asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works what progress has been made with the erection of experimental houses built of varying materials so as to demonstrate possible methods and costs; and what steps are being taken to make the results available to the housing authorities.

The site for the houses which are being erected to demonstrate various methods of construction, alternative materials and comparative costs, was secured early in December. The necessary preliminaries, such as construction of access roads, have been completed. Plans have been completed for five pairs of houses. Work on the houses themselves is not being started until 1st February, when the worst of the winter weather, which might detract from the value of the demonstration so far as cost is concerned, should be over. The houses and results obtained will, in due course, be available for local authorities and all those interested.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether, in view of the fact that housing would appear to offer such great opportunities for the re-absorption of our man-and woman-power because of the multitude of industries affected, he will expedite the work of Sir George Burt's committee which is investigating new methods of construction.

The Report of this Committee is now in the printers' hands.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works if he will give an assurance that people will not be housed in disused huts except in an emergency, in view of the fact that prefabricated structures, manufactured by reputable firms under architectural supervision are far preferable to huts of the Nissen type which have been utilised.

I have been asked to reply. The answer is "Yes, Sir."

asked the Minister of Food why he approved the letter addressed to cold storage companies which began with a recital of his Ministry's powers of compulsion and went on to demand the production of pre-war accounts and balance sheets.

As I explained in a letter to my hon. Friend, I consider that the request made in the letter referred was necessary and its terms unobjectionable.

asked the Minister of Food what was the number of fresh eggs allocated to each consumer in the London area during the months of November and December; and whether he estimates that a larger supply would be available if the price to the producer were raised, the cost to be borne by the consumer.

The answer to the first part of the Question is, "Two, Sir," and to the second, "No, Sir." The limiting factor is feeding stuffs and not price.

asked the Minister of Food the numbers of boxes of eggs packed at the different packing stations during the half-year ending 31st December, 1941, and each subsequent half-year to date.

I regret that it is not in the national interest that figures such as those asked for should be given in war time.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in exercising the power to approve persons whose names are submitted for appointment to the local food control committees, under paragraph 7 of the Food Control Committees (Constitution) Order, 1943, he approves the names submitted of all persons duly qualified to sit on the Committee, without regard to the question whether adequate representation will be afforded to different sections of local opinion if the appointments proposed by the local authorities are approved.

Yes, Sir. The order itself provides that the opinion of consumers and of different classes of trade members is represented.

asked the Minister without Portfolio what steps are beng taken by the Minister of Reconstruction to prepare a comprehensive diagrammatic plan of Great Britain showing proposed road construction, the allocation of housing sites and industrial areas, and any urgent public works which are to be undertaken immediately the requisite civil engineering labour and plant are available; and whether any preliminary arrangements are now in hand for any of these works, particularly as such arrangements would not involve the deflecting of man-power or materials from the war effort.

While I doubt the advantages of preparing such a diagram for Great Britain as a whole, I can assure my hon. Friend that the more practical preliminaries, to which he refers in the second part of his Question, are being taken in hand.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether he proposes to introduce legislation relating to the future of British woodlands this Session.

The Forestry Commission already possess wide powers under the Forestry Act, 1919, and unless it were intended to alter the constitution of the Commission or to extend their powers I do not think further legislation would be necessary. There are certain minor issues in regard to the dedication proposals and other matters which may call for further powers. I may add that a supplementary report by the Forestry Commissioners on the proposals in regard to private woodlands will be issued shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for War if it has yet been found possible to increase the number of air letters allowed to troops serving overseas.

