asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of our imports and what proportion of them was paid for by invisible exports in 1913 and up to the last normal year preceding this war.

Imports may be paid for either by exports or by items not recorded in the Trade Returns, and there is not normally a precise balance. Accordingly, percentage figures are inappropriate, and the following table gives, in addition to the values asked for, the value of exports of United Kingdom goods. Corresponding figures are not available for the years 1914–1922.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that insufficient publicity is given to the objects of the Goods and Services (Price Control) Acts of 1939-44, and the various maximum price Orders made thereunder; and will he consider arranging with the B.B.C. for regular broadcasts in the interest of both the public and the trader on lines similar to the well-known kitchen front.

Price control is one of our best defences against inflation and profiteering, and I share my hon. Friend's desire that this Act and the Orders made under it shall be fully understood. I am grateful to the Press and the B.B.C. for their help, and I shall continue to do all I can to obtain suitable publicity on this subject.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many American power-loading machines have been installed and at how many collieries, since he replied to a question on this subject on 9th November, 1943; and what tonnage of coal is being loaded by all such machines at the present time.

Since 9th November, 1943, six American power loading machines have been installed at the collieries previously referred to, and in addition loaders have been installed at three more collieries, making a total of 23 loaders at eight collieries. The total tonnage loaded by these machines now amounts to over 9,000 tons weekly. This is a disappointing figure, but the output is expected to improve as the operators gain experience, and the machines are brought into full operation.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give the figures showing the tonnage of open cast coal worked each year from 31st March, 1941, to March, 1944, the cost per ton and the proceeds per ton.

Very little open cast coal was recovered before March, 1942. The cumulative figure from the commencement of operations until 31st March, 1943, was 1,807,000 tons and the amount recovered in the year ending 31st March, 1944, was 5,340,000 tons. The selling price is fixed having regard to the price of comparable qualities of deep-mined coal and the price per ton therefore varies. It is not possible at present to state the overall cost per ton.

asked the Minister et Fuel and Power whether he will give the number of shifts lost per year by miners through industrial disputes from the outbreak of war to 31st March, 1944, and the shifts lost annually for the same period by the inability of the employers to provide employment.

The approximate number of manshifts lost in the coal mining industry owing to disputes in each of the years ended March, 1940, to March, 1944, is as follows:Year ended March,

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has any statement to make on the situation in the coalmining industry.

I have nothing at present to add to the statement I made to the House on 6th April last.

asked the Postmaster-General what arrangements at present exist for communication with prisoners of war in Germany.

Letters and postcards may be sent as hitherto to the prisoners by ordinary post free of postage. The homeward service from the prisoners is not affected by the recent suspension of the outward air mail service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is in a position to indicate the cost of the Salute the Soldier week in London; and what was the cost of the special arrangements made in Trafalgar Square.

The cost charged to the Vote of the National Savings Committee is £18,242 for the London Week as a whole and £2,248 for the Trafalgar Square arrangements, the extra cost to Army Votes being negligible.

asked the Minister of Information why his Department has 2,719 employees in the U.S.A.; and whether he will explain their activities.

There are 100 administrative or technical officers on the staff of the British Information Services in the United States. Other employees such as clerks, Press clippers, typists, office boys and messengers number 286. The total is, therefore, less than one-seventh of the figure given in the Noble Lord's Question.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department why the proportion of officers in receipt of salaries of £1,000 per annum or more in his Department is approximately one in 1o, excluding messengerial, etc., staffs.

Owing to war conditions much of the normal work of my Department has been necessarily suspended, more particularly the work that may be regarded as of a routine character. As a result a proportionately smaller clerical staff suffices for present needs. The Department has loaned to other Departments personnel in all grades, the authorised complement of the Department having been reduced at one point from 423 to 101, and the number of senior personnel has been very considerably reduced though not in strict proportion to the reduction of junior personnel. This is due to the fact that the work upon which the Department is now mainly engaged—that of preparing plans to assist exporters after the war—calls largely for senior personnel. With a return to more normal conditions the proportion between senior and junior personnel will also become more normal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many Departments there are acting and substantive officers drawing the full salary of the highest post; and whether he will review any such cases in order to bring the additional expenditure involved to an end.

