asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the State of enabling local authorities to pay off existing housing loans by means of an interest-free loan repayable over the remaining period of the 40 years for which the Exchequer is liable for subsidies and the set-off against such charge of the savings thereby occasioned, to the taxpayer by the abolition of the housing subsidies and to the ratepayer by the removal of the burden of interest.

I am not sure that I understand the hon. Member's Question, for local authority loans are, of course, only repayable in accordance with the terms on which the loans were contracted. If, however, he has in mind the release of local authority housing accounts from interest charges, the broad result, if it could be secured, would be an increase of charge to the taxpayer equal to the rate contributions now made by local authorities and to the profit which they would then enjoy from the receipt of the net produce of rentals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give an assurance that His Majesty's Government have worked out a scheme for ensuring that the prices of those necessities of life which are at present uncontrolled will be brought down as soon after the war as possible.

During the war the Government have taken measures to control the prices of all essential articles of consumption, and they intend, as I have stated on several occasions, to maintain the stabilisation policy and to prevent the inflation of prices after the war, no less than now. If my hon. Friend has any particular items in mind which are not controlled perhaps he would inform me.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been called to the fact that many women who have lost their husbands in action and who have to enter employment in order to supplement their pension, lose a substantial portion of their pension by deducted Income Tax due to the loss of £140 personal allowance, resulting from the death of their husbands; and whether he will consider the possibility of allowing these pensions to rank as allowed for Income Tax purposes.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 10th May by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to my hon. Friend the Member for Deritend (Sir Smedley Crooke).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the case of the 20 per cent. Excess Profits Tax, to be made available for re-equipment in industry and the 20 per cent. first year's depreciation to be allowed on new plant, whether these allowances will be credited to firms able to secure new machines in the near future in readiness for full employment when the war ends.

I am not sure what my hon. Friend has in mind, but I would remind him that the Excess Profits Tax credit is not payable till the end of the war. The initial allowance to which I referred in my Budget speech is to be given as part of the post-war Income Tax policy, and the conditions under which it will be granted have still to be worked out in detail with a view to embodiment in legislation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average interval of time between successive occasions upon which an estate becomes subject to Estate Duty.

I regret that this information is not available, as the statistics collected regarding the Estate Duty do not record the interval between successions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that inventors have no right to remuneration of any kind if their inventions are used by the nation for its own purposes for war or peace; that there is a clause in every Government contract debarring an inventor from receiving a royalty; and what steps he is taking to remunerate inventors and stimulate inventions.

I presume from the reference to a clause in Government contracts that my hon. Friend has chiefly in mind an invention which is the subject of a patent. It is not the case that a patentee has no right to remuneration for Crown user. His rights are laid down in the Patents and Designs Acts, 1907–1942, and are not removed by the Clause referred to. That Clause merely has the effect that the patentee will be remunerated directly by a Government Department instead of by the particular Government contractor who may be using his patent. The Acts provide that in the case of Crown user the remuneration shall be as agreed with the Government Department concerned, the right of appeal to the Court being safeguarded. No legal claim is admitted where a patent has not been taken out by the inventor, but ex gratia payments are made in suitable cases. With regard to the last part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to my statement on presenting the Budget, and also to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Yardley (Mr. Salt) on 25th January last.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware of the amalgamations of building societies that have taken place recently or are projected; and if he will take steps to prevent the creation of a monopoly in the field or, alternatively, nationalise the building societies.

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, it is quite clear that the changes in question involve no danger of a monopoly in the building society movement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been proposed in the working hours of auxiliary policemen; and whether, before effect is given to any such change, the views of the men concerned will be ascertained, especially because any extension of working time will debar them from activities in their leisure hours necessary, even with the recent small increase of pay, to supplement the remuneration which they are receiving.

I am not aware of any proposal to impose any general increase of hours at the present time. It is, however, open to a chief officer of police to extend the normal hours of duty of any member of his force when this is required by the exigencies' of the Service, and the necessity for such an extension may arise as the result of the reduction in police establishments. As regards the second part of the Question, the auxiliary police are entitled to make representations through their association on any matter affecting their conditions of service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the recent small increase of pay to the auxiliary police he is now in a position to give a reply to the request of the association representing this branch of the public service for arbitration into their working conditions.

As my right hon. Friend explained in reply to a previous Question, this request from the Auxiliary Police Association raises issues affecting many other Services. The examination which has been undertaken by the Government has emphasised the far-reaching character of the issues involved, and at present I am not in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Health when the Portal prefabricated houses, as now on exhibition, will be available for general use; and in what quantities.

