asked the Minister of Education what arrangement has been made with the universities with regard to their contribution towards the training of future teachers.

I am actively working on this question which necessitates consultation with a number of the interests concerned. I will make a statement to Parliament on the matter as soon as it is possible to do so.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the attitude being adopted by certain county local educational authorities towards the closing of one-teacher rural schools, she will make it clear that such a policy will not be approved.

In view of the different conditions that apply in different areas and localities, I am satisfied that no policy applicable to all one-teacher rural schools should be laid down by my Department; but I shall take steps to ensure that authorities' proposals in this matter are examined in the light of all the relevant considerations, which as the right hon. Gentleman will be aware, were discussed in the Ministry's pamphlet on "The Nation's Schools."

asked the Minister of Education how many trained certificated schoolmasters are known by her Department to have entered the Armed Forces; and how many have returned to the schools under Class A and Class B releases, respectively, up to date.

20,300 teachers have been identified in His Majesty's Forces by arrangements made between my Department and the Service Departments. This total includes all teachers who left schools recognisedby my Department to Join the Forces, and not only certificated teachers. I have no information about the number released under Class A, but up to mid-November 3,974 teachers had been released under Class B and returned to the schools.

Is the right hon. Lady satisfied that this rate is fast enough, and that the Services are not retaining school-masters who could more usefully be employed in the schools?

That is not a question for me. All that I am concerned about is that I am getting the rate promised to me by the Ministry of Labour in accordance with the priorities worked out.

asked the Minister of Education how many Class B teachers have now been released from the Services; and how many prospective teachers are now being trained in emergency colleges.

4,747 teachers have been released from the Services under Class B up to 30th November. No new emergency colleges for teachers have been opened in the last fortnight, and the number of students in training therefore remains as given in the reply to the hon. Member on 6th December.

Is the right hon. Lady satisfied, in view of the fact that she said she hoped 10,000 would be out before the end of this year and that at this rate that cannot happen? Is she satisfied that further manpower cannot be obtained? Is she aware that we wish to strengthen her hand against the Service Departments, and that her answer will not be received with satisfaction in the educational world?

Ihave tried to explain to the House what the position is. I am sorry if I have given any impression of discourtesy, but hon. Members must be willing to hear the truth sometimes.

Always.

We are adding very greatly to our staff, but there are limits to the speed with which we can absorb staff.

askedthe Minister of Education whether she has yet sent out any circular to local education authorities and governing bodies advising them to accord the maximum freedom to individual schools.

I would refer the hon. Member to the White Paper on Principles of Government for Maintained Secondary Schools, issued in 1944, which indicates the general views of my Department in this matter. I am considering what further guidance, if any, can appropriately be given in the matter.

If I send my right hon. Friend a concrete list of points affecting maintained schools, will she consider them in the light of that reply?

I shall be delighted, but I would remind the hon. Member that in speeches I have made recently I have stressed the importance of according the widest possible freedom to headmasters to make experiments in their schools.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will give an assurance that Malvern College will be enabled to return to its own buildings at Malvern in September, 1946, as was promised by her Department last September.

Allthe Departments concerned are collaborating to free the Malvern College buildings, which are at present occupied for the purpose of urgent scientific work of high priority, with the least possible delay. I can give an assurance that it will be possible for Malvern College to resume its activities in at least a part of its own buildings in September, 1946, provided that a measure of inconvenience can be accepted by the college authorities.

May I ask the right hon. Lady to bear in mind that as a result of previous undertakings given by her Department contracts have been entered into with a large number of parents in two large schools, and will she do what she can to speed things up?

I am very conscious of that; we had a conference at my Ministry last night with all the others Ministers concerned, and it is not a simple matter, because of the high priority of the important scientific work that is being done there. A part of the premises will, however, definitely be freed.

asked the Minister of Education whether, having regard to the fact that the responsibilities of local education authorities are confined to children in their own area and that it is now generally accepted by her as desirable that boarding schools should draw pupils of all types from differing localities, she will consider establishing boarding schools under the direct or indirect control of her Department.

The powers of local education authorities include the payment of contributions in respect of pupils educated at schools outside their area and of fees and expenses at direct grant and, in approved cases, independent schools. My Department has already pressed upon authorities the importance of meeting reasonable wishes of parents in this matter and of preserving so far as possible the traditions of particular county and voluntary schools; and in respect of other schools I am prepared to consider any proposals that require my approval.In this, as in other matters, I rely on the goodwill and co-operation of local education authorities and governing bodies, and I see no occasion for any departure from the general principles laid down in the Education Act for the establishment and conduct of grant-aided schools.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will ensure that education development plans which are submitted to her by local education authorities, will, at the same time, be made avail able to the public on request, so as to en sure public discussion before the Minister's sanction is given or withheld.

