asked the President of the Board of Trade when it is expected that permits for household furniture will be available to members of the public other than those to whom such permits are restricted.

I am glad to say that production of utility furniture is increasing satisfactorily, but the demand from the priority classes is also rising and will continue to rise as the war in Europe draws to its close and more accommodation becomes available through the repair of damaged houses and the provision of temporary houses. I cannot, therefore, hold out any early prospect of making this furniture available to all members of the public without distinction.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that shopkeepers who have Wellington boots in stock of children's sizes are refusing to sell them; and what is the reason for it.

No, Sir; but if my hon. Friend will give me details, I shall be glad to look into the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the shortage of Wellington boots for children; and will he take steps to increase the supply.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for North Tottenham (Mr. R. C. Morrison) on Tuesday last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied that the supply of galvanised iron hot water tanks will be adequate to meet the additional demands likely to arise during the coming winter.

I am satisfied that the supply of galvanised hot-water tanks and cylinders will be sufficient to meet demands in the coming winter, provided that the necessary labour is available to certain manufacturers. I am in touch with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and my Noble Friend the Minister of Works on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the escape of boys from Borstal, he will intensify supervision and restrict freedom of movement.

As my hon. and gallant Friend will be aware, certain steps were taken last year with the object of reducing the number of escapes from the Borstal Institution at Rochester. Although the number of inmates during the first nine months of this year is higher than that for the corresponding period last year, the number of escapes during this period was very much less than the number during the corresponding period last year. I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that every effort is being, and will continue to be, made to reduce to a minimum the number of escapes, but there are, of course, limits to the steps that can be taken by way of supervision and restriction of movement, both because of the nature of the training itself and because of the present reduction in the supervisory staff of the institution.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the need for trained teachers, he will, at the conclusion of the present European war, apply for the release from war service of student-teachers who were directed from the universities into the Armed Forces before their training was completed.

The position of these men and women will not be overlooked, but there is nothing more that can be said at this stage.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has considered the views of the governing bodies associations and the headmasters' conference on the Fleming Report; and whether he will publish them.

I am taking an early opportunity of meeting representatives of the governing bodies associations and the headmasters' conference to discuss their representations on the Fleming Report. The question of publishing these representations is a matter for the particular bodies concerned.

asked the Minister of Education whether local education authorities are continuing to issue priority certificates authorising the purchase of sports equipment by schools and youth organisations; and whether these authorities are entitled to attach to the issue of certificates any conditions as to the channels through which supplies are to be obtained.

Under the Sports Gear (Control of Manufacture and Supply) (No. 2) Order, 1943, equipment for priority sports as defined in the Order can only be supplied by manufacturers under the authority of a buying certificate. Under this system the Board of Trade issue these buying certificates to approved users through sponsoring Departments, and my Ministry, which receives a specified allocation of priority goods, issues buying certificates to local education authorities and schools in England and Wales up to the limit of this allocation. The certificates may be used by the authority either for its own purchases or to enable purchases to be made by a school, youth organisation or other similar institution for which the local education authority does not itself make purchases. No conditions as to the channels through which supplies may be obtained are attached to the issue of the buying certificates to the local education authorities, and if any authority attaches such conditions to the issue of a buying certificate to a youth organisation or other body in respect of which it does not itself make purchases, it does so on its own responsibility.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what would be the estimated cost of providing the farmers of the country with adequate up-to-date mechanical equipment for use on the land.

This would depend upon so many variable factors that I regret it is impracticable to form an estimate which would be in any way reliable.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether he can state the policy of his Department in regard to the transfer of requisitioned property without any reference to the owner; whether he is aware that the War Office transferred 25, Moss Lane, Pinner, Middlesex, to his Department, which used it for Italian prisoners, then transferred it to the Harrow Urban District Council; and why he did not follow the procedure in the Ministry of Health Circular No. 136/44, dated 5th October.

The policy is to hold requisitioned property for any Government use in connection with the war, and the transfer from one such use to another is a matter for the discretion of the competent authority concerned, who could not undertake to consult the owner in each case. I am aware of the position regarding the house in question, which after consultation with the Ministry of Health, was transferred to the local authority for the purpose of rehousing persons rendered homeless by enemy action, and I am informed that the last paragraph of Circular 136/44 makes it clear that the Circular does not apply in such cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present amount of the financial aid given to the Royal Society and other bodies to assist scientific publications; and whether he is yet in a position to announce whether it will be possible to increase this amount in the near future.

