asked the Minister of National Insurance if he has considered the letter from the Scottish Mine Owners' Defence and Mutual Insurance Association, Limited (Fife Branch), on the case of Mr. James Keicher; and what reply has been made thereto.

Yes, Sir. This Association, who are the employers' insurers, acceded to a request by the Home Office to reconsider this case, notwithstanding that their liability to pay compensation was legally at an end. The Association now state that this evidence does not justify them in making further compensation payments, ex gratia or otherwise. As the hon. Member is aware, I have no authority under the Acts to reopen the matter and I regret that there is no further action which I can take.

asked the Minister of National Insurance why, while old age pensions and supplementary pensions and orphans' pensions are payable to pensioners, in respect of orphans, resident in homes provided and maintained by voluntary organisations for the Assistance Board and those provided for evacuees, no such facility is afforded to pensioners in respect of orphans resident in rate-aided homes provided by local authorities.

The Third Schedule to the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1936, disqualifies a person for the receipt of a pension while he is an inmate of any Poor Law institution, otherwise than for the purpose of receiving medical or surgical treatment. As regards an orphan's pension, payment may not be made to the orphan's guardian while the guardian is an inmate of a Poor Law institution, but, if the orphan is not himself an inmate, the pension may be diverted by the Minister to the person for the time being having charge of the child. If my hon. Friend is in doubt as to the position in any particular case, I should be glad if he would send me details.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if aged, infirm and sick casuals will be included within the ambit of any national scheme, or whether they will be the responsibility of local authorities.

I cannot add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health to-day to my hon. Friend's Questions on the subject of casuals.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he is aware that representatives of the staffs affected by the transfer of his Ministry have visited Newcastle-on-Tyne and contacted the chief officers of Newcastle City Council, Gosforth Urban District Council and Whitley Bay and Monkseaton Urban District Council; and, since the housing situation in and around Newcastle is acute, will he give an assurance that extra houses shall be built and priority for building be given and that no persons shall be moved until there is adequate housing for them.

I am aware that staff representatives have made the visit mentioned. On the question of the provision of houses, I would refer to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health to a Question by the hon. Member for the English Universities on 8th February last. As regards the last part of the Question, I regret that, for the reasons I gave during the Debate on the Adjournment on 2nd March last, I cannot undertake to defer the move.

asked the Minister of Health why it was necessary for the Bollington Urban District Council to seek compulsory purchase powers for the acquisition of two housing sites of 1.35 acres and 2.8 acres each of grassland on the south side of Grimshaw Lane; what price had been offered or demanded; what price has been determined; what was the rateable value of the land; and what results have attended the endeavour to obtain the additional land required to extend the Bollington Cross site to include a further 48 houses.

The Bollington Urban District Council sought compulsory purchase powers because they were unable to reach agreement with the owners of the two sites. The valuation of the sites by the district valuer was £498 in all and the price asked was £400 per acre, or £1,660 in all. I have no information whether a price has been determined, nor am I aware of the rateable value of the land. I shall endeavour to obtain this information and inform my hon. and gallant Friend. I was notified last month that the council were negotiating for additional land for housing close to their existing scheme at Bollington Cross.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why it is that coal produced in Monmouthshire and other parts of South Wales is being conveyed to Rhondda and Rhondda coal conveyed in the opposite direction.

So far as house coal is concerned, there is no regular allocation to Rhondda of coal produced in Monmouthshire or other parts of South Wales. The normal Rhondda allocation consists entirely of Rhondda coal, but during the past month this has been supplemented by occasional extra consignments from other areas to meet special additional requirements, such as those mentioned in the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on 17th April.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give an assurance that mining operations will not be commenced on Pelsall Common in view of the fact that this common is the only open space and playing ground for the children of the district.

Operations on Pelsall Common are, at present, limited to ascertaining, by prospecting, what is the quantity and quality of coal contained in the site. Before any decision is taken to work the coal, consideration will be given to surface interests, but in view of the grave shortage of coal supplies I can give no assurance that the coal will not be worked.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether distributors will be instructed to supply with all coal or coke supplied during this present winter a statement explaining why rationing is necessary.

