asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Government proposes to introduce legislation, at an early date, in connection with the administrative side of Scottish education which was omitted, by agreement, from the Education (Scotland) Act, 1945.

I intend to watch carefully the operation of the new Act before deciding whether it is desirable to propose further legislation. In any event, having regard to the heavy programme before the House, I can hold out no hope that it would be possible to introduce legislation on this subject at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will supply the official figures showing the number of votes in the recent General Election for the county of Renfrew (Eastern Division) which were disallowed solely because the ballot papers had not been stamped by the polling clerks.

I am informed that, out of a total of 79,378 ballot papers handled at the count in the East Renfrew division, the number rejected for want of the official mark was 191, or.24 per cent. of the total.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is proposed to revise the Scottish rating system at an early date.

No, Sir. I have read the report of the Sorn Committee on Valuation and Rating in Scotland, but I cannot hold out any hope of legislation on this subject during the current Session.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when petrol rationing will cease.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is now in a position to announce an increase in the basic allowance of petrol.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he can give any indication as to when the rationing of petrol will become unnecessary.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are the present stocks of petrol in this country; and for what reasons petrol rationing is still maintained.

I am anxious to relax, and, as soon as possible, to discontinue petrol rationing, but this cannot be done until arrangements for the import of future supplies have been reviewed in the light of the changed conditions brought about by the end of the war with Japan. At present the bulk of our supplies are coming from the United States under Lend-Lease arrangements, and considerable readjustments will have to be made in consultation with our American Allies. As regards stocks in this country considerable amounts are held on military account, and I am not yet in a position to publish information about these stocks. More- over, we must also meet the needs of the liberated countries in Europe and the requirements of our occupying Forces. I hope to make a further statement on the subject when the House resumes.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is now willing to grant a petrol ration to new registered lorries for the conveyance of fish from Portavogie, County Down, to Belfast.

Petrol allowances are now being granted for the conveyance of fish to Belfast by lorry from Portavogie and elsewhere on the coast of County Down.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what quantity of coal has been exported from Great Britain during the current year and to what destinations.

During the six months ending June, 1945, most of the coal exported, other than low quality coal of little use in this country, was consigned on military account and as such detailed figures are not available, but the total amounted to 1,591,000 tons. In addition, the following quantities, which were comprised mainly of low quality coal or coal for bunkers abroad, were exported during the above period:

	Tons.
Eire	430,442
Gibraltar	61,807
British West Africa	80,230
Canada	11,212
Other British Countries	4,530
Iceland	25,211
Faroe Islands	2,751
Portugal	42,815
Spain	3,726
Morocco	87,011
French West and Equatorial Africa	29,649
Argentine	2,001
Algeria	181,507
Tunis	44,348
Italy	3,508
Sweden	140
Other Foreign Countries	18,067
Total	1,028,955

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many tons of coal were exported from the United Kingdom to Spain during each of the 12 months ended July, 1945.

During the 12 months ended June, 1945, low quality coal of little use in this country was exported to Spain as follows: 1,686 tons in November, 1944; 3,726 tons in June, 1945. The Official Trade Returns for July, 1945, are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that applicants for a course under the Further Education and Training Scheme have to wait some months for a decision, with the result that their 58 days of leave pending discharge may expire before the decision is made available and they may be directed to other work by his Department and miss the opportunities offered by this scheme and if he will take steps to remedy this state of affairs.

In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education I am taking steps to ensure that applications for awards will be handled with the utmost despatch. I may add that there is no intention of directing an applicant to employment while his application is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of men eligible for release from the services under Group B have opted for release under Group A; and what proportion of men so doing would seriously prejudice the essential labour supply from this source.

Release in Class B did not begin until the middle of July, and information as to acceptance or refusal of the offers which have so far been made is not sufficiently complete to enable safe conclusions to be drawn. The returns which are available show that the number of refusals exceeds the number of acceptances, but these returns relate to men with prospects of comparatively early release in Class A. The number of acceptances may be expected to increase as the offers are extended to men in the later age and service groups, and the offers will be so extended until the required numbers are forthcoming.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the general release rate from the R.A.F, being slower than in the Army, he will give favourable consideration to steps being taken to adjust more equitably the releases from the R.A.F.

