asked the Minister of Agriculture by what authority members of the war agricultural executive committees or their servants enter farms and farm buildings to inspect crops, animals and cattle food and to interrogate farm workers without permission of the farmer and without giving the farmer an opportunity of being present at such inspections and interviews.

The members of the committees and their servants have been authorised individually by warrant issued under Defence Regulation 55AA to enter on farms and carry out inspections in pursuance of paragraph (2) of this Regulation. Many of the inspections are in the nature of routine, and notification or otherwise is a matter for the discretion of Committees, but if my hon. Friend wishes to bring to my notice the circumstances of any case in which the farmer should have been present, I will make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how much of the British sugar beet crop was lost last year owing to the weather and labour difficulties; and what precautionary steps are being taken to handle this year's crop more efficiently.

I have no reliable figures; but it is estimated that the quantity of sugar beet not delivered to the factories because of frost and labour difficulties was about 10,000 tons. A further quantity, estimated at 5,000 tons, was found on delivery at the factories to be unsuitable for sugar extraction. Weather conditions must always remain a risk inseparable from farming operations but the Government will do everything possible to secure the necessary labour for harvesting the 1945 crop.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether landlords who have benefited from the failure of war-time tenants to deduct Schedule A tax from the next instalment of rent are subject to Income Tax on benefits derived in this manner;

(2) if he will take steps to give to the General Commissioners of Income Tax the power to settle cases between landlord and tenant where the tenant owing to an oversight has omitted to deduct Schedule A tax from the next quarter's rent in view of the fact that there is a shortage of solicitors and lack of machinery for consultations between the disputing parties;

(3) if he will consider introducing legislation requiring the landlord, where the tenant pays Schedule A tax on his behalf, to state on the current demand for rent that if the amount of tax is not deducted the tenant will lose his rights to do so, subject to the processes of the law, and take steps to stop the growing practice of debt-collecting agencies issuing writs against tenants who fail to make such deduction.

There is no provision in the law for charging Income Tax on the landlord in the circumstances mentioned in the first Question. With regard to the second and third Questions, I fear that I could not see my way to introduce legislation as to cases in which a tenant has failed to deduct tax which he might have deducted from payments of rent. I would, however, point out that where Income Tax under Schedule A is demanded from a tenant-occupier, an explanation of his right to deduct tax from the next payment of rent is contained both in a demand note issued to him by the Inland Revenue Department and in the receipt given to him on payment of the Tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what machinery exists to discriminate between the delayed effects of war damage to dwelling-houses due to enemy action and ordinary dilapidations within the terms of common form leases.

Arrangements have been made by the War Damage Commission under which a claimant, if in doubt whether an item of repair is, or is not, made necessary by war damage, may consult the Commission before repairs are started. The Commission then appoint one of their surveyors to inspect the property and discuss the matter with the claimant's professional adviser. If this does not settle the matter, the Commission are prepared to refer the matter for a further opinion to a Deputy Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioners are all eminent professional men, appointed on the recommendation of the professional associations to assist the Commission on technical matters of doubt or difficulty.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the failure of vaccination and inoculation against cholera, typhus fever and smallpox, to protect against those diseases and with the knowledge that these operations may do permanent damage to the health of the persons undergoing them, before ratifying the International Sanitary Conventions of 1944, the Government will make provision for objectors to these vaccinations and inoculations.

The two Conventions in question did not require ratification, and are already in force so far as His Majesty's Government are concerned, a sufficient number of Governments having signed or acceded to them, including the United Kingdom. The general object of the parties to these Conventions is to lay down maximum protective measures in given circumstances against the introduction of infectious disease into their territories. The Governments concerned undertake not to exceed these measures, and in this way the imposition of unduly onerous precautions is avoided. To give effect in this country to the Conventions, regulations will be necessary. Notice of these will be given in the "London Gazette," and they will be laid before Parliament in the usual way. It is not contemplated that these regulations will impose compulsory vaccination or inoculation. The texts of the Conventions will also be laid before Parliament in the form of White Papers, which are now with the printer. The implications regarding vaccination and inoculation contained in the preamble to the Question are not admitted.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now state the extent to which expenditure from public funds will be devoted to helping the prisoners of war and civilian internees in the Far East.

