asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that lorry drivers and yardmen employed by builders' merchants are denied the issue of the ten supplementary clothing coupons for industrial purposes; and will he rectify this anomaly.

Yes, Sir. I have arranged that all lorry drivers who help in loading their vehicles shall be eligible for the ten supplementary coupons, and that yardmen employed by builders' merchants shall also be eligible, if they are doing heavy work.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the small quantity of briar blocks for pipe making imported from North Africa and Southern Italy since those countries were freed, he will take all steps to ensure that larger and regular supplies shall arrive in this country.

Yes, Sir; and I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave on Wednesday last to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Tonbridge (Sir A. Baillie).

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of briar pipes manufactured in Europe were imported between the fall and freeing of France, and what quantity since the freeing of France; how many firms were permitted to take part in such importations; and why any particular firm was granted permission and other firms refused.

During this period the imports of pipes from all sources have been insignificant. There was only one consignment from France, and this was already the property of a British company. All other applications for import licences for French pipes were refused, in order not to benefit the enemy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will reconsider the refusal to permit the supply of T.C. pipes to any organisation or trading concern for sale exclusively on board troopships.

Manufacturers are perfectly free to supply pipes for sale on board troopships. But as my hon. and gallant Friend knows, pipes are at present very scarce.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the Government's policy for increasing exports, he is now prepared to lift the embargo on the export to Canada of bicycle saddles.

I hope that it will soon be possible to resume these exports. I am in touch with the Canadian authorities with this object in view.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that socks, boots and shoes for children between 12 and 14 years old are almost unobtainable; and will he take steps to improve the supply.

No, Sir. This is not in accordance with my information, but if my hon. Friend will let me have details of any special difficulties he has in mind, I shall be glad to arrange for a local investigation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why, in spite of the petition which has been sent to him and which was signed by 584 householders in Prestwich, representing 2,000 persons and stating that there are inadequate facilities in the district for boot repairs, he is unable to support the application for temporary release of 1871750 L.A.C. Downes, E., for the purpose of resuming his one-man business in the area in which the above petitioners were his former customers and for whom no adequate boot repair facilities have been provided during his absence in the Forces.

In view of the present military situation, and the urgent need for more man-power for the Armed Forces, I cannot at present sponsor any proposals for release which are not imperatively necessary in the interests of the war effort. This cannot be said of the application to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers. Local inquiries show that the footwear repair service in the Prestwich area is reasonably satisfactory.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the information supplied to him of a London mother who goes to work having to walk two miles before she was able to find a chemist able to supply a rubber teat, he will take further steps to ensure a larger supply of these necessary articles.

Three times as many rubber teats are now being manufactured as in the summer, and retailers' stocks are being built up as rapidly as possible. I have arranged for increased supplies to be sent to Camberwell.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the difficulties experienced by persons with large growing families in providing suitable bed linen, he will now extend the classes of those to whom priority dockets under the existing rationing scheme can be issued.

Any parent who needs a new bed and bedding for a growing child is already eligible for priority dockets. But, in view of the shortage of supplies, I regret that I cannot see my way at present to extend the classes entitled to these dockets.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the case of a flight-lieutenant who, to provide bedding for his child who has outgrown his cot, applied for a priority docket to purchase one pair of single blankets and two pairs of single sheets for the child's bed and has had his request refused by the local branch of the Assistance Board.

Yes, Sir. I shall be glad to look into this case, if my hon. Friend will send me details.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) if he is aware that Australian prisoners of war rescued at sea from Japanese captivity have been given the option of returning to civil life; and if he will give the same option to the British prisoners rescued at the same time;(2) if he will see that any prisoners of war who have been rescued from Japanese hands shall have the strictest possible medical examination before being passed fit for overseas service, in view of the fact that many have contracted malaria and other tropical diseases.

