asked the President of the Board of Trade what agreement has been entered into between South Africa and His Majesty's Government as to the price of industrial diamonds; and whether he will state the percentage increase in price since the outbreak of war?

I have been asked to reply. So far as I am aware, no such agreement has been entered into. As regards the second part of the Question, information is not available, having regard to the varied nature of the goods.

Have the Government any control over the disposal of these diamonds if they do not even know the price?

Yes, we have control, but in no case do we purchase them.

Is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that none are going through to Germany for industrial purposes?

That is another question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the brothers Solomons obtained the 12,360 clothing coupons; the names of the people who sold the coupons; and what is to be done about the matter?

The clothing coupons in question were stolen from the offices of the Erith Food Committee by persons at present unknown. Henry and Gabriel Solomons were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court on 26th October to 18 months' hard labour for receiving the stolen coupons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in connection with his undertaking to encourage the fitting of more glass substitutes in bomb-damaged houses in order to save artificial light, he will investigate the effect of the 25 per cent. quota on the sales of this material imposed under the Lace Directions of 1st June, 1942, with a view to making increased supplies more readily available?

I have recently issued a general licence permitting glass replacement fabric made of lace or lace net to be supphed without restriction, provided that it is certified as suitable for that purpose by the Ministry of Works and Planning.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of packets of playing-cards that will be available for the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force, respectively, during the current rationing period?

The allocation of playing cards to the Forces for the year ending 31st August, 1943, has not yet been finally decided; but a preliminary allocation of 262,000 packs has been made, and this figure will be increased. I shall be happy to send my hon. Friend details of the final allocations, as soon as they have been settled.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent, in view of the shortage of petrol, the Army is making use of horse-drawn transport in this country?

All horse-drawn transport available in the Army is being used to save the rubber and petrol of motor vehicles. Instructions were issued in September that animal transport could also be hired for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of public concern over the regulations affecting acting and substantive rank, he will appoint a special committee to investigate the subject?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction that exists in the Army because officers holding temporary rank who have been incapacitated by wounds, injury or illness contracted on service automatically revert to war substantive rank after 21 days in the case of illness or injury and three months in the case of wounds; and whether he is now prepared to abolish this regulation altogether?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now able to make any statement regarding the grant of acting and temporary rank in the Army?

I have reviewed the rules under which officers have been required to relinquish temporary rank on ceasing to perform the duties for which the rank was granted. I have come to the conclusion that there are good grounds for giving the holder of temporary rank, which may have been held for long periods, a greater degree of security in his rank. This I propose to bring into effect as follows. In future an officer holding temporary rank will be permitted to retain it while on a course of instruction. He will retain it during the interval between being posted away from one Unit and joining his new unit provided he is fit and available for duty during the whole period and any delay in his joining is due solely to the exigencies of the service; this will cover the voyage period in the case of officers ordered overseas. In addition officers will be permitted to retain temporary rank while absent sick up to a period of two months (provided that the sickness is not their own fault) and, as previously, for three months if wounded in action.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this concession, welcome as it is, does not touch the main grievance which is that, no matter how long an officer serves in a temporary rank he cannot acquire security in that rank and may be at any moment reduced to the rank below through no fault of his own?

I dealt with that subject in the general Debate. I said I saw no possibility of a radical alteration of the rules in regard to temporary and acting rank, and I was not certain that an alteration would in fact be in the interest of the officers themselves.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the possibility of allowing wounded officers to retain their temporary rank until they are once again fit for duty?

I think, having made these concessions, we should wait and see how they work before embarking on any further promises.

Will an officer proceeding overseas as part of a draft, not necessarily with his unit, be able to retain temporary rank?

I intended to imply that. If I did not make it clear, I am sorry.

Will these Regulations now be extended to the other Services?

That is not a question for me to answer. I cannot imagine the other Services being backward in seeing that they get what another Service gets.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is his intention to continue indefinitely the policy laid down on page 4 of Pamphlet 100/General/8871, notified in Army Council Instructions for the week ending 30th August, 1939, that there should be no substantive promotion in wartime except for Regular officers; and why officers holding Territorial Army and Reserve or emergency commissions should not be given promotion to higher war substantive ranks after the same period of time as for Regular officers, provided that their record is satisfactory and thus place all officers on the same basis of promotion?

