asked the Minister of War Transport if, in view of the example of the National War Savings Committee, he will organise road safety weeks throughout the country.

As part of the road safety campaign I have suggested to local authorities that they should organise local safety weeks, and I am sure that I can rely on their co-operation in this matter. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a booklet issued by my Department in which reference is made to this subject.

asked the Minister of War Transport if he will run a late tram to the New Cross district in order that the catering staff of this House may have transport home after working a long day owing to Members dining late instead of early, and often after 8.30 p.m.

The London Passenger Transport Board propose to run later journeys in the New Year on the direct tram service from Westminster to New Cross. After 10 p.m. there is a service of trams throughout the night to New Cross from Savoy Street via Blackfriars, with train connections up to nearly 1a.m. from Westminster Station. It is not possible to run these cars from Westminster, as they are specially timed to give connections at various points on journeys in both directions. There are also Southern Railway services from Charing Cross to New Cross up to shortly before 1 a.m.

asked the Minister of War Transport how many commercial motor vehicles are now operating on the roads of Great Britain under A, B and C Defence Permits, respectively, and how many of these vehicles are owned by controlled undertakings under the Government Road Haulage Organisation.

The total number of goods vehicles in use under A, B and C Defence Permits is about 414,900. Separate figures for A, B and C Defence Permits respectively have not been kept since the beginning of the war, but I am considering whether they should now be resumed. As to the number of vehicles under the Government Road Haulage Organisation, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26th November to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield (Mr. Ernest Davies), a copy of which I will send to him.

asked the Minister of War Transport whether he will now permit the restoration of the issue of unlimited travel tickets on the omnibus service between York and Wigginton.

I am glad to say that the unlimited travel contract tickets, which were withdrawn during the war on certain omnibus services in the North-Eastern Region, will be restored on 1st February, 1946.

asked the Minister of War Transport the present rail fares between Wetherby and Leeds; to what extent these fares were increased during the war; and, in view of the fact that passengers can be carried between the two same places by road for a much lower sum, when it is intended to review the present scale of the rail fares.

The third-class fares are single 2s. 4d., monthly return 3s. 5d. Season ticket rates range from 7s. 6d. for a weekly ticket to £14 9s. 6d. for a twelve monthly ticket. The wartime increases are sixteen and two-thirds per cent. single and monthly return, ten per cent. seasons. It would not be practicable to base the rail fares on road fares between two places, nor is the time at present opportune for a general review of railway fares and charges.

asked the Minister of War Transport if he is aware that many Service women and men, travelling overnight by train between London and Glasgow and Glasgow and London, have to travel in the corridor because of lack of seating accommodation; and will he take immediate steps to ensure that proper accommodation is made available for them.

I regret that on some trains between London and Glasgow there are not sufficient seats to accommodate all the passengers. The trains are, however, all made up to their maximum weight and the running of additional trains is not practicable in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of War Transport if he is aware of the shortage of wagons and sheets required for the transport of seed potatoes from Scotland to England; and what steps he is taking to remedy this.

Every effort is being made to provide wagons for the transport of seed potatoes from Scotland to England and I have not heard of any shortage of wagons or sheets for the purpose. Up to 17th November, about 92,000 tons of seed potatoes were despatched compared with 47,000 tons for the same period last year.

asked the Minister of War Transport what progress is being made with the electrification of the L.N.E.R. line, Liverpool Street to Chingford; is it proposed to extend the line beyond Chingford; and will he give an estimate of the probable date for completing the work.

I am making inquiries and will inform my hon. Friend of the result.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will give an assurance that before restoring the powers of agricultural marketing boards suspended because of wartime conditions, he will consider the desirability of amending the Agricultural Marketing Acts in order to remove dictatorial powers formerly exercised by these boards; and provide wholesalers, retailers and especially consumers with a proper voice in the conduct of the affairs of the industries concerned.

The intention and effect of the Agricultural Marketing Acts has been to promote co-operative organisation of agricultural producers. The Acts contain safeguards to protect the public interest and particularly that of consumers. They have already been amended in the light of experience and I will consider any further suggestions for amendment that may be put to me. No power is conferred by the Acts on producers to control the actions of distributors, and since the powers over producers cannot be exercised except by majority consent I do not consider them to be dictatorial.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why the regulations governing the granting of a dairy licence for bulls in England do not make provision for bulls whose dams and dams of sire are milk recorded in Scotland; and will he amend the regulations for the purpose of granting such licences.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Baronet the Member for Eddisbury (Sir J. Barlow) on 29th October, 1945.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many applications for there lease of agricultural workers under Class B have been received by the Dorset W.A.E.C.; how many of these have been supported and forwarded to his Department; and how many releases have, in fact, taken place.

