asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any further information about the setting up in Poland of a Government representative of the various parties in Polish life.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, with a view to implementing the decision of the Yalta Conference, he will invite the Government of the U.S.S.R. to put forward names of persons living both inside and outside Poland, who, in their opinion, might be suitable candidates for membership of an enlarged Polish Government.

Hon. Members will no doubt have seen the announcement issued this morning. Following upon the recent conversations between Marshal Stalin and Mr. Hopkins the Moscow Commission on Poland established by the Crimea Conference has resumed its work and has issued invitations to an agreed list of Polish leaders from within Poland and from abroad to consult under the auspices of the Commission on the composition of a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity in accordance with the Crimea decisions. These consultations will only be the first step towards the fulfilment of those decisions but it is the hope of His Majesty's Government that they may lead to the formation of a Government acceptable to all parties in Poland such as will command the recognition of all the great Powers.

Should these conversations prove successful, as we all hope, will the Foreign Secretary reconsider the whole status of the Polish Government in London?

Up till now we have been governed in this matter by the declaration on Poland of the Crimea Conference. Perhaps I ought to read to the House the relevant part:

"When a Polish Provisional Government of national unity has been properly formed in conformity with the above"—

"the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which now maintains diplomatic relations with the present Provisional Government of Poland, and the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the United States will establish diplomatic relations with the new Polish Provisional Government of national unity and will exchange ambassadors, by whose reports the respective Governments will be kept informed about the situation in Poland."

Is the Polish Government in London a party to these new moves and in agreement with them?

I think the hon. Member will have seen in the Press to-day the list of representatives who are going, and they do seem to us to be as fully representative of Polish feeling as we can hope to have at the present time. I do not think there are members of the London Polish Government.

Will my right hon. Friend state whether these delegates will have their safey guaranteed by the British Government?

I have no reason to suppose that their safety is in any jeopardy.

Pending the conversations, in order to improve relations, will some of the Polish agencies in London be invited to refrain from publishing anti-Soviet propaganda at our expense?

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the President of Poland has been consulted as being the only person entitled to appoint a Polish Government?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any further information has been received from the Soviet Government on the Polish leaders under arrest in Russia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affars whether in view of the increasing suspicion over the intention of the U.S.S.R. in Poland and Eastern Europe arising in part from the arrest of the 16 Poles, he will invite the Government of the U.S.S.R. to state in greater detail than hitherto whether all the 16 persons are charged with offences; and if not, who are so charged and the nature of the indictments against them.

The Soviet Government are well aware of the desire of His Majesty's Government for full information on this subject. The early release of these men would, I am sure, contribute to the success of the important consultations which will shortly begin in Moscow.

In view of the satisfaction which we all feel at the answer to the previous Question, could the right hon. Gentleman represent to the Soviet Government the great importance to Anglo-Soviet relations and the future organisation of world security of releasing these people?

I am sure the Soviet Government are fully aware of our anxiety in this matter, but I will certainly see that what the hon. Member has said is brought to their attention.

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure us that the Polish Government in London will themselves refrain from abusing the special powers that we have conferred upon them in relation to their army by arresting political opponents?

That is another question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will take up with the Soviet Government the question of admitting representatives of the International Red Cross into Poland by the Government responsible, in order that medical aid and supplies for countering an outbreak of bubonic plague, typhus and typhoid, may be brought to Warsaw.

His Majesty's Government are always ready to consider any suggestions as to how they might be of service in such matters. But they have not in the present case received any request from the International Red Cross Committee for assistance of the nature indicated by my hon. Friend.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that there is an almost complete dearth of medical supplies in Warsaw and throughout Poland?

I will certainly bear in mind the point that my hon. Friend makes, but he must remember that we have at present no first hand opportunities of informing ourselves of conditions in Poland at all.

In view of the absence of accurate information on the subject, could the right hon. Gentleman do anything to suppress these Tory attacks on Soviet Russia?

I cannot see that there is any attack on Soviet Russia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that three Greek Resistance leaders, Movedas, Bourdis and Archis have been sentenced to death, whilst Premier Rallis has been sentenced to life imprisonment; and whether he will make an appeal for clemency to the Greek Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has considered a conference resolution from the general secretary of the Amalgamated Engineering Union urging him to take steps to secure a reprieve for certain Greek prisoners condemned to death; the terms of his reply; and whether he intends that action will be taken in conformity with the request made to him.

