asked the Minister of Agriculture whether M. and B. is recommended by his Department for any diseases among poultry, cattle and sheep.

Drugs belonging to the sulphonomide group, to which M. and B. 693 belongs, have been widely recommended by my Department for certain types of mastitis in cattle. No general recommendation of such drugs has, however, been given for other diseases of cattle or for diseases of poultry or sheep.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the average increase of agricultural wages since the start of the war; and how this compares with the average of the different industries which makes periodic returns to him for publication in the "Labour Gazette."

Statistics are not available as to the average weekly earnings of agricultural workers, corresponding with those which are periodically published in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" relating to average earnings in manufacturing industries generally and some of the principal non-manufacturing industries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many Orders have been applied for and granted under the provisions of the Access to Mountains Act, 1939.

None, Sir.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, having regard to the unsatisfactory position of W.A.E.Cs. now being able to give certificates that possession of cottages is requisite for the proper working of a farm in which they are interested, or have in hand, and of the power of such committees to take possession thereof, he will consider an amendment of the present law so as to leave such cases for the decision of the county court.

If my hon. Friend is suggesting that county war agricultural executive committees are not the proper body to decide whether possession of a cottage is necessary for the proper working of a farm, I do not agree and should not be prepared to consider any amendment of the law. If, however, he means that the ultimate decision as to possession should be vested in the county court, this is the law now, and no amendment of the law is required.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many Land Commissioners are employed; what is paid to them; who pays their salaries; how many cases have occurred where war agricultural committees have recommended that farmers should be dispossessed; and how many of these recommendations have been accepted and turned down, respectively, by Land Commissioners.

There are 28 officers stationed throughout England and Wales who are acting as Land Commissioners. They are employed and paid by the Ministry, and their salaries range from £600 to £1,000 per annum, exclusive of war bonus. Up till 31st May, 1944, consent had been given by the appropriate Land Commissioner on behalf of the Minister to the termination of 2,838 tenancies of agricultural holdings in England and Wales, not all, however, involving the dispossession of the fanner. Up to the same date consent had similarly been given to the taking possession of land in 6,674 separate cases in England and Wales, but not all these relate to agricultural land, nor do those that do so relate necessarily involve the dispossession of the farmer. An explanation of the reservations necessary to be attached to such figures was given in the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Sudbury on 23rd September last. Information is not available as to the number of cases in which the consent was withheld by Land Commissioners to proposals by committees to take possession and/or terminate the tenancies of land, and I am reluctant to call for statistical information applicable to a period of nearly five years when as is the case at the present time the staff is heavily engaged on current duties.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is taking any steps to increase pig-keeping by small pig-keepers; and whether the number of such keepers has increased since the beginning of the year.

There are about 200,000 small pig-keepers obtaining an allowance of rationed feeding-stuffs at present. The shortage of animal feeding stuffs is still acute; and any considerable increase in pig-keeping by small pig-keepers could only be made at the expense of the commercial producer whose output provides the main supply of home produced bacon and pork, and whose stock I want to see built up as soon as opportunities allow after the severe reduction it has suffered as a result of the war. There has been a slight reduction in the number of small pig-keepers drawing rations since the beginning of the year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the post-war policy of the Government with regard to the home cultivation of rye.

The position in regard to rye will be considered in connection with post-war agricultural policy generally.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how far in planning for the future of agriculture he anticipates that increased mechanisation will be productive of any increase or decrease in the number of workers employed on the land.

Mechanisation is a means of increasing output per man. It may be used to increase total production rather than to reduce employment, and I am unable to estimate what changes in the numbers of workers in agriculture would result from a further increase in mechanisation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can make any statement on the present prospects of securing sufficient voluntary workers to help with the harvest; and in which counties there is at present the likelihood of a deficiency.

Arrangements for obtaining harvest labour are proceeding satisfactorily, but there is still need for many more volunteers, particularly at adult camps. I have every hope that the numbers will, in the end, prove to be sufficient, but much depends upon the weather at harvest time, and it is not possible for me to make a more definite statement on the matter at this stage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the measure of co-operation between his Department and the Ministry of Labour to secure an adequate number of workers for the harvest this year.

