asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has, as yet, formulated any scheme whereby opportunities will be available for men returning from the Armed Forces to take up farming.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member on 30th March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has yet formulated a policy to ensure the continued cultivation of marginal land; and if he is aware of the uneconomic conditions under which corn has been produced on the marginal lands of Radnorshire.

In reply to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the hon. and learned Member for Carmarthen (Mr. M. Hughes) on 15th Decem- ber, 1942, of which I am sending him a copy. In reply to the second part of the Question I am aware that the yields of corn crops on some lands in Radnorshire have been low, but this is largely due to unfavourable weather conditions for harvesting, and the War Agricultural Executive Committee have been asked not to require farmers to grow bread grains in unsuitable areas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can make a statement of policy as to the type of stock which the Government wishes breeders of pedigree cattle and sheep to produce since there is great uncertainty on the matter.

I am not yet ready to make a statement on this subject, which is at present under close examination in consultation with a number of leading livestock experts.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Government proposes to implement the recommendations of the Loveday Committee on Veterinary Education.

The report of the Love-day Committee is at present being considered by the Government and by the interests concerned. I would, however, add that I hope to announce the constitution of a Government Committee, as recommended by the Love day Committee, to inquire into the question of unqualified practice.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will consider placing the responsibility for using fuel and heat according to changes in' the weather, on the people, rather than fixing an arbitrary date for use or disuse as the case may be.

I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind the controlled premises to which the bans on central and other forms of heating apply. These premises include shops, hotels, restaurants, and the like, which are largely in competition with each other, and my right hon. Friend does not consider that it would be fair to the individual proprietors or that it would commend itself to the general public, that there should be no form of control. If there is control at all, dates must be prescribed, and every possible care is taken in arriving at decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether repatriated prisoners of war are liable to be sent overseas on active service a second time; and what period of time is likely to elapse before further foreign service is required of them.

As regards the first part of my hon. Friend's Question, I would refer him to a reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Clay Cross (Mr. Neal) yesterday. As regards the second part of the Question, if the men are eligible for service overseas they are, generally speaking, retained in this country for six months before being so posted.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many of the 200 or so Jewish soldiers recently transferred from the Polish to the British Forces are in medical categories which fit them for combatant service and are sufficiently acquainted with the English language; how many of these have been or are about to be or have volunteered to be posted to units of a combatant type; and if reports on the conduct and efficiency of these men are generally satistory.

The answer to the first part of the Question is 65. All these have been posted to units of a combatant type. No reports have yet been received about their conduct and efficiency.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will furnish an estimate of the quantity of petrol unnecessarily used through the fact that a convoy of 49 vehicles made three separate journeys to a petrol pump, the location of which has been indicated to him, because of the inefficient arrangements made for the control of the petrol pump in question.

I have no information about this incident, but a report has been called for.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the rank and file of a battalion of Army Cadets, of which he has been informed, have no greatcoats and men have to provide their own boots; and will he remedy this state of affairs by providing an issue of greatcoats before next winter and provide the recruits with boots.

I am looking into the question of the issue of boots and greatcoats to the Army Cadet Force.

asked the Secretary of State for War what action has been taken consequent upon the representations made to his Department by the Board of Education to release from military occupation a certain building which is urgently required by the local education authority; and when he anticipates finding alternative accommodation for the military personnel concerned so that this building can be released for essential educational purposes.

The provision of alternative accommodation, which will enable this building to be released, is being carefully explored. The building in question is being used as part of a large central office and my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that alternative accommodation must be near the rest of the office. There are considerable difficulties involved in arranging for this, but I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that every effort is being made to overcome them.

asked the Secretary of State for War how it is that a landowner who has obtained a shooting rent which the tenant cannot make use of on account of the land in question being used for troop exercises under the Defence Regulations can obtain no satisfaction from the Claims Commission; whether he is aware of the serious loss of income the proprietors of grouse moors in particular are suffering under this decision; and on what grounds this treatment is justified as similar claims for loss of income from agricultural produce is recognised.