These three men were all tried and sentenced by military courts under martial law, but since the Varkiza Agreement they have been re-tried by civil courts. The right hon. Gentleman the Member for Aberdare, who was then Under-Secretary of State, explained on 1st May in reply to a question that Monedas was convicted of murder by the Athens Criminal Court. Bourdis was convicted of three murders between 3rd December and 6th January. Only two witnesses were produced for the defence, neither of whom gave any evidence rebutting the charges on which Bourdis was convicted. Avcheris was suspected of being concerned in the murder of 93 hostages, but not all these charges were pressed. He was, however, convicted of a number of murders, including those of a woman and of a man over 70. In all three cases there has been ample evidence to show that the victims were not killed because they were traitors and collaborationists, and in the case of Avcheris this was admitted even by some of the witnesses for the defence. In these circumstances, His Majesty's Government would not feel justified in intervening with the Greek Government to prevent the execution of the death sentence.

Is the statement which the right hon. Gentleman has now read the answer sent to the Engineers' Conference in London, the resolution having been addressed to the Prime Minister?

I am not sure whether an answer has been sent, but no doubt it will be on those lines.

Why are the Government so ready to accept the opinion of the Greek Government on this matter when they are so reluctant to accept the opinion of the Soviet Government on another matter?

It is not a question of accepting an opinion, but of accepting facts.

Is it not a fact that the man over 70 was a British subject?

I am not certain of that.

How is it possible for the right hon. Gentleman to speak about facts? All that he has in his possession is a statement made by the Greek Government. Has he made a thorough investigation into this matter in all its aspects?

Yes, Sir. We have seen the record of the trial and the evidence given.

Is it not the case that there are some independent newspaper men in Greece and none in Soviet Russia?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the trade election returns for 128 Greek unions in Athens and Piræus up to 1st June, 1945, give a total of 25,066 votes cast for Ergas and 8,083 for Hadjidemetriou and all other groups; whether he will publish the report of the British Trades Union Congress delegation which was sent to Greece to supervise these elections; and whether he will make representations to the Greek Government to allow the unions all the normal freedoms allowed in a democracy.

I understand that the newspaper of the Greek Communist Party in Athens has quoted figures similar to those given by the hon. Member. I do not know on what these figures are based, and I am certainly not prepared to vouch for their accuracy. I believe that any figures given for the results of the Trades Union elections in Greece must for the present be somewhat speculative, but those quoted by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 30th May were compiled from the official lists in the workers centres, and I think they are the best available at present. As regards the second part of the Question, I am not aware that the T.U.C. Delegation have written a report on the elections. A decision as regards publication would in any case, rest with the T.U.C. and not with His Majesty's Government, since the Delegation is not an official Government mission. As regards the last part of the Question, I have no reason to suppose that the Greek Government will attempt to limit the freedom of the Greek trades unions. I have seen no suggestion that they have tried to intervene or to tamper with the conduct of the elections.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Mr. Hadjidemetriou has resigned his post owing to lack of support in the election?

I do not think that that affects the answer that I have given. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the figures the hon. Member gives in his Question, and I think any figures at present must be highly speculative.

Would the right hon. Gentleman regard them as speculative if they had been the other way round?

I do not see what the hon. Member means by "if they had been the other way round." I should not be at all surprised if they were the other way round.

Is not Greece an independent State, and is it not the established policy of the Government never to interfere in the internal affairs of an independent State?

Is the system of voting in Greece individual or block voting, as in Great Britain, where one political boss votes for 100,000 people?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that protests have been made in the last three weeks to the Greek Premier by the Liberal, Progressive, Socialist, Agrarian and E.A.M. parties against terrorisation by armed bands of Monarchists assisted by detachments of the National Guard; and whether he will take action to see that the British forces in Greece maintain order.

