asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the legal decision making compulsory the permissive Section of the Local Government Staffs (War Service) Act, under which local authorities could make up the Service pay of their employees; whether he is aware that this decision has caused disquiet in Lancashire, as it will involve a heavy addition to the rates; and whether he will take steps, by amending legislation or otherwise, to restore the permissive nature of the Section?

The legal decision to which I presume my hon. and gallant Friend refers was briefly to the effect that claims for the make up of Service pay under this Act may legally be settled by arbitration under the Conditions of Employment and National Arbitration Order; the decision in no way determined what the award of the arbitration tribunal ought to be in particular cases. I do not see my way to introduce legislation for providing that such claims should not be subject to settlement by arbitration or for restricting the discretion of the arbitration tribunal in dealing with such claims.

asked the Minister of Labour whether there exists any obstacle to persons leaving Borstal institutions with good reports from being accepted into the Fighting Services or into the Women's Royal Naval Service, Auxiliary Territorial Service, or Women's Auxiliary Air Force Service on their merits?

Persons under detention in Borstal institutions are entitled in the same way as anyone else to express a preference for a particular Service; but it is for the Service authorities to decide whether or not any individual man or woman can be accepted.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the amount paid to members of the medical profession in respect of medical examinations applies only to the examination of men or also of women?

The amount stated in my reply of 3rd February, 1943, to my hon. Friend relates to examination of men and women.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of disabled persons included in the total of 21,982 registered as unemployed at 18th January, 1943, and who were classified as unfit for ordinary industrial employment; whether he will take immediate steps to fill the vacancies now available with voluntary undertakings for the employment of the severely disabled and provide opportunities of employment for those resident in areas where no such undertakings are as yet established?

Figures are not available showing how many of those classified as unsuitable for ordinary industrial employment are disabled persons in the sense that they have a specific disability which handicaps them in obtaining employment. Steps are taken to bring to the notice of severely disabled persons the opportunities for employment with voluntary undertakings insofar as they are eligible for admission to such undertakings. Constant endeavours are made to find employment of a suitable kind for workers unsuitable for ordinary employment and a number of them are so placed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to ban the production of all luxury articles and, in particular, luxury rubber articles not essential to the war effort?

I have taken, and will continue to take, steps to prohibit or restrict the output of luxury goods in order to release labour, factory space and raw materials for essential purposes. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply has already prohibited the use of rubber for a large variety of inessential articles.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that in certain villages in East Suffolk salvage has been left uncollected in dumps for some time; and whether he will take steps to remedy this, in view of the fact that an urgent appeal was made for metal and other salvage for the war effort?

If the hon. Member will let me have the names of the local authorities concerned, I will make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider the use of hostels or huts with adequate supervision for dock workers who are slightly indisposed instead of sending them home, frequently long distances, from the ports at which they are working until they recover, thereby saving transport, time and extra risk to health?

Transferred dockers are found lodgings in the port to which they may be sent. Should they become slightly indisposed and unable to receive proper care in the lodging, arrangements can be made for them, as for other trans- ferred war workers, to be found accommodation in an emergency hospital under the arrangement I made with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health in November, 1940. If my hon. Friend has information of any particular case in which these arrangements have not proved satisfactory, and he will let me have details, I will look into it.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many ex-service men now over 45 years of age have claimed, and how many have been refused, disability pensions as a result of service in the last war?

The statistics maintained by my Department do not enable me to furnish these figures. The majority of ex-service men of the Great War must, however, be over 45 years of age, 1,700,000 claims were allowed and just over 400,000 were rejected.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will set up medical tribunals to examine or re-examine all claimants for disability pension over 45 years of age, in view of the physical deterioration which takes place after that age and the consequent predisposition to disease, possibly initiated by the original disability?

I could not undertake to provide medical examination for all ex-service men who have attained the age of 45. Any man of whatever age who thinks that his condition is related to his war service may apply to my Department for consideration of his case and where necessary a medical examination will be arranged.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the shortage of rubber boots among agricultural workers in the Rugby area; and whether he will consult with the requisite authorities to remedy this deficiency by drawing on the surplus of rubber boots at police stations and Auxiliary Fire Service stations throughout the country?

I am aware that there are not sufficient rubber boots to supply all who desire them, but a further allocation of permits is now being made which should suffice for the essential needs of agricultural workers. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Home Security assures me that the rubber boots held by the police and the Fire Service are no more than sufficient to carry out their duties.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that among girls employed in the Women's Land Army in the Warwickshire area and especially around Rugby, there is a shortage of equipment, such as heavy coats and rubber boots and that this shortage is giving rise to undue sick leave; and whether he will call for a report from the wardens of hostels for the Women's Land Army in this area as to the effect of this shortage on the women's health and take immediate steps to remedy the position?

As regards the general supply of Women's Land Army uniform and rubber boots, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend-on-Sea (Mr. Channon) on 3rd December last. Adequate supplies of uniform are now available, but it has been difficult for the Women's Land Army county offices to distribute arrears to members already at work. I am informed that the distribution of great coats to volunteers employed in Warwickshire has now been completed, except in a very few cases where special sizes of coats are required and are being obtained.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many pairs of rubber boots he expects to be able to allocate to the Gloucestershire War Agricultural Committee for the first three months of 1943?

One thousand seven hundred.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take steps to increase the issue of permits for the supply of rubber boots to agriculturists through the county war agricultural executives with particular reference to East Suffolk?

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to my hon. Friend the Member for Reigate (Mr. Touche) on 28th January and to the hon Member for Rugby (Mr. W. Brown) to-day.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the fact that there is a shortage of permits for the purchase of rubber boots in East Suffolk, despite the fact that such boots are displayed in the shop windows of nearby towns; and whether he will take steps to remedy this?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 28th January by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture to my hon. Friend the Member for Reigate (Mr. Touche).

asked the Minister of Agriculture what has been the increase in the numbers of the Women's Land Army since 1st October; whether he is satisfied with the response now being made for new recruits; and whether the Women's Land Army still receives additions through the employment exchanges?

Since 1st October the employed strength of the Women's Land Army has increased from about 49,300 to over 54,000. Since the restriction on recruitment has been relaxed, the enrolment figures have improved each week. Most of the recruits come through the local offices of the Ministry of Labour and National Service. It is too early yet to say whether the response under present conditions will fully meet demand, but on this point I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my reply to-day to the hon. Member for Morpeth (Mr. R. J. Taylor).

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is proposed where village greens have been ploughed up in the war to restore them afterwards to pastureland?

In all cases where authorised ploughing of common land (which would include village greens) has taken place, it has been done through, or by, the county war agricultural executive committee as the Minister's agent, after taking possession under Defence Regulation 51. It is a condition of the Minister's consent in all such cases that the land should be reseeded before possession is relinquished.

asked the Minister of Health in what circumstances and by what authority of statute or legislation officers of his Department exercise the power to enter private residences for any purposes whatever?

Under a large number of enactments, including the Civil Defence Act, 1939, and the Defence Regulations, persons authorised by the Minister of Health or by local authorities are entitled on production of an authenticated document showing their authority to enter premises for the purposes of the Act. I have reason to think that in the great majority of cases these powers are exercised with the consent of the owner or householder.

asked the Home Secretary in what circumstances and by what authority of statute or legislation officers of his Department exercise the power to enter private residences for any purpose whatever with or without a warrant?

There are a few Acts of Parliament under which Home Office inspectors have authority to enter premises, which may in certain cases be private premises, for the purpose of enforcing the Acts. Instances are the Acts relating to the keeping of explosives and petroleum. There are also some provisions under which members of the Natonal Fire Service are authorised to enter premises, including private premises, for the purpose of fire-fighting or fire-prevention. I will send my hon. Friend a list of these provisions if he so desires.

asked the Minister of Health the number of deaths from tuberculosis and the death rate based on number of residents in the county and borough hospitals of England and Wales in 1941 and and 1942, giving figures for males and females separately?

Deaths in institutions in England and Wales in 1941 and 1942 have not been separately identified in the Registrar-General's records, and I do not know of any information on which the particulars for which my hon. Friend asks could be readily ascertained.

asked the Minister of Health on what date the financial scheme for persons leaving work on account of tuberculosis, announced by him in the House in October, will commence operation; and whether it will apply to all such persons, including nurses?

Detailed arrangements for the scheme to which the hon. Member refers are now at an advanced stage and I hope that it will be possible to bring the allowances into operation early in the coming financial year. They will cover all persons who suffer loss of income by giving up work to undertake treatment for tuberculosis.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that mothers, sent to maternity hospitals outside London, are not provided with railway fares to enable them to return after the child is born; and whether, as most of these mothers must return to their homes or their work, he will make suitable arrangements?

The arrangements for the provision of emergency maternity homes were made at the outbreak of war as a part of the Government evacuation scheme. It has not been the policy to encourage the return to London of persons evacuated under that scheme and it would be inconsistent with that policy to provide for payment of return fares. But I will look at the matter in the light of my hon. Friend's Question.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the acute shortage of houses for agricultural workers in many of the 90 principal villages in South-West Norfolk, how many of the 90 houses which it is proposed to build in Norfolk are to be built in South-West Norfolk?

It is proposed to build 80 of the houses allocated to Norfolk in the rural districts comprised wholly or partly in the south-western division of the county.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in order to mitigate the present housing shortage, he will consider, in some cases where houses which are subject to operative demolition orders have not yet been demolished, withdrawing the demolition orders upon the owners' undertaking to carry out such alterations or repairs as the local authority concerned deems adequate?

Neither I nor local authorities have power to withdraw operative demolition orders, and I am not prepared to ask Parliament for powers which would enable the lives of houses which have been condemned as slums, and which but for the war would have been demolished and replaced by new dwellings, to be prolonged indefinitely. As my hon. Friend may be aware, local authorities in whose areas the housing position is acute owing to an influx of agricultural workers or of persons made homeless by enemy action are empowered by Defence Regulations to issue licences permitting the re-occupation of condemned houses for a period subject to safeguards as regards repair and rent. It has been made clear to all concerned that the issue of licences in no way alters the legal status of the houses which will, therefore, be demolished as soon as conditions enable the necessary replacement accommodation to be provided.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in recognition of the high proportionate contribution of the Western Isles to the manpower of the naval services, and the close traditional associations between the Hebrides and the Royal Navy, he will consider naming a class of His Majesty's ships by Hebridean island names?

I am glad to have this opportunity of paying a tribute to the contribution which the Scottish Isles have made to the manning of the Royal Navy, and to the gallant service which their men have given. I am also glad to inform the hon. Member that a large class of H.M. Trawlers is already named after the Scottish Isles, and these include the names of all the Hebridean Islands which are unlikely to be confused with the names of others of H.M. Ships.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is now in a position to advise the North Riding of Yorkshire local education authority concerning the repair of damage in an air raid to a school, of which he has been informed; and whether, in view of the difficult circumstances there, he can take any action to assist the authority?

I am in communication with by Noble Friend the Minister of Works on this case, the difficulties of which are due to the priority of the operational requirements of the Fighting Services. I hope that I shall shortly be in a position to advise the local education authority in the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether any steps have been taken, in conjunction with the Governments of our Allies, to produce national history books for the post-war years which will give an objective account of the political, social and economic evolution and development of all countries and empires since, at least, the beginning of the last century?

As the hon. and gallant Member will be aware, with the approval of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary I recently invited the Ministers of Education to the Allied Governments now in London and a representative of the French National Committee to meet me and representatives of the British Council, in order to discuss educational questions affecting their countries both at the present time and after the war. This conference has now appointed a committee, of which Professor Ernest Barker has consented to act as chairman, to examine the whole question of the supply of books to the occupied countries after the war, including the possibility of producing history books of an objective character.

asked the Home Secretary what requests he has received from Austrian and German members of the Pioneer Corps and other fugitives from Nazi oppression, who are fighting with the United Nations, to become British subjects; and whether his attitude to this is favourable?

As I explained in a reply to a Question by the hon. Member far Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) on 19th November, there are many foreigners who are giving direct and valuable help to the war effort either by service in His Majesty's Forces or in other ways; and the consideration and investigation of applications from all such persons would involve so much work both for my Department and the police that I should not fed justified in undertaking it at a time when everything possible must be done to economise in man-power. In reply to a Supplementary Question I stated that it would be wrong for me to commit myself now to what is to happen after the war to refugees who were permitted to come to this country in order to escape from the oppression which was obtaining at the time. That being so, no useful purpose would be served by attempting to classify the very large number of applications, the consideration of which has been suspended.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that trailer-pump crews in the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney, serving under the Compulsory Enrolment Order, are not supplied with oilskin coats when on duty; and whether in the interests of the health of the persons concerned, he will immediately order the issue of such protective clothing?