The grants in aid to the Royal Society and to the Royal Society of Edinburgh include provision of £2,700 and £300 respectively, allocated specifically to scientific publications. Scientific publications are also issued by other bodies receiving grants from public funds, notably the Medical Research Council and the Agricultural Research Council, but except as mentioned above the grants are not allocated to specific purposes. The possibilities of publication in war-time are restricted by a number of factors, and I am not aware that the amount of the grant from the Exchequer has operated to reduce their number. I am not yet in a position to state the amount of the grants which Parliament will be asked to provide in 1945 for scientific investigation and research.

asked the Minister of Information whether arrangements can now be made to allow complete freedom of publication for all statistics relating to agriculture, health, labour, transport, fuel and power, Colonies, finance, exports, imports and production, except in so far as information of operational value to the enemy is still involved; and whether he can give any indication as to how British practice in this respect compares with American.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the right hon. and gallant Member for Kelvingrove (Lieut.-Colonel Elliot). We cannot make any useful comparisons with American practice, since the U.S.A. has never been an operational zone subject to bombing, and they accordingly published statistics of this nature freely.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to provide apples for Scotland, since the import of English applies is prohibited and no facilities are provided for purchasing apples from Northern Ireland.

The distribution of Canadian apples has begun in parts of Scotland. Facilities for importing apples into Scotland from Northern Ireland appear to have been fully adequate. Up to 10th November approximately four times as many Northern Ireland apples had been brought in as during the corresponding period in 1943.

asked the Minister of Food if at the time that he increased the ration of sugar for the manufacture of cider to 80 per cent. of pre-war supplies he permitted any increase in the amount of non-fermented apple juice.

No, Sir. Whereas the allocation of sugar to cider manufacturers is only 80 per cent, of pre-war supplies, the limit imposed on the production of unfermented apple juice exceeds the former output of established producers and permits the full utilisation of their existing plant.

asked the Minister of Food if the distribution of milk is left entirely to the discretion of the milk deliverer; and whether, as priority claims are now not even being met, he will adopt some better system of checking outgoing supplies with the exact amount of milk delivered to the various customers on the round.

No, Sir. The supplier is required by Order to provide for the authorised requirements of the priority consumers where he has the milk available, before supplies are distributed to non-priority consumers. I am not aware that the authorised requirements of priority consumers are not being met in full. If my hon. Friend's attention has been drawn to particular cases, I would be glad if he could let me have full information so that I may make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Food if he can make any statement explaining the shortage in the supply of milk.

Supplies of milk show an increase as compared with the corresponding period in recent years. There has, however, been an increase in consumption particularly of milk supplied to the priority classes. Despite this fact the supplies available at present are sufficient to meet fully the authorised requirements of the priority consumers and the two pints weekly allowance of the non-priority adult consumers.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the shortage of milk, greater facilities will be offered to consumers to obtain supplies of treated milk.

I assume my hon. and gallant Friend refers to processed milk. The present winter allowance of liquid milk is being supplemented by household milk powder which is distributed to the public at the rate of one half pound tin per head every eight weeks, or the equivalent of half a pint of liquid milk per week. In addition, rather more condensed milk is available on points than in the summer, but the large quantities of processed milk required by the Services represent the first call on the total supplies available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Ministry of Food is recommending the consumption of National Milk Cocoa to workers of industrial concerns instead of milk; and whether, as many people do not care for cocoa, he will endeavour to increase the supply of milk for such workers.

I have been asked to reply. The supply of milk, notwithstanding an increase in the output, is still insufficient to meet the demand. Industrial workers not entitled to priority supplies are being encouraged to drink National Milk Cocoa in place of milk, in order to ensure that the maximum quantity of milk may be made available to non-priority domestic consumers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport for what reasons he has disregarded the recommendations of the Sixteenth Report of the Select Committee on National Expenditure, in October, 1942, that his Department should have an organisation and methods section to deal with the major problems of organisation and man-power.

My hon. and gallant Friend is mistaken in thinking that these recommendations have been disregarded. Arrangements were made at the beginning of the year to earmark a senior officer for this work, and though these arrangements suffered some interruption through inevitable changes of personnel, a further appointment was recently made to take immediate effect.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the senior executives in his Department having previous business experience, showing their present positions and the nature of that experience in each case.