My hon. and gallant Friend appears to be misinformed. All non-Regular officers are in fact given promotion to war substantive rank under the same rules and on the same basis as Regular officers. After a fixed perior of temporary rank they are granted war substantive rank one rank lower than their temporary rank. The present policy as laid down in the pamphlet quoted by my hon. and gallant Friend has been carefully considered, and I do not think there is any case for changing it in order to give substantive as distinct from war substantive promotion to non-Regular officers in war-time.

asked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of serving officers now holding the rank of lieutenant-colonel or above, whether acting, temporary or substantive, belong to the Regular Army or the Regular Army Reserve of Officers?

About three-quarters of the serving officers now holding the rank of lieutenant-colonel or above belong to the Regular Army and Regular Army Reserves.

Was consideration given to non-regular officers for promotion to higher rank?

I could not deal with that adequately in reply to a Question, but I am prepared to discuss it with my hon. and gallant Friend at any convenient time.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has received the claim of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kay, of Laxfield, Suffolk, for compensation for the loss of their son Lance-Corporal Kay, of the Intelligence Corps, who was fatally shot whilst carrying out instructions in certain security exercises; whether he has now satisfied himself whether or no there was serious negligence on the part of certain officers responsible for planning this exercise; what action he proposes to take; and whether he intends to grant appropriate compensation to the parents?

Yes, Sir. I very sincerely deplore the untimely death of this young soldier, and I have the greatest sympathy with the parents in their grievous loss. On the other hand, I am satisfied that negligence cannot be imputed to any of the officers or others who were concerned in the accident. The risk to which this soldier was exposed was a risk of his service, and though the circumstances of the case are undoubtedly distressing, I could not distinguish it from those other cases in which soldiers lose their life not in the presence of the enemy. As regards the last part of the Question, the parents are in the same position as the parents of other soldiers whose death has been attributable to service. This means that an application may be made to the Ministry of Pensions if the parents are in pecuniary need arising from old age, infirmity, etc. I understand that a claim would not be successful at the present time, but it could be made in the event of the conditions being satisfied at some other time.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether there has been a military inquiry with regard to the officers concerned and whether he has looked into this case personally; and will he reconsider the question whether the parents of this unfortunate soldier could be given compensation?

This accident happened very nearly 18 months ago. At the time there was a military court of inquiry, and I have considered the findings of the military court of inquiry and have also taken legal advice on the question. In view of the report of the court of inquiry and of the legal advice, I do not think it would be fair for me to hold out hope of a successful reconsideration of this case.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give any information about the two Home Guards killed by an explosion during anti-aircraft instruction at Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, on Sunday, 25th October?

The circumstances which led to this accident are at present the subject of an investigation, and I will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as it has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the number of accidents occurring to children by live explosives which they have picked up, he will give an assurance that when negligence is shown by military personnel no attempt will be made by the War Department to escape liability on the alleged grounds of contributory negligence of children under 16 years of age?

Although a member of the public injured owing to the negligence of military personnel on duty has no right of action against the Crown, it has been for many years the invariable practice to make ex gratia awards of compensation. No such payment would be made where contributory negligence is established on the part of the injured person. The question of contributory negligence does not usually arise in the case of children of tender years who are not normally regarded as being capable of negligence. Children between the ages of 10 and 16 are normally regarded in law as capable of contributory negligence. While I cannot give the assurance my hon. Friend desires, if he knows of any case in which he thinks a claim has been unfairly rejected on that ground, perhaps he will let me have particulars.

asked the Secretary of State for War what qualifications are required for a junior civil assistant in the War Office; and how are applicants selected?

The qualifications required vary according to the post. Generally they are a good education, secretarial training or business experience or a knowledge of some foreign language. Selections are made by a Board from a list of candidates supplied by the Appointments Department of the Ministry of Labour and National Service.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the Board is a very large one, and whether the chairman is a senior civil servant assisted by a number of other civil servants, and whether, included in the Board, there are a dozen Army officers, including a brigadier; and is not this a most unwieldy method of selecting a clerk?

I have not detailed knowledge of the constitution of the Board, but if it is as my hon. and gallant Friend suggests, I think I can promise him to arrange for the Board to meet in panels and not in its full glory at one time.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has held an inquiry into the allegations made before the Folkestone Quarter Sessions, on Saturday, 24th October, that tins of food had been found in an Army swill tub delivered to a farm?

I am having this case investigated at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction caused to Scottish farm workers on account of the high wages paid to Irish labourers, who frequently obtain as much as £5 per week and some much more for pulling flax; that these labourers pay no Income Tax in this country but receive subsistence allowance in addition to their wages; and what arrangements have been made to control the wages and movements of these labourers, both those brought from Ireland under the wartime permit system and those who were in this country at the outbreak of war and have been moving about from place to place since then?

