asked the Postmaster-General if the ban on air-mail to prisoners of war has yet been lifted.

Yes, Sir. It was lifted on 14th July.

asked the Postmaster-General the individual weekly number of postal orders paid out by the Post Office during the last two weeks of November and the first two weeks of December, 1937, to the football pools; and the number of postal orders paid out by the Post Office in the month of November, 1943, to Unity Football Pools.

The individual weekly numbers of postal orders paid by the Post Office during the last two weeks of November and the first two weeks of December, 1937, to football pool firms are not available. For the four weeks 22nd November to 18th December, 1937, the number was 19,875,000. The number of postal orders paid by the Post Office during the month of November, 1943, to Unity Football Pools was 4,595,000.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the uniform allowance in the W.R.N.S.; how it compares with the similar allowances in the A.T.S. and the W.A.A.F.; and whether he is aware that it is regarded by the W.R.N.S. as inadequate.

I assume the hon. Member refers to the initial outfit allowance for blue uniform for W.R.N.S. officers, as ratings receive their initial outfit of uniform in kind. This allowance is £50, the same as the allowance hitherto paid to similar officers of the A.T.S. and the W.A.A.F. Their allowance has recently been increased to £55, and the question of whether an increase should be made in the grant of the W.R.N.S. officer is under active consideration. I am unable to accept the view expressed in the last part of the Question.

asked the Attorney General if his attention has been drawn to the recent case in which a mother and daughter were condemned to death for the murder of the 13 days old illegitimate son of the daughter; why the mother of the child was not charged with infanticide; and if, in such cases in future, he will ensure that the accused mother is proceeded against for infanticide.

I have made inquiries into this case and am satisfied that the evidence before the prosecution indicated the offence of murder and not of infanticide. It is always open in such a case for the accused to raise the defence of infanticide and for the jury so to find. In this case the defence was raised and put to the jury by the learned Judge. The defence failed.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there are a number of disused camps, formerly occupied by the Services, which could be used for housing evacuees; and whether he will make arrangements to take over these camps for the housing of such evacuees.

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend is receiving the most active and helpful co-operation from all the Service Ministries and Departments in the surrender of camps and houses wherever they can suitably be used in connection with the Government Evacuation Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he can give an estimate of German casualties as the result of premature explosions of pilotless planes on the launching platforms in France.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that inadequate arrangements were made for Service personnel in this country to see the experimental houses; and whether he will take special steps through the Service Departments to ensure full opportunities for Service personnel to see these and any future similar houses and to express their views on them.

Special steps were taken through the Service Departments to enable as many Service personnel as possible to see the emergency factorymade house while it was on exhibition near the Tate Gallery. It was not possible to arrange for all who wished to see the house to do so, but one-third of the total number of tickets was issued to branches of the Services. When prototypes are available for exhibition in the provinces special arrangements will again be made for Service personnel.

asked the Secretary of State for War why Nazi prisoners of war in this country are permitted to organise themselves into storm-troop units in prison camps under their own leaders and to intimidate any German prisoners who do not wish to continue their studies and experiences in National Socialism; and whether he will put an end to this abuse of prisoner-of-war privileges.

I have no knowledge of the organisations to which the hon. Member refers, and I should be obliged to him if he would send me particulars.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now report on the consultations that have been taking place respecting the infliction of corporal punishment on West African soldiers.

It has necessarily taken some time to collect the opinions of all concerned, including those of the officers under whose command these troops are serving, and I regret that I am not yet in a position to make any statement. I can, however, assure my hon. Friend that the matter is under active consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now give the names of Welsh units in the Army; and whether any Welsh regiments, brigades, divisions or corps have been formed in the past 12 months.