The general rate of release from the Royal Air Force is well up to that of the Army. But as the House knows there are a few key trades where it has been necessary to slow down the rate of release because qualified men and women in these trades are in short supply. This is, however, a temporary phase. Every effort will be made to limit unevenness in the rate of release both as between trade and trade and as between the three Services.

asked the Secretary of State for War what percentage of the releases under Class B of the demobilization scheme is allocated to S.E.A.C.

No quota of releases under Class B is allotted to any particular Command. If an individual is required his release is authorised irrespective of where he is serving.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will reconsider the question of relating CD., N.F.S. and similar Services to military demobilisation in view of the numerous instances where men were prevented from joining the Army because of compulsory deferment in CD.

No, Sir. This question has been fully considered and my right hon. Friend would not feel justified in reopening it now.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will state the total number of men and women employed by his Department as supervisors, assistants and staff in the various areas throughout the country, excluding Oxford, as at 30th June, 1945.

It is assumed that the hon. Member's inquiry relates to the staff of the Potatoes and Carrots division of the Ministry. The total number of staff (men and women) of that division who are employed in areas throughout the country, excluding Oxford, is 1,085, of whom 92 are employed in a part-time capacity.

asked the Minister of Food the total number of men and women employed in the Potato Division of the Ministry of Food, at Oxford, on 30th June, 1945.

The total number of men and women employed in the Potatoes and Carrots Division of the Ministry of Food at Oxford on 30th June, 1945, was 759, divided as to 419 representing the general trade administration, and 340 who are employed on finance and accounting duties. Of this total number, 276 are officers engaged on a part-time basis.

asked the Minister of Food whether it is proposed to reconstitute the Ministry of Food, Potato Division, with a view to reduction in numbers and making available redundant staff for employment in industry.

No immediate change in the functions of the Potato Division is contemplated. Every possible economy will be made in the staff, which is no more than adequate to carry out present duties.

asked the Prime Minister when he proposes that the India Office shall be closed down.

The question of the future of the India Office will be a matter to be considered as part of the Government's policy towards the Indian problem. I have no statement to make at present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the shortage of cycles in the township of Spenny more; that men have to travel long distances to work; that at certain hours no omnibuses are available; and will he endeavour to increase the supply of cycles and thus minimise these difficulties.

I am having an investigation made into the supply position in Spennymoor to see that it gets a fair share of bicycle supplies. The production of bicycles is increasing, and I shall take all suitable measures to accelerate this increase.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to remedy the present growing shop shortages of boots, shoes and clothing.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of the clothes ration for the period beginning 1st September.

As from 1st September next, a further 24 clothing coupons will be available. But it has been decided that this new issue of coupons must be made to last for a longer period. I must, therefore, ask the public not to expect a further issue of coupons for another eight months, that is until 1st May. It will be realised that the whole object of clothes rationing would be defeated if more coupons were issued than there were supplies available to meet. Supplies of yarn and cloth of all kinds are at present very short. I am taking all possible steps to ensure that the textile, clothing and footwear industries, and particularly cotton, where labour is shortest, put themselves in a position to attract labour back as rapidly as possible. As the House will appreciate, it takes time to turn yarn into cloth and cloth into finished garments, and whatever increases there may be from now on in yarn production cannot affect supplies in the shops for many months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the textile machinery industry is unable to give any definite dates for the delivery of new cotton spinning machinery; and what steps he is taking to ensure that modernisation of the cotton industry can be attained within a reasonable time.

Between V.E. and V.J. days the textile machinery industry was still very heavily engaged on war work, but production of textile machinery should now rapidly expand. A Government factory has been allocated to the principal makers of cotton spinning machinery to help them increase their production to meet the post-war needs of the home market and export. I shall do my utmost to see that as much modernised machinery as possible is made available for the cotton industry as rapidly as may be.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many square feet of industrial floor space are still under requisition by Government Departments; and how much has been released back to industry since VE-Day.

