asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, if the schedule of prices agreed upon between the Commissioners and the trade association for the surplus stocks of the Commission and the price to be charged to the public can be published; and if such schedules can be printed in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

The following schedule of minimum wholesale and retail prices for 1944–45 was issued by the Horticultural Trades Association and the Scottish Seed and Nursery Trade Association to their members and submitted to the Forestry Commission in October, 1944. The wholesale prices were accepted by the Commission for sales of surplus stock to trade members. At a subsequent date it was agreed by the Commission and representatives of the trade that a list of surplus stocks of the Commission available at the agreed wholesale prices should be published and should be retailed at 50 per cent. above the wholesale prices but subject to a maximum increase of £2 per 1,000. The list of prices of the Commission's surplus stocks has now been issued to the Press.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what are this season's expected surplus stocks.

It was estimated at the beginning of the season that the surpluses available for disposal would amount to approximately 29,000,000 seedlings and 13,000,000 transplants. Compared with the normal requirements of the Commissioners these figures are not large. If planting in the season 1944–45 had returned to the pre-war scale, as was anticipated when arrangements were made to produce the stocks of which these plants are part, there would in fact have been shortages instead of surpluses.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, if, in view of the official denial by the Horticultural Trades Association that the prices charged by firms for surplus Forestry Commission plants were as a result of pressure by that association, he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT proof that the association was responsible for enforcing such prices.

The Horticultural Trades Association is an independent body and the Forestry Commissioners are not in a position to prove or disprove their methods of conducting business. It may be relevant to the Question, however, to point out that the list of prices circulated in the answer to the hon. Member's first Question is for minimum prices to be charged by members of the Horticultural Trades Association and the Scottish Seed and Nursery Trade Association.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, the wholesale and retail prices agreed upon at the meeting of the Forestry Commission and the trade association on 19th December, 1944.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to-day to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Ness Edwards).

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what quantities of seedling and transplant trees they have available for sale; how many of these have so far been ordered by the trade and what it is proposed to do with any unsold surplus.

The estimated surpluses at the beginning of the season were approximately 13,000,000 transplants and 29,000,000 seedlings and to 10th January, 1945, the latest date for which figures have been compiled, orders have been received for 1,800,000 transplants and 1,500,000 seedlings. As regards surpluses for which no orders are received, every effort will be made to retain in the nurseries any plants for which there appears to be a future use but those which will undoubtedly be overgrown after a further season's growth will have to be destroyed.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what price per thousand was agreed upon with the trade association in December, 1944, for Japanese larch 2 years plus 1 and 2 years plus 2; and at what price will these trees be available to the public.

Japanese larch 2 years plus 1 at 70s. per 1,000 and 2 years plus 2 at 90s. per 1,000. They will be available to the public at 105s. and 130s. respectively.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what are the arrangements made for the disposal of timber in the plantations of the Commission.

Sales of timber are controlled by orders issued by the Ministry of Supply. Subject to these orders, with which the Commissioners conform, timber is disposed of in various ways. By far the greatest quantity is sold to the Ministry of Supply or to timber merchants and others approved by the Ministry. Local sales, usually of small material such as fencing stakes, are made through dealers or direct to consumers.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, the cost per thousand of gathering, cleaning, packing and placing on rail, of various types of surplus forestry stock; and if this cost will be passed to the purchaser unchanged by the intervening member of the trade association.

The costs vary widely with a number of factors, such as the sizes and ages of the plants and the location of the nurseries. I am unable, consequently, to give firm figures. Sales by the Commission to the trade are f.o.r. and no charges for gathering, cleaning, packing and placing on rail are passed to the purchaser; any package material used, however, is charged for at cost price, and the Commissioners are assured that such cost is passed to the purchaser unchanged by the intervening member of the trade.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what percentage of collieries draw more from the Coal Charges Account than they pay into it; and what is the percentage of such collieries in each county.

The information for which my hon. Friend asks is not readily available in regard to individual collieries, but during the three months ending 31st March, 1944, which, owing to the necessity for audit, is the latest period for which any information on the subject is available, the following shows the districts which were respectively (i) drawing more from the fund than they paid in, and (ii) drawing less from the fund than they paid in.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has any records of the occurrence of tetanus in English counties; and whether the county of Norfolk shows a greater or less incidence of this disease than other counties.