Following is the information requested, which does not cover executive officers serving in a lower capacity than director or regional controller:

asked the Prime Minister if his attention has been drawn to the inadequate fees payable on behalf of members of the Forces for professional attendance by civilian doctors, instances of which have been supplied to him; and whether he will take action to remedy this position.

The present scales were fixed by agreement with the British Medical Association and I cannot agree that they are inadequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he can give the numbers of those connected with His Majesty's Air Force in each of the Dominions and Colonies.

I regret that the particulars asked for are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what are the requirements of the R.A.F. as regards the provison of woollen comforts during the winter.

Although there has been a marked falling off in gifts of knitted garments from the public owing to the calls upon the women of this country for other forms of war work, the R.A.F. Comforts Committee have so far been able to meet reasonable demands from units, especially those from overseas commands, but as stocks are falling low they would welcome a continuance of the generous support hitherto received. I should add that, so far as Service issues of woollen clothing and protective garments are concerned, the supply position is satisfactory. I take this opportunity of thanking all those who have contributed in so many ways to the successful and valuable work of the R.A.F. Comforts Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will investigate the case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a teacher who joined the R.A.F. education service as a volunteer in 1940, on condition that he accepted a commission in the R.A.F.V.R.; whether such, officers are at liberty to return to their schools or seek other education appointments in their civilian capacity, or as commissioned officers in the administrative and special duties branch; and whether they are entitled whatever officers' war gratuities may be given and a place in the demobilisation scheme according to their age and length of service.

I am writing to my hon. Friend about the case referred to in the first part of the Question. As regards the second and third parts, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to the hon. and learned Member for Ilford (Mr. G. Hutchinson) on 1st and 15th November. There are no posts established in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch of the R.A.F.V.R. for officers engaged on educational duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether steps are now being taken to ascertain, unit by unit, how many airmen and members of the W.A.A.F. have positions in civil life to return to; how many are qualifying to enter a profession which may involve a period at a university; how many will desire to avail themselves of the training schemes being initiated by the Ministry of Labour; and whether official information can be given as to prospects and opportunities in the Dominions and Colonies.

The answer to the first and second parts of the Question is "Yes, Sir." The information referred to in the third part is not being asked for specifically but will become available as the scheme for educational and vocational training is developed. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given on 3rd October and 18th October last in reply to Questions by the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. W. J. Brown) and the hon. and gallant Member for Leicester, East (Colonel Lyons), copies of which I am sending the hon. Baronet.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether W.A.A.F. officers serving in the U.S.A., in Canada and the Middle East, are being paid in all ranks two-thirds of R.A.F. pay, as in the U.K., and full allowances, with the exception of batmen.

In general, Yes, Sir. The rates of inclusive allowance, known as mission allowance, issuable to W.A.A.F. officers serving in Canada and U.S.A. are, however, slightly lower than the R.A.F. rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if W.A.A.F. officers serving in India and S.E.A.C. will be paid on a basis which will maintain the two-thirds of R.A.F. pay and equal allowances except batmen, which is the present arrangement in the U.K.

I regret that I cannot, at the moment, add to the answer which I gave my hon. Friend to her Question of 11th October.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what research work is being done by his Department to make greater use of coal; if there is a committee dealing with the matter; and, if so, if he will give the names of the committee and the terms of reference.

Research is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on the Lord President's behalf to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Yardley (Mr. Salt) on 31st October last, of which I am sending him a copy. The research work on coal is directed towards its efficient utilisation, including the development of new uses for coal. The work of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research on utilisation of fuel is under the general guidance of the Fuel Research Board, of which the membership and general terms of reference are as follows:

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many unauthorised stoppages have occurred in the South Wales and Monmouthshire coalfields since the beginning of the war; and what is the estimated tonnage of coal lost through such stoppages.

The number of recorded stoppages due to industrial disputes in the South Wales and Monmouthshire coalfields from the commencement of the war to the end of October, 1944, was 514. It is estimated that approximately 890,000 tons of coal were lost by these stoppages.

asked the Minister of Health whether persons officially evacuated from bombed areas and supplied with blankets, articles of furniture and other household goods, some of which were contributed by the public, will be allowed to retain such articles when removing from the requisitioned premises at the termination of the war.