I am aware that there have been a number of complaints about the activities of some sections of the National Guard and of Right Wing groups. I have no doubt that some of these complaints are justified, for, as my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary stated on 30th May, excesses are still being committed by extremists both of the Right and of the Left. The Greek Government are taking energetic steps to remedy abuses and to ensure that order is maintained with justice and impartiality. Full use is being made of British troops to assist in maintaining order and their presence is exerting a decisive influence on the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if before pulling up concrete runways, he will make sure that the runways cannot be used for other purposes and that the cost is not prohibitive or unnecessary; and will he also leave hangars standing where they are of use for parking places for vehicles or agricultural implements.

My hon. and gallant Friend's suggestions will be borne in mind.

Will the hon. Gentleman make sure that the First Lord of the Admiralty knows what he is doing in this matter, so as to prevent an unwarrantable waste of public money in making Admiralty aerodromes where suitable ones exist next door?

asked the Secretary of State for Air how much R.A.F. labour has been employed in repair to Butlin's camp at Filey; and why similar facilities have not been made available for the re pair to hotels in Scarborough derequisitioned by his Ministry.

No Royal Air Force personnel have been employed at this camp under official arrangements. I understand that during May some 20 airmen worked at the camp in their spare time. This casual employment was accepted without authority and has now been stopped.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he proposes announcing any scheme for the release of education officers, as only those serving at home are enabled to resign since they are civilians and as R.A.F. education officers abroad, having no knowledge when they will be released, feel that the Ministry of Education are filling all the best jobs with men who have not gone abroad.

Yes, Sir. It is proposed to promulgate a scheme shortly. With regard to the second part of the Question, education officers serving with the R.A.F. at home enjoy no advantages in respect of release or resignation compared with those serving overseas.

Will the hon. Gentleman apply to these men the arrangements recently circulated by the Minister of Education in his memorandum with regard to Class B releases?

Class B releases are not primarily a question far my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give an assurance that the rate of release of temporary members of the R.A.F. will not be allowed to fall substantially behind the rate of release in the other Services.

As stated in the White Paper on Re-allocation of Manpower, release will necessarily proceed at different rates in the three Services owing to military considerations. It is impossible at this stage to estimate the extent of the variations between the three Services but every effort will be made, consistent with operational requirements, to keep them to a minimum.

Am I to understand from the reply, that the main factor in the speed of these releases is not transport facilities, as we were recently informed?

I think that the main obstacle to these releases is the existence of the Japanese war.

Will men in the R.A.F. who were voluntarily seconded from the R.A.F. to Ministry of Aircraft Production factories, have whatever time they spent in the factories taken into account in their release group?

The hon. Gentleman should refer to the Debate in the House on 18th April, when the matter was fully discussed.

When will the public know the rate at which these men are to come out, for all they and the R.A.F. know at the moment is that the rate of flow will be much slower than for the Army?

The hon. Member may have seen in the newspapers two or three days ago the absolute maximum which it was possible to state at the moment.

What was disclosed in the Debate of 18th April in answer to my Question?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can now make a statement on the payment of gratuities to the W.A.A.F. who were parachuted into France before D-Day.

Yes, Sir. Gratuity will be payable.

Am I right in assuming that all girls who have undertaken that type of work will receive gratuities from their various Departments?

I do not think the hon. Lady will be justified in making any assumptions except those which are covered by her Question and my answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if, in view of the concern felt in the R.A.F. about the retention of clerks and other tradesmen beyond the time at which they would normally be released in their age and length of service groups, he will now make a comprehensive statement on the differences between R.A.F. and Army practice in such matters as release, repatriation and 28 days' home leave for men serving in the B.L.A. and the C.M.F. before they are posted to the Far East.

As the reply is necessarily rather long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate a statement in the Official Report.

Can the hon. Member say—in view of the apprehension that has been caused in the Air Force by the speech of the Secretary of State for War last Friday, which was in the main satisfactory as regards the Army—whether the last point in my Question will be dealt with in that long answer?

I think that it will be dealt with.

asked the Minister of Aircraft Production if he is yet in a position to state the result of the inquiries into the allegations against Whatton and Sons, Limited, Wolverhampton, of excessive charges for aircraft parts; and, if not, will he give the approximate date when the inquiries will be completed.

The examination into the prices charged by this company is being pressed forward with all speed, but I am at present unable to say how soon it will be completed.

Will it be announced by the Spring?

I hope before the Autumn.

