asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can make a full statement on the negotiations that have taken place with representatives of the U.S.S.R. over post-war trade and on the consultations that have taken place about trade between the U.S.S.R. and firms or industries in this country.

I have nothing to add at present to the answers previously given on this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether arrangements have been made for the production of women's wool felt hats in a variety of shades and styles at reasonable controlled prices.

Discussions have taken place between the Central Price Regulation Committee and hat manufacturers about the prices of women's wool felt hats, and I expect to receive a report from the Committee shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why, in view of the acute shortage of children's woollen underwear and pure wool for knitting in this country, woollen underwear of pre-war quality is being exported or put in dumps for export.

Commercial exports of woollen underwear are less than 1 per cent. of civilian supplies and are confined to the essential needs of certain Colonial territories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will reduce the number of coupons for children's footwear.

I regret that I cannot see my way at present to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there is a shortage of torch batteries in a town of which he has been informed; and whether he will take steps to ensure that an adequate supply of batteries is available for those towns and villages which are still subject to full black-out restrictions.

The urgent demands of the Services for operational purposes have reduced the supplies of torch batteries for civilians, but I am doing my best to maintain supplies, particularly to areas still subject to full black-out restrictions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the number of persons employed on footwear repair service in Prestwich; the names and addresses of premises where such services are provided; the estimated number of persons to whom such services can be rendered; and the average time taken for such repairs.

My Regional Officer reported last month that the average waiting period for footwear repairs in Prestwich was 14 days. This is not an unreasonable time in present circumstances. I have called for a further report on the other points to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers and will communicate the result to him.

asked the Prime Minister which are the 26 countries Reports on whose economic condition are in an advanced state; which Government Departments are preparing these Reports; whether these Reports are the work of an individual expert or of specially-appointed groups; what are the qualifications of the people charged with drawing up these Reports; what are the main points examined in them; when were these Reports ordered; and when does he expect to get them.

I have been asked to reply. The 26 countries upon which "Reviews of Commercial Conditions" are being prepared are:

• British Empire: Canada, Australia; New Zealand, Union of South Africa, Eire, Southern Rhodesia, India and British East Africa. (8)
• Countries under British mandate: Palestine. (1)
• Foreign: United States of America, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Egypt, Iraq, Persia, Turkey, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. (17)

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he is aware that Mrs. Mills, of 18 Waddsgrove Gardens, Upminster, lost her coupon book four weeks ago and has not yet received a new one; and if he will make inquiries about this matter;(2) why it takes so long for people who lose their coupon book to get a new one; if he is aware that Miss Rose Hope, who lives at 1 Laurence Road, lost her coupon book eight weeks ago, that all her coupons were in that book, but the new coupon book was issued with 12 coupons short; and will he make inquiries about the matter from the secretary of the Public Assistance Board, Romford Road, West Ham, E.15.

Coupons were issued in both these cases over a week ago, and within 32 days of their applications. I cannot undertake to replace all coupons said to have been lost by members of the public. Careful inquiries must be made, and the staff to deal with these is limited.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if it is his intention to use the personnel of benefit societies, with their long experience, in the National Insurance scheme.

As indicated in paragraph 166 of Part I of the White Paper on National Insurance, the Government hope that it will be possible in the new organisation to make use of the services of numbers of the persons to whom my hon. and gallant Friend refers.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will increase the supply of domestic fuel in the Bridgend district, Glamorgan, particularly in view of the hardship caused by recent flooding in this locality.

Yes, Sir. Extra supplies for this district have been arranged.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how he proposes to mitigate the hardship that will otherwise be caused to people in London and elsewhere, prevented by the recent impeding of house-to-house deliveries through weather conditions, from getting in coal or coke before 31st January, the end of the present rationing period.

The maximum quantities permitted during the period February-April are intended to suffice for the needs of all normal households during that period. Where exceptional circumstances exist, consumers should make application for increased quantities to the Local Fuel Overseer, who has power to deal with genuine cases of hardship.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the number of collieries that have pithead baths and the number that have not got them, with the percentage of the number of workers in both.