The War Department pays compensation to farmers and others for the damage done to lands, crops and static property as a result of manœuvres or other military training. This principle is applied to shooting rights. The owner is compensated for the diminution in the yield of game due to action by the Army. It is, however, contrary to the policy of His Majesty's Government to pay compensation for the loss of income.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of Palestine volunteers to the British Army, both Jews and Arabs, to the last available date; and the respective number of deserters.

I regret that it would not be in the public interest to give these figures.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many decorations for gallantry have been awarded during the present war to the following formations, respectively; 50th (Northumbrian Division, 51st (Highland) Division, 78th Division, 1st Armoured Division and 7th Armoured Division, specifying in the case of each formation the number of each decoration awarded.

I regret that this information is not readily available.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that there are general complaints about the delay in payment of compensation in cases of injury at a factory of which he has been informed; if he will inquire into the case of a man whose name has been given and who has waited nearly two months for payment which has not yet been received; and will he take steps to see that cases are more promptly dealt with.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir." The case mentioned in the second part was brought to the notice of my right hon. Friend last month. This worker suffered an injury in 1942, but was not discharged until over a year later, in March, 1943, and then on grounds of redundancy. At the time of his discharge he submitted a claim for compensation in respect of the original injury. This was refused in April, 1943. In January, 1944, a firm of accountants took up his claim and furnished further medical evidence. The case was accordingly referred to the Treasury Medical Referee and an award of compensation was eventually made. The man's accountants were so informed on 23rd March, 1944, and were told that they should apply to the Director of Navy Accounts for payment. They were sent an addressed envelope. In acknowledging the Admiralty letter the accountants did not question the award but nearly a month later they wrote saying that they had mislaid the addressed envelope. A new one was immediately sent to them. The responsibility for any delay in payment during the past two months does not rest, therefore, with the Admiralty.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that persons who have lost a leg in war service find a difficulty in getting footwear because they do not want to buy a pair of shoes; and will he make some provision by which they can be accommodated with the one shoe required.

Inquiries made by my right hon. Friend do not show that difficulty is generally experienced by amputees in obtaining an additional single shoe provided it is ordered when a pair is purchased, but he is communicating with my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to ascertain whether it is possible to make arrangements for the purchase of a single shoe.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if some arrangement can be made for miners to purchase alarm clocks, in view of the fact that these clocks are at present available in the Brandon Co-operative Society stores, but these men are unable to obtain a permit to make a purchase and as a result many shifts are lost and production of coal is thereby affected; and if he will endeavour to remedy this state of affairs.

Out of some 560,000 permits which have been issued, 119,000 have gone to miners. And, as I have stated in answer to previous questions, all North American alarm clocks now in the hands of traders are covered by permits already issued. From Monday, 12th June, alarm clocks may be sold permit-free. Under the arrangements which have been made for the distribution of future imports, a large proportion will go to mining areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if there is any intention to make compulsory the amalgamation of mills in the cotton spinning industry.

The amalgamation of cotton mills into larger units has been recommended more than once by authoritative bodies as essential for the effective reorganisation of the industry. The desirability of promoting amalgamations, voluntarily or by compulsion is, therefore, among the post-war possibilities which I am now considering.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of recipients of flat-rate pensions under the Royal Warrant of the last war; and the amount paid to date.

The total number of flat rate pensions awarded was 104,000, of which approximately 44,000 were still in payment on 31st March last. The estimated cost of these pensions to date is £25, 800,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions what representations he has recently received that the present scale of pensions is insufficient in relation to the high cost of living to ensure a reasonable standard of life for wounded men, especially those who are permanently crippled and find it difficult to earn a livelihood.

Since the introduction last year of the special supplement which is made to the standard rate of pension in cases where the pensioner is so seriously disabled by his pensionable disablement as to be unemployable, for which purpose any earnings of 20s. od. a week or less are disregarded, there have been few complaints as to the adequacy of the pension scale for disabled members of the Forces.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many applications for pensions have been received from Service men discharged for gastric troubles; and how many of these have been granted.

