asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether, in connection with the supply of home-produced fruits which have now been taken off the points rationing scheme, he will explain how it is that within 24 hours of the decontrol these goods have been disposed of in bulk and no supplies remain available for the general public?

The purpose of the release was to pass into consumption quickly the stocks in the hands of retailers and wholesale suppliers and I have every reason to believe this object was achieved. The stocks were not more than sufficient to meet the very heavy public demand for more than a short time. Inquiries among retailers show that, to assist fair distribution, some restricted, sales to a limited quantity each day, and others held stocks over to this week, but where spread over methods were not employed, the stocks, in general, would be cleared within twenty-four hours. I know of no bulk sales having been made after the announcement was issued.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether. he proposes to extend to the provinces the present London ban on sales of fresh tomatoes to hotels and restaurants, so that there may be the widest distribution to the private consumer rather than bulk acquisition?

The committee responsible for distributing tomatoes in London has, with the Ministry's approval, restricted the supply of tomatoes to catering establishments as a temporary measure in view of the fact that tomatoes will be in very short supply in London while the first series of allocations is being made to provincial centres. No general ban is being placed on sales of tomatoes to caterers who, as supplies become generally available, will receive an appropriate. proportion through their usual suppliers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why no gooseberries are exposed for sale in London shops?

Few gooseberries have been offered for sale hitherto because growers have rightly deferred picking to increase the weight of the crop. It is not expected that any very large quantity will be available for distribution as fresh fruit since a substantial proportion of what in any case is a small crop will be reserved for jam-making.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he is aware of the unpatriotic action of a few people who manage by devious means to get more than a fair share of food and other commodities which are in short supply; and what action he proposes to take to prevent this?

I understand that the hon. Member may be referring to the practice of some retailers of reserving supplies of certain foodstuffs for their regular customers. This practice is not undesirable and is frequently the only method of preventing shop-crawling by persons who have more time than others to devote to shopping. If the hon. Member will give me particulars of any cases where the reserving of food for particular customers is being abused I will gladly have inquiries made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether with a view to securing greater uniformity of treatment as between the rural worker and the town dweller, who has the advantage of obtaining cheap meals at a British Restaurant, he will consider increasing the maximum number of meat pies which the rural dweller is permitted to buy from four to six per week and reduce the price per pie from 4d. to 3d.?

Although difficulties of organisation and transport may make it necessary in certain areas to restrict the number of meat pies, snacks, etc., sold under schemes for rural workers and residents, no limitations are imposed by my Department, nor has it attempted to fix uniform prices for the variety of packed meals distributed. If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind, I shall be glad to inquire into it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food why no attempt is made to provide the correct meat ration for Northern Ireland during seasonal periods of shortage, when sufficient locally-produced meat is insufficient in view of the fact that areas which produce no meat at all are not made liable to seasonal reductions?

It has not been considered necessary in the past to make good the seasonal shortages in view of their very brief nature, but steps will be taken to avoid a reduction in the ration in future.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, why some of the announcements, published by the Ministry of Food in local newspapers on 5th June, made no reference to the right of a householder to collect all new ration books for the household on the same day; why, in some cases, the contrary was indicated and what corrections will be issued?

In some areas it is impracticable to complete the issue of documents for early surnames on days when later surnames are being dealt with. The reason for this is that sufficient storage space is not available at the office of distribution for all undistributed documents and these have to be transferred elsewhere for safe keeping. In order to overcome this difficulty, instructions were issued on 1st June to all food executive officers that they should collect the old documents and send by registered post the new documents which they were unable to issue for the reason I have explained. The local advertisements to which my hon. Friend calls attention are inserted by local food offices. Steps are being taken to correct any advertisements brought to the attention of my Department which do not carry out my noble Friend's directions in this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the increasing absenteeism amongst schoolchildren, he will consider allowing school bells to be rung in order to remind children of the time?

I understand from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Home Security that it is now permissible for school bells, other than hand bells, to be rung to summon children to school, provided that the bell would not be liable to be mistaken for a signal for any other purpose. In any case of doubt the chief constable should first be consulted by the school authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will consider raising the fine imposed on parents by magistrates for non-attendance at school by their children?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in the book it is pro- posed to publish recording the war achievements of industry and the contribution made by workers, some account will be given of the work of the industrial management and the sacrifices these men have made in the interests of the national effort?

The book to which I presume my hon. and gallant Friend refers deals with the story of the mobilisation of.the man- and woman-power of this country. The contribution made by workers and managements to the war effort in the field of production is a much wider subject which does not come within the scope of this publication.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that men were at work on Sunday morning, 6th June, demolishing the remains of derelict houses in Westminster which had been standing empty for more than two years since damage by enemy action; and whether there was any reason of urgency that necessitated Sunday work on this job?

