asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent cargoes intended for Malayan and Burmese ports and diverted to India are still detained in ports without being taken into use and are incurring demurrage charges?

All cargoes intended for Malayan and Burmese ports and diverted to India, which had not previously been released to their owners for disposal, have been requisitioned by the Government of India acting in close co-operation with His Majesty's Government. The cargoes include goods in short supply, and some have already been directed to areas where they are most required. Any residue will be disposed of by local sale through committees set up to deal with these cargoes-on the spot. The work of sorting, identifying and directing the balance is being proceeded with as rapidly as possible. So far as I am aware, no demurrage charges are being incurred on any of these cargoes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider a reform of company law to make it compulsory for all annual reports to state the ages of directors, whether they are full time, and, if not, what are their special qualifications; to make it necessary for directors to resign for any period in which they may be in whole-time Government employment; and to surrender their posts if they absent themselves from board meetings for more than six months save on company business or with permission of the shareholders?

I have had no previous suggestion of a change on these lines, but my hon. Friend's Question has been noted for consideration when an opportunity arises for reviewing the company law.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that naval officers and other ranks stationed in such places as Bermuda and the West Indies receive a special Colonial allowance and also are granted a measure of relief from Income Tax, whereas naval officers and other ranks stationed in Iceland and Greenland do not receive this allowance or Income Tax relief; and whether he can take steps to have this anomaly removed?

Colonial allowance is granted to meet the extra expense of those serving on shore in places abroad where the cost of living is abnormally high, so as to place them in relatively the same financial position as their colleagues afloat. If the hon. and gallant Member has any evidence that these principles are not being applied at any of the places named in the Question, I shall be happy to give it my consideration.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is satisfied that the arrangements for co-operation between the Sea Cadet Corps and the Boy Scouts Association are working satisfactorily and will he extend the scope for the further development of the Sea Scouts?

I am satisfied with the co-operation existing between the Admiralty and the two organisations mentioned. The number of Sea Scout units receiving Admiralty recognition is still increasing.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Erren system of propulsion has been fully examined by his experts with a view to its possible application to submarines, and with what result?

Close attention has been given by the Admiralty to the Erren invention since 1930, and various proposals were submitted to the Admiralty by Erren, or his associates, between 1932 and 1938. Visits were paid by Admiralty representatives to Germany to inspect a high pressure electrolyser plant which had been developed by the Erren Engineering Company and to Messrs Beardmore's to see an engine running on the Erren System. In 1938 it was finally decided, after very thorough investigations, that none of the proposals made to the Admiralty by Erren Company could with advantage be adopted for submarine pro- pulsion, and the Erren Engineering Company were so informed in August, 1938. The Admiralty were assisted in their investigations into the Erren system by an eminent outside engineering authority, but it would not be in the public interest, nor in view of the number of highly technical considerations involved would it be feasible, to discuss the reasons which led the Admiralty to the decision referred to above. The attention of the Admiralty has been called to Press reports which suggest that the Erren system is being employed in German submarines and that examinations of a captured U-boat have indicated this to be so. These reports are entirely incorrect.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether he has considered a letter, dated 4th February, from the town clerk of Lincoln, in regard to the removal of unnecessary railings and gates at the Judge's Lodgings, Castle Square, Lincoln, and the Lindsey County Council offices, Lincoln; and what action he now proposes to take in view of the Lincoln City Council's strong protest against these railings and gates being allowed to remain?

The answer to the first part is in the affirmative and a reply will be sent to the town clerk of Lincoln as soon as possible. As regards the railings and gates to the Judge's Lodgings, it is considered that they should be retained to ensure the privacy of the Judge in the execution of his office. The retention of the railings to the offices of the Lindsey County Council, which are used as a Civil Defence station, was agreed to locally at the request of the Regional Commissioner. I am causing further inquiry to be made into the need to retain these railings.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether, with a view to the economy of electricity and the comfort of honourable Members, he will arrange for clear glass to be placed in the windows of the Chamber?