Arrangements for the supply of supplementary labour for harvest work are primarily the responsibility of my Department, but close contact is maintained with the Ministry of Labour, which is able to render much assistance both centrally and locally.

asked the Minister of Production if he has received the Report of the British Textile Mission to the U.S.A.; and if he will make this Report available to Members of Parliament.

My right hon. Friend has not yet received the Mission's Report. The question of publication will be considered by him, in consultation with those of his colleagues who are concerned, when the Report has been examined.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether youth parliaments set up by the local education authorities will be eligible for grant if they include members of youth political organisations.

In some areas youth parliaments are included by local education authorities among the activities of their youth service, and expenditure thereon may be taken into account for grant. Youth organisations that exist to further the interests of any particular political party are not recognised for grant purposes by my Department. But, where such youth parliaments are open to the young people of a locality generally, I see no reason for excluding those who may individually be members of some youth political organisation.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many staff associations are represented on the Civil Service Whitley Council; and how many are not so represented.

There are at present 330 associations of civil servants which have been registered as approved associations under the Civil Service (Approved Associations) Regulations, 1927, and which so far as is known, are still in existence. The National Whitley Council has 17 main constituent organisations, but they have affiliated to them a large number of smaller associations, which thus are also represented on the Council; I regret that the exact number is not readily available; but it may be taken as including the great majority of the 330 mentioned above. I should like to take this opportunity of explaining that the figure of 490,000 civil servants given in my answer to the hon. Lady's Question on 24th May is the actual membership of the associations represented on the National Whitley Council directly or indirectly, and that this membership is approximately three-quarters of the total number of civil servants in the grades represented collectively by the Council. I regret that the reply which I gave on 24th May was somewhat misleading.

asked the Minister of Health what wages are paid, respectively, to the nurses employed in the first-aid post services and to ordinary hospital or public health nurses; and what is the reason for the differentiation.

In the First Aid Post Service, nursing auxiliaries are paid at the same rate as women in other Civil Defence (General) Services (of which the First Aid Post Service is part), namely, £2 15s. weekly, with additional service pay for completed years of service, and trained nurses are paid at the rate of approximately £3 14s. 1d. weekly. It is not practicable to set out within the scope of a Parliamentary answer the various rates of pay prevailing in the hospital and public health services for nurses of the various grades; but they are set out in the First and Second Reports of the Nurses Salaries Committee (Cmd. 6424 and Cmd. 6487) and, so far as members of the Civil Nursing Reserve are concerned, in the memorandum setting out the conditions and terms of service of the Reserve. The rates of pay in the First Aid Post Service, which are kept under regular review, are determined in the light of the general conditions prevailing in the Civil Defence (General) Services. These conditions, as my hon. Friend will appreciate, differ substantially from those of nurses in the other services he mentions.

asked the Minister of Health how many women in England and Wales have married members of the Allied and Dominion Forces and other aliens and Dominion citizens, respectively, during each of the war years; and how this compares with pre-war numbers of marriages to aliens and Dominion citizens.

I regret that the figures asked for are not available either for the war years or for pre-war years. It can safely be said, however, that the number of marriages in question during the war years very greatly exceeds the pre-war numbers.

asked the Minister of Labour the total or approximate number of married women of registration ages, with children under the age of 14, and the number of these who are employed full-time and part-time, respectively.

It is estimated that there are approximately 5,000,000 married women of registration ages (that is, those born in the years 1893–1925 inclusive) with children under 14 years of age. About 750,000 are in industry, but the numbers in full-time and part-time respectively are not available.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that a note is enclosed with the Appeal Form when a discharged ex-Service man has asked leave to appeal to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal informing him that he is entitled to the assistance of an experienced member of the British Legion staff; and will he see that the applicant in each case is similarly informed that he may as an alternative or in addition have the assistance of his trade union, friendly society or approved society should he so desire and they be willing to help.