As tetanus is not a notifiable disease there are no such records as my hon. Friend mentions, and I regret, therefore, that I cannot give the desired information.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to two recent deaths from vaccination of babies in which cerebral haemorrhage was the feature and in both of which the expert witness denied that vaccination had played any part in causing death although in both instances the child was perfectly healthy when vaccinated and the illness developed shortly afterwards; and whether, in view of the numerous cases that have been investigated by his Department in which vaccine virus has affected the brain, he will issue an official statement calling the attention of pathologists to the effect that vaccine virus has on the brain in certain instances.

I am unable to identify the two cases to which my hon. Friend refers, but if he will let me have further particulars, I will look into them and communicate with him.

asked the Minister of Health which local authorities in Northumberland have supplied him with the information required by his Circular 187/44; and on what dates he proposes to deliver to the respective authorities the number of temporary houses allocated.

Twelve local authorities in Northumberland have received an allocation of temporary houses. None of these has yet supplied the full particulars required by the Circular. It is not yet possible to say when the temporary houses will be delivered.

asked the Secretary of State for War who was responsible for choosing valuable agricultural land below sea level for a tank range, of which he has been informed, instead of adjacent heaths; and what was the total expenditure before the range had to be closed.

In cases such as this the possible sites are examined locally and recommendations are then made to the Training Areas Selection Committee. Before deciding what areas should be taken this committee consults the various author- ities concerned. This procedure was followed in this case. In order to reduce the danger area which must be requisitioned a range such as this must be sited either on the coast or against a steep escarpment. Two nearby areas—which are no doubt those referred to by the hon. Member—were found to be unsuitable in the one case because the danger area would have cut across a township and in the other because there was a labour colony in the area. The range was needed for the armoured units stationed in this district. They have now left and the range has been closed. The works services carried out at this range cost £15,000.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the complaints from soldiers serving in the B.L.A. that the quality of the ration pipe tobacco issued through the R.A.S.C. and the brands available through N.A.A.F.I. is very poor and that none of the standard brands are available; and will he take action to improve the allocation by making some of the standard brands available.

I understand that the supplies of tobacco through both sources mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend are largely made up of standard brands. It is, of course, possible that individual units have on occasion gone short of particular brands owing to the rapidity of their advance or to some other operational reason.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will explain the omission to give a public welcome to soldiers recently arriving home on leave after long service in the Middle and Far East; and whether, on similar occasions in future, steps will be taken to give a welcome to all batches of His Majesty's Forces coming on leave from active service overseas.

Troops have been arriving regularly in this country after long service overseas for at least the last 18 months. In fact they have been arriving by every convoy. Except in the case of repatriated prisoners of war no public reception has been provided for any of these parties. In the first place the movements of all convoys or vessels arriving from the more distant theatres of war are subject to strict security conditions. Secondly, the aim has always been to get the men home to their families as quickly as is humanly possible. The first consideration precludes a pre-arranged public welcome. The second would in any case make it doubtfully agreeable to the soldier.For the arrivals from more distant theatres a special transit camp has been established to which the men are moved as soon as they leave the ship. Here they can get clean clothes issued, here special facilities are provided for the men to send warning telegrams to their families, and a special movements staff to distribute the men to their innumerable destinations. Apart from meals before disembarkation and at the normal times in the camp all soldiers are provided with food for the railway journey.The recent much increased volume of arrivals has thrown up no serious new problems. An occasional soldier asks his wife to meet him at the wrong station and soldiers quite often arrive at the nearest station to their homes after the last bus has gone. To meet the latter kind of case arrangements are being made to revive the "Get-you-Home" scheme which was shut down in 1942 in order to conserve petrol, but in its new form it will be designed to serve only soldiers returning from overseas.Inquiries have shown that so far from any dissatisfaction with the arrangements, officers and men have expressed general satisfaction with all the arrangements made for their reception, welfare and onward travel.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will consider extending the present compassionate release of Corporal R. Gardner by a further three months, in order to enable him to make arrangements to carry on the business which is the sole means of livelihood of his aged widowed mother.

I regret that this man's release cannot be further extended.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to give assistance to the Army Cadet Force to enable it to acquire suitable premises for carrying on training.