Section 11 of the Education Act, 1944, requires that publicity shall be given to the development plan after the Minister's approval, but the local education authority are required during its preparation to consult the managers or governors of all schools affected by the plan and this is likely to ensure considerable publicity at that stage.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware that many applicants from the Services to be teachers are being discouraged by the long delay in receiving from her Department any thing but a formal acknowledgment of the receipt of the application; and whether she will take steps to ensure that matters are speeded up.

The rate at which applications are being dealt with has been greatly improved over the past month or two and is still improving. Steps are being taken to reduce the interval between submission of applications and announcement of the Ministry's decisions. As the hon. Member is aware, the difficulty is chiefly one of manpower.

Can my right hon. Friend say what time she now anticipates will elapse between the receipt of an application and an interview or acceptance of that application?

It is utterly impossible to reply on a matter of that kind, because these are not standard things going through a sausage machine; we are dealing with individuals. In some cases,delays are longer than in others. All I can say is that my Department is extremely conscious of the necessity for reducing delays, but, at the same time, we are dealing with an ever-increasing flow of applications which, I was surprised to learn last night, has now reached 1,500 per week.

Does not the right hon. Lady find this increasing flow of applicants very satisfactory indeed?

I do. I am delighted, but at the same time I must repeat that I am not working a sausage machine; I am dealing with individuals who are being brought into a highly important profession.

Is it the custom of the right hon. Lady's Department to acknowledge the applications sent in from people in the Services who want to be put on the list?

I know we ought to do that, but I ask hon. Members to realise that, when dealing with the enormous quantity that we have to deal with, even a formal acknowledgment takes time — it is another step, and practically the least important. I really must ask people to be sensible and to realise that they may not get an acknowledgment of their applications by return of post. We are trying to do our best in a difficult situation, with an immense problem of manpower and accommodation. People must realise that.

asked the Minister of Education how many applicants from the services to become teachers, whose applications were made six weeks ago or earlier, had, on 17th December, not yet been summoned to an interview; and how many had not by that date been told if their applications had been successful or not.

I regret that to obtain this information would impose a great deal of additional labour on interviewing boards and headquarters staff which would not be justifiable in present circumstances.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that as a result of these delays many people in the Services who would have liked to become teachers have now decided that they will not pursue the matter?

I know it is undesirable and unfortunate, and I tell the House again that we are doing our best. We cannot do it any quicker. I have gone into this matter with the greatest care with officials who are doing an extremely good job, and I am afraid the House will have to take my word for it that we are doing our best.

Does the right hon. Lady appreciate that a courteous explanation to each individual applicant would assist him in maintaining his present status quo until such time as he is accepted as a teacher?

asked the Minister of Education whether she is in a position to make a statement on the recently constituted National Foundation for Educational Research; what relationship exists between her Department and the Foundation; and what contribution, direct or in direct, through local education authorities is contemplated.

The National Foundation for Educational Research, which is now being established, will be an incorporated body, with which the universities, the local education authorities, teachers' associations and the Ministry of Education will all be associated. It is proposed that I should nominate from my Department up to three representatives or assessors to serve on the council of the Foundation. Local education authorities have been invited to subscribe to the funds of the National Foundation an annual sum calculated on the basis of ¼ d. per pupil between two and 18 years of age on the rolls of the authority's schools or colleges providing full or part-time education. The expenditure so incurred will be recognised for the purposes of grant.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that on this point at any rate there is harmony?

asked the Minister of Education the names of the Welsh edu- cation authorities to whom she has made representations on the question of the employment of married women teachers.

Representations with regard to the continued employment of married women teachers have been made to the local education authority for Merthyr Tydfil, and to the Glamorgan authority in respect of proposals to dismiss such teachers in the excepted district of Rhondda.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will request the release under Class B of the large number of former Post Office employees urgently required to increase the efficiency of his Department.

As the hon.and gallant Member is aware, the Ministry of Labour and National Service has already assigned up to 500 releases in Class B to women telegraphists and telephonists. A proposal is under consideration by the Ministry of Labour for the release in Class B ofa considerable number of Post Office men employees in the postal, telegraph, telephone and engineering services.

Can the hon. Gentleman give an approximate indication of the number of persons likely to be affected by these considerations?