I am not aware of any such dissatisfaction nor have any representations on the subject been made or received by the Scottish farm workers' union. With the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement of the arrangements applying to Irish workers on the other points raised in the Question.

Is it not most undesirable that when our own skilled farm workers are tied to their jobs in this country and cannot move in order to earn higher wages, workers coming from Ireland, a neutral country, should be allowed to exploit this position? Should not they have their wages fixed before they come from Ireland, in the same way as wages are fixed here?

If we fixed wages in such a way that Irish labourers did not come over to pull the flax, the farmers would be dissatisfied.

Is it not the case that the Irish workers are not overpaid but that if anything is wrong, it is that our own workers are underpaid?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is very important to make this distinction, that the labourers from Northern Ireland do pay Income Tax on returning, and, therefore, there is serious confusion in the Question?

I am not responsible for the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the resolutions passed at the annual general meeting of the Edinburgh Council Scottish Temperance Alliance and forwarded to him for attention on 15th October; and whether he will indicate the result of that attention?

Yes, Sir. As regards the future the terms of the resolutions have been noted. There have been since the outbreak of war, two reductions amounting to 15 per cent. in the average gravities of beer, and my Noble Friend the Minister of Food considers that the present restrictions on the supply of the principal raw materials used in brewing are sufficient in existing circumstances. As the hon. Member knows there is to be no allocation of cereals for whisky distilling during 1943.

My right hon. Friend has given a quotation from the Minister of Food, but do not the Government as a whole realise the strongly held opinion that this particular trade is still treated with a very great deal of favouritism?

As my hon. Friend knows, that is a matter which is the subject of considerable disputation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the concern felt by small burghs in Scotland regarding the discussions now proceeding on changes in their powers and duties in the post-war reconstruction; and whether he will make a statement indicating exactly what action the Government are taking in the matter and what official inquiries are contemplated?

I have had no representations from small burghs on the matter to which my hon. Friend refers, and it is not clear what discussions he has in mind. I have, after consultation with the Council of ex-Secretaries of State for Scotland, instituted a number of inquiries into Scottish post-war reconstruction problems; but no inquiry into the question of the powers of small burghs has been set up.

In order to reassure those concerned, will my right hon. Friend indicate whether he has in mind any inquiries into this particular problem of the powers and duties of small burghs?

No, Sir, not immediately.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the controversies this year between county agricultural executive committees and education authorities and school management committees in different parts of the country on the subject of school holidays for agricultural work, he will consider framing regulations of a general character so that next year early preparations will be made, with clear understanding on the part of all those concerned, for the release of schoolchildren at all times when their work is required in the national interest for food production?

The arrangements made this year between agricultural executive committees and education authorities for the release of schoolchildren to assist agricultural operations have in general been most satisfactory. I cannot, therefore, accept the implication of the first part of the Question. Local difficulties have been few, but any improvements shown by experience to be necessary will be considered when the arrangements for next year are being made.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the vital need for the prevention of all fuel wastage, steps can now be taken to prevent the large quantities of fine coal being discharged into the River Ebbw from nearby colliery washings, or alternatively, whether arrangements can be made for this coal-dust to be recovered from the river?

I am asking my Regional Controller for Wales to look into the question raised by my hon. Friend.

Will my right hon. and gallant Friend now regard this matter as one of urgency, as it has been under consideration for a considerable time?

I think my hon. Friend will appreciate that this is not altogether an easy matter. Although a certain percentage of this coal-dust could be recovered, it would mean that special plant for the purpose would have to be manufactured, which is not too easy at the present time.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will state the names and addresses of the owners of the private motor-cars whose registration numbers are HPD 849, FYL 480, GKE 465, GGO 280, COW 648, EYR 248, FOJ 373, GPL 892, EOV 524, HVW 440 and JPD 713, all of which vehicles were between 1.30 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday, 16th October, outside the Savoy Hotel, a place readily accessible by public transport?

No, Sir. Such inquiries as I have been able to make in the time available show that there may well be a legitimate explanation of the presence of the cars.

Will not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman take steps to check this lavish and lazy use of petrol, which is causing the greatest dissatisfaction to thousands of people who have not got any at all?

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether full compensation will be paid to farmers where crops have been destroyed by the outcroping of coal; and whether the Government will bear the cost of draining the land and making it possible for cultivation again?

