asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government intend to invite the International Labour Office and the Allied Governments in London to consider the Beveridge Report with a view to securing the adoption of plans for social security or social insurance in all countries friendly to the United Nations?

As my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister without Portfolio made it clear in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Parker) on 19th January, the Beveridge Report is still under consideration by His Majesty's Government. In these circumstances it would be premature to consider the proposal of my hon. Friend.

When matters of this kind are to be considered, is it the intention of the Government to use the machinery which has been set up by the International Labour Office, and, if so, is it the intention of the Government to encourage all the countries that come within the United Nations to join the International Labour Office?

I think that is a rather wider question, but on this particular question I think we ought to make up our own minds first.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in the Republic of Czechoslovakia there was a social security scheme before the war?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give an estimate of the number of Polish citizens in Poland who have been massacred; and whether he can give an assurance that every possible step will be taken by the United Nations to protect and aid the Polish people, particularly as we gave Poland a guarantee before she entered the war?

I am afraid that it is not possible to give any reliable estimate, but there is no doubt that very many thousands of Polish citizens have been the victims of German brutality in Poland. I have no hesitation in giving the assurance mentioned in the second part of the Question. But my hon. and gallant Friend will understand that the aid and protection which we can at present give to the Polish people is limited by obvious physical difficulties. What we can and will do is to press forward as rapidly as possible to final victory and to the liberation of the Polish people.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether any decision has yet been reached which with permit personnel in the Royal Air Force and Women's Auxiliary Air Force who have come from Colonial dependencies to wear distinguishing shoulder badges?

I am glad to be able to say that, subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions as to the place of birth or residence, members of the Royal Air Force and Women's Auxiliary Air Force may in future wear, as a shoulder badge, the name of the Colonial dependency in which they were born or resided.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is satisfied that everything possible is being done to combat the tip-and-run raids on the South-east coast?

Yes, Sir. The tactical methods best suited for defending this and other areas which are subject to varying forms of attack are under constant review, and the maximum scale of defence is provided consistent with the strategic requirements of the country as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he has any statement to make on the daylight air-raid made on a London district on 20th January, resulting in severe casualties at a school; and the reasons for the delay in sounding the air-raid warning before the attack took place?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he has made any inquiries into the cause of the delay in sounding the air-raid sirens on the occasion of the daylight raid on London on Wednesday, 20th January; and whether he has any statement to make?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of public anxiety at the alleged absence of the protection of balloon barrage against enemy aircraft at low levels, in connection with a recent raid, he can now make a statement on the matter?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he has considered the petition signed by a number of local residents complaining that no warning was given recently prior to bombs falling and that the local balloon barrage was not in operation; and what action he proposes to take to prevent such omissions in the future?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that on Wednesday last an enemy air-raid on South-East London was in progress before the alert was sounded, the balloon barrage sent aloft and the shelters unlocked; whether there has been any investigation into this, and with what result?

With the permission of the hon. Members, I will answer these Questions together.

Before Question 23 is answered in this way, I want to put a point to you, Sir. This Question covered more than one Department—

Perhaps my hon. Friend will allow me to finish what I was going to say.

No; this is a question of the rights of the House. Question 23 was originally addressed to the Prime Minister, because it covered more than one Department. I was asked to withdraw it, and to address it to one Departmental Minister. I took advice from the authorities at the Table, and was told that I was right in addressing it to the Prime Minister. Under those circumstances, Sir, is it right that the Question should be so altered and addressed to one Departmental Minister? This is a matter which might raise a serious issue concerning the rights of hon. Members of this House.

I think I ought to mention, with regard to that part of the Question which deals with shelters, that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health will make a statement at the end of Questions.

It was to the Prime Minister, as the head of the Government, that I addressed the Question.

The hon. Member for North Camberwell (Mr. Ammon) is quite correct. The Question should have been left as it was.

On Wednesday, 20th January, 60 German aircraft crossed the South coast at various places between Bexhill and Dungeness. They did not fly straight to London. They moved in such a way as to indicate that their intention was to drop their bombs in Sussex or Kent. It is a long time since German aircraft have ventured to attack London in daylight. Hon. Members will recall that the subject of air-raid warnings has been frequently discussed in the House. There are, broadly, two systems which can be adopted. One is to issue a warning immediately to all areas which might be affected when an enemy aircraft is first detected. The other is to restrict the warning to those areas on which it seems likely that an attack is actually impending. The first system exposes the country to repeated and needless warnings, and enables the enemy to dislocate the civil life of the country at very little cost; inevitably it would lead to public indifference to the warning, and this would itself increase the likelihood of casualties when an attack developed. The second system which involves the exercise of discretion on the part of Fighter Command, was therefore adopted, and it was explained to the House at the time that it must entail the risk that on occasions bombs would be dropped without warning. Attacks on coastal targets are not at all uncommon, and the House will appreciate the difficulty of deciding whether aircraft reported in the vicinity of the coast are likely to remain in that area or to continue their flight to London. Hostile aircraft can be over London within very few minutes of crossing the coast.