I am not aware of any cases of the kind mentioned by my hon. Friend, except where the public interest has required that the previous holder of the highest Civil Service post in a Department should undertake new duties, usually involving transfer to another Department. Such cases are kept constantly in mind, and I see no reason for any special review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will include documents relating to the views expressed by the Dominion Governments during the time of the Munich Conferences in the volumes of documents relating to British foreign policy which are being prepared for publication.

The established principle which has been followed for many years is not to publish the terms of communications which pass between the Governments of the British Commonwealth regarding foreign policy. I see no good ground for departing from the established practice in the particular case which my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the volumes of documents relating to British foreign policy between the years 1919 and 1939 will be published; how many volumes will be published; and what will be the price of each volume.

As stated by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in reply to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent (Mr. Ellis Smith) on 29th March, the volumes will be published in two series. It is hoped that the first volumes covering events in the years 1919 and 1930 may be ready for publication about the end of 1945. The volumes covering subsequent years will probably be published annually. It is not at present possible to estimate the total number of volumes or their price.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a list of the names of the present directors of the United Kingdom Commercial Corporation, together with a list of other directorships which they hold.

The list of directors of the United Kingdom Commercial Corporation and of other directorships held by them is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health whether the cases entered in the London Fever Hospital records as diphtheria observation are reported to the Registrar-General and recorded by him as diphtheria notifications.

In such a case as my hon. Friend mentions notification is the responsibility of the practitioner concerned. If he is of opinion that it is a case calling for notification he is required to send a notice to the appropriate Medical Officer of Health. The Registrar-General receives returns from Medical Officers of Health only. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford Central on 1st March last.

asked the Minister of Health what is his estimate of the number of children under five and between five and 15 years of age who were inoculated against diphtheria down to the end of 1943; and whether he will devise a method for removing from these records all children who reached the age of 15 in 1940, 1941 and 1942.

The numbers of children inoculated against diphtheria in a given period under local authority arrangements are not estimates but actual figures supplied by the authorities of the numbers of children immunised in each six-monthly period. The totals of these figures from January, 1940, to December, 1943 (the last half-yearly returns being not yet quite complete) were approximately 1,680,000 children under five and 3,136,000 betwen five and 15 at the date of immunisation. The suggestion in the last part of the question would be very laborious to 'carry out and I do not feel justified in adopting it. As to estimates of the percentage of the child population protected against diphtheria I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford Central (Mr. Leach) on 6th April.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has co-operated with the British Medical Association in the issue of a questionnaire to registered medical practitioners, otherwise than by supplying, without charge, copies of the White Paper to accompany the questionnaire; what is the number of copies so supplied; at what cost and to what account is it debited; and whether he was consulted in the preparation of the questionnaire or the procedure of its distribution.

It was, quite properly, never suggested that I should participate in any way in the preparation or issue of this questionnaire, which was entirely a matter for the British Medical Association. With regard to the copies of the White Paper, I decided that in view of the obvious importance of the Government's proposals to the individual doctor it would be helpful if I supplied a copy of the paper to all practitioners in this country and in the Forces. The Association kindly undertook the distribution of these copies -for me and, as a matter of convenience, distributed them with their own questionnaire and other documents. A total of 51,200 copies was involved, at the approximate cost of £950, which will be borne on the Vote of His Majesty's Stationery 'Office.

asked the Minister of Health if plans are being made for local authorities in country districts to have the opportunity at the close of the war of taking over the special water supply installations and other services which have been provided by or for military and R.A.F. personnel as and when such installations and services are no longer needed for military and R.A.F. purposes.

This possibility is being borne in mind as part of the general question of the post-war disposal of works and installations which are then found to be surplus to Service requirements in whole or in part.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will investigate the case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a medical graduate of London University, aged 44 years, invalided out of the R.A.M.C. suffering from fibrositis, who wishes to settle in civilian practice in a part of the country where the climate in his experience mitigates his disability, but who has been informed by the assistant-secretary of the British Medical Association that by a new Order he must be directed to undertake a civilian practice in any district assigned to him without consideration of the special circumstances mentioned; what is the date of this Order; and by what sanction is it enforced.