According to the latest figures available, pithead baths have been established at 366 collieries, employing about 445,000 workers, or 63 per cent. of all the workers in the industry. The total number of collieries without pithead baths is 1,416, including 776 with 50 or fewer workers. The number of workers without bathing facilities is about 263,000, or 37 per cent. of the total number employed.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the number of directed youths to the mines who have been sent to collieries where they have pithead baths and the number sent to collieries where they have not got them.

I regret that I have no information on this subject.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether full publicity is now permitted for the production of individual coalmines in Great Britain; and whether he can take steps to stimulate such publicity as helpful towards output.

There is no longer any security objection to the publication of such figures. As my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, my Department is precluded from publishing any information relating to individual undertakings without their consent. A number of undertakings have, however, published details of their production, as an incentive to others, and I welcome such action.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether arrangements have now been made to enable British manufacturers of coalmining machinery to give some real assistance in the technical re-equipment of British coalmines.

Arrangements for the purpose indicated have been in force ever since my Department was set up in 1942. Manufacturers are represented on my Mechanisation Advisory Committee, which is closely concerned with the development of new machinery and equipment to suit the most advanced methods of mining evolved under the auspices of my Department.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he expects to receive the Report of the Committee investigating the possibilities of further mechanisation of British coalmines.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the advisory committee set up to advise him on coal production has yet reported.

I expect to receive the report of the Technical Advisory Committee early in March next.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the publication of recent Reports on the industry, he will reconsider his decision not to publish the Coal Report of the Joint Resources Board.

As already indicated to hon. Members on several occasions, I can hold out no hope of a reversal by the Government of its decision that the confidential Report of the American Coal Mission should not be published.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that compensation recently paid for mineral rights on an estate in South Wales exceeded the valuation; and what steps is he taking to correct this.

Yes, Sir. The method of arriving at the compensation payable in respect of holdings in South Wales is strictly in accordance with Sub-section (4) of Section 6 and Sub-section (7) (a) of Section 7 of the Coal Act, 1938. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will give an assurance that, without increasing the price of coal to consumers, merchants will be allowed the same selling margins on domestic coal drawn from Government dumps as for similar coal from truck; and what margin will be allowed on coal drawn from the Solihull dump.

The margin allowable to the merchant on house coal drawn from Government dumps is fixed at the normal commercial margin applicable to the schedule grade under which it is decided, after examination by the Regional Coal Officer, the House Coal Officer, the Selling Agent and the Chairman and a merchant representative of the Retail Coal Prices Advisory Committee, that the coal should be retailed. The merchants will, therefore, be allowed the same margin as for similar coal from truck and the consumer will not be called upon to pay a higher price than the scheduled price for that coal. The merchant's margin on house coal drawn from the Solihull dump is 16s. 6d. a ton.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that, during this inclement weather, owing to lack of petrol, Newcastle and district taxicabs cannot meet late trains, causing much hardship to the civilian population obliged to travel and service personnel arriving on leave; and what steps he proposes to take to relieve the position.

If the Newcastle Watch Committee are satisfied that the existing number of taxicabs in the Newcastle area is insufficient for the essential transport requirements of the City, I am prepared to consider the question of issuing petrol allowances for an increased number.

asked the Secretary of State for War if consideration may be given to the suggestion that the Government of the Union of South Africa should be approached regarding the possibility of setting up a rest camp for the rehabilitation of British prisoners of war and interned civilians before they are brought home from the Far East.

Plans are being made for the repatriation of and rehabilitation of British prisoners of war in Japanese hands and the Noble Lady's suggestion will certainly be borne in mind. It may, however, well be considered that these men should be brought home as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will take steps to ensure that evidence taken down at courts-martial will be done on the prescribed forms and that such evidence on those forms will constitute the original documents of evidence to be submitted to higher authority when it is necessary to review the cases in case of appeal by the accused; and will he see that such evidence is not rewritten or typed copies marked original when in fact they are not the original documents, so as to avoid errors in transcription which may be contrary to the evidence given.

