asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that there is already an increase in absenteeism as the result of sickness among clerical workers in the North-west area consequent upon the recent restrictions on the use of fuel in offices; that it is not possible to maintain good health and perform clerical work efficiently when the temperature is under 60 degrees; that in parts of that area on some days, in many offices last week, the temperature was as low as 55 degrees; and if he will take immediate steps to remedy this.

Although I have received some isolated complaints of absenteeism due to sickness said to arise from the new restrictions on heating, I have no reason to believe that such absenteeism is general in the north-west, nor have I received any medical evidence in support of my hon. Friend's suggestion. In cases in which special hardship is alleged, it is open to those affected to apply to my Regional Controllers for individual permits for heating.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the total cost of the recent fuel economy exhibition, held in Bradford, and the number of people who visited the exhibition.

The number of persons who attended this Exhibition was 1,328. The cost to the Ministry was£160. I am not aware of the total cost, but the advance estimate was£315.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether there is any independent tribunal to which industrial consumers can submit their case in connection with the revenues derived by power companies from the coal clause; and, if not, whether he will consider the setting up of such an independent tribunal.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir." As regards the second part, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 14th March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the meaning of the Emergency Powers (Defence) Consumer Rationing Order (S.R. & o. No. 244 of 1944) which purports to relate to or amend nine earlier Orders.

An explanatory note is on the back of this Order, which does not amend any earlier Consumer Rationing Order, but requires registered manufacturers of fur apparel to give certain information, and to deliver coupons, to the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any announcement to make with regard to the census of production after the war.

I hope that it may be possible after the war, as soon as economic conditions become sufficiently stable, to arrange for the Census of Production to be taken annually.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now given further consideration to the granting of an allowance of extra coupons to hospital nurses for the purchase of stockings.

Yes, Sir. I have now arranged for hospital nurses to receive each year certificates entitling them to buy nine coupons' worth of stockings without giving up their own coupons. Certificates for six coupons, to cover the remainder of the present rationing period, will be distributed this month.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the departmental inquiry into the affairs of Commonwealth Mining and Finance, Limited, has now been completed; and whether he can make any statement thereon.

Civil proceedings are in progress and will, I hope, end before long. I am awaiting their further development.

asked the Minister of Labour how many employers and work-people, respectively, have been prosecuted and imprisoned in Scotland for offences against the industrial code which were not punishable prior to the outbreak of war.

Up to 31st March, 1944, 25 employers and 6,867 workers were prosecuted in Scotland for the offences mentioned in the Question. No employers were sentenced to imprisonment; 256 workers were so sentenced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Scottish Department of Agriculture will now consider taking over roads in the Hebrides for whose maintenance its holders are responsible, or reconstruct them and ask the county councils to take responsibility for them for the future.

The question of responsibility for the maintaining of access roads could not be considered in relation only to the cases of holdings upon Department of Agriculture property in the Hebrides. There are other ownerships and other areas where similar problems arise, not least of which, and certainly at the moment, is a serious labour shortage. If many individual holders were not themselves to fulfil these existing obligations it would be impossible to provide the labour required from other sources. Prior to the war a number of these roads were taken over by the County Councils as public highways, with financial assistance from the Department. I hope that after the war it may be possible to continue and to extend this policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the Scottish Universities Joint Board have intimated that a substantial increase in university fees in all faculties except the medical faculty shall be imposed, to take effect from the beginning of the next session; whether he was consulted before this step was taken; and whether he will consider whether the deficiencies in university income can be made good in some other way.

I have seen Press reports of the decision agreed on by the four University Courts to increase university fees in all faculties except that of Medicine. University finance, apart from a small fixed grant given under Section 16 (1) (b) of the Education (Scotland) Act of 1908, is not a matter which comes within the province of the Scottish Office and accordingly I was not consulted regarding the decision. The question of making any increase in University grants is one for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that some 3o families in the Bridgeton Division of Glasgow have received notice that they are to be evicted from their homes at 5o, Madras Street and 33, Mill Street on 8th May and that no satisfactory alternative accommodation is available for them; and whether he will take steps to prevent these people from being rendered homeless.