Hitherto a small reserve of men has been kept available in London on Sunday mornings in case they are required for urgent work on demolition or clearance following an air raid, and the work referred to in the Question was carried out by this reserve. It was not of special urgency but as no other work of an urgent character was available it was thought better to keep the men employed rather than to pay them for doing nothing. The arrangements described have recently been under review by the London Regional Commissioners, and it has been decided to substitute alternative arrangements, which will come into force at an early date, to ensure that a supply of men is made available only if there is reason to think that it will be required for urgent work.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he is aware that open-cast mining is taking place on a large scale; that its operation is causing devastation; and will he, in the plan for reconstruction, consider examining the question of afforestation on the sites where the coal has been removed and so make the countryside a place of beauty?

My right hon. Friend is aware that open-cast mining is taking place, and I understand that my Noble Friend the Minister of Works, who is by arrangement with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power carrying out the necessary operations, is already arranging for as much restoration of the sites concerned as is possible at the present time, and in all cases where agricultural land is concerned the surface is being restored. My right hon. Friend understands that little opportunity for afforestation is afforded by the remaining sites, which in any case comprise only a small acreage. The possibilities of afforestation will, however, be borne in mind.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the removal of distinctive badges of rank between regular and temporary Army officers and the contemplated parallel action in the Royal Air Force, it is intended to take similar steps in the Royal Navy, particularly in view of the confusion caused to Allied Forces by the three different sets of lace worn by naval officers?

Such a change as that suggested by my hon. Friend is precluded for the present by the amount of gold lace which it would require. Nor am I aware of any strong desire on the part of naval reserve officers to change their traditional types of lace.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the achievements of our forces in Africa and elsewhere in the Middle East, he will consider the award of service medals to members of the Forces who have served in those theatres of operations?

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now arrange for the issue of medal ribbons to men and women who have served continuously in the British Forces from the early days of the war, or who, having been in one or other of the Services from the qualifying date, have been discharged since on medical grounds?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friends to the reply which I gave to-day to my hon. Friends the Members for Stoke (Mr. E. Smith) and Withington (Squadron-Leader Fleming).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the complaints of trade union leaders in Jamaica that upon the Seven Rivers property certain workers are denied war bonus whilst others receive less than the wages to which they are entitled; that rates of wages for work in plantations are as low as is. 9d. per day for men and is. for women, which rates are too low for adequate subsistence, whilst the hours worked are from 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.; and whether he will call for a detailed report on this position with a view to remedy?

The complaints referred to have not previously been brought to my notice. A Proclamation by the Governor of Jamaica dated 2nd December, 1942, fixed the minimum wage for sugar workers at 2s. 6d. a day (including war bonus) for able-bodied men, and is. 6d. a day for able-bodied women. I will certainly ask the Governor for a report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what social legislation has been introduced in the Bahamas in the last three months; and whether the new laws relating to labour fulfil the requirements of the Colonial Development and Welfare Act?

A Trade Unions Act and Workmen's Compensation Act have recently been enacted by the Bahamas legislature, and I understand that legislation dealing with the hours of work of shop assistants and old age pensions is under consideration. The Trade Unions Act does not contain all the provisions which should appear in such legislation for the purposes of Section 1 (2) (a) of the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1940.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the distress frequently caused to the recipients of chain letters, he will take steps to make the sending of chain letters through the post during the war an offence?

I presume that my hon. Friend is referring to the type of chain letters which are not of the nature of illegal lotteries but prophesy misfortune to the breaker of the chain. I entirely share my hon. Friend's view as to the undesirable character of this type of chain letter which trades on ignorance and superstition and causes unnecessary suffering to the credulous. But it is not every mischief which is a fit subject for the criminal law, even in war time, and I cannot undertake to introduce legislation on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will investigate the protest by the Ibstock miners who complain that working seven days a week in addition to first-aid duties they are now placed under a new arrangement which compels them to go on duty and sleep at Coalville on certain nights each week for such first-aid duties; whether he is aware that these Leicestershire miners are always among those who reach a maximum of output; and whether, to ensure that this new arrangement does not interfere with their physical well-being, he will obviate this enforced duty by making other and better arrangements?

I am having inquiries made and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as they are completed.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that there is difficulty in obtaining snare wire; that, owing to the mild winter; rabbits are numerous; that it is difficult to keep them down without wire; and whether he will take steps to increase the supplies of snare wire?

Snare wire is made from copper or brass and the raw materials for its manufacture are in short supply. The quantity used is considerable, and it has recently been necessary to inquire more closely into applications in order to ensure that material released for snare wires will, in fact, be used for snare wires. This may have led to temporary difficulties in some districts, but it is hoped that the action taken will improve the supplies actually applied to this essential purpose.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he aware that a Bank of England £5 note is not accepted at Euston Station in payment for a railway ticket unless the passenger signs his name and address on the back of the note and pro-

I understand that the London, Midland and Scottish Railway ask persons who tender Bank of England notes to put their names and addresses on the back. They have not given instructions that identity cards must be produced. Standard instructions to all railway booking offices in regard to the acceptance of bank notes are at present under consideration.

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 mental hospitals of England and Wales in 1942, giving figures for males and females separately, and the comparative figures for 1938, 1939, 1940 and 1941?

The figures asked for are set out in the following table: