asked the Minister of Works if he has yet established the programme in England and Wales for the carcases of prefabricated houses, either temporary or permanent, for the months of July, August, September and October; and if he will give the numbers.

I have been asked to reply, It would be misleading to publish production programmes for one particular operation independently of a general house building programme, and the Government have already made clear that it is not their policy at the present time to announce a general programme. Regular information as to progress on every aspect of housing operations is being published.

asked the Minister of Health how many house plans have been approved by his Department for the construction of houses temporarily subdivided on the Silkin-Duplex principle.

I regret that records of this particular method of construction have not been kept and I could not give the information required by the hon. Member without having all approved plans investigated. I am afraid that this would take more time than is justified.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to de-requisition the house in Ascot, details of which have been communicated to his Department, which neither the Berkshire County Council nor the Windsor Rural District Council wish to retain, which has now been empty for over eight and a half months, and in which a caretaker has been installed at the public expense.

The Clerk of the County Council has already been asked to de-requisition this house.

asked the Minister of Education whether secondary school- teachers were informed of the fact that His Majesty's chief inspector of schools had advised the Civil Service Commissioners that economics was not a suitable subject for the open examination for posts in the executive class of the Home Civil Service, immediately that advice had been given, so that prospective candidates for that examination could avoid studying the wrong subject.

As economics has- never been one of the subjects in the open corn-petition for the executive class of the Home Civil Service since the competitions started in 1928, no notification to schools was necessary. The Civil Service Commissioners inform me that before each examination copies of the regulations have been sent to all the education authorities likely to have suitable candidates at their schools and there should have been no misapprehension as to the subjects which can be offered.

asked the Minister of Education whether she has yet considered the letter sent to her some time ago about the lack of school facilities in the area of Stubley Lane and Coleman Avenue, Wednesfield; and what action does she propose to take.

I regret that my hon. Friend did not receive an answer to his letter until recently. The delay is due to the inquiries which have been made locally about the school facilities available for the children on whose behalf he has been approached. I am satisfied that the present school population in the district can be satisfactorily accommodated in the existing schools, none of which is overcrowded and that, as no child has more than 1.7 miles to reach school and can have a midday meal at school, I should not be justified in pressing the local education authority to provide free transport.

asked the Minister of Education what complaints she has received, of Exhall College for women tutors with reference to conditions, especially when it was first opened.

There were certain difficulties when this college was first opened because the teaching accommoda- tion could not be wholly completed in time. Both staff and students made the best of the situation and made no complaints, and the necessary work was completed as quickly as possible. More recently, complaints have been' received about the heating during a particularly cold spell, but this was quickly remedied

asked the Minister of Education what catering arrangements have been made for Camden Town College; and if she is satisfied with conditions there.

I am not satisfied with the present temporary arrangements under which students at this day college have to take their midday meal in restaurants. A kitchen is being provided which will make it possible for the students to have their midday meal in the College.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will inform the House of the latest development in the schools meals and milk policy.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statement of Government policy on this subject which I made in the House earlier today.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the telephone exchange at Newport was erected as the first major experimental station for the automatic dial system in this country about 3o years ago; that much of the equipment is now out of date and obsolete and is causing serious difficulties in maintenance; and if he will consider the desirability of having it completely modernised and put in efficient working order.

I am aware of the shortcomings of some of the automatic equipment at Newport exchange. Complete modernisation will need a new building, which cannot be put in hand yet, but meanwhile additional equipment of modern design is being installed and the unsatisfactory portions of the old equipment are being renewed.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when some improvement in the telephone service of this country may be expected.

Improvement has already taken place with the release of Post Office staff from the Forces. This process is continuing and further improvement will take place as additional labour becomes available and the staff employed gains greater experience.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many telephones have been supplied to private subscribers in the London telephone area since 1st January; and how many applications for service are outstanding.

In the London Telecommunications Region 55,400 telephones have been installed for private applicants between 1st January and 23rd March, 1946. The number of private applications outstanding at the end of February, 1946, w is about 97,700.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the payment made to the sub-postmasters of Chillington and West Alvington only amount to £62 and £43 per annum, respectively, plus appropriate bonuses; and whether, in view of the manifold activities involved in their work and the fact that in return for this payment they have to provide the necessary office accommodation, lighting and cleaning, he will take an early opportunity of revising the payment made to these sub-postmasters and others going comparable works.

The statements of pay for the two officers named are correct; including bonus consolidation addition, the figures are respectively £89 16s. od. and £63 13s. od. These figures, however, represent only the provisional minimum emoluments quoted for new offices at which the amount of business likely to be transacted is unknown; and they are subject to reviews, with retrospective effect, at the end of six months and twelve months, on the basis of actual statistics of business. Payments to sub-postmasters are based on a scale agreed with the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters; the question of a general revision of this scale is at present under discussion with the Federation.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what categories of postal packages are transmissible, and what non-transmissible, from this country to Poland.

Registered and unregistered letters, printed and commercial papers, articles for the blind, samples and parcels, up to the normal limits of weight in each case, may now be sent to Poland by surface route. A restricted air mail service, limited to postcards and letters not exceeding two ounces in weight, is also available. Pending the resumption of trade relations with Poland, business correspondence should be confined to the ascertainment of facts and exchange of information. The only prewar postal facilities which have not yet been resumed are the insurance and express delivery services.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why a letter posted in the main House of Commons Lobby Post Office by the hon. Member for the Denbigh division on Thursday evening, 21st March, at 8.30 p.m. addressed to the B.B.C. Regional Office, Cardiff, was not delivered at its destination until the Monday following, 25th March.

The letter should, in normal course, have secured delivery at Cardiff on Friday, 22nd March, or at the latest by the first delivery on the following day. If the hon. Member will let me have the envelope I will have full inquiry made and write to him.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the Post Office research work carried out by Post Office engineers with Government money during the war was transferred to the Cable and Wireless Company, Limited, he will take steps to have this firm put under public control.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the public ownership of Cable and Wireless Limited on 1st November, 1945.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he intends to make arrangements in advance of the passing of the National Insurance Bill to ensure that there shall be no delay in the payment of retirement pensions at the new rate to those who will then become entitled to them; arid whether existing old age pensions will be converted into retirement pensions automatically and without action on the part of pensioners.

Yes, Sir; the administrative arrangements necessary to give effect to the Government's undertaking to increase old age pension rates in the autumn of this year are already in hand and subject to the passage of the necessary legislation there should be no delay in paying the increased pensions to those entitled to them from the day appointed for the purpose. The arrangements include the issue in a few weeks' time of an inquiry to these classes of pensioners in respect of whom the necessary information relating to retirement is not already available so that, normally, it will be unnecessary for a pensioner to make a formal application for the increase.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the police were instructed to take the names of the drivers of all motor vehicles parked in Berkeley Street, London, W.I, between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 19th March; and whether, in view of the fact that motorists have been in the habit of parking their motor cars in this and other wide thoroughfares in the West End of London for many months past, he will issue a statement indicating which streets may, and may not, be used for parking, in order that there may be no unnecessary infringements of the law.

The police acted in the normal course of their duties, because the unattended cars in Berkeley Street were obstructing the free flow of traffic. I doubt if the value of a list of all the authorised parking places in London would, be commensurate with the labour involved in compiling it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all emergency stocks of timber held by civil defence authorities have now been released to the Timber Control Board.

Apart from timber now retained by local authorities for housing purposes, with the knowledge of the Timber Control Board, and timber embodied in shelters and other civil defence buildings, which is due to be removed so far as practicable as opportunity offers, I doubt whether local authorities now hold any appreciable quantities of timber obtained for civil defence purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that parish council elections shall in future be conducted more democratically than hitherto, in particular by abolishing the method of voting by show of hands and by securing adequate public advertisement of such elections.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the dissatisfaction with the present methods of parish council elections and if he will like steps to make the secret ballot compulsory in such elections.

As regards the method of election of parish councillors, I would refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave on the 8th November last to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Maidstone (Mr. Bossom). As regards publicity, I have no reason to think that the statutory provisions as to the publication of the notice relating to these elections are insufficient.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is proposed to amend or otherwise revise the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933.

The question of amending the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, in certain respects in the light of experience gained of its working is kept under review, but I am not in a position to make any statement about prospective legislation on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the qualifications required in the appointment of magistrates to juvenile courts; whether an age limit obtains; and, if not, if he will consider the desirability of such a provision.

The only statutory requirement is that the justices appointed to serve on juvenile court panels shall be specially qualified for dealing with juvenile cases. No age limit is prescribed though the advice given to justices is to select their younger colleagues for this work. Whether any further requirements are desirable will be a matter for the consideration of the Royal Commission which is shortly to be set up.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether recognition will be given to members of the Devon constabulary for the extra duties imposed on them by the escapes of Borstal boys from the prison at Princetown.

This is primarily a matter for the local police authority. So far as the regular policemen are concerned, any who are required to be on duty in excess of their normal hours are entitled to equivalent time off, or in lieu to payment at overtime rates. As regards special constables it is open to the police authority to reimburse any loss of wages or out-of-pocket expenses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that Mr. W. H. Edwards, the Chief Constable of Cambridge, was killed while on duty, and that his wife has been granted a pension of only £76 10s. per annum; and if he will see what improvement can be brought about in this case and in the general question' of pensions awarded to the dependants of police officers.

The pension granted by the police authority is of the maximum amount permitted by the Police Pensions Act, 1921. The general question of police, widows' pensions will fall to be considered as part of the general question of the application to the police service of the Government's National Insurance proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is intended to pay war gratuities to members of the war reserve police force, who have resigned.

The process of paying war gratuities has now been in operation for some time, and I understand that over 60 per cent. of police auxiliaries in England and Wales have already been paid.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now able to make a statement about the provision of additional accommodation for youths and girls sentenced to Borstal detention.

Yes, Sir. A number of measures are being taken to meet the situation created by the steep rise in the Borstal population, and the programme on which I am now working will, I hope, both provide the requisite accommodation and also enable progress to be made in the methods of classification and training.

There have until recently been seven Borstal Institutions for the training of young men, in addition to certain wings of prisons which have been declared to be Borstal Institutions and have been set apart ( a ) for youths unfit on medical grounds for training in an ordinary institution, ( b ) for those who seriously misbehave in a training institution, and ( c ) for those whose licences have been revoked.

As a result of the steep rise during 1945 in the number of youths sentenced to Borstal training, this accommodation has for some time past been insufficient. The rise is still continuing—the number of young men in custody sentenced to Borstal detention has increased by 300 in the last four months—and as a result large numbers are detained for unduly long periods in ordinary prisons awaiting transfer to a Borstal Institution. It is entirely wrong that youths who have been sentenced to Borstal training should be kept waiting for their training for long periods and should have meanwhile to be detained in ordinary prisons.

It was apparent during the summer of 1945 that additional accommodation would be required, and the necessary steps were initiated as soon as possible after the termination of hostilities. But to select, acquire, adapt and staff a number of new establishments necessarily takes time, and it was because of the urgent necessity of finding some immediate remedy that I decided that as a temporary measure a part of Dartmoor Prison should be converted into a Borstal Institution. I pointed out, however, that the problem was not merely to find one additional Borstal Institution: it would be necessary to provide several such institutions. The steps that are being taken for this purpose are as follows:

A new Borstal Camp for 80 boys has been opened at Gringley Carrs in Nottinghamshire. In the course of next month a second Borstal Reception Centre to take up to 150 boys will be opened at Latch-mere House, Kingston. On the 1st July it will be possible to take over from the War 'Office the establishment at Northallerton which has been used during the war for purposes of military detention. This also will be used as a Borstal Reception Centre. Next month the establishment at Feltham, which was formerly used as a Borstal Institution, will again be made available for Borstal training for up to 300 boys. This step has been made possible by the reopening of Pentonville Prison and a redistribution of the prison population.

The Prison Commissioners have also selected, and hope to acquire in the next few months, premises which can be used as a minimum security prison for the greater part of the convicts of the Star Class now at Camp Hill Prison, thus freeing that establishment for use as a Borstal Institution for some 300 boys, as it as before the war. In addition, negotiations are in progress for the acquisition of three country houses, each of which will accommodate from 150 to 200 boys. The adaptation and staffing of these additional Institutions will take time, but it is contemplated that they will be brought into use during the next 12 to 18 months.

There were at the end of February nearly 3,000 young men in custody sentenced to Borstal detention. As a result of these arrangements, accommodation will be provided for a population of over 3,300 excluding the use of Dartmoor, the use of which as a Borstal Institution will cease when the before mentioned premises become available.