144 applications for Class B release under the individual specialists scheme of agricultural workers have been dealt with by the Dorset War Agricultural Executive Committee up to date; 26 of these have been forwarded to my Department which recommended 16 to the appropriate authorities. Release has been approved in 13 cases, and the decision in the remaining three is awaited.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the total amount of land held by the Forestry Commission in the county of Merioneth; what percentage of agricultural land this represents; and whether the Forestry Commission proposes, in the near future, to acquire further land.

The Forestry Commission at present hold 26,700 acres of land in the county of Merioneth. Five per cent, of this represents agricultural land, excluding rough grazings, and a further 4 per cent, land in forest workers' holdings. If, as seems likely, there is further land in the county suitable for afforestation, I should propose to acquire it as and when opportunity occurs if I consider it in the national interest to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will encourage additional contractors to do work on farms for small farmers who now rely on the W.A.E.C.s for much of their work, in view of the impossibility of these committees being able to provide sufficient machines and men during those seasons of the year when weather conditions are favourable for cultivation.

I should welcome the entry of more contractors into agricultural business and especially to assist small farmers who cannot provide their own machinery and implements. Also I should like to see many more parish pools for the common use of machinery. Much of the work on small farms may, however, be unattractive to contractors and county war agricultural executive committees may have to continue for some time to be mainly responsible for meeting this need. I am not aware that committees axe generally unable to give adequate help to small farmers at peak periods, but, if desired, I will investigate the needs of any particular district.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is the policy of his Department to encourage co-operative marketing of vegetables and in particular to assist the co-operative societies formed by the growers to obtain licences which will give them the wholesale distributive margin which they require.

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the question of licences of the kind referred to is a matter of general post war policy which is under discussion with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements he is making to provide the agricultural industry with labour to replace the 63,000 Italian prisoners of war who are being repatriated in a short time.

Italian prisoners from a small part of the labour force of the agriculture industry and their replacement cannot be considered as an issue entirely separate from the supply of labour to agriculture generally including the return of men from the Services and the use of German prisoners. The question of the distribution of German prisoners in employment, including employment for agriculture, is at present under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of factory medical officers, whole and part time, at the present time and also a year ago.

I have been asked to reply. At the end of 1944 there were 13 full time medical inspectors and 1,862 examining surgeons appointed under the Factories Act, the latter doing varying amounts of medical work at factories which does not occupy the whole of their time. In addition there were known to the Department to be approximately 180 doctors exercising full-time medical supervision and 890 exercising substantial medical supervision in factories on a regular part-time basis. During the past year there has been no substantial change in these numbers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why there is no representative of the Scottish C.W.S. on the committee of the British Institute of Management and if he will take steps to remedy this omission.

The committee is as representative as possible having regard to the size and I could not add further to its membership without making it undesirably large.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the export allocations for cotton piece goods for the fourth period of 1945; and whether he is satisfied that sufficient allocation has been made for territories within the British Empire.

Cotton piece goods are not allocated as such for export. An allocation of cotton yarn is made for exports of cotton manufactures in all forms. Approximately 80 per cent. of this is normally exported in the form of piece goods. In the fourth quarter of 1945, 18,500 tons of yarn were allocated for export, of which over 15,000 tons were for territories within the British Empire. Production in the United Kingdom is still insufficient to satisfy either home or overseas demands, but within these limits the greatest possible consideration is given to the essential demands of Empire countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, whereas members of the W. L.A. granted a willing release since 1st September, 1945, are given a clothing coupon bonus, girls released within this category prior to 1st September are given no clothing coupon bonus; that this is the cause of considerable hardship; and whether he will consider extending the concession to cover all members of the W.L.A. granted a willing release since 1st January, 1945.

Members of the Women's Land Army released before the beginning of the current rationing year were entitled to a coupon refund which varied according to the stage of the rationing year at which they were released. This year, at the request of the W.L.A., the coupons available for refund over the year have been redistributed so that the refund no longer varies with the date of release, and is given only to members who have completed two years service. The revised arrangements could not be made retrospective as it would entail an increase in coupon expenditure which cannot be afforded.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will release the sample instruments sent for exhibit at the Paris Fair by the Accurate Recording Instrument Company, of Morden, Surrey, through Anglo-French Shippers, Limited, and which are now held at Newhaven awaiting an import licence.

The necessary import licence has now been issued to Anglo-French Distributors, Ltd.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his regulations allow newspaper proprietors, if they so desire, to use the recent 10 per cent. increase in their newsprint quota to enlarge the size of their papers rather than the circulation of them.