The shortage of manpower does not, I regret, enable us to discharge returned prisoners who are found to be fit for further service. I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that they all undergo a searching medical examination, and, where it is thought necessary, they are seen by a peychiatrist as well. I would also refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friends the Members for Down (Dr. Little) and Holland-with-Boston (Mr. Butcher) on 12th December.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give an assurance that none of the repatriated prisoners of war recently rescued from Japanese hands will be recalled for service without having passed a medical board and an examination by a psychiatrist.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to-day to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for South Portsmouth (Sir J. Lucas).

asked the Secretary of State for War whether prisoners of war who have returned to this country after having escaped to a neutral country are now posted to theatres overseas; and, if so, what is the minimum period in this country allowed before such posting.

Prisoners of war who escape to a neutral country and are subsequently returned to the United Kingdom are liable for service in any overseas theatre provided that they are medically fit. Before being sent abroad they are retained in this country for at least six months.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are in force both at our own military camps and those of our Allies to prevent untrustworthy men carrying arms and ammunition outside camp when not on duty or under proper supervision.

King's Regulations lay down that an officer or soldier is forbidden to carry arms or ammunition unless he is on duty. I understand that the regulations in force in the Armies of our Allies are in general on the same lines.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now relax the rule that prevents a wife from serving overseas in a voluntary organisation in the theatres of operations in which her husband is serving.

Yes, Sir. In future no objection will be raised by the War Office to members of approved voluntary organisations being allowed to proceed to an overseas theatre despite the fact that members of the same family may be already serving in the same theatre.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that soldiers who have served with C.M.F. for over two and a half years are being asked when being granted compassionate leave to sign a declaration to the effect that they will serve a further one and a half years overseas when leave is ended; and if he will put an end to this practice.

As I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Mr. Tinker) on 19th December, a man who comes to this country on leave, not on repatriation, returns when his leave is over to the theatre where he came from. But this does not interfere with his right to be repatriated to this country when his time comes. A few individuals in the first group of men coming on leave from Italy were asked to sign a declaration on the lines referred to in this Question, but this has been stopped.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether soldiers serving with the Eighth Army who have served upwards of 3½ years overseas are precluded from securing leave, but are required to finish 4½ years service overseas before they can expect to come home.

As I have stated on more than one occasion the detailed conditions for leave, as opposed to repatriation, to this country are left to the discretion of Commanders-in-Chief overseas. Men who come on leave return, while those repatriated do not, to the theatre in which they were formerly serving. But they retain their right to repatriation when their turn comes. It would be quite natural, therefore, for Commanders-in- Chief to confine, and most of them in fact do confine, leave in the main to men who will still on their return have an appreciable time to serve before they are eligible for repatriation.

asked the Secretary of State for War if definite periods of leave are normally granted to all men serving in the Middle East; and for how long and at what intervals.

Leave for men serving in this theatre is granted at the discretion of the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, who may authorise a total of 28 days' local recuperative, leave in each year. This leave is normally taken in two periods of 14 days each, but it may be taken in one period of 28 days, or in certain cases, in four periods of seven days each. The men travel free to the nearest health resort or leave centre.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that while all soldiers serving in North-West Europe with six months' service there have been promised leave before next spring, those soldiers who served in Malta during the siege of that island and who are still in the Mediterranean area, notwithstanding an absence from their homes of over three years, have each only one chance in four of receiving leave to the United Kingdom during the whole of 1945; and whether he will take steps to remedy this injustice.

I realise that men in the British Liberation Army stand a better chance of leave to this country than men in more distant theatres of war. This is due to the fact that the journey from North-West Europe is short and that the shipping used is on the whole unsuitable for longer voyages. It is, therefore, possible to bring men back for a week, whereas the journey from the Mediterranean and more distant theatres is only possible and worth while if the stay in this country is longer. I regret that more frequent opportunities for leave to this country cannot at present be given to men in distant theatres of war. The curtailment of the leave of men from the British Liberation Army would not benefit them.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether men in the Army who are serving abroad in training camps and not attached to any particular unit are entitled to home leave in the same way as men attached to units.