I am informed that as a result of the properties mentioned being declared dangerous by the Dean of Guild Court, 25 families will require to vacate their houses. I understand that the Corporation have offered these families alternative accommodation in houses which have been requisitioned and reconditioned by the Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider arranging in due course for a special publication by the Council of Industry in Scotland of its post-war plans for the development of industry in Scotland, illustrated similarly to the recent Report published by the Advisory Committee on Housing.

In addition to the reports of its activities which have been issued from time to time in the Press the Council has already published a booklet on industrial opportunities in Scotland after the war. The Council is aware of the importance of informing the public as fully as possible of its work and plans, and I am passing on to it the suggestion made by my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the action of the Argentine Government in threatening to take over at a figure far below their value the assets of the Primitiva Gas Company; and what action he proposes to take to protect the interest of British shareholders.

Yes, Sir. His Majesty's Ambassador at Buenos Aires has for some years lent the Primitiva Gas Company all such support as he properly could and he will continue to do so. On the instructions of my right hon. Friend he has taken steps to ensure that the competent Argentine authorities are aware of the close attention with which His Majesty's Government are watching the development of this case, with particular reference to the question whether the amount of compensation to be paid to the Company will, as provided by Argentine law, be either mutually agreed or deter- mined by the Supreme Court on the basis of a valuation by experts appointed by both parties.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he can now give any estimate of when supplies of penicillin will be available for general use in this country.

The production of penicillin is being increased as rapidly as possible. I regret, however, that it is not possible to give any reasonable estimate of the time when supplies will be available for general use in this country, as this must depend, amongst other things, on Service requirements.

asked the Minister of Supply what is the present function of Mr. Meddlicott, of the Rubber Control; and if he will take steps to ensure that this gentleman is not allowed to deal with the distribution of raw materials.

The officer referred to works in the Supplies Section of the Rubber Control, under the supervision of the Director of Rubber. I am not aware of any reason to take the course suggested in the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that Mr. Ascoli, of the Rubber Control, requested the secretary of the Rubber Reclaimers' Association to call a meeting of its members, on 3oth March at Manchester, to discuss certain questions with the Ministry; that the application to be represented at this meeting by a Government sponsored firm, who are not members of the association, was refused as the meeting was to discuss only technical matters not concerning this particular firm, whereas questions of labour, absenteeism, release on medical grounds and transport relating to the whole industry were dealt with; and if he will prevent further discrimination against this firm.

The answer to the first two parts of the Question is "Yes, Sir." The meeting held on 3oth March was called to discuss the adjustment of production in works using a process other than that used by the firm in question. In the event the meeting proceeded, after consideration of the main issue, to discuss a number of other points of common interest to all reclaimers; in view of this, the record of the meeting was sent for information to each firm in the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the instances in which he has directed local authorities to enrol women police forthwith.

I have not issued any such directions. The action which I have taken was stated in my replies to the hon. Members for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) and Bournemouth (Sir L. Lyle) on 6th and 19th April.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information as to the daily basic rates of pay of a private in the British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, South African, U.S.A. Russian and Chinese armies, respectively.

I cannot speak with authority on the rates of pay drawn by the soldiers mentioned other than those of the British Army, but my information is that the minimum daily basic rates, converted to sterling, are as follows:

asked the Minister of Health the purpose of the Rating, England, Product of Rates and Precepts Order (S.R. & O., No. 425, of 1944); and whether, as a result of the Order, expenditure will be shifted from rates to taxes, or vice versa.

The purpose of the Order, which was made after consultation with the Associations of Local Authorities, is to enable rating authorities in making the calculation of the product of a penny rate to include in the cost of collection of rates payments made by them under section r of the Local Government Staffs (War Service) Act, 1939, to their employees on war service whose remuneration would have been so included if they had continued to serve in their civil capacity. The Order will not have any such effect as is suggested in the concluding part of the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether consideration will be given to the cases of non-commissioned and warrant officers recommended for commissions who are shortly due to receive the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; whether he is aware that an officer, having served 17 years and 92 days in the ranks and who was granted a commission, was informed that he had by this become ineligible for the medal to which he would have been entitled had he refused a commission within a further period of a few months; and whether he will review King's Regulations dealing with this matter.