As regards girls, the only Institution used before the war for Borstal training was that at Aylesbury, where the normal population did not exceed 150. During the later years of the war the committals increased sharply, and by the end of 1945 the total population had reached 300, and there were some 230 girls at Aylesbury. It was essential to reduce the numbers if the training;at Aylesbury was to retain any value, and it was decided to send no more girls there till the population had fallen to about 150. Meanwhile, the girls awaiting vacancies were collected at Holloway and Durham, where the best facilities existed for such training as can be provided in a prison. The search for additional accommodation has not proved easy, but a country house at East Sutton Park in Kent, which will provide admirable facilities for the training of 50 girls, has been acquired and will, it is hoped, be ready for use within six months. Negotiations arc also in progress for the acqui- sition of another country house which will, when the necessary adaptations have been made, take 50 to 60 girls. Both these Institutions will be run on new and experimental lines, and will receive such girls as are suitable for training in the open conditions of a normal school. Whether any more Institutions of this type should be provided will depend on the proportion of Borstal girls which experience shows to be suitable for such methods of training; it must be borne in mind that girls are seldom sentenced to Borstal Detention unless their records are very bad and various other methods of treatment have been tried and proved unsuitable.

Pending the opening of the two new Borstals, some transitional arrangement must he made for the growing number of girls who have already spent some months in prison and for whom no Borstal accommodation can be provided for some time to come. One unit of 30 girls has been at Durham since November, in an entirely separate wing of the women's prison. Here so much success has been achieved, with the cooperation of the Durham County Education Authority, in providing a Borstal-like atmosphere and training for the girls, that I have felt justified as a temporary measure in declaring this wing to be a Borstal Institution, where the girls will complete their training. It is hoped to allow them, at a suitable stage of their training, considerable freedom outside the prison both for work, education and recreation.

To relieve the numbers at Holloway, it has been arranged to open a similar Borstal unit in the women's prison at Exeter, from which all convicted women will be removed. The local education authority has, with the consent of the Ministry of Education, kindly agreed to cooperate here on the lines of the very successful experiment at Durham.

During the transitional period, a wing of Holloway Prison will be used as a Reception Centre for Borstal girls, and careful arrangements will be made by observation of their behaviour and by a study of their previous histories to classify them appropriately before they are allocated to one or other of the Borstal Training Institutions. For this purpose a medical psychiatrist and a psychiatric social worker will be added to the staff. Later it is proposed to that the Reception Centre shall be at Aylesbury, in that part of the institution which will no longer be used as a Borstal Institution, so that the use of Holloway Prison for the reception of girls sentenced to Borstal training may be abandoned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the recent applications made by Mr. R. F. Findlay for a renewal of his passport and a travel identity card were refused, despite the application of other ex-internees under Regulation 18B having been granted.

I cannot accept the suggestion that every one of those persons who were detained under Regulation 18B must be treated alike in this matter. Applications from individuals for facilities to travel abroad are each considered on merits, and I have decided that it would be contrary to the public interest to allow Mr. Findlay to leave the country at the present time.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General, as representing the Ministry of Information, if he will institute broadcasting services in the vernacular for Yugoslavia where anti-British propaganda prevails.

For several years past the B.B.C. have broadcast daily to Yugoslavia in the Serbo-Croat and Slovene languages.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General, as representing the Ministry of Information, what is now the number of periodicals and daily and weekly papers published in Great Britain under the auspices of foreign Governments and organisations; and what is the amount of paper allotted for this purpose.

Under the Control of Paper Orders new periodicals may now be published without licence provided that they consume not more than 8 cwt. of paper in four months; I have no information as to the number of such periodicals. Twenty - five periodicals, newspapers, news bulletins and magazines published in Great Britain under the auspices of foreign Governments and organisations are allowed to use more than this minimum quantity; the total permitted consumption for these periodicals amounts to approximately 11 tons per week.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that conditions in the near future will permit expansion in production of certain 'patent medicines, foods and wines for which health-giving properties are claimed; and whether he will take action to ensure that the selling price of such products will bear a close relationship to their real value.