:The total amount of Industrial floor space requisitioned during the war years, either for munitions production or storage purposes, was approximately 150,000,000 square feet. The total amount of industrial floor space in process of being returned to industry since VE-Day is about 8,000,000 square feet, of which approximately half had been vacated by the end of July, 1945.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to abolish the practice under which the surrender of clothing coupons is required for such aids to the sick as surgical abdominal belts and the like.

All surgical belts less than 6 inches wide, which have certain attachments or are designed for use in certain post-operative conditions, are coupon-free. Other belts, which cannot be thus clearly denned, must in fairness be rationed, because they can be worn as undergarments, but people who are required, on medical advice, to wear a rationed type of belt may apply to my Department for additional coupons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications have been received during 1944 and 1945 from ex-Servicemen resident in the city of Cardiff for licences to set up in business on their own; how many such applications have been granted; and how many are still outstanding.

Figures for the city of Cardiff are not readily available, but the following are the figures for the South Wales Region. Between 1st January, 1944, and 31st July, 1945,62 licences under the Location of Retail Businesses Order to open shops were granted to ex-Servicemen and 19 were refused. On 18th August, 1945, 22 applications by ex-Servicemen were outstanding.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider the publication of a periodical international directory showing a detailed list of articles and suppliers or where such information can be obtained all over the world.

No, Sir. The cost of such an immense undertaking would be quite out of proportion to its value. It must be left to each country to publicise its own products. Trading concerns in the United Kingdom have acquired extensive knowledge of sources of supply abroad. The Department of Overseas Trade will as quickly as possible establish an up-to-date library containing overseas trade directories and catalogues, to which traders may refer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has received information on the requirements of Brazil for agricultural machinery during the next ten years amounting to an estimate of £55,000,000; if full information on the details of these requirements is being circulated to British manufacturers; and if the commercial branch of the Embassy at Rio de Janeiro is being instructed to direct wherever possible contracts to this country.

I am unable to identify the report to which the hon. Member refers. I have therefore asked H.M. Embassy at Rio de Janeiro to telegraph a full report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the extensive plans now in process for the internal economic development of Chile where large schemes involving goods are contemplated; and if he will take all necessary measures to secure as large a proportion as possible of such imports for this country.

Yes, Sir. I will gladly do all I can to assist exporters both to Chile and to other Latin-American countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the steps he proposes to adopt for the rehabilitation of British trade in Yugoslavia and the Baltic countries; if diplomatic commercial representation is contemplated; and if the consular services on the pre-war basis will be restored.

I am anxious to restore British trade with the countries mentioned by the hon. Member, as soon as possible. A number of difficulties have to be overcome before trade can be resumed, and my Department is in touch with the Governments of the countries concerned. A First Secretary (Commercial) is serving at H.M. Embassy at Belgrade. Officers of similar status are stationed in Baltic countries. Consular officers are being appointed as the need for their services arises.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he contemplates the issue in the near future of reports from the diplomatic and consular services on the economic conditions of foreign countries with special reference to the opportunities for the restoration and expansion of British export trade; and if he will expedite the publication of these reports and their presentation to Parliament.

A series of Reviews of Commercial Conditions in foreign and Empire countries is already being published by the Department of Overseas Trade. The series comprises 27 export markets. Sixteen Reviews are already on sale; another six are with the printers and the other Reviews are now being prepared.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to recent regulations made by the Governments of Peru and Ecuador in which a limit of clearance of six months is placed upon the import of British goods into these countries; if he is aware of the difficulties in present circumstances of the delivery of goods in many instances within the prescribed period; and if appropriate representation for an extension of the period for completion of orders is being made to the Governments of these countries.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the period of validity of import permits for Peru and Ecuador. My latest information about such permits for Peru does not cover the period of validity, but I have asked that the Embassy at Lima should send particulars. As a result of representations to the Government of Ecuador in 1940, the period of validity of import permits was then extended from four to six months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will provide for the issue of supplementary coupons to students entering residential university colleges where they are required to provide their own bedding.

