asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that conscription has been applied to Maltese and Cypriots in the Middle East who will serve in British units, he will arrange for pay and allowances at British rates; and what protection he is prepared to give these men with regard to their restoration into their civilian employment when the war is over.

Maltese and Cypriots who are enlisted into British units receive pay at normal British rates. So do personnel of Maltese and Cypriots units when serving outside Malta and Cyprus. The families of these men when living in Malta, Cyprus or elsewhere in the Mediterranean area receive family allowance at two-thirds British rates. These rates are related to the normal standard of living of these families as compared with British families. I understand that the Governments of Malta and Cyprus are preparing schemes for absorbing into postwar employment men now serving in their local forces. Any of the men to whom the hon. Lady's Question refers who before the war were normally in employment in Malta or Cyprus will be covered by these schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any recent increases of pay and allowances have been made to Maltese troops serving in Malta; and, if so, will he state the alterations which have been made.

In common with the rest of the Army, Maltese other ranks received an increase of 6d. in war pay in October, 1942. Family allowance for families living in Malta of Maltese troops was increased from half to two-thirds of the British rate in March, 1942. There has been no other change in their pay and allowances in the last two years.

asked the Secretary of State for War the approximate percentage of men who have been treated for venereal disease in this war or the approximate percentage of decrease compared with the last war; what percentage has been discharged from the Forces because of venereal disease; and whether he is satisfied that all possible steps have been taken to reduce the incidence of this disease.

In the years 1940 to 1943 inclusive there were in this country on the average just under II fresh cases a year of venereal disease per 1,000 troops. The average figure for 1915 to 1918 inclusive was 29½ per 1,000, but these figures include relapses as well as fresh cases. They are not, therefore, strictly comparable with the present figures, but they show that there has been a very substantial decrease. Of the total number of men discharged from the Army on medical grounds 3 per 1,000 were discharged on account of venereal disease. All possible steps have been taken and every possible method in the way of education, provision of recreation, prophylaxis and treatment is being actively, investigated with a view to decreasing wastage from these essentially preventable diseases.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are made to enable near relatives to visit wounded or sick soldiers in hospital in this country who have been evacuated from overseas theatres of operations.

On arrival from abroad in the United Kingdom wounded and sick soldiers are distributed to suitable hospitals as near to their homes as is practicable. An official card is forwarded to the next-of-kin by the hospital to which the patient is admitted. Near relatives who wish to visit soldiers lying ill or wounded in hospital are able to use travel vouchers whereby they can buy a return tickets on the railways at single fare. Such vouchers are obtainable from the local branch of the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association, or of the British Red Cross Society. Not more than two relatives may use this concession on each visit. If the patient is dangerously ill the next-of-kin is notified by telegram. If relatives wish to visit the patient, free return railway warrants are issued for two persons, one of whom must be a relative, on production at the nearest police station of the telegram. If the hospital is so far from the nearest railway station that transport is necessary and if no public transport is available, War Department or other transport may be used.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many military bands now exist in the Army; how they are employed; what plans he has in mind for their extended use during the summer months; and whether it is yet possible to allow them to play a greater part in sustaining public morale and giving pleasure to the community.

There are at present 93 authorised bands, but some of them are serving overseas. Bands at home are allotted to commands and they are given special facilities to travel so that all garrisons shall get a fair share. During their tours arrangements are made, whenever possible, for bands to play to civilians in factories and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the locally entered staffs of the War Department in Jerusalem suffer hardship because increases of pay have been related to an official cost-of-living figure which ignores the difficulty of purchasing necessities at the prices upon which the figure is based, owing to black market operations; that it has now been decided to cease the issue of these monthly bulletins of price statistics on security grounds; and whether he will cause negotiations to be opened immediately between his representatives in Jerusalem and those of the staff associations with a view to increases of remuneration sufficient to meet the situation.

No representations in connection with the inadequacy of the present cost-of-living bonus have so far been received, but I am making enquiries to ascertain the position.

asked the Secretary of State for War what regulation or order there is which forbids officers in the Central Mediterranean theatre of war from marrying?

I know of no such regulation or order.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent there is a shortage of nursing staff in hospitals in the Mediterranean and North African area; approximately, how many V.A.D.'s are serving in these hospitals; and if it is proposed to increase this number.

I am glad to say that the strength of the R.A.M.C. nursing staff in hospitals in the Mediterranean Command is only little short of its full establishment and present arrangements for making good such deficiencies are adequate. The answer to the second part of my hon. and gallant Friend's Question is 46. It is not at present proposed to take any special steps to increase this number. V.A.D. members employed in the United Kingdom are releasing R.A.M.C. nursing orderlies for service overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many serving married men are in receipt of War Service Grants.