Medical substances for personal and domestic use, and invalid foods and requisites in relation to such foods, are price regulated goods subject to the Prices of Goods Act, 1939, under which the prices charged may be increased only to the extent of increases in costs for comparable goods since 21st August, 1939. I am not prepared, on the information at present before me, to take special steps to fix maximum prices for the very large number of individual types and classes of these goods. Wines and foods, except to the extent that they fall within the above description, are not price regulated goods under the Prices of Goods Act and are the responsibility of the Ministry of Food.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the average price per pound at which the Government bought representative grades of Egyptian cotton during each of the last 12 months; the Average price per pound at which it sold The same grades to English spinners; and the approximate cost per pound of freight, insurance, handling and other charges.

Since the present buying season in Egypt commenced last September, the Government's purchases for representative grades of Ashmouni, Giza 7 and Karnak have been made at average f.o.b. prices of 17.7od., 22.7od. and 24.20d. respectively. For the same types of cotton, the selling prices are 14.60d., 16.rod., and 17.7od., respectively. The freight and other charges are about o.9od. in each case. These sales were made from stocks purchased earlier at lower prices. The Cotton Control's selling prices were fixed in April, 1944, at a level estimated to cover average costs as a whole, apart from certain abnormal wartime charges. They are related to spinning values of the different types, and not to the cost of particular growths of cotton. I regret that it has not been possible in the time available to ascertain the figures month by month. No purchases were made in the months prior to September, except a small quantity in April last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total financial loss incurred in the operation of the cotton control's central purchasing scheme since its inception.

For the period from April, 1941, to March, 1945, the Cotton Control's trading in raw cotton has shown a loss of about £2 millions. This excludes cotton obtained on Lend-Lease, on which there were notional losses. For most of the period, the Control's selling prices were deliberately maintained at a low level in order to stabilise the prices of yarns and cloth. Since April, 1944, the Control has traded at some profit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government have been using, either directly or indirectly through an agent, the facilities of the New York futures market for its own purchases of raw cotton.

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to announce any relaxation in the formalities connected with the granting of timber licences.

Yes, Sir. So as to shorten the procedure for release of timber for essential requirements, in particular the housing programme, the present departmental "Certificate to Purchase" will from next month be combined with the Timber Licence in a single document, to be completed by the sponsoring Department and presented to the supplier without further formality. In the case of plywood and certain varieties of timber and veneer which are in particularly short supply, however, a reference to the Timber Control Area Officer will still be necessary before release. The Control of Timber (No. 40) Order, 1946, provides for this and certain other minor relaxations of control.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will authorise the publication of information discovered in Germany giving details of secret trade agreements made by German cartels and trading organisations with persons and interests in this and other countries.

No information of this nature is at present available,. but in the course of breaking up large German industrial complexes to which we are committed under the Potsdam Agreement a certain amount of information may come to light. We shall then consider, in conjunction with our Allies, whether any or all of it is suitable for publication.

asked the hon. Member for West Walthamstow, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, whether he will make arrangements to ensure that Gravesend shrimps, not now included in the diningroom menu, appear there in future.

If the hon. Member will give me the name of any reputable firm who can guarantee supplies of potted shrimps at a competitive price, we shall he pleased to consider their offer.

asked the hon. Member for West Walthamstow, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, whether discussions have now taken place with the Ministry of Works concerning the pantry in the Members' smoking room; and whether improvements are being considered in this matter.

Yes, Sir, such discussions have taken place and a scheme is being considered. It is not an easy problem to solve without interfering with existing amenities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the report of the committee which has been considering the question of water rates and charges in Scotland will be available.

The report has been. presented to Parliament and copies will be available in the Vote Office tomorrow.

asked the Minister of Supply and of Aircraft Production if he has considered the advertisement in the "Birmingham Mail "of 23rd March, a copy of which has been sent to him, wherein Messrs. Norman Potts, of 105, Alcester Road, South Birmingham, offer 30s. for four hours to 100 people to act as runners on 27th March at the sale of machine tools at Castle Bromwich; and if he will cause this firm to be immediately blacklisted in order to stop this practice, which is unfair to private purchasers.

