asked the Minister of Agriculture what are the circumstances attending the recent dismissal of a number of women landworkers in East Sussex and their replacement by specially imported citizens of a neutral country; who are these citizens and is he aware that their employment in a coastal area is causing local resentment and anxiety; whether the local war agricultural committee made and concurred in these arrangements; and what are the present position and future prospects of these women workers?

These 33 women were employed on work for the cultivations department of the East Sussex war agricultural executive committee, which has been reclaiming an extensive area of land in the Peacehaven-Saltdean District. After reclamation, a considerable part of this land was let to farmers and part of the remainder was devoted to horticultural crops by the committee. Accordingly the cultivations department had no further need for some of the labour employed by them in this district. Unfortunately, these women were therefore given notice in error, instead of being transferred to another department of the committee which needed their services; although they were informed, when given notice, that they would probably be taken on again by the horticultural department. When this matter came to the notice of the committee, the chairman met the women concerned and explained that the notice had been given erroneously and reiterated the offer of re-employment with the committee. After some negotiations, in which the parties had the assistance of an officer of my Department, this offer (on a whole-time weekly basis) has been accepted. The women's service are at present required in the horticultural department, but they will be transferred as necessary to any other work on which they can be employed by the committee.As regards the allegation that these women were replaced by neutrals, the facts are as follow: Last autumn the committee came to the conclusion that they would need additional workers this year, and they asked my Department to supply Irish workers under arrangements which it has with the Ministry of Labour and National Service to engage men in Eire for employment by county war agricultural executive committees. My Department was asked to supply men to start work in April. Arrangements for the engagement of men in Eire have to be made many weeks in advance, and it is not possible to guarantee travel on a particular day; but some of the men asked 10r were ready on 26th March, and the committee agreed to accept them on that day. The security questions involved are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the local police, to whom the Irish men have to report on arrival.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether a decision has yet been made as to whether the hill cattle subsidy may be granted in the case of cattle maintained on fells or hill farms for a period of five months in the year and not as originally proposed for six months?

Yes, Sir, it has been decided to reduce the minimum grazing period on the hill for eligible cattle under the hill cattle subsidy scheme to five months instead of six as was originally proposed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the serious increase in the number of rats in the district of Tadley, near Basingstoke, owing to camp refuse; and will he, in view of local complaints, take appropriate measures to deal with them?

I had not previously heard of the particular case referred to, but I am making inquiries with a view to appropriate action being taken. Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend would forward to me any information he may have on the subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the rook-killing battues now being organised on the advice of his Department, he will have the crops of a selected number of birds examined to ascertain whether their diet is mainly corn or insects?

Many investigations into the food of rooks have been carried out in the past, and it is known that these birds devour large numbers of insect pests and weed seeds and to this extent are of benefit to agriculture. On the other hand, rooks also eat an appreciable quantity of cereals, and the Rooks Order, 1940, was made to enable county war agricultural executive committees to require the owner of any rookery to reduce the number of rooks if it appears to the committee that they cause, or are likely to cause, injury to crops. Committees have been instructed to satisfy themselves before taking action under the Order, that the rooks in any rookery are, on balance, injurious to crops.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is encouraging the use of strychnine to kill moles?

Yes, Sir, subject to suitable safeguards.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why, as the land from which six dairy heifers were removed to buildings until 31st March was tile-drained in 1940 for the purpose of wintering young dairy stock, the Order L4 was made by the Essex War Agricultural Executive Committee on 5th February, 1943, to preserve this grassland for summer grazing?

The six cattle concerned were very young and were at pasture in January last in a field which was tile drained in 1940. The weather was extremely wet, the cattle were in poor condition, and the grass was being damaged. An Order was served to house the cattle so that they might be fed properly and dung could be provided to maintain the fertility of the holding, and with a view to preserving grassland for grazing later in the season.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers in Kent are concerned over the heavy losses incurred through sheep being worried by dogs; and whether he will investigate the possibility in the national food interest of taking effective action to restrain these animals?