Prices of certain agricultural commodities in England and Wales (including Government payments).
Commodity.			Unit.	Pre-war average 1936–37 to 1938–39.		Harvest year 1940–41.
				s.	d.	s.	d.
Wheat	…	…	cwt.	9	10	14	6
Barley	…	…	cwt.	10	4	20	10
Oats	…	…	cwt.	7	6	14	8
Potatoes (Maincrop)	…	…	ton	101	10	133	0
Sugar Beet	…	…	ton	42	5	65	6
Milk	…	…	gallon	1	0·8	1	7·6
Fat Cattle	…	…	per live cwt.	45	6	62	7
Fat Cows	…	…	per live cwt.	25	10	38	4
Fat Sheep	…	…	lb. deadweight		10	1	1½
Bacon Pigs	…	…	per score deadweight	12	4	19	8
Pork Pigs	…	…	per score deadweight	13	8	19	0
Sows	…	…	per score deadweight	9	6	15	2
Eggs	…	…	per 120	15	1	28	1

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in estimating the effect of the rise in wages upon farmers' costs, he took into account the fact that such a rise affects the wage structure throughout the rural districts and so tends to increase the costs of trades ancillary to agriculture, such as blacksmiths and wheelwrights, entailing a corresponding addition to their charges for services to agriculture.

Yes, Sir. As from 1st January, troops overseas will be allowed five instead of four air letters in every four-week period.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of cases of injury to British subjects by American Army vehicles in which no compensation has been paid in respect of the injuries.

I regret that these figures are not readily available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will state for the principal agricultural commodities the pre-war average prices for the years 1936–1938, as compared with the prices for the harvest year 1940–1941.

The figures asked for are as follow:

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend's calculation of the effect of last wear's wage increases includes an appropriate margin for contingencies, and among these are the contingencies described by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the status of Italian prisoners of war in this country has now been decided so that arrangements can be made to pay wages direct to those willing to do a full day's work in food production.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Petersfield (Sir G. Jeffreys) yesterday.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any conditions of sale are imposed on British films when they are distributed abroad.

Yes, Sir. Any contract negotiated by the exporter of a British film with a foreign distributor normally includes certain conditions of sale. If my hon. Friend will let me have particulars of any special condition of sale which she has in mind, I shall be glad to look into the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the date of the last meeting of the consultative committee appointed to advise him; whether the committee is still functioning; and who are its present members.

The Consultative Committee held its last meeting on 13th October, 1938. The periods of office of its members have expired and the Committee is in abeyance during the war.

asked the Postmaster General if there is yet an airgraph service to Malta; and, if such a service is not practicable, whether a system could be devised whereby airgraphs addressed to Malta could be transmitted to North Africa or Egypt and forwarded from there to Malta.

The provision of a direct airgraph service to Malta would necessitate the setting-up of a photographic installation on the Island, and the volume of correspondence is not sufficient to justify that course. An indirect airgraph service via North Africa or Egypt would compare unfavourably in point of speed with the existing 3d. air postcard and 6d. air letter services to the Forces in Malta, which afford air transmission throughout to the Island. I should not be justified in maintaining the air postcard service if an airgraph service were provided, and, as the balance of advantage rests in the case of Malta with the air postcard service, I propose to retain it in preference to the provision of indirect airgraph facilities.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he is aware of the difficulties arising out of the inadequate transport facilities for men working at the Penallta Colliery, Hengoed, Glamorganshire; that miners from surrounding areas have lost many shifts on account of omnibus breakdowns; and if he is satisfied that adequate steps have been taken to remedy this position.

The omnibus services from the Merthyr district to the Penallta Colliery have recently been re-organised, and I have good reason to hope that they will in future be satisfactory.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he can make any statement on the action of dockers in refusing to unload oranges at a British port on the ground that, owing to the presence of a bomb en route to this country it was a dangerous cargo and therefore demanded extra pay, while the work was eventually carried out by soldiers and civilians without extra remuneration; and what action was taken in regard to the refusal of the dockers to assist.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for this opportunity of removing misunderstandings which have arisen about the unloading of oranges from ships which arrived recently at a British port. Before any question of employing civilian labour could arise, experienced naval bomb disposal personnel, with special appliances, were put on board, to deal with any explosives which there might be among the cargo. These naval personnel were shortly afterwards augmented by troops to assist in dealing with the suspected cargo, which was discharged into barges. I understand that there was a discussion as to the rates of pay that would have been appropriate had civilian dockers been called upon to discharge the cargo, but the work was, in fact, done by Service personnel.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his reasons for advising against the publication of damage done to the buildings and collections of national museums and art galleries during the present war.