The maximum quantities of domestic fuel which may be obtained without licence during the next 12 months are not rations, although they are quantities closely related to the average supplies likely to be available. I do not consider that the distribution with each delivery of fuel of a statement of the kind suggested by my hon. Friend would serve any useful purpose. The reasons for the reduced quantities available have already had considerable publicity and opportunities for further publicity will occur throughout the year.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the two-ton allowance of coke for the South of England in the coming winter will be guaranteed.

The production of boiler fuel is inadequate to guarantee all registered consumers the maximum permitted quantity of two tons for the year. The majority of consumers do not, however, use boiler fuels and others will require less than the permitted quantity. I hope, therefore, that supplies in the South of England will be sufficient to meet the essential needs of consumers.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the output per manshift for pits employing under 500 wage earners is subdivided in table 9 (B), column 1, of his Digest, whilst that of the pits employing over 500 is not; whether he will subdivide the latter in (B) into the seven categories shown in (A) column 1 of the same table, giving the same particulars of the output per manshift for those pits employing over 500 as for those under; and if he will include this information in the new issue of his Digest.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he proposes to take to accumulate rough wood for fuel in the coming winter.

Fairly substantial stocks of wood fuel have already been accumulated by my Ministry in various parts of the country, and arrangements are being made to increase these emergency reserves to the maximum extent possible with the labour and equipment at our disposal. It is anticipated that a considerable tonnage of sawn logs will be available as a supplementary domestic fuel reserve against next winter's requirements. In addition, all possible steps are being taken to increase the quantities of wood fuel available to consumers through, normal trade channels.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the sentence of death passed on Michael Monedas, a former member of a resistance group in Greece; and whether he has any information about the trials of Greeks who acted for the enemy during the German occupation.

Michael Monedras was charged before the Athens criminal court on 7th and 8th March with being an OPLA (Communist secret police) executioner between 14th September, 1944, and 10th January, 1945. He had previously been convicted and sentenced to death by a court-martial in February, but all such cases were submitted to the criminal courts under the Varkiza Agreement. The jury found him guilty of the murders of Eustathios Tryphonas, President of a nationalist railwaymen's league, on 14th September and of his uncle, Georgios Monedas, on 17th September. There was ample evidence that Monedas killed his uncle and robbed the body. The jury was drawn from a pre-war panel in order to avoid any suggestion of packing the court. As far as His Majesty's Government are aware, the sentence has not yet been carried out, and there exists the possibility of pardon. Regarding the second part of the Question, His Majesty's Government are informed that there have been several trials and condemnations to death, but full details are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any arrangements can be made to admit to this country for general care and recovery in the houses of private persons children without parents who are now liberated from the Nazi concentration camps.

Children in the circumstances described by my hon. Friend must, of course, command our sympathy. I would be prepared to consider proposals for the admission of such a child for a period of recuperation if I were satisfied that adequate arrangements had been made for his or her reception and maintenance, and that proper provision could not otherwise be made. I should, however, make it clear that strict medical precautions would be essential.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that in the city of Hull there is a growing development in the manufacture of artificial teeth; and if he will grant licences to export artificial teeth to Turkey and Sweden.

I regret that, owing to the heavy demands for essential Service and civilian requirements, I cannot at present see my way to license exports of porcelain teeth. But I shall be glad to consider sympathetically applications to export teeth made from acrylic resins.

asked the President of the Board of Trade where the factories built by the Government in Lancashire during the war are situated; and in how many cases have arrangements been made for their conversion to peace-time production.

The number of Government factories of over 25,000 sq. ft. built in Lancashire during the war, and during the pre-war period of increased armaments, is 85 and the total floor space about 27,000,000 sq. ft. These factories are widely dispersed over the county. Two of the largest have already been allocated for peace-time production; and negotiations have reached an advanced stage with regard to a number of others, of which we have received notice from the Supply Departments that they will become surplus to the war requirements in the next few months.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the impending close of the European war, the position of mortgagors and others similarly placed, will be re-examined to avoid any collapse on a large scale of those who may then be compelled to meet varying amounts of aggregate debts.