Yes, Sir. Schemes for providing essential accommodation for the Army Cadet Force are being prepared by County Cadet Committees and financial and other assistance is being given. In particular, it is hoped to make surplus Army huts available.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in the plans for the post-war Army, arrangement will be included whereby the training of cadets who have secured certificates of proficency in the Army Cadet Force and who join the Army will be accelerated so as to enable them to receive early promotion or advanced training as specialists.

I am not now in a position to answer my hon. Friend's Question, but his suggestion will certainly be borne in mind when the appropriate stage is reached in drawing up the plans for the post-war Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements, in view of the stand down of the H.G. and scarcity of Army units in many parts of the country, it is proposed to make in order that the Army Cadet Force may receive the instruction from officers and non-commissioned officers of the Regular Army which is necessary if the cadets are to be of proper value to the Army.

At the moment a substantial number of officers and permanent staff instructors are necessarily retained for clearing up duties in connection with the Home Guard, and so long as they remain it is intended to use them for assistance to the cadets. When these officers and instructors are withdrawn, I agree that it will be necessary to make some other arrangements for regular assistance for the time being, and this is under consideration, but the numbers of officers and instructors who can be made available must obviously depend on how many can be spared, having regard to other Army requirements at home and abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether, since the decision to use A.T.S. overseas, he has heard of any objections to that policy from the members of the force itself.

My information suggests that the reaction of most members of the A.T.S. has been favourable to the policy of compulsory posting overseas. I understand that a few auxiliaries who have been posted near their homes on compassionate grounds are apprehensive that they may be ordered abroad, but I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that no auxiliary will be ordered abroad, even if eligible, so long as the compassionate grounds for home service remain valid.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will have an album of photographs supplied by the French police and containing pictures of German atrocities during the occupation of France placed in the Library in order that hon. Members may acquaint themselves with the barbarities committed by the Germans in France.

Yes, Sir, as soon as my right hon. Friend can obtain the photographs in question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can give any information as to promised cablegrams which prisoners of war in Japanese hands were to be allowed to send; and does he know if another number of postcards may be shortly expected.

No cablegrams have yet been received from prisoners of war or civilian internees in Japanese hands under the scheme sponsored by the International Red Cross Committee. Sixty thousand letters and postcards from the Far East have been received in this country, and delivered, within the last month. No information is available to show when further mail may be expected.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give an assurance that pay and allowances to prisoners of war in the Far East, about whom no authentic information is available, are being continued for the next 12 months.

So long as a man is recorded as a prisoner of war, whether in the Far East or elsewhere his pay and any allowances admissible for his dependants continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement as to the extent to which food is now being brought to the liberated countries by U.N.R.R.A. or other agencies.

The only agencies at present responsible for bringing foodstuffs to liberated areas are the Supreme Allied Commands in the North-West European and Mediterranean theatres. It is hoped that the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration may be enabled to take over this responsibility at an early date in certain countries. I understand, however, that, pending this, members of the Administration's staff are co-operating with the military authorities in the distribution of relief in Greece.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure of the annual amount found by the taxpayer to keep the cost of food prices at 68 points above the 1914 level.

The latest estimate of the cost of the food subsidies is that they are running at the rate of £218,000,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, with a view to discouraging the hoarding of currency, he will make it illegal to settle transactions, other than those between the retailer and his customer, over £10 if paid for in cash.

No, Sir. I do not think such legislation could be made effective.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what machinery is proposed for the general overhaul of the present position with regard to financial relations between the Exchequer and local authorities.

I contemplate that when it is practicable to undertake this overhaul the machinery will take the form of discussions between the Departments primarily concerned and representatives of the associations of local authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual average rate of interest chargeable to Revenue Account to service the National Debt, including the Floating Debt, official holdings and sterling balances.

A full year's interest charge on the National Debt at 31st December, 1944, represents an average rate of 2·3 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount borrowed by the Government from 1939 to the latest available date inclusive, and, of this amount, how much has been subscribed through small savings and war loans; and how much has been found through other sources, giving the name of each source and the amount found.