While I much appreciate the necessity for fuel economy and natural light, I regret that it would not be possible for glass to be replaced in the windows of the Chamber without serious detriment to the acoustics. As I indicated in my reply of 22nd October, 1941, to the hon. Member for Morpeth (Mr. R. J. Taylor) absorbent tiles have been fixed in the windows for the specific purpose of improving the acoustics on the Floor of the Chamber. This was done on the recommendation of the officials of the National Physical Laboratory, who gave very careful consideration to possible alternatives.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the unsatisfactory position of industrial fire brigades in relation to the National Fire Service and the refusal of the free issue of fire service uniforms; that at present members of the industrial fire brigades have to surrender personal clothing coupons for clothing worn in that service; and whether, in view of the efficient and devoted work of these units, he will remove this injustice?

I am aware that there are difficulties in regard to the supply of uniforms to part-time members of industrial fire brigades. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Production is examining closely the whole question of uniform supplies, and I am not yet in a position to say whether any concessions can be made to industrial fire brigades. My hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that at the present moment efforts are being made to retrench, rather than to extend, the supply of uniforms.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the anxiety expressed in this House regarding Regulation 18B and its administration, he will consider a revision of the system and procedure connected with this Regulation?

The extent of the powers which are conferred on the Secretary of State by Defence Regulation 18B, and the use which has been made of these powers, have been discussed in this House on a number of occasions, the most recent being only last week. I do not know what particular revision of the system and procedure my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind, but if the underlying suggestion is that there should be some form of appeal and that the ultimate decision should rest with some person or body of persons other than the Home Secretary who is responsible to this House for national security, such a proposal is not one which could be accepted.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is satisfied that medical examination and treatment of prisoners is being efficiently carried out, particularly in reference to the incidence of venereal disease?

Yes, Sir, but if my hon. Friend has information which leads him to think that there is some defect in the arrangements, I shall be glad to receive and consider it. As regards treatment, it must be remembered that most prison sentences are short and that the treatment which can be given to a prisoner suffering from venereal disease may be limited by the length of the sentence.

asked the Home Secretary the number of members of the women's Forces who have been arrested and brought before magistrates during the past 12 months; for how long they are normally detained in police court cells; and whether any are now serving sentences in civil prisons for offences arising from failure to perform their Service duty?

There are no statistics available to enable me to answer the first part of the Question. The police have power when an offender, whether a man or a woman, is arrested to grant bail for the offender's appearance before the court next morning, and frequent use is made of this power. If this course is impracticable, an offender would not normally be detained for more than one night in police cells. If my hon. Friend has in mind women who are absentees from the Forces, the usual practice of the police is not to arrest them but to represent to the woman that it would be in her own interest to return to her unit without further delay. It is only in rare cases that it is necessary to arrest a woman as an absentee and bring her before the court. In such cases if arrangements can be made for an escort to arrive while the court is still sitting, she is handed over to the escort at once. In other cases it may be necessary for the court to direct her detention for a short time until the escort arrives. There are no women serving sentences of imprisonment for failure to perform their Service duty. Breaches of Service duty by members of the women's Forces are dealt with by other disciplinary methods than imprisonment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects to get a reply to the inquiry which he addressed to the Governor of the Bahamas last November asking by whose authority complete sheets of the new overprinted commemoration stamps of the Bahamas were cancelled to order before being sold?

I have now received an assurance from the Governor of the Bahamas that no stamps were cancelled to order before being sold.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give the House any information as to the steps that he proposes to take in the rebuilding of Malta, to preserve or restore what is left of the ancient monuments of the island?

My hon. Friend will realise that under conditions of active warfare there has been little opportunity as yet to prepare detailed plans for the rebuilding of Malta after the war. I can assure him that the question of preserving the historic monuments and buildings of the island will receive the most careful consideration. But I am not in a position at this stage to make any further statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information to give the House about the progress of his negotiations with the Governments of the United Nations concerning practical measures of rescue of Jews now being killed in Nazi-occupied Europe in pursuance of the Nazi plan for the extermination of the Jewish people?

The negotiations to which my hon. Friend refers have not yet reached a stage at which it is possible for His Majesty's Government to make any further statement on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is satisfied that steps are now being taken to remove those officials and officers from the North African administration who are unwilling to co-operate in the joint effort of the United Nations against Hitler?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made on 11th February to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in connection with the machinery the Government is contemplating for dealing with post-war problems of the United Nations, the acting director of the International Labour Office has been consulted regarding the adaptation of the existing constitution of the International Labour Office to such machinery?