On the facts before me I cannot find that the medical graduate referred to has been informed as stated in the first part of the Question, but I will make further inquiries if my hon. Friend will send me a copy of the letter received from the British Medical Association. The practitioner is liable to be directed under Regulation 58A of the Defence (General) Regulations, 1939, to suitable civilian medical employment, but if it were proposed so to direct him full consideration would be given to any special circumstances affecting his case.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether he is aware that the plans for post-war replanning adopted by the county borough of West Ham provide for the erection of private dwelling-houses and various social service amenities which must of necessity accompany any large-scale housing schemes; and, as these schemes are at the request of the Government, will he state the powers for the acquisition of the land necessary for such, the basis of the price local authorities should pay for such land, whether the procedure for local authorities to acquire sites will be simplified and how the local authorities will be assisted financially.

I have been asked to reply. I am aware that the county borough of West Ham has such plans under consideration. In answer to the last part of the Question, I would ask the hon. Member to await the terms of the Bill, promised in the King's Speech, which will be introduced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has considered the resolution passed and sent to him by the West Ham County Borough asking that, in view of the distinguished services of the, Civil Defence workers during the Battle of Britain, 1940–1941, a suitable decoration may be instituted for these services covering this period; and what reply he has returned.

Yes, Sir; the County Borough Council have been informed that the matter will receive consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that Finland in delaying negotiations for peace is counting upon ultimate support from the other Allies against Russia, he will make a statement emphasising that Great Britain is in full agreement with Russia in the policy she is adopting towards Finland.

I cannot believe that the Finnish Government or the Finnish public can be so misguided as to hope that the policy towards them of this country, which is at war with them, should differ from the policy of the Soviet Union which is also at war with them.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works if he is aware that, owing to the non-receipt of materials for the erection of agricultural cottages, local authorities are being saddled with the burden of the repayment of loans and the payment of interest in respect of a scheme from which they derive no income; and will he issue instructions for the immediate supply of building materials so that the position may be remedied.

As was stated in answer to the hon. Member's oral Question to-day, local authorities were asked to send in applications for equipment by the 29th July, 1943. Many local authorities did not: make immediate application and requisitions were still coming in up to three weeks ago. Every effort is being made to meet them

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether he is aware that some of the galvanised hot-water cylinders supplied to the Lleyn Rural District Council for agricultural cottages are leaking badly, are of inferior quality and have had to be rejected; and will he arrange to expedite the despatch of replacement cylinders of satisfactory quality.

The only local authority to complain about the cylinders supplied for agricultural cottages is the Lleyn Rural District Council. The complaint is being looked into, but in the meantime the Council have been advised to order replacements locally.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will take steps to remedy the inadequate billeting allowance of 6d. a day made to British householders for U.S.A. troops billeted upon them.

My hon. and gallant Friend is no doubt referring to the payments made to householders who are required to provide unfurnished accommodation with reasonable heating, lighting and baths. The rates payable are Is. 4d. a week for each man accommodated, plus 3s. a week for each room provided with heating and lighting for the soldiers. These rates apply to all British, Dominion and Allied troops and are considered to be adequate for this type of accommodation.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether any action has been taken to direct one or more Departments of State to prepare a scheme for the location of industries in South Wales so that it may become operative immediately hostilities will cease; and whether plans are prepared to utilise present Government factories now in existence for postwar peace purposes in order to have security of employment.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade in the Debate on Location of Industry on 8th December last, to which I have nothing at present to add.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the present approximate annual expenditure of each of the Research Associations assisted by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; and what proportion the expenditure bears in each case to the estimated value of the annual pre-war production of the industries concerned.

The following figures show (1) the approximate expenditure of grant-aided Research Associations for the year 1942–43, (2) the net output of the industries concerned according to the Census of Production, 1935, and (3) the amount expended by the Research Associations per £100 of output.