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has figures for a comparison of the current export prices for American and British motorcars; and give an explanation of the discrepancy that exists between them.

I have seen a report that the retail prices in the U.S.A. of the new production of motorcars there in 1946 will be about the same as the prices charged in January, 1942, but I have no information yet on which a suitable comparison could be made of the probable relationship of British and U.S. export prices.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the total value of the production of the British motor-vehicle manufacturing industry represented exports in 1938; and if he will provide similar information in the case of the twelve leading exports of British manufacture in that year.

The latest year for which figures relating to industrial production are generally available is 1935. In that year, exports represented about 15 per cent, of the total value of the output of motor vehicles. It is not possible to give precise percentages for each of our twelve leading exports before the war, but the following table shows approximate figures for certain leading commodities in 1935. The figures are based on values, except those for coal and spirits, which are based on quantities. The commodities are arranged in their order of importance as exports in 1935.

asked the Minister of Supply and of Aircraft Production if he will make a statement on the closing of the three Scottish flax factories.

I have been asked to reply. Of the 17 factories under the Home Flax Production Scheme, three are in Scotland. The costs of production at these factories had been high and well above the average for Great Britain. Climatic conditions in these districts arc generally unfavourable to flax production. Owing to improvement in flax supply the acreage to be contracted for in Great Britain in 1946 is under 30,000 compared to about 45,000 in 1945. Production will be concentrated in those factories where the best results can be expected. The Scottish factories will therefore be among those that are to be closed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what tonnage of waste paper was imported from Sweden during the last six months.

3,000 tons, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how soon it will be possible for retail shops to be opened without a licence, by men and women who have been in the fighting Forces and not been wounded, and by men and women who have been on other types of national service but not previously been shopkeepers.

I hope to make a statement before the Christmas Recess on the future of the retail shop licensing system.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that on 15th October there were 42,903 unemployed in Scotland, what steps he proposes to take to implement the policy of full employment.

We are already actively implementing that part of the policy of full employment in Scotland which relates to industrial development. The steps we have taken include the provision of seven new trading estates and the building of new factories on the four existing estates. Building operations have already started on the New house estate in Lanarkshire, which is to cover 140 acres and will, when fully developed, provide factory employment for 10,000 people. In addition, privately financed factory building is being encouraged by the grant of early-building licences. By the end of October, a total of 79 new factory building schemes, including those on trading estates, to employ more than 16,000 people, had been approved, and many more were under consideration.As a further contribution, eight Government-owned factories, surplus to munitions requirements, have been allocated for civilian production, in addition to two aircraft plants now engaged on the temporary housing programme. Four "standard" factories, to employ some 3,000 workers, have also been built in Scotland and allocated for civilian production. Although these developments are being pressed forward, it must be realised that temporary unemployment is inevitable during the period of the re conversion of existing factories to civilian production and the building of new premises.

asked the the Minister of Supply and of Aircraft Production the result of his discussions with Messrs. Rotol, Limited, of Cheltenham Road, Gloucester; and whether he has been able to prevent the threatened dismissal of large numbers of workers consequent on the directors change of policy.

My Department's discussions with the firm on their change of policy are not yet completed; but, as I informed the hon. Member on 12th November, the discharge of workers arises primarily from a reduction in war contracts.

asked the Minister of Supply and of Aircraft Production for what purpose munitions are still being manufactured in the Palace of Westminster.

The work of the Munitions Unit is continuing until the end of the year in order to complete a development contract for the Admiralty for gear used in connection with oxygen supply in submarines. This equipment was ordered before the end of the German war and is also a peacetime requirement. The order was placed with the Palace of Westminster Munitions Unit because of the high technical standard they had attained on previous Admiralty development contracts.

asked the Minister of Supply and of Aircraft Production (1) what is the number of radio valves which the Government have surplus to requirements; and does he propose to dispose of these through the normal machinery.(2) to what extent the surplus radio valves in the hands of the Government have been offered to the B.V.A. for disposal; and with what results.

General discussions have taken place with the Radio Industry Council, on which the British Valve Association is represented, about the disposal of radio surpluses. Approximately 3,000,000 radio valves have so far been declared surplus to Service requirements but not all of these are of types suitable for civil use. Surplus valves released for the home market will be disposed of through trade channels, including the valve manufacturers, and invitations to tender have been issued.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India why his instructions to the Government of India in August this year to forward a memorial, of which he is aware, which had been addressed to him by Crown servants in India, has not been complied with.