Following upon the first Resolution adopted by the International Labour Office conference held in the U.S.A. in 1941, arrangements have already been made to maintain contact between the International Labour Office and existing agencies of the United Nations dealing with post-war problems. Any changes in the constitution of the International Labour Office would, however, concern all the members of that organisation and His Majesty's Government, while desirous to see it developed and strengthened insofar as this may be necessary to enable it to play its full part in post-war reconstruction, do not yet consider the moment opportune for raising this matter with the other Governments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will arrange for Russian-speaking British subjects to visit Russia, with a view to making the Russian people acquainted with the social conditions, the outlook, the efforts and the achievements of the British people?

I will bear my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has received the report of the committee which has been considering the future of Voluntary Aid Detachments; and will he state what action he proposes to take in the matter?

The progress of the committee's deliberations has been somewhat delayed by the unfortunate accident to its chairman, my right hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Kelvingrove (Colonel Elliot), but it has now resumed its sittings and I have reason to hope that it will be in a position to submit its report in the course of the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers and other ranks have volunteered for the Army Glider Regiment since July last?

Recruiting figures for this regiment are entirely satisfactory, but I am afraid that it is not in the public interest to give the numbers.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to recent police court proceedings before the Melksham magistrates who, on conviction of a soldier in the Pioneer Corps for a minor offence and ordering a fine to be paid within 14 days, were told by defendant that he could not pay the fine as he had been charged £17 10s. for his kit which was thrown away, by order, at Dunkirk, and that it was being stopped out of his pay; and whether this treatment had the sanction of the War Office?

This case has been looked into. The soldier's account was in credit on 25th December, 1942, but on 29th January, 1943, it was £1 0s. 6d. in debt due to forfeiture of 16 days' pay because he had been absent without leave. At no time was he charged £17 10s. or any other amount for loss of kit at Dunkirk. Such charges are not made when kit is lost as a result of enemy action and in circumstances like the evacuation from Dunkirk and I am glad to have this opportunity to kill this slander.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether duplicates exist of those Army Forms B 178A which have been lost as a result of transmission to civil hospitals when accompanying patients for admission?

Duplicate copies of Army Form B 178A are not kept. If the form is lost a temporary Army Form B 178A is substituted for it. If the original form is then found any entries made on the temporary form are transferred to the original form. Army Form B 178A accompanies a soldier to a military hospital but not to a civil hospital. When he goes to a civil hospital another form is sent with him. When he returns from the civil hospital the relevant information on this form is transferred to the Army Form B 178A. This procedure enables a complete medical history of soldiers to be kept.

asked the Secretary of State for War the names of British staff officers who have been killed in air accidents when on duty for the last two years to this date, their duties and the location of the casualties?

I regret that it is not in the public interest to give this information.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet replied to the town clerk of Birkenhead, who submitted to him all papers and counsel's opinion in regard to key money and over-rent charges; what was the nature of his reply; and what action does he intend to taken on the transaction brought to his notice?

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of my right hon. Friend's reply of October last to the letter from the town clerk of Birkenhead.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware that the fish made available to the general public is less, proportionately, on Merseyside than in other parts of the country; and will he take step to improve the supply for this area?

I am aware that until recently Merseyside received less than its appropriate share of the supplies of fish landed in the North-western zone. This shortage was mainly due to the system of primary allocation at the main port in the zone. That system was modified in December and the new basis of distribution has now been in force for some time and as a consequence the supplies landed should now be distributed throughout the whole zone on an equitable basis.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the number of British Restaurants in operation in Stoke-on-Trent, Sheffield, Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester, Barrow, Birmingham, Croydon, Sunderland, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Salford, Liverpool and the Lancashire boroughs and the numbers for each place that are being prepared?

At the end of January, 1943, the number of British Restaurants operating and the number approved but not yet operating in the town mentioned by my hon. Friend were as follow:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food the number of British Restaurants provided per 30,000 of the population in Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Manchester, Croydon, Sheffield, Bristol, Glasgow, Salford, Liverpool, Barrow and Blackburn?