I am aware that farmers in Kent as well as in other parts of the country have experienced some losses as a result of the worrying of their sheep by dogs, in spite of the existing measures to prevent such occurrences. I have given the matter my most careful consideration, but no method of dealing with the problem presents itself which would be practical as well as wholly effective. An appeal has recently been made to all dog-owners through the Press and wireless to keep their dogs under proper control whenever they are in the countryside.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the damage done to sheep by dogs out of control; and whether, as killer-dogs never desist from such slaughter, he will ensure that they be always destroyed on detection?

I am aware that there have been some complaints about the damage done to sheep by uncontrolled dogs. I have no power to direct the destruction of any dog which has been proved to have killed or injured sheep. Such power is vested in courts of summary jurisdiction but, under the provisions of the Dogs Amendment Act, 1938, the decisions of those courts may, on appeal, be set aside by courts of quarter sessions.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he intends asking Parliament for confirmation or otherwise of his Ministry's acceptance of the recommendation of the Uthwatt Committee that planning authorities should be given power to acquire war-damaged and other reconstruction areas as a whole, as this acceptance entails undefined financial obligations upon the National Exchequer?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning when he hopes to announce his proposed policy on matters connected with location of industry, green belts, and so forth, so that his 10 regional planning officers can helpfully advise local authorities on the sites to be selected for post-war housing?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 10th March, 1943, by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House to the hon. Member for Central Leeds (Mr. Denman).

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he is now in a position to inform the House of any steps, legislative or otherwise, contemplated by him in preparation for post-war planning?

I hope shortly to introduce a Bill dealing with certain matters on which early action is desirable.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has decided, as a means of combating juvenile delinquency, upon supporting a policy of appointing teacher-magistrates; and what steps are contemplated with a view to implementing the decision?

When appointments to a bench are required, my Noble Friend is glad to approve the appointment of teachers if there are submitted to him by his advisory committees the names of suitable members of the teaching profession who have the necessary time to devote to the work of a bench. My Noble Friend has already made a considerable number of appointments of teachers to the commissions both of counties and of boroughs.

asked the Attorney-General what steps are being taken in the interests of transport economy to reduce or move the holding of quarter sessions or assizes?

The interests of justice require that assizes and quarter sessions shall continue to be held as at present. A reduction in the number of quarter sessions would have the effect of increasing the work at assizes which is already so large as to create inconvenience; and such a reduction would lead to an increase rather than to a decrease in essential travelling. The places at which county quarter sessions are held are usually those most convenient for the discharge of county business and most accessible from all parts of the area which they serve. The holding of borough quarter sessions involves little travelling on the part of witnesses or police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies who was responsible for the bad publicity attending the visit of East African chiefs to the Middle East Army; and whether his attention has been called to adverse criticism in Kenya?

The arrangements, including publicity arrangements, for this tour were made by the East African Governments in consultation with the military authorities. I had not heard that they have been criticised.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can give an approximate estimate of the percentage of the whole available civilian labour of Great Britain and Northern Ireland which has been employed in the provision of airfields, camps, hospitals, supply depots, roads and other constructional work for the Armed Forces of the United States of America since that country came into the war?

Of the civilian labour employed altogether in the building and civil engineering industries about 20 per cent. is at present engaged upon work for the Americans.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any steps have been taken by his Department to prosecute the 41 skilled fitters in an aircraft factory who went on strike when their demand for an increase in their wage rates was refused?

No, Sir. I am informed that on previous occasions the conduct of the men concerned was generally unsatisfactory and when they decided to stop work in support of a wages demand, the firm, with the permission of the National Service officer, dismissed them forthwith.

asked the Minister of Production whether he will make a statement on the regional production boards organisation set up some months ago; how frequently these boards meet; what is the permanent staff; and can it be estimated by what percentage production has increased or benefited as a result of these boards?

The regional boards normally meet once a month. The staff of the Ministry of Production working in the 11 regions and in the district offices amounts to 703 in all. Since their reconstitution last July the boards have rendered valuable service to production in a variety of ways, but it is not possible to express this in quantitative terms. I append a statement describing some of the more important features of their work in recent months.

asked the Minister of Health how many fresh cases of venereal disease have been reported during the last three months; and how does this compare with the same period last year?