Officers are not eligible for this Medal and a non-commissioned or warrant officer who is granted a commission therefore cannot receive it. It would be impossible to modify this rule without entirely changing the nature of the award. If, however, the man in question is appointed to an emergency commission, he may return to the ranks when the emergency is over. He is then once more entitled to the medal and, moreover, he is allowed to count his service as an officer towards the period which qualifies for the award. Whatever period is fixed as the qualifying period there will always be men who just fail to qualify. The case quoted by my hon. Friend is undoubtedly a hard case, but I regret that it does not justify a revision of the rules governing the award of this medal.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give instructions that men in the older age groups serving overseas shall be replaced, as far as is practicable, by younger men and returned for service in this country.

I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Deritend (Sir Smedley Crooke) last Wednesday.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men were discharged from the Army during the last 12 months; and how many were granted post-war credits under Army Order 72/1942.

Just under four-fifths of those discharged from the Army in the past year received post-war credits. I regret that it would not be in the public interest to give the figures.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of generals of 4o years of age or under who are employed in an administrative capacity by the War Office and War Department.

No general officer under 40 years of age is employed in an administrative appointment.

asked the President of the Board of Education what arrangements have been made to ensure that the educational position of children evacuated through the Children's Overseas Reception Bureau have been safeguarded in the event of their return to this country.

I do not anticipate that there will be any great difficulty in ensuring that children evacuated overseas shall be able to continue their education or training on their return to this country. If, however, difficulty should arise in any particular case I shall be very ready to give every assistance in overcoming it, so far as I am in a position to do so.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has taken steps to safeguard the interests of children evacuated under the Children's Overseas Reception Bureau who desire to undertake training in this country for which school-leaving certificates or matriculation certificates are required.

A good many of the universities in this country are prepared to accept for their purposes matriculation success in an examination taken overseas, and the same is broadly true of professional bodies requiring school certificates. In view of the great variety of particular requirements and the different standards of examinations overseas it is not possible to make general arrangements covering all cases. But I am confident that pupils who take with success the examinations overseas corresponding to the school certificate or matriculation will not find themselves seriously handicapped on their return to this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any commitments have been made to accede to the request that Rome shall be treated as an open city; and whether the German army is still using its environs for military purposes.

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative and to the second part in the affirmative.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of meetings of the Italian Allied Committee in Italy that have been held since its inception.

The hon. Member is no doubt alluding to the Advisory Council for Italy. I would refer to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to his Question on 22nd March, when he stated that this body had by then met eight times. Since that date two further meetings have been held.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres of land have been reclaimed during last year.

No precise figures on the subject are available.

asked the Secretary of State for War the estimated total German military casualties, including prisoners, on all fronts since September, 1939.

I regret that it would not be in the public interest, particularly at the present time, to disclose our estimates of the casualties suffered hitherto by the Germans.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give detailed figures showing how the amount of £2,044,000,000 was spent in the last financial year on subsidising foodstuffs and showing, separately, the subsidies paid to distributors, consumers and producers, respectively, for each of the principal subsidised foodstuffs.

I gave full details of the make-up of these subsidies (which totalled £204,400,000 in the last financial year) in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Wycombe (Sir A. Knox) on 2nd February last, and I would refer my hon. Friend to that answer. The subsidies accrue to the benefit of the consumer by reducing the retail prices which would otherwise be charged. There is no basis on which any part of them can be attributed to producers or distributors who receive out of the retail price and subsidy together reasonable prices and remuneration for their services.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he has any estimate which he can give of the effect on Nazi industrial war production of our recent bombing, the number of factories destroyed, the loss of man-hours, and the effect on the fighting strength of the Luftwaffe.

There is overwhelming evidence from photographic and other sources that the Allied bomber offensive has inflicted grave injury throughout the whole field of German war production. It would not, however, be practicable to attempt to summarise the extent of this injury within the compass of a Parliamentary reply. As for the effect of the offensive on the fighting strength of the Luftwaffe, I would refer my hon. Friend to the joint statement issued by the Air Ministry and the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe on 23rd April, 1944, of which I am sending him a copy.