Most evacuees will have their own homes and household goods to return to, and equipment supplied on loan (as distinct from gifts to the evacuees individually) for their use while accommodated in the reception areas must be returned to the issuing authority. Where the evacuees' home has been destroyed by enemy action essential replacements of household goods can be obtained from the local authority of the home area, and arrangements for supplementing these essentials from voluntary sources are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether A.T.S. officers serving in the U.S.A. and the Middle East are being paid two-thirds of the pay of the Army in all ranks as well as full allowances with the exception of batmen.

As regards the Middle East I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave her yesterday. In the U.S.A. the A.T.S. officers as a rule draw consolidated allowances which are based on the necessary expenses of living in the U.S.A. as a member of the Military Mission. They therefore differ owing to the differing expenditures of male and female officers. In other respects the answer to my hon. Friend's Question is, generally speaking, "Yes."

asked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of teachers now serving in the Army he contemplates retaining during the period of demobilisation in order to carry out schemes of vocational education.

Teachers will be released from the Army in accordance with the rules governing all releases, and it is not intended to retain any teachers beyond their age and service groups against their will for the purpose of the Army Scheme of Education.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can give the numbers of those connected with His Majesty's Army in each of the Dominions and Colonies.

Men from all the Dominions and most parts of the Colonial Empire are serving in the British Army, but I regret that for security reasons it is not possible to give the figures.

asked the Secretary of State for War if any assurances can be given to men now serving in Italy and the Middle East that on the conclusion of European hostilities they will not be sent to the Far East without being allowed a period of home leave.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) on this subject on 4th October last. I have nothing at present to add to that reply. I would also refer him to the further statement the Prime Minister made to-day on the general question of leave from overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many vacancies for chaplains of the different denominations there are for each denomination in the Royal Army Chaplains' Department.

It would not be in the public interest to publish in war time the figures asked for. That there are deficiencies in all denominations I do not deny, and the relevant figures are known to the War Service Committees of the various denominations whose business it is to encourage entry into the Royal Army Chaplains' Department.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the average age of chaplains, 3rd and 4th class, serving in the Royal Army Chaplains' Department.

This information is not readily available, and I regret that it could not be obtained without an undue amount of labour.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction existing in the Eighth Army at the lack of adequate welfare arrangements for the troops when they are out of the line; whether, in particular, his attention has been drawn to the serious deficiency in the supply of football boots; and what steps are being taken to meet urgently these requirements so that the high spirit and physical condition of the men may be maintained.

Yes, Sir. I am aware that there arc shortages. Steps have been taken to remedy the position and a quantity of sports goods have been sent from this country in the past week.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the acute shortage of housing accommodation in the Borough of Ilford he will now arrange to release those dwelling-houses which are still requisitioned by the military authorities.

As much house property as possible has been, or is being, given up in Ilford, but I cannot release those requisitioned houses which still fulfil a military need. The general question throughout London is kept continually under review.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether steps are now being taken to ascertain, unit by unit, how many men and auxiliaries have positions in civil life to return to; how many are qualifying to enter a profession which may involve a period at a university; how many will desire to avail themselves of the training schemes being initiated by the Ministry of Labour; and whether official information can be given as to prospects and opportunities in the Dominions and Colonies.

No, Sir. After careful consideration it has been decided that it is neither desirable nor practicable to do so at the present time. Close co-operation is being maintained with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service on these matters. It is not possible at the present time to publish information as to prospects and opportunities in the Dominions and Colonies.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the security provision which in the case of employees in canteens requires that before appointment they shall be certified as to reliability by two citizens of good standing, such as justices or ministers of religion, has been applied also to all persons who serve in the public rooms of licensed premises used by troops.

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether service in the present war is reckoned towards the award of the Territorial Decoration to officers called to the Colours from the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers in 1939 and to officers who, having been compulsorily superannuated from the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers before 1939, rejoined the colours by volunteering for service in the Officers' Emergency Reserve in that year, respectively.

Officers who are called to the colours from the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers are allowed to reckon their service from the date of embodiment as qualifying service towards the award of the Territorial Efficiency Decoration on the same terms as officers on the active list of the Territorial Army. In fact, it counts double. An officer who had relinquished his Territorial Army Commission and volunteered for service in the Officers' Emergency Reserve is not so entitled.