Where opencast working of coal takes place on surface land compulsorily acquired for that purpose, compensation is payable under the terms of Regulation 21 of Defence Regulations and the Compensation (Defence) Act, 1939, Section 3. In all cases every effort is made to restore the land surface as working terminates, but to the extent that this is not effected compensation is payable for damage.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the large quantities of derelict timber in many parts of the country; and whether he will instruct local fuel controllers to seek the co-operation of military commands in their areas so that the troops may use their spare time in collecting and preparing this timber to supplement local coal supplies for the general public?

All local authorities were asked in October, 1941, to organise and operate schemes on behalf of my Ministry for the collection and storage of derelict timber for use as domestic fuel in time of coal shortage. A number of these schemes is now operating in various parts of the country and considerable reserves should be available during the coming winter. The arrangements for operating these schemes provide that where civilian labour is unobtainable, military assistance would be sought and where practicable such assistance has been provided.

Will any further steps be taken to make fuller use of this wood?

I think the best step is that local authorities should take advantage of the powers that they have.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that the brilliant lighting which shoppers can see all day in many of the big London shops makes them doubtful whether their own efforts to save light at home are necessary; and why this waste is permitted to continue?

The General Direction (Standard of Lighting) which I made on 19th September under the Control of Fuel Order, 1942, prohibits the use in the sale-rooms of shops of more electricity for illumination than 1½ watts per square foot, and adds the over-riding provision that no more electricity is to be used for this purpose than is reasonably necessary. If my hon. Friend will inform me of any specific cases in which he thinks that the Direction is being infringed, I will have them inquired into.

Will my right hon. and gallant Friend bear in mind that shop assistants cannot possibly do their work in some of the shops unless they are properly lighted?

My hon. Friend will observe that there is a definite standard laid down which will give sufficient light for ordinary work.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the real hardship imposed upon members of His Majesty's Forces arriving on leave at stations on the borders of Shropshire and Wales as a result of the abolition of the "Get you Home" service; and whether he will consider making any concession to meet the special difficulties in this district?

I am in communication with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, and hope to inform the hon. Member of the result at an early date.

asked the Minister of Information whether he will put the fees paid to members of His Majesty's Forces for broadcasting on the same basis as the fees paid to civilians for broadcasting; and whether he will immediately end the present system of deducting half the fees paid to members of His Majesty's Forces which are remitted to the Treasury?

No distinction is made between members of His Majesty's Forces and civilians in Government employment. The position is that, if a servant of the Crown gives a broadcast not as part of his official duty but on a subject in which he is expert in his official as well as in his private capacity, half the fee is paid to him and half to his Department. The same rule applies if he is enabled to give his broadcast by reason of experience acquired in the course of his duties.

In view of all that we owe to the men of the Forces, does it not seem undesirable and unfortunate that there should be this necessity for them to return half the fee? Are they not entitled to receive the full fee in view of the services they are giving to the nation? Will my hon. Friend endeavour to get this matter adjusted?

My hon. Friend will see that the position as set forth in the answer is equitable from the point of view both of the public purse and of the public service involved.

I do not think they are treated properly.

In addition to this deduction by the Treasury is there also Income Tax, or is the deduction in lieu of Income Tax?

I cannot answer that point without notice.

Apart from that, is it not rather hard on a young flying officer who comes up to town to give a broadcast of his experiences that he should have half the money taken away because they are experiences about which he has information by virtue of his public service? Is it not rather hard that the opportimity for a certain amount of jollification should be denied to him?

I agree that the case which my right hon. and gallant Friend has mentioned is a hard one, but I think he will agree that it is difficult for the Treasury to make exceptions to a general rule of this kind.

Do professors who broadcast have to return half the fee to their universities?

No, Sir, because they have not acquired their knowledge in the service of the Government.

Why not change the rules?

asked the Minister of Information whether, to meet a public demand and for the convenience of our Allies, he will make available for the public at a popular price a short history of the British Empire; and also cause to be issued short histories of each of our Allies, more particularly of the United States of America, in view of the great interest shown and need for such publications?

There are a number of short histories of the British Empire available to the public at low prices, and I understand that there are also several admirable short histories of the United States. With regard to the second part of the Question, my right hon. Friend does not think that the Ministry of Information should compete with British publishers, who have never been lacking in enterprise or energy. Any plans they have for meeting the need will certainly be welcomed by the Ministry.

Will my hon. Friend give the names of the publications he has mentioned, as most people do not know what they are?