As statistics for venereal disease are compiled from returns obtained from local authorities on a yearly basis only, I regret that I am unable to give the particulars for which my hon. Friend asks.

asked the Minister of Health how many individuals, men and women, have been informed against under Regulation 33B; how many of these have refused treatment and subsequently been imprisoned; have all the informers under Regulation 33B been treated and, if not, what action has been taken?

Reports on the operation of Regulation 33B so far are not yet complete and I am at present unable, therefore, to give the particulars for which my hon. Friend asks. With regard to the last part of the Question, the Regulation does not operate except on information given to a special practitioner by two of his patients.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has co-ordinated the first quarterly reports on Defence Regulation 33B; how many times this Regulation has been applied and with what effect on the incidence of venereal disease in the respective districts?

As not many of the reports to which my hon. Friend refers have so far been received from medical officers of health, I am not yet able to give the desired information.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give the number or the percentage increase since the war in cases of venereal disease in each of the North Wales counties; the number of treatment clinics for the disease in each county at the last available date and the number pre-war; whether it is intended to increase the number; and what steps he is taking in this area to combat this evil?

The numbers of cases of venereal disease in the six counties of North Wales attending treatment centres for the first time in 1939 and 1942 were 355 and 281 respectively, representing a decrease of about 21 per cent. I will send my hon. Friend an analysis of these figures, county by county, as soon as possible. Clinic facilities in this area are the same to-day as before the war. There is one clinic in Carnarvonshire and one in Denbighshire, the needs of the counties of Anglesey, Flint, Merioneth, and Montgomery being served by hospital outpatient departments at Bangor, Chester and Shrewsbury. There are no immediate plans for increasing these facilities, but the general situation with regard to venereal disease in this area is under review.

asked the Minister of Health when his plans for a comprehensive medical and health service are likely to be brought before the House; whether he is receiving advice and information and taking evidence in preparation for this; and whether it will include the mental hospital and mental deficiency services?

Preliminary discussions are now taking place with representatives of the medical profession, the local authorities and the voluntary hospitals. I contemplate publishing in advance of the introduction of legislation and, I hope, in the course of the next two or three months a general statement of my proposals which will afford all concerned an opportunity of considering and criticising them. The answer to the last part of the Question is "No, Sir."

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet reopened the matter of war-time nurseries in Burnley; and if he is aware that the corporation tenders were not on estimated costs basis but were definite offers on actual costs basis and were less than the tenders of private firms?

I have asked my senior regional officer to discuss this matter with the town council and I have ascertained that he is in communication with them on it. On the second part of the Question I would call attention to the latter part of the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend on 25th March.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take legislative steps to provide pensions for persons permanently suffering from varying degrees of physical infirmity directly traceable to the consumption of milk supplied by the Ministry of Food containing pathogenic organisms productive of diseases in consumers and which medical officers of health have no power to reject?

No, Sir. I do not think that this would be an appropriate method of dealing with the problem of ensuring a supply of clean and safe milk. That problem is engaging the closest attention of the Government and I would ask my hon. Friend to await a statement of policy which it is hoped to make at an early date.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether statistics exist to show that the health of the children in private schools is worse than that of children in local authority schools?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health whether his estimators have made estimates of the cost of each type of the agricultural cottages recently published; and is he satisfied that the kitchens and pantries are suitable for country use and also the bedrooms and closets, or are these being reconsidered?

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes, Sir," and I would refer my hon. Friend also to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton (Mr. Craven-Ellis) on 31st March. On the second part of the Question I am certain that suitable cottages can be designed on the basis of the type plans issued for the general guidance of the local authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the altered circumstances of house owners owing to the war, he will take steps to ensure that there are no obstacles such as conditions under leases allowed to prevent the sub-division of large houses into flats?

Section 163 of the Housing Act, 1936, enables the county court in certain circumstances to vary the terms of a lease which is restrictive in the sense referred to by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the clause, printed in the new supplementary pension books, indicating that the first 16s. of earnings are to be ignored in the calculation of supplementary pensions; and whether he has any statement to make thereon?

