schools, Cardiff.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware that the Liverpool Corporation provide free passes on the tramways for old age pensioners, the passes being available between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays and all day Sunday; whether such facilities are provided in any other city or town; and whether he will take steps to secure the general adoption of this useful service?

I am aware that limited facilities for free travel are provided for old age pensioners in Liverpool and in five other cities or towns in Great Britain. The carriage of workers to and from their places of work now creates heavy pressure on all means of transport. My hon. Friend will appreciate that, if I were to ask other authorities to take the step which he suggests, I should encourage demands for similar concessions from other classes of deserving people, and that the effect would be to stimulate still more travel. For this reason, I am afraid I cannot adopt his suggestion.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether, in view of the reduced volume of traffic on the roads, he will consider the abolition of unnecessary one-way streets and roundabouts and thus achieve saving in fuel?

Arrangements have been made to review existing one-way streets and roundabouts to determine which may with advantage be abolished.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport in how many cases for the year ended 31st December, 1941, has he exercised his power under Section 23 (3) of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, to hold an inquiry where an accident has arisen out of the presence of a motor vehicle on a road?

None, Sir. Investigations have, however, been made in a number of cases where a defect in a vehicle or the condition of a road was alleged to be a contributory cause of an accident.

asked the Prime Minister, whether, when a Minister on the Floor of the House states he will look into a matter brought to his notice at Question Time by an hon. Member, the result of his investigation is always published in Hansard; and, if this is not the case, whether he will consider favourably the adoption of the suggestion?

Hansard is a record only of what is actually uttered in the House and of the formal proceedings, together with such replies as are circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT either owing to their length or as Written Answers. It is not proposed by His Majesty's Government to make innovations at this time.