No instructions have been sent to the Government of India in regard to the memorial referred to, which was addressed to my Noble Friend by an individual Crown servant. Steps are, however, being taken to inquire of the Government of India when it is expected that the memorial will be forwarded with their comments. I would remind the hon. Member, however, that the question raised in the memorial is one affecting the, whole railway service, and the Government of India are no doubt examining the question in that light.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the proposals for the self-government of India.

With the permission of the House, a statement on the Indian situation will be made tomorrow.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India how many officers and other ranks had been released by India Command under the Class B scheme up to 31st October, 1945, in the categories; architectural and civil engineering assistants, surveying draughtsmen and quantity surveyors, respectively.

I assume my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to British personnel of the Indian Army. The Government of India inform me that statistics of released personnel are not kept in accordance with the nature of the work for which they are released. So far as they are aware however, no persons belonging to the categories specified by my hon. Friend have as yet been released in Class B.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India how home leave conditions, applicable to chaplains serving under the Indian ecclesiastical establishment, compare with those applicable to officers in the Indian Army who are not in first-line units.

Owing to the differing natures of the leave schemes applicable to the Indian Army and to chaplains of the Indian ecclesiastical establishment, no exact comparison is possible. Officers not serving in first-line units are eligible for 61 clays home leave after five years service overseas, but owing to the accumulation of officers who were unable to avail themselves of leave during the early part of the war it has only been possible so far to work down to those officers with some seven years service overseas. Chaplains of the Indian ecclesiastical establishment are eligible for four months leave under the "Key" leave scheme. For the reasons mentioned in my reply of 26th November leave for such chaplains is being granted at the moment to those with about eight years service in India without home leave.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will now make a statement on the policy which is being adopted towards those Indian Army personnel who joined the I.N.A.

The total number of persons enrolled in or involved in the activities of the I.N.A. was approximately 43,000. Of these only 20,000 were members of the Indian Army. Of these 20,000 there are first a substantial number who took up arms in the cause of the enemy either tinder compulsion despite their real inclination, or of intention with the purpose of taking the earliest opportunity to escape to our side. All these men who concealed and only technically broke their allegiance are being treated as any other recovered prisoners of war, and can resume their career in the Indian Army if they wish to do so. Secondly, there is a large category of men who joined the I.M.A. either through being deceived by the enemy propaganda or through forcible persuasion or threats. This category are being released alter interrogation and are being given 42 days paid leave and will thereafter be discharged from the Indian Army. Some 6,000 cases have been placed in this category.Those whose collaboration with the enemy is considered to have been of a more deliberate kind, are being interrogated as rapidly as possible and thereafter will cither be dismissed from the Indian Army or brought to trial by court martial. The policy of the Government of India is, however, that only those cases will be brought to trial where there are serious charges apart from that of waging war against the King or desertion from duty. Some of the offences involved are of the most grave character, such as murder and abetment of murder, and causing the death or brutal treatment of Indian or Allied personnel. It is not possible at the moment to estimate accurately in how many cases trials may be necessary, but the number will bear only a very small proportion to the total figure, and is estimated as between 20 and 50. It will be seen, therefore, that it is not the policy of the Government of India to prosecute the men whose sole offence was that they joined the I.N.A. in the mistaken belief that they were helping to liberate their country.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will make a statement on the recent incidents in Calcutta and Madras.

Official reports have been received of two disturbances in India during November in which the police were obliged to resort to firing and fatal casualties were caused. In both cases the disturbances were the consequence of demonstrations by students protesting against the trial of Indian National Army officers.The first of the disturbances took place on 6th November at Madura in Madras. The student demonstration became the nucleus of a mob of several thousands which damaged property and attacked a police party with brickbats and stones. After the failure of attempts to disperse the mob by lathi charges fire was opened after due warning. Ten rounds were fired which caused two fatal casualties. Curfew was imposed for two nights and constant patrolling of the affected area, coupled with the use of tear gas and lathi charges, brought the situation under control.In Calcutta disturbances began in similar circumstances on 21st November. In defiance of a warning a student procession attempted to enter an area near the Government House and offices where for the past eight years demonstrations of this kind have not been permitted. The police had orders to oppose them but not to disperse them by force. Large crowds gathered, traffic on several main streets was blocked, the police were stoned, at times heavily, and attempts were made to break the police cordon. Despite the efforts of several local leaders, the students and crowds refused to go away. There was a lull in the early hours of 22nd November, but in the afternoon there were again violent attempts to break through the cordon. These were eventually successful and very large crowds streamed into the prohibited area. During all this period the police opened fire twice.Meanwhile a general strike of Calcutta Corporation employees and of all transport services had put a stop to all public transport in the city. Street barricades were set up and rioters attacked government, military and private vehicles, which in many cases were damaged or set on fire and destroyed, their drivers were assaulted. In this way some 50 British and U.S. Government vehicles were destroyed and about 100 damaged. On the afternoon of the 23rd the military, who were already standing by, were ordered to take up dispositions in support of the police at various points in the city. By this time the disturbances had begun to decrease and by midday on Saturday the 24th conditions had become almost normal.Throughout the entire period of the disturbances the police opened fire on 14 occasions, including the two already men- tioned. Inquiries are proceeding as required by Police Regulations into the circumstances of each case. There was no firing by the military. During the whole period there were 32 fatal casualties among members of the public and one American ambulance driver also lost his life. Over 300 people were injured, including 188 members of the police and of the British and U.S. forces more or less seriously. A somewhat fuller report of the Calcutta disturbances which has been published officially in Bengal has been placed in the Library.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that' many small shopkeepers are dissatisfied with the treatment they obtain from the wholesaler; and why, in such cases, they are not permitted to change their wholesaler, if they so desire, at least once a year.