The cases of all members discharged from the Forces as invalids are considered by my Department without any application from the member concerned. Up to the end of March, 1944, pension had been awarded for disabilities in the gastro-intestinal group in over 25,000 cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in applications after the war by ex-Servicemen for permanent Civil Service employment, he will waive the severity of the medical examination in order that those men who return with a lower medical category than Ai may be given a chance to secure Civil Service posts.

Provision has already been made for the application to persons whose health has been impaired by service in the present war of the arrangements adopted in connection with the last war for the issue in appropriate cases of Special Recommendations or Modified (War) Certificates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the copper coinage in circulation in Northern Ireland consists almost entirely of halfpennies; that the shortage of pennies in this area is causing serious inconvenience to persons desiring to use telephone call-boxes and to householders who have slot meters installed in their homes for the purpose of securing supplies of gas or electricity; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this state of affairs.

I have received no previous complaint of shortage of pence in Northern Ireland. I do not think that it would be desirable to interfere with the arrangements by which the banks are. responsible for the local distribution of coin. On the supply of pence generally, I would invite my hon. Friend's attention to my reply on 20th April last to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewisham, East (Sir A. Pownall).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount paid to the agricultural industry as ploughing up bonus; and what proportion is due to be or has been repaid in taxes since the inception of the scheme.

Up to 31st March this year, the total sum paid to the agricultural industry as ploughing up grants amounted to £14,997,941. As regards the second part of the Question, the ploughing subsidy comes into trading receipts and therefore contributes to taxable profits where the liability to tax is computed by reference to the profits; but the tax payable, depending as it does upon the profit on the one hand and the personal allowances to which the farmer may be entitled on the other hand, cannot be related to any particular trading receipt such as the ploughing subsidy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the War Damage Commission intend to make grants out of the amount of compensation they will be entitled to receive to property owners in Northern Ireland, whose property was bombed three years ago, to enable them to repair the damage done and thus contribute their share to the rehousing of the people.

As regards war-damaged properties of all kinds (including houses) for which a cost of works payment is appropriate, the Commission pays, and always has paid, in Northern Ireland as elsewhere, the proper cost of any works done for making good the war damage to the person who has incurred the cost, provided that he obtained any necessary licences or consents.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons are directly employed in the management of the National Debt; and what is the amount of the total salaries paid to such persons.

Apart from the securities managed by the Post Office the management of the National Debt is by Statute vested in the Banks of England and Ireland respectively, and their remuneration for the management is based on rates agreed for the various types and amounts of the securities involved. These rates are for the most part expressed in terms of so much per million pounds of securities and are set out in the annual Finance Accounts of the United Kingdom. The Treasury does not call for particulars of the staff of the Banks wholly or partly engaged on the work of management.

asked the Financial Secretary of the Treasury what are the funds the investment of which is administered by the National Debt Commissioners.

(1) The National Debt Commissioners administer the investments of the following Funds or Accounts:

• Fund for the Banks for Savings {Trustee Savings Banks).
• Post Office Savings Banks Fund.
• Fund for Friendly Societies.
• National Health Insurance—8 accounts, viz.:
• National Health Insurance (England) Investment Account.
• National Health Insurance (Wales) Investment Account.
• National Health Insurance (Scotland) Investment Account.
• National Health Insurance (Northern
• Ireland) Investment Account. National Health Insurance Central Fund.
• Unemployment Arrears Investment Account.
• Approved Societies Guarantee Fund Investment Account.
• Approved Societies Guarantee Fund (Northern Ireland) Investment Account.
• Unemployment Fund Investment Account. Widows and Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pensions—2 Accounts, viz.:
• Treasury Pension Investment Account.
• Treasury Special Pensions Investment Account.
• Supreme Court (Deposit and Exchange Account).
• County Court Funds Investment Account.
• Crown Lands Account.
• Posi, Office Fund
• Benefit Branch of the Royal Irish Constabulary Force Fund.
• Naval Savings Banks Account.
• Naval Savings Banks (Surplus) Trust Fund.
• Ministry of Pensions Investment Account.
• Civilian Masters Dartmouth College Account.
• Scientific and Industrial Research Fund.
• Paymaster General's Deposit Account.
• Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Fund,
• Unclaimed Dividends Account.
• Unclaimed Redemption Moneys Account.
• Local Loans Fund.
• Irish Land Purchase Fund.
• Sinking Fund under the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1891.
• War Loan Scrip Certificates and Vouchers Account.

