asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in order to secure some representation for Jamaicans of East Indian descent, consideration will be given to the nomination of an East Indian as a member of the Legislature.

I regret that it has not been found possible on the present occasion to nominate a Jamaican of East Indian descent to be a member of the Legislative Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can publish the recommendations put forward by the Hill Report for the reorganisation of local government in Jamaica; and whether the recommendations are being implemented.

As my hon. Friend was informed in reply to his Questions of 10th May and 5th December, the report by Mr. Hill has already been published, and a copy of it was placed in the Library of the House in May last. The question of implementing the recommendations was left by the Legislative Council for consideration by the Legislature under the new Jamaica Constitution and will, I understand, receive their attention in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the price to be paid for the sugar crop of Mauritius for 1944, the whole of which is requisitioned by the Government, has yet been fixed; and whether he will endeavour to secure a higher price for the growers, in view of the economic condition of the island and the profit now accruing from the disposal of the requisitioned crop.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mr. Riley) on 31st January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has any further information respecting the effect of the cyclone in Mauritius; what is the loss of life and the number injured; approximately, how many dwellings have been destroyed; whether medical service is adequate to the urgent need; and how the £10,000 grant is being distributed; and whether the need of rehousing and feeding of the homeless and destitute is being efficiently met.

I regret that on the night of 1st February the centre of a further cyclone passed close to Mauritius and that Rodrigues suffered severe damage on 31st January. I have not yet received details of the additional damage. As regards the effects of the earlier cyclone, I have nothing at present to add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for South Dorset (Viscount Hinchingbrooke) on 31st January. The Governor has promised me a full report on the measures taken to meet the situation as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans have been made for the rehabilitation of native rank and file enlisted from Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika, Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia, Nigeria, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Gambia; and if there is any difference in the plan for each territory.

The East and West African rehabilitation plans vary in detail with local circumstances. Main Rehabilitation Centres for East and West African Forces generally have been established at Nairobi and Accra, where all forms of rehabilitation, including artificial limb fitting, are carried out. An additional centre is being established at Lagos and others are under consideration in various parts of East Africa. I am sending the hon. Member further particulars of the facilities available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the African Government and commercial employees who ceased work in Kampala, Uganda, are penalised in any way; whether any persons have been arrested and are to be charged in connection with the disturbances; whether improvements in pay and conditions are now operative; what African associations have been consulted in connection with the proposed improvements of social conditions; and precisely what improvements are to be made in the representative character of the Assembly.

It is the fact that arrests have been made in connection with the disturbances. The increased bonus rates for Government employees have already been announced for immediate introduction. The changes in the composition of the Buganda Lukiko are still under consideration by the Kabaka, and I am not in a position to make any state- ment as to their precise nature. With regard to the other points mentioned in the Question, I am consulting the Governor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give the total estimated amount of the schemes which have been approved for British African colonies, including mandated territories under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act of 1940, and the total approximate expenditure on such schemes to date; and whether he can give the corresponding amounts for the West Indian colonies.

The total estimated commitments on schemes approved to date are: £12,129,639 for development and £205,608 for research for all African territories and £8,523,911 for development and £60,750 for research for the West Indian Colonies. The total expenditure for these services are £999,800 and £37,775 respectively for African territories and £1,861,879 and £13,950 respectively for the West Indian Colonies.

asked the Minister of National Insurance (1) in view of the anxiety cause to thousands of workers engaged in national health approved societies, through the proposed change, what arrangements he has entered into, to deal with the workers' financial position; and, in regard to returning Service members and their jobs with approved societies, will he assume as an obligation that they will be re-instated under the scheme;(2) if it is the intention of the Government to take over all staffs of approved societies, including clerical and collecting employees of assurance societies; are all to be included in the new National Insurance Service scheme; is it proposed to give Civil Service status to those brought in and compensation for loss of office to those who are not required.