I have been asked to reply. As indicated by my Noble Friend in another place, the first question is the approval of the prototype. Thereafter, the timing and commencement of manufacture must necessarily depend upon the availability of materials and capacity, upon which the war effort has first call. It will take about six months after approval of the prototype for jigs and tools to be got ready. Once production started it would take about three months to work up to full production, which would be of the nature of from 2,000 to 2,500 houses a week.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the approximate cost of furnishing a prefabricated £550 house with either utility furniture or furniture acquired at average market rates, simplicity and cheapness being the main factors in assessing the cost.

Enough utility furniture to supplement the built-in metal furniture, and to enable a family of three to live in reasonable comfort in an emergency house, similar to the one now on show, would cost about £45 at the present controlled prices.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether, in view of the improved acoustic arrangements, he is now able to restore to this House at least some of its windows and the benefits of daylight.

The loud-speakers which have been installed experimentally do not affect the general acoustical properties of the Chamber, on account of which sound absorbent material has been fitted in the windows. The question of natural daylight lighting is, however, being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the possibility of enlarging the Jewish battalions in the Palestine regiment into a Jewish regiment and opening it for recruitment for Palestinian refugee and stateless Jews as well as volunteers from neutral and liberated countries and also to the Jewish soldiers in the Polish forces who desire such transfer.

In answer to the last part of my hon. Friend's Question I do not see that I can very well add anything to the statements made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in reply to the hon. Member for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) on 5th April and 26th April. On the other matters raised by my hon. Friend I have nothing at present to add to previous statements.

asked the Secretary of State for War why, on the instructions of his Department, a man whose name has been communicated to him was arrested when he reported on the instructions of the Ministry of Labour for work at a coal mine in Kent.

This man was released to the Reserve in 1941 in order that he should enter the Palestine Police Force. He left this force at the end of last year and was recalled to the Colours in the normal way. He failed to report and steps were then taken to secure his services. He was accordingly apprehended by the civil police at the end of February. From subsequent inquiry it appears that he failed to inform the local office of the Ministry of Labour of his liability as a Reservist, and in the absence of any known reason to the contrary he was accepted as a volunteer for training for the mines.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will take steps at the earliest possible moment to de-requisition those tracts of land, of which he has been informed, from which mines have recently been lifted, so that they can be used for cultivation or grazing during the summer.

The area to which my hon. Friend refers is large and I cannot at present undertake to relinquish it, since parts of it may be required for military use. But I will certainly make available for grazing any land not so required. Perhaps my hon. Friend will let me know if he has any particular sites in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for War approximately how many under the age of 18 and 18½ years, respectively, have been sent for service overseas; and whether in all cases those who have been sent were volunteers for service overseas.

None, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that, in spite of instructions having been issued to the military authorities in Palestine to give recognition to the Palestine branch of the Civil Service Clerical Association, difficulties are still being experienced in securing effective recognition and negotiation; and if he will give instructions that the heads of all establishments in his Department in Palestine must afford full recognition and provide facilities for negotiation in the spirit of the Army Council pamphlet entitled Soldier and Civilian.

I am not aware of the difficulties referred to. The instructions which have been issued should ensure that the Palestine branch of the Civil Service Clerical Association is recognised by the heads of all establishments of the War Department in Palestine. If the hon. Member will give me details I will make further inquiry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of works of art exported to the U.S.A. during each of the last three years.

The value of exports of works of art and of paintings to the United States was £340,000 in 1940. The figures for 1941 to 1943, which have not been published, show a heavy reduction.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can state the price paid by the latest purchaser of the lands of South Uist, Benbecula and Eriskay; and if he will give an assurance that acquisition of land by the Scottish Department for small-holding settlement of local men now on service in the Armed Forces and Merchant Navy will continue as well as grazing land for livestock of the Department and that all such land acquired will be taken over at 1939 valuation.

As no disposition relating to the sale of these lands recently announced in the Press has been recorded in the Register of Sasines, I have no information as to the price paid. I am informed that all but one of the agricultural subjects are already small holdings. On the general question of land settlement I have, as my hon. Friend will be aware, appointed a Committee to investigate and report on land settlement in Scotland. Until its report has been received and examined, I could not make any statement on post-war policy. But there is no intention at present to discontinue the grazing of livestock by the Department of Agriculture on grazings attached to vacant small holdings and on lands taken over under the Defence Regulations. With regard to the application of the principle of 1939 values I would ask my hon. Friend to await legislation already announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can give the result of the Glasgow Housing Department's recent survey of applications and re-applications for municipal houses.