The governing considerations in deciding whether information of this kind can be published are whether the information is likely to be of use to the enemy and whether its publication would serve a useful public purpose. I am advised that the publication of a complete list of the National Museums and Art Galleries which have been damaged might be of assistance to the enemy, and, on the other hand, I am not aware of any public interest that would be served by the publication of this information at the present time. I hope, therefore, that my hon. and gallant Friend will not press for the publication of the particulars for which he has asked.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can give any information in connection with the raid made by the police in January, 1944, on the Underwood Club, Underwood Street, Whitechapel, as a result of which Percy Forrest and Louis Samuel were charged with keeping a gambling club; and how many people were in the club at the time of the raid.

I presume my hon. Friend refers to the Umberston Club, Umberston Street. This club was entered by the police on the 1st January under a Magistrate's warrant. Fifty-nine persons were arrested, of whom Percy Forrest, John Dorras, and Louis Samuel were charged as principals, and the remaining 56 persons as frequenters. On the 3rd January Forrest was sentenced to six months imprisonment; Samuel was sentenced to three months imprisonment and ordered to pay £12 costs; and the charge against Dorras was withdrawn. The 56 frequenters were each fined 6s. 8d. and bound over. Samuel has given notice of appeal against his sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of complaints that children seek and gain entrance to cinemas where A and H films are being shown by requesting adult patrons who are strangers to accompany them as parents or guardians; and whether, in view of the impossibility of proving that those who consent are not parents or guardians of the children, he can empower appropriate administrative authorities to prevent all children seeing unsuitable A or H films.

The question whether certain films which are not classified as suitable for universal exhibition should be absolutely barred by the local licensing authorities for all children and young persons under 16, or should be barred only for those who are not accompanied by a parent or adult guardian, was carefully considered in 1932 by a Consultative Committee containing representatives of the local licensing authorities in England and Wales. This Committee, while recognising that the risk of evasion to which my hon. Friend refers cannot be altogether eliminated, nevertheless came to the conclusion that a condition which leaves some discretion and responsibility to the parents is better than one which deprives parents of any discretion, including discretion to differentiate between children of eight or 10 and those of 14 or 15. The experience of the Home Office supported this view, and an explanatory circular of advice was sent to the local licensing authorities. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of that circular.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of recent decisions of the courts, immediate steps will be taken to introduce a Bill to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act in such a way as to render it more capable of effecting its objects.

Offences under the Prevention of Corruption Acts, 1889 to 1916, are defined in comprehensive terms. In particular it is provided by Section 2 of the 1916 Act that any money, gift, or other consideration paid or given to or received by any person in the employment of His Majesty or a Government Department or a public body by or from a person, or agent of a person, seeking to obtain a contract, shall be deemed to have been paid, given and received corruptly unless the contrary is proved. The Home Office has at present no information to suggest that the statutory provisions are inadequate, but if my hon. Friend has any suggestions for the amendment of the law on this subject perhaps he would be good enough to forward them for consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he can state the present position of forced African labour in Southern Rhodesia; and if an assurance can be given that forced labour in Southern Rhodesia will not be maintained after the war.

A summary of the provisions of the Southern Rhodesia Compulsory Native Labour Act, 1942, was given in the reply to the hon. Member for Shipley (Mr. Creech Jones) on 23rd June, 1942. No recent information is available as to the number of natives who have been called up under the Act, but the Chief Native Commissioner for Southern Rhodesia has reported that the Act was working smoothly and without hardship to the natives. The operation of the Act is restricted to the period of the present war.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the increased cost of living, he will give consideration to the position of retired Indian civil servants resident in this country with the object of increasing their pensions.

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced on 3rd December, His Majesty's Government are considering the grant of increases in the lower ranges of pensions to mitigate really severe hardship. The Government of India will be asked to consider whether similar increases to those that may be granted to Imperial pensioners might appropriately be given to corresponding pensioners of the Government of India residing here.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that tax conventions exist as between the U.S.A. on the one hand and Canada, Mexico, Sweden and pre-war France on the other for the avoidance of double taxation upon their respective nationals; how often the United States Government has in the past approached the British Government with a view to concluding a similar convention; and why no agreement was reached.

