asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Protecting Power has furnished any additional details regarding the shooting by the Germans at Tilsit of Warrant Officer Coles who was a prisoner of war.

Warrant Officer Coles, of the R.A.F., escaped from a prisoner of war camp, was recaptured in Danzig and taken back to camp. Subsequently, information was received from the Protecting Power that he was under arrest on a charge of espionage. The Protecting Power were at once asked to obtain full information as to the date and place of his trial and to arrange for an advocate to defend him in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention.From a reliable source it has been learnt that on 10th May, 1944, Warrant Officer Coles was removed from the prisoner of war camp in the civilian clothes in which he was captured after his escape, and was refused permission to put on his R.A.F. uniform. He was handed over to the Gestapo. On 1st October, 1944, information was received from the Protecting Power that the German authorities had reported that Warrant Officer Coles had been shot dead at Tilsit on 15th July "when offering resistance." This information was only given to the Protecting Power on 1st September, over 1½ months after the alleged incident.The Protecting Power were asked to investigate the circumstances of this man's death and to press for an inquiry and report in accordance with the terms of a reciprocal agreement between His Majesty's Government and the German Government in cases of violent deaths and serious injuries of prisoners of war. Attention was also drawn to the excessive delay in notifying the death. In November, 1944, a German note was received through the Protecting Power which stated that this prisoner of war offered resistance at Tilsit on 15th July, 1944, during an evacuation convoy and was shot dead, and added that he was suspected of having collaborated with the Polish resistance movement.His Majesty's Government are profoundly dissatisfied with the German explanation of Warrant Officer Coles's death, and strong representations are being made through the Protecting Power.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the regulations now governing prisoners of war can be amended to permit the normal opportunities of promotion for medical and dental officers of the R.A.M.C. detained in enemy prisoners-of-war camps for the care of British prisoners.

Time promotion is carried out under the normal rules for all officers who are prisoners of war. They also retain their paid acting and temporary ranks while they are prisoners, but the period during which they retain acting rank does not count for conversion to temporary rank. I do not consider that special arrangements should be made for medical and dental officers.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if his attention has been called to the bad state of railway trucks carrying coal and the urgent need of repairs to them; if he is aware of the complaints of customers about short weight in their supplies, much of which is due to this cause; and what steps he intends to take to rectify this matter.

Yes, Sir, both my Noble Friend the Minister of War Transport and I are aware that owing to the shortage of man-power and the more intensive use of wagons it has not been possible to maintain the normal rate of repair of railway wagons. Special attention is, however, being given to this problem and to a scheme for patch repairs to be carried out at the collieries. I am also aware of a number of complaints about short weight which may be due to this cause. The steps which are being taken to improve the standard of wagon repairs will at the same time reduce these losses.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the position of men released from the Forces to work in the mines; is he aware that they were first given working furlough of six months, which was then extended for an indefinite period; does this mean that they are discharged from the Forces; and what has a man to do if he wishes to leave the mines and rejoin the Forces again.

Men specially released from H.M. Forces for underground employment in the coalmining industry are released for an indefinite period but not discharged. All the men leave the Forces voluntarily and they are expected to remain in coalmining unless they become physically unfit. Under the provisions of the Essential Work Order, a man who wishes to leave the coalmining industry must obtain the permission in writing of the National Service Officer.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the number of canteens in each district of the British coalfields under the control of the Miners' Welfare Commission, giving the number of meals served and of the miners attending the canteens.

The answer to the first part of the Question, with the figures, is given below. With regard to the second part, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food obtains particulars of the numbers of meals served at colliery canteens for rationing purposes; and an analysis, relating to a period ended 18th September, 1943, showed that the average number of meals served weekly per person employed in collieries with canteens was 5.1. I understand that a new analysis is to be prepared from returns of more recent date, which is expected to be available towards the end of January. There are no records of the number of miners attending the canteens.

asked the Secretary of State for War why the Hitler Youth, the S.S. and the Nazi police formations are excluded from the list of 52 Nazi organisations which, according to the posters exhibited in all occupied German territory, are to be disbanded.

