asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will arrange that the privileged leave of 48 hours is added to the usual leave granted to all Northern Ireland members of His Majesty's Forces serving in Britain.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Londonderry (Sir R. Ross) on 16th June. The circumstances have not changed since then.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what staff, civilian and military, is employed by the Army Burean of Current Affairs; on what establishments that staff is borne; by whom, and on what authority, appointments to that staff are made; what is the present rate of expenditure of the bureau; and what authority the director has to incur-expenditure in relation to the work of the bureau or to that of the Directorate of Army Education;(2) when the Director of the Army Bureau of Current Affairs was appointed and for what period; what is his salary and what are the-terms of his appointment; whether the appointment is a whole-time one and what activities he is allowed to engage in outside his duties as director; and whether he is a civilian or a military officer?

The staff of the Army Bureau of Current Affairs at present comprises one Director, one junior civil assistant (female), four temporary male clerks, Grade III, all of whom are civilians, and one lieut.-colonel—A.A.G., four majors—D.A.A.G. and D.A.D.W., one captain, G.S.O.III. The Bureau forms part of the establishment of the Directorate of Welfare and Education, and appointments to the staff are made by the War Office in the normal way. The Director of the Army Bureau of Current Affairs is a civilian, and he was appointed on 8th July, 1942, for an indefinite period. The salary is £1,200 per annum, and the appointment requires full time service and is terminable at one month's notice. So far as outside activities are concerned, he is governed by the normal rules for the Civil Service. The authorised estimate for the expenditure of the Bureau in the present financial year is £63,000. Within this amount and subject to the normal financial control the Director has authority to spend specific sums on the different approved activities of the Bureau. The Director of the Army Bureau of Current Affairs does not incur expenditure in relation to the work of the Director of Army Education.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that gas companies are removing gas meters, or charging more for their hire, where consumers economising on gas do not, in the opinion of the companies, use enough and whether he will put a stop to this practice?

I am not aware of any gas undertakings having cut off supply or having increased the meter rent already charged because they consider enough gas is not used and if the hon. Member has information as to any such cases I shall be pleased to inquire into them.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will state, for the months of July and August, the cost of the guaranteed wage paid to miners for shifts they were compelled to lose on account of the owners failing to provide work; and the commercial value of the coal lost thereby?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the possibility of issuing all old age pensions, contributory and non-contributory, and the supplementation of such pensions through one agency, thus avoiding the waste of money and personnel involved in the existing procedure?

Yes, Sir. While it has not been found practicable to give effect to this proposal in its full scope the following arrangements have been made with

The cost of the guaranteed wage for shifts lost in these two months was approximately £220,000 and the commercial value of coal lost may be taken at roughly £350,000; but I am not in a position to say with any precision in what degree the payments of guaranteed wage were due to failures whether on the part of owners, or of mineworkers, or to causes outside the control of the mining industry.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the number of men employed in the North Staffordshire area, the percentage of machine mining and the quantity of coal cut and conveyed for the years 1920 and 1930 to 1941, respectively?

The following is the information for which my hon. Friend has asked:a view to effecting a saving in manpower. Non-contributory old age pensions to persons of 70 and over, entitlement to which depends upon the person's means, are now administered by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, and supplementary pensions, which are granted to many old age pensioners who are in need, are administered by the Assistance Board. This arrangement involves visits to a pensioner who is entitled to the two forms of pension by both the Pensions Officers employed by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise and also officers of the Assistance Board: it also involves the issue of two separate order books for the payment of the basic and supplementary pensions respectively. Arrangements have accordingly been made that as from 1st January, 1943, in cases in which a supplementary pension is payable in addition to a non-contributory pension, all necessary visiting shall be undertaken by officers of the Assistance Board who will, as soon as one of his current books is exhausted, issue to the pensioner concerned one order book to include both pensions. Of the 500,000 persons in receipt of non-contributory pensions about 300,000 will be affected by the new arrangements, which, besides serving the convenience of the pensioners, will make possible an economy in both staff and material.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the exemption allowed to county councils to supply stationery to themselves and to other autonomous authorities free of Purchase Tax can be extended to manufacturers of stationery for use in their own business?

Manufacturers of stationery for sale are required to be registered under the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1940, and this involves liability to Purchase Tax on any stationery which they retain for their own use. But corporations or other persons who are not carrying on a business in chargeable goods are not required to be registered, and consequently they are free to have stationery made for them from their own paper without incurring liability to tax, though they have to bear any tax payable on the paper when they buy it.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many past Prime Ministers are receiving annual grants by way of pension from the Treasury, and the amount being paid annually?