Yes, Sir. As regards the second part of the Question, the only approach that has been received from the U.S. Government is that contained in a Note of 4th January of this year inquiring whether His Majesty's Government were prepared to engage with the United States Government in preliminary technical discussions with a view to the conclusion of a convention for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion. The matter is under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that in a large number of cases people who write to Government Departments receive neither answer nor acknowledgment; and if he will give instructions that this practice is to terminate.

In May 1940, following a recommendation made by an inter-Departmental Committee on paper shortage, it was suggested to Government Departments that routine acknowledgments of incoming letters, etc., should be confined to those containing valuable or important documents. The need for economy in the use of paper still exists, and the time has not yet come to withdraw that suggestion. I am certainly not aware that large numbers of letters to Government Departments which call for a reply receive no answers, and if this indeed be so, I suggest that my hon. Friend should take the matter up with the Departments concerned.

asked the Prime Minister if it is his intention to proceed with the Water Undertakings Bill during this Session.

The Water Undertakings Bill of last Session was primarily a Measure of consolidation. Some such Measure would probably be a necessary preliminary to the enactment of legislation to deal with major issues relating to water supply, which are at present under review, but I cannot at the moment say whether it will be possible to proceed with it during the current Session.

asked the Attorney-General what is the total number of undefended divorce cases tried on circuit and

Decrees Nisi granted in Defended and Undefended Matrimonial Causes heard in London and at Assizes.
Year				(i) LONDON.		(ii) ASSIZES.	TOTAL.
				Defended.	Undefended.
1939	…	…	…	1,429	3,090	3,969	8,488
1940	…	…	…	1,360	2,731	3,221	7,312
1941	…	…	…	927	2,371	3,201	6,499
1942	…	…	…	1,391	3,317	4,173	8,881
1943	…	…	…	1,872	3,760	4,473	10,105
							41,285
Notes.—(i) The defended causes comprise an unascertained proportion which are listed as defended solely because the discretion of the court is to be sought.
(ii) The precise analysis as between defended and undefended causes for these years is not available, but, roughly speaking, there were amongst them from 100 to 150 defended divorces in each year.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will consider introducing a brief amending Bill raising the income limit of would-be beneficiaries under Poor Persons Rules by a reasonable

The statistics relating to matrimonial causes are kept in calendar and not in judicial years. They are not kept so as to distinguish, in respect of cases tried at assizes, between those which are defended and those which are undefended. The information for which my hon. Friend asks cannot be given without an expenditure of time and labour which I do not think would be justified at the present time. So far as the figures are presently available, I have given them in the appended table.During the period to which my hon. Friend refers there were 118 interventions by the King's Proctor, resulting in the rescission of 49 decrees in four of which collusion was alleged in conjunction with other charges. I would remind my hon. Friend that Section 178 of the Supreme Court of Judicature (Consolidation) Act, 1925, as amended by the Matrimonial Causes Act, 1937, expressly makes it the duty of the trial judge to find an absence of connivance, condonation or collusion, and unless he does so he cannot grant the decree.percentage in view of the fact that existing limits were decided on 30 years ago when the value of money was very different.

My Noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has for some time had under active consideration the question what modifications as respects income limit and otherwise are needed in the present system of affording legal aid to the poorer sections of the community, and is in communication with the Law Society on the matter. The difficulty of making immediate amendments in the scheme is enhanced by the absence on war service of the majority of the members of the solicitors' profession, and by the burdens consequently cast on those who remain. Meanwhile, the scheme which has been introduced during the war for giving legal aid to persons in the Armed Forces of the Crown has given considerable relief to a large number of persons who might otherwise have been unable to obtain assistance through the ordinary Poor Persons' procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why his promise that copies of the documents published by the United States Government relating to United States-Japanese relations from 1931–41 should be placed in the Library of the House has not yet been fulfilled, in view of the fact that they are in the possession of unofficial organisations in this country.