I presume the hon. Member is referring to a law for the dissolution of the Nazi Party enacted by the Supreme Allied Commander, and posted in parts of Germany under his control. The law explicitly provides for the dissolution of the organisations named in the Question, in addition to the 52 other organisations. Perhaps the hon. Member would be good enough to let me know on what information his Question is based.

asked the Minister of Production what stage has been reached in the production of synthetic rubber in this country; and, in particular, whether the British company to which a permit was granted in 1943 has begun production.

There has not as yet been any commercial production of general purpose synthetic rubber in this country. The plant of the company to which the hon. Member refers is still under construction.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, to meet the criticism of ex-Service men needing artificial limbs, he will consider making public his inquiry into the design, development and use of such limbs; whether he will make the membership of the committee independent and exclude representation of his officials, who should give evidence only; and whether, as the insistence on written evidence only will exclude the evidence of those unable to prepare such a document, he will revise this regulation.

For the reasons which I gave in my answer of 2nd November to my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Manningham-Buller) I have appointed a Departmental Committee to consider the design, development and use of artificial limbs. I am satisfied that the Committee as constituted is well suited to the object in view. The Committee's procedure is a matter for it to determine, but I am informed that the position is not as stated in the last part of the Question. Those desirous of giving oral evidence have been asked, as a preliminary step only, to indicate in writing the points which they wish to bring before, the Committee.

asked the Minister of Food what assurances can he give to retailers that turkeys and poultry, as or when collected or imported for Christmas fare, will be equitably distributed; and if he can give details of the different arrangements for the several areas which are to benefit by the scheme.

The arrangements made for the distribution of turkeys and other poultry, both home-produced and imported, provide as equitable a distribution of these supplies as is practicable. Imported supplies of turkeys and other poultry are canalised through a war-time company of importer-wholesalers who allocate them to retailers throughout the country who bought imported produce in 1938, on the basis of their purchases of imported supplies in that year. Arrangements have been made to enable all retailers who handled imported turkeys in 1938 to obtain a share of the imported birds available this year, irrespective of the wholesaler from whom they bought in 1938. The limited volume of poultry imports precludes any wider distribution.Northern Irish supplies are directed to Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Sheffield, and are distributed amongst retailers in those towns on the basis of their sales of home-produced and Northern Irish turkeys and other poultry respectively in 1938 or 1939. The quantity allotted to individual traders has been determined by a local committee in each town on which are represented all organisations of retailers who sell poultry. Edinburgh, Leeds and Sheffield have recently been included among the towns participating in these supplies, but the quantity of birds available does not per- mit of any further additions to the number of towns to which these supplies are sent.The distribution of home-produced supplies is not controlled. Higher maximum prices have, however, been authorised for birds sold or sent for sale in most of the more thickly-populated districts. This arrangement should encourage the despatch to these districts of a reasonable proportion of home-produced supplies. Steps have also been taken to prevent evasion of the maximum prices by the sale of pseudo-stock poultry by prohibiting, except under licence, sales other than direct from producer to producer, of stock turkeys during November and December, and of other stock poultry during December.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to restrain the import of turkeys as personal gifts from Northern Ireland to friends in England, Wales and Scotland; and whether he will ensure that the large bulk of turkeys exported from Northern Ireland for the Christmas trade will be passed through the official pool of supplies and be sold by recognised wholesalers and retailers.

I have made an Order prohibiting, except under licence, the consignment and transport from Northern Ireland to Great Britain and the Isle of Man during the period 26th Novernber, 1944, to 31st January, 1945, of gift parcels of poultry exceeding 7 lbs. gross weight. All turkeys shipped from Northern Ireland for Christmas, other than gift birds sent under licence, will be distributed through poultry retailers' buying groups to those retailers in the eight selected towns who are entitled to receive them.

asked the Minister of Food what is the exact amount and value of meat which has been condemned in any one year in Government slaughter-houses; and what proportion of the meat was condemned on account of tuberculosis.