On 20th January some 12 German fighter-bombers detached themselves from the main body which had crossed the coast, swept over the South-Eastern suburbs of London, and dropped bombs promiscuously. From the military standpoint the raid was a failure, but grievous casualties were inflicted, especially on the children at a school in Lewisham. It is true that over a certain area of London the balloons were close-hauled. As I informed the House yesterday, this was not due to any negligence or default. The reason was that indispensable work connected with the air defences of London was then in progress. This work has to be carried out in day-time, and it was necessary for the balloons to be down while it was going on.

The best deterrent to such attacks as that on 20th January is the infliction of heavy casualties on the attackers. Of the 60 aircraft which crossed the coast, 10 were certainly destroyed. Four of the enemy aircraft which supported the operation in the Channel were also destroyed. In addition, three aircraft were probably destroyed and eight were damaged.

I want to put two short questions. First, was there any failure in the radiolocation; and, secondly, would it not be advisable when the balloons are being attended to in the manner described by the right hon. Gentleman not to take so wide an area of adjacent boroughs as was done in this case, when almost the whole of South-East London was covered?

On the first question, I am glad to be able to tell my hon. Friend that those who worked the radiolocation system performed their duties admirably. On the second point, I am afraid that I conveyed a misleading impression yesterday. I am afraid the House thought I was referring to work on the balloons when I referred to maintenance work. That is not so. The work was of a character that requires the balloons to be close-hauled.

I take it that the Minister knows that among our aircraft was a Typhoon, which brought down at least four?

The Typhoons did very well indeed.

When this maintenance work is being done would it not be possible to have fighter aircraft circling over London?

While thanking my right hon. Friend for his reply, might I ask whether he is taking every possible step to make known throughout the world the nature of this raid, in which a school was singled out for low-flying attack?

Is it not a fact that when the orders to fly balloons reached the sites they were carried out with the usual promptness and efficiency; and did not the W.A.A.F. personnel on balloon sites justify the confidence placed in them?

Yes, Sir, that is quite true; and the W.A.A.F. acted admirably with the balloons.

If they had not acted admirably, ought they not to have been severely dealt with?

I note that the Minister specially speaks of the South-Eastern area. Might I pay great tribute to—

No.

In reply to Question 23, local authorities, except in coastal areas liable to raids without warning, have been authorised to lock air-raid shelters, provided that adequate arrangements are made for the shelters to be opened on, or immediately after, the sounding of the alert. This action has proved necessary to prevent extensive damage and pilfering. I am informed by the London Regional Commissioners that they have not heard of any case of a public shelter in London being locked on 20th January when the public wished to gain access. My hon. Friend, the Member for North Camberwell (Mr. Ammon), may refer, however, to communal shelters which are allocated for the use of individual families. The keys of such shelters are issued to members of the families concerned, duplicate keys being kept at the nearest warden's post. In the case of one of these shelters, it has been ascertained that the person with whom the key was lodged was away from home ill on 20th January. But adjacent to this shelter there is a sign directing persons caught in the street to a public shelter which is open at all times and which is 50 yards away. In many cases a notice is exhibited in the entrance of communal shelters indicating where the key can be found. The Regional Commissioners are advising all local authorities in the London Region to adopt this practice.

I should like to take this opportunity of saying how much I regret the necessity for the policy of keeping shelters locked, but, as the House knows, the irresponsible behaviour of a certain section of the population in certain areas has made it unavoidable.

Is not this a policy of defeatism that shelters should be kept locked and the public exposed to danger, especially from our new shells, because there are a lot of hooligans about who are not under control? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that much more drastic penalties ought to be imposed at once on anyone wilfully damaging shelters? The Royal Borough of Kensington, which has lost thousands of pounds' worth of material in shelters, is now advertising a £5 reward at each shelter for any information as to persons damaging the shelter.

Would it not be better to keep the shelters unlocked and take the risk of what is happening?

If the hon. Member was aware of the extreme difficulty that local authorities have had and the enormous amount of labour and material that the Minister of Home Security has had to provide to repair damage, he would not put that question. It is a very serious matter, and I regret it. It is not merely that the shelters are open, but they must also be clean, decent, healthy, lighted, and ready for occupation.

