asked the Secretary of State for War how many men of C medical category are held at the depôt, Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; and what is the average time before suitable positions are found to which these men can be posted.

I regret that it would not be in the public interest to answer the first part of the hon. Member's Question. The men concerned spend rather over a month at the depôt.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what rates of pay it is proposed to offer to military officers who may be selected to fill Civil Service posts in Record Offices; and why applications were invited from military personnel before the claims of existing civil staffs have been fully considered;(2) whether, in connection with a circular letter recently issued by his Department inviting military officers to apply for posts which have been defined as Civil Service posts in certain mixed establishments, consideration will be given to the claims of those members of the civilian staffs who have been denied the opportunity of consideration because of a proviso about the length of qualifying service, which is not being applied in the case of military personnel.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the application from assistant record officers, serving on civilian contracts, for appointment as departmental civilian officer or assistant administrative officer. If so, he is under a misapprehension in thinking that the general rules regarding the length of qualifying service will not be applicable in these cases. Any assistant record officers who may be selected for appointment as departmental civilian officer or as assistant administrative officer will be offered employment as temporary assistants on a range of pay from £325 to £400 a year, in the case of departmental civilian officer posts, and on a range of pay of £450 to £600 a year, in the case of assistant administrative officer posts. It is the intention first to promote the established civil servants who are found fit for promotion and then to consider the claims of the temporary civil servants, including those of the few candidates from among the assistant record officers.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in connection with invitations now being extended to war service personnel in the R.A.P.C. to take on regular engagements, he will give an assurance that this action will not prejudice the consideration of proposals that after the war the home pay offices, save in exceptional cases, should be staffed on a civilian basis.

No fresh invitations have recently been extended to war service personnel in the R.A.P.C. to take on regular engagements. The question of staffing home pay offices will be decided, as the hon. Member will appreciate, in the light of the needs of the post-war Army, when they are known.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the payment of the troops by the R.A.P.C. instead of by regimental officers, with a view to conducing to more efficient administration.

My hon. and gallant Friend's proposal has been considered and rejected on more than one occasion. I attach importance to the existing system under which the regimental officer is responsible for the payment of the men under his operational command. The provision of trained R.A.P.C. staff for the purpose suggested would make demands upon that Corps which could not be met.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to make any change in the minimum age at which soldiers may be sent overseas.

It has been the policy of the Government that men serving in the Army shall not be sent overseas before they are 19 years of age. The Government has now decided that the age limit shall be reduced to enable men to be drafted abroad at any time after attaining the age of 18 years and 6 months. This critical stage of the war demands that in the coming months we must make the fullest use of all our trained men to ensure that there is the greatest possible weight behind our blows and that the impetus of our attack is maintained. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service, in introducing the National Service Bill on 8th December, 1942, announced the reduction of the age for enrolment to 18 years. In the course of his speech he said:

"There is an advantage in giving the longest possible period of training to the young men who are called up, and I suggest to anyone with knowledge of modern warfare that 11 or 12 months' training in this war is not too long to mature them and make them fit for the strenuous battles that have to be faced."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 8th December, 1942; col. 1445, Vol. 385.]

Under the improved methods of training which have been introduced we have in the Army to-day many thousands of efficient men under 19. These comprise volunteers who have been in the Service from the age of 17 years 9 months, and Army Class from 18 years, and who are now between 18½ and 19. We cannot afford to withhold these men, eager to fight, at this stage of the war.This decision, which makes the age limit for overseas service the same as it was during the greater part of the last war, in no way alters the policy that men will not be sent overseas unless they are fully trained for their employment. The period of training differs in various arms, and also for various trades and duties within the arms. For this reason, there are very many who, even if enlisted at 18, will not now be available for drafting overseas until they are 19 years of age or older. I may add that the adoption of the lower age limit brings the Army into line with the existing practice in the other two Services. In the Royal Navy men may serve afloat in ships based on both home and foreign stations at the age of 18, and R.A.F. personnel are also permitted to serve overseas at this age.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the amount paid in accordance with the Regulations of the W.L.A. for board and lodging of a land girl is assessable to Income Tax as part of the remuneration of the land girl.

