asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is satisfied with the organisation and discipline of prisoner-of-war labour in Norfolk used to assist agricultural operations.

I am not satisfied with the output of some of the Italian prisoners now working in Norfolk, but I am not aware of any way in which it is practicable to improve their organisation and discipline in present circumstances. Where complaints of unsatisfactory work or conduct are duly made by a farmer or the foreman in charge of a gang of prisoners, disciplinary action is taken by the Camp Commandant in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why German prisoners of war, who were brought to Norfolk for the purpose of assisting with the lifting of potatoes and sugar beet 10 days ago, have been removed; and what is the reason for this.

The prisoners in question were N.C.O.s who, under the Geneva Convention, can only be compelled to undertake supervisory work. Most of those removed were replaced on the following day and the balance within a week.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers in South-west Norfolk have been encouraged to expect prisoners-of-war labour to help with the lifting of sugar-beet and potatoes, but that the number of these who have so far arrived is totally inadequate to meet the problem; and whether he can give the figures of prisoners of war at present available in South-west Norfolk for this work.

Although there have been special difficulties in South-west Norfolk a considerable number of additional prisoners have already been sent to this area and several hundred more are in the process of being posted. The War Agricultural Executive Committee inform me that, given reasonable weather, the total labour now arranged for should be adequate to meet the needs of the area. The number of prisoners at present available in South-west Norfolk is approximately 1,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the serious state of the unharvested sugar-beet crop; and what steps he has taken to secure the necessary labour, particularly in the Selby district of Yorkshire.

I am aware that the lifting of sugar beet has been delayed in many districts owing to the bad weather and the requirements of the potato crop. An account of the more important steps taken to provide additional labour for these crops was given in my reply to the hon. Member for Leigh (Mr. Tinker) on 26th October. In the Selby district 850 German prisoners have recently been supplied and a number of prisoners and other workers have been made available by the War Office under local arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the shortage of agricultural labour in the Selby district of Yorkshire, immediate arrangements can be made to transfer more prisoners of war to the prisoners-of-war camp at Brayton in order that they may assist in the lifting of sugar beet.

I am informed by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for War, that this camp is now full to capacity on the basis of the standards laid down by the Geneva Convention.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can make a statement on the potato crop and the difficulties experienced in marketing it; and to what extent the prices are expected to rise in consequence of disease among the potatoes.

A record acreage of potatoes has been grown this year. The yield is estimated to be up to average. Lifting has been interrupted by unfavourable weather, but the shortages in loadings have been made good from Ministry of Food reserve stocks. Blight has appeared in some varieties, but so far the crop as a whole is not seriously affected. No alteration in the prices already announced is contemplated.

asked the Minister of Supply if the policy of his Department provides that steel required by private industry for the production of household equipment will be released at the same price and upon the same terms as steel released for the Ministry of Works' requirements.

There are maximum prices for steel fixed by Statutory Order, but it is open to any purchasers to negotiate lower prices with the suppliers when the circumstances justify a reduction.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether arrangements have yet been made for the construction of an experimental coal-fired merchant ship embodying all the latest refinements of science in order to ascertain whether close interdependence can be established between the coal industry and mercantile marine in the post-war period.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are the present arrangements for and expenditure on research into the efficiency of electrical generation in the United Kingdom; and whether he will take steps to erect a power station which, in addition to supplying electricity, can be devoted mainly to research into problems of electrical generation.

Research directed to the improvement of thermal efficiency of electrical generation is being carried on continuously both by the electricity supply industry and the manufacturers of generating plant, in consultation with the Central Electricity Board. I regret that I cannot estimate the expenditure incurred on this research, because it is carried out by many persons in numerous directions. As regards the last part of the Question, I am afraid that in present war-time conditions such a project is impracticable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children's homes or institutions, whether publicly provided or voluntary, are under his control; the number of children living in such homes; and the number of trained staff employed in inspecting these places.

1,054 homes or institutions for children and young persons are subject to inspection by officers of my Department; the number of boys and girls living in them is about 48,000 and their regular inspection is part of the normal duties of the Inspectors and Medical Inspectors of the Children's Branch of the Home Office, who are fully trained and experienced in this work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been taken under the Witchcraft Act, 1735, since 1900 and in the past 10 years, respectively, and how many were brought against persons professing to be spiritualists.