I am informed that 67,813 applications had been received by the end of March, 39,361 being new applications and 28,452 being renewals of previous applications. Over 8,000 application schedules which had been issued had not then been returned. Several hundreds have been submitted since but have not yet been classified by the City Improvements Department. The Corporation's lists are still open and applications are still being received.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that interest charges represented in 1942, more than 45 per cent. of total expenditure on all the Glasgow housing schemes; and what steps he is taking to give some relief from this burden on housing activities.

Yes, Sir. I understand that in regard to the last part of the Question, the Exchequer assistance to local authorities takes account of interest charges, and for the year referred to in the hon. Member's Question amounted in Glasgow to 75 per cent. of the total deficit.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, if, following the decision of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board to amend the rates of wages for agricultural workers, it is the intention of the Forestry Commission to amend wages paid to forest workers in Scotland; and, if so, what will be the new wages rates and from what date will they take effect.

It is the intention of the Commissioners to amend the wages of their employees in accordance with the decision of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board, which provides for the weekly minimum and the commencing date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the representative of the Scottish Department of Agriculture, who attended a recent conference of the Scottish Reconstruction Committee, committed the Department in any way to assist the establishment of a crofters' cooperative society in Skye under the aegis of the S.C.W.S.

No, Sir. The officer of the Department who was present at the meeting referred to was not authorised to commit the Department of Agriculture in any way, nor did he do so.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that, in connection with the change of accommodation of his headquarters registry staff, the representations made to his official side by the staff side were in opposition to and not in agreement with the transfer; that the continuous use of fluorescent lighting and electrically operated ventilating plant, unnecessary in the old accommodation but necessary in the new accommodation, is leading to a greater consumption of electricity; and whether, in the circumstances, he will consider re-transferring staffs to their old accommodation where a minimum of artificial lighting is necessary.

The decision to transfer the staff referred to by the hon. Member was taken, as my right hon. Friend stated on 25th April, after representations had been received from the staff themselves as to the unsuitability of the old accommodation, and in the interests both of efficiency and of security. I am aware that the Staff Side of the Departmental Whitley Council opposed the transfer to the present accommodation, but the subject was fully discussed with them by the Official Side and no formal disagreement was recorded. It is difficult to make an exact comparison between the old and new accommodation in regard to the consumption of electricity, but my right hon. Friend is still of the opinion that on balance there is a saving in consumption. My right hon. Friend has considered the whole matter afresh, but, especially in view of the security considerations involved, is not prepared to re-transfer the staff.

asked the President of the Board of Education the total expenditure on teachers' salaries in elementary, secondary and technical schools for the year 1938–39.

The total expenditure on teachers' salaries in 1938–39 for schools of all types maintained by local education authorities was £53,672,738. Corresponding figures are not available for other grant-aided schools, but the total expenditure involved in the case of such schools may be estimated at about £4,500,000.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will reconsider the case, details of which have been sent to him, of a woman medical student, now 20 years of age, refused permission by his Department to proceed with her medical studies for which she has been accorded admission to a London teaching hospital.

I have further considered this case. The person concerned does not satisfy the rules which I have had to lay down for regulating admission to a teaching hospital. Her admission would be at the expense of a student who satisfies the rules and I regret that I should not be justified in making an exception in her case.

asked the Minister of Labour if post-war plans to assist partly disabled ex-Servicemen by land settlement schemes and by re-employing such personnel in industrial and other occupations, have been worked out and are ready to be set in motion after the war.

For a statement of the general position, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on nth April to the hon. and gallant Member for Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser). Plans to assist disabled ex-Servicemen to obtain employment in industrial and other occupations after the war are being worked out, both in connection with the operation of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act and otherwise, in preparation for the end of the war. I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries about the nature and scope of the employment that will be available for ex-Servicemen on the land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the date on which the hon. and gallant Member for Peebles and Southern (Captain Ramsay) last appeared before an Advisory Committee; and if the Committee recommended that his detention be continued.

The only appearance of the hon. and gallant Member before an Advisory Committee was on 4th July, 1940. The reply to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative, as the House was informed on 23rd July, 1940.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the percentage of absenteeism at the coalface for each quarter from 1st January, 1941, to 31st December, 1943.