Where an employer undertakes to provide free board and lodging for an employee the board and lodging is not a taxable emolument and the taxation liability is determined by the cash wage. This general rule of the Income Tax law applies to agricultural employees in the same way as it applies to all other employees for whom the employer provides such benefits in kind. Where a gross wage is payable and the employee is responsible for the cost of his board and lodging the gross wage is taxable.The position has been explained in the pamphlet "The Farmer's Guide to 'Pay as you Earn'" issued by the Board of Inland Revenue, and also in a circular to county agricultural executive committees. It has been pointed out that where a worker is provided by the employer with free board and lodging in the farmhouse or in a billet or hostel in circumstances where the employer has made himself and not the worker directly responsible for the cost, only the cash wages are assessable to tax. In such a case the Income Tax liability is not affected by the fact that the provision of free board and lodging has to be taken into account in calculating wages under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was at the latest convenient date, the total amount of interest-free loan remitted direct to the Treasury by the lenders; and whether all the loans so made are for the duration of the war including, the war with Japan.

In reply to the first part of the Question, the total received up to 2nd May, 1944, was £66,519,000. In reply to the second part, the terms of these loans vary, but the majority of the lenders have expressed their intention of leaving the money with the Treasury for the duration of the war, and the certificate in the form normally issued entitles the lender to receive repayments three months after the conclusion of a treaty of peace. In this context most lenders have probably intended the expression "duration of the war" to refer to the war with Germany. The hon. Member will appreciate that the scheme was instituted in 1940 and the bulk of the loans were received before the entry of Japan into the war.

asked the Postmaster-General the total amount of interest waived by depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank and by holders of securities on the Post Office Register, including National Savings Certificates, since the Interest-Free Loans Scheme was first announced.

The total amount of interest surrendered to the State by depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank, by holders of stock on the Post Office Register and by Savings Certificate holders up to the 30th of April, 1944, is £394,141. This amount is made up as follows:

	£
Interest on Post Office Savings Bank Deposits	291,637
Interest on Stock on the Post Office Register	94,796
Interest on Savings Certificates	7,708
	£394,141

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider introducing some form of Income Tax relief for elderly or retired persons living on the interest from investments in order to lessen the hardship caused by the increase in the cost of living.

I would remind my hon. Friend that the Income Tax law makes special provision for the type of case which he has in mind. Section 15 of the Finance Act, 1925, provides that in the case of a taxpayer over 65 years of age whose total income does not exceed £500, the same measure of relief as is granted in respect of earned income is allowable in respect of income from investments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider making old age pensions free of Income Tax so that old people who have saved a little money during their working lives do not lose the benefit of their thrift.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 10th February last to the hon. Member for Everton (Mr. Kirby).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amounts, separately, of the sums collected in the Wings for Victory Week, the Warships Week and the Spitfire Week; the proportion received from the small investors; the principle on which this is based; and the amounts received from any other special weeks not mentioned above.

The following table gives the information relating to the special Weeks organised in connection with the War Savings Campaigns:

(1)						(2) Total subscribed.	(3)Small Savings included in total.	(4) Proportion of (3) to (2).
						£	£	Per cent.
War Weapons Weeks {16th September, 1940 to 28th June, 1941)	…	…	…	…	…	469,007,713	141,023,001	30·1
Warship Weeks (18th October, 1941 to 28th March, 1942)	…	…	…	…	…	545,640,770	141,090,987	25·9
Wings for Victory Weeks (6th March, 1943 to 3rd July, 1943)	…	…	…	…	…	615,945,713	179,539,021	29·1

"Small Savings" consist of investments in 3 per cent. Defence Bonds and National Savings Certificates, increases in the balance due to depositors in the Post Office and Trustee Savings Banks, and purchases of National Savings Stamps and Gift Tokens.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give an estimate of the probable amount of saving to the Exchequer by way of decreased expenditure on consumer subsidies, etc., of the decision to allow the cost of living to rise by 5 per cent.