The documents submitted to higher authority when it is necessary to review a case in which the accused petitions are invariably the original proceedings, duly authenticated by the signature of the President and Judge Advocate (if any), except where the circumstances have made it necessary to invoke the provisions of Rule of Procedure 100. The Rules of Procedure contain precise directions for recording in the proceedings the transactions of a court-martial. The President, or if a Judge Advocate is sitting then the latter, is responsible for the accurate recording of the evidence: it is laid down in the Rules that evidence shall be taken down as nearly as possible in the words used and, where necessary, verbatim.Transcribed documents are included in original proceedings in the following cases:—

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the operation of Army Order No. 9 is causing great distress to soldiers invalided from overseas on account of psychosis; and if he will take action to prevent the continuance of this hardship.

The practice in these cases has been reviewed and a new Army Order to take the place of the one referred to by my hon. Friend will be issued as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is satisfied that prisoners of war being conveyed to Northern Ireland by boat are properly supervised; and whether steps will be taken to prevent such prisoners from throwing valuable material overboard.

The answer to both parts of the Question is "Yes, Sir."

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the proximity of Eire, a neutral country, he will take the strictest precautions to prevent prisoners of war escaping from camps situated in Northern Ireland and finding sanctuary in Eire.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Sapper Alexander Smith, No. 14554634, R.E., is now serving in a unit abroad; that this man was discharged from the Merchant Navy because of his health, which has given serious concern to his wife at home; and if he is satisfied that this man's health is not being further impaired by his having to serve abroad.

Sapper Smith is at present serving overseas. He has recently been examined by a Medical Board who found him fit for the duties overseas which he is now carrying out. He will be examined at intervals in future to confirm his fitness for such service. The answer to the last part of the Question is "Yes, Sir."

asked the Secretary of State for War what percentage of instructors at infantry training centres have seen foreign service.

As a general rule men are not brought back especially to be instructors. They are drawn from men who are repatriated wounded or under the Python scheme. Until recently the number coming home under these two heads was relatively small, and the proportion of instructors in this country who had not seen foreign service was correspondingly high. Precise information on the point raised by my hon. Friend is not readily available, but it is likely that by now about half of these instructors have seen foreign service and the proportion should increase further.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that in spite of the number of daily papers received by the N.A.A.F.I. only a few succeed in reaching the forward battle areas; and could he do anything to improve this situation.

My information does not confirm the first part of my hon. Friend's Question. Newspapers are as a rule flown daily to the B.L.A. in large quantities. They are distributed to all units by the Army Welfare Services, not by N.A.A.F.I. When the weather is bad, planes often cannot fly, so that on occasion no papers can be sent. I understand that when less than the usual number arrive overseas preference is given to units in the forward areas. It is not possible to fly newspapers to Italy and Burma. In those theatres large quantities of newspapers are produced locally for the troops every day. As in the case of the B.L.A. the distribution of these papers is sometimes delayed by the weather and operational moves.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that certain B.L.A. units, of which he has been informed, are concerned at the slow operation of the privilege-leave scheme and that leave vacancies are not being allocated fairly between the units entitled to them; and whether he has any statement to make.

I have read the letters my hon. Friend sent me in connection with this Question. In units which landed in Normandy on D Day or shortly afterwards most of the officers and men are eligible for leave, but they clearly cannot all go on leave at the same time. In units where most of the men have not been overseas for long, the few men who have, normally get leave first, and may in some cases get leave earlier than individuals of longer overseas service in other units whose leave quota, which is limited by operational considerations only allows of a limited number being on leave at the same time. The difference between the leave priority as between individuals in different units is, therefore, inevitable. This is on the whole well understood in units near the front, but it does not seem to be so well understood in some rearward units.

asked the Secretary of State for war what is the practice regarding the discharge from the Army of men in hospital unlikely to be fit for further service; and whether those so placed will be retained in the Service at least until release from hospital is authorised.