I am sending niy hon. and gallant Friend a copy of the Department's instruction to approved machine tool merchants dated 31st December last. From this he will see that merchants' offers can only be made by their whole time employees who are in possession of permits issued by the Department. Any breach of this condition by a merchant would result in his immediate removal from the approved list. I myself was present at the opening of this sale and was greatly impressed by the smoothness of the arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the number of the British staff for U.N.O., and those who accompany them, in the U.S.A.; what is the cost to the British taxpayer in dollars; and are those concerned liable for Federal and/or British income tax.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to members of the United Nations secretariat who are British subjects. The employment of British subjects, as of all other members of the secretariat, is entirely the responsibility of the Secretary-General and no Department of His Majesty's Government is concerned. There is no direct payment by His Majesty's Government as all members of the secretariat are paid by the organisation itself out of the contributions of all the member States. According to the terms of a convention which has been adopted by the United Nations Assembly and submitted to the Government for adoption, no salary paid by the United Nations will be subject to taxation. The necessary Bill to carry this convention into effect for the United Kingdom will be introduced into Parliament shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the export of locally woven cloth from Nigeria to the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone is still forbidden; and if he intends to remove this restriction at an early date.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton) on 27th March, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the present expenditure on agricultural research in England and Wales by the Government; what percentage this represents of the annual value of the total agricultural output; and what immediate plans are under consideration for expanding such research.

The expenditure on agricultural research for which I am directly responsible is expected to amount to approximately £500,000 in the financial year 1945–46. In addition, expenditure on research in that year by the Agricultural Research Council is estimated at £160,000. The Council serves Great Britain and is unable, I am informed, to allocate its expenditure between England and Wales and Scotland, as many of its projects are designed to be of general value and to secure cooperative work by scientists in all three countries.

Expenditure on agricultural research can be taken to be of the order of 0.1 per cent. of the value of the agricultural output. A general scheme for the expansion of agricultural research in Great Britain is now in hand. Steps have, for example, already been taken towards establishing a new organisation for research in animal breeding and genetics, and plans for the creation of a vegetable research station are being actively considered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the approximate total strength of the W.L.A. at 1st March, 1946.

The total strength of the W.L.A. at 28th February, 1946, was 35,360.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider creating an immobile section of the W.L.A. for the purpose of bringing in those country-bred girls who have been released from the Forces and factories.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 13th March to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, in view of the fact that the claim of the farmers for price adjustment has been met, what he intends to do to remove the deadlock reached in the farm workers' wages; and if he is aware that the Government have a responsibility to the farm workers and, unless there is a speedy settlement of the wages increase, the food production increase will not be realised.

Constitutional machinery for the determination of mini- mum agricultural wages exists under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Acts, and, as I have made clear in reply to previous Questions on this subject, I have no power to intervene.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why civil servants are still engaged in compiling military histories of the 1914–18 war; and whether this work will now be terminated.

Work on the Official Military History of the War of 1914–18 is now virtually completed. Of the volumes not already published all but one are either in the press or ready for press. Only one historian is now engaged on this work, with the part time assistance of five clerical officers.

asked the Minister of Labour why inspectors of factories spend one day or more of each week writing out in longhand a weekly report, much of which is routine and repetition copying of Acts of Parliament; and if he will arrange for this work to be done either by clerks or in the form of code numbers, in order to free inspectors for their proper work, in view of the shortage of inspectors.

The composition of reports is an essential part of the proper work of a factory inspector. It is not work which can be delegated to clerks or reduced to code numbers. Verbatim quotations from Acts or Regulations are only included in exceptional cases where this is essential to the understanding of the report.

asked the Minister of Labour how many factory inspectors there are at present; how much below strength this is; how many established and unestablished inspectors, respectively, have left to take up other employment since September, 1939; and if he is satisfied that conditions in the Department since it was taken over by his Ministry are such as to attract and keep the right type of inspector.

There are at present 337 established and temporary factory in- spectors. This is more than prewar strength. Since September, 1939, seven established inspectors and 63 temporary inspectors have left of their own accord to take up other employment. The majority of the temporary inspectors were engaged for the period of hostilities only or were engaged for particular purposes and not suitable for the full range of duties of factory inspectors. The number of resignations cannot, therefore, be taken as indicating that the conditions of service under my Ministry have not been sufficiently attractive. Steps are now being taken with a view to resuming recruitment of permanent inspectors of prewar standard.

asked the Minister of Labour how many factories are registered under the Factories Act; how many prosecutions were taken in each year 1939–1945 under the employment sections of the Act, and how many under the welfare sections; and if, in view of the discrepancies he is satisfied that in nearly all factories conditions as to welfare are satisfactory.