My right hon. Friend is aware of a desire on the part of some retailers to change their wholesalers. Consultations on this matter are at present taking place, and he hopes to be in a position to make a statement before long.

asked the Minister of Food if he is likely, in the near future, to have any statement to make with regard to marketing or refrigeration facilities to the greater benefit of the fishing industry.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis the money compensation offered to owners of property destroyed by enemy action is calculated, in view of the fall in the purchasing power of money.

The War Damage Act, 1943, prescribes that a value payment for war damage to land is to be equal to the sale value of the property, including the site, as a freehold before it was damaged, less its value, including the site, after the damage, calculated in both cases by reference to values prevailing at 31st March, 1939. The Act also provides in Section 11 for an increase in value payments in certain contingencies. The hon. Member will appreciate that the great majority of damaged properties have been or will be the subject of cost of works payments, i.e., a payment of the reasonable cost of making good the damage when the work of making good is done.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the increase of redemption of savings certificates from 4 per cent. of the amount outstanding in 1943 to 8 per cent. in September, 1945, he will consider increasing the rate of interest or some other measure calculated to encourage savings.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield (Mr. Ernest Davies) last Tuesday, I do not propose any change in the terms of Savings Certificates. I am confident that the National Savings Movement will succeed in bringing home to the public that it is to their own advantage as well as to the advantage of the State that they should not spend their savings at present.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the need for teachers in the national schools, he will give an assurance that schoolteachers, now serving as school masters, R.N., H.Q., will be given the same immediate opportunities of Class B release as teachers serving in other branches of the Services; and that the rate of demobilisation of schoolmasters, R.N., H.Q., will be accelerated to compare favourably with other categories of naval officers, inasmuch as the naval forecast of the release of officers shows the naval schoolmasters' demobilisation rate is to be slower than that of other branches.

I fully appreciate the need for the return of Schoolmasters to teaching, but block release under Class B is not normally offered to Schoolmasters R.N. The reason for this is that they are employed in the duties of their normal profession whilst serving in the Royal Navy, and will return to that profession on demobilisation. They are therefore released in Class A in order of age and service groups. The only exceptions are specialists who have been nominated for posts outside the general teaching profession for which they have special qualifications. So far five instructor officers and one schoolmaster R.N. have been released on these grounds. The heavy burden of responsibility which has fallen on the Naval Educational Service in implementing the Educational and Vocational Training Scheme has placed the Schoolmaster Branch at some disadvantage in the matter of release, but I can assure the hon. Member that this disparity will be evened up as soon as circumstances permit.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the first operative date for calculating length of service, under the age plus service scheme, for demobilisation of men who have been serving in naval canteen establishments under N.A.A.F.I. since the year 1939.

The operative date for this purpose is that on which the men were drafted afloat or overseas since 3rd September, 1939. Previous service in the Armed Forces, the Merchant Navy or the Air Transport Service is allowed to reckon.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state, in detail, the special Christmas Day menus which will be provided for personnel who remain on duty.

In large ships and shore establishments the supply officer arranges the Christmas Day menus. In small ships the menu is drawn up by the messes, but in all cases suitable seasonable fare is provided. Arrangements have been made for supplies of turkeys, pork, Christmas puddings and mince pies to be available.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to see that priority is given to agricultural workmen in the selection of tenants for the new council houses which it is proposed to build in rural areas.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 8th November.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that some bombed-out citizens of East End boroughs have been provided with accommodation in West End areas where economic rents are relatively high; and if he will instruct the local authorities in the latter areas not to charge such tenants now under their jurisdiction rents beyond their reasonable ability to pay.

Yes, Sir.