The note to which my hon. Friend refers is sent with the Notice of Hearing and not, as stated in the Question, with the Appeal Form. The practice was recently adopted because the British Legion had made arrangements for the attendance at every sitting of a Pensions Appeal Tribunal of a specially skilled representative for the gratuitous assistance of those appellants who had not taken advantage of any other form of assistance, as it was found that appellants were appearing before the Tribunals in ignorance of the arrangement which had been made. It is now proposed to issue, in addition to the note, a slip drawing attention to the fact of the existence of the help provided by trade unions, friendly societies and approved societies.

asked the Minister of Pensions the approximate number of cases in which widows are not eligible for the payment of rent allowance under the various instruments administered by him.

Apart from widows who are ineligible for rent supplement because they are childless, there are approximately 15,000 cases in which widows with children are not receiving this supplement. In the majority of these cases no claim has been made and in the others the main reasons for rejection are (1) that the rent and rates do not exceed 8s. a week and (2) that sub-letting brings the net payment below that figure.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, consistent with requirements, he will arrange for the early return to this country of naval personnel who have served continuously overseas for a period exceeding four years.

The normal period of foreign service is from two and a half to three years unless the man volunteers to remain longer on the station. This period is only exceeded in exceptional cases, and in such cases every effort is made to effect relief as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will further consider the granting of the additional cheese ration to owners of land and their wives, who work full-time on the land and whose work is identical with that of agricultural employees who are granted the additional ration.

No, Sir. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Eye (Mr. Granville) on 6th April, 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that men repatriated after three years in Germany as prisoners of war, having had six months compassionate posting at home, have been transferred to an overseas draft; and if he can give some general assurance that these men will not be put into a unit for overseas save under circumstances of great urgency.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Clay Cross (Mr. Neal) on 24th May. I regret that I cannot give my hon. Friend such an assurance.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs on what grounds children, pri- vately sent overseas for safety in the early part of the war, are not to be included for return in Children's Overseas Reception Board parties; and what arrangements parents should make for the repatriation of those children privately evacuated on the Government's advice.

The C.O.R.B. scheme was devised to enable children to be sent overseas at United Kingdom Government expense in response to the generous offers of hospitality received from the Dominions. It was a part of the scheme that the United Kingdom Government should undertake to bring the children back at the end of the war. The United Kingdom Government, however, accepted no responsibility for the numerous private arrangements which at the time were made by parents to send their children to friends and relatives overseas. A clear indication of this was given at the time. In these cases it is for the parents to make their own arrangements for the return of the children. Such parents are advised to consult a passenger agent or shipping company in the first instance and to arrange for their children's names to be placed on the official waiting list held by the representative of the Ministry of War Transport in each Dominion or at New York.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what numbers of children are now awaiting repatriation from overseas from each Dominion and foreign country, respectively, under C.O.R.B. arrangements and so far as is known those privately evacuated; and to what extent repatriation is now in progress.

The following children sent overseas under the Government C.O.R. scheme are due for repatriation from the Dominions in due course:

Canada				1,424
Australia	…	…	…	566
New Zealand	…	…	…	203
South Africa	…	…	…	341
Total				2,534

No children were sent to a foreign country under the Government scheme.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the proposals made by his officers to the various road authorities in Wales, in relation to the increase in the number of trunk roads and particulars of the larger schemes of improvements that are being considered.

The schedule of roads to be added to the existing system of trunk roads is still under negotiation with the highway authorities and with their associations. It will, in due course, have to be embodied in legislation, and I would therefore ask my hon. Friend to await the introduction of the Bill which the Government will lay before the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the weight, in tons, of the white-fish catch landed in the United Kingdom from all sources and from British vessels, respectively, in each of the years 1935, 2936 and 1937; and what was the average number of British seamen employed at sea in prosecuting this fishing during these three years.

The weights of fresh or frozen white fish landed in Great Britain during the years 1935, 1936 and 1937, respectively, were as follows:

	1935	1936	1037
	tons.	tons.	tons.
Landings by British Vessels	600,000	746,000	791,000
Landings by Foreign Vessels—
(a) direct from fishing grounds	27,000	23,000	20,000
(b) as cargo	33,000	31,000	34,000
Total	750,000	800,000	845,000

I am unable to state the precise number of fishermen engaged in prosecuting this fishing from ports in Great Britain during the years in question, but the total number of British fishermen regularly employed in those years averaged about 48,000, of whom some 22,500 were engaged in trawling and accounted for the bulk of the landings of white fish.