asked the Minister of Food why, having regard to the fact that the zoning provisions of the Emergency Powers (Defence) Food and Food Transport (Jam and Marmalade Order) (S.R. & O., 1944, No. 300) are designed to reduce transport, he has exempted from its provisions the transport of jam and marmalade belonging to His Majesty's Government, N.A.A.F.I. and the British Red Cross.

It would be impracticable to apply zoning arrangements which are suitable for domestic trade to movements of the jam and marmalade to which my hon. Friend refers without affecting the prompt and proper provision of these foods to Service personnel.

asked the Minister of Food what sort of jam is being disposed of by the doubling of the jam ration.

The temporary doubling of the jam ration does not in any way affect the character or quality of the jam obtainable. It will be the same for the double ration as it has been for the previous single ration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the terrorist outrages in Palestine and their object.

I regret having to report that since 13th March casualties among police have been nine killed and five wounded or injured. These criminal acts are committed by members of a secret organisation of Jewish extremists known as the Stern Group, and members of the Irgun Zvai Leumi, the military organisation of the Revisionists.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether his attention has been called to the difficulty experienced by disabled men in boarding omnibuses or trains; and whether he will take steps to introduce priority of entry for such men waiting in queues.

I have considered my hon. Friend's proposal with every sympathy. I am afraid, however, that it would involve great administrative difficulties, and that it is wiser to rely on the courtesy and goodwill of the travelling public.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether his attention has been called to pilfering at the docks, amongst other things, parcels for prisoners of war, provisions for lifeboats and supplies for the Armed Forces; and what steps does he propose to take to stop this.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for calling attention to the important question of thieving in the docks. My noble Friend has set up special committees in all the major ports to combat this evil by all the means in their power. Dock workers found guilty either of theft, or of receiving stolen goods, are dismissed from employment, and they lose their permits to enter the docks. Traders have been advised that they should give no indication of the contents of packages on the outside covers, and a packing code has recently been issued to help consignors. My noble Friend has been particularly concerned at the serious thefts from lifeboats, and has issued a special warning against this despicable offence. This warning has been circulated by the Home Office to all Chief Constables at sea ports.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport, how many railway wagons of 20 tons and over are at present in use in this country; and whether, in view of the advantages in using such wagons, he will in future increase the output of wagons of 20 tons and over.

There are 19,000 railway wagons of special type which have a capacity of 20 tons or more, and 49,000 mineral wagons. The railways have encouraged their use for many years, but the increase in their numbers has been limited by the fact that the facilities and equipment at many loading and unloading points are inadequate for such large wagons.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport, if in planning the post-war reorganisation and development of the British railways, he will bear in mind the practice in force in New York City, where all trains are transferred in the outer suburbs from steam to electric traction, thus abating the smoke nuisance within the city.

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is now able to make any further statement regarding the Departmental Committee which he proposes to appoint to review the relations of universities to technical colleges in the field of higher technological education.

Yes, Sir. I have appointed a Departmental Committee to inquire into this matter with the following terms of reference:

"Having regard to the requirements of industry, to consider the needs of higher technological education in England and Wales and the respective contributions to be made thereto by Universities and Technical Colleges, and to make recommendations, among other things, as to the means for maintaining appropriate collaboration between Universities and Technical Colleges in this field."

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any statement to make with regard to the plans for international organisation mentioned in the declaration made after the Moscow Conference of Foreign Secretaries.

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, in the lists so far published of services which are entitled to wear the Service chevrons, there is no mention of the Gas Identification Service; and whether he will include this Service in the award of chevrons.

The possibility of including the Gas Identification Service in the list of services eligible for the award of war service chevrons is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider the conditions which govern the granting of the medal recommended for 'meritorious service with gratuity; whether, as only two such 'medals are issued for each regiment, the number of years which elapse between the retiring on pension and the receipt of the award is about 30 to 35; why a recommended soldier cannot receive the award immediately on retirement and thus benefit from it before he becomes very aged; and what would be the cost of the change to the State.

The average number of years between the discharge to pension of a warrant officer or sergeant who is a registered candidate for the award of the Meritorious Service Medal with annuity and the receipt of the award is about 30 to 35 The average number of awards to cavalry regiments is 2, but the average for infantry regiments is 5. The object of the Meritorious Service Medal with annuity is that a strictly limited number of ex-regular soldiers should receive an additional benefit for their good service. The grant of the annuities by seniority from lists of eligible applicants allows the greatest number of individuals to benefit from the provision, although the period during which they individually hold an annuity is reduced. If the annuities were given to men who had just been discharged the recipients might hold them for many years but others would have no chance at all of receiving such an annuity. No extra cost would be involved by making such a change but I am not in favour of it. If all registered candidates were to receive the award immediately on discharge the additional cost would be of the order of £100,000 a year. This would involve increasing the number of annuities from 750 to about 10,000 and I do not consider that this change, which would entirely alter the character of the award, is justified.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the public speeches of official military spokesmen at public functions, including Salute the Soldier weeks, are submitted for censorship.

No, Sir, but such speakers sometimes ask for advice.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that it was a soldier who had been successfully vaccinated in infancy and again two years ago who introduced small-pox into the Mount Vernon Hospital and spread the infection to 11 other people; and whether, in view of the fact that vaccinated soldiers have contracted small-pox during this war, he will either stop all leave of troops to any part of the country where small-pox cases have occurred, or make no distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated men.