The total (net) amount borrowed by the Government from the outbreak of war to 31st December, 1944 (including borrowings to redeem pre-war debt held outside official accounts) is £13,975,000,000. This sum has been raised from the following sources:

	£millions.
Small Savings*	3,033
Subscriptions to public issues (other than floating debt) from nonofficial sources	4,609
Floating debt from non-official sources (including Treasury Deposit Receipts)	4,347
Tax Reserve Certificates	760
Extra budgetary official funds	818
"Other" debt, including borrowings abroad	408
	13,975
*Consisting of
National Savings Certificates (net)
3 per cent. Defence Bonds (net)
Increase in balances standing to the credit of depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank and Trustee Saving Banks (Ordinary Departments).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that working-class taxpayers of Liverpool who have to interview His Majesty's inspector of taxes, Liverpool 9th district, are com- pelled to travel to Birkenhead for the purpose, sometimes losing wages through having to travel during working time; and will he arrange for all Liverpool taxpayers to be interviewed in Liverpool in the future.

The Liverpool 9th District Office, along with other Liverpool tax offices, was formerly situated in a single building in the centre of Liverpool. This building was destroyed in 1941 as a result of enemy action and other premises had to be found. In view of the shortage of accommodation in Liverpool and also in order to minimise the risk of further destruction, the tax offices were spread out over the Liverpool and surrounding area, and that is the position to-day. I recognise that this has meant some inconvenience to taxpayers, but I regret that it is not possible to make arrangements on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend as neither staff nor accommodation is available. Arrangements are, however, made for Revenue officers to visit large concentrations of staff, e.g., works, stores, etc., for the purpose of discussing taxation matters with the employees.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now in a position to make an announcement regarding Pay-as-you-earn Income Tax deductions in the case of persons whose income slightly exceeds the exemption limit of £110, having regard to the necessity of encouraging piece workers to increase their output.

As I explained on 14th December, 1944, in answer to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for South Nottingham (Major Markham), this matter is one of considerable difficulty. The Board of Inland Revenue are, however, consulting appropriate employers' organisations with regard to the practicability of certain suggestions which it is hoped would go a long way towards meeting the difficulties where they are most acute.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what authority inspectors of taxes withhold until the end of the tax year the repayment due to a woman who was married during that year, but continues in employment after marriage and who is entitled to a refund of her Pay-as-you-earn tax deductions from 6th April to the date of marriage.

My hon. Friend's Question implies that under Pay-as-you-earn when a woman employee marries she becomes entitled automatically to repayment from the Inland Revenue of the whole or part of the Income Tax deducted from her pay up to the date of marriage; but this is not so. It is true that repayment will ultimately be found to be due in most cases but the adjustment of the tax liability for the year cannot be made until all the facts relating to the total income for the whole year are known. It is not the practice of the Inland Revenue to require both the taxpayer and the employer to furnish details until the end of the year, when the whole matter is adjusted in the normal course on receipt of the usual annual returns, but in any case in which it is apparent that a repayment will be due a reasonable repayment would be made on account pending receipt of the full particulars necessary to make the final adjustments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the American and Canadian Governments have permitted a special Income Tax deduction to blind people to compensate them for the special expenses which blindness involves; and if he will study this and consider introducing a similar concession in his next Budget.

I regret that I cannot see my way to recommend legislation designed to give special Income Tax relief in the cases to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether figures have been laid before him to show the beneficial effect on our export trade of large motor vehicles should the tax be adjusted to enable them to compete with similar products of other countries; and whether he will make a statement on the matter.

I fully appreciate the importance of developing our export trade in motor vehicles, but a number of important factors influence this matter besides the form and weight of domestic taxation. I am not aware that the relation between motor exports and motor taxation can be expressed in figures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider reducing the Purchase Tax on sheepskin floor rugs from 100 per cent. to 33⅓ per cent., in view of the fact that they cannot be classed as furs and, on the present figure, they cannot compete with the carpet rug trade which only pays 33⅓ per cent.

I am afraid I cannot agree with my hon. Friend's view that sheepskin rugs are not fur skin rugs, and in any case I could not undertake to deal with these articles in isolation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consult the Institute of Actuaries as to the soundness of the assessment system in so far as it constitutes a basis for the National Insurance scheme.

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will have estimates prepared by independent members of the Institute of Actuaries for the National Insurance scheme based upon such assumptions as may seem to them best suited to the needs of the case.