Coupons are not required for bed linen, blankets or mattresses, but a proportion of current supplies is set aside for certain people, such as those who have lost their possessions by bombing, and those who are now setting up house for the first time on marriage, whose needs are greatest. While bedding is so short, special supplies for students could not be set aside.

asked the Minister of Supply and of Aircraft Production what has been the monthly production of cotton goods for the last six months for which figures are available.

The production of piece-goods made of cotton, and of rayon or cotton and rayon, during the period January to June this year, has been as follows:

1945		Average weekly production. Million yards.
		Cotton cloth.	Rayon and cotton and rayon mixture cloth.
January	(5 weeks)	29·3	5·7
February	(4 weeks)	31·6	6·3
March	(4 weeks)	30·6	6·2
April	(4 weeks)	31·0	6·1
May	(5 weeks)	28·0	5·4
June	(4 weeks)	32·1	6·4

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered a communication from the clerk to a conference of local authorities, held at Newport, Monmouthshire, on 2nd August, regarding the dismissal of persons at the Royal Ordnance and other war factories; and will he state the nature of his reply.

I received the communication to which my hon. Friend refers on 13th August, and am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply about it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the dissatisfaction among the inhabitants in the town of Spennymoor, he will explain the reason for the long delay in the turning-over from war production at the Royal Ordnance factory to peace-time production; and what immediate steps he is proposing to take to remove the persons or causes responsible for the delay.

Up to V.J. day the whole of this Royal Ordnance factory was required for war production. Steps, however, had been taken in advance to constitute this Royal Ordnance factory a Trading Estate under the North Eastern Trading Estate Company. The first peace-time occupants, Messrs. Smart and Brown, will be moving into part of the factory at the end of this month, and others will follow. It is planned that this factory should soon provide employment for at least 2,000 people, rising to a higher figure later on.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the terms and conditions of any arrangements made for sub-letting the Royal Ordnance factory at Newport.

This factory is to be leased to Standard Telephones and Cables, Limited, on the terms which will apply to the re-allocation of Government factories generally. These terms will provide for a short-period rent based on 1939 values, to be adjusted later in accordance with current market values. The lease will provide that the factory shall not, except in special circumstances, be assigned or underlet by the lessee.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the Government's announced policy that the cotton industry is not to be nationalised, he will provide a list of other industries and trades to which a similar assurance can be given, in order that these industries may proceed with their reorganisation forthwith, undisturbed by fear of expropriation.

The statement made to the cotton industry was in the following form:

"It is not part of the present Government's programme to nationalise the cotton industry provided that the industry—upon which more than two million of our people depend directly or indirectly for their living—carries through with expedition the measures necessary for its reorganisation."

Those industries which are to be otherwise dealt with during this Session of Parliament have been mentioned in the Gracious Speech. The general policy of His Majesty's Government upon the question of nationalisation can be found in the programme put forward at the election. Apart from the industries therein mentioned His Majesty's Government do not contemplate taking steps at present to nationalise other industries, provided they comply with the conditions laid down in the case of the cotton industry.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will now give the order for the disbandment of the Home Guard.

His Majesty's Government have not yet had time to consider this question, and I am not therefore in a position to make any statement to-day.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many hotels are still requisitioned by his Department; and whether, in view of the lack of holiday accommodation, any accelerated programme of release is to be applied.

Separate figures of hotel requisitions are not maintained at the War Office, and the total for the country as a whole could not be obtained without considerable labour and correspondence. The Army records group hotels with boarding houses, holiday camps, hostels and restaurants; at the beginning of August there were about 1,750 properties in this group still under requisition by the Army. The lack of holiday accommodation is fully realised, and plans have been made to release hotels as quickly as circumstances permit, having regard to the number of troops to be housed.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of houses, hotels and other premises still held under requisition by his Department in Eastbourne; and the number he proposes to release before 1st October,1945.

263 houses, 63 hotels or boarding houses and 99 other premises are still held under requisition in Eastbourne. I regret I cannot say what further releases can be made before 1st October next. This depends on the availability of other War Department accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps are being taken to improve the transit camp at Gennep in Holland.