Yes, Sir, subject to what was said in the last part of the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford (Mr. Hogg) on 5th December.

asked the Secretary of State for War if it is now possible to allow families of soldiers serving overseas and who find the greatest difficulty in obtaining houses or rooms to occupy married quarters in barracks where there is married quarters accommodation.

The limited number of married quarters available is allotted to families of Regular soldiers on the married establishment. Some are allotted to such families returning from overseas and others, where hardship is proved, to families living in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the numerous outlying villages round Doncaster and its importance as a railway centre, he will treat the station as requiring special consideration and extra supplies of petrol under the "Get you Home" scheme, to enable an efficient voluntary transport scheme to convey leave men to their homes or villages after public service vehicles have ceased to run.

The "Get you Home" scheme depends, as my hon. Friend is doubtless aware, on the number of car owners who are prepared to give their services free. It is unlikely that shortage of petrol will jeopardise the success of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements have been made for paying married allowances to soldiers' wives who reside in Eire; and how many such allowances are now being paid.

The arrangements made for the payment of family allowances to soldiers' wives who reside in Eire are the same as those for wives who reside in the United Kingdom: allowance books are issued which may be cashed weekly at a Post Office. I regret that the information asked for in the last part of my hon. and gallant Friend's Question is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, in connection with the compulsory service abroad of A.T.S. personnel, he will exempt a person who is an only child of one remaining parent.

Each application for exemption on these grounds will be sympathetically considered on its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the shortage of halls for public entertainment in Fakenham, Norfolk, due to property being requisitioned but unoccupied; and will he authorise derequisition.

As far as I am aware the only public hall in Fakenham which has been requisitioned by the War Department is the Regal Cinema. Although this is now unoccupied it cannot at present be released, as, together with certain other property which has been requisitioned in the neighbourhood, it is likely, in certain circumstances, to be required at short notice. This cinema has on several occasions been lent to the public under licence for entertainment purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for War under what circumstances a private in the Royal Norfolk Regiment has waited more than a year to obtain divorce proceedings; and if he will arrange for the case to be expedited.

The soldier referred to signed his application form for a certificate of the Poor Persons Committee of the Law Society under the guidance of the Legal Aid Section of Northern Command on 16th August, 1943. This Section prepared the case and passed the necessary statements and documents to the Poor Persons Committee on 24th August, 1943. There was, therefore, no delay while the case was in the hands of the military authorities. I understand that it has been impossible to trace the co-respondent in the suit and this has caused delay.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any recent improvement has been achieved in the provision of transport to France and Italy and other liberated countries for the purpose of relieving the critical situation arising in these countries through inability to distribute available supplies of food.

Considerable quantities of transportation equipment, including railway material and lorries, have been and are still being imported into all liberated areas, including France and Italy. Reports from the theatres confirm that in spite of difficulties with communications, the distribution of supplies is improving.

asked the Secretary of State for War if any food and medical supplies are being supplied by the United Nations to the Yugoslav Forces; and are they adequate for the needs of these Forces.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes, Sir," and I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Withington (Squadron-Leader Fleming) on 18th January. He will appreciate that the despatch of supplies is limited by the availability of shipping and aircraft.

asked the Minister of Health whether turkeys, oranges and nuts were distributed to German prisoners of war in a hospital near Newcastle on Christmas Day; whether this Christmas fare was provided by the Red Cross or at whose expense was provision made.

My right hon. Friend does not know to which hospital my hon. Friend is referring, but he is informed that in one hospital near Newcastle the diet on Christmas day included turkey, in another oranges and nuts, and in a third nuts, which were provided for German prisoners of war equally with other patients, the expense being incurred by the hospital authority.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give a list of the local authorities throughout the country which have applied for factory-made temporary houses, showing the numbers asked for by each.

As the list is a long one, I will send my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Minister of Health what is the latest estimate of the number of factory-made temporary houses which will be erected in the next two years; and how many will eventually have to be erected to meet requirements in full.