Will it be months or years or only weeks?

The hon. Member is asking for a guess, and I should say about the end of August.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any guarantee that it will be done before he leaves office?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will expedite the return of the Royal Naval College to its home and thus enable the officers and teaching staff to carry on the training of the cadets with greater efficiency than can be done in improvised premises.

Yes, Sir. But the work of reconditioning the college must take its appropriate place in the list of building priorities.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will indicate the general policy with regard to employment and work at the Royal Dockyards during the remainder of the war.

So far as can be foreseen all the Royal Dockyards will be fully employed in making alterations and additions to His Majesty's Ships for the prosecution of the war against Japan and in carrying out repairs.

In view of the great increase in the size of the Royal Navy and in its fighting power, will my right hon. Friend give an undertaking that there will be no large scale reduction of employment in the Royal Dockyards after the Japanese war?

That is a question of Government policy. Perhaps when the Election is over my hon. Friend will put a Question down.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, now that this country is no longer subject to enemy attack, he will at an early date give publicity to the achievements of the Royal Dockyards at Chatham and elsewhere during the war against Germany, indicating the number of men employed, what has been produced and repaired there, and what they have suffered from air raids.

Yes, Sir. It is hoped to issue a statement shortly.

Will ray right hon. Friend in due course give full recognition to the magnificent contribution made by the Chatham Dockyards workers to the war effort?

Yes, Sir. In due course proper recognition will be paid to the part played by the Chatham Dockyards.

Can we be assured that the right hon. Gentleman does not detect in any of these Questions any propaganda?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will set up a committee at an early date to consider the most efficient way of operating the Royal Dockyards after the war and providing adequate inducements to highly qualified engineers and other technicians to remain in these Royal Dockyards rather than go to private firms; and whether, in this connection, he will consult the Admiralty Industrial Civil Servants' Federation and other appropriate bodies, representing employees in these establishments.

The efficiency of the dock, yard management, and the appropriateness of the rates of pay and conditions of service authorised for dockyard employees, are matters which the Admiralty constantly watch. As my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, machinery exists for regular consultation between representatives of the employees and Departmental officials both at the dockyards and at headquarters. This is intended to secure the greatest measure of co-operation in the pursuit of efficiency and of the well-being of the employees. I see no early need to set up a special committee to supplement these arrangements.

Could the First Lord suggest some better method than appointing this committee to see that these highly qualified engineers and technicians will receive wages in keeping with those prevailing in private yards?

I am very pleased to see this excellent Tory doctrine so fully explained in a supplementary question, but I have no intention of appointing another committee to deal with work which is being thoroughly well done at the present time.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the revised form S.272 has now been distributed to all H.M. ships and naval shore establishments; if he is aware that this poster was still displayed in its unrevised form at the Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth, on Monday, 28th May; and what steps he proposes to take to implement the undertaking on this matter given by his Department two months ago.

The distribution of the revised form S.272 has been delayed by printing difficulties. It is now being distributed and copies are displayed at the Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth. Instructions to ensure that the undertaking to which my hon. Friend refers was carried out, were issued shortly after the Debate on the 29th March.

Does it really take two months to get these posters printed, and is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the position was still as described in the Question at this very important establishment only a few days ago?

I am afraid that apparently it has taken a long time to get these papers printed, but the work has been done now. I am sorry about this hold-up but apparently it has been inevitable.

A calculated bottleneck?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the amount of leave to which Navy personnel are entitled after two years' service abroad before being posted to the Far East.

On return from two years foreign service a rating would be granted the foreign service leave dut to him. This would amount to 28 days on the basis of seven days leave for each six months of service abroad. When the man's turn came for drafting abroad, he would be given a further period of drafting leave which for a man detailed for the Far East would be 14 days. Depending upon the time the man had spent in home waters in the interval, and on his employment, he might well have had a further period of leave under normal home service rules.

Will my right hon. Friend look into cases of men who have not received the minimum period of leave if I send particulars to him?

Yes, Sir.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can give an assurance that the rate of release of reservists in the Royal Navy will not be permitted to fall substantially behind the rate of release in the other Services.

