asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking, in view of the need to encourage the increase of pig production, to ensure that pig breeders are able to obtain the necessary supplies of pig troughs.

I am not aware of any difficulty in obtaining pig troughs, but if my hon. and gallant Friend will let me have particulars of any such cases I will have inquiries made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will now give his consent to the Norfolk Small-Holdings Committee to proceed with the erection of four houses on their Stow Bridge, Fences Farm, Estate, in view of the inconvenience caused to the four tenants who live up to 10 miles away from their holdings.

I am asking the Norfolk County Council to submit a revised estimate of the cost of erecting the four houses and, if that is satisfactory, I am prepared, so far as my Department is concerned, to make the necessary recommendations to enable the council to raise the money to carry out the work.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give estimates by the medical officer of health of each Metropolitan borough of the proportion of immunised children in the borough, under five and ages five to 15, on 31st December last, similar to the statement made by his predecessor on 15th October, 1942.

:The following statement gives the available estimates, by Medical Officers of Health of Metropolitan Boroughs, of the proportions of immunised children on 31st December, 1944.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors of British nationality are at present engaged in civilian practice in England and Wales, and what is the average number of patients per doctor; how many temporarily registered alien doctors are now working in England and Wales; what are their nationalities, and what is their average age; how many temporarily registered alien doctors have returned to their countries of origin; and how many are likely to do so in the near future.

The last analysis, made by the Central Medical War Committee in February, relates to all doctors on the permanent Medical Register without distinction according to nationality, and shows that the number of doctors in civilian practice of all kinds in England and Wales was 27,177, or in general practice only 14,337, representing a ratio to civilian population of one to 1,393 and one to 2,640 respectively. The number of temporarily registered alien doctors in employment, including a few in Scotland, is 798. Nearly half of these are of German or Austrian nationality and the next largest groups are Czechs and Poles. I am unable to give the average age, but 525 out of the total are over 40. I will send my hon. Friend details of the nationalities and age-groups. I regret that I have not the information asked for in the fourth and last parts of the Question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that the bulk of the Charlton Horethorne airfield which is good agricultural land worth not less than £2 per acre per annum, is still held under requisition by his department merely for the dumping of bombs and other explosive stores, and, as 60 dairy cows could make use of this airfield for grazing whether steps can be taken to release this ground for agricultural purposes at the earliest opportunity and to transfer the bombs to waste land or moorland.

I am afraid we should only take up additional transport labour and land by moving these explosives from Charlton Horethorne to another place before they are finally disposed of. The explosives stored at Charlton Horethorne form only a part of the total for disposal, and the Ministry of Supply and Aircraft Production, who are the Department concerned with disposal, are aware of our desire to have Air Force explosives moved from airfields and from other land.

Little asked the Under Secretary of State for Air, whether he is aware that two graduates of London University whose names have been submitted to him were released from the ranks of the R.A.F. to accept civilian appointments in that service and are being refused release leave with pay and civilian clothing to which their service as airmen has entitled them; and if he will take steps to remedy this injustice.

These ex-airmen were discharged before the introduction of the release scheme and are in consequence ineligible for the release leave appropriate to persons released under that scheme. They are however eligible for civilian clothing benefits and for a payment in lieu of leave in respect of any overseas service they may have rendered.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air when it is proposed to reopen to public traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular, the two roads from the crossroads where formerly stood the Fox Hall Inn, on or near Harrington aerodrome, respectively, to Lamport and to Draughton in Northamptonshire.

This airfield is in use by the Royal Air Force. The roads have been totally or partially obliterated by runways or perimeter tracks. I cannot at present say when it will be possible for them to be opened.

asked the Minister of Labour when he will be in a position to announce the number of men, excluding youths of 18 years, who have previously been employed in industry, who will be called up for national service with the armed forces during the first two quarters of 1946.

I hope to be able to announce the figures of intake into the Forces for the first half of next year before the end of this month.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will inquire into the case of a student, details of which have been submitted to him, with a view to allowing him and others similarly placed to complete their present course of studies for B.Sc., Estate Management Degree of the London University, before they are called up for military training; and whether he will develop a post-graduate scheme for the military training of students who have received such special deferment.

I have not yet received the details referred to, but I will write to the hon. Member after receipt of and inquiry into the representations.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is aware that there is considerable delay in the delivery of letters from London to towns in County Down; and if he will take steps to improve this.

Yes, Sir. I regret that as a result of the war the present service to Northern Ireland is inferior to the pre war service. The service was improved in certain respects on 1st October, and my Noble Friend intends to make further improvements when staff and transport facilities allow. A return to pre-war standards cannot take place for some time.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if any letters are carried on the Railway Air Services aeroplane which leaves Croydon at 10 a.m. for Belfast.

:No, Sir. The air mail despatch to Belfast is carried on the aeroplane which leaves Liverpool at 8.30 a.m. This service enables letters for Belfast to be delivered on the day of arrival. Conveyance by the 9.45 a.m. plane from Croydon would not provide for delivery until the day following receipt in Belfast.