Men discharged in hospital as "Ceasing to fulfil Army physical requirements" are entitled to 56 days' notice, during which period they receive full pay and allowances. At the end of this time their discharge from Army service is confirmed, but they are retained in hospital as non-paying patients. They continue to receive medical treatment, but may be removed to a Ministry of Pensions hospital or, in special types of disability, to institutions under control of local authorities. But as my hon. Friend knows, this whole question is being examined in conjunction with the other Services.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a number of men, including officers of field rank, who recently reached a port in England on leave from Italy and travelled thence to a depot in another part of England, were given nothing to eat for 27 hours and nothing to drink in that time but two cups of tea; that they only had one opportunity in that time even to buy anything for themselves and that towards the end of the journey; and what steps he will take in the matter.

Most of the men concerned were not on leave but were en route to their depots. The normal arrangements should be sufficient to guard against mishaps of the kind mentioned. There seems, however, to have been a partial failure to carry them out before disembarkation, the cause of which I cannot yet say because the ship concerned has again put to sea. The results of this partial failure were no doubt aggravated by the delays on the railway due to severe weather. I will look at the existing instructions to see if it is possible to guard against adverse results arising from failure to carry them out or from unexpectedly severe weather conditions. I am not, however, very confident that it will be possible to do this entirely.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will ask the Protecting Power to report on conditions in Stalag IIIA between Berlin and Leipzig to which British prisoners have been moved from camps further East.

Representatives of the Protecting Power should in the normal course have visited this camp in November, but a report has not yet arrived.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what local rate contribution is payable by a local authority in whose area the Scottish Special Housing Association erect dwellings under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1938.

The Housing (Scotland) Act, 1944, under which the Scottish Special Housing Association now operates, provides that the Association will receive from the Exchequer the equivalent of the normal Exchequer and local rate contributions in respect of houses which they build. No question therefore arises of any local rate contribution being made by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether Inverness-shire County Council has yet approved a scheme for a viaduct from Benbecula to North Uist Island; whether the proposed viaduct is intended to be linked with Grimsay Island; what the County Council's estimate of the cost of the scheme is; and whether, and with what result, the Scottish Department of Agriculture has been approached for financial assistance with this project.

I understand that the County Council are examining several alternative schemes for a viaduct between Benbecula and North Uist and that two of the schemes take in Grimsay. The cost is provisionally estimated at not less than £100,000. The Department of Agriculture for Scotland has not been approached for financial assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it has now been decided to continue working the feldspar quarries in the Isle of Harris after the war; and if he will make a statement.

The feldspar quarries in the Isle of Harris have been worked during the war on behalf of the Ministry of Supply. The Scottish Council on Industry are in consultation with the Ministry of Supply, the Geological Survey and other authorities examining the possibilities of utilising these feldspar deposits after the war. Whether the Harris spar can continue to find a market in peacetime will no doubt depend primarily on price and other factors which cannot yet be fully foreseen.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the committees on Scottish problems under the auspices of the Scottish Council on Industry do not provide for payment of the necessary travel and living expenses of members of these committees, and as this excludes many suitable persons from membership, will he take steps to see that members who have had to pay considerable sums and all future members of the committees are compensated financially.

Members of the Scottish Council on Industry make no claims in respect of personal outlays, and I am assured that no person invited to serve on any of the committees appointed by the Council has declined to do so on the grounds of the expenses involved. I understand, however, that the Council have had under consideration the question of special expenses incurred by members of committees.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the amounts it is considered will be required by local authorities for building and rehousing and whether he proposes that such sums shall be by block grant or a percentage; and, if the latter, what such percentage will be.

The reply to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir." As regards the second part, under the Housing (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1944, as respects England and Wales and the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1944, subsidy on houses provided by local authorities and completed by 1st October, 1947, will not be confined, as it was under pre-war legislation, to houses provided for slum clearance or the removal of overcrowding, but will extend to houses provided for general needs. The rate of subsidy will not be fixed until the level of post-war building costs can be estimated with more confidence than is yet possible. Expenditure on other building may attract grant if the building is for the purpose of a grant aided service—e.g. education. Apart from specific subsidies and grants, any expenditure by local authorities affects in due course the total of the general Exchequer contribution to local revenues.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any modifications of alterations have been made in the draft agreement signed at Bretton Woods as a result of recent negotiations between His Majesty's Government and the Federal Government of the U.S.A.