No, Sir. The Fleet has been reminded that, as stated in the White Paper on the Re-Allocation Plan (Command 6548), it will not be possible to keep the rate of release in the three Services in step. Apart from the heavy obligations of mine clearance and of redeployment against Japan, the large number of officers and men in the Royal Navy over the age of 50 will from the start cause the rate of release of the under-50's to fall behind that of the other Services.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the dissatisfaction that is felt in the Royal Navy at this inequality following so soon after the transfer of large numbers of men into the ranks of His Majesty's Army?

I believe this arrangement has been settled after a great deal of consultation over the past year, and I certainly am not prepared to interfere with a decision which was taken long before I came to the Admiralty.

If the R.N.V.R. are not going to get released on the same conditions as in other Services, will the right hon. Gentleman see that they get the same opportunities for promotion into higher ranks as do the Reservists in the Army?

I shall bear that suggestion in mind and will do everything I can to facilitate it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state the names of the International Tin Committee; and also the connection of any of them with the tin trade.

As the answer is rather long I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Might I ask whether any Member of Parliament is on this Committee?

No Member of our Parliament. I am not sure whether some of the foreign representatives are members of their Parliaments.

Might I ask whether the right hon. and gallant Gentleman expects reinforcements from the Treasury Bench to this Committee when the present Government lose office?

I would not speculate on such a remote future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to announce particulars of a scheme under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act for the nursing training of West Indian nursing recruits for four years in a composite nursing course in Britain; to what extent and by whom this training scheme has already been put into operation; and whether he has approached the voluntary hospitals with teaching schools attached with a view to their assisting the scheme.

As the particulars requested are long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate in the Official Report a reply to the first two parts of the Question. I should like, however, to take this opportunity of expressing my gratitude to the hon. Member for the part which he has played in the successful institution of this scheme. As regards the last part of the Question, any such extension should, I consider, await the report, which will reach me within a few days, of the Committee which, under Lord Rushcliffe's Chairmanship, has been examining the training of nurses for work in Colonial territories generally.

Whilst thanking the right hon. and gallant Gentleman for his very generous reference, might I ask whether that report will deal specifically with the question of securing for Colonial nursing aspirants training in the voluntary hospitals with medical schools attached?

I have not yet seen the report, but it will cover the whole question of training nurses, and will undoubtedly cover that particular point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied with the present arrangements associated with the West Indian Nursing Training Scheme in Britain for the impartial selection and approval of West Indian applicants for inclusion in this scheme by means of insular selection boards; and whether, within a definite period of time, he will consider establishing a West Indian Federal Nursing Board carefully chosen mainly of non-official elements.

I consider that the present arrangements are reasonably satisfactory. The question of appointing a Federal Nursing Board will be considered, with other possible modifications of the existing scheme, in the light of experience of the working of the present arrangements, which became effective only six months ago.

When the right hon. and gallant Gentleman is reviewing this scheme will he have regard to the desirability for securing uniformity and basing his views on some further consideration of a Federal Board dealing with the whole question?

I will certainly consider that. It is obviously important to get uniformity. At the present time, as the hon. Gentleman knows, we are trying to get it through the Comptroller's organisations.

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman think that such a scheme as this is at all appropriate for West Africa?

I think we had better wait and see the general report on training as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many aliens are still interned in Uganda; whether he can give particulars of their nationality; and whether any of them are segregated from others on account of their political views or on other grounds.

The total number of aliens interned in Uganda is 1,145. This total is made up of 967 Italians, 51 Germans, 101 other enemy aliens, 13 non-enemy aliens and 13 stateless persons. All these aliens are housed in one camp, but 940 of the Italians, who were evacuated from Ethiopia and are all males, are confined in a separate section of the camp. There is no other segregation.

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider that some further segregation is desirable, in view of the very great difference between these categories?

I will certainly consider that, but what I am anxious to see more than segregation is the return of these people.

Is it the Government's purpose to send many of these Italians back to Italy and not back to Nyasaland, Rhodesia and other places where they were picked up?

I do not think these Italians were picked up there. I think most of them came from Abyssinia.

asked the Prime Minister if he will appoint a commission to inquire into the better use of coal and the advisability of prohibiting the export of raw coal and the burning of raw coal in domestic grates, so as to retain the by-products to manufacture here.

