asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that application is being made for a licence to provide betting facilities in connection with a proposal to construct a dog racing track in the Camborne-Redruth district of Cornwall; and if he will give an assurance that his Department will not in any case grant a licence for the diversion of labour and building materials for such a purpose before the need for houses for the people of that district has been fully met.

No application has so far been received for a building licence for this purpose. The hon. and gallant Member may be assured that all such cases are dealt with in the light of the priority of housing requirements.

asked the Minister of Works, at the latest convenient date in January, how many building operatives are employed on the construction of permanent houses, on the construction of temporary houses and on the preparation of housing sites, respectively.

On 18th January there were approximately 26,000 building operatives employed in Great Britain on the erection of permanent houses for local authorities. Similar figures are not at present available in respect of permanent houses being erected by builders under licence, but arrangements for their collection are in hand. The approximate numbers employed on the erection of temporary houses and on the preparation of housing sites at the same date were respectively 32,000 and 17,000; and in addition 23,000 prisoners of war were employed on the preparation of housing sites.

asked the Minister of Works the total number of building operatives in the building industry and in the civil engineering industry respectively.

It is estimated that at the end of 1945 there were 745,000 insured males aged 16–64 m the building and civil engineering industries in Great Britain. The numbers in each industry cannot be given with precision but it is probable that just under 80 per cent. of the total were in building and just over 20 per cent. in civil engineering.

asked the Minister of Works whether in view of the fact that there, is obscurity with regard to the present regulations concerning the replacement of plate glass windows damaged by enemy action, he will issue a statement setting out the existing regulations and his policy in this matter.

Plate glass is in short supply and its use in re-glazing windows damaged by enemy action has accordingly to be restricted. Each application is considered on its merits, but supplies at present do not generally permit re-glazing beyond 10 per cent. of the previous plate glass area. The percentage will be kept under review in the light of improvements in the supply. I do not consider that the issue of any statement on the subject is necessary.

asked the hon. Member for West Walthamstow, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, if any additional donations to the staff Christmas fund were received after the Christmas Adjournment of the House; what was the total sum received; and how it was shared.

Yes, £38. The question of its disposal will be decided by the Staff Committee at their next meeting.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the release groups of the various types of tradesmen now being offered Class B release under the block release method; and the normal time that elapses between nomination by his Department and the sailor's return to industry.

I regret that the detailed information asked for in the first part of the Question is not readily available. For example, in the building and civil engineering industries, and industries ancillary to building, there are numerous varieties of tradesmen. With the exception of those who cannot be spared, block release in Class B has been, or soon will be, offered to every one of these tradesmen, provided they are in the classifications required by the Ministry of Labour, and are not due for early release in Class A. Tradesmen in other occupational classifications are being nominated up to the age and service group necessary to provide the numbers required, subject to the same provisos.

asked the Minister of Food what principal buildings, including schools and hotels, in Colwyn Bay it is intended to derequisition as the result of the transference of part of his Department to Stanmore; and how soon.

Among the 17 buildings of which the Ministry of Food propose to relinquish occupation are the following principal buildings: Penrhos College (and ancillary buildings); Rydal School (and ancillary buildings); Queen's Hotel. Occupation of Penrhos College will be given up on 15th March, 1946, and of the remainder as soon as possible, but in any event not later than the end of March, 1946. The buildings will be de-requisitioned as soon as practicable thereafter.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that on the grounds of the necessity to increase revenue in order to meet the increase in catering wages, arising from recent legislation, the caterers at Handiey-Page, Cricklewood Lane, have raised prices to bring in £75 per week to offset a total wage increase of £12 10s.; and will he take action with the firm of caterer's concerned to rectify this position.

I am not aware of the matters set forth in my hon. Friend's Question, but in any case I would have no power to intervene in a matter of this kind which should be settled by discussion between the firm and the caterers concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can yet announce the terms of the settlement of the compensation claims of tenants in the emergency houses in Lanarkshire.

I am happy to say that the independent valuer who was appointed to investigate these claims has been able to reach agreement as to the amount of compensation with 99 per cent. of the tenants. The Scottish Special Housing Association, who manage the houses on my behalf, will be communicating with the Tenants' Associations on the matter in the hear future.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists within India Command at the lack of educational work amongst troops, and the inadequate arrangements to prepare men in the India Command for civilian life by means of educational and craft training; whether he can state the number of A.E.C. instructors at present in India Command, and the number of hours which formations have been instructed to devote to educational work; and what plans are proposed for an extension of Army education in this theatre.

I have been asked to reply as the responsibility for the education of British troops in India rests with the Government of India. Throughout the war there was a wartime education scheme for these troops, which immediately after the war was expanded in those units whose operational and other military commitments made this possible. The preparation of an Army Education Scheme similar to the release period scheme for British troops elsewhere was necessarily much restricted until the end of the war with Japan, but since then everything possible has been done. On 5th November, 1945, full details of the Army Education Scheme were published in Army Instructions (India). The scheme is on the same lines as that being implemented in other theatres. It provides for the allocation to education of a minimum of six hours a week from training or working time. All units are to undertake the scheme except those specifically exempted by General Officers Commanding-in-Chief on the grounds that increased educational provision could not be made without serious detriment to the efficient discharge of their military duties. The strength of Army Educational Corps in India on 31st December, 1945, was 188 officers (including officers of other Arms employed on Army Educational Corps duties) and 181 other ranks. Though India is unavoidably some months behind other theatres, the scheme, which has the strong support of the Commander-in-Chief, may be expected to develop rapidly. Among future developments, it is hoped that it will eventually be possible to turn the unit instructors' training school at Deccan College, Poona, into a Formation College to provide advanced residential courses of a month's duration in a wide variety of subjects. The recent extension of the War Office Correspondence Course Scheme to India will widen the range of courses which have been available under a local scheme since 1942.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will inquire into two cases, details of which have been submitted to him, of university scholarship students who have been unable to obtain deferment to complete their university courses and who will suffer considerable hardship in consequence; and will he rectify this position.

In one of these cases there are special circumstances which justify me in allowing temporary deferment. I will write to my hon. Friend about the conditions on which this deferment can be renewed. In the other case, I regret that I can see no special circumstances justifying deferment which other students in similar circumstances cannot obtain.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will consider modifying the application of the demobilisation scheme in relation to West Indian non-flying members of the R.A.F.

These West Indian ground personnel are outside the scope of the demobilisation scheme but the age and service principle will be observed in determining the sequence of release among them.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of concrete mixers and cub excavators lying at the Air Ministry depot at Hatfield.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Collins) on 30th January. In addition to the 53 concrete mixers that we are ready to hand over we have a central reserve at Hatfield, for all the Airfield Construction Service, at home and overseas. This contains 43 concrete mixers; 11 others are waiting to be sent to various units. The central reserve also includes 8 excavators; 4 others are waiting to go to units. Finally, there are 9 excavators which are in use.