Mortgagors and others similarly placed are at present protected, as the hon. Member is probably aware, by the Courts (Emergency Powers) Act, 1943, and the Liabilities (War-Time Adjustment) Act, 1941, as amended. In cases arising in evacuation areas to which the Defence (Evacuated Areas) Regulations, 1940, apply, debtors of the class referred to are still further protected. I cannot say when the various forms of protection to mortgagors and others will be terminated, but in fixing the dates care will be taken to avoid any question of a large-scale collapse such as my hon. Friend fears.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons of the ages of 14, 15 and 16 years, respectively, were committed to prison under Section 52 (3) of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, during the 12 months ended 31st December 1944; how many of these were committed for periods exceeding one month; and the names of the courts in which these young persons were sentenced to imprisonment.

19 young persons were committed to prison under Section 52 (3), Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, during 1944: of these two were 14, 11 were 15 and six were 16 years of age. All except three of the 15-year-olds and two of the 16-year-olds were committed for periods exceeding one month. The courts by which these young persons were committed were as follows:

Assizes: Glamorgan;

Quarter Sessions: Birmingham, Devon, Lancashire (Preston), Southend, Staffordshire and York;

Metropolitan Magistrates' Court: North London;

Magistrates' Courts: Barnet, Bury St. Edmunds, Chelsea, Smethwick, Toynbee Hall, Uxbridge and West Castle (Northumberland).

In four cases, where the term of imprisonment was long enough for the purpose, I arranged, with the concurrence of the Court, for the boys to be transferred to approved schools or Borstal institutions.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if he is now able to make a statement as to the future use of casual wards in order that local authorities can be informed if the casual wards may be available for other local purposes;

(2) what steps are proposed to remedy the growing evils of vagrancy and the use of casual wards by men under 65 years of age wandering about the country.

The future provision to be made for casuals is shortly to be discussed between the Departments concerned and representatives of the local authorities In the meantime I may say that at present the number of casuals being relieved is very small, and most of the casual wards are, with my consent, being used for other purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that at a transit camp in Italy, of which he has been informed, men were, during the month of February, living in lightweight tents in muddy conditions and that adjacent to this camp there is a palace that could accommodate 600 men which is occupied only by an Italian duchess and a few servants; and if he will take steps to requisition this palace for use as accommodation for men using this camp.

The Palace referred to by the hon. Member was examined but was reported by the medical authorities to be unfit for occupation by troops because of its unsatisfactory sanitary facilities. It was also not nearly large enough to accommodate the number of troops for which the transit camp was needed. I am satisfied that the authorities on the spot have done everything possible to maintain this transit camp at a satisfactory standard. Any tents becoming unserviceable have been immediately replaced. I am afraid that muddy conditions in February seem to be unavoidable in Italy.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that a troop transport from Italy, which arrived off a North-western port about 20th February, lay in the river for four days before disembarkation took place; that 100 men in detention were taken off the ship by tug on the day of arrival, but 180 men, returning on compassionate leave, were delayed on the ship for four days; and if he will take steps to see that men returning to this country on compassionate grounds are given the highest priority in disembarkation.

The highest priority for movement, including disembarkation, is given to men who are returning to this country on leave, including compassionate leave, and whose stay here is therefore limited. They are consequently put in ships which berth as soon as they arrive. But men such as those referred to in the hon. Member's Question who are posted to this country on compassionate grounds, are, of course, landed as soon as possible. In the present case a number of large ships were directed to a port where the berthing, railway and other facilities do not enable more than two ships to be cleared at a time even by the use of tenders. This ship happened to be the last. There were more men in detention than its lock-up accommodation could hold, and special arrangements were therefore made—I might add with some difficulty—to land these men by tender. Normally landing by tender at this port is not permissible. This decision was taken locally, and I am certainly not prepared to say that it was wrong.

asked the Secretary of State for War, approximately, what percentage of British Army personnel serving overseas have so far applied to have ballot papers sent to them by post at the next election.