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any facilities are to be given to the Dominion of New Zealand in respect of the conversion or repayment of the New Zealand Government stocks falling due on the 1st March and 1st April, 1945.

Yes, Sir. The New Zealand Government yesterday made an offer to holders of the 4½ per cent. stock falling due on 1st March, 1945, and of the 3 per cent. stock falling due on 1st April, 1945, inviting them to convert their holdings into one new stock. As on the occasions of similar operations by the New Zealand Government and by the Commonwealth of Australia, and in order to facilitate the conversion without interference with the Government's borrowing operations, I have agreed to advance from the Vote of Credit such sums as may be necessary, up to a total of approximately £10,000,000 to enable the New Zealand Government to repay any unconverted stock. The total of the maturing stocks is £17,300,000. Of this the New Zealand Government already hold £2,900,000, and they will themselves make arrangements for the repayment, without assistance from the United Kingdom Treasury, of unconverted stock up to a total of £4½ millions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is able to make any statement on the intentions of the Allies towards Austria.

The intentions of the Allies towards Austria were laid down in the tripartite Declaration on Austria issued in Moscow on 1st November, 1943.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, under the special schemes for the Services, married women or widows will be eligible for recruitment to the Civil Service.

The normal rule is that women candidates for established posts in the Civil Service must be unmarried or widows. No change is proposed for the reconstruction competitions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the new proposals for recruitment to the Civil Service, it has been decided to abolish the marriage bar.

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the memorandum submitted to him by the Northern Industrial Group on post-war matters affecting the North-East Coast; and what decisions he has come to with regard to the financial recommendations made.

I have read this memorandum on post-war matters affecting the North-East Coast with interest. The financial recommendations made in it have to be considered in relation to the Government's policy for the Development Areas in general, as set out in Chapter III of the White Paper on Employment Policy (Cmd. 6527). I am not in a position to make any announcement on the subject in advance of the proposals which are now being worked out in consultation between my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade, and myself.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet considered the memorandum sent to him by the Northern Industrial Group in November, 1944; and what action he proposes to take on its recommendations.

Yes, Sir, and I am glad to say that in several directions the action which I have already taken is in accord with these recommendations.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that pre-service youth organisations occupying training quarters, particularly in the Greater London area, are unable to meet accounts sent to them for local rates and water rates and continue to appeal to local authorities and to the Metropolitan Water Board for remission or reductions of these charges; and if he will arrange for the rates on the buildings used by these organisations to be paid by the Treasury.

Contributions in lieu of rates are paid by the Treasury in respect of premises occupied for the purposes of the Crown if those premises are wholly maintained out of Votes of Parliament. These conditions are not in general fulfilled in the case of premises occupied by the organisations to which my hon. Friend refers, but if he will furnish me with particulars of the cases which he has in mind, I will have inquiries made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many State-owned factories have been released for the production of peace-time products; and whether he can state their situation and the nature of articles produced.

No Government factories have yet been released for peace-time production.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give an assurance that the acquisition by Mr. Rank's interests of the Regal Cinema, Marble Arch, does not affect Mr. Rank's undertaking not to extend his control of the cinema industry any further; and what proportion of the London central cinemas are now owned or controlled by his interests.

Yes, Sir. This deal took place before Mr. Rank gave me his undertaking, and he informed me about it before the undertaking was given. Of the 12 first run pre-release cinemas in Central London, Mr. Rank now controls seven.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if an allotment of paper is still being made to boot and shoe manufacturers for the purpose of wrapping shoes in transit from factories to shops.

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider improving the quality of children's shoes in view of the recent report of the orthopædic experts that foot treatment to young children is becoming increasingly necessary in view of the poor quality of footwear.

As the House knows, I am doing all I can to increase the production of good quality shoes for children. The best leather must, however, be reserved for the Services, and this sets severe limits to what can be done.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the large number of radio repair firms which have started in business; that many are exploiting the public by high charges for unsatisfactory work; and, as this practice is detrimental to the established trade and particularly to traders now in the Forces, whether he will reconsider, in conjunction with the appropriate trade organisation, the desirability for withdrawing or amending S.R. & O., 2468, 1942.