I have been asked to reply. The number of houses which can be built during the next two years will largely depend upon how soon and to what extent factory capacity and labour can be released at the end of the war in Europe. Until, therefore, the military situation is clarified, it will not be possible to make even approximate production forecasts for this period. The purpose of the temporary housing programme is to augment to the fullest possible extent the number of houses of all types which can be provided between now and the time when permanent house building can be restarted on a large scale. Since the length of the period during which it will be necessary to build temporary houses is uncertain, no precise figure of total requirements can be given.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether persons appointed by him to conduct public inquiries in regard to constructional schemes of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board are instructed to visit the site where the proposed works are to be executed before conducting the inquiry.

It is open to a person holding an inquiry into a constructional scheme, after giving due notice to the parties, to visit the site of the proposed works, and I think it must be left to him to decide, having regard to the nature of the scheme and of the objections to it, whether such a visit is, under the circumstances, necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the reason for the breakdown in negotiations between the mental nurses' panel and the employers' panel; and, in view of the substantial nature of the State grant for increased salaries to mental nurses, what steps he is taking to secure agreement between the two sides.

I am informed by the Chairman of the Mental Nurses' Sub-Committee that at the last meeting of the Sub-Committee deadlock was reached on the question of the period over which the increments in a suggested scale of salaries for ward sisters should be spread. I understand that the Sub-Committee had not fully considered the details of the scales of salaries for other grades of nurses in mental hospitals when this deadlock

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, with a view to checking illicit trading, he will introduce legislation to authorise the banks to question transactions of clients when abnormal sums are either withdrawn or paid into current accounts in the form of 10s., £1 or £5 notes.

No, Sir. I think it would be difficult to intervene in the manner proposed in the relations between a bank and its customers.

asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the list of surplus stocks of the Commission available at the prices agreed with the Horticultural Trades Association.

Following is the list of available surplus nursery stocks of the Forestry Commission at the prices agreed with the Horticultural Trades Association:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the figure of £17,750,000 represents the total amount of the outstanding holdings of the United Kingdom of pre-war Greek Government loans.

The figure of £17,750,000 given in the reply which I made to a Question by the hon. Member on 19th December represents the total nominal value of the estimated holding in the United Kingdom of these loans, and not the total amount of these loans at present outstanding, which is larger. I take the opportunity to add with reference to the reply which I gave on 19th December that while the United Kingdom holdings of the Greek Loans issued in the last war are smaller than the United Kingdom holdings of the Reconstruction Loans, the outstanding amount of the loans issued before the last war is larger in the aggregate than the outstanding amount of the later Reconstruction Loans.

asked the hon. Member for Dulwich, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, if he is aware that one of the small side tables in the Members' Dining Room is reserved regularly at lunch time for a Minister, of whose identity he has been informed; and if he will either give instructions that this practice shall cease or make it possible for all hon. Members to reserve places at tables.

I am not aware that one of the small side tables in the Members' Dining Room was reserved regularly at lunch time for a Minister, and it has never been the practice for tables to be so reserved. The members of the staff have again been reminded of these instructions.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he will appoint a committee to consider the question of the general layout of trunk and rural roads in the open country, the need to preserve the countryside and contingent problems.

The lay-out and construction of roads in rural areas has already been considered by a well qualified technical committee appointed by my Noble Friend. The results of their work are set out in Memorandum 575, which has been circulated by my Department to highway authorities. I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend. The same Committee have also prepared a memorandum on the lay-out and construction of motorways, which will be issued at an early date. The Committee have had full regard to the preservation of the amenities of the countryside, and have made appropriate recommendations. I am glad to assure my hon. Friend that my Depart- ment are also in frequent consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture and with the Ministry of Town and Country Planning on all these matters.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he will give an assurance that merchant ships designated for service in Far Eastern waters will be fitted with electric fans or air conditioning, with double awnings and will be made suitable for sailing in tropical waters.