In the 12 months ending 31st March, 1944, 11,815 tons, worth, had it been fit for human consumption, £715,000. I regret that information is not available in regard to the last part of my hon. Friend's Question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the importance of re-afforestation by private owners on whose property considerable felling has taken place, he will consider the importance of making available wire netting and other fencing material at reasonable prices in order that replanting may commence with minimum delay.

The Forestry Commission receive from the Board of Trade an allocation for this purpose which is understood to be sufficient to meet present needs, and could, if necessary, be increased.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his Department has considered the desirability of releasing a number of the Hull trawlers, that have been requisitioned, in order to rehabilitate the Hull fishing industry; and with what result.

The number of fishing vessels on naval service is constantly under review, but releases are inevitably determined by the state of the war. I am, however, glad to inform my hon. Friend that it has recently proved possible to release four Hull vessels, to be followed by ten more as soon as they can be sailed home from abroad. I can assure him that the Admiralty do not forget the very severe depletion of the Hull deep-sea trawler fleet necessitated by war requirements: nor, I need hardly say, are they unmindful of the splendid contribution made to the war at sea by all the fishing vessels taken up from Hull and from the other fishing ports of these Islands.

asked the Minister of Works, whether he is aware that many workers have received no acknowledgment of books and money sent to the Building and Civil Engineering Holiday Scheme Management, Limited, set up to administer the holidays with pay scheme in the building and civil engineering industries; and whether he is satisfied that the arrangements for the administration of public funds in this connection are properly supervised.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Whitehaven (Mr. Anderson) on 6th December, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport, whether he has taken steps, whilst the railways are under Government control, to secure that the smaller railway workshops shall not be denuded of work in peace time in favour of the larger, thereby avoiding the possibility of degrading some small townships into derelict areas.

As I was glad to be able to assure my hon. Friend a year ago, the considerations to which he draws attention will not be overlooked in the preparation of plans for after the war.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many deaths of cattle have taken place during the past year in Uganda; how many of these were due to inoculation and to other causes; whether compensation is paid for losses due to inoculation; and what representations have been made on the subject from Africans.

Figures of total deaths from all causes are not available. Out of some 400,000 head inoculated so far this year, approximately 28,000 have died, but it is not known in what proportion of these cases death was due to disease already contracted. Compensation is not paid for losses due to inoculation. The Governor has received representations from only three persons in respect of thirteen head of cattle.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give particulars of the arrangements made by the Ministry of Food for the purchase of the coffee crop in Kenya for the coming year; what increase per ton does the new price provide; and whether he will state the wages paid for African labour on the coffee estates, the approximate area of land on which coffee is grown by Africans on their own account and the area under European management.

The Ministry of Food have agreed to purchase the 1944–45 coffee crop in Kenya at a final average price of £110 per ton, subject, however, to the submission, in due course, of balance sheets from representative estates to substantiate production costs on which this figure has been based. This price represents an increase of £11 10s. 0d. per ton on the total average price agreed for 1943–44. According to the figures of production costs which have already been submitted, the average monthly wages of labour in Kenya, including value of rations, amount to Sh. 22. The area of coffee estates under European management is approximately 82,000 acres. Experimental plantings by Africans, amounting to 402 acres in all, have been permitted under the Native-Grown Coffee rules, 1934, in the native reserves in the Nyanza Province, the Central Province and the Coast Province. The possibilities of extension to other areas has not been actively pursued during the war, owing to the need for maximum food production, but as a result of the experience gained from the experimental plantings so far made, the possibilities of developing the African coffee industry on co-operative lines are being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether an agricultural training school for Indians has yet been set up in East Africa; how many pupils it is intended to accommodate; to what extent it is the intention to create a class of Indian agriculturists in East Africa; and how the land is to be made available for them.