I do not think that the troops in theatres overseas have yet had time to complete application forms, but the process ought to be finished in the next few days. I propose to call for telegraphic bulk returns of applications despatched from the various Commands, and I am considering what is the earliest date as at which returns can be rendered so as to have a chance of being reasonably complete. Until these are received I shall not, of course, be in a position to give the House information as to the progress of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will use prisoners of war and concentration camps, captured from the enemy in Germany and other countries, for housing prisoners of war taken by the Allies and provide similar conditions of life as accorded to Allied prisoners of war recently released.

If the military commanders consider these camps suitable they will, no doubt, be used, but there can be no question of taking reprisals against prisoners in our hands. In any case, as my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary said to my hon. Friend the Member for Everton (Mr. Kirby), on Thursday last, however unsatisfactory are the conditions in general in prisoner of war camps we have no information whatever to suggest that they are in any way to be compared with the appalling conditions prevailing in the concentration camps for German political prisoners such as Buchenwald.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any further progress has been made towards establishing a home leave scheme for Indian soldiers serving in the British Army in this country.

Yes, Sir. Instructions will be issued shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the parents of No. 14823172 Private J. Hartley, South Wales Borderers Regiment, received notification on 8th April, 1945, that their son had been seriously wounded on 29th March, but that it was not until 21st April that intimation was received that Private Hartley died of his wounds on 8th April; and why this delay took place both in notification of the fact that this soldier had been seriously wounded and later of his death.

Some delay in the notification of casualties is necessarily involved in the careful checking of reports to prevent the distress caused by incorrect notifications. At the time when Private Hartley was wounded, namely, the period of the Rhine crossing, our casualties were heavier than normal and the notification procedure was inevitably slowed down in consequence. In this particular case a further delay of some days occurred because the man had recently been transferred from one regiment to another and the necessary transfer of documents had not been completed. I deeply regret any pain that may have been caused to his relatives in consequence, but I have investigated this case fully and I am satisfied that no question of negligence was involved.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Plymouth Corporation have, since October, 1944, been asking for the release from the services of key personnel essential for the preparation of plans by the engineer and surveyor's department for housing and reconstruction and that up to date only one has been released; and if he will take immediate steps to release the remaining personnel required.

The release of the men asked for by the Plymouth Corporation has been carefully considered, but I regret they cannot be released now. If the names are submitted when the war in Europe is over the cases will be reconsidered in accordance with the normal procedure.

asked the Prime Minister if, in preparing the pamphlet for distribution to Service personnel in the Far East that is to keep men abreast of developments in the social and political field by describing Measures now before the House, he will include as comments on these Measures summaries of the main currents of political opinion upon them.

No, Sir. It has already been made clear both by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister in reply to the hon. Member on 17th January last, and by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the War Office in the Debate on the Adjournment on 22nd February, that the purpose of the pamphlet is limited to one of description and explanation.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a statement as to the supply of text books for the post-war Army Education Scheme, showing what books, namely, titles and authors, are now available for issue; what additional books will be available; and on what scale and at what approximate date copies will be available in each theatre.

In addition to the large number of books already issued for the current Education Scheme and for War Office correspondence courses, arrangements have been made to supply Commands at home and abroad with a total of 2,500,000 copies of over 500 different works for the Army Education Scheme, arranged for the release period. Of these, about 2,340,000 had been ordered and about 423,000 received by 21st April last. It is expected that at least 75 per cent. will have been received by the end of June and the remainder by the end of September. In view of the large number of titles involved and the possibility that our demands may have to be modified as a result of the world wide shortage of books, it would not be practicable to give a list of the books to be issued, but they have been carefully chosen to be as representative as possible, and cover the arts, sciences, technology, commerce, modern languages, biography and fiction.

The scale of issue will be one standard library of about 400 works for each unit or group of units of a strength of 500, and an allotment of text books not normally exceeding two-thirds of unit strength, for unit classes. In addition there will be a library of about 5,000 books in each command at home and each comparable formation overseas. Books will also be available for correspondence courses. The despatch of books to commands has already begun. As far as can be foreseen at present, a substantial proportion should be ready on the spot before the release scheme begins to operate.

asked the Secretary of State for War which Welch troops have taken part in the operations in Northern Germany.