My hon. Friend presumably has in mind the recent negotiations with the United States Government on the subject of Lend-Lease and exports. These negotiations did not include any reference to the Final Act of the International Monetary Conference.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make periodical reports to this House on the activities of the Public Issues Committee which will contain details of the applications received, together with the reasons for their acceptance or rejection.

In view of the great variety in the range and purpose of the applications submitted to the Capital Issues Committee, I do not think that reports of the kind proposed by my hon. Friend would be practicable.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the interests of the people of Europe and to avoid shortage, price inflation and dealings in the black market, steps have been considered in advance to fix rates of exchange on an economic basis and to limit to a minimum the local purchase by Allied troops of foodstuffs and commodities when they enter the countries of Europe.

As regards the procedure for fixing the rates of exchange, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a similar Question on 4th October, 1944. From the outset of operations in North-west Europe very stringent restrictions off local purchases of essential commodities by troops have been imposed, and the matter is always considered in regard to any countries we may enter in future.

asked the Minister of Aircraft Production the number of inventions especially affecting machine gun mountings which have been submitted to his Department by the inventions group identified with Flight-Lieutenant John Preston, the number of which have been adopted, the number which have been rejected; whether any of the latter have been adopted by other Departments; and why it has been thought desirable to break up this group which have been submitting useful inventions since the start of the war.

Two of seven inventions affecting gun mountings submitted by Flight-Lieutenant Preston to my Department have been adopted for use in aircraft. I am unable to state whether other Departments have adopted any of his inventions. Flight-Lieutenant Preston and two Royal Air Force N.C.O.s were engaged last year in developing for my Department an aircraft gun mounting, but this work was discontinued in September, 1944, because an alternative type of mounting had in the meantime been designed which showed much greater promise. I have no knowledge of any other group associated with inventions submitted by Flight-Lieutenant Preston.

asked the Minister of Pensions what is the practice regarding the payment of disablement pension to men still in hospital; and whether such pension, less maintenance charges, may be claimed in full by the beneficiary.

While a pensioner is undergoing hospital treatment approved by the Ministry for his pensioned disability the standard sum allowed to him for his personal needs is 7s. a week. The balance of his treatment allowance or pension (less a deduction in respect of home savings by reason of his maintenance in the institution) is treated as follows. If he is married the balance at his request is paid to his wife. If he is single and has some person dependent on him it may be paid in whole or in part to that person. Otherwise, in the case of a single man the balance accumulates and is paid to him personally on the satisfactory completion of his course of treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any steps have been taken in those Colonies liable to suffer from local food shortages through drought, to arrange for a modern system of food storage; and whether this question has been referred to the Colonial Research Committee for scientific investigation.

Yes, Sir; the importance of improved methods of food storage has been brought to the notice of all Colonial Governments, and they have been kept informed of scientific developments in that field. War-time shortages of staff and materials have restricted progress, but some Colonies have been able to take practical action, e.g. a grain storage plant is now being erected in Kenya, and in other Colonies measures have been taken with financial assistance from the Colonial Development and Welfare Vote. The Colonial Research Committee has not yet examined this question, but my advisers are in close touch with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in the work that Department is conducting on pest infestation. Special investigations in the Colonies are now under consideration.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many candidates and how many entries presented themselves for Dartmouth Naval College on the last two occasions; how many of these candidates and entries came from

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unnaturalised Germans are resident in Great Britain at the present time; and whether any of them are able to move about unrestricted.