I cannot at present add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the end of the Debate on 3rd November, when he indicated that the Govern- ment intend to do their best to see that employment is provided for the full time officers of approved societies in connection with the new scheme, so far as they are qualified; and as regards those who are displaced by the scheme to consider sympathetically the question of compensation. This statement applied to members of the staff of approved societies who are serving in the Forces as well as those who have remained in their civilian employment.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the newspapers which the men overseas get say that all men who went over on D-Day would have seven days' leave by February; and in view of the dissatisfaction prevailing because these reports having mislead their relatives at home and disappointed the men, what steps he is taking to make it clear that the promised leave will not be completed for many months to come.

I know of no official announcement which promised leave by February for men who went over to France on D-Day. I have seen reports to this effect in the Press, but so far as I am aware they are without foundation. In this connection I would refer my right hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend yesterday in answer to a number of hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for War upon what grounds members of the W.L.A. are prohibited by his Ministry from using N.A.A.F.I. and railway station canteens; and if he is aware of the sense of grievance felt by the W.L.A. against this restriction, especially when they are working in outlying districts where these canteens are the only social centres within reasonable distance of the farms.

N.A.A.F.I. canteens are usually in military camps and buildings where members of the Women's Land Army could hot be admitted. N.A.A.F.I. are, moreover, very short of staff, accommodation and equipment and the facilities available must be reserved to meet the needs of the members of the Fighting Services for whom the canteens are intended. Members of the Women's Land Army may, however, use canteens operated by voluntary bodies at places where they work when they cannot get refreshmments anywhere else nearby. As regards railway station canteens, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton) on 12th December.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he has yet disposed of the shares in the companies for which he recently invited offers; and whether he can make any statement thereon.

No, Sir. In the case of two companies, definite offers were requested by 31st January and the offers received are now under consideration. In the case of the other three companies, negotiations with the applicants have not yet reached the stage of definite offers.

asked the Minister of Supply whether the arbitration case has been decided in connection with the compulsory acquisition of land from the Pontypool Park Estate, the trustees of which had claimed £2,861 as compensation; if so, what was the arbitrator's award; and what was the area and the previous rateable value of the land in 1939.

Yes, Sir. As I stated in reply to the hon. Member for Ipswich (Mr. Stokes) on 3rd November, 1943, the Arbitrator's award was £1,441 and the area of the site was approximately 28 acres. The land, being agricultural, had no rateable value.

asked the Minister of Health what body or committee determines the priority as between the three Services in regard to medical personnel; and whether it has recently had its attention directed to the danger of calling up any further medical men and women from civilian life, especially in rural areas.

The allocation of doctors as between the three Services and as between those Services and the civil population is determined by the Government with the advice of the Medical Personnel (Priority) Committee presided over by the hon. Baronet the Member for Norwich (Sir G. Shakespeare). This Committee, which contains representatives of various branches of the medical profession as well as of the Services, has had the subject under continuous review since it was constituted in 1941. The Government is fully alive to the aspect of the matter referred to in the second part of the Question and to other relevant considerations.

asked the Minister of Information whether he will consult with the Service Departments with a view to a campaign for improving the comfort and welfare of officers and men coming home on leave from the fighting areas in order to secure for them the maximum degree of courtesy and priority as regards transport, recreation, catering, hotel accommodation, entertainment, supply of newspapers and other goods in short supply.

I do not think that the general public need any publicity campaign organised by the Ministry of Information to persuade them to show consideration for our fighting men home on leave. No doubt if the Service Departments think such action is required, they will seek our assistance.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is satisfied with the progress that is being made in the setting up of Pensions Appeal Tribunals and the hearing of appeals; whether he is aware of the growing dissatisfaction in the country over the prolonged delays; and how many appeals have now been outstanding for six months or longer.