I have been asked to reply, The number of married men in receipt of War Service Grants is approximately 483,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now make any statement respecting the services of the Vatican in regard to prisoners of war held by Japan; if any report has been made to him from this quarter; and whether the Japanese Government is prepared to recognise and accept Vatican representatives both now and in the future regarding prisoners of war.

According to a report which has been received from the Holy See, agreement in principle has been reached for the distribution, through the Vatican, of relief to British civilian internees in Malaya, the Netherlands East Indies and the Philippines, and of a corresponding amount to Japanese internees in the British Empire. Funds have been remitted to the Apostolic Delegate in Tokyo for this purpose, but my right hon. Friend is awaiting a full report on the subject. One of the conditions imposed by the Japanese authorities is that this money shall be paid direct to the Japanese Governors in those territories. So far as the visiting of camps is concerned, the Apostolic Delegate in Tokyo has been able to visit a certain number of prisoners of war and civilian internee camps in Japan proper. As my right hon. Friend explained on 28th January, however, the Japanese Government have hitherto withheld permission for any neutral inspection of the camps in the southern area, and no Vatican representatives have accordingly been able to visit those camps.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that many civilians vital to the war effort are working in theatres of war under equally difficult conditions to the Services and tied to their posts for the duration, he will endeavour to extend the use of the 6d. air mail letter-card to them.

The Air Letter Service is already available to those civilians associated with the Armed Forces abroad who are allowed by the Army authorities to use a military address. My right hon Friend has already had the question of the extension of the service under consideration, but I regret that the amount of aircraft capacity which would be required has not hitherto been available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the lease of the hostel attached to the British Embassy in Istanbul expires; and what arrangements have been made to obtain similar accommodation.

I am afraid that my right hon. Friend has no information regarding any such hostel. If the hon. Member will let him have further particulars inquiries will be made.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the allowances paid, respectively, to boys directed to work in the coalmines, to civil servants, to evacuated teachers, to mobile workers, to evacuated children and to soldiers quartered on civilians.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 17th February, 1944; cols. 339–40, Vol. 379] supplied the following statement:The Ministry of Labour pay a lodging allowance of 24s. 6d. a week to mobile workers who are transferred to industrial employment away from the home in which they have been living and in which they continue to maintain dependants; to workers without dependants the Ministry pay a settling-in grant which for men is a single payment of 24s. 6d. at the end of the first week's employment, and which for women consists of payments of 25s. for their first week, 20s. for, the second, 15s. for the third and 10s. for the fourth week, unless the women are living in a Government hostel, when these payments are reduced by 5s. per week.The lodging allowance or settling-in grant is available to any coalmining trainee on the same terms as for industrial workers.Evacuated teachers are given a free billet, covering accommodation only, or 5s. a week in lieu plus an allowance according to circumstances not exceeding 14s. a week.Boys directed to work in coalmines, evacuated teachers and mobile workers are billeted for accommodation only. The billetor receives 5s. a week in respect of each billetee.Evacuated married civil servants who maintain their families at places other than the evacuation towns are given a free billet, covering a bed and two meals a day, or an allowance of a guinea a week in lieu thereof. Unmarried officers are given a free billet for a fortnight but there- after the cost of the billet, a guinea a week, is deducted from their salaries. The Civil Service Billeting Scheme differs in its application in individual cases according to circumstances.Civil servants are generally billeted for a bed and two meals a day, for which the billetor receives 21s. a week.The weekly billeting rates for unaccompanied children are:

The rates cover accommodation, attention and all necessary meals.Soldiers billeted on civilians are not paid any billeting allowances.The billeting rates for soldiers vary according to the service provided. The normal weekly payment to the billetor will range from r 6s. 10d. if a billet and four meals a day are provided to £1 9s. 2d. in winter and £1 8s. 0d. in summer if heating, extra lighting, laundry and baths are provided as well.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he will give an assurance that the 19 coasting vessels on the Eire Register, referred to in questions 2608 to 2628 in the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee of Public Accounts, 1943, and Appendix No. 3 to the Report, were covered by the Ministry's war risks insurance scheme exclusively for the carriage of goods consigned to or from ports in the United Kingdom; and that, while insured under the scheme, they did not ship goods consigned from one Eire port to another Eire port.

No such condition was imposed in the insurance policy of these ships. I regret that there is no record of the individual voyages which they performed during the period in question.

asked the Secretary of State for India what steps have been taken to increase the pay of non-tradesmen classes of other ranks in the Indian Army; and what percentage these classes constitute of the total strength.