The Central Price Regulation Committee are investigating the possibility of controlling radio repair charges, but there are great practical difficulties. The Order, to which my hon. Friend refers, was made because I was anxious, as I still am, that there should be the widest possible facilities for repairs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that there is still a great shortage of teats and valves for infants' feeding bottles in Gosport, and will he take prompt measures to remedy the situation.

I have arranged for additional supplies to be sent to Gosport.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he appreciates how difficult it is for families to furnish homes, or replace furniture, at the present time since utility furniture is reserved for sale to persons in special categories entitling them to permits and dockets, and second-hand furniture is only sold at exorbitant prices; and can he arrange for the manufacture in the near future, on mass production lines, of furniture for general sale to the public.

The present scheme is designed to allot the limited amount of furniture that can be made to those whose needs are greatest and, at this stage of the war, I regret that there is not enough labour and material available to carry out my hon. Friend's suggestion. The prices of the more essential articles of secondhand furniture are subject to effective control.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he is aware that the revival of British export trade is being seriously jeopardised due to the fact that export trade journals are not allowed to publish more advertisements proportionately than they did in 1939 and, in consequence, many advertisements of firms desiring to prepare for the export trade cannot be inserted; and, in view of the increase in our export trade needed, will he remove this obstacle at the earliest possible moment.

Present regulations due to shortage of paper restrict the proportion of space devoted to advertising matter in export trade journals, but I am taking up with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply the possibility of relaxing this restriction.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department to what extent the export merchants who conducted the main export trade of this country have been brought into active discussion on trading necessities associated with postwar export.

In addition to discussions with a large number of individual merchants and merchant bankers, many meetings connected with our post-war trade have taken place between my Department and Export Groups, a number of which include merchants among their members. The Consultative Committee which advised my Department on its future practice and procedure included a merchant among its members, and I have invited a merchant to join the Overseas Trade Development Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total volume of sheet window glass produced in this country in 1938 and 1939, respectively; what proportion of this total was produced by Messrs. Pilkington and Company; and what were the imports of sheet window glass from other countries in these years.

Imports during 1938 and 1939 were 52,939 tons and 32,308 tons respectively. The other figures asked for are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in relation to the Government's policy for the reconversion of industry, he will, having in mind the port's special character, as compared to inland industrial areas, consider the desirability of appointing a regional controller for Merseyside.

I am at present considering how, within the regional organisation, the special needs of Merseyside can best be met.

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to make the statement on the duties, etc., of the Minister for Civil Aviation which was promised in reply to Questions on 11th October, 1944; and, in view of his statement that no change in control of civil aviation can be made without legislation, will he adhere to that in regard to the appointment of the new Minister and not authorise any additional expenditure under this heading.

Sir. All this seems to me to have been comprised in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air to my hon. Friend as lately as 20th December of last year. For his convenience I have given directions that a copy of this answer should be sent to my hon. Friend.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will arrange for officers of his Department to conduct an inspection of the work of the Department of Overseas Trade with a view to ascertaining which of the work performed within that Department conforms to the definition of administrative work as laid down by the National Whitley Council Reorganisation Committee.

I have no evidence that this definition of administrative work is not understood in the Department of Overseas Trade, and I see no necessity for a Treasury inspection such as my hon. Friend suggests.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that acting supervisors of messengers employed in the Civil Service, with many years of service in most instances and with upwards of four to five years' supervisory service, are conditioned to the same quotas of annual and sick leave as temporary messengers with only six months' service; and whether he will consider effecting an improvement in the position.

Unestablished messengers carrying out the full duties of established messengers are allowed the pay and annual leave of established messengers. I am not prepared to amend the regulations in order that one particular class of unestablished civil servants should have the sick leave terms at present allowed only to established officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can give any information in connection with the 140 sacks of sugar, weighing seven tons, which were stolen from a motor-car in Streatham on 6th January; and if anyone has been arrested in connection with the matter.

A 4-ton lorry, loaded with 140 hundredweight sacks of sugar, was stolen from a cinema car park in Streatham during the night of 5th-6th January. The lorry was found abandoned at Tooting on the morning of 6th January. The sacks of sugar were no longer on the lorry. Inquiries are proceeding, but no trace of the missing sugar has yet been found and no arrest has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the date he has fixed for the reintroduction of double summer time.

