asked the Minister of Health whether the regulations provide for the owner of property requisitioned by a local authority having a right of entry in order to inspect its condition.

I am advised that the owner has no legal right of entry into requisitioned property during the period of requisitioning, but, as my hon. Friend will no doubt be aware, the owner is entitled to make a claim for compensation, when the property is released, for any damage which has occurred during the period of occupation.

asked the Minister of Health how many cities and large towns are erecting typical houses on the lines of the Ministry's recommendation; and what arrangements can be made for the civic interchange of information and inspection in such cases.

If my hon. Friend is referring to the design of houses the reply is that the issue of recommendations has been deferred pending the receipt and consideration of the report of the sub-committee of my Central Housing Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of Lord Dudley. If he is referring to new methods of construction, experiments are being, or are about to be, carried out by a few local authorities. If they are successful I shall certainly arrange for any necessary publicity so that other authorities may be able to benefit from them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any statement to make regarding the accident involving injury to Chief Regional Fire Officer Breaks, No. 1 Region, and the death of Mrs. Ethel Corbrick, travelling as a passenger in his car; whether the deceased was a member of the N.F.S., or in what capacity she was travelling; and whether the journey, Newcastle to London and return, was on official business for which a supply of petrol was issued.

The proceedings at the inquest show no reason to suggest that blame attached to Mr. Breaks for this unfortunate accident. Mr. Breaks was travelling on official business, but the journey was not one which should have been made by car. I have since received an application by Mr. Breaks to be allowed to tender his resignation. This application from an officer with a long record of gallant service I have felt obliged to accept.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider in issuing children's clothing books making the coupons therein valid only for the purchase of children's clothing in order to prevent their use by adults.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which was given to my hon. Friend the Member for East Islington (Mrs. Gazalet Keir) on Tuesday last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will reconsider present regulations in regard to coupons for the replacement of underclothing lost by fire or otherwise, as under present laundry difficulties the reserve of underclothing allowed to applicants is inadequate to comply with hygienic standards.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in the interpretation of His Majesty's Government, the second clause of the Atlantic Charter, that the signatories desire to see no territorial changes that do not accord with the freely expressed wishes of the peoples concerned, applies to enemy countries.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that various local authorities, having at his request collected metal salvage which is not now needed, do not know how to dispose of it; and whether in these cases he proposes to give them any assistance.

As I explained in the statement which I made in the House on 30th November last, arrangements have been made, in consultation with my Noble Friend the Minister of Works, whereby all domestic ferrous scrap already collected by local authorities and in their hands on 31st December, 1943, will be cleared as expeditiously as possible, having regard to labour and transport difficulties. A circular was sent to all local authorities asking them to furnish the Ministry of Supply with particulars of the stocks held in order that arrangements could be made for clearance in due course by the Ministry of Works, in cases where the local authorities were unable to dispose of the scrap themselves.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the names of the members and the secretary of the official side of the National Council for the Administrative and Legal Departments of the Civil Service.

Under war conditions the formal business of the National Whitley Council is conducted largely through sub-committees specially appointed for the purpose. In these circumstances, it has not been thought necessary, during the war, to revise the composition of the Official Side, and I am afraid that the publication of the names of the Official Side as constituted in 1939 would be largely meaningless.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the Scottish Central Medical War Committee have sent calling-up notices to a number of doctors in the Public Health Service; and whether he is satisfied that the withdrawal of these doctors is justified on the grounds of national interest.

The action of the Central Medical War Committee, which followed a recommendation by the Medical Man Power (Priority) Committee, was taken only after careful inquiry in the various local authority areas by my medical officers. While I am, of course, very reluctant to see any reduction in the Scottish public health services, every

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will state for three grades of coal in general use in South Lincolnshire, the pre-war price, and indicate, with dates, the increases in price that has been attained.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will state for three grades of coal in general use in the London area the pre-war price and indicate, with dates, the increases in price that have been attained.

The following are the pre-war and present prices of three grades of coal in general use in the Central London district, showing the increases or decreases in price which have taken place since the outbreak of war.

The following are the pre-war and present prices of three grades of coal in general use in the Spalding Urban and Rural Districts showing the increases in price which have taken place since the outbreak of war.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of applications made for certification under the Pneumoconiosis Order; the number certified as partially and totally disabled or suspended; and if he will give separate figures for South Wales.

The number of applications far certificates of disablement or suspension dealt with by the Medical Board under the Coal Mining Industry (Pneumoconiosis) Scheme, 1943, up to the 5th February was 1,285, of which 1,100 were in South Wales. The number certified to be totally disabled or suspended on account of the disease was 737, including 658 in South Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of Europeans and Africans likely to lose their employment as a result of the cut in the copper production of Northern Rhodesia; and whether any arrangements are being made to find them other employment inside or outside the Colony.

I have been asked to reply. Pending the discussions referred to in my reply to the hon. Members for South Croydon (Sir H. Williams), English Universities (Mr. E. Harvey) and Ashford (Mr. E. P. Smith) on 9th February, my right hon. and gallant Friend is not in a position to make any statement, but, as I then said, there is no reason to anticipate unemployment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for Incme Tax officials to give practical talks and answer questions at towns in the centre of agricultural districts in Suffolk in order to help agriculturists with the technicalities of recent changes in Income Tax.

I am pleased to be able to inform my hon. Friend that arrangements to give practical talks and to answer questions on the subject of the application of Pay-as-you-earn in agricultural districts in all parts of the country have already been made. It is also proposed to issue in the near future to every farmer concerned a small Pay-as-you-Earn Guide for Farmers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can furnish any statistics as to the death and illness which are created amongst cattle due to drinking impure and putrid water.

The number of cattle which die or become ill as a result of drinking impure or putrid water is not known.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will now create separate war pensions committees for Dagenham, Barking, Romford and Hornchurch.

Dagenham, Romford and Hornchurch are served by the Ilford and Romford Committee and Barking by the East Ham and Barking Committee. The present volume of work arising in the areas referred to would not justify the appointment of separate committees.