At the end of January, 1943, the number of British Restaurants operating in the towns mentioned, per 30,000 of the population as shown by the 1931 census, was as follows:

asked the Minister of Information why the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport was refused permission recently to broadcast in the British Broadcasting Corporation's Indian programme?

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport has not expressed any desire to broadcast in the B.B.C.'s Indian programme.

asked the Minister of Information whether he is aware that Mr. Victor Fisher, of his Department, made a speech at a meeting of Balham women Conservatives during the last week of January, 1943, which was provocative and insulting to the Indian people; and whether he will stop employees of his Department speaking, as members of his Department, at political meetings?

Mr. Fisher is not an employee of the Ministry of Information. He is one of the innumerable speakers the Ministry of Information is asked to supply to address meetings in all parts of the country.

asked the Minister of Information whether he has now given further consideration to the ban that is placed on the publication "Russia To-day" being sent to other countries; and what action does he intend taking?

asked the Minister of Information if he will so far release the ban on the export of "Russia To-day" as to allow people in this country to send it to their relatives serving with the Middle East Forces?

This paper is one of a number the export of which has been prohibited since 1940. The question whether this ban should be raised has been under review and I hope to be able to state the Government's decision in a few weeks' time.

asked the Minister of Information whether he will give a list of those countries in which the film on the defence of Malta is being shown?

We are making arrangements for this film to be shown throughout the British Empire and also in twenty-eight other countries, a list of which I append.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Franchise Commissions for British Guiana and Trinidad, respectively, have met recently; and whether any estimate can be given as to when they are likely to complete their respective tasks?

I am not aware when the Franchise Commissions of British Guiana and Trinidad last met, but I share the hon. and gallant Member's concern that their proceedings should be expedited as much as possible. I have already asked the respective Governors to take such steps as are practicable, but I regret that at present I cannot give any estimate as to when they are likely to finish their labours.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the grant of a reformed constitution for British Guiana is being held up for any reason other than that the Franchise Commission has not completed its task?

The changes in the British Guiana constitution are being proceeded with independently of the question of franchise. The British Guiana Act, 1928, requires that the draft of any Order in Council altering the constitution shall be laid before each House of Parliament for a period of not less than twenty-one days on which that House has sat. A draft was laid accordingly on 17th November, 1942, and the way is now clear for its submission to His Majesty the King in Council.

asked the Prime Minister what responsibility the Admiralty have in the manning and administration of the Coastguard Service and what changes in its control have been made since it was wholly an Admiralty service; whether Admiralty requirements are met by the control of another Ministry; and whether the position has now been cleared up, in particular with reference to the withholding of pay, war injury or other benefit over a period of six weeks in the case of a watcher-in-charge wounded when on duty?

The management and control of His Majesty's Coastguard was entrusted to the Board of Trade in 1923. It was transferred to the Ministry of Shipping on the outbreak of the present war, and was again transferred to the Admiralty by an Order made on 28th May, 1940, under Section 2 of the Coastguard Act, 1925. It was then decided, however, that while the Admiralty should have operational control over the Force, the Ministry of Shipping, and subsequently the Ministry of War Transport, should retain the administrative control, acting for this purpose on behalf of the Admiralty, who are satisfied that the requirements of the coastguards are met. As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport said in a reply to a Question on 10th February, the Ministry of War Transport are now in consultation with the Admiralty about the position of the Coastguard in respect of compensation for war injuries. I trust that they will reach a definite conclusion at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the 493 volunteers who have returned to this country from the United States of America for service in His Majesty's Forces, or for civilian war-work, related only to those applying for free passages under the scheme; if so, what addition should be made to that number to include those men and women who have paid their own passage home; and whether the total response has been sufficient to exhaust the shipping facilities available?