I shall be very glad to give my hon. and gallant Friend the names of the publications to which I have referred.

Is my hon. Friend aware that some of them are excessively romantic, and will he not recommend those?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can now make a statement, for public information, concerning the bar to the acceptance of paid employment which is imposed by many of the trust deeds dealing with superannuation; and to what extent this hinders such persons from performing useful war work for which they may be otherwise fitted?

So far as I am aware, these trust deeds do not impose a bar on the acceptance of paid employment by pensioners but they commonly provide that the pension which would otherwise have been payable is to be suspended or reduced so long as the employee concerned is employed by the firm paying the pension. My right hon. Friend has no evidence that this is having any appreciable effect on the continuance of pensioners on work either with their former employers or with some other employer, and in the absence of such evidence he would not feel justified in taking steps to interfere with the conditions on which these pensions are granted.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that when a man has to give up the whole of his pension to take up some other service, he is usually involved in some additional expenditure; and is he aware that there are a number of men who could do useful service but cannot because of this condition?

We should like to have some evidence of that.

asked the Minister of Labour the nature of the scheme in operation for the employment of aliens in domestic service m this country to replace women called up for defence and munitions services; and whether any Order has been made regulating the wages and conditions of labour of aliens so employed?

There is no scheme of this nature, but a certain amount of control is exercised by my Department owing to the fact that, in general, aliens can only be employed under permit from my Department. A permit, when granted, imposes a requirement that the alien shall be employed at wages and under conditions not less satisfactory than those applicable to British subjects in similar work in the same area.

What happens when a domestic servant leaves one house and goes to another without any authority? What control have the Ministry of Labour over the movements of aliens in the same way that it has over the movements of our own people?

An alien leaving one occupation and moving to another must of necessity get permission to do so. Otherwise, the alien will not be employed without a permit.

If the alien does not ask for and therefore does not get permission, what action does the Ministry take?

It is dependent then upon the employer reporting the matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce legislation to provide for post-war credit notices to be sent direct to a woman who is an Income Tax payer and not to her husband who, in certain cases, is not even an Income Tax payer?

Although the certificate for the total amount of the post-war credit for the year is normally sent to the husband, it is open to the wife, if she has income liable to tax, to apply to the Inspector of Taxes for the credit to be divided between them, and it will then be divided in whatever proportion the husband and wife agree upon or, in default of their agreement, in the manner set out in Section 7 of the Finance Act, 1941, that is to say in proportion to their respective incomes. The matter has been explained on several previous occasions and was dealt with in a broadcast talk as recently as last Saturday evening, but as there may still be some misunderstanding about it, I am prepared to give it further publicity, and I will consider the issue next year to married women in employment of a form notifying them that the post-war credit certificate has been or will be issued to their husbands and indicating their rights in the matter.

Will the Chancellor of the Exchequer say when the Government will cease to treat women as chattels and treat them as citizens?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is an infringement of the Married Women's Property Act to send to a husband money which by right belongs to his wife?

I do not think so, but I will consult the Law Officers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in regard to the extensive business which is being conducted at auction rooms and sales of precious stones and other articles of value which are paid for in notes, he has caused inquiries to be made among the auctioneers in London and elsewhere with a view to asking them to furnish a list of the names of those who habitually attend such auction sales and consistently purchase valuable goods for which they pay in cash?

I am afraid I cannot see my way to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion.

Would my right hon. Friend consider applying the same restrictions to the sale in auction rooms of jewellery as are applied to furniture, so that only privately owned jewellery should be allowed to be sold, supported by legal declaration of ownership?

I will examine that point.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to a method of avoidance of tax by which persons buy up the shares of companies that hold stocks of certain commodities and use the control so obtained to acquire the commodities at fictitious prices, and to provide for the realisation of the stocks in such a manner as to defeat the claims of the Revenue for the tax due on the profits of sale, a large part of which will in effect have gone to pay for the shares at inflated prices; and if he proposes to take any action to put a stop to such practices?

I am informed by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue that one or two cases of this kind have come to their notice and are under consideration at present in the light of the existing taxation law. The Revenue authorities already possess certain powers to deal with avoidance of taxation, but I should like to give a warning to all concerned that if further powers prove necessary, in relation to these or any other schemes of tax avoidance, I shall ask Parliament to grant them and to grant them with restrospective effect and in such form as to ensure that all the various persons who may have benefited by the transactions will have to pay their share of any tax that may have been lost to the Revenue.