I understand that the Tanganyika Government has announced a small experimental scheme to provide agricultural training for sixteen Indian pupils a year in a two-year course at Morogoro. As regards the third and fourth parts of the Question, I am making inquiries of the Governor as to the prospects of employment for successful pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress is being made in Jamaica in regard to the proposals made to the Jamaican Government by Sir Frank Stockdale, his agricultural adviser, in regard to agricultural development.

During the last year schemes for agricultural development in Jamaica, based on the recommendations of Sir Frank Stockdale, have been approved, involving the expenditure of approximately £2,270,000, of which £1,036,600 will be met by free grants and £240,000 by way of loan under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act and the balance from local funds or by local loan. A further scheme, estimated to cost £427,550, is now under consideration. Generally speaking progress on the schemes is satisfactory, but some delay in the early stages will be caused owing to the difficulty of securing qualified staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been drawn to the resolution agreed by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the American House of Representatives to the effect that the U.S.A. should use its good offices to secure the free entry of Jews into Palestine and full opportunity for colonisation, so that a free and democratic Jewish commonwealth can be reconstituted; if this resolution has yet reached him; and what action he proposes to take.

I have seen references to such a resolution in the Press. The latest report is that discussions on it have been suspended. The third part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that Max Kritzman, a member of the English bar, was arrested on or about 3rd November, 1944, at Tel Aviv, and has been since held in custody without any trial, having been refused legal aid; and whether a full inquiry will be held into the matter.

I have received no information from the High Commissioner for Palestine on this case; but I am asking him for a report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress is being made in regard to a new ordinance or regulations governing tin deposits and mining in Nigeria, with special reference to labour conditions, displacement of Africans on their land, deposits of excavated land, etc.

The Government of Nigeria have under consideration a new Minerals Ordinance and also a Labour Bill amending and consolidating existing legislation. The drafting of these Bills is at an advanced stage and it is hoped that they will be presented to the Legislative Council next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now considered representations made to him on the inferior conditions of service among native administrative staffs as compared with Government Civil Service in Nigeria; and what action is likely to be taken to secure for the Native Administrative Service a pension scheme, a housing scheme, scholarships to study abroad and the appointment of administrative officers from the African administrative staff.

The salaries and conditions of service of Native Administration staffs were improved last year. Housing schemes have been held up by the war, but will be resumed when materials and staff are available. Native Administration staffs are eligible, equally with African Government officials, both for scholarships to study abroad and for appointments as Administrative Officers, in both cases selection depending on suitability. As regards pensions, I would refer to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 18th October.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what men in the Colonial Empire are still held in detention under regulations equivalent to 18B, and where; and whether all such cases are being periodically reviewed both by the local government concerned and the Colonial Office.

The number of persons detained under Defence Regulations equivalent to 18B in the Colonial Empire on 30th November was 174, as compared with 229 on 30th June. Of the 174, 109 are British subjects or British protected persons, and this figure will be further reduced by 30 Maltese in Uganda who will be released as soon as arrangements can be made for their repatriation. The appended table shows where these people are detained.For the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to his question of 21st June. The reports of these reviews are received in the Colonial Office, but the decision upon them rests entirely with the Governor, subject only to my suggestion, when I see fit, that the case should be reconsidered by him.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can now restore the Post Office express letter service suspended since air raids on London began.

The express delivery service in London has not been suspended as a result of air raids, but there is a serious shortage of boy messengers, and regard must be had to the prior demands of the telegraph delivery service. Every effort is being made to afford express delivery where practicable.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give an assurance that Service personnel temporarily released for work of national importance will have such period regarded as effective military service for demobilisation purposes and for the assessment of gratuity.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Information whether he is aware that the nine o'clock Home Service News on Friday, 1st December, reporting the Debate in the House of Commons, referred at length to the speech of only one hack bench Member; and will he make representations to the B.B.C. to ensure more balanced reports in future.

My right hon. Friend has recently called the attention of the Governors to the desire expressed by some hon. Members that more time should be given to Parliamentary reports.

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to allow the reports and recommendations of the surveyors appointed to ascertain the hospital facilities available in the London and other regional areas of England and Wales to be published and made available for all those persons who are interested in hospital administration and organisation in this country.