I have received no complaints about this camp but am making inquiries, and will let the hon. Member know the result.

asked the Secretary of State for War what prices are charged by N.A.A.F.I, in Germany for matches sold to British troops.

In German currency the equivalent of one penny.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will institute an inquiry into the question of corporal and other punishments for East and West African troops with a view to recommendations being made and adopted.

As my hon. Friend is aware, this question was considered a few months ago, when it was decided that it would be unwise to make any change in the Army Code at the present juncture. Now that the war is over I am giving my personal consideration to the point.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that men of certain Army formations, as the result of being moved from C.M.F. to B.L.A. shortly before the victory in Europe, lost C.M.F. home leave of 28 days, and became entitled to nine days' B.L.A. leave only; that the majority of these men served throughout operations in the C.M.F. from their outset and, in many cases, throughout most of the African campaign before that; and if, in view of the dissatisfaction among the men concerned, he will take steps to ensure an equitable adjustment of the period of leave in all such cases.

When these men were transferred to the B.L.A. it was necessary to provide for their leave under the B.L.A. scheme, which gives shorter periods of leave at more frequent intervals than in the C.M.F. In the aggregate, there is little difference between the amount of leave admissible under the two schemes. These particular men had an advantage, however, in that they were given at the outset a special allotment in the B.L.A. over and above that of the rest of the troops, and at approximately double the rate. The leave scale of the B.L.A. is now 11 days in this country, including travelling time.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps he proposes to take to give men in the C.M.F. facilities for leave approximating to those now in practice in the B.L.A.

It is the policy to provide approximately equivalent facilities for leave to all troops in both these theatres. But availability of transport and time spent in travel are factors to be taken into account, and the two leave schemes cannot be identical. In general, the personnel from C.M.F. will receive longer periods of leave at less frequent intervals, though the aim is that they shall receive not less leave in the aggregate than troops in the B.L.A.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that men with skill in male nursing were asked to volunteer for service in E.M.S. hospitals; that such volunteers were transferred from the Army for this purpose, and are, therefore, on loan; and whether this transference, which entails less pay, carries with it a loss of war gratuity from the date when nursing duties began, and if so, why R.A.M.C. men should suffer this loss.

:I am aware that these men volunteered for service in E.M.S. hospitals in a civilian capacity and that they were transferred to Class W/T of the Army Reserve for this purpose. Large numbers of soldiers have, from time to time, been so transferred for civilian employment of national importance, and such employment does not reckon for the purpose of the war gratuity which is awarded for service in the Armed Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will allow service in the W.R. Police to be counted for the purpose of eligibility for the special long-service increment of pay, in the cases of those men who are subsequently conscripted into the Armed Forces.

:I assume that the hon. Member is referring to War Service Increments. These were specially granted to those with prolonged war service in the Navy, Army and R.A.F., and only such service is reckonable. I do not think that it would be right or practicable to make exceptions in favour of any of the many other forms of war service.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he anticipates authorising the removal of the ban on marriage between men of the Army of Occupation and German nationals.

No, Sir, not at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the hardship caused to ex-Service personnel who have been discharged before their normal demobilisation date by the delay in the payment of their gratuities; and if he can now say when these gratuities will be paid.

:The number of those who have been discharged from the Forces before the release scheme came into operation is very considerable, and the work of examining their records of service and assessing their entitlement to war gratuity is correspondingly heavy. This work is proceeding with all possible speed, together with that involved by current releases, and I hope that an announcement will be issued about the end of this month saying how applications are to be made by ex-Servicemen and women. Payment will follow as quickly as the applications can be dealt with, but the process of payment will necessarily take some time.

asked the Secretary of State for Wax to what extent men in low release groups are being sent to India and S.E.A.C.; and will he take steps to see that no man who is due for release within six months is sent to either of these Commands.

:Apart from certain individual specialists needed for temporary duty, men in the early release groups are not being sent to India/S.E.A.C, nor is any man being sent there who, under the programme of release ruling at the date of his departure from the United Kingdom, is due for release within six months.

asked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the housing shortage, whether he is satisfied that the fullest use is being made of married quarters in barracks for the purposes for which they were intended; whether he will discourage their use for any other purpose, such as ordinary accommodation for troops; and whether he will consider any proposals put forward by local authorities in areas where such quarters cannot be used by the families of soldiers, but might be used by the local authority to relieve the housing shortage.