I have been asked to reply. The domestic use of all kinds of coal is at present being examined by the Fuel and Power Advisory Council, under the chairmanship of Sir Ernest Simon. It is not considered that prohibition of the export of coal in the raw state would be in the national interest, but the point which my hon. Friend has raised will be taken into account in connection with our coal export policy.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has considered proposals made to him for the creation of machinery designed to secure a broad measure of co-operation and agreement between the main political parties, now and in the future, on matters affecting British foreign policy; and whether he favours such proposals.

My right hon. Friend agrees that it is in the country's best interests that there should he the widest possible measure of agreement on foreign policy between the main political parties. He considers, however, that the methods for securing such agreement would need to be adapted to the circumstances of the time, and in a matter of this kind there would be every advantage in allowing the machinery to develop in the light of experience and inclination.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, does the Prime Minister contemplate, in this matter, using the functions of the Committee of Imperial Defence?

I think the terms of the answer I have given cover all the aspects of the question. I will not add to them to-day.

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the Government's scheme for war gratuities is not giving satisfaction to the Services; and will he give further consideration to it.

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative, and the second part, therefore, does not arise from it in any direct manner.

I am rather sorry the right hon. Gentleman has had to reply because I wanted to get at the Prime Minister. This matter has been before the Prime Minister several times, and it is unfair that the Minister of Labour should now have to reply. Is he aware that there is great dissatisfaction among Service men about gratuities? I would like to know whether he has made inquiries on the subject.

I have given the information which is in my right hon. Friend's possession, and if my hon. Friend has any further information, I am sure my right hon. Friend will be pleased to have it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman explain why, to-day, he is answering Questions for the Prime Minister whereas, the other day, the First Lord of the Admiralty, who is sitting be- side him, answered Questions for the Prime Minister? [Hon. Members: "No.".] What is the reason for this change? The Chancellor of the Exchequer also answered Questions for the Prime Minister. What is the reason for this? Why this demotion?

May I ask whether the matter referred to by the hon. Member comes within the functions of the Opposition?

Can I have an answer to my question, Mr. Speaker? On a point of Order—

I am saying something. The hon. Member must not rise when I am on my feet. This Question deals with war gratuities.

With great respect, Sir, I did not observe that you were speaking at the time. I have no desire to be disrespectful, but we are entitled to ask why, when Questions are addressed to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister, for quite good reasons, is not available, other right hon. Gentlemen on the Front Bench should take turns about to reply.

It has nothing to do with me.

On that point of Order. Cannot we have an explanation, and in particular, could we be told whether the astonishing demotion of the First Lord has the approval of Lord Beaverbrook?

I would like to inform the Minister that hon. Members are continually receiving letters from serving soldiers and discharged soldiers on this question of gratuities, and to ask him whether he will consult the Secretary of State for War and have some of the correspondence sent to him on this matter. Will he look into it?

I have, of course, been in touch with the Secretary of State for War, and I am also aware that the system agreed to by the last Government appears to be the best possible.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the volume of opinion in the country to the effect that equal danger shared by all ranks should warrant equal grants?

asked the Prime Minister whether arrangements can be made for the well being of the scientific instrument making industry to become the responsibility solely of his own department; and whether he can make an early announcement as to how this industry is to be protected in the post-war period and enabled in particular to benefit from the closing down or control of the scientific instrument making industry of Germany.

This is all very important, but my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is of the opinion that it would be better to get the General Election over before arriving at final decisions.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to remedy the difficulties of fanners in the South of Scotland who are finding it impossible to market wheat owing to the conditions of surplus which have arisen.

This surplus is now being purchased and stored by my Department.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend not aware that the moment chosen for unloading this stock of wheat on to the Scottish market was a singularly unfortunate one, because it was at precisely the moment when Scottish farmers had an increased amount of wheat for sale, and will he see that it does not occur again?

I understand that we had an abnormal number of threshings by farmers which put additional wheat on the market, and because the millers themselves could not take it, my Department stepped in and stored it.

asked the Minister of Food if any additional allocation of food was given to the Letchworth, Hitchin and District Co-operative Society for a special tea party given at Hitchin town hall on 9th June; and, if not, whether he will have inquiries made as to where the food was obtained.