The number of 493 which I gave to my hon. Friend on 4th February related only to those volunteers who had been accepted under the official scheme and had been granted passages at public expense. A further 48 volunteers have reached the United Kingdom in this way since that date. His Majesty's Government have no means of knowing how many men and women returning for war work paid their own passages to this country before the scheme was put into effect, but the number is undoubtedly large. The amount of shipping space that can be allocated to volunteers naturally varies from time to time. At the present moment it would be possible to find transport for more volunteers than have been accepted.

asked the Minister of Production whether he will cause an examination to be made into the general organisation of such large undertakings as Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited, Vickers Armstrong, Limited, Lever Brothers and Unilever, Limited, to see whether, by breaking up these combines into smaller units, greater efficiency can be secured, unnecessary clerical work avoided and more personal relations established between workers and directors?

No, Sir. I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by such an examination at the present time; but with regard to the last part of the Question I may add that the larger concerns have been in the forefront of those supporting the establishment of Joint Production Committees.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the chairman of the Glamorgan County Council Diseases of Animals Committee has stated that unless there was an improvement in the condition of the milk, public authorities should stop the distribution to children as a means of stopping the spread of tuberculosis; whether the increase in this disease coincided with the introduction of the milk scheme; whether in the years prior to 1938 the incidence of tuberculosis declined in Wales; whether since 1939 the incidence of tuberculosis in children under 11 years of age has increased and by what percentage; and what steps he proposes to take to deal with this state of affairs?

I have seen a Press report of the statement mentioned. In the great majority of cases tuberculosis due to bovine infection is non-pulmonary but, at all ages, it constitutes about 30 per cent. only of the cases of non-pulmonary tuberculosis. The incidence of non-pulmonary tuberculosis in children under 11 in Wales gradually declined up to 1937, but began to rise in 1938. The increase was rather more marked in 1940, the year in which the national milk scheme was introduced. The numbers of cases notified in the years 1940 and 1941 were 388 and 389 respectively, an increase of 16 per cent. compared with 1939, and of about 12½ per cent. compared with the average for the years 1933 to 1939. My right hon. Friend has from time to time informed the House of the steps he is taking to cope with the increased incidence of tuberculosis and in particular my right hon. and Noble Friend the Minister of Food, with whom he is in close touch on the matter, has under active consideration the practical steps that can be taken to secure the elimination of active tubercle organisms from liquid milk.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is now prepared to state the findings of Sir John Forster's inquiry into the working of the Liverpool docks; whether any recommendations were made; and whether they have been or will be implemented?

After consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service, my Noble Friend has decided that it would not be in the public interest to publish the Report or the recommendations made by Sir John Forster. Instructions based on the recommendations have been given to the Regional Port Director, and he is acting accordingly. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for this opportunity of expressing the gratitude of His Majesty's Government to Sir John Forster, and for the valuable service which he has rendered by his Report.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he will take steps to remedy the inadequate travel facilities by tramcar between Forest Hill, Catford and Greenwich, especially in the mornings, and the fact that many workers who have arrived late at their work in consequence have been subjected to police court proceedings and fined?

During peak periods there are 16 tramcars an hour between Forest Hill, Catford and Greenwich. During the hours when workmen's tickets are issued in the morning four additional tramcars run from Catford to Greenwich and Woolwich. The London Passenger Transport Board have made special inquiries and they consider that the service is adequate. Complaints concerning the service can be laid by workers and others before the appropriate transport group set up by the London and South Eastern Regional Board. I understand that, at the moment, there are no outstanding complaints about these services, before this group.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he will consider restoring the issue of cheap day tickets on all suburban railways, in view of the fact that the withdrawal of these facilities has resulted in omnibus services being taxed beyond their normal capacity?

According to the evidence which I have received the withdrawal of cheap day fares on the railways has not, in general, led to a transfer of passenger traffic from rail to road. The withdrawal has, however, brought about the reduction in non-essential travel for which we hoped. For that reason, and others, I am afraid it would not be right to adopt my hon. Friend's proposal.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether there is any town or district in Great Britain, other than St. Andrews, where, under the rationalisation of retail deliveries scheme, all deliveries of composite grocery parcels, except to invalids and similar classes, is prohibited; and, if so, what town or district?

Yes, Sir, there are more than 400 towns and districts in Great Britain where no deliveries of groceries are made, except in cases of hardship. I am sending my hon. Friend some information concerning these towns and districts, and their distribution in different regions of the country. In the meantime, he may, perhaps, be glad to know that they include such places as Bedford, Ipswich, Worcester, Oxford, Peebles and Berwick.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether steps are being taken, having due regard to other claims for man-power and to the necessity of saving rubber, to keep road surfaces in good repair?