Pensions of £2,000 each are at present being paid to two former Prime Ministers.

asked the Minister of Labour how many building trade opera- tives at work in the Burgh of Greenock, between 1st August and 31st August, were transferred to work outwith the burgh during that month?

I am making inquiries and will let the hon. Member know.

asked the Minister of Production whether, when he is considering sites for new factories, the Ministry of Labour is consulted regarding the potential supply of non-mobile labour and amenities for the labour force?

The normal procedure is for the Supply Department concerned with siting a new factory to consult the Ministry of Labour on the labour aspects of the proposal. From the broader aspects, inter-departmental difficulties are dealt with through the machinery provided by the Location of Industry Committee, about which I made a statement in reply to a Question by the right hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Greenwood) on 14th October.

asked the Minister of Supply what arrangements are being made for the provision of dental treatment at a certain Royal Ordnance factory; whether any local dentist is entitled to make use of the clinic already installed; whether there is any differentiation as between a licentiate and a dentist 1921; and is he aware that it is in the interests of the patients that they should be able to have treatment by their own dentist at the factory as long working hours and the blackout make it difficult to obtain treatment privately.

The arrangements for the provision of dental treatment at the factory in question are being reviewed in consultation with the Ministry of Health; and I will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as these consultations are complete.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in fixing the conditions of the new milk contract, steps have been taken to make all possible economies in the distribution of milk between the producer and the consumer?

The scheme for the rationalisation of collection and delivery of milk, which I think my hon. Friend has in mind, is not essentially related to the new milk marketing scheme, but is related to the new distributive price structure. It is the purpose of the rationalisation scheme to secure economies in the costs of distribution of milk. These economies will be accumulative as the local rationalisation schemes develop, and will, it is hoped, be substantial. Furthermore the rationalisation schemes will contribute to the war effort by securing economies in other directions and notably in man power, petrol and tyres.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what is the composition of the Scientific Adviser's Division of the Ministry of Food; what are its functions in relation to the Scientific (Food) Committee; what is the present composition of the latter body; and when did it last meet?

The Scientific Adviser's Division of the Ministry of Food consists of the scientific adviser, the deputy scientific adviser and seven scientific assistants, one of whom is on loan to the British Food Mission in North America. Liaison between this division and the Scientific Committee on Food Policy is maintained by the attendance of the Ministry's scientific adviser by invitation as an observer when required at meetings of the Committee. The Scientific Committee on Food Policy consists of ten members who are experts in science, agriculture or economics. The chairman of the committee is Sir Henry Dale. The last meeting of the committee took place on the 4th February, 1942.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the amount of condensed milk powder which has been officially condemned as unfit for human consumption; what are the reasons for such condemnation; and where the powder is manufactured?

I am unable to give precise figures of the amount of milk powder condemned as unfit for human consumption, but I have every reason to believe that the quantity is negligible. Condemnation of foods, where it occurs, is due to a number of causes, but my Department in co-operation with local authorities takes all possible steps to ensure that food is not sold to the public which is not fit for human consumption. At the same time every effort is made to see that such food is used for some other suitable purpose. In answer to the last part of the Question, the bulk of the milk powder now being distributed is of United States origin with smaller quantities from other sources, including home production.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what are the arrangements regarding forage allowance for horses belonging to horse-hiring establishments; whether he is aware that a large proportion of the horses are hired for the use of juveniles; and, in order to conserve supplies, will he take steps to prevent or discourage the use of horses for luxury riding?

Rationed feeding-stuffs are not allowed for horses kept in horse-hiring establishments for pleasure riding. My Noble Friend sees no occasion at present for prohibiting the supply of un-rationed feeding-stuffs for such horses.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will consider the supply to aged women pensioners of milk on the same basis as children under five years of age?

The suggestion made by my hon. Friend has been constantly considered. I would refer him, for example, to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing (Sir F. Sanderson) on 19th November, 1941. The National Milk Scheme is based on the nutritional requirements of different classes of the population. My Noble Friend has been advised that special supplies for aged people are not necessary on nutritional grounds.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what remuneration is paid to the Director of Oils and Fats; whether he receives a salary from any other source; and what staff he has and by whom they are paid?

The Director of Oils and Fats draws no salary from the Ministry of Food. I have no information which would enable me to answer the second part of my hon. Friend's Question. The Director has a staff of 418 officers, including area staff. All but four of these officers draw salaries from my Department.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of cases of industrial dermatitis notified to his Ministry during this year as compared with last year; and whether any special measures have been taken to inform workers of preventive measures, and of the use of products for the protection of the skin, in order to reduce the danger of this disease?