The documents in question were published as "Foreign Relations of the United States, Japan, 1931–1941, Volume I." Copies of this book have only recently been received; one has now been placed in the Library as promised.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the impending shortage of meat, he is taking any steps to increase the supplies of fish; whether any extension of fishing areas is contemplated; and whether he will consult with the Admiralty and other departments with the object of increasing the number of craft and the quantity of labour, gear, containers and processing materials now available for the fishing industry.

Means of increasing fish supplies are under constant examination, while the re-opening of closed fishing grounds and the provision of additional vessels and crews are governed at present by service requirements. The Fishery Ministers and the Minister of Food are in close touch with the First Lord of the Admiralty regarding the position, and plans are being prepared to meet the situation which will arise at the end of the war. As my hon. Friend is aware, the Report of the Departmental Committee on the Herring Industry has recently been received and will shortly be published.

asked the hon. Member for Dulwich, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, if he will give a statement to the House showing the number and grades of the employees of the Committee; their rates of pay; whether living accommodation is provided or not; and what provision is made for the staff when the House is not sitting.

The number of employees is 65, of which 49 are on the regular staff, and 16 are employed part time. The regular staff can be divided into five sections; the rates of pay for each section being as follows:

• Management Staff from £3 5s. 0d. to £11 10s. 0d. per week.
• Kitchen Staff from £2 10s. 0d. to £8 0s. 0d. per week.
• Service Staff from £1 10s. 0d. to £5 3s. 6d. per week.
• Wine Cellar Staff from £2 15s. 0d. to £4 4s. 0d. per week.
• Cleaners £1 13s. 6d. per week.

In addition, meals are provided when on duty, and living accommodation is provided for eight members of the staff.Members of the regular Staff are paid full wages when the House is not sitting.

asked the Minister of Information whether, since the wireless licence was fixed at 10s. many years ago, he is satisfied that the continuance of this rate is adequate to produce high-class programmes.

Since the outbreak of war payments to the B.B.C. have not been related to the revenue from wireless licences. Instead, the B.B.C. receives an annual Grant-in-Aid to cover all its services, including broadcasts to troops abroad. For the advantage of listening as often as they like to B.B.C. programmes, licence holders have paid about twopence a week. But if the B.B.C. is to maintain a high standard after the war and keep pace with technical developments the question will inevitably arise whether the existing licence fee of 10s. a year is adequate. As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is very closely concerned in my hon. Friend's suggestion, I will take an early opportunity of discussing it with him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of robbery with violence have been reported in the Metropolitan police district during October, November and December last; and in how many instances have convictions been obtained.

Sixty-four cases of robbery and assault with intent to rob were reported during the period referred to. Of the 38 persons arrested in connection with these offences 20 have been found guilty, 11 have been discharged, and 7 await trial.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men experienced in coal-getting at the coal-face have been absorbed since the outbreak of war in other occupations including the fighting services and factories; and what is the estimated minimal period for training new recruits in this skilled department of mining.

I regret that the information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available. With regard to the last part of the Question I am informed by my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power that after an initial period of general underground experience, which normally will take 16 weeks, new workers can be put on work at the coalface and should normally become useful members of the team of face workers after their first month's training at the coalface. My hon. Friend will appreciate that in mining as in other industries it inevitably takes some time before the highest degree of skill can be obtained enabling a man to work at the face by himself, but the new entrants will be performing essential work after their first month underground.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the permanent and temporary or war establishment of the Metropolitan police have been called to the colours; and whether, under present conditions, he is satisfied that the Metropolitan police force is adequate to meet its responsibilities.

I do not think that it would be in the public interest to give the percentage figures for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks. In considering the number to be released due regard has been paid to the responsibilities falling upon the police, as well as to the need for men for H.M. Forces, and although in the present man-power situation every service is called upon to make its contribution to the needs of the Armed Forces I have no reason to think that a proper balance has not been maintained.