The Assistance Board inform me that no statement such as my hon. Friend describes appears generally in their order books. They can only assume that he has seen a book issued in some particular case where the pensioner is in part-time employment and his income from earnings was taken into account when his supplementary pension was assessed.

asked the Minister of Health the present figures of illegitimate births; their local incidence and their survival rate compared with legitimate births; and in how many cases either of the parents have absconded or have not been traced?

The number of illegitimate live births registered in England and Wales in 1942 was 35,164, being 54 per 1,000 total live births. The remaining parts of the Question raise issues too complicated to be dealt with in a Parliamentary reply, and I will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that most University chairs now falling vacant are being promptly filled; and whether he will take action to secure that in appropriate cases appointments should be delayed until after the war to enable the applications of potential candidates now with the Forces to be considered?

Apart from the relatively small number of Regius Professorships, appointments to University chairs are a matter for the authorities of the University concerned. So far as my information goes, however, the position is not generally as stated in the first part of the Question, and I have no doubt that when it is considered necessary to fill a vacant chair, the claims of candidates absent from the University on various forms of national service receive proper consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is proposing to take to ensure that the future rights of the existing shareholders in Messrs. Short Brothers may be effectively safeguarded when the Government decides to discontinue its temporary wartime ownership of the shares?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave on 6th April on this subject, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether consideration will be given to the Bank of England being taken over by a public utility corporation preparatory to the establishment of an international clearing union?

No, Sir. This matter does not arise out of the proposals in the White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount paid out in war damage up to any recent convenient date; and the amount collected in premiums to the same date since the outbreak of war?

No, Sir. As has previously been explained to the House, it would not be in the public interest to disclose the figures relating to the business scheme; and as figures for the payments and contributions in respect of land and buildings and for the payments and receipts under the private chattels scheme are from time to time published, the disclosure of totals for the War Damage Acts as a whole, would enable the figures it has been found desirable to withhold to be deduced.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the statement by the chairman of the War Damage Commission that advances of value payments were only made where the work was not contrary to the public interest on town and country planning considerations; what town and country plans are referred to and how they are ascertained?

Section 7 (1) of the War Damage Act, 1941, empowers the Treasury to give directions to be observed by the War Damage Commission for securing that the payments in respect of war damage made by the Commission shall be in conformity with the public interest as respects, among other matters, town and country planning. The Commission cannot pay any immediate value payments where such a payment would conflict with any direction under Section 7 which was in force at the time of the payment. The town and country planning considerations mentioned by the chairman of the Commission are ascertained by reference to any such directions which are from time to time given by the Treasury.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that hardship is imposed on a number of widows of men killed in the great war, 1914–18, as a result of the imposition of Income Tax on their pensions now that they are augmenting these relatively small pensions by earnings on war work; and whether, in view of the fact that no tax is levied on the marriage allowance granted to the wife whilst her husband is serving in the Army, he will arrange for at least the first 21s. of this type of widow's pension to be exempt from Income Tax?

With regard to the taxation of widows' pensions I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Deritend (Sir Smedley Crooke) on 24th June last. As regards the last part of the Question, the treatment of service allowances is exceptional and, as I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Sir I. Albery) in reply to a Question on 10th February, 1942, the taxation position of all service allowances will have to be reviewed after the war.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as all employers have to deduct Income Tax from the salaries of their employees, householders are expected to deduct Income Tax from domestic servants who are receiving wages above the Income Tax limit?

Under the regulations governing the deduction of Income Tax from salaries and wages any employer may be required to deduct tax from his employees' pay, and a householder who receives a notification from the collector of taxes requiring him to deduct tax from the wages of a domestic servant employed by him is under a statutory obligation to deduct the tax in accordance with the notification. Tax is not deductible unless the employer has been specifically required to make the deduction.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take any action to exclude war savings from the calculation of means of applicants for public assistance?

No, Sir. The undertaking given by my predecessor on the 23rd April, 1940, as to the disregard of war savings for the purposes of the means test, did not extend to public assistance. The question of such an extension was very fully considered in connection with the legislation which gave effect to that undertaking, and there have been no subsequent developments which would justify a reopening of the conclusion then reached.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of the contributions, known as Imperial Contributions, which have been paid to this Government by the Government of Northern Ireland under the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, during the period 1922 to 1943; the total amount due to this Government by the Government of Northern Ireland; and the total amount of the moneys for all purposes that has been paid by this Government to the Government of Northern Ireland during this period?