(2) In addition the Commissioners invest in the purchase of securities for cancellation all moneys becoming available on the following accounts:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, as Sir William Beveridge has finished writing his book on full employment after the war, he will now withdraw the Treasury Minute and permit civil servants to discuss this and kindred subjects with him.

No, Sir. As I explained in the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. W. J. Brown) on 7th December last, the ruling to which my hon. Friend refers was no more than a restatement in this particular case of the general principles governing the conduct of civil servants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the data which exist for the ascertainment as at March, 1939, of the value of any land that may be subject to purchase for public purposes will be made available to the local authority which is a party to the purchase of such land so that it also has advantage of this evidence; and to which Department should the local authority apply.

I would suggest that the hon. Member should await the forthcoming Bill.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the public are being prosecuted for being in possession of cigarettes and tobacco presented to them by members of the U.S.A. Forces; and since these prosecutions are causing embarrassment will he make a statement for the guidance of everyone concerned.

It is not correct to state the position in such general terms as those of the first part of the Question. Cigarettes and tobacco imported for the personal use of members of the United States Forces are admitted free of Customs Duty, and it is contrary to the intention and the spirit of this arrangement that they should be consumed by British citizens. It is natural that members of, the United States Forces should wish to give small quantities to people with whom they make friendly contacts, and there is no intention in official quarters of interfering with such an expression of good will. On the other hand, the possession of substantial quantities, particularly by persons licensed to trade in cigarettes and tobacco, cannot be tolerated, and in such cases a prosecution is ordered.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will consider issuing instructions to the Departments of the Government which have motor-cars allotted to their Ministers and officials, that the name of the Department involved shall be clearly marked on each motor-car so employed.

No, Sir; but if my hon. and gallant Friend will say what object he has in view I will consider the matter further.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many nonindustrial staff it is necessary for a Department to have in its employment before the principal establishment post is graded at the assistant secretary level.

I regret that I cannot answer the hon. Member's Question, because size of staff is not necessarily the criterion which determines the grading of the chief establishment post in a Department.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether the return to his Department of an assisant secretary from the Ministry of Economic Welfare was on the initiative of the Department of Overseas Trade.

The question of initiative scarcely arises, since the whole of this officer's established service was in the Department of Overseas Trade up to the outbreak of war, when he was loaned to the Ministry of Economic Warfare. Under the recent reorganisation of that Ministry he again became available for service in his parent Department.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether any decision to take land for purposes other than agriculture can become binding unless approved by the Minister of Agriculture; and what is the compensation payable to dairy farmers and others who have cer- tificated herds and on whose buildings considerable sums have been expended.

Decisions to buy agricultural land for other purposes are not taken without consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and other interested Departments. The compensation payable is governed by the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845, and the Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning (r) how many regional planning officers there are; what are their duties in relation to housing schemes; whether the powers of these officials include the earmarking of land without reference to the owners of such land; and what is the appeal against such decisions;(2)what machinery now exists to enable local authorities, public bodies and private owners to become acquainted with the schemes and plans of regional planning officers; and how far these schemes can override previous agreed schemes for the reservation of green belts, etc., on which decisions have been based.