With effect from 1st January, 1944, proficiency pay for non-tradesmen combatants has been increased by Rs. 3 per mensem after 6 months' service, and by a further Rs. 2 per mensem after 12 months' service, provided certain standards of proficiency have been attained. For non-combatants the increases are Rs. 2 and Rs. x respectively. The rates of batta for all Indian other ranks in Field Service Areas have also been increased by Rs. 3 per mensem for combatants and Rs. 2 per mensem for noncombatants, with effect from the same date. Non-tradesmen constitute approximately 80 per cent. of the total strength of the Indian Army.

asked the Secretary of State for India to what extent British officers serving in India are compelled to employ native servants; and what charges are borne by officers for such services.

There is no obligation on a British officer to employ an Indian servant, and personal servants are forbidden to accompany Indian units serving outside India and in operational areas in India. In these areas officers are provided with batmen instead of private servants. In other parts of India, however, while there is no compulsion whatsoever, the employment of an Indian servant tends to be a conventional necessity, although I understand that two or even more junior officers quite frequently share a servant between them. It is impossible to give any figure for the wages of Indian personal servants because these vary considerably according to the district and to the experience of the servant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the release from internment of a professor, detained under Regulation 18B, details of whose case have been submitted to him, seeing that he is in his seventieth year, is so ill that prison diet and confinement are dangerous, that he has served in His Majesty's Forces in two wars, is practically without means or influence and reconsideration of his case is urgent.

Consideration has been given to the state of this person's health throughout the period of his detention and he is and has been receiving all necessary care and attention. I have had special inquiries made about the matters of which my hon. Friend has sent me details, and the medical advice which I have received does not confirm the view expressed in the Question. After careful review of all the circumstances I have not felt justified in authorising this person's release from detention.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the composition of the Committee appointed to consider problems of staffing in the Civil Service during the immediate post-air period.

The composition of the Committee is as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Education if he has considered an example submitted to him which demonstrates that under Scale 3 of the Burnham Scale the salary received after over 20 years' service, 17 in one school, by an uncertificated woman teacher in a public elementary school is 3 6s. 8d. per week; that she does the same work as certificated teachers; and if he will revise these arrangements.

Yes, Sir; my attention has been drawn to cases such as that to which the hon. Member refers, but the scales of salary for uncertificated teachers are a matter for the consideration, in the first instance, of the appropriate Burnham Committee.

asked the President of the Board of Education the total amount spent on public education by rates and taxes, separately, in the years 1938–39, 1939–40, 1941–42 and 1942–43, respectively.

So far as concerns expenditure on education coming within the purview of my Department, the total expenditure from public funds in England and Wales for the years in question was as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of schools, including public elementary arid aided and maintained secondary and junior technical schools, in England and Wales where pupils are regularly supplied with liquid milk; the number of pupils participating in these arrangements; and the number of schools where no such provision is made.

Particulars of the number of schools supplied with liquid milk and of those not supplied are not available. On a single day in October, 1943, when the last return was completed, 3,100,271 pupils out of 4,058,224 present in public elementary schools and 323,618 out of 526,855 present in aided and maintained secondary schools received milk. Figures are not available for junior technical schools.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give an assurance that any committee charged with the preparation of a statutory list of consultants in future schemes of National Health Service shall be under the direction of the Minister and not of any private corporation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the last part of the reply I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Sir D. Hacking) on 3rd February.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registering for employment at the employment exchanges in the county of Durham.

I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the Birmingham City Council's scheme for reconditioning houses damaged by enemy action, to meet the acute shortage of this class of house and of the misgiving which is felt by the council's estates department owing to the decision of the War Damage Commission to classify those built before 1914, as cost of works, which will exclude hundreds of houses of the six-roomed type in the city; and will he take steps to have this decision reconsidered, as there appears to be no reason for this exclusion.

As regards the classifications made by the War Damage Commission, my hon. Friend presumably intended to refer to cases classified as "total losses" ranking for a value payment. I am advised by the Commission that, under the provisions of a Treasury Direction issued after consultation with my Department among others as to the requirements of the public interest in respect of the provision of housing accommodation, the Commission have classified as eligible for cost of works payments many houses built before 1914 even though the war damage was so severe that in ordinary course a value payment might have been appropriate. Moreover, the Commission some weeks ago informed the Chairman of the Birmingham Estates Committee that they would reconsider their classification of "total loss" in respect of any house which the authority showed to the Commission's satisfaction was eligible for a cost of works payment under the terms of the Treasury Direction.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will contact the authorities directing the training of the American forces, in a locality of which he has been notified, so as to avoid injury to waterworks and mains in view of the disastrous consequences to a large number of residents should these become damaged; and whether he will direct attention to the large expanse of open country over which these armoured training operations could take place in the immediate vicinity but outside the area of these waterworks and mains.