I regret that the information asked for by my hon. Friend is not available.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give a list of committees advising his Ministry at the present time, naming the members and stating the latest dates at which each committee was consulted.

I am sending the desired information to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is able to make any statement with regard to the attitude of the Government to the recommendations of the committee appointed by his Ministry to consider the supply, recruitment and training of teachers and youth leaders.

I have already accepted and taken action upon certain of the recommendations of the Committee to which my hon. and learned Friend refers. On the major issue of the future organisation of the training of teachers, upon which the opinion of the Committee was divided, I am now in consultation with the Vice-Chancellors of the Universities.

asked the Minister of Education whether he can now say who has been appointed chairman of the Burnham Committee during the absence abroad. of Lord Soulbury.

I have nominated Sir Henry Pelham to act as deputy-chairman of the Burnham Committee during the absence of Lord Soulbury.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities now exist for vocational training and resettlement of N.F.S. personnel.

As was announced by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Labour and National Service, on 6th April last, schemes of industrial training are to be introduced to assist men and women released from war service who are in need of a course of training to enable them to obtain re-employment of a kind likely to lead to permanent resettlement. These schemes will be available to former members of the National Fire Service in due course. In the meantime, members of the Service who wish to take advantage of courses of instruction provided by local education authorities or by other organisations will be given the necessary facilities, so far as the requirements of the Service and local circumstances permit. Where for any reason their attendance at such courses is impracticable, the possibility of arranging for suitable classes to be organised on National Fire Service premises is being examined.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is now able to state his intentions in regard to the demobilisation of students who have not completed their professional or other examinations.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health why no explanatory memorandum was attached to the Navy, Army and Air Force Emergency Provisions Amendment Regulations (S.R. & O., 1117, of 1944), made by his Department and five other Departments of State; and why the Regulations were treated as a matter of urgency, having regard to the fact that they were deemed to have effect from 3rd September, 1939.

The Regulations to which my hon. Friend refers are short amending Regulations, the purpose of which, it was thought, would be sufficiently clear when they were read with the principal Regulations. The latter had been found in practice to be drawn rather too widely and to exclude from insurance certain types of case where insurance should apply. They had effect from 3rd September, 1939, and it was essential that the amending Regulations should operate from the same date. These were treated as a matter of urgency in order to restore as soon as possible the insurance position of the persons affected.

asked the Minister of Health the total number of provisional applications from local authorities for an allocation of Portal houses which have been received to date, giving in each case the number of houses requested by each individual authority.

The total number of bungalows applied for to date by local authorities in England and Wales is 137,429. As the list for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks in the second part of the Question is very long, I will send him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that serious delays of payments to small contractors engaged on London repairs are occurring due to shortage of staff; and will he speed up the return of staff from less important work to which they had previously been directed.

I am aware that some complaints have been made, but these have been dealt with promptly and steps have been taken to prevent a recurrence. If my hon. Friend has any particular cases in mind and will let me have details, I will have them investigated at once. I am doing my utmost to strengthen the staffs of local authorities for this as well as for other purposes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether the additional labour which is being allocated to the London boroughs for first-aid repairs is also expected to deal with the necessary work being done under licences for work exceeding the £10 limit.

The additional labour is expected to deal with work licensed by the local authority or certified by them to be essential as well as with repairs to houses carried out direct for the local authority; it is not expected to deal with work on buildings other than houses, costing £100 or more, which is licensed by Ministry of Works.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether it is the intention of the Government to remove the Purchase Tax when it ceases to be necessary to curtail retail purchases;(2) whether he will give an assurance that before the Purchase Tax ceases to operate he will consult with the retail interests concerned in order to ensure that goods upon which the tax has been paid are not left with the retailers after the tax ceases to be chargeable.

I cannot give any assurance as to the future of the tax at this stage; but if and when it is decided to remove the tax, all relevant considerations, including that mentioned by my hon. and learned Friend, will be borne in mind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reduction is made in the children's allowance for Income Tax purposes in the case of parents whose children have been evacuated under the Government scheme.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answers given by my predecessor to similar questions on this subject put by the hon. Member for Tamworth Division (Sir J. Mellor) on 9th and 14th July, 1942, of which I am sending him copies.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether the War Research Council is undertaking inquiries as to deaf-aids with a view to obtaining the best in the world for deafened ex-Servicemen.