During the war it became necessary to use married quarters as normal troop accommodation. They are now being re-allotted as married quarters as rapidly as possible, but this must necessarily be a gradual process owing to the general shortage of troop accommodation. It is most unlikely that there will be any areas in which the quarters cannot be used by soldiers' families as soon as they can be vacated by troops.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now release an undergraduate, details of whose case have been submitted to him, who has obtained permission from Liverpool University to resume his studies if he can obtain release from the Services.

The selection of students to be released under Class B is made by the Universities themselves, within the total numbers laid down, and names must be submitted by them to the Minister of Labour and National Service for transmission to the Service Departments. So far, the name of the man concerned has not been sent in by the Ministry of Labour and National Service. We are not empowered to deal with direct applications to the War Office, and I suggest that the case be taken up again with the Liverpool University.

asked the Prime Minister which Ministry is responsible for supervising the share of His Majesty's Government in the operations of U.N.R.R.A.; and to which Minister questions on that subject should be addressed.

The Foreign Office is responsible for supervising and co-ordinating generally the relations between His Majesty's Government and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. Until recently the Ministry of Production has been responsible for supervising the procurement of U.N.R.R.A.'s supplies from this country; there is no longer a Minister of Production and the question of which Ministry will be responsible for this in future is under consideration. Questions relating to the general policy of His Majesty's Government towards U.N.R.R.A. should be addressed to the Minister of State, who has been charged with, the duty of supervising the functions of the Foreign Office in this regard.

asked the Minister of War Transport what is the existing programme for the improvement of trunk roads in Great Britain and the construction of motorways.

I must ask the hon. and gallant Member to await a statement on highway policy which I hope to make as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Supply and of Aircraft Production, how the present quantities of waste paper salvage compare with those collected a year ago; to what extent the need of salvage has decreased; and what steps are envisaged to remind the public of the importance of saving paper instead of importing it.

Collections have fallen and stocks are only half what they were a year ago. The need for salvage is consequently greater than ever for maintaining essential supplies of paper and board, including wallboards for the housing programme, and I am glad to take this opportunity of asking the public for their continued assistance. National publicity continues to be given to the importance of salvage, and a bonus on collections has been offered to local authorities to assist them in local publicity and other methods of stimulating waste paper salvage. Further steps are in contemplation.

asked the Minister of Supply and of Aircraft Production whether he is aware of the effect of a shortage of salvaged waste paper on production and employment in the paper board and allied industries; and what steps he proposes to take to stimulate the salvaging and collection of this raw material.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to-day to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Bridgwater (Mr. Bartlett).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has under consideration the publication of a White Paper on events that led to the outbreak of war.

Three White Papers were published in 1939 (Command 6102, 6106 and 6115) which contained a number of documents concerning the events leading up to the outbreak of war. Moreover, as has previously been announced, a distinguished historian, Professor Woodward, is at present going through all the Foreign Office files for the years 1919 to 1939, with a view to publishing a further selection of documents in a series of volumes. In these circumstances the issue of a further White Paper is not felt to be necessary at present.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Air what is the total personnel of all ranks of the R.A.F. at present stationed in this country.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to-day by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Keeling).

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will announce the terms and conditions of service, including rates of pay and allowances, for those who wish to make service in one of His Majesty's Armed Forces their career.

Changes which His Majesty's Government may decide to introduce into the terms and conditions of service in the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force will be announced as soon as possible. In the meantime officers and men and others are at liberty to offer themselves for regular engagements on the basis of the current conditions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if instructions will now be given to all Government Departments to issue statistical data and reports in accordance with pre-war practice.

Departments are already reviewing their arrangements for the publication of statistical information, whether in annual reports or otherwise. Resumption of publication must, however, con- tinue to be affected by current manpower, printing, and paper difficulties.

asked the Minister of Education if she is in a position to announce the date of the raising of the school-leaving age to 15.