The number of Regional Planning Officers in England and Wales is 10. Their duties in connection with the selection of housing sites are advisory only, and I would refer my hon. Friend to a circular issued to Local Authorities on 3rd March, 1944, of which I am sending him a copy. A Regional Planning Officer does not himself formulate schemes or plans, but is available for consultation by local authorities in his area.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning, if his Department has established a regional office in Wales; if so, what are the powers and functions of the office; and if he will give particulars of the staff employed.

Yes, Sir. A Planning Officer for Wales has been appointed with an office in Cardiff in order to be available for consultation by local authorities in Wales. He keeps me informed of the problems of the Welsh Authorities and keeps them informed of the requirements of national policy as it is developed. He is assisted by an Assistant Planning Officer and five other officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will issue instructions that exit permits should be granted to Northern Ireland members of His Majesty's Forces, both men and women, who have been discharged on medical grounds, to enable them to return home to Northern Ireland where they would receive the care and attention they require for their restoration to health.

If my hon. Friend will furnish me with particulars of any cases which he thinks could appropriately be the subject of the instructions suggested, I shall be glad to consider them, but none have, so far, been brought to my notice.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered the complaint from the medical officer of health at Shaftesbury; and if he has any further statement to make on the recent case in that town which was diagnosed as smallpox.

Yes, Sir. I would refer my hon. Friend to the detailed reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, Central (Mr. Leach) on 16th May about the divergency of medical opinion on this case. When I stated in a previous answer to my hon. Friend that the diagnosis of smallpox had not been confirmed I meant to convey no more than that the diagnosis was not free from doubt, and I am sorry that this expression has lent itself to misinterpretation. I should like to make it clear that I intended no reflection on the clinical skill and judgment of the medical officers who held the case to be one of smallpox, and that I consider that the steps they took with admirable promptitude to prevent the spread of infection were entirely right. I am communicating with them in this sense.

asked the Minister of Health if he can make any statement of the reported discovery in Ceylon of a successful method of affording relief in respiratory diseases.

I have at present no information on this matter beyond the Press report to which, no doubt, my hon. and gallant Friend refers. I am making inquiries and my medical advisers will study any further particulars that may be forthcoming in due course.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the discrimination against the Emergency Mortuary Service as compared with the Civil Defence Service on the question of the issue of uniforms; and whether, having regard to the discontent thus engendered, he will now remedy this anomaly.

Uniform is provided for the Civil Defence (General) Services but is not issued to the Emergency Mortuary Service and various other services which come into operation after raids. The point raised by my hon. and gallant Friend has been fully considered, but, as Civil Defence personnel are subject to obligations and conditions which could not with advantage be applied to the other services mentioned, I should not feel justified in adopting his suggestion.

asked the Minister of Health the number of rural district councils who have a piped supply of water to all their parishes.

The number of rural district councils in England and Wales who have a piped supply of water to all parishes is 156.

asked the Minister of Health on what lines and to what extent he is paying subsidies in respect of new house construction during the war.

I would refer my hon. Friend to a reply, of which I am sending him a copy, which I gave to a Question on the subject by my hon. Friend the Member for Moss Side (Mr. R. Duckworth) on 18th May.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of adjacent local authorities interpreting the same model by-laws in such different ways that a typical £600 house varied as much as £40 in cost when built in these different areas, he will take the necessary action to avoid the continuance of this variation in postwar housing costs.

As my hon. Friend will appreciate, differences in costs may be due to other factors than by-laws. The possibilities of securing more uniform interpretation of by-laws are, however, being explored.

asked the Minister of Health if there will be any order of priorities in the allocation of prefabricated houses; and what will be the position of ex-Service men who have married during the war, have been discharged before its Conclusion and are unable to find accommodation to start homes of their own.

As made clear in reply to previous Questions, no statement on details can be made until the prototype house has been approved. As regards the last part of the Question, I would remind my hon. Friend that I have delegated to local authorities the power to requisition empty houses in order to accommodate persons who are inadequately housed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works if, taking the steel prefabricated house, he will analyse the cost under such headings as labour, materials, land, etc.