I much regret that for security reasons I am unable to bring up to date the information I gave my hon. Friend in answer to the Question he asked me on 8th June, 1943. I am as anxious as he is that the units composed of men from the Principality should be named whenever this is possible and the Commanders-in-Chief concerned are aware of my views.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, as a means of circulating in more permanent form the productions of the Directorate of Army Education, he will cause a representative selection of "British Way and Purpose" and fortnightly "Current Affairs" pamphlets to be attractively bound in an omnibus volume inscribed to commemorate service in the British Army during the second world war, for free presentation to all ranks upon the conclusion of their war service.

In view of the large numbers involved, the need for paper economy which may continue for a considerable time after the war, and the many other demands there will be for the production of educational books during the demobilisation period, it would not be practicable, however desirable it might be, to present such a volume to all ranks upon the conclusion of their war service.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that in the new proposals for the reform of the Foreign Service all office keepers, chancery servants and messengers will, in future, be recruited on an established basis.

The hon. Member will be aware from Command Paper 6420 on the Reform of the Foreign Service that my right hon. Friend shares her desire to improve the present position in which the Foreign Service relies in too great measure on unestablished and non-pensionable staff. He cannot at the present stage of the reforms foresee to what extent it will be possible to replace unestablished staff by pensionable employees, and, in posts abroad where knowledge of the country and language is needed, it will always be necessary to rely to some extent on locally recruited staff. My right hon. Friend's intention, however, is to secure at posts abroad a nucleus of established British servants necessary for efficiency, security and adequate representation and he hopes also to be able to improve the conditions of service of those who cannot be established.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the need for having the best possible conditions for the new Foreign Service in order that the highest possible standard shall be maintained, he will give an assurance that this Service will be an entity of its own with conditions appropriate to the services which have to be rendered.

One of the proposals in Command 6420 on the Reform of the Foreign Service which were approved by this House on 18th March, 1943, was that the Foreign Service should be a self-contained and distinct Service of the Crown. It is the constant endeavour of my right hon. Friend to ensure, with the co-operation of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the conditions of service are appropriate to the work to be done.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the average daily menu of hostel-housed land girls.

The average daily menu in Women's Land Army hostels consists of a cooked breakfast, usually with porridge or a cereal in addition to a hot dish; a packed mid-morning "snack" and a packed luncheon consisting of sandwiches or pasties, etc., and a hot or cold drink; a main meal on return to the hostel about 6 p.m., consisting of a meat course with pudding to follow; and finally a light supper of cocoa, biscuits, bread and jam or bread and cheese before the girls go to bed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware that mail both to and from Merchant Navy personnel engaged in the Normandy operation has been delayed up to 26 days; that this is a longer period than taken for Army mail; and whether he is prepared to take immediate steps to ensure a more expeditious despatch and receipt of mail for merchant ships engaged on this operation.

Every practicable measure has been taken to ensure that mail for the officers and men of the Merchant Navy who are sailing to the French coast shall reach them without avoidable delay. As a rule, they find it waiting for them whenever their ships arrive back in a United Kingdom port. My hon. and gallant Friend will understand, however, that some ships must be diverted to different ports while they are at sea; in such cases, delay in the delivery of mails may be impossible to avoid. If my hon. Friend will give me particulars of the case of extreme delay to which he draws attention, I will cause inquiries to be made. I know of no reason why mail from merchant seamen to this country should be delayed; if my hon. Friend will give me details of actual cases, I will ask the responsible authorities to inquire.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what are the rates of pay for despatch riders; and whether they are classified as tradesmen.

The duties of despatch riders in the R.A.F. are performed by airmen of the rank of corporal or below in the Group V trade of motor cyclist.The daily rates of pay are as follows:

	s.	d.
Aircraftman, 2nd Class	3	0
Aircraftman, 2nd Class, over 6 months	3	6
Aircraftman, 2nd Class, over 1 year	4	0
Aircraftman, 1st Class	4	6
Leading Aircraftman	5	0
Leading Aircraftman, over 3 years	5	3
Corporal	5	9
Corporal, over 4 years	6	0

These rates are the same as for non-tradesmen. Reclassification to aircraft- man, 1st Class, and leading aircraftman is, however, on the same basis as for tradesmen, namely, qualification in the trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether motor drivers R.A.F. or W.A.A.F. receive extra pay for such duties.