Having regard to the man-power difficulties and to the Government's limited undertaking as to the number of tribunals which could be set up, I am satisfied that considerable progress is being made in the hearing of appeals. As regards the last part of the Question, there are slightly over 11,500 appeals which were lodged before 1st August, 1944, on which a Tribunal decision has not been given. Of this number about 4,000 are with the Tribunal and a considerable proportion of them have already been listed for hearing. In 1,800 cases the necessary statements are with the appellants and these appeals should be referred to the Tribunal during the next few weeks. There are 3,600 cases in which the question at issue is between attributability and aggravation and pension is in payment. There remain some 2,000 cases, mostly of comparatively small disablement, where it has not yet been possible to furnish statements to the appellants.

asked the Minister of Production what supplies from this country for France were agreed by the Combined Boards in Washington in October; and how far have these supplies, as yet, been delivered.

It is not the policy of the Governments concerned to publish the allocations made by the Combined Boards to individual countries. I therefore regret that I am unable to give my hon. Friend the information for which he asks.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he will review the transport engaged in coal distribution in London, which is quite inadequate to meet the essential needs of consumers.

Under normal conditions the transport engaged in coal distribution in London is fully adequate for the task. It was necessary to expand the facilities available to meet the recent sudden emergency, but I am glad to assure my hon. Friend that my Department were able to find all the lorries for which they were asked. Steps have already been taken to secure a fuller use of the vehicles normally engaged in this work, and I am considering, in collaboration with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power, whether this process can be carried further.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he is aware that, owing to the recent snowstorm in the Tow Law district, 200 miners were unable to get to work at the neighbouring collieries, and if, in view of the shortage of labour in the district, he has considered utilising German prisoners of war on keeping these roads open and thus allowing our men to produce the coal so much required at the present time.

During the recent cold weather prisoners of war were extensively used on the clearance of snow. I understand that, in the Tow Law district, the state of the roads made it impossible to transport the prisoners to the job. I am, however, making further local inquiries and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport when the Scottish organisation known as Northern Roadways, Limited, was established; and what is the number of omnibuses or other petrol-driven vehicles bought and now being run by this firm since their establishment.

I understand that Northern Roadways, Ltd., was registered as a company on 20th June, 1941. It operate 28 public service vehicles in Scotland; 24 of them are owned by the company; the other 4 are hired. The company holds no carriers' licences or defence permits for goods vehicles in the Scottish region.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware that the statistics in the Library relating to traffic accidents relate only to the months of October and November, 1944; and, that the analysis in respect of causation in respect of the class of vehicle primarily responsible fails to differentiate between accidents to cyclists and accidents caused by cyclists, and will he arrange for further analysis.

In accordance with a proposal made in a Question put to me on 15th November, 1944, by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Petersfield (Sir G. Jeffreys) I gave instructions on that day that a copy of my Ministry's monthly statement of Road Accident Statistics should thereafter be placed in the Library of the House. The statement for December, 1944, is now available, and is in the Library. I have also placed there all the Monthly Statements issued since January, 1943. The statements now show the number of cyclists reported to be killed or injured, and the number of cases of fatal injury in which the police report that, in their view, a pedal cycle was primarily involved. I regret that a more detailed analysis is not, at present, possible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport in how many road accidents which occurred during each of the months of 1944 information is not available and the drivers responsible for the accidents remain unknown.

I regret that the information for which my hon. Friend asks is not available.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether the personal effects of Cadet Dennis Cox, who was killed in action in August, 1943, which were lost somewhere between the Mercantile Marine Office, Glasgow and Halesworth, Suffolk, while in the hands of a cartage contractor, were consigned by passenger or goods train; and what steps are taken by his Ministry to see that the personal effects of those killed in action safely reach the next-of-kin in this country and are not pilfered or damaged in ordinary transit.

It has been the general practice in the past to send the effects of deceased seamen to their next-of-kin by goods train. I am glad to say that hitherto such losses have been very rare; but I recognise that when they do occur they cause great distress to the seamen's relatives. I have, therefore, decided that in future, the effects will be sent by passenger train. My hon. Friend will remember, however, that in the case of Cadet Dennis Cox, the effects were lost before they reached the station.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he is aware of the discomfort caused to Service personnel waiting for trains at a railway station, of which he has been informed; and will he give instructions for the provision of heating in the waiting-rooms during the night.