The Medical Research Council have recently appointed a special committee to advise and assist them in promoting research into electro-acoustical problems relating to the design and application of instruments used in the investigation and alleviation of deafness. The primary object of the programme of work which has been initiated under the auspices of this Committee is the design of forms of hearing aid which will give the best possible performance and at the same time be capable of production at a reasonable cost.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has yet come to a decision as to allowing members of the N.F.S., who have been discharged from the service through wounds, to wear the King's Badge.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Sir I. Albery) on 31st October, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the average increase in wages of all workers, miners, engineers and transport workers, respectively, and percentage increase over 1939; the average cost of new furniture in 1939 for a bedroom, sitting-room and dining-room, respectively; the average cost of similar secondhand furniture for similar rooms in 1943, 1944; and what is the percentage increase for each room.

Statistics showing the average earnings of wage-earners in most of the principal industries in the last week of October, 1938, and in the last week of January, 1944—the latest date for which such particulars are available—and the percentages of increase between these two dates, as ascertained by special inquiries made by the Ministry of Labour and National Service, were published on pages 126 to 134 of the August, 1944, issue of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette," a copy of which is in the Library. With regard to the latter part of the Question, I regret that the exact information is not available. Generally speaking, however, present prices of second-hand furniture are rather more than double those of comparable new furniture before the war.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation amending the Sale of Food (Weights and Measures) Act, 1926, to bring wholesale transactions within the scope of the provisions of the Act.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for East Renfrew {Major Lloyd) on 4th October last.

asked the Secretary of State for India what is the present position as regards the planting in India of cinchona for the production of quinine; and whether the supply of Indian-produced quinine is now equal to the demand.

Before the war 4,500 acres were planted with cinchona and India produced 40 per cent. of her quinine requirements. It is hoped that by next year about 8,000 acres will be under cinchona and extraction from some of the additional areas will begin by the end of 1945. The supply of quinine is not equal to the demand, but abundant supplies of synthetic anti-malarial drugs are available and these are reaching India in large quantities.

asked the Minister of Pensions what steps he is taking to expedite the hearing of pensions appeals in the Cheltenham area.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths) on the 26th October, in which I explained that priority is given to the more urgent case of appeal to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal. It must be emphasised, however, that there are real difficulties concerning man power and that, while I am endeavouring to expedite the preparation of all cases for hearing, I should not feel justified in selecting one particular area for preferential treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that an officer repatriated on the "Gripsholm" to Chester Military Hospital, as a stretcher case, was refused the use of a St. John ambulance to remove him to a sanatorium, at Ruthin, by the medical superintendent, Colonel Preston, after the almoner had given permission; that the superintendent telephoned his refusal to the officer, who was helpless in bed, and told the sister in charge to bring the patient to the telephone to receive the message; and if he will take steps to prevent the recurrence of such mistakes.

Patients in such cases as this normally travel by train. Reservations are made, and the patients are taken to the train and are met at their destination by ambulance. Private arrangements may, however, be made to take the patients all the way by ambulance, but in such cases, as my hon. Friend will appreciate, the military authorities cannot be responsible for the arrangements. They must be authorised by the patient or by his friends and relatives. I understand that the patient and his step-father decided in this case to make their own arrangements. The Army medical officers advised and gave all the help they could, but they were not empowered to authorise as a public liability the conveyance of the patient in a St. John's ambulance, and they quite properly made this clear. I understand that the patient was not on any occasion asked to come personally to the telephone. I am sorry that there was a misunderstanding in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will instruct officers inspecting detention barracks to inquire into the conditions of accommodation of the permanent staff as well as those of the personnel under detention.

The Commandant of a detention barracks is responsible to his superior commander for the provision of adequate accommodation for the permanent staff and for its maintenance at as high a standard as present conditions permit. It is the duty of commanders concerned to assure themselves by periodic inspections that their instructions in such matters are being carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for War when facilities will be given to private individuals to communicate by cable to Athens in order to inquire after relatives who were resident there previous to the German occupation.

I regret that it is impossible to say at this early stage in the liberation of Greece when facilities for cabling to Athens will be available.