I am not yet in a position to make an announcement on this subject, but my hon. Friend may be assured that there will be no avoidable delay.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the funeral expenses of officers of the Army and R.A.F., who die on active service in India, are defrayed at the public expense.

A Service funeral may be provided at the cost of the State for all officers and other ranks of the Army and R.A.F. who die on active service in India. If, however, a Service funeral is not desired, a grant towards the cost is made to the relatives. This has always been applied to those killed in action or in aircraft accidents, but is being made applicable in other cases with retrospective effect as from May, 1943.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is considering enabling British subjects domiciled abroad who can declare an address in the United Kingdom, and who contribute to United Kingdom taxes, to qualify for electoral registration.

No, Sir. It is right that a person who is normally resident in this country and would but for his war service be living here, should for the purpose of electoral registration be entitled to declare an address in this country; but to extend this exceptional procedure to British subjects who are not normally resident in the United Kingdom would be inconsistent with the principles on which the existing franchise is based.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements are being made for the reception and accommodation in this country of Polish citizens from liberated countries; whether he is satisfied that the accommodation is adequate and suitable; and whether arrangements will be made to find beneficial employment for men whose services are not required in the Polish Armed Forces.

I have been asked to reply. His Majesty's Government are unable in present circumstances to grant facilities for the admission of Polish citizens or, indeed, of any other foreigners from liberated countries unless their presence here is required for some purpose advantageous to the war effort of the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what allowances are paid to officers of the Air Force free of Income Tax.

The following allowances payable to R.A.F. officers are free of Income Tax: Lodging, fuel and light, furniture, ration, servant, field, entertainment, mileage, subsistence, outfit and tropical kit, consolidated (separated families) allowances, foreign, Colonial and Dominion allowances and consolidated allowances of Air Attachés.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty who are the members of the Committee appointed by him to advise his Department on what prices should be paid for the construction of warships and kindred matters; and when such Committee last met.

The Committee to which my hon. Friend refers is the Contracts Advisory Committee, the members of which are:Sir Malcolm Robertson, P.C., G.C.M.G., K.B.E., M.P. (Chairman).Sir Nicholas Waterhouse, K.B.E.Sir William Fraser, C.B.E.Sir Norman Leslie, K.B.E.The Committee last met on 28th February, 1941.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the existing scale of rations is proving inadequate for farm workers and their families, particularly as in practice the opportunity of supplementation does not exist in the way which is generally assumed; and will he consider the possibility of making an appropriate increase.

Although agricultural workers have not the same opportunities of obtaining cooked meals away from home as industrial workers who have access to canteens and other catering establishments, they, in common with certain other classes of workers in a similar position, receive the special cheese ration to compensate them for the lack of normal catering facilities. My Department has encouraged the organisation of pie schemes for the distribution of pies and other snacks in rural areas. There has been a continuous extension of the schemes, which are distributing an average of 1,267,000 pies weekly and cover more than 5,000 villages. Apart from these arrangements, farmers may obtain allowances of food to provide meals for their workers during harvest time and other periods of special seasonal activity involving long hours of work in the fields. Where it is impracticable for the farmers themselves to prepare meals, they may distribute this food to their workers in unprepared form. In the circumstances I am satisfied that there is no inadequacy in the supplies of food available generally to farm workers and their families as my hon. and gallant Friend suggests.

asked the Minister of Food what proportion the quota of 82½ per cent. extraction flour now supplied for the national loaf bears to its other constituents; and what is the composition of that part of the wheat grain expressed in percentages of each constituent removed in the 17½ per cent. abstracted under current regulations.

The national flour content of the national loaf is approximately 75 per cent. With regard to the second part of the Question, when milling 82½ per cent. extraction flour the 17½ per cent. abstracted contains about 90 per cent. of the total fibre of the wheat grain, together with small quantities of the other constituents which adhere to the branny particles during the milling process.

asked the Minister of Food if he will now consider the granting of permits for the provision of refreshments at social functions held by churches and Sunday schools, which provide for the welfare of young people through organisations attached to the church, in the same way that facilities are granted to youth organisations.