The Imperial Contributions paid by Northern Ireland to the Imperial Exchequer from 1st April, 1922, to 31st March, 1943, total £76,000,000, subject to revision in respect of the last two years. So far as I am aware no substantial sum is due but outstanding from Northern Ireland. The total payments from the Imperial Exchequer to Northern Ireland over the same period amount to £32,000,000, similarly subject to revision, after excluding the residuary share of reserved taxes, land purchase annuities (amounting to about £650,000 a year) under Section 25 of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, and all payments for agency services.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the date of the recent revaluation of property in Northern Ireland; and what percentage of the revenue derived from Northern Ireland by the Imperial Exchequer in the last financial year was due to that revaluation?

The revaluation of property in Northern Ireland under the Act of 1932 came into force for rating purposes on 1st April, 1936, and for Income Tax purposes for the year 1936–37. I regret that information is not available to enable me to make the estimate asked for in the second part of the Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the Income Tax fell on individual taxpayers and how much on the undistributed profits of companies, in each of the last 15 years?

I regret that this information is not available as the annual statistics relating to Income Tax assessments do not distinguish the amount of undistributed profits of companies. I would, however, refer my hon. Friend to the answer, given on 23rd July last to the hon. Member for Walton (Mr. Purbrick) [OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 382, cols. 200–202] when estimates were given of the tax payable on personal and non-personal incomes (mainly companies reserves) for the years 1938–39 and 1941–42.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the all-in cost of the average four-engined bomber used in the bombing of Berlin; how many manhours of labour are expended in its construction; and whether he will give figures on the same basis for the Mark IX Spitfire or average single-seater fighter?

I regret that these details cannot be given for security reasons.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is taking any special steps to stop pilfering at the ports from parcels addressed to British prisoners of war and from lifeboat supplies for the succour of shipwrecked mariners as reported at the annual meeting of the Liverpool Steamship Association, a copy of which has been sent to him?

I regret that pilfering in the ports has increased since the beginning of the war, and that it has included thefts from parcels addressed to British prisoners of war, and from the supplies provided in the lifeboats on ocean-going ships. I agree with the authors of the annual report of the Liverpool Steamship Owners' Association when they say that such theft is as serious as looting. My Noble Friend, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, have already taken vigorous steps to ensure that the various authorities of the port shall work closely together to combat this evil. I can assure my hon. Friend that the whole matter is kept constantly under review, and that all such cases as those to which he refers will be closely followed up.

asked the Minister of Supply to what extent it is illegal under the Defence Regulations to use wood for erecting gates for replacement; and under what conditions spare timber can be used?

The use of timber is subject to licence, and is not licensed for erecting gates for replacement, other than those needed for agricultural purposes. The question of permitting the use of wood below a certain diameter is, however, under consideration.

asked the Minister of Information what steps he has taken to prevent newspapers publishing detailed information regarding the war production of specific industrial centres in this country; and whether he is satisfied that the steps taken are adequate?

Regulations have been agreed with the Press which prevent the publication of any detailed information about the production of munitions or the centres where they are produced, and I am satisfied that this request is being generally observed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make a statement on recent operations in Burma; and what is the position in that theatre of operations?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Ayr Burghs (Sir T. Moore) by my right hon. Friend on Tuesday last.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will remove the discrimination between members of the Joint Council of Chiropodists of Great Britain and the members of the Board of Registration of Medical Auxiliaries serving in the Army; and whether he will use the registry of the Joint Council in enlisting chiropodists for the Army?

Tradesmen chiropodists are enlisted from the supplementary roll of chiropodists instituted by the board of registration of medical auxiliaries without prejudice to their membership of any chiropodist organisation. The institution of a single roll has definite advantages from the point of view of the War Office.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is possible to grant the girls who are serving in the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes a railway voucher to their homes when they have their leave, as all the other girls in the Forces have this privilege?