On 31st December, 1944, the number of aliens registered with the police in Great Britain as of German nationality was 40,021. Of those exempted or released from internment most have been exempted, after individual examination of their cases, from the special restrictions applicable to aliens of enemy nationality and since the revocation of the Aliens (Movement Restriction) Orders and the Aliens (Protected Areas) Orders are subject to the same restrictions as are applicable to neutrals in this country. The vast majority of these persons are, of course, refugees from Nazi oppression.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that no Report of the Prison Commissioners has been issued since that for the year 1938, issued in private and State schools, respectively; how many from each of the two sources were awarded scholarships; and what were their places in the entrance examinations.

The figures in respect of the entries for September, 1944, and January, 1945, are as follows:1939, he will issue a summary Report for the subsequent period, pending the resumption of the customary annual Reports.

As I have indicated in replies to previous Questions, I am anxious that a Report on the lines of the annual Reports which have been suspended since 1939, should be published as soon as is practicable, but I regret that I am unable to say at present when that is likely to be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the Western National Adoption Society, 8, Queen's Parade, Bath, has decided by a small majority not to place babies with conscientious objectors; and whether he will make regulations that in the conduct of negotiations between adoption societies and persons desirous of causing children to be adopted, societies shall disclose any such discrimination made according to the religious convictions of applicants.

The hon. Member has sent me a letter showing that the Society referred to has declined an application on the grounds stated. My authority to make regulations governing the procedure of Adoption Societies is limited to the objects specified in Section 4 of the Adoption of Children (Regulations) Act, 1839, and I am advised that it would not be within these objects to give effect to the suggestion made by the hon. Member. It is, of course, always open to an applicant to apply to another Society.

asked the Minister of Education what is the present range of salaries paid to professors and teachers, including bonus in State-aided technical schools.

The scales of salaries for teachers in technical and art schools are set out in the Third Report of the Burnham Committee, a copy of which I am sending my hon. Friend. The war allowance at present payable to teachers is £52 for men and £42 for women.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will inquire into the medical accommodation supplied to prisoners of war upon their return to this country with a view to, its improvement; and is he aware that the conditions provided for prisoners infected with tuberculosis are such as to disturb service welfare workers as demonstrated by evidence submitted to him.

Returning prisoners of war have the benefit of all the resources of the Emergency Hospital Scheme, where the Service Department concerned requests that they be treated under that scheme. As regards those suffering from tuberculosis whose condition calls for sanatorium treatment, special measures are taken to secure their admission to a sanatorium, but in the present difficulties of limited accommodation it is not always possible to avoid a short waiting period at home, during which the patient is under the ex-expert care of the tuberculosis officer. If my hon. Friend has in mind any particular case for which he considers that inadequate provision has been made, I shall be glad to make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is considering a scheme to ensure a more equal distribution of milk.

The present scheme is designed to provide for certain classes of consumers, such as mothers and young children, supplies of milk sufficient for their needs and to distribute the remaining milk as equitably as possible among non-priority consumers. I consider that the scheme achieves these results as well as can be expected under existing conditions of transport and man-power, and I do not propose to make any major changes for the present.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the fact that the normal tour of overseas duty for unmarried personnel of the R.A.F. is now four years and that of married officers three years, he will consider instituting a system of home leave similar to that at present in force for the Army.

As announced in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton) on 24th January a system of short leave for R.A.F. personnel serving in the South-East Asia Air Command has recently been approved and is being brought into operation. Special arrangements are in force for short leave from North-West Europe. I regret that the shipping position precludes the early extension of this scheme to other overseas commands.

asked the Secretary of State for Air under what circumstances contractors' transport working on a Norfolk aerodome was recently brought to a standstill for several days.

Contractors' lorries at this airfield were not used for some days after Christmas because the weather conditions precluded concreting, rolling and similar work.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will investigate the case, details of which have been sent to him, of an honours science graduate of London University who was called up in June, 1944, while filling the post of chief assistant master in a technical school, to act as a clerk in the R.A.F. and perform duties within the competence of an untrained W.A.A.F. and who is anxious to use his special abilities in an occupation more essential for the prosecution of the war.

I am looking into this case and will communicate with my hon. Friend shortly.