The following Welsh Regiments have taken part in operations in North West Germany:

Welsh Guards

South Wales Borderers

Monmouthshire Regiment

Royal Welch Fusiliers

Welch Regiment.

In addition there are many Welsh officers and other ranks serving in the R.A., R.E., R.A.S.C., R.E.M.E., and other ancillary services of the 53rd (Welsh) Division and other formations.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now return to the governors of St. Paul's School, Hammersmith, the premises in Hammersmith requisitioned by his Department at the beginning of the war and subsequently sub-let to various political and non-education bodies, since the London area is losing educational facilities for some 1,000 day pupils.

There has never been any question of sub-letting this building, which has been used exclusively since it was requisitioned by bodies whose accommodation is the responsibility of the War Office and whose work is an essential part of the war effort. During its occupation it has been fitted with special communications facilities, including teleprinter installations, which make it very suitable for use by large headquarters of the type which must be situated in London and which handle a very heavy signal traffic. I am making every effort to derequisition school buildings as quickly as possible, but my hon. Friend will appreciate that alternatives to accommodation of this particular sort are not easy to find. Alternative plans are, however, being examined and the school will be derequisitioned at the earliest possible moment.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the interference with the work of the Churches, particularly in connection with youth activities, due to the continued retention of premises belonging to religious bodies by the military authorities, he will give instructions for the immediate derequisitioning of such premises so that the moral and spiritual training of the youth of this country may be carried on under suitable conditions.

As my hon. and gallant Friend is no doubt aware, priority in derequisitioning is given to schools and small houses. I regret, therefore, that I am unable to carry out his suggestion. I can, however, assure him that no premises will be retained longer than is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, owing to the shortage of houses in Northern Ireland, he will hand back to the owners the 63 requisitioned houses at present unoccupied; and whether he will do the same with the remaining 188 houses still occupied so soon as they become vacant.

I have nothing at present to add to the reply I gave my hon. Friend on 24th April.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the number of houses now under requisition by his Department in the Reigate and Dorking districts, respectively; the number of such houses which are now empty; and whether it is proposed to derequisition some of these houses in the near future.

In Reigate 96 houses are requisitioned and 43 of these are empty. In Dorking 18 are requisitioned and 11 of these are empty. In reply to the last part of my hon. Friend's question I would refer him to a reply I gave a number of hon. Members on 24th April.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of architects and surveyors and the number of building trade operatives now in the Army.

There are 13,000 architects and surveyors and 365,000 building trade operatives in the Army. The latter figure includes general labourers allied to the building trades.

asked the Secretary of State for War if tradesmen transferred to the Army from the R.A.F. are told the reason why they cannot continue to be employed as tradesmen when military requirements do not make this possible.

No special explanation is given by the Army to R.A.F. tradesmen transferred to the Army and employed as non-tradesmen. When, however, they are interviewed at the time of transfer those who appear to be skilled in trades in which there are Army vacancies are invited to complete special forms so that their qualifications can be examined. Moreover, all Army units are from time to time notified of trades in which vacancies exist and for which men may register as potential tradesmen. I think it is generally well enough understood that the two requirements for employment in an Army trade are, vacancies in that trade, and possession of the necessary qualifications.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can give an assurance that adequate stores of food and clothing are available for the relief of distress in Malaya when the country has been liberated from the Japanese.

Arrangements are being made to introduce adequate relief supplies into Malaya as soon as possible after it has been liberated.

asked the Secretary of State for War on what date he asked the Lebanese Government to introduce legislation to set up machinery to enable the military authorities to pay compensation to the dispossessed owners of the land on which the Haifa-Beirut-Tripoli Railway was built; and what was the reply of the Lebanese Government to the request.

