asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the recommendation contained in a letter to the Malayan Government representative in India that the presence of the families in the United Kingdom of men and women who have been in Japanese hands is desirable, money will be available for their passages from whatever country the families are living in to this country.

Yes, Sir, provided that their homes or family connections are in this country, and provided they apply for passages and accept such accommodation as can be made available through official channels. This arrangement is, however, not intended to relieve employers of any liability to meet the cost of the passages, where such liability exists in accordance with the employees' conditions of service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will take steps to provide for the appointment to the Nyasaland Native Tobacco Board African representatives of the tobacco growers.

Appointments to the Nyasaland Native Tobacco Board are made by the Governor, and I will bring the suggestion to his notice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has considered the recommendations contained in the Report of the Settlement Schemes Committee appointed by the Kenya Agricultural and Production Settlement Board, which aim at closer settle- ment and more intensive cultivation of the land; and whether it is proposed to take any measures in this connection.

I have received a copy of the Report and am awaiting the Governor's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the greatly increased interest which is now being taken in the Colonial Empire, he will consider having some coloured films made in the different Colonies showing their industries and activities and scenery, so that people in this country may appreciate the opportunities for development which exist in the British Colonial Empire.

Yes, Sir. Films of the kind suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend would be valuable, and efforts will be made as soon as possible to produce them. But I understand that at present all available colour film apparatus is required for more urgent purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that there are some 5,000 persons unemployed in Cyprus, including many ex-Servicemen; what proportion this represents of the normal wage-earning population; and whether and what steps are being taken to relieve the situation by providing either work or maintenance for them.

Exact unemployment figures are not available, but it is estimated that not more than a few hundred regular wage-earning labourers, including a few ex-Servicemen, are without employment at present. It is impossible to estimate what proportion of the normal wage-earning population this figure represents, but I understand that the number of labourers wholly dependent on wages is probably about 20,000. To meet this situation the Government have put in band a programme of public works estimated to cost about £120,000; in addition, over £250,000 will be spent locally during 1945 on projects financed under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what alterations in the constitutions of the Governments of the Leeward and Windward Islands, in the West Indies, are under consideration.

Questions of constitutional reform, including that of federation with the Leeward Islands, were discussed last month at a conference of delegates from the Legislatures of the Windward Islands. The conference expressed itself in favour of federation, but took the view that certain constitutional changes in the Windward Island Colonies themselves should be regarded as a condition precedent. The Governor of the Leeward Islands has been informed, and I am now awaiting the views of both Governors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that a schoolmistress with a London University B.A. degree at present employed in a county council school in this country at a salary of £460 recently applied to his Department for particulars of a similar post vacant in Malta and was informed that the commencing salary offered was £150 rising by annual increments of £7 10s. to a maximum of £200; if this is the recognised scale of salaries in operation for schoolteachers in Malta; and what steps he is taking to make teachers' salaries comparable to those of the Burnham scale.

I am aware of the case to which the hon. Member refers. Teaching posts in Malta are, however, normally filled by local appointment and the salaries attached to them have been settled in relation to the general level of salaries in the Colony. Teachers' salaries were reviewed in 1943, when certain improvements were made, and I am not aware that any further increases are contemplated at present.

asked the Minister of Health whether the negotiations with the local authorities rebuilding permanent houses have yet been completed; and what are the conditions laid down and the amount of grant to be paid.

No, Sir. The amount of the Exchequer and rate contributions for permanent houses to be built by local authorities clearly cannot be settled until the level of post-war building costs can be estimated with more confidence than is yet possible. The conditions affecting subsidy can be discussed at any time, and my right hon. Friend is at present awaiting a communication from the associations of local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health whether the report of his inspector who recently held an inquiry regarding the need of a piped supply of water to the villages of Tydd and Newton was favourable to the appellants; whether it included the dwelling-houses, farmhouses, licensed inn and other premises on the main road to Wisbech; and when the work of providing the water supply will commence.

My right hon. Friend has approved in principle the Council's scheme for providing a piped water supply to the villages of Newton and Tydd with an extension to the hamlet of Fitton End, and the Council have invited tenders which are due to be returned on 3rd March. The scheme does not include the properties on the main road to Wisbech mentioned in the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long the boys Dennis and Terence O'Neill had been placed with the Goughs before anyone was sent by the Newport, Monmouthshire, education authority to see whether they were well cared for and happy in their new home; whether the boys were seen alone or only in the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Gough; on what date the report was made; why no action was taken on it; and whether he will issue orders governing these visits in similar cases in future.

I would refer my right hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 16th February to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for London University (Sir E. Graham-Little).

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will have some inquiries made regarding the circumstances of Mr. Ernest Turvey, of Hatfield, Norton, near Worcester, who planted 3½ acres of potatoes last spring and has been unable to obtain the appropriate subsidy.

There is no subsidy paid for planting potatoes but an acreage payment, which is, in effect, a part of the price. This is made to growers who observe, amongst other conditions, reasonable rules of husbandry. The circumstances of Mr. Ernest Turvey, of Hatfield, Norton, are being investigated by my Department, but the inquiries are not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if any concerted action is being taken to clear the Kiru Valley area, Tanganyika, of the Tsetse fly; and is it expected that the removal of settlers from the area will be of a prolonged duration.