I am aware that this soldier had been vaccinated successfully in infancy and again in 1942. Owing to the protection thus given him he had a mild attack of small-pox in spite of the fact that the strain was a virulent one. As to the last part of my hon. Friend's Question, experience shows that in the interests of the health of the troops it is necessary to maintain the policy outlined in the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for North Tottenham (Mr. R. C. Morrison) on 21st March.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will publish in HANSARD a further categorical statement showing the progress made in implementing those recommendations of the Oliver Committee on Military Prisons and Detention Barracks which concern the Army.

The following statement sets out the recommendations of the Oliver Committee which concern the Army and the progress which has been made in implementing them:(1) Establishment of Military Provost Staff Corps training school.A school of instruction for the training of the staff for military prisons and detention barracks has been established at Fort Darland. The first course assembled on 6th January. Pending its establishment courses of instruction were held at the detention barracks at Aldershot.(2) General increase in staff at all establishments.An increase of 12 per cent. in the number of staff sergeants and sergeants has been provided.(3) Existing Regulations against use of obscene language should be more strictly enforced.All commandants of military prisons and detention barracks have been instructed to warn all members of the staff that the use of obscene or intemperate language will not be tolerated, and that offenders in this connection will be severely dealt with.(5) Additional Commissioned Officers at all Military establishments.The establishment of commissioned officers has been increased by six Majors and 18 Captains.(6) Appointment of whole-time Medical Officer for each establishment. Changes of such Medical Officer should be infrequent.Owing to the shortage of medical officers it is unfortunately impossible to implement this recommendation in full at the present time. Steps, have, however, been taken to ensure that a medical officer is immediately available at each establishment, when required, and at each of the five larger establishments a medical officer is in fact attached for full-time duty.(7) Provision of Sick quarters in all establishments where they do not exist.Sick quarters are now installed at all military prisons and detention barracks except Aldershot. At Aldershot the quarters should be completed shortly.(8) Improvement of night sanitary arrangements in all establishments.In most cases the necessary improvements have been completed.(9) That all diet tins be rendered and kept bright.Instructions have been issued that diet tins should be kept clean but not polished since polishing removes the tinning and makes the tins liable to rust. Unserviceable tins are immediately exchanged for new ones.(11) Facilities for general education and training should be extended.Additional educational instructors have been authorised, the syllabus of education has been enlarged and more periods of compulsory education included in the general training syllabus. Facilities are given to enable soldiers under sentence to obtain special books which they need to continue their studies.(12) The system of segregation of different types of detainees at present in force should be strictly maintained.The system of segregation, by age, length of sentence, degree of recidivism and nature of offence, is at all times strictly enforced.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of applications for War Service Grants received by his Department from members of the Army for each of the four years 1940–43; and the number of applications granted in the same period.

Detailed information is not available as to the precise distribution over the three Services. Of the total number of applications and grants about three-quarters relate to Army cases.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the bound volume containing the general index to the OFFICIAL REPORT of the 1942–43 Session of this House is not yet available; and if, in view of the essential nature of this work of reference, he will take steps to secure priority on the services of binders or such other steps as may be necessary to expedite its publication and the publication of the bound volumes of HANSARD generally.

The general index volume for the 1942–43 Session will be available on 6th April. There has been an exceptional delay of about two weeks in the production of this volume and steps have been taken to avoid this in future. The bound volumes are usually published about two months after the date of the last daily part in the volume, and about four months are now needed for the work of indexing, printing and binding the Sessional Index Volume. In view of the man-power situation in the printing and binding trades and of urgent operational requirements, I should not feel justified at the present stage of the war in taking more drastic steps to reduce these periods, especially as an Index covering the daily parts in each volume is separately published and usually available several weeks before the bound volume in each case.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to implement his circular to the local authorities with regard to the emergency supply of drinking water to meet the serious conditions of drought existing in East Anglia and parts of the country.

Water undertakers have been asked to keep the Ministry informed of the action proposed to be taken where shortage is anticipated. My officers, both centrally and locally, are ready at all times to assist and advise authorities who are in difficulties. Conditions may deteriorate further, and economy in the use of water is necessary, but abnormal shortages so far reported in East Anglia are extremely local in character. My Regional Engineer is in touch with the undertakers in these cases.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether he is aware that his Ministry, without any notice to the owner, recently removed all the machinery, waterwheels, etc., including an antique gate, for scrap, from a mill at Byfleet, details of which have been sent to him, the owner being absent with the Forces on war service; that the mill is thus completely destroyed as a mill and the compensation offered represents but a small fraction of the value of the property as estimated by experts; and whether he will inquire into this matter.

Owing to a misunderstanding with regard to the extent to which the property referred to was under requisition by the War Department, certain machinery in a disused condition and some gates were removed in 1942 without specific notice to the owner. The compensation due will depend upon a number of factors, some of which have not yet been substantiated. Negotiations are in progress.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has authorised the county war agricultural executive committees to require farmers to pay for the time of casual labour or of agricultural implements a percentage under the heading of Overhead charges, over and above the ordinary rates of hire; and, as this would impose a further burden on farmers and add to their costs of production, will he give instructions that the committees shall clearly define and publish the scale and nature of such overhead charges as they are requiring farmers to pay.

As regards the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 22nd February. As regards the second part, Committees already make known to farmers, in whatever ways they think most suitable, their charges for gang labour; and I am not aware that it is necessary to issue any further instructions on this point.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of registered small holdings of 50 acres and under in England and Wales; and if he will give an assurance that it is the policy of the Government to encourage smallholders.

The number of agricultural holdings under 50 acres in England and Wales shown in the agricultural returns for June, 1942, was 231,000. The matter raised in the second part of the Question will be fully considered in connection with the whole subject of post-war agricultural policy.