asked the Minister of Labour how many of the wholly unemployed 26,741 women in January last have been directed to domestic employment in hospitals and institutions.

The statistics are not kept in a form which enables this information to be given. I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that no effort is spared to supply the needs for hospital domestic staff whether from the unemployed registers or otherwise. Over 3,000 persons were placed in this employment in the month ending 1st March.

asked the Minister of Supply the total number of supervisory staff employed in Royal Ordnance factories in 1938 and 1944 respectively; the total other grades employed in Royal Ordnance factories in 1938 and 1944 respectively; and the total staff employed in the largest of the factories.

The total staff employed in Royal Ordnance factories was 26,000 in February, 1938, and 237,000 in February, 1944, the numbers in supervisory grades being 829 (3.2 per cent.) and 9,303 (3.9 per cent.) respectively. The term "supervisory" includes all assistant foremen and higher grades and clerical and ancillary staff of approximately equivalent rank. The largest staff employed in any one of these factories is about 21,000.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he has considered the proposal of the National Federation of Uncertificated Teachers that, after 20 years' approved service, they should be recognised and granted four-fifths of all other salaries; and with what result.

Yes, Sir. I have under consideration possible ways in which uncertificated teachers, who have given good service, might be assisted to qualify for improved status, which would carry with it improved salaries.

asked the President of the Board of Education when the proposed review of. the Burnham scale of salaries for teachers will begin.

Action has already been taken with a view to securing that the review of teachers' salaries shall be under taken at an early date.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, taking the figures for 1939 and 1943, he can state the increases or decreases in the wages cost per ton, selling price per ton, profit per ton and wages per man-shift in the Kent coalfields.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare whether he has any statistics relating to the increase of oil production in Hungary during the war and the approximate quantities of crude oil and oil products supplied by Hungary to Germany.

My Department is in possession of statistics on this subject, but I do not propose to publish them. It is, however, the fact that oil production in Hungary has increased very substantially during the war and that almost certainly the greater part of such production is exported to Germany either as crude oil or as refined products.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what total amount per week the Service pay of previous employees now in the Armed Forces is being supplemented by the following Departments: the Treasury, the India, Colonial, Foreign, Home, Scottish, Dominion and Post Offices, the Boards of Education and Trade, and the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Works, War Transport, Labour, Information, Fuel and Power, Food, Supply and Pensions.

The estimated amounts per week are as follow; except where otherwise stated they are estimates relating to the financial year 1944–45:

The information is as follows:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works if, instead of purchasing prefabricated houses from America, he will consider taking over the rights of the particular design and putting the production in suitable factories in England.

The Government have not yet reached any decision on the question of purchasing prefabricated houses from overseas. They are fully alive to the desirability of making the maximum use of manufacturing capacity in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now prepared to reconsider the request for uniforms to be supplied coupon free or at reduced coupon rates to members of the Boy Scout Association to be issued through the local associations on the application of scout masters.

No, Sir. I regret that, owing to the shortage of supplies, I cannot see my way to reconsider this request.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport the total number of fatal and nonfatal accidents on the roads of this country for each year from 1939 to 1943 inclusive.

I regret that records of non-fatal accidents were not kept from August, 1939, to March, 1941, but the available figures are as follows:—

asked the Minister without Portfolio if he has considered the recent resolution of the East Suffolk County Council expressing the view that the maintenance of sea defences and sea walls should be a national charge; and if he will state his attitude to this with regard to schemes for post-war reconstruction.

I understand that this resolution has been sent to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and is receiving his attention. Grants towards schemes of sea defence works promoted by drainage authorities are available under the Land Drainage Act, 1930, and the Agriculture Act, 1937, but there is no power to make grants towards maintenance. The maintenance of sea defence works at the sole expense of the State would involve a departure from existing practice which would require the most careful consideration.

asked the Minister of Production whether he is aware that the upward revision of the allocation of paper shows 7½ per cent, to the publishers of periodicals but only 2½ per cent, to those producing books; and whether he will, in view of the serious shortage of school books, make these allocations equal.

I am not clear what increase is referred to in the case of periodicals. The basic allocation of paper to periodicals was last raised on 1st November, 1943, by ⅞ if per cent, of prewar consumption. The basic allocation of paper for books was raised on the same date by 2½s per cent, of pre-war consumption. In addition, there are reserves for special needs. The total effect of the increases in the basic allocation and in the special reserve amounts to about 11½per cent, for both periodicals and books on the quantities previously allocated. The position in regard to educational books is helped by the increase in the special reserve for books, which have all along received a higher percentage of their pre-war consumption than periodicals.