I cannot give an approximate number. We have asked for a considerable number.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will give any indication as to how soon he can contemplate a reduction to prewar rates of postal and telephonic charges.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when he proposes to reduce postage, telephone and telegraph rates.

I am sorry that I am not in a position to make a statement on these matters at present.

Does the Minister appreciate that this is a very severe handicap to industry, and will he take urgent steps to obtain some reduction?

Yes, Sir. The matter is under consideration, but I cannot say anything further at this stage.

asked the Assistant Post master-General what sum of money was paid by the G.P.O. to the telecommunications industry for research and development, respectively, in the 12 months ended June, 1937, and 1945, respectively; and how many engineer and physicist hours were placed at the disposal of the Government thereby.

The Post Office does not normally make payments to the telecommunications industry specifically for research and development; the cost of such work forms part of the expenses of the industry and is reflected in the price paid by the Post Office for telecommunications equipment. I have no information about the number of engineer and physicist hour's employed by manufacturersin connection with Post Office contracts.

Is it not a fact that most of the telecommunications apparatus in use by the Post Office is manufactured by contractors and not by the Post Office? Can my hon. Friend say how much of that apparatus so supplied was the result of British research and development?

I cannot answer that question without notice.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if normal postal arrangements have yet been established with Hong Kong; and how long does it take for a letter to reach Hong Kong from this country.

Yes, Sir. Letter services were restored to Hong Kong on the 28th of September last by both air and surface route, and all classes of correspondence may now be sent up to the normal limits of weight. It is hoped shortly to restore the parcel post also. Letters are at present taking about 13 days to reach Hong Kong by air and 46 days by surface route.

Is the hon. Gentleman's Department responsible for bringing home the mail of the Forces, as some letters take no less than 25 days to reach this country?

We are partly responsible. We work in conjunction with the military authorities.

Does not the Minister agree that his difficult task would be made much easier if civil administration were re-established in Hong Kong?

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why he does not make public the accounts of the national telephone system; and if he will do so regularly in the New Year.

The preparation and presentation of the Post Office Commercial Accounts was suspended during the war as a measure of economy of accounting staff. A good deal of work is involved in their resumption and I do not anticipate that it will be possible to prepare detailed commercial accounts before the year commencing 1st April, 1947.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether this service pays for itself, as it would have to do if it were in private hands?

Yes, Sir, very much so.

:Is the hon. Gentleman aware that no private firm is excused from making proper returns and keeping accounts on the ground of staff shortage, and are nationalised services to be given a special dispensation in this respect?

No private firm is of the magnitude of the Post Office, or has undertaken so much work during the war.

Will my hon. Friend emphasize to hon. Members opposite that the telephone service has never looked back since it was taken over by the nation?

Could the Minister state if this House has not, in recent years, had to provide funds to help this service?

I think not.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why the G.P.O. has never permitted Cable and Wireless, Limited, to reduce rates for cables to the same level as those charged by the G.P.O. for telegrams to France and Switzerland; and why permission was withheld until 1939 for similar reductions by the company on cables to Austria, Bulgaria, U.S.S.R. and Yugoslavia.

Cable and Wireless, Ltd., has always been allowed to handle traffic with all these countries at the same rates as those charged on messages passing over the Post Office routes, provided the Company's direct wireless routes were utilised.

Surely the Minister will not deny that the Post Office refused to allow the company to reduce its charges. Will he state the reason for that?

The Post Office has not given a refusal to the Cable and Wireless Company in regard to direct routes, but the, Post Office does not want the company to use an indirect route, which is for long-distance Empire services, for direct communications when both the company and Post Office have direct routes.

Sir Ian Fraser asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will arrange for an experiment in one automatic exchange area whereby a red light shows on the telephone instrument of each subscriber to indicate to him that a second caller is on the line waiting for him.

The suggested experiment would involve extensive engineering research and the complete redesign of major portions of the apparatus both at the exchange and at the subscribers' premises. It would not be possible to undertake this work at the present time.

Would it not save an enormous amount of the time of everybody concerned and, therefore, be an efficiency?

The arrangement is complicated and I imagine would have very great fault liability.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what categories of Government official and what classes of private subscriber are registered as entitled to priority trunk calls; and whether he will extend this concession to Members of Parliament telephoning to their constituents from their offices and private residences.