Arrangements have already been made to enable supplies of tea, sugar, milk, margarine and preserves to be authorised to reputable bodies organising functions for the entertainment of children and young persons under 19 years of age. It is not intended, however, that functions of this sort should as a rule take place more frequently than once a week. Applications for authorities should be made to the local Food Office.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, in order to avoid the possibility of a later misunderstanding, he will give an assurance that it is the policy of the Government that, whenever wages and other agricultural costs increase, prices will be adjusted upwards automatically.

No, Sir. On the contrary my right hon. Friend in the statement which he made in the House on 5th December made it quite clear that there will be no automatic adjustment of prices in the event of wages or other agricultural costs increasing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will consider the desirability of setting up a horticultural department in his Ministry now that horticulture has become an important branch of agriculture.

The question of the organisation of horticultural work within the Ministry will be reviewed when the war situation permits.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how he reconciles the directions he has given to the war agricultural executive committees for cropping for the 1945 harvest with Resolution 12 of the Hot Springs Conference for ensuring the maintenance, or if possible the increase, of the acreage of crops for direct human consumption.

Resolution XII of the Hot Springs Conference is concerned primarily with the post-war period, not with war conditions. The general recommendation relating to production of crops for human consumption is governed by the qualifying words in paragraph 1 of the resolution. My right hon. Friend has no reason to think that the cropping directions for 1945 are in any way inconsistent with this resolution.

asked the Secretary of State for War what quantities of food and clothing were despatched to liberated Sicily and Italy up to the end of 1944.

Food and clothing were despatched to Italy during 1944 for the civil population under joint United States-United Kingdom arrangements. These imports form a part of the supplies imported by the Supreme Allied Commander for various military purposes, and I regret that it would not be in the public interest to give any figures.

asked the Prime Minister when it is intended to implement

WAR CASUALTIES
Casualties to all ranks of British Commonwealth and Empire Forces reported from 3 September, 1939 to 30 November, 1944
(Excluding deaths from natural causes)
	United Kingdom (1).	Canada.	Australia.	New Zealand.	South Africa.	India.	Colonies.	Total, British Empire.
KILLED including died of wounds or injuries.	199,497	28,040	18,015	8,919	5,783	17,415	4,493	282,162
MISSING	39,383	4,807	6,913	928	599	13,935	14,015	80,580
WOUNDED	235,207	39,010	34,336	17,115	11,796	45,224	3,686	386,374
PRISONERS OF WAR, including Service Internees.	161,020	7,128	25,597	7,153	10,765	76,023(2)	6,752	294,438
TOTAL	635,107	78,985	84,861	34,115	28,943	152,597	28,946	1,043,554
(1) Including men from overseas serving in these forces, in particular from Newfoundland and Southern Rhodesia.
(2) Including 22,803 officers and other ranks missing but presumed to be prisoners of war.
NOTES:—(a) These figures exclude civilian casualties due to enemy action and casualties to merchant seamen.
(b) The figures are net, i.e. they exclude repatriated or escaped prisoners of war and men reported missing who subsequently rejoined.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he is aware of the opposition and apprehension roused in the threatened rural areas by the suggested legislation for the construction of motor roads; and when he proposes to disclose the plans being prepared to the affected areas and representative bodies, including this House.

I am not yet in a position to say when my Noble Friend will lay before Parliament his proposals for legislation to authorise the construction of motor roads.

Sir, I am circulating a table showing the casualties to all ranks of British Commonwealth and Empire Forces reported from 3rd September, 1939, to 30th November, 1944. It will be observed that, in agreement with the Dominion Governments, figures of casualties sustained by Dominion forces have been included.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport, what complaints he has received from motorists and pedestrians about the bright headlights being shown on many motor vehicles; and whether he will issue a warning urging drivers to take into consideration the dazzling effects of bright headlights on approaching motorists.

Since the removal of the restrictions on motor vehicle headlamps my Noble Friend has received very few complaints about dazzle. The announcement of the relaxation issued by the Ministry of Home Security contained the following paragraph:

"Drivers are reminded that they should be most careful to dim or dip their lights when approaching other traffic, so that this relaxation shall not result in an increase in accidents due to dazzle."

I hope that my hon. Friend's Question will serve to draw further attention to the importance of caution and consideration for others in this matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he has yet received the Report of the Committee on roads in built-up areas.

No, Sir. I understand, however, that the Committee propose to consider the final draft of their Report early in the New Year.