asked the Minister of Health whether the reported case of smallpox at Yeovil, the diagnosis of which has not been confirmed, will be recorded by the Registrar-General as a notified case of smallpox or whether his records will be revised and this case omitted.

This case was reported to the Registrar-General as one of notified smallpox by the responsible medical officer of health, and it has therefore been properly so recorded. I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made yesterday, in reply to his previous Question, about the diagnosis of this case.

asked the Minister of Health whether the diagnosis of smallpox in the case of Rock Ferry has been confirmed.

My information is that the local medical practitioners responsible for the diagnosis of this case had no doubt in deciding that it was one of smallpox.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of Dominion Income Tax relief granted to Income Tax payers in the latest available year.

The tax relief granted for the year 1942–43 (the latest year for which the information is available) was approximately£11,000,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the types of employees in respect of whose assessment for Income Tax no sum need be included in respect of the board and lodging they receive, either in their employer's residence or in accommodation he has arranged for them outside his house.

The rule of the Income Tax law is that where an employer undertakes to provide free board and lodging or any other benefit in kind which cannot be converted into cash the value is not income for taxation purposes. This rule is of general application, and is not restricted to particular types of employees. Where a gross salary or wage is payable and the employee is responsible for the cost of his board and lodging the gross remuneration is taxable. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 9th May to the hon. Member for Tamworth (Sir J. Mellor) regarding the position of agricultural workers.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the estimated expenditure on consumption of drink and tobacco in 1938 and 1943 and the receipts of duty in respect of drink and tobacco in the same years.

Following are the figures. It will be noted that both the estimates of consumption and receipts of duty relate to calendar years. "Drink" includes beer, spirits and wines.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, now that Allied prisoners of war have been recaptured from the Japanese, he will obtain and publish an official statement of Japanese methods of treatment.

Information on this subject is being sought from the Allied military authorities concerned. On its receipt my right hon. Friend will consider whether an official statement can be made. In this connection I would refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. and gallant Member for Hornsey (Captain Gammans) on 24th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the large number of British subjects who have escaped or are escaping to Switzerland, there is any difficulty in feeding them, or whether food parcels can be sent to them.

No, Sir; thanks to the co-operation of the Swiss authorities, no difficulties are being met with on this score. My right hon. Friend understands from the Secretary of State for War that there is no need whatever for food parcels.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the belated disclosure of the massacre of 47 allied air officers by Germany, he will ask the Protecting Power to make investigations so as to ascertain if there have been any other incidents of the kind unreported hitherto.

Yes, Sir. Instructions in this sense have already been sent to His Majesty's representative in Switzerland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Italians who were resident here before the war, male and female, respectively, have been interned; how many, male and female, have been released to date; if he will consider releasing those who are of good character and some time resident here, to do useful Work; and if he will give the reasons for detention, especially the detention of those who have been resident in Great Britain for at least seven years.

The total number of Italian civilians (men, women, and young persons over 16) resident here when Italy entered the war was approximately 20,000. 4,300, of whom 17 were females, have been interned. About 700 remain in internment, 530 in the Isle of Man and the remainder in Canada or Australia. As regards the last two parts of the Question, over 1,200 of the male Italians released from internment did not come within any of the categories laid down in the White Paper (Cmd. 6233), but were released to do work of national importance. It is open to those still in internment to apply similarly for release for this purpose, and, unless there is some security or other special reason against it, release would be authorised.

asked the Minister of Food under what circumstances the rationalisation of retail milk delivery scheme permits a transfer of registration to a supplier of T.T. milk in cases where delivery of this quality milk is already being made at the same house.

A transfer would be permitted in a case where the present supplier could obtain supplies of T.T. milk for his registered customers but refuses to do so. This would apply whether or not another dairyman providing T.T. milk is supplying the same house, but a transfer could not be allowed where the present, supplier is willing to supply T.T. milk but is temporarily unable to obtain a supply.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will consider using the year 1943 as the datum period on which to base allocations of fish supplies, having in mind the movement of population and changes in demand.

The allocation to zones and sub-zones is made on a population basis, the latest adjustment having been made in October, 1943. I do not consider, therefore, that my hon. Friend's suggestion would make distribution more equitable than it is at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Central Board in Trinidad has issued an Order forbidding the importation of advertising matter, diaries and similar articles included, even if funds do not leave the Colony in exchange, while cinemas will still be granted licences.

I understand that the distinction in favour of the cinema industry made in the Order to which the Question refers was made because it was believed that importers of advertising material other than those connected with the cinema industry would increase the cost of goods when distributing such material, whereas in the case of the cinema industry it was understood that a specific amount of advertising material was allowed for each film and included as part of the rental price in the contract and that the question of passing on the additional cost to the consumer could not, therefore, arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the appeals of our troops overseas for sports equipment, he will consider permitting the manufacture of essential articles to be devoted exclusively to the Services.

I have planned the production and supply of sports equipment for the Services in accordance with a programme agreed with the Service Departments.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has given further consideration to the abolition of night baking; and, if so, with what result.

I do not consider that it is practicable for this difficult question to be pursued in present circumstances, except by way of agreement between the unions and the employers.

asked the Postmaster General whether, in preparation for the coming into force of the new Education Bill, he proposes to reduce the number of telegram delivery boys; and what are the reasons against employing elderly men for this work.

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. The answer to the second part is that the delivery of telegrams is more suitable to juveniles than to elderly men, and, of course, the recruitment of juveniles for this work has afforded and will continue to afford one of the avenue's leading to a permanent career in the Post Office.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether he will supply the requisite parts for erection of two prefabricated houses in Northern Ireland in order that people seeking homes may have an opportunity of studying the suitability of these houses for occupation.

The matter is under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether he will arrange that when the specimen prefabricated houses are erected in different parts of the country, they are located in bomb-damaged cities for continued occupation during the life of the structure.

The locations for the erection of specimen houses will be selected in consultation with the Minister of Health so that as many people as possible in each region can inspect the houses.

asked the Minister of Information whether he will publish, in HANSARD, the names of the Advisory Committee to the B.C.C. on which all parties are represented.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Eye (Mr. Granville), which contained the information required.