Detailed reconnaissances were made by the American military authorities, accompanied by British officers, before application was made for the use of this particular area for American armoured training. Consideration has been given to the possibility of excluding the area of these water works and mains, but this would mean reducing this particular training area by approximately 1,000 acres and seriously interfering with the training. In consultation with the Ministry of Health arrangements have therefore been made with the American authorities for safeguarding this water supply. These arrangements provide (1) for the publication of Standing Orders dealing with the urgent need for conserving water supplies and preventing their contamination, (2) for the placing out of bounds of special points needing particular protection, and (3) for the provision of military labour to be made available if the pipelines are inadvertently damaged.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that by including nurse cows as cows in agricultural returns farmers raising stock are at a disadvantage compared with those who do not do so; that discretionary reserves are barely sufficient for milking stock, let alone nurse cows; and, in view of his stock breeding policy, whether he will reconsider the matter.

I am aware that milk producers who do not rear their own herd replacements may be relatively better off as regards that part of their allowance of purchased rations which is based on milk sales and the number of cows in the herd. Additional rations are, however, allowed in respect of milk fed to calves under one month old, and such rations, in common with all winter rations based on milk output, are independent of the discretionary reserves. The latter are limited because they represent the balance of supplies estimated to be available after ration scales have been fixed for priority classes of stock, including dairy herds, and some allocations have been made for pigs and poultry. Available supplies are, and will continue to be, used to the best advantage to implement the Government's livestock policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that many prisoners of war, now doing agricultural labour, have expressed a desire to engage in agriculture in England when peace returns and that some have acquired considerable knowledge of farming; whether, when such men return to England, steps will be taken to collect and collate such knowledge; and whether all possible steps will be taken to assist such men to engage in agriculture on demobilisation should they still desire to do.

I am aware that some prisoners of war wish to engage in agricultural work after the war, and that they are following courses of study with that object in view. I hope there will be opportunities for such men in the industry or in ancillary occupations, but the extent and nature of the opportunities cannot be foreseen at this stage since they depend partly on decisions in regard to post-war agricultural policy generally.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction caused by the fact that the Television Committee, recently appointed by him, is excessively representative of official interests and that progressive private enterprise has not been given a fair share in the investigation; and whether he will remedy this defect before the committee proceeds far with its work.

I had not heard of any dissatisfaction such as is suggested in the Question. As I said in reply to a question on 29th February, the Committee is primarily concerned with technical matters. It is in c lose touch with the industrial interests concerned. I am satisfied that its composition is suitable for the purpose of the present inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the plan for a civil aviation airport, or civil aviation airports, in Scotland, have now been fully considered by the other various Departments concerned, and if he has any statement to make.

This matter is primarily one for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air, with whom I am keeping in close touch as regards civil airports in Scotland. I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Air in the Debate on 29th February, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the tonnage of coal carbonised at coke plants, exclusive of gas retorts, for each year since 1937.

I regret that it would not be in the public interest to give these figures at the present time.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what effect the present ash content of coal delivered to electric power stations has on transport; if he is aware that the present average ash content of coal is double that of pre-war; where the best quality coal is now being raised; and to whom it is being distributed.

The ash content of coal delivered to electric power stations generally has increased somewhat during the war, though nothing like to the extent suggested by my bon. Friend. I am satisfied that, within the limits imposed by geographical and transport conditions, the available coal for all purposes is distributed to the best advantage for the country; and I should not feel justified in instituting special and detailed inquiries to obtain the information for which my hon. Friend asks.

asked the Minister of Food what are the ingredients, and in what proportion are they permitted to be used, in the current national loaf; whether he is aware that certain analysts in Liverpool report the widespread infestation with living mites of flour supplied to the public; and what is the explanation of this position.

Apart from yeast, salt and various improvers which are the recognised adjuncts of bread baking, the National Loaf is made from National Flour which is milled from a grist of 97½ per cent. wheat and 2½ per cent. barley or rye. Imported white flour is mixed in at the rate of 10 per cent., and other authorised additions are calcium, at the rate of 7 oz. per 280 lb. of flour and dried milk at the rate of 2 lb. per 280 lb. of flour. In addition the baker may use potatoes, potato flour and fat as permitted in the Bread (Control and Maximum Prices) Order, 1943. As I have already announced, the use of barley for dilution is ceasing very shortly. With regard to the second and third parts of the question, my attention has been drawn to this report and I am making inquiries.

asked the Minister of Food the shipments of palm oil from British, French and Belgian African territories in the years 1939 to 1943.

I regret that the information asked for by my hon. Friend cannot be disclosed in war-time.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Africa Star can be given to those men in the R.A.F. who served in West Africa during 1939–1943 when the Vital work of establishing and working communications through that area to Cairo was performed.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Linstead) on 22nd September last. Service in West Africa is not a qualification for the Africa Star.