The number of factories registered under the Factories Act is approximately 225,000. The number of firms or persons prosecuted during the years 1939 to 1945 for offences relating to hours of employment and welfare were: Year. Hours of Employment. Welfare. 1939 142 3 1940 70 6 1941 80 5 1942 50 6 1943 82 8 1944 64 10 1945 74 8

The number of prosecutions does not indicate the degree of compliance with statutory requirements. One of the results of the exigencies of wartime has been that the welfare amenities in many factories could not be made as satisfactory as they should be.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he contemplates any changes in the exchange arrangements for private travel abroad.

As from 1st April, foreign exchange required for transport to places abroad will not be charged against the annual personal ration, which, for the year ending 31st October, 1946, will be reduced from £100 to £75 for adults, and from £50 to £40 for children under 16. Detailed instructions will be given to the banks and travel agencies. Business travel is not affected

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement about the working of the system for engaging prisoner of war labour and, particularly, who is responsible for allocating the labour: and what principles are followed.

Prisoners of war are employed on urgent arid important work for which British labour is not available. The prisoners available are allocated by my Department, in consultation with all other interested Departments, to the Government Departments responsible for' the industries and services concerned, according to the relative urgency of the work. It is the responsibility of the user Departments to decide on the detailed distribution of prisoners of war within the industries and services with which these Departments are concerned. Before prisoners are used on any particular job there is consultation with the representatives of trade unions affected and my local offices confirm that suitable British labour is not available for the work.

asked the Secretary of State for War how soon the hon. Member for Maldon may expect an answer to his letter of 12th October, 1945, to the financial Secretary to his Department, concerning a soldier who claimed that he had been detained in India after he should have sailed for home for release, about which his Department has been reminded repeatedly by telephone before and since Christmas.

I very much regret the delay in replying to my hon. Friend's letter. The soldier concerned left India very shortly after he wrote to my hon. Friend and arrived in this country on 11th November, and was sent on release leave.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will withdraw the name of 1081693 W/ Bombardier J. Ward, No. 3 Holding Battery, R.A. Depot, Deolali, India Command, from' Class B release group, granted by the War Office authority, Sidcup, D2 / Res/ 386 a / 365, on 8th January, in view of the time that has elapsed since the offer of Class B release was first accepted by this man and the early approach of his release in Class A, Group 30.

I have been asked to reply. I do not consider that the War Office should cancel authorisations for Class B release already accepted on account of unavoidable transport delays, but the man himself can if he wishes withdraw his acceptance providing he has not left his overseas command. In-that case he should inform his commanding officer.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give an assurance that the 14th Army will be specifically represented in the Victory Parade on 8th June.

It is not proposed to give special representation to any individual theatre or Army in the Victory March. All ranks in the procession will have seen battle in the war and men who fought in the 14th Army and in all other Armies will be in the ranks of their corps or regiments.

asked the Secretary of State for War why sisters in the O.A.I.M.N.S. who, as the result of an Order issued in 1943, were forced to wear khaki uniform in lieu of grey uniform as from 1st October, 1945, were not given any financial assistance; whether he is aware that this Order involved these people in heavy expenses at a time when clothing was highly priced; and whether he will re-examine this matter with a view to reimbursing those affected.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bridgwater (Mr. Bartlett) on 13th November last. The khaki uniform was to be purchased by nursing sisters only when the grey uniform in their possession became unserviceable and had to be replaced.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can yet indicate when resumption of the monthly general publication of the Army, R.N. and R.A.F. lists will take place.

As regards the Army List I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Maidstone (Mr. Bossom) on 6th February last. Similar considerations apply in the case of the Navy and R.A.F. Lists.

asked the Minister of Works how many unofficial breaks occur during the course of the day in the work of men engaged in building houses; and how much time these breaks represent.

The custom of taking round tea to men employed on building sites developed during the war into un official breaks of ro to 15 minutes in the morning and afternoon. Both sides of the industry are alive to this matter and are giving it their attention.

asked the Minister of Works how many applications were received for building materials on work other than the construction of new houses, number of licences granted, and firms involved, in North Staffordshire during December, January and February last.

The number of applications received during December, January and February last for building, materials required for civil licence work other than the construction of new houses in North Staffordshire, was about 290 and the number of materials certificates issued was about 325, more than one material being required in some cases. I regret that information with regard to the-number of firms involved is not available.