I am making inquiries, and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport how many Rolls Royce limousine motor-cars have been requisitioned by his Department; for what purposes, and at what cost.

Eight Rolls Royce limousines have been requisitioned and acquired by my Department to meet special needs of the Services and the Foreign Office. The cost was £13,016. Three others are now being acquired.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the question of a settlement of Tsarist Russia's foreign debt was discussed in Anglo-Soviet negotiations on post-war Anglo-Soviet trade; and what credit has been suggested by the U.S.S.R. in respect of British post-war exports to the U.S.S.R.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir." The answer to the second part is that in these negotiations the Soviet Government have made no specific proposals with regard to credit.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if His Majesty's Government were consulted on the mission of Judge Sam Rosenman to this country and have agreed that the Judge make yet another economic survey of conditions in this country; and what purpose this survey is to serve.

Lord Halifax has been kept fully informed with regard to Judge Rosenman's visit. Mr. Rosenman has been specially charged by the President to look into, and to report to him upon, the question of the supply situation in liberated areas of North-Western Europe, which, as my hon. Friend will know, has been receiving the earnest attention of His Majesty's Government and the United States Government. I and representatives of the interested Departments of His Majesty's Government look forward with pleasure to discussions with Mr. Rosenman on this vitally important question. So far as I am aware, Mr. Rosenman has not been charged with the task of making a survey of economic conditions in the United Kingdom.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why men in the Navy who have saved sweets out of their ration for the purpose of making a present to their children and wives when going on leave have been prevented from taking the sweets ashore; and whether he will have this instruction rescinded as it has caused much dissatisfaction.

This instruction applies only to seagoing ships. It is necessary because sweets, like tobacco, are supplied to such ships at duty-free prices on condition that they are consumed on board, and men going on leave cannot be allowed to take with them more than their own immediate requirements.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what arrangements are made at naval shore stations in this country to ensure that an adequate supply of newspapers and books are provided for naval personnel.

The officers and men employed in shore stations in this country generally make their own arrangements, either individually or through messes and canteens, for the newspapers they require. The more isolated bases receive a supply of weekly and monthly newspapers and periodicals. The larger establishments are supplied with officially provided libraries of books, on a scale depending on their size and the smaller establishments receive "Shore Libraries" through the R.N. War Libraries organisation.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether officers and men of the Royal Navy, having attempted without success to take up Service problems and grievances through the usual channels, are entitled to communicate on such matters with their Members of Parliament.

Although, as I have pointed out to the hon. Member in correspondence, there is no other method provided in the King's Regulations for making complaints or seeking the redress of grievances than the usual Service channels, the House may rest assured that neither officers nor ratings are penalised for making representations to their Members of Parliament in the particular circumstances described in the Question, provided, of course, that the representations themselves are genuine.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can give an assurance that the rights of naval officers and other ranks to communicate with Members of Parliament are no less than those enjoyed in the Army and the R.A.F.

Yes, Sir.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that under G.H.Q., M.E.F. Order No. 43698 (AGI (c)) of 7th December, 1944, serving wives belonging to the A.T.S., W.A.A.F. and Q.A.I.M.N.S. are allowed to accompany their serving husbands, or shortly follow them, when they are compulsorily repatriated to England; whether this order has been extended to cover personnel of the W.R.N.S.; and if he will take prompt steps to deal with the case of the lieutenant-colonel, Royal Signals, and his W.R.N.S. wife which has been brought to his notice.

On the first part of the Question, I would refer to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for South Portsmouth (Sir J. Lucas) on 24th January, to which I have nothing to add. On the individual case referred to in the second part of the Question the facts brought to my notice do not constitute sufficiently strong compassionate grounds to justify exceptional treatment.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is intended to re-open voluntary recruiting for the W.R.N.S. in the immediate future.