Government officials and private persons and firms registered as entitled to priority for trunk calls consist of individuals sponsored by a Government Department as engaged in duties which need such priority in the national interest. The use of the priority service has now much declined and less than 1 per cent. of trunk calls are booked as priority; most of these would be connected without delay in any case. The Postmaster-General therefore proposes to abolish the priority lists as from 1st January, 1946, retaining machinery for giving priority when necessary in exceptional circumstances to calls concerning public emergencies. In the circumstances the second part of the Question will not arise.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he will agree to absorb any staff of local authorities' public assistance departments that may be made redundant as a result of the passing of the proposed social insurance scheme.

asked the Minister of National Insurance to what extent relieving officers will be affected by the proposed National Insurance Bill; and whether he will ensure that relieving officers who may be displaced or made redundant by its proposals will be employed by hisDepartment in the administration of national insurance.

I cannot add to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Sal-ford (Mr. Hardy) by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, on 15th November, last.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the proposed National Insurance Bill will contain provisions for the compensation of any displaced staff? If not, why not?

I cannot anticipate the provisions of the Bill, but early this week I received a deputation from the trades unions representing the staffs affected by this particular question and I informed them that I would see them later on, when the import of our new scheme will be more clearly seen.

Squadron-Leader Roberts: Will the Minister inform the House that he will receive a deputation on behalf of the relieving officers?

The deputation concerned was on their behalf.

asked the Minister of National Insurance when the Emergency Regulation of 1939, prohibiting the payment of claims for the refund of unemployment insurance contributions paid in error, is to be withdrawn.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave, on 22nd November, to the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Proctor).

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he will publish before Christmas, or, at latest, a week before the resumption of Parliament in 1946, the terms of his promised measure of social insurance and, in particular, the proposals affecting the old-age pensioners.

As will be seen by the Order Paper I have given notice of the presentation of the National Insurance Bill today. I have done this in the hope that the text of the Bill may be available to the House before it resumes on 22nd January, but I think it right to tell the House that, owing to the inevitable complexities of the task, it may not be possible to have the Bill printed until shortly after the House resumes its sitting. However, I have no reason to anticipate that this will in any way prejudice the Government's firm intention to get the Bill on the Statute Book before the Summer Recess and to have the new and improved arrangements operating for existing classes of old age pensioners in the autumn.

In view of the reply given to me by the Leader of the House on the subject of the date of the introduction of the Bill, am I to understand that the delay is inevitable owing to drafting reasons; and may I also take it that, if the Bill does not come out until after we resume, we shall be given plenty of time to examine it, in view of its complexity and importance?

Yes, Sir, the delay is inevitable because of the complexities to which I referred. I think I am entitled to tell the House that everybody concerned with the Bill is working very hard to get it ready as quickly as possible, and yesterday the staffs in my Department and the Department of Parliamentary Counsel, in order to complete the final stages, volunteered to work during Christmas week in order to speed it up. In view of the assurance given by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House, we appreciate that the House will want time to consider this very important Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will ensure that future inquiries into disturbances in any of His Majesty's prisons shall be conducted in public.

Any offence against prison discipline which is too serious to be dealt with within the limited powers of the Governor of the Prison, is the subject of investigation and adjudication by the Prison Visiting Committee, which is an independent body composed of, or including, magistrates. I do not think there would be any advantage, and there would be many disadvantages in having inquiries of this kind conducted in public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now state the age of each of the persons sentenced to flogging after the recent disturbance in the Cardiff gaol; and the punishment meted out to the persons concerned.

Four youths, of whom one was-aged 20, two 19 and one 18, received twelve strokes of the birch-rod. Two youths, of whom one was aged 17½ and the other just under 17, received nine strokes.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancasterhow many German troops disbanded in the British zone have been refused admission to their former home areas now in the Russian and French zones.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. and gallant Member.

(by Private Notice)asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he can now make a statement concerning the treatment of Jewish displaced persons in the British Zone in Germany.

Yes, Sir. I am aware of the criticisms to which the hon. Member refers. They are without foundation. The information is necessarily rather long, and I hope that the House will bear with me while I give it.

On the collapse of Germany in May, 1945, the military authorities were faced with a stupendous task in dealing with the many millions of displaced persons who were then at large in ex-enemy territories. By the end of October, the vast majority of those who could be repatriated had either been returned to their countries of origin, or were on their way, leaving in the British zone in Germany approximately 5.50,000 who were not immediately repatriable. Of this number only a relatively small proportion were Jews. Jewish persons receive the same treatment and facilities as other displaced persons.