As I explained in my Budget Speech, the cost of living subsidies are rising in amount and the effect of the decision to substitute a range of from 30 to 35 per cent. over pre-war for the former range of 25 to 30 per cent. will be that, so far as the cost of living is allowed to rise, the increase in the subsidies will be less than it would otherwise have been. The average cost of preventing a rise in the index of 1 per cent. of its pre-war level is rather more than £10,000,000 a year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works if there is any scheme for compensating property owners whose land is not encroached upon but whose property is reduced in value by reason of the erection of works or buildings placed there by Government departments under their emergency powers; and, if not, whether he will consider introducing such a scheme.

I have been asked to reply. The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative and I cannot undertake to propose amendment of the Compensation (Defence) Act on the lines suggested.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether in connection with the lay-out of the first factory-made house, the prototype of 500,000, which is now on inspection at Millbank, favourable consideration will be given to the alteration in position of the gas-meter which at present occupies the whole cupboard under the sink; and if he will consider placing these meters outside the dwelling altogether.

Detailed improvements in the design and layout of the prototype factory-made house are under consideration and the hon. Member's suggestion will be considered with others.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the recently designed prefabricated houses will be erected in the Stalybridge and Hyde area; and when it is anticipated that building will start.

:It is not possible give the information asked for until after the prototype house has been approved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider taking steps to remove the hardship caused to some property owners the rental of whose houses is so restricted as to be fixed at an uneconomical level.

I have been asked to reply. The whole question of rent control is being considered by the Inter-Departmental Committee which was set up last year by my predecessor and the Secretary of State for Scotland, and the evidence which has been submitted to the Committee includes the views of organisations representing property owners

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the restoration of tranquillity in the mining industry, he will now publish the weekly output of the different mining districts so as to show the rapidity with which the loss of coal in the past is being made good.

No, Sir. In my view the publication of figures of coal production covering such short periods tends to be misleading, particularly when holidays and other factors affect production in individual weeks. This is true even of statistics covering four-weekly periods. The publication of figures of production for four-weekly periods, which I instituted at the inception of the district output bonus scheme in the hope of providing a further stimulus to production, has not in my opinion made any noticeable contribution to increased output. The new National Wages Agreement, which I reported to the House on 21st April, made provision for terminating the district output bonus scheme, and has directed attention away from the performance of whole districts on to the personal efforts of the individual coal-getter by providing a greater incentive to him to increase his output. Accordingly I propose to stop issuing these figures.At the same time, in order that the House and the country can be kept even more fully informed than hitherto of the main statistics of the industry, I propose to issue in the near future a White Paper giving all the salient statistics relating to coal production, manpower, absenteeism, and consumption, as well as to the finance of the industry from 1938 to the present time. I will make arrangements also for the more important items in this Paper to be kept up to date by quarterly publication in the Board of Trade Journal.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the announcement of 15 cwts. of coal being available for households during the months of May and June is meant to be applicable in South Wales; and why is it that only 95 cwt. per week is being made available in Rhondda.

The announcement to which my hon. Friend refers does apply to South Wales, but it does not state that 15 cwts. of coal are available for every household. The position is that in South Wales and in the Northern Regions not more than 15 cwts. may be supplied to any controlled premises during May and June.With regard to the second part of the Question, the figure quoted by my hon. Friend is the average amount per registration allocated to merchants in the Rhondda district. I have already explained in answer to my hon. Friend on 23rd November last the relation between the average allocation and the maximum permitted quantity. I am satisfied that, in all the circumstances, the tonnage allocated to merchants in South Wales represents that district's fair share of the total tonnage available and as regards its distribution, I would remind my hon. Friend that not all premises will require coal during the summer months, and that many will require less than one cwt. per week, so that those which require more than the average, either for consumption or stocking, should be able to obtain up to the maximum permitted quantity.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many men have been recalled, or allowed to return, from the mines to the Forces during the present year to date.