A serious outbreak of Rhodesiense sleeping sickness occurred in 1944 in the Kiru area of the Mbulu district in the Northern Province. After an intensive survey of the affected area by experienced officers of the Medical and Tsetse Departments, the Tanganyika Government were advised that, owing to the distribution of the farms and the general nature of the terrain, it was impossible to devise any scheme for the adequate protection of the Kiru area either by clearing or by other means. It was therefore necessary to order the evacuation of all Africans from the Kiru area and to settle them in the neighbouring Magugu area, in which protective clearing, measures were practicable and were immediately put in hand. The removal of the African population from the area meant that non-native settlers could no longer maintain themselves there, and special facilities were offered to them to take up land in the Magugu area if they wished to do so. The non-native settlement in the Kiru area consisted of three established farms, with a total area of approximately 1,500 acres, and of approximately 12,000 acres of undeveloped enemy-owned property or enemy holdings which had been let out by the Custodian of Enemy Property on short-term leases. No hope can be held out that the Kiru area will again become suitable for settlement within the foreseeable future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has yet been able to consider the points put forward by the cocoa trade in opposition to the scheme for the control of West African cocoa promulgated in the White Paper presented in September last; and whether, before taking any further action in this matter, he will call a conference of persons experienced in this trade to consider all aspects of the matter.

I have already' seen representatives of the Association of West African Merchants, and I am proposing shortly to receive a deputation from the British Federation of Commodity and Allied Trade Associations, to discuss with them certain points arising out of the scheme for the future marketing of cocoa. These two bodies between them cover substantially all the interests concerned in this country.

asked the Minister of Supply what is the total value of obsolete merchant ships disposed of as scrap iron by Iron and Steel Disposals, Limited; and what is the average price received per gross ton.

Iron and Steel Disposals, Limited, do not deal with ships, and no arrangements have yet been made for disposing of obsolete merchant ships for scrap.

asked the Postmaster-General if the fact that there is no parcels service between this country and France is due to the inability of the French postal authorities to organise their part of the service owing to transport conditions in France; and if we are in a position to arrange our part of the service as soon as the French authorities ask us to do so.

The decision with regard to the resumption and extension of the postal services to France rests in the first instance with the competent Allied military authorities, and up to the present those authorities have not assented to the restoration of the parcel post to France. I am unable to say whether their attitude is due to transport difficulties in France or to other causes. My Department would be in a position to arrange its part of the service as soon as the various authorities concerned gave their approval.

asked the Minister of National Insurance what is the Government's attitude towards the proposals made to him for amendment of the Social Insurance Scheme by the Federation of Scottish Herring and White Fish Catchers.

I hope to be able to discuss these proposals with representatives of the Federation in the near future, as they have asked me to do. The proposals will, of course, receive careful consideration, but no decision with regard to them can be announced in advance of the introduction of the relevant legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether this country is a partner to the U.S.A.-China agreement according to which U.S.A. technicians are helping China in organising the transport and training of Chinese in transportation, engineering and so forth; and especially whether British engineers are employed on the construction of the pipe-line leading from Calcutta through Burma into China.

I am not aware of any specific agreement such as that mentioned by my hon. Friend, but I presume he is referring to the announcement made by Mr. Leo Crowley, Foreign Economic Administrator of the United States Government, of the programme designed to expedite supply and transportation for the movement of American Lend-Lease supplies to China. Such a programme is a natural consequence of the special responsibilities which the United States have assumed under inter-Allied arrangements in the matter of supplies to China. As regards the last part of the Question, the project has been carried out wholly by the United States military authorities, arid, as far as I am aware, no British engineers are employed on it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the setting up of a provisional German Government in Russian-occupied Germany has been discussed among the Allied Powers; and whether the European Advisory Commission has dealt with the matter.

This particular measure was not discussed at the Crimea Conference. But as the communiqué of the Conference stated, there was agreement between the Three Powers on common policies and plans in respect of the occupation and control of Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, in view of this country's vital interest in the Suez Canal, he has any information to give to the House regarding recent negotiations on the part of Russia with a view to obtaining an interest in the Suez Canal Company.

I have no knowledge whatever of any such negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been received or made to the German or Japanese Governments on the exchange of long-term prisoners of war other than those who have been incapacitated for further service due to sickness or wounds; and, if so, with what results.

No proposal of this kind has ever been received from the German or Japanese Governments. Repeated initiatives have been taken by His Majesty's Government. As soon as the first exchange with Germany of seriously wounded prisoners had taken place in the autumn of 1943 attention was given to the question of able-bodied prisoners of war. As the House already knows, proposals were made to the German Government in April, 1944, but despite frequent reminders no reply has been received. The re-examination mentioned in the reply given on 19th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester has now been concluded and if a further Question is put down for next week I hope to be in a position to make a statement. As regards the Japanese Government I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) of 24th January last.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will arrange for all stand-by electrical generating plant in the possession of military, civil or industrial undertakings in future to help temporarily in relieving the national load in cases of emergency.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave on the 13th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury (Mr. Chorlton).

asked the Attorney-General how much publicly subscribed money was recovered as a result of the conviction of the Reverend Thomas Clapham; what has happened to this money; and whether he can hold out any prospect of it being devoted to the benefit of the people of Lambeth for whom it was intended.

This matter is still before the Court. Negotiations for a settlement are in progress and I will let my hon. Friend know when any decision is reached.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that, though glass is at present being made available for horticultural purposes, the supply to manufacturers of cloches has been stopped; and, as cloche production is becoming of increasing importance in horticulture, will he take steps to make adequate quantities of glass available for this purpose.

Yes, Sir, but I must warn my hon. Friend that just as the greater part of the total glass production of the country is needed for bomb-damaged dwelling houses, the limited supply available for horticultural purposes is required for the repair of commercial glass-houses.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the possibility of offering to the French Government an immediate loan of military lorries from the reserves held in England on the understanding that they should be returned to the Army in the measure that reconditioned lorries become available.

The possibility of making available a proportion of the reserves of military lorries held in this country for operational purposes has been carefully and sympathetically considered, but I regret that they cannot be spared.