Voluntary recruitment for the W.R.N.S. was re-opened in January, 1944, for women between the ages of 17½ and 19, and was extended on 1st January this year to include women over 19. There is, however, only a limited number of vacancies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what subsidy was paid to potato growers; whether it was paid on the acreage planted or on the amount of potatoes delivered; how many acres were not lifted because the growers would not pay the agricultural wage and could not get cheap prisoner-of-war labour; and whether he can promise any relief in the potato position.

An acreage payment at the rate of £10 per acre is paid to potato growers in respect of the acreage planted to this crop. I am not aware that any potatoes were not lifted this season for the reason suggested in the second part of the Question. As regards the last part of the Question, the recent improvement in the weather has enabled growers in most districts to begin loading again, and my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Food is doing everything possible to ensure that supplies are evenly distributed.

asked the Attorney-General if it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to introduce legislation to provide for the organisation of a national service of legal advice and representation, which will remove present disabilities due to the inability of poorer sections of the community, other than the destitute, to meet from their own pockets the high fees and expenses for such help and guidance.

As I have already stated in the House, the whole question of affording legal aid to the poorer section of the community is, as regards England, at present under consideration by the Rushcliffe Committee. So far as Scotland is concerned, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland gave to the hon. Member for Gorbals (Mr. Buchanan) on 14th December, 1944.

asked the Minister of Food how much Algerian wine has been imported to date since the liberation of Algeria; what was the cost per gallon delivered to a British port; what was the retail price; what was the profit and who received it.

I am having this information extracted and will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that many brick and tile works which had been occupied for storage purposes by the Ministry of Supply are shortly to be derequisitioned; that the key operatives necessary to restart production have not been released; and will he take steps to ensure that this will not cause unnecessary delay in the production of roofing tiles.

Twenty-one clay tile and brick works are being derequisitioned and reopened. Key workers nominated by the firms concerned have been released from the Armed Forces and other war-time duties in order to make clay tiles in these yards. Efforts are being made to obtain such further labour as is required.

asked the Minister of Works for what reason permission has been refused for the erection of a bungalow at Canvey Island by Sergeant Charles Attew, having regard to the fact that the work will be performed by one person in addition to Sergeant Attew himself and that the materials have already been obtained and are available on the site.

The refusal of a licence in this case, after consultation with the local authority, is strictly in accordance with normal policy, but since the circumstances appear, in some respects, to be exceptional, I am looking into the matter and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that coal is being sold from a dump at Ilford Hill on a fetch and carry basis at 6d. per 14 pounds; that this price is approximately equivalent to the price charged by merchants for coal delivered to the consumer's premises; and whether he will review the price charged for delivery from these dumps so as to make due allowance for the fact that the purchaser himself takes delivery.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for West Willesden (Mr. Viant).

asked the Minister of Labour the number of skilled, unskilled and unemployable persons in the City of Newcastle-on-Tyne.

I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers to be employed in the different services referred to in Appendix IX of Cmd. 6576, where expenditure only is shown.

It is understood that the estimate of annual costs of the Appointments Department which is shown in Appendix IX of the Report of the Committee on Higher Appointments, makes provision for a staff of about 2,400 for the assumed volume of work, namely an average register of 30,000. Adjustments would be made in the number of staff in the event of the volume of work differing from the basis used by the Committee.The allocation of this staff to the different services referred to in the Estimate was approximately as follows:

asked the Minister of Labour whether, having regard to the exceptional circumstances prevailing in the case of Mr. Robert Kinghorn, 18, Downfield Place, Edinburgh, he will arrange for his reinstatement in the employment from which his dismissal was declared by the Leith Local Appeal Board to have been unjustified.

Although the Local Appeal Board which considered Mr. Kinghorn's appeal were of the opinion that his dismissal on the ground of serious misconduct was not justified, they nevertheless recommended that he should not be reinstated in his former employment. The Board's recommendation was accepted in its entirety and there is no further action I can now take in the matter.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total cost of advertising vacancies by his Ministry for December, 1944, and January, 1945.

I regret that these figures are not immediately available. I will send them to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.