Between 1st January and 29th April, 1944, recall instructions were issued to 749 men who had been released from the Forces to go direct to underground work in coal mines. Of these, 623 had been released before 31st March, 1943, and 126 since mid-November, 1943. Of the men released under the first scheme, 215 were recalled to the Army following an investigation which showed that they had left the coalmining industry, and 295 were recalled to the Royal Air Force when the Air Ministry gave men on release the option of rejoining or transferring from temporary to indefinite release.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the amount of open-cast coal on stock at a place of which he has been informed; the reason for this dumping of coal; the distance it is being trans- ported from the site of operation to the dumping place and the cost per ton for transport.

There are 28,000 tons of coal in stock at the place in question which was selected as a central point for the erection of a screening plant and as a stocking ground for the output from a number of open-cast sites, within a radius of six miles, in the area. Shortage of labour and transport difficulties in recent months have delayed the completion of the screening plant and disposal of production, but it is anticipated that the plant will be ready for operating by the end of June next. A buffer stock will be held at this point to meet disposals when the production falls in the winter months. The cost of transport from the working face to the stocking ground, a distance of some six miles, was 3s. 5d. per ton.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will reconsider his decision not to allow the Cornish Engines Preservation Society to incorporate without the suffix Limited.

No, Sir. This privilege is granted only in exceptional circumstances. But there is no reason why this society should not incorporate under the Companies Act without any such special licence of the Board of Trade, or alternatively, its affairs could be managed by trustees.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of recent fatal accidents on Merseyside in which children have been drowned in accessible pits and ponds at Speke Hall Avenue, Liverpool, and at Leasowe Common, Wirral, Cheshire; and will he take steps whereby such pits and ponds will be filled in or made inaccessible to children.

My right hon. and learned Friend has heard of these tragedies from the hon. Member. My right hon. Friend has not himself any powers in the matter, but he does not doubt that the question whether action is necessary will be carefully considered by the City Council of Liverpool and the Town Council of Wallasey respectively.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of deaths from tuberculosis and the death rate based on number of residents in the county and borough mental hospitals of England and Wales in 1943, giving figures for males and females, separately, and the comparative figures for 1938, 1939, 1942 and 1942.

I regret that figures for 1943 are not yet available. The figures for the years 1938–1942 were given in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend on 9th June, 1943.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare whether he has considered the copy of a resolution, passed by a number of ministers of the Free Churches in Ilford and sent to him, urging the Government to reconsider their policy concerning the supply of limited quantities of vitamins and milk concentrate for children and nursing mothers in certain countries, subject to the requisite assurances as to control being obtainable; and whether he is able to make any statement regarding this matter.

I have considered this petition. While His Majesty's Government have every sympathy with the desire to relieve distress in enemy-occupied countries we remain of opinion that the advantage, direct or indirect, which the enemy would derive from any relaxation of the blockade would outweigh the advantage to our friends. Moreover, there will in the near future be strong operational objections to projects of this kind.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare whether he will request the Turkish Government to cease exports to Germany of such valuable materials as copper, tanning materials and vegetable oils.

Representations of this nature have already been addressed to the Turkish Government who have replied that they will, within the limits of their material possibilities, give the suggested assistance to the United Kingdom and its Allies.

asked the Minister of Food what steps are taken by his Department in fixing prices for vegetables to ensure that the remuneration of the producer is adequate in these days of high labour and transport cost.

The maximum prices payable to growers for vegetables under Statutory Orders are prescribed seasonally in consultation with the Agricultural Departments and after discussion of all the relevant factors with the growers' organisations concerned.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what adjustments have been made in the pay scales of ratings of the Royal Navy to correspond with those announced in the White Paper for other ranks in the Army.

The following adjustments have been made in the pay of the Royal Navy. They do not apply to men on the higher pre-1925 pay scale. In accordance with the policy stated in the Government White Paper, that the present increases do not apply to tradesmen, the artificer, artisan, and mechanical branches of the Royal Navy are excluded from the Naval increases.Subject to these exceptions, the substantive pay of able and leading seamen and equivalent grades in other branches is being increased by 3d. a day, and the first progressive pay of able seaman ratings, achieved after three years man's service, is being increased from 4d. to 6d. Marines on completion of training and corporals R.M., other than those paid at tradesmen's rates, will receive the same increases as able and leading seamen respectively. Wrens, if they hold a rating equivalent to that of able seaman, and leading Wrens will receive an increase of 2d. a day; the first progressive pay of the Wren is increased from 3d. to 4d.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state the number of deaths from tuberculosis and the death rate based on number of residents in the mental hospitals of Scotland in 1943, giving figures for males and females separately: and the comparative figures for 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941 and 1942.