As indicated by my Noble Friend in another place, he is at present aiming at a figure of £550 per house delivered and erected, including all necessary services and including about £100 of landlord's fixtures. It is not possible at this stage to be more precise. I may add that the methods of costing in my hon. Friend's question are, of course, in line with the principles employed by my Noble Friend.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works if he will consider initiating a competition open to all sections of the building industry and local authorities for the most suitable type of temporary dwelling-house.

Since the erection of the first prototype of the emergency factory-made house many modifications and improvements have already been made by the Ministry of Works in consultation with the Ministry of Health. This house is regarded as an urgent matter and in view of the considerable time required to prepare for large-scale manufacture, it is not practicable to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion which would involve serious delay.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that the term "Commonwealth" denotes an interregnum in British history, during which the country was under the dictatorship of a regicide, that it was immediately denounced in Scotland, and finally rejected by all Britain, whether he will discourage the application of the term to the British Empire.

The term "British Commonwealth of Nations" has been generally accepted since the date of the Report of the Imperial Conference of 1926, associated with the name of Lord Balfour, as describing the relations of the self-governing parts of the British Empire. History takes very varying views both of the conduct of Oliver Cromwell and of Scotland during the tumultuous period referred to by the hon. and gallant Member. Even the name "Commonwealth" is used in very varying connections at the present time. I doubt very much whether any advance guidance on the subject can be obtained either from ancient or modern examples.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if the names of those who escaped from Stalag Luft III and were not shot or recaptured have been communicated privately to their next-of-kin, in view of the anxiety of relatives of the remaining prisoners and of the numerous inquiries being made.

No, Sir. While I appreciate the desire to allay the anxiety of relatives, I regret that it would not be advisable to adopt the course suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many schools in England and Wales have higher national certificate courses in mechanical and electrical engineering; how many hold external examinations and how many internal examinations in these courses; and in how many are compulsory questions introduced in these examinations.

In 1943 higher national certificate courses in mechanical engineering were held at 100 schools and in electrical engineering at 85 schools. The schools normally conduct their own examinations, which are subject to revision of the examination papers and of the marking by assessors appointed by the professional institutions, but for mechanical engineering II schools and for electrical engineering 8 schools make use of examinations conducted by regional examining unions which are subject to revision in the same way as school examinations. No statistics are available as to the number of compulsory questions in higher national certificate examination papers, but the inclusion of such questions is infrequent.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works who is responsible for the upkeep, cleaning and repair of seats and chairs in the public parks in Central London; and which firm is in possession of the public contract to provide these chairs.

The Ministry of Works is responsible for the upkeep of the fixed seats in the Royal Parks in Central London and the contractors, Messrs. M. W. Shanly, Ltd., for the upkeep of the folding seats and deck chairs. I am sure that the hon. Member must realise the difficulties of obtaining labour and materials to repair seats and chairs under present conditions.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works what officers of his Department have been sent to Northern Ireland for the recruitment of assistant land surveyors and assistant civil engineers in connection with the opencast coal programme; and how many persons have been engaged for this work.

As I informed the hon. Member on 11th May, officials of the Ministry of Works visited Eire at the suggestion of the Ministry of Labour and National Service, since candidates prima facie suitable were known to be available there. No officers of my Ministry have visited Northern Ireland for this purpose as the Ministry of Labour and National Service are in close touch with the responsible authorities in Northern Ireland.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that people in Suffolk, desirous of placing money in the Post Office Savings Bank, have often to walk several miles to post offices outside their own villages in order to do so, owing to the fact that their own post offices have not the facilities for this; and whether he will take steps to enable all sub-post offices to deal with Post Office savings accounts.

Of the 24,000 post offices in the United Kingdom some 18,500 transact savings bank work, an increase of 1,000 since the beginning of the war. My right hon. Friend is prepared to consider sympathetically the extension of these facilities wherever there is a demand for them and a reasonable case can be made out. I am not aware of any outstanding applications in Suffolk, but if the hon. Member has any particular cases in mind, I will gladly look into them.