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider it satisfactory that a shelter with room for 40 people should be allocated to two families aggregating six or seven people?

There is a very great variety of shelters, and what we have done is to try to meet the individual needs of the largest number concerned.

In all fairness to Civil Defence workers and local authorities, ought it not to be stated that when these new missiles are coming down 95 per cent. of the people, for some reason best known to themselves, prefer to take the risk of being out rather than use the shelters even when they are unlocked?

The great bulk of the people have shown a wonderful morale throughout the raids.

Would it not be possible to have an electrical device whereby shelters can be opened from a central point?

If the hon. Gentleman examines some of the shelters, he will see that there are devices, such as keys in boxes with glass fronts. There are also special smash devices. In the light of our experience, we have made every possible attempt to solve the problem of making the shelters available, and of keeping them fit for healthy use. There is, however, a very small reactionary body of people in certain areas who can only be described as saboteurs.

Will the Government consider my proposal as to imposing heavy penalties on people who wreck shelters?

There are penalties now. It is difficult to carry out the idea of a continuous patrol of every shelter in the country, but in areas where there has been extensive damage the local authorities are keeping a continuous watch, and I have assisted them with the loan of inspectors from my own Department, but despite that there are cases where it is impossible to stop the damage. Therefore, we have to take these precautions in order that the shelters may be ready and fit.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a trunk or toll telephone call of four minutes' duration for a chargeable distance of 36 to 50 miles costs 1s. 11d., whereas a similar call for a chargeable distance of 26 to 35 miles costs 2s. 4d.; and whether he will correct this anomaly?

I am aware of the comparison to which my hon. Friend draws attention. The system of charging all toll and trunk calls was for many years by three minute periods; as a concession to subscribers one minute timing beyond the initial three minutes for calls beyond 35 miles was introduced in 1929 and the necessary equipment provided. I should be reluctant to revert to three minute charging throughout on the longer calls, and to introduce one minute timing on the shorter calls would necessitate the provision of additional lines. This is out of the question at the present time.

Does not the present system tend to encourage people to use the telephone rather longer than is necessary?

Though that may be said, I hope that people may be discouraged from using it unnecessarily by considerations of the public interest.

asked the Postmaster-General why fit and efficient supervising officers in Glasgow post office are being compulsorily retired at 60 years of age with no right of appeal; and is this action in line with Government policy?

So far as the needs of the service permit, fit and efficient supervising officers at Glasgow and elsewhere are being retained in the service after 60 years of age. Of the fit and efficient supervising officers at Glasgow who have reached 60 years of age, or will do so by the end of May, 20 have been, or will be, retained in the Service, and 9 have been, or will be retired at, or within a few months of, their 60th birthday. These retirements were decided upon in order to ensure that after the war there are sufficient younger supervising officers with the necessary experience to enable them to fill the higher supervising posts.

Is the Department in the fortunate position that it can dismiss physically fit and efficient supervisors of 60 years of age while at the same time asking school children to take up work at the Post Office?

The school children came in at Christmas, which is a very big peak period at the Post Office in war and in peace, but the needs of the service demand that there shall be an avenue of promotion for younger supervising officers, so that when the time comes they will be able to fill the higher posts. On the whole, we are retaining a great number of men over 60 years of age at the moment.

Is it not a fact that there is plenty of room in the Services for the younger supervisory grades, and should these fit and efficient men all be retained by the Post Office, which is in a better position than any other Department?

No, Sir, that is not so.

Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman say what proportion of the total the numbers he has quoted represent?

No, Sir, I cannot say without notice, but I could work it out for the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of his advertised appeal to the public to use more airgraphs, he will take steps to shorten the time of transmission of those airgraphs which are normally sent?

With the co-operation of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air, airgraph mails are conveyed all the way by air to the appropriate Base, and my hon. Friend may be assured that every effort is made to ensure that they are conveyed by the most expeditious service available for the purpose at the material time.

While thanking the Postmaster-General for his answer, is there any special reason why there is an extraordinary delay in messages to the troops and in replies from the troops in India?

There are some cases of delay inevitably, because the addressee may be at a point of the front very distant from the place where the airgraph is received and processed, but, on the whole, the transmission times, excluding photographic processes, are about 15 days to India and South Africa and about eight days to other areas of war.

Is this because of a shortage of staff?

Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman say how it is that airgraphs reach this country more quickly than do letters sent by air mail?