The numbers in 1941 and 1940 were 7,291 and 4,744, respectively. A total for this year is not available. Posters, of which I am sending my hon. Friend two specimens, are widely exhibited in factories where there is a special dermatitis risk, and preventive measures are also promoted through medical and welfare supervision, supervision of washing arrangements, and in other ways.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he will consider the desirability of setting in motion the formation of a nutrition council, consisting of clinicians, laboratory workers and medical officers of health, as urged from many authoritative quarters?

I have been asked to reply. I have read with interest the recent expressions of opinion about possible developments in the realm of nutrition, and have had an opportunity of discussing them with my colleagues. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving me this opportunity of making clear the position of His Majesty's Government in this matter. Though the advocates of the establishment of a nutrition council appear to differ somewhat among themselves in regard both to methods and to objects, I am in a position to say that the main purposes which they appear to have in view are already secured by existing arrangements. Technical investigation and research are adequately provided for through the Medical Research Council, the Agricultural Research Council and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. A great volume of work is continuously in progress under the auspices of these bodies, and I may remind my hon. Friend that the first-named comprises amongst its members and officers a number of scientists outside the medical profession, and that from the outset much valuable research on nutritional problems has been conducted on its behalf.The application to current problems of the results of scientific investigation is primarily the responsibility of the Health Departments, to whom the Ministry of Food and the Agricultural Departments look for guidance in nutritional matters when framing their programmes of production, import and distribution of foodstuffs. Coordination of the policies of the various Ministries concerned is fully provided for by appropriate inter-departmental machinery. As regards the international aspects of the subject, my hon. Friend will recollect that the Allied Governments last year appointed an Inter-Allied Committee to prepare estimates of post-war relief requirements, and I understand that this Committee has already arranged for a Sub-Committee of Allied nutrition experts to examine the estimates from the nutritional standpoint.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to take powers to restrict the fees charged by medical practitioners for the issue of certificates recommending extra issues of diet or fuel on account of ill-health?

No, Sir, but I understand that the British Medical Association have recommended practitioners to forgo any fees for certificates of this kind where they believe that hardship would result to the individual.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that there were errors in regard to the vaccinal condition of five out of the 33 cases of smallpox which occurred in Glasgow, one said to have been vaccinated only in infancy having only been re-vaccinated in 1942, another said to have been vaccinated for the first time on 30th May, 1942, having been vaccinated in infancy, in 1940 and on 2nd June, 1942, that of three other cases said not to have been vaccinated two had been vaccinated in infancy and another in 1917; and, as there were other errors in regard to the dates of other vaccinations, whether he will insist that the Department of Health for Scotland ascertain all facts more accurately in future?

I am aware that subsequent investigation elicited further information about the vaccination history of certain smallpox patients. The original statements of the patients and their friends were checked by further inquiries as pressure of work more essential to the control and eradication of the disease permitted. At any given date the Department of Health for Scotland can only ascertain from the local authority concerned the position according to the evidence then in the authority's possession.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the serious risks likely to result from the failure of ships' doctors to notify cases of smallpox on vessels arriving in this country from overseas ports, as happened at Glasgow on 29th May last, he will consider the desirability of issuing a special memorandum to such doctors on the diagnosis of that disease?

I am obliged to the hon. Member for his suggestion, which will be considered in current discussions between the Health Departments and the Ministry of War Transport regarding measures of protection against seaborne infection.

asked the Minister of Pensions what steps he has taken to obtain medical men for the purpose of staffing pension appeals tribunals?

My medical officers, though in constant touch with all likely sources of supply, are unable to obtain the numbers necessary for the pension and treatment work of my Department, still less to obtain the additional numbers which I should require for work within my Department in connection with the hearing of appeals. From this it follows that medical members of tribunals are not at present available.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Planning whether he is aware that in North-West London there is a cemetery, enclosed by a considerable length of iron railings, standing upon a sound dwarf wall and that both railings and wall are being pulled down and a new dwarf wall built; and what is the reason for this expenditure of labour and material when both are urgently required for the housing of the people?

I am unable to identify the cemetery referred to and should be obliged to the hon. Member if he would send me the address so that I may have inquiries made.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can yet say when improved facilities will be available at the telephone exchange at Oxford, in view of the existing congestion of traffic, which is on the increase, in consequence of which subscribers in Berkshire suffer serious disabilities frequently ventilated, so far, without result?

The switchboard positions at the Oxford telephone exchange have been more than doubled during the war to meet the exceptional increase in traffic and arrangements are actively in hand to meet the further growth of traffic. Additional telephone circuits to distant towns have recently been brought into use and others will shortly be provided. The needs of the Oxford Exchange are under constant and close review and everything possible is being done to maintain a reasonable standard of service.