All new merchant ships which are likely to be sent to the Far East are fitted either with electric fans, or preferably, where this can be done, with forced draught ventilation. Awnings are also being provided, but owing to shortage of material, double awnings can generally only be given to vessels going to the Persian Gulf. In the case of older ships not already equipped for tropical service, owners are required to make them as suitable as is practicable. This involves the provision of electric fans and awnings, where these are not already on board.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he controls the coal consumption of Government Departments and are Government Departments on the same rationing basis as private individuals.

Coal supplies to Government Departments are controlled by the Ministry of Fuel and Power under the same system of programme allocations as supplies of coal to industry, the Services and large non-industrial users.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will set up a commission to make a thorough investigation into the cause of the outbreak of fires in coalmines, as within a short period there have been three in Lancashire and this is causing concern to mineworkers who are anxious to know what steps can be taken to prevent these fires.

In recent years special committees of the Institution of Mining Engineers have exhaustively studied the subject of underground fires, including both precautionary measures and the best methods of fire fighting. Their reports were published in 1925 and 1944. I do not think any further special investigation is called for. Most of the outbreaks of fire underground are of a minor character and their causes are, in general, well known. Moreover, all cases, however trivial, are reportable to His Majesty's Inspectors who investigate them thoroughly.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will consider the advisability of releasing a sufficient quantity of coal from stocks, existing in the different areas, to relieve the present shortage of supply to domestic consumers which is causing great hardship in many districts due to the continuing cold weather.

Yes, Sir, I have already give authority for the release of house coal from Government stocks throughout the country, and merchants are already drawing a proportion of their current supplies from this source.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to what extent he has evidence that soft opencast coal is being stacked for indefinite periods while deep coal, more suitable for stacking, is being given preference for distribution; and who is responsible.

The preference given to the distribution of deep mine coal to which my hon. Friend refers, arises from the urgent need to maintain production as far as possible at the pits. Consequently, in times of transport difficulty, priority of movement of coal is, at my request, given to deep mine pits and opencast coal is stocked on site. This has resulted in the accumulation of stocks of opencast coal, principally in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. It is anticipated that these stocks will be largely cleared during next summer.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the fact that the Statistical Digests issued by his Department contain no district figures later than those for the second quarter of 1944 on absenteeism and the number of shifts worked per week in the mines, he will arrange for the latest available information to be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

The information desired will be published in the Statistical Digest for 1944, which will be issued as soon as possible. The figures and tables in this Digest are too lengthy for the quarterly summary of statistics, which appears in the "Board of Trade Journal," and are hardly suitable for publication in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the urgency of the financial problems of the development areas, when he will be in a position to announce the Government's policy, which is at present the subject of discussion between himself and the President of the Board of Trade.

I am not in a position to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 16th January.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the importance of encouraging economy in the use of fuel and power and of the benefits now accruing to electrical power supply authorities under agreements providing for increased charges based on the higher cost of fuel, he will ensure that these authorities pass on to their users the whole of the saving due to their lower consumption, whether or not this saving reduces the cost of the supply taken to an amount less than the minimum charge provided for in their agreement.

I presume my hon. Friend is referring to contracts between electricity supply undertakings and power consumers which provide for a guarantee of minimum consumption or minimum expenditure by the consumer. The terms of these contracts vary considerably, and I am afraid that it would be impracticable to give general directions on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend. If, however, he knows of any such contracts which appear to be causing hardship, I will readily arrange for the Electricity Commissioners to investigate them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the Allied Governments will consider the publication of a volume containing official versions of authenticated German massacres of civilians.

So far as His Majesty's Government are concerned, we still think that a comprehensive official report must await the completion of the work of the United Nations War Crimes Commission, which has been charged by the Allied Governments concerned with the task of compiling the available evidence. I cannot, of course, speak for the other Allied Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the policy of transference of German populations after the war, advocated by His Majesty's Government, whether it is intended that this shall be applied elsewhere than in East Prussia.

The policy to which my hon. Friend refers is one of many on which no final decisions can be taken at this stage of the war. Whether and where this policy is to be applied will have to be determined, at the appropriate time, by a number of Allied Governments, not by His Majesty's Government alone.

asked the Postmaster-General the average time taken for letters to reach Paris from London, and vice-versa; and if the new train and boat service will accelerate this postal service; and what will now be the estimated average time.