Yes, Sir, they reach this country more quickly than letters sent by the ordinary air mail because a great part of the ordinary air mail letters journey is done by sea.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that liquid compasses which are liable to freeze, to leak and to become sluggish, are being supplied to new ships now building, instead of dry card compasses with the latest anti-vibrational suspensions; and what steps will be taken to remedy this?

Long experience has shown that liquid compasses are superior in performance to dry card compasses, even if fitted with anti-vibrational suspensions. Liquid compasses have the great advantage of "steadiness" which is of first importance in a marine compass and by the use of an appropriate filling mixture freezing can be prevented at any sea temperature, and, indeed, at lower temperatures, and instructions about the importance of filling compasses with the correct spirit mixture have lately been issued to all shipbuilders. The correctness of the decision, which was taken in consultation with the Ministry of War Transport, has been fully confirmed by experience in the Royal and Merchant Navies during the war. Leaking and sluggishness do not occur in a well made compass.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to a case at Manchester Assizes where an Admiralty employee was convicted on 17th December; whether he is aware that this man was appointed a few weeks after being released from prison; why, by whom and upon what scrutiny this appointment was made; and what steps have been taken to prevent any repetition of such selection?

For the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply made by my hon. Friend the Civil Lord on Tuesday of last week to a Question by the hon. Member for Denbigh (Sir H. Morris-Jones) concerning Vincent Furlong. The existing arrangements for investigating the character and antecedents of workmen before appointment are already under examination, with a view to eliminating defects, so far as this is possible without involving excessive delays or an undue increase of clerical work.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that if there had been any ordinary precautions at all this unfortunate case could not have occurred, and will he see that this sort of thing cannot happen again and that the, whole machinery is tightened up?

The normal precautions were taken, that is, as far as making inquiries where the police are concerned. That was done, and this man was in the employ of the Admiralty for a period of 10 months during which time he gave entire satisfaction.

Is it not a fact that the man came almost straight out of prison to the Admiralty appointment, and could not the police have told the Admiralty, if they had inquired at all, that this man had come straight from prison to which he had been recently committed?

The normal inquiries were made—

What good are they?

They were the inquiries of the police as to whether they had any information concerning any criminal action committed by this person.

Did the police give him a good character; did they state that this man had come out of prison without disclosing the facts, and, if so, would the right hon. Gentleman take up the matter with the Home Secretary?

The police said they had no information concerning any criminal action on the part of this man.

In view of this unfortunate occurrence, is the Admiralty going to sit down and do nothing?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is satisfied with the output and the quality of the work of Messrs. Drysdale and Company; and whether, in view of the long-standing differences between that firm and some of their workpeople, he will consider the installation of a manager appointed by himself?

The Admiralty is fully satisfied with the output and quality of the work of the firm referred to, and I am not aware of any circumstances which would justify taking the step proposed in the second part of the Question.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Admiralty has made any inquiries into the conditions at Messrs. Drysdale and Company, and is he aware that it is no use leaving it to the Minister of Labour, because the trade union movement have agreed that they have no right to interfere with managerial functions, and this is a question regarding the management?

I would like to inform my hon. Friend, as I have already said, that we have no complaint whatsoever against the conduct of the management or the production of this firm.

I do not know to whom the right hon. Gentleman refers when he says they have had no complaints. They have had complaints; there is a complaint in my Question, and will be make further inquiries?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Chief of the Naval Air Services is a qualified air pilot; and, if so, with how many flying hours to his credit?

I presume that the hon. and gallant Member's Question relates to the late Chief of Naval Air Services, as that post lapsed on the appointment of a Fifth Sea Lord and an Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air) announced on 22nd January. On that assumption the answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative, and the second part, therefore, does not arise.

While fully appreciating the outstanding services of the late Chief of Naval Air Services, is this an indication that in the future the high direction of naval war will be in the hands of younger and more experienced men?

Certainly not.

I must leave hon. Members to draw their own conclusions about that matter.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the rates of pay of boys in the Royal Navy, and when these rates were fixed?

The rates of pay are at present 9d. a day for boys, 2nd class, and 1s. 3d. a day for boys, 1st class, boy telegraphists and signal boys. These rates' were fixed in October, 1925. I am, however, row in a position to announce to the House, on behalf of the three Service Departments, that it has been decided to grant a war bonus of 6d. a day to all Service boys and apprentices, with effect from 1st January, 1943.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is possible for boys younger than these to work on aerodrome sites and get more pay than second lieutenants in the Army?

Is it not correct to say that an increase of this nature cannot compare with the increases in industry anywhere in the country?

Is it not a scandal that boys entering the Senior Service should be treated in this way? Is it not true that: they have no trade union to fight for, and protect, them?