As my right hon. Friend stated in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bosworth (Sir W. Edge) on 9th May, he intends shortly to issue a White Paper giving full statistics of production, absenteeism, etc., in the coal-mining industry, and I would ask my hon. Friend to await its publication, when all the information available on this subject will be given.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that people in the Sherborne and other areas of Dorset have suffered from vaccination urged on the public by medical officials in consequence of the alleged case of smallpox, the diagnosis of which has not been confirmed; and whether he will issue to all medical officers of health a copy of his statement of policy in regard to vaccination under which he has recommended that schoolchildren and young adults should not be primarily vaccinated unless they have been in personal contact with virulent smallpox, in order to stop panic vaccinations which do harm.

I am aware that persons who are vaccinated do not in all cases escape ill effects: but I cannot adopt the suggestion in the second part of the Question. The statement to which my hon. Friend refers, contained in a circular issued to local authorities in 1929, qualified the recommendation alluded to by the words "so long as smallpox prevalent in this country retains its present mild character," which does not apply to the most recent occurrences of the disease.

asked the Minister of Health the date on which the Yeovil schoolteacher reported to be sufferingfrom smallpox entered hospital; whether she is still there and, if not, the date on which she left the hospital; how long she had spots before the investigation was made; how many doctors were engaged in the investigation; whether they made the diagnosis of smallpox which was not confirmed; and whether doctors from his Ministry examined the case.

The patient to whom my hon. Friend refers was admitted to hospital on 1st April, and I understand was dis- charged on 20th April. My information is that she had spots on 28th March, but was not able to visit her doctor until two days later. Nine doctors were concerned in the investigation of the case, including three of my medical officers. The opinion reached by six of them that it was a case of smallpox was not shared by two of my officers but the precaution was taken of treating it as a case of smallpox. I am advised that occasionally the diagnosis of smallpox presents great difficulties and there is ample room for differences of medical opinion. At least three of the local doctors who judged this case to be one of smallpox are practitioners with substantial experience of the disease.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether it is his intention to publish after the war a review dealing with foreign trade and general economic conditions in markets abroad.

I would refer to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton (Dr. R. Thomas) on 3rd May. It is not intended to publish a single review, but to issue a series of reports covering these questions in individual markets.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether, in the inquiry he is conducting with regard to the problems which have arisen in the Defence Areas through enemy action, he will extend his investigations to the plight of those residents who have been compulsorily evacuated in order to provide areas for training purposes.

The inquiry which I am making is confined to problems which are peculiar to the coast towns in the South-East of England where measures were taken from 1940 onwards to prepare against the dangers of invasion. I regret that the inquiry cannot be extended to cover problems which are not peculiar to those areas.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he proposes to set up a University Grants Committee in India.

Except in relation to the Universities of Benares and Aligarh, university education is a Provincial subject, and it would not therefore he within my powers to act as suggested. A proposal of this kind is, however, contained in the recent report of the Educational Adviser to the Government of India on post-war Educational Development in India. Under the present constitution this proposal could only be implemented by agreement between Provincial Governments.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that despite promises made adequate facilities for the discussion of conditions of employment between his Department arid the approved trade unions and associations under the Trades Disputes Act have not been provided; and whether, as these bodies alone represent the industrial Civil Service staff and Admiralty establishments and as grave dissatisfaction is caused by the present Admiralty practice, he will institute an early inquiry into ways and means of evolving negotiating machinery which will give fair treatment to the thousands of industrial civil servants involved.

I am not aware that any promises made for providing facilities for discussion with the approved associations have not been fulfilled. These associations are already afforded full facilities for making representation on matters affecting their members. If my hon. Friend, however, cares to send me particulars of any specific instance in which it is alleged that the approved associations have been refused a hearing by the Admiralty, I will look into it. These bodies, of course, do not alone represent the Admiralty Industrial staff; the national trade unions have a very large interest in the Admiralty workmen which finds expression through the Whitley machinery.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the request of the Admiralty Industrial Civil Servants' Federation for arbitration about better facilities for negotiations between his Department and industrial civil servants employed in Admiralty establishments has been refused as not being a trade dispute and because the Government would not agree at present to any modification of machinery for wage negotiation; and whether, as the request only involves the implementation of promises made in general terms by his Department, he will reconsider taking suitable action to deal with this claim.

It is not considered that the claim by the Admiralty Industrial Civil Servants' Federation for increased facilities for conducting negotiations with the Department is a suitable and acceptable subject for arbitration. As explained to the hon. Member for Gillingham (Sir R. Gower), bodies such as the Admiralty Industrial Civil Servants' Federation already have adequate opportunity for direct approach to the Admiralty on matters affecting their members.