The time of transmission of mails between London and Paris has been accelerated by the use of the new direct service, but on account of the variable delay resulting from the operations of Censorship and from transport difficulties in France I am unable at present to give a useful estimate of the time occupied in conveyance from sender to addressee. I shall, however, be glad to have inquiry made into any cases of undue delay on production of the relative covers of the letters.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will make a statement to this House on the recommendations of the Burnham Committee on Teachers' Salaries before they are finally approved by him under Section 89 of the Education Act, 1944.

No, Sir. In the reply which I gave to the hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth (Sir. J. Mellor) a copy of which I have sent to my hon. Friend, I indicated that when the Burnham Committee came to submit scales of remuneration for teachers to me it would be open to any hon. Member to take such action as he thought fit to secure their consideration by this House.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that at the recent conference of Secondary School Associations there was a widely expressed fear that the proposed Burnham scales would further diminish the entry of graduate teachers to the schools and, in as much as the dearth of graduate candidates for the national schools is materially greater than it was three years ago and as the McNair Committee declared its conviction that it would be disastrous if the national system for the training of teachers were to be divorced from the work of the universities, he will give effect to the demand of the secondary teachers for a revision of these scales which would attract the university graduate.

I have already said in reply to earlier questions that new scales of salaries for teachers have not yet been submitted to me by the Burnham Committee, and that the powers with which the Minister is vested by Section 89 of the Education Act, 1944, do not admit of his revising such scales as may be submitted to him.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in issuing the increases of pension due to pensioned teachers under the Pensions (Increases) Act, 1944.

Some 49,000 applications have been received from pensioned teachers. Examination of these applications has been completed in some 27,000 cases, in about 3,500 of which the applicants have been found to be ineligible for the increase of their pensions. Payment of the arrears due has been made in some 18,000 cases out of the remaining 23,500 cases assessed for increase.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will consult the representatives of the horticultural industry before removing those parts of the Horticultural Cropping Order which deal with glass-houses.

Yes, Sir. The usual consultations with representatives of the horticultural industry will take place before a final decision on this matter is reached.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will take steps to have the certification scheme for stocks of strawberries, Norfolk giant raspberries and blackcurrants, which will have lapsed under the altered Horticultural Cropping Order, reintroduced as early as possible, as these schemes have the support and approval of the horticultural industry.

The schemes in question are not affected by the recent amendment of the Horticultural Cropping Order.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the petrol allowance available for members of the Forces on leave from overseas will be granted to those members who do not own motor-cars but are able to borrow motor-cars from relatives during their period of leave.

The regulations governing this allowance were drawn up in collaboration with the three Service Departments, and I have been in consultation with these Departments in connection with my hon. Friend's suggestion. There are considerable difficulties in extending in this way the concession which is already made to members of the Forces on leave, but I am continuing my consultation with the Service Departments and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the views officially expressed by the U.S.A. Secretary of State as to the possible future status of Cyprus in relation to Greece and if he has received any Report from Mr. Stettinius about this matter.

I refer to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister gave on 17th January in reply to a Question on this subject by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Epsom (Sir A. Southby).

asked the Minister of Labour if he has any information as to how the percentages of the male and female population of the U.S.A. who have joined the armed forces compare with the respective percentages in this country.

I see no advantage in endeavouring to compare the war effort of different members of the Allied Nations in terms of statistics on particular aspects, which are unlikely to be strictly comparable.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if, in view of new facilities granted to United States Civil Aviation by the removal of regulations relating to number of aircraft operated by United States companies as announced by the United States War Department on 28th November, similar measures are contemplated in this country.

No, Sir. So long as the United Kingdom remains a centre of air operations and all available resources have to be concentrated on the prosecution of the war, no change is contemplated in the existing policy under which the number of internal civil air services in this country is determined solely by the requirements of the national interest.