Is it not a fact that this increase of 6d. per day will not enable these boys to buy even the barest necessities?

This increase is based very largely upon the increases which were given to the adult serving men, and I am convinced it will be greatly appreciated by the boys.

They will be deeply surprised to get any increase at all.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many officers of the Fleet Air Arm have recently had their pay reduced and the amount of the reduction?

The hon. and gallant Member no doubt has in mind the statement made by the Lord President of the Council on 26th November, when announcing improvements in the pay of junior naval officers. My right hon. Friend said that in order to preserve parity of treatment between flying personnel in the Fleet Air Arm and the Royal Air Force it would be necessary to reduce the flying pay of acting sub-lieutenants from 6s. to 4s. a day and of midshipmen from 4s. 6d. to 4s. a day. These reductions were compensated for, or more than compensated for, by increases in basic pay. A full statement showing the effect of the recent changes will be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is that how you got the money to pay this increase to the boys?

No, Sir, because the increases granted to the persons to whom I have referred will cost very much more than was the case before the increases were worked out.

In view of the very hazardous nature of the work of the Fleet Air Arm, does not the right hon. Gentleman consider that it would have been far more generous to have left the pay of these officers as it was?

I would ask the hon. and gallant Gentleman to see the statement which has been issued. He Will see that increases have been given.

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean to say that the pay of these officers has actually been increased?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will provide hostel accommodation for the Women's Royal Naval Service ratings stationed at Newcastle-under-Lyme?

There are two W.R.N.S. quarters at Newcastle-under-Lyme which between them house the majority of the W.R.N.S. personnel stationed at the local training establishment. The remainder are at present accommodated in approved lodgings, but the possibility of providing additional official quarters is already under examination.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the question of the provision of proper quarters for these "Wrens" is most urgent, as recourse recently had to be had to a billet which meant that a girl under 18 years of age had to sleep out and share a bed with her landlady?

I have no information about that, but I can say that less than a third of the personnel of the W.R.N.S. in this district are living outside hostels.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that recently I called at the W.R.N.S. headquarters in London and put this case to one of the officers there, who was most sympathetic and at once took remedial action? As the right hon. Gentleman controls the building of quarters and the provision of accommodation, will be inform himself as to the circumstances and see that this state of affairs is remedied on all future occasions?

Every precaution is taken to see that personnel are properly housed. If circumstances such as those described by the hon. and gallant Gentleman are brought to the notice of the Admiralty, we will look into them and deal with them.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when Newcastle-under-Lyme became a port?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, why the Sierra Leone Government have decided not to follow the lead of the Gold Coast and Nigerian Governments in the appointment of African unofficial members to the Executive Council?

The Sierra Leone Government is in full sympathy with the desire for the appointment of Africans as unofficial members of the Executive Council, and accepts in principle the policy of inclusion of both African and European un-officials in this Council. But the Governor has felt unable to recommend the appointment of any unofficials, whether European or African, at the present time since owing to the operational importance of Freetown, the business of Government in the exceptional circumstances of the war is so closely connected with matters concerning defence and seurity.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman inform all Colonial Governments that we would welcome the appointment of unofficial African members to the Executive Council?

Can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say how many have been appointed?

Perhaps the hon. Member will put that Question down.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the acting editor and printer of the "African Standard" newspaper of Sierra Leone, Messrs. Thomas and Willoughby, were recently sentenced to one year's imprisonment each upon a charge of criminal libel, instituted by the Superintendent of Prisons, for publishing authenticated reports of irregularities in the prison; and why the trials were by assessors, which method was denounced by Justice Webber, one-time Chief Justice of the Colony, and not by normal procedure?

Mr. Thomas, proprietor and editor of the "African Standard," was sentenced in June, 1942, to one year's imprisonment for publication of a defamatory libel in the "African Standard" concerning the Superintendent of Prisons, Sierra Leone. Mr. Willoughby, printer of the same newspaper, was sentenced on the same grounds at the same trial to a fine of £5 or one month's imprisonment. The trial was held in the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone. As the Attorney-General was satisfied that a fair and impartial trial by jury was unlikely in such a case, he applied to the Court under the provisions of the Sierra Leone Jurors' and Assessors' Ordinance for an order that the case should be tried by the Court with the aid of assessors instead of by a judge with jury. The Court, as required by the Ordinance, ordered accordingly.

Is it intended to extend the benefits of this novel form of procedure to this country?

It is not a novel form of procedure. The Ordinance has been in existence for some time. There are occasions when it is clear that a fair trial could not otherwise be obtained.