Yes, Sir. Airmen and airwomen M.T. drivers of the rank of flight sergeant or below receive a bonus of 3d. per day and 2d. per day respectively for good and careful driving and care in the maintenance of vehicles and equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the difficulties being experienced by the Italian Government in obtaining supplies of this year's grain from the peasants of South Italy; and whether he will consider steps which may be taken to supply a certain quantity of manufactured goods needed by the peasants which will make it easier for them to sell their grain.

I am fully aware of the difficulties experienced in this connection by the Italian Government. The possibility of supplying a certain quantity of manufactured goods is being examined, but my hon. Friend will appreciate that the greater part would have to be provided by the United States and ourselves out of limited supplies on which there are prior claims and with shipping which is urgently needed for other purposes.

asked the Minister of Food if he will consider the adoption of some means of advising the customer whether the kipper he is buying is properly treated or merely dyed.

I have under consideration the whole problem of the quality of kippers, but no satisfactory solution has yet been found on the lines proposed by my hon. Friend. I shall welcome any practicable suggestions on the matter.

asked the Minister of Food how many British Restaurants were closed down in the years 1942 and 1943 and what were the reasons.

Up to 31st December, 1943, a total of 2,083 British Restaurants and other meals centres had been established under the Ministry's scheme.

Numbers of centres closed.		Type of centre.	Reasons for closure.
1942	1943
20	103	British Restaurants	Difficulties of management and/or insufficient trade to justify continuance. Four of these Restaurants were taken over by the Local Education Authorities in 1942 for the feeding of school children and 17 in 1943.
7	6	British Restaurants	Premises not suitable or no longer available.
4	7	British Restaurants	Business transferred to other premises.
18	58	Cash and Carry Centres (i.e. supplying meals for consumption off the premises).	Lack of support. Of the centres closed in 1943, one was transferred to other premises and two were taken over by the Local Education Authorities for the feeding of school children.
14	5	Evacuee centres (responsibility for which was transferred from Ministry of Health on 1st March, 1941).	With the return of evacuated persons to their homes, the centres were no longer necessary.
9	1	Emergency Centres opened by Country Borough Councils of Plymouth and Sheffield.	These centres, established after heavy air raids, were not required when public utility services and normal catering facilities had been restored. The equipment installed is where possible being used for school feeding.
18	39	Meals Service Centres set up by the London County Council.	These closings are due to the Centres being:
			(a)set up to meet emergency conditions, or
			(b)destroyed by enemy action, or
			(c)school premises taken back for education purposes, or
			(d)transferred to more suitable premises.
90	219

asked the Minister of Aircraft Production whether the jet-propulsion aircraft is now being produced under the direction of his Ministry.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Information whether he is aware that, in accordance with the Geneva Conference, German prisoners of war in U.S.A. are paid 80 cents. a day if working; and whether full advantage will be taken of this fact in our propaganda to the German forces, so as to hasten their laying down of arms.

The answer to the first part of the Question is, "Yes, Sir." With regard to the second part, this matter must be left to the Allied military autho-

asked the Minister of Information if he will state the purpose of the Emergency Powers (Defence) Control of Communications Order (S.R. & 0., No. 776, of 1944), under which there is a restriction of postal communications to allied and neutral countries, as well as to enemy and enemy-occupied countries.

A series of Control of Communications Orders have been issued since 1939 to regulate postal dispatches from the United Kingdom. The countries covered by the Orders have varied with the fortunes of war, but certain Allied and neutral countries have always been included. Some more Allied countries were added in the Order quoted by my hon. and gallant Friend because as soon as they are liberated postal communications with them will be resumed.