This matter is now under consideration, and I hope to be able to make an announcement very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs it he will expedite the grant of a passport in the case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a British metal merchant who wishes to go immediately to Belgium to contact business associates with whom he conducted an export trade before the war and who are urging him to come to Belgium immediately to organise the renewal of this trade.

I am happy to inform the hon. Member that the passport is being granted to the person concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amounts received by the Treasury in respect of the profits of the Issue Department of the Bank of England, for the years ended 31st March, 1944 and 1945.

For the year ended 31st March, 1944, £9,540,526 os. 7d. and for the year ended 31st March, 1945, £16,567,993 3s. 9d.

asked the Minister of Health what were the ages of the 23,152 cases finally diagnosed as diphtheria in 1944 and of the 934 fatal cases; and why he can give the condition as to immunisation for only 17,088 of the 23,152 cases notified, and for only 735 out of the 934 deaths registered as due to diphtheria.

:The particulars referred to in the first part of the Question are as follows:

Age Group.		Cases.	Deaths.
Under 5	…	4,171	351
5–9	…	7,200	342
10–14	…	4,417	104
15–24	…	4,306	64
25 and over	…	3,058	72
Age unknown	…		1

Information about immunisation is not available for all cases of diphtheria, because it is derived from returns by local authorities relating to the immunisation campaign affecting only children up to the age of 15. These returns, moreover, do not include immunisations by doctors in private practice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give figures showing the percentage of private incomes devoted to taxation in 1938 as compared with that for the latest available year.

I would refer my hon. Friend to Table 24 on page 29 of the latest issue of the White Paper on the National Income and Expenditure (Cmd. 6623). That Table shows, with explanations, the proportion of private income required to meet taxation for each year from 1938 to 1944.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he is aware that there is a lack of liaison between the Passage Department, Simla, and the Priority Passage Controller, Bombay; that boats leave India with empty berths while civilians, whose leave is long overdue, are unable to obtain passages; and when some improvement may be expected.

The hon. and gallant Member may be assured that though on occasions troopships leave India with some empty berths, this is not due to any lack of liaison between Departments, but is in the interest of the health and comfort of troops and other passengers when passing through the Red Sea. To secure this, certain ships are not berthed on leaving India to their full war-time capacity for voyages east of Suez. Such ships are none the less more heavily loaded than was usual under peace-time standards. The empty berths are, however, filled up on arrival in the Middle East. Owing to Service requirements there is not enough accommodation for all the civilians now wishing to travel, but everything possible is being done both here and in India to secure an increase in the number of places available for civilians.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will now give instructions that soldiers serving in India Command may, like soldiers in the 14th Army, write freely to their Members of Parliament without persuasion being used as now under the instructions of G.H.Q., India, to prevent them.

:I am not aware of any difference in procedure between India Command and S.E.A.C. in this matter. I would remind the hon. and gallant Gentleman that the proper channel for the ventilation of grievances in the Army is laid down in King's Regulations, and in their own interests as well as in the interests of the Service generally, soldiers ought not to write to their M.Ps. about such grievances until they have attempted without success to ventilate them through the usual channels. It is possible that the Commander in Chief in India has reminded personnel in the India Command of these considerations.

asked the Minister of War Transport whether he will allocate another passenger steamer for the service between England and Northern Ireland in the near future.

:The services now operated to Northern Ireland are the best that can be maintained with the vessels at present available. I am conscious of the need for additional passenger facilities, and I hope that another vessel will be put into service on the route between Stranraer and Lame at the beginning of September. It is proposed that this vessel should carry only Service personnel, thereby making available on the other vessels additional accommodation for about 1,000 passengers a day. It has been found possible to release other vessels which formerly operated on the Northern Ireland Cross Channel Services, but unfortunately the amount of reconditioning which they need before they are fit for service inevitably means delay in strengthening the services to the extent that I should wish.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is now intended to publish the despatches of commanders relating to various campaigns of the war up to the end of 1943.

Navy, Army and Air Force despatches of general interest relating to the war against Germany and her European Allies, up to the date mentioned by the hon. and gallant Member, will be published as soon as practicable.