I regret that the figures for 1943 are not yet available; but I will send them to the hon. Member as soon as they are ready. Corresponding data for previous years were given in my answer to the hon. Member on 10th June, 1943 [OFFICIAL REPORT, col. 865].

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the delays in payment of the grants by the Agricultural Lime Department; that some producers have to wait for 12 months or more without payment of the State grant; and if he will take steps to see that the Lime Department acts with greater promptitude.

I presume my hon. Friend is referring to the payment of Exchequer grant made to lime producers in approved cases towards the cost incurred by them in purchasing and installing plant for the production of ground limestone for agriculture. Though some generalised allegations of delay in the payment of such grants have come to my notice I have not been informed of any specific case which would enable me to have inquiry made, but if my hon. Friend will be good enough to send me details of any particular cases he has in mind, I will inquire into them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the survey of water resources of the Outer Hebrides is now complete; and, if not, which of the islands are not yet surveyed.

No, Sir. Owing to pressure of other work, it has not yet been possible to survey the islands of Scalpa, Berneray, Eriskay, and Vatersay, but arrangements are in hand for their being surveyed at an early date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Principal Probate Registry refuses to accept the occupation of "Member of Parliament" on a properly affirmed document and requests reaffirmation with fuller particulars of occupation.

I understand that "Member of Parliament" is accepted in the Principal Probate Registry as a sufficient description of a deponent in affidavits, without further particulars of occupation. If any request for such further particulars has in fact been made, it must have been due to an error on the part of a member of the staff of the Registry, which would have been corrected had the matter been referred by the applicant to a Registrar.

asked the Minister of Food if he can give any information in connection with the case of the men who were charged with stealing from a factory tea and sugar; and what action was taken in the matter.

I have been asked to reply. I assume that my hon. Friend refers to a recent case in which two men were charged with stealing a small amount of tea and sugar, valued at 2s. 6d., the property of their employers. Both men pleaded guilty and they were each fined £10.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Departmeit how many experiments on living animals, performed under the Act, 39 and 40 Vict., Ch. 77, have been reported to him for the years 1939 to 1943.

The published return for 1939 shows that the total number of experiments performed in that year was 954,691, of which, as pointed out on page 5 of the return, a large number were almost wholly simple inoculations and similar proceedings performed either on behalf of official bodies with a view to the preservation of the public health or directly for the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The figures for the next three years were:

1940	…	…	…	889,677
1941	…	…	…	764,013
1942	…	…	…	932,448

I regret the figures for 1943 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) if he can state the number of men signing on at the Workington, Maryport, Aspatria and Cockermouth employment exchanges; and what number of those signing on are ex-Service men, respectively;(2) if he can state the number of women signing on at the Workington, Maryport, Aspatria and Cockermouth employment exchanges; and what number of these are ex-Service women, respectively.

I am arranging for the available information to be sent to my hon. Friend.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, whether they have taken advantage of the recent favourable weather to burn a protective belt at their plantations at Shielgreen, Peeblesshire.

Several areas at Shielgreen have been burned under suitable conditions. These areas include part of the North-West section of the boundary, but it has not yet been possible to carry out the burning arranged for the northern section owing to wind or other unfavourable conditions. This will be done as soon as conditions permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that Canadian newspapers reported the inquest on the airman who died through an injection of toxoid for diphtheria; that the facts are known to a number of people in Canada and in this country; and why, in the circumstances, is the Report of the court of inquiry into this matter held to be a privileged document.

Yes, Sir. The circumstances of the death of this airman were investigated both by coroner's inquest and by a Court of Inquiry convened by the Royal Canadian Air Force. I am aware that the proceedings of the inquest have been reported in the Canadian Press, but this fact does not affect the privileged character of the report of the Service Court of Inquiry.