Displaced persons have an absolute priority over the German population in regard to food, and special efforts are made to provide a balanced diet. A minimum ration scale of 2,000 calories per day is prescribed, with additions for workers and other special categories. This is much in excess of what is being received by the Germans. Frequent levies of clothing for the benefit of displaced persons have been made on the German population to augment such imported clothing as has been available. The biggest levy has just been completed and as a result Winter clothing is now being issued to displaced persons. Every effort is made to provide adequate protection against the cold. Deficiencies still exist, particularly in blankets and men's overcoats, but steps are being taken to make good the shortages.

Displaced persons are accommodated in areas known as assembly centres which often consist of block of houses requisitioned from the German people. Other assembly centres consist of large well-fitted barracks or camps. Inevitably, given the general shortage of accommodation in the heavily bombed German cities, some assembly centres are overcrowded but the standard of living space laid down as the minimum for displaced persons is higher than that allowed for the German population. The movement of displaced persons to specially selected winter accommodation started in October last and is now practically complete.

Prominence has been given to conditions which exist in what has been called "the notorious Belsen Camp." This camp was in fact destroyed by order shortly after the British troops arrived. The only assembly centre near the site is that: at Hoehne where a large number of displaced persons, among them 9,500 Jews, are accommodated. Hoehne assembly centre consists of large brick barracks formerly occupied by S.S. troops who, under the Hitler regime, received special treatment and accommodation. Many displaced persons who have been transferred from Hoehne to other assembly centres, have asked to return.

The centre is run by the British Red Cross Society under the direction of a relief detachment of the military authorities. The Jewish displaced persons maintain their own guards, workshops, recreation rooms, and sick-bay, and organise their own working parties and administration. The hospital is administered by U.N.R.R.A. There is an adequate supply of medicine and the hospital is well fitted and well run. Included in the staff are some German doctors and nurses who work under the direction of U.N.R.R.A. doctors. Each displaced person has at least two blankets, as have all displaced persons in assembly centres, and all have received a fresh outfit of clothing since leaving the Belsen concentration camp.

There is no censorship of newspapers within the centre and complete freedom of movement in and out of the camp is permitted. No restriction is placed on Zionist activities. Contrary to statements which have been circulating in the Press overseas there was no disturbance at this centre on 15th November. Nor has there been a disturbance at any other time. The facts are that recently a procession of Jewish displaced persons from the centre marched to the office of the military government detachment to present a resolution to be passed to the British authorities. The commanding officer of the detachment accepted the resolution for onward transmission. There were no incidents and no arrests and the acting president of the Jewish committee at the centre reports that he has had no complaints about the procedure.

While thanking the hon. Gentleman for his in many ways reassuring report, though there are still admitted deficiencies, may I ask him whether he will consider whether it would not help to forestall criticisms, whether justified or unjustified, if he would follow the example of the President of the United States by appointing a Jewish adviser to the Military Government in our Zone similar to the appointment of Judge Rifkind who has been appointed Jewish adviser in the American Zone?

I am afraid it would be impossible to take any measures which would forestall criticisms which are unjustified, and which are in this case deliberately fabricated. Iam already considering the appointment of Jewish advisers. So far as the second part of the hon. Lady's supplementary question is concerned, in regard to Jewish welfare workers in the camps, there are already Jewish welfare workers on the staff of U.N.R.R.A. who are now taking over control of these camps I have had no complaint of a shortage of Jewish personnel with U.N.R.R.A. If there are such complaints I shall be glad to consider them.

Is the hon. Member aware that I and probably other Members of this Househave visited Belsen, or as it now is, Hoehne Camp, and the work done by the people in control is very praiseworthy indeed; and however much sympathy one has with the displaced persons, a great deal of credit should go to the people who have organised those camps?

Can the hon. Gentleman give an assurance that he is satisfied that an adequate amount of work and other activities are provided for these displaced persons, and that the arrangements in the British Zone in this connection are at least as good as in the American Zone?

I cannot speak for the American Zone, but I can assure the House that the difficulty is not so much the inadequacy of available work but the reluctance of many displaced persons to take advantage of those facilities, largely due to psychological factors. They feel it is time that they were given a rest; they were slave workers and they feel that the Germans should now work for them. Facilities are provided in most camps and are taken advantage of. Special rations and other amenities are offered to encourage participation in those facilities.

May I ask the Minister how these completely inaccurate reports are put about? I have received reports about the work of the British Red Cross.

I obviously cannot say how these inspired Press statements in other countries originated. The fact is that they have been published and, therefore, I am glad to have this opportunity of repudiating them.