Six of the ten reports have so far been received and three are already in the hands of the printer. They will be published as soon as the prevailing difficulties of production allow.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he can make any statement on the claim to the discovery in South Africa of a vaccine which cures horse sickness.

I am informed that for some time a vaccine has been used in South Africa for the purpose of preventing horse sickness. As, however, this disease does not occur in this country, little detailed information is, I understand, available here. If my hon. Friend wishes, my Noble Friend will be glad to make further inquiries.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that members of the C.D. general services who were compulsorily directed to those services after 10th April, 1941, have no statutory right of reinstatement, whereas it is understood that persons directed into a C.D. force, such as the N.F.S. and Police War Reserve, have that right; and upon what grounds this distinction has been made.

Those persons who were called up under the National Service Acts and enrolled in a Civil Defence Force had reinstatement rights under those Acts and were therefore included in the Reinstatement in Civil Employment Act. So far as I am aware no persons have been compulsorily directed into whole-time work in the Civil Defence general services.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that members of the C.D. general services who have left these services, voluntarily or by call-up, to join the Armed Forces appear to be entitled to reinstatement by the C.D. authority, and if that occupation is not available when they are demobilised the authority will be, under the Reinstatement Act, obliged to employ them in the most favourable occupation and on the most favourable conditions practicable; and whether, as the pay of these services has been reimbursed by the Government, he will accept the responsibility for finding employment, or indemnify the authority against the consequences of having to provide alternative employment.

The Reinstatement in Civil Employment Act does not require employers to re-employ former employees unless it is both reasonable and practicable for them to do so. In such circumstances no question of indemnification arises. I shall, of course, do everything possible to place ex-members of the Civil Defence Services in employment, together with other persons who may be similarly placed.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether there will be a grant of a badge for services rendered or of a gratuity to personnel of the R.A.F. who have already been permitted to resign or been honourably discharged from the Service.

As regards the issue of a badge, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister during the Debate on War Decorations and Medals on 22nd March last. On the question of gratuities, there is nothing at present to add to para. 18 of the White Paper on Re-Allocation of Man-Power (Command 6548).

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will issue a publication giving the full details of the machinery for adjusting agricultural prices; and whether this will be made available to farmers as a whole.

I am satisfied that the statement I made in the House on 5th December has received very wide publicity, and in these circumstances I no not propose to issue a further publication.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has considered a communication from the county council of the Isle of Ely about research into animal diseases, in view of the increased number of outbreaks; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

Yes, Sir. I do not think that research into animal disease problems is at present hampered by lack of funds. The Agricultural Research Council have constantly under review the question of such research, and although the scale of work is to some extent limited by the numbers of trained workers and the facilities available, research is, in fact, in progress into all the major problems in this field.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has considered a communication from the county council of the Isle of Ely urging that immediate steps be taken to empower them to acquire additional land for allocation to ex-Servicemen as smallholdings at rentals within their means; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

I have received the letter referred to and similar letters from other county councils. I have asked the County Councils' Association to discuss this matter with me, and after that discussion replies will be sent to individual councils. I must emphasise, however, that it is not likely to be practicable for some time to come to start a programme of increased numbers of smallholdings, on account of the large amount of building and other work necessary for their equipment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that rubber feeding teats are still not available in the shops in the Ilford district; and if he will take steps to remedy this.

The rate of delivery of teats in Ilford has risen very considerably in the past two months, but, as elsewhere, there are considerable arrears of demand to overtake. As Ilford seems to be getting rather less than its fair share of supplies, I have asked wholesalers to speed up their deliveries to this district.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made by his Department towards the introduction of new industries into the administrative county of Durham.

In addition to existing factories, which have been built since the outbreak of the war and will be available for peace-time production, a number of new factories are now being built, and others will be put in hand as soon as sufficient building labour and materials are available. My officers, both at Headquarters and in the Region, have been approached by many industrialists who would like to establish new enterprises in the North-East.