Yes, Sir, within the limits imposed by the shortage of labour and materials, my Ministry have been able to make and to maintain arrangements under which the important roads in the country have been kept in reasonably good repair.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether, in view of the large number of children whose lives have been lost in road accidents in recent years, he can indicate what special precautions have been taken to instruct children in the correct use of the roads?

Yes, Sir, the Board of Education, the local education and police authories and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents are working together to secure more teaching in the schools on the subject of road safety. My Noble Friend has helped the Royal Society to extend their activities in various ways, and the Society are specially emphasising the danger to children in the propaganda campaign which they are now carrying on. The B.B.C. are also arranging talks and "flashes."

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he will give an undertaking that small contractors who cannot be given a definite place in the new road haulage scheme will be bought out and not simply squeezed out?

As my hon. Friend is, no doubt, aware, my Noble Fried has invited a number of hauliers to make their businesses controlled undertakings in the road haulage organisation which he is setting up. Other hauliers, who are not so invited, will be given the opportunity of hiring their vehicles to the Ministry, provided the vehicles are in reasonably good condition, and provided they have been continuously engaged, during the 12 months before the announcement of the scheme, in carrying, wholly or mainly, the classes of traffic which my Noble Friend proposes to control. My hon. Friend will see, therefore, that the small contractor, if he so desires, can have a definite place in the new organisation which is being set up.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will make a statement on the delivery of mails from overseas as there are many homes concerned over the long intervals between letters they get from relatives serving in every branch of the Army, Navy and Air Force and it would be helpful to all concerned if the causes of delay were made known?

So far as surface mails from H.M. Forces overseas are concerned, the lack of speedy and regular services is due primarily to the effect of war conditions on sea communications. As regards air mails, the governing factor is the amount of aircraft capacity which can be made available for mail transport having regard to the heavy loads of military traffic requiring urgent conveyance; this capacity is not sufficient to enable ordinary air mail letters from the Middle East and countries beyond to be carried all the way by air to this country, and this relatively heavy type of communication, together at times with the light-weight letter cards, can be given air transmission only as far as a port in Africa, the remainder of the journey being by surface route. Variations in the air service, in conjunction with war-time shipping conditions to which I have already referred, result unfortunately in irregularity of arrivals and in widely varying intervals between arrivals. On the other hand, airgraph mails are invariably brought all the way to this country by air, and although arrivals may be irregular owing to operational causes, airgraphs are preferable in point of speed to other forms of air mail service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to state by counties the allocation of the 3,000 new houses for Scottish agricultural workers?

As already announced, the new Scottish housing programme will comprise 1,000 houses, 800 of these houses will be built in industrial areas on Clydeside and the remaining 200 in the rural areas in which houses are urgently required in the interests of food production. It has been provisionally decided to allocate twenty of the rural houses to each of the counties of Aberdeen, Ayr, Dumfries, Lanark, Perth, Wigtown and Kirkcudbright. The allocation of the balance of 60 houses is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give any information as to the probable cause of the crash of an aeroplane which occurred on the night of 25th January, in the parish of Llansilin, in the county of Denbigh, which resulted in the death of two civilians as well as all the occupants of the aeroplane; and what provision is available for the orphans whose father and mother were killed as the result of the accident?

The cause of this unfortunate accident is under investigation. The question of compensation in respect of the civilian casualties is one for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions. I am sure that the House will wish to join with me in expressing sympathy with the relatives of those who lost their lives and with the injured.

asked the Secretary of State for India the number of workers employed in India in 1901, 1911, 1921,1931 and the latest available pre-war date, in industry, in agriculture and in taking care of animals?

The Census returns give the following figures:

rose—

The Motion cannot be discussed.

I am not discussing it. I wish to put a question. As the Sitting is to be extended, might we ask Members to curtail their speeches? We can say all we want in a 10-minute speech.

Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider, through the usual channels a much further extension than that proposed? In view of the situation that has arisen, I think we ought to carry the Debate on until we finish the Business and then come back to the fact that there is a war on.Question put, and agreed to.