A decree was promulgated on 4th October, 1944, by the Lebanese Government authorising the registration of the land in the name of the Secretary of State for War. Thereafter representations were made to the Lebanese Minister of Justice that an Arbitration Commission should be set up to settle the prices of the land, but so far the Lebanese Government have not done so.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that casein hydrolysate was used with success in Calcutta during the recent famine to revive moribund individuals and restore them to health; and whether attempts are now being made to supply it to the inmates of concentration camps in Germany and to Dutch civilians, both in the standard form and in a form suitable for intravenous injection for cases in extremis.

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

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will consider introducing into the Central Legislature a Bill for the reform of the land system in India, and especially of Bengal, along the lines of the recommendations of the Floud Commission.

Legislation affecting land tenure is, under the Government of India Act, 1935, a matter for the Provincial Legislatures.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many British prisoners of war are still held by the Germans.

Early this year it was estimated that about 180,000 prisoners from the British Commonwealth were in German hands. Since then 3,436 have been evacuated from Odessa and 43,000 have reached the United Kingdom from North-West Europe. But many others have doubtless been liberated by the various Allied Armies in the last days.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can give any information regarding Lieutenant Richard Stuart Roffe, 8th Hussars, a prisoner of war in Oflag V.A. at Weinberg, which camp has been liberated by the French.

I regret that no information has so far been received regarding Lieutenant Richard Stuart Roffey, to whom I assume my hon. and gallant Friend refers. The prisoners in Oflag V.A. were, unfortunately, not liberated. When the camp was overrun by Allied Forces it was deserted.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Italian prisoners in this country can now be repatriated in order that they may participate in the liberation of their own country and so relieve British and other Allied troops who are daily risking their lives in Italy.

It is considered that the war effort of the United Nations is better served by the valuable work performed by these Italians in this country than by their repatriation to fight in Italy, even if shipping could be made available for this purpose and they could be trained in time.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the continuing practice of Government Departments retaining requisitioned houses which often are not used at all, he will appoint a small independent committee to investigate whether this policy could be at once usefully, and without harm to the war effort, modified.

Stringent directions have been given to all Departments concerned to release the smaller types of requisitioned houses at the earliest moment compatible with the discharge of their war responsibilities. The continued improvement of the military situation should render progress much faster in the next few months, and it is not yet necessary to call for assistance from an additional committee in the manner suggested.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware that freight rates between this country and the British West Indies in pre-war years were high compared with other overseas destinations and that, during the war, they have been subject to extremely heavy surcharges; and whether he will endeavour, at an early date, to effect a substantial reduction in the interests of the small and impoverished Colonies.

I am advised that it is difficult to make direct comparisons between pre-war tariff levels to different areas, but war-time surcharges (including the one which is to take effect on 15th May next) have not been unduly heavy on these routes in comparison with the average to other destinations or with increases in rates to the United Kingdom. Such increases have been made necessary by the increase in the cost of the services. It will be the aim of the Ministry to reduce rates as and when a fall in costs justifies such a course.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he can make any statement with regard to the future of the Royal Observer Corps; and when is it expected that demobilisation in this Corps will begin.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will make a statement on the duties and status of the Royal Observer Corps after the end of the war in Europe.

The stand-down of the Royal Observer Corps will start simultaneously with the disbandment of the Civil Defence General Services, i.e., on a date—to be announced—termed "the appointed day." The rate at which stand-down proceeds, group by group, will depend on the operational requirements of the Royal Air Force. While it is not possible to foresee what changes the future may bring in the aircraft reporting system of this country, there is at present no substitute for the skill and experience of the Corps, and for some time observers will remain an essential element in our air defence. There can, therefore, be no question of disbandment.

Accordingly, a small nucleus of full-time members will be retained for administrative purposes and every member released from his present engagement with the Corps will be invited to volunteer either to remain a member on a spare-time basis and undertake occasional training, or otherwise to retain his connection with the Corps for service in an emergency. I am confident that members of the Corps will welcome this opportunity of giving further service and of developing in the days of peace the close comradeship which has grown up in the Royal Observer Corps and between the Corps and the Royal Air Force during the days and nights of war.