While I thank the Minister for the statement he has made, is he prepared to consider, in view of the very peculiar position of Jewish displaced persons, the possibility of having separate camps for them, so that, in addition to receiving the ordinary amenities, they may have congenial and appropriate surroundings in which to recover?

I am afraid the implication would be very detrimental.

Is the Minister aware that as far as I have been able to make out—and I have been making inquiries since I first heard of these violent criticisms—the particularly unfair criticisms which he has answered to-day do not seem to have originated in any of the well-known Jewish bodies in this country? They did not even know that the criticisms had been made.

I am glad to saythat, so far as I am aware, such stories have not appeared in the British Press.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now in a position to announce what action he will take to secure the staggering of holidays as recommended by the Catering Wages Commission.

I am proposing to appoint a standing committee under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary representative of the different interests concerned to stimulate and co-ordinate action in the matter in England and Wales. In conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland I propose to appoint a similar committee for Scotland under the chairmanship of one of the Joint Under-Secretaries of State for Scotland. The services of the staff of my Department will be available to take the necessary day-to-day action with the appropriate authorities in accordance with the plans of the standing committees and, by arrangement with my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, my regional controllers will have the advice and assistance of the regional boards for industry in this connection.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say when the Committees will begin work?

As soon as we can get them constituted, and we are dealing with it at once.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons have applied for registration under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act since 25th September of this year; and what percentage of the estimated total of disabled persons does this represent.

Up to 30th November the latest date for which figures are available, just over 148,000 persons had applied for registration under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act. In reply to the last part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser) on 4th December.

asked the Minister of Labour if blind persons are included in the Disabled Persons Register; and what is the earliest age at which registration is permitted.

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. The statutory school-leaving age is the earliest age at which registration is permitted.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will now publish the final Report from the Catering Wages Commission concerning the rehabilitation of the catering industry.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Frome (Mr. Farthing) on 18th December, a copy of which I am sending him.

Is not the Minister aware that he has had a long time to think about this? Why cannot he now say that the report will be published and when it will be published?

The answer I gave last week said that the report is being published.

asked the Minister of Labour whether a count of unemployed insured persons was taken in November; and whether he will make the figures available.

A count of insured persons registered as unemployed was taken on 12th November, and the figures were published on 12th December. They will also be given in the December issue of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette."

asked the Minister of Labour what labour controls now apply to men under 30 years of age demobilised in Class A.

During their period of paid leave men of any age demobilised in Class A are free from all controls. At the end of that period they are subject to the same controls as apply to other civilian workers except that in no circumstances would they be withdrawn from any employment which they found during their period of freedom. The controls applying generally to men under 30 are as follows. If they are employed in an undertaking scheduled under an Essential Work Order they cannot leave or be discharged except with the permission of a National Service Officer. They must take a new job through a local office of the Ministry of Labour. Men in these age classes are still liable to direction to an individual job, but these powers are only used in the last resort for a limited range of work of high priority and in any case no Class A ex-Service man would ever be directed away from home.

(by Private Notice)asked the Minister of Labour whether he will give the House the latest figures of

Yes, Sir.I will, with permission, circulate a full statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us any indication, prior to our reading the long statement, of the rate of the Class B releases, whether they have been very much accelerated?

Yes, Sir. They have been very much accelerated. The last time I examined the figures they were then running quite on the line of the figure of 10 per cent. allotted to them.

Will the Minister agree that the book he issued in connection with demobilisation might be brought up to date each month?

I will consider that.

Is it the policy of the Government still to retain Class B releases at 10 per cent.? The Prime Minister in his speech referred to 15 per cent. What exactly is the position?

A final decision has not yet been reached, but we are moving towards increasing the Class B releases to 15 per cent., because byso doing, with the acceleration of the releases in Class A, no hardship is being caused to anybody.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will arrange for the demobilisation of dustmen under Class B, in order to remove the anxiety felt by housewives in some areas, owing to the fact that local authorities are short of this class of labour.

No, Sir. Although there is some difficulty in a few areas in meeting demands for this class of labour, I am not satisfied that the present situation justi- fies the release of men from the Forces under Class B for this purpose.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that putrifying organic matter, apart from causing an unpleasant odour, is also dangerous to health, and, in these circumstances, and in view of the fact that housewives are suffering great inconvenience in this matter, will he not consider it once again?

If I considered it again, I should not change the decision, especially in view of the fact of the increase operating under Class A.

In view of the highly unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Motion for the Adjournment.