Local authorities have been authorised to provide overalls and rubber overboots for their trailer pump crews, on a duty basis. In addition, I am about to suggest that those authorities who withdrew mackintoshes from the wardens' service on the issue of greatcoats should make them available for this purpose. I do not regard the position as wholly satisfactory, and we are doing what we can to find some substitute for the waterproof materials which are in short supply.

asked the Home Secretary what protests he has received from various water undertakings against the instruction of his fire service department on standardisation of fire hydrants, submitting that, in some respects, these proposals are not practicable; and whether he will arrange for close co-operation in future between the National Fire Service and the British Waterworks Association, especially in matters of which the water undertakings are alone fully cognisant?

So far as can be traced, two communications objecting to points in the instruction have been received, both through the association. I think there may be some misapprehension as to the scope of the instruction, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. As he will see, standardisation of fire hydrants is ruled out as impracticable for the present, and what is suggested in that respect is that current replacements should take a form consistent with an ultimate policy of standardisation, I regret that the British Waterworks Association were not consulted on the subject of the instruction before it was issued. I understand that they have certain representations to make to me. I can assure my hon. Friend that when these reach me they will receive my most careful consideration.

asked the Home Secretary whether the chairman of the Advisory Committee acted in accordance with the instructions laid down by the Government when he recently refused to allow a detainee to be confronted by his accusers, question the hostile witnesses, call witnesses for interrogation, have the assistance of a lawyer, be informed of the identity of the hostile witnesses, be shown the evidence against him, have access to his own material now in the Government's possession, be supplied with a copy of the stenographer's notes of the hearing, or be informed of the committee's finding; and also admonished the detainee?

The account contained in this Question of the proceedings of the Advisory Committee in the case referred to is a travesty of the facts.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the totalisator receipts for 68 greyhound tracks were approximately £30,750,000 for 1938, £32,000,000 for 1939. £30,000,000 for 1940 and £36,500,000 for 1941, exclusive of debts made with bookmakers; and, as this expenditure does not help the war effort, whether he will take steps to put an end to it?

I am obliged to my hon. Friend for bringing these figures to my notice, but I do not feel able to add anything to the views which I have expressed in answer to previous Questions on this subject.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give an assurance that an alient doctor or dentist granted permission during the war to set up in private practice shall not, when he has to re-emigrate, be allowed to sell that practice for more than he gave for it?

I am not aware of any case in which this question could arise, as alien doctors or dentists are not allowed to set up in private practice on their own account, unless, in exceptional cases, it has been decided that they can be allowed to remain here.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what authority officers of the Customs and Excise Department are forcing manufacturers to add a notional or fictitious amount to their wholesale prices before the price is determined for the calculation of Purchase Tax?

The wholesale value on which Purchase Tax is payable is defined in Section 21 of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1940, as the price which in the opinion of the Commissioners the goods would fetch on a sale in the open market by a person selling by wholesale to a retail trader. Where a sale takes place under other conditions the actual price paid may not represent the statutory value and an adjustment becomes necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that civil servants may be compulsorily billeted at £1 1s. a week, for which bed, breakfast and an evening meal is to be provided, whereas officers in the Forces are billeted for bed only at £1 1s. a week and, if they require food, must pay an agreed sum of not less than a further £1 1s. for breakfast and an evening meal; and whether he will take steps to put an end to this anomaly?

The charge payable for billeted civil servants is at a flat rate for all grades, and is, broadly, comparable with the charges payable for other ranks of the Services. The billeting charges for officers assume the provision of a better class of accommodation than is provided for other ranks. As my hon. Friend is doubtless aware, if officers are not in mess they make their own arrangements for their meals, towards the cost of which they receive a ration allowance of 2s. 9d.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department how much special leave, paid or unpaid, was taken by the Comptroller-General during the annual leave year 1941–42 in addition to the 44 days' annual leave which he was allowed?

After suffering concussion in September, 1940, to which I referred in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Stourbridge (Mr. R. Morgan) on 26th January, this officer was involved in the heavy raid of 16th–17th April, 1941. On that occasion, and whilst he was still under treatment, his wife sustained extremely serious injuries and his home was destroyed. In these circumstances, and with my approval, he was granted 10 days' special leave. Later in the year he was allowed 1½ days' compassionate leave in consequence of the death of his father.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make any statement regarding the death in an aircraft accident of Major-General Williams, Director-General of Army Welfare?

I have been asked to reply. This gallant and distinguished officer was a passenger in a Royal Air Force aircraft which crashed in the Middle East on 5th February. The passengers and crew were killed outright with the exception of one airman who died two days later. I am sure that the House will wish to join with me in expressing sympathy with the relatives of those who lost their lives in this tragic occurrence.