I have been asked to reply. It is impossible to forecast the amount of future expenditure on prisoners of war and civilian internees in the Far East. The amounts at present provided vary in different countries, particularly in the case of civilians. It can, however, be generally stated that expenditure on both prisoners (which is met from Red Cross funds) and civilians has been limited only to the amounts which the Japanese Government themselves fix, or which the Protecting Power say they can effectively use. It must also be borne in mind that the problem is not solely a financial one. It is as much one of shortage of essential supplies as of the provision of funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements are being made for the medical examination on arrival, medical and hospital treatment and convalescent home accommodation, for civilian internees arriving in this country after release from Malaya and Hong Kong.

My Department, in conjunction with the Health Departments, is making arrangements for the medical examination of civilian internees repatriated to this country from Malaya and Hong Kong, and where necessary for the provision of hospital and convalescent home treatment in areas as near as possible to their homes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the arrangements which are being made for civilian internees released from Malaya and Hong Kong, due regard is being paid to the fact that among the released internees will be a considerable proportion of women and children; and what special steps are being taken in their interest.

I am in close touch with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for War and the Minister of Health with regard to the special needs of these women and children, but I am not yet in a position to make a detailed statement on this subject.

asked the Minister of Health whether any of his medical officers have made inquiries into the death of Betty Diane Lazenby, aged three months, of Front Street, Lockington, on 2nd April, 1945, from generalised vaccinia resulting from vaccination; whether lymph from the Government Vaccine Institute was used in this case; whether, as babies are still dying from the effects of vaccination, he will consider legislation abolishing the present vaccination system; and why was the baby in question vaccinated before she had attained the age of four months.

I am having inquiries made about the case to which my hon. Friend refers and will communicate with him as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health how many death certificates were received in 1943 in which death was attributed to vaccination, vaccinia, post-vaccinal encephalitis or any other complication of vaccination; and what were the ages of the victims.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave him on 21st December last.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths from smallpox occurred in England and Wales from 1921 to 1942.

The numbers of deaths from smallpox registered in England and Wales from 1921 to 1942 were as follow:

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of smallpox and deaths from that disease were registered in Eng land and Wales in 1943 and 1944.

As stated in the answer given to my hon. Friend on 18th October last, no notifications of cases of smallpox were received and no deaths from small pox were registered in England and Wales in 1943. During 1944, 18 cases were originally notified and these were reduced to 16 upon revision of diagnosis. 3 deaths were registered.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths from diphtheria were recorded in 1944; and whether he can state the number of these under five and between five and 15 years of age.

The information desired by my hon. Friend is as follows in respect of the first three quarters of 1944:

The corresponding analysis for the fourth quarter of 1944 is not yet available; but a provisional figure for all ages is 225.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of diphtheria were recorded in the following areas in the years

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the wide-spread lack of knowledge which exists to-day in many parts of the country regarding the system of local government, he will institute an instructional campaign throughout the country for the purpose of informing the public concerning the rights they possess of approaching the duly elected representatives of their local boroughs, district councils or county councils.

I have the whole question of publicity in relation to local government under consideration, and an exhibition arranged by the National Association of Local Government Officers which I recently opened at County Hall is now being shown in a number of provincial centres. I am discussing with the local government associations methods of improving the machinery of local authorities for publicising their services and activities.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the case of a civil servant, of whom particulars have been sent him, who, compelled to work in the Royal Aeronautical Establishment at Farnborough, found it impossible to obtain housing accommodation for his family and when he asked that a requisitioned house might be made avail able for him was told by the regional

1942, 1943 and 1944, Guildford Rural District, Hambledon Rural District and Haslemere Urban District.

The information desired by my hon. Friend is as follows:

officer of his Department that it was a decision of Government policy not to requisition houses for civil servants; and what steps he is taking to assist this man and other civil servants in similar circum stances to find accommodation.

Yes, Sir. Owing to the acute shortage of accommodation it was decided not to authorise the requisition of houses for civil servants as such, but civil servants unable to find accommodation privately can, like anyone else, apply to the local authority for accommodation in houses requisitioned for persons inadequately housed.

asked the Minister of Health what provision he is making in the case of houses in London which have been requisitioned for temporary conversion into dwellings to offer some accommodation of a suitable character to the owners or former occupiers; if he is aware that the requisition rates are mostly below the pre-war rent or pre-war annual value while the cost of alternative accommodation, in cases where any is obtainable, greatly exceeds pre-war cost; and will he consider how hardship is to be avoided.

These houses are requisitioned, when unoccupied, for the rehousing of families rendered homeless by enemy action. If the former owner or tenant wishes to return, or needs alternative accommodation, his application is sympathetically considered on merits.