The female members of N.A.A.F.I.'s staff referred to by my hon. Friend are employees of the Corporation and their emoluments and conditions of service are not directly comparable with those of Army personnel. I understand that those employed in N.A.A.F.I. restaurants at home receive four travel vouchers in every twelve months. In each case the corporation pays the cost in excess of 10s. 0d.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the policy of paying fees to firewatchers for attending lectures in addition to their regular pay of 3s. a night is causing discontent when comparison is made with the members of the Home Guard attending lectures without pay; and whether he will confine monetary recompense to firewatchers to their regular hours of duty?

Subsistence allowances are payable to business premises' fire guards at the standard rates in respect of any occasion on which they are required to attend outside their working hours for instruction or training in like manner as if they were performing fire prevention duties under the arrangements at their business premises. Where, however, a fire guard is required to attend for instruction during or immediately before or after a period of fire guard duty at his business premises, the period of his attendance for such instruction would not be treated for subsistence allowance purposes as a separate occasion. It was agreed with the National Advisory Council for Fire Prevention that wherever possible training should be carried out, either during the trainee's normal turn of duty or inside his working hours. In the former case a fire guard would be eligible for one subsistence allowance covering the period of his normal duty, and in the latter case he would not be eligible for a subsistence allowance at all, but as I have indicated in the first part of my reply, a business premises' fire guard who of necessity is required to attend for instruction outside his normal working hours and outside his normal turn of fire prevention duty, is eligible for subsistence allowance in respect of that attendance.

asked the Prime Minister whether the area of Northern Ireland, consisting of six counties of the Province of Ulster, is a belligerent or non-belligerent state; and, if belligerent, when war was declared on behalf of this area and by what Government this declaration was made?

Northern Ireland is not a separate State but an integral part of the United Kingdom, and no separate declaration of war in respect of Northern Ireland was necessary. War with Germany was declared on 3rd September, 1939.

asked the Minister of Health on what grounds the services of highly skilled osteopaths have been declined; why men and women in His Majesty's Services are not permitted to be treated by osteopaths, especially in cases where other medical treatment has not been effective; and whether he has any information to show the number of persons who have been discharged from His Majesty's Services to whom osteopathic treatment might have been applied, whether or not under, medical advice, or to whom such treatment has been applied successfully after discharge?

I have been asked to reply. There is no restriction on the use of the services of osteopaths who are registered medical practitioners and men and women in His Majesty's Forces are allowed to make their own arrangements to be treated by them under the normal rules. I am informed that the answer to the last part of the Question is not available.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give a brief explanation as to the reasons for the introduction by his Department of Statutory Rule and Order No. 462?

Under Article 22 (paragraph (2)) of the Aliens Order, aliens who are members of H.M. Forces are deemed not to be aliens for the purposes of the Order, and are, therefore, exempt from all its provisions. There are, however, certain requirements of the Aliens Order which ought to apply to those aliens who, as members of the Home Guard, perform part-time military service. Statutory Rule and Order No. 462 sets out the provisions which apply to alien members of the Home Guard.

asked the Home Secretary whether dental treatment is afforded to prisoners undergoing sentence in His Majesty's prisons and under what conditions; whether such treatment is provided free of cost or whether payment is insisted on before attention; what are the terms of appointment of the dental surgeons; and what supervision of the prison dental arrangements there is?

Yes, Sir. Each prison is visited regularly by a registered dental surgeon practising in the neighbourhood and if immediate dental treatment is required to relieve pain or for the preservation of the general health of any prisoner who is unable to pay treatment is given at the public expense. In other cases a person who wants dental treatment while in prison is required to pay. Convicts serving substantial sentences and Borstal inmates are supplied with dentures at the public expense whenever necessary. Dental surgeons are paid at the rates approved under the National Health Insurance Scheme and the arrangements are supervised by the Commissioner responsible for the Prison Medical Service.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give an assurance that the resolution passed by the Huntingdon Borough Council on 1st April, relating to the alleged unfair liability falling upon fire brigade authorities by reason of payments by them under the Fire Brigades Pensions Act, 1925, on account of a war injury, will be given effect to?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I have given today to my hon. Friend the Member for North-Eastern Derbyshire (Mr. H. White) of which I am sending him a copy.