asked the Minister of Supply how many persons are employed in his Department; how many are qualified pilots; and, of these, how many have completed more than three hours' solo flying in the last six months.

The number of non-industrial staff employed in the Ministry of Supply and Aircraft Production on 1st March, 1946—the latest date for which figures are available—was 55,535. I regret that the information asked for in the last two parts of the Question is not available.

asked the Minister of War Transport the average number per week of petrol or oil driven vessels passing along the Severn between Gloucester and Tewkesbury during the last 12 months; and the average number during a similar period before the war.

The average number per week of motor propelled vessels of all types passing along the Severn between Gloucester and Tewkesbury in both directions during the 12 months ended 28th February, 1946, was 73, and during the 12 months ended 28th February, 1939, was 84. The figures include motor canal boats, motor barges, towing vessels and pleasure craft.

asked the Prime Minister which allied war leaders have been invited to attend the Victory Parade on 8th June; and what replies have been received.

As I stated in the House on 5th March, only high ranking officers of the allied forces will be invited to attend the Victory Parade. The preparation of the list of invitations is not yet complete.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will consider publishing a White Paper covering the activities of our troops occupying enemy territories so that the people of this country may know what is being done in their name.

I will consider the suggestion of my hon. Friend but I cannot commit myself.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is aware that instructions have been given in the British zone that Hungarian prisoners of war, lately employed by the British military authorities, with their families, are to be forcibly repatriated against their will; and whether he will repeat his instructions to the authorities concerned, that no repatriation is to take place against the will of the individual.

These surrendered enemy personnel fought against the Allies and there is no reason why they should not be returned to their country of origin. However, I know of no instructions for their forcible repatriation. On humanitarian grounds and at the request of the prisoners themselves arrangements are being considered for their families to be repatriated with them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many C releases for agricultural personnel have been sponsored by his Department to date; and to what extent his treatment of such applications has been modified in recent months owing to the shortage of agricultural labour.

My Department has no authority to sponsor applications for compassionate release, which is a matter entirely within the discretion of the Service Department concerned. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the sale of unsatisfactory and in many cases worthless fertilisers has reached such proportions as not only to defraud the public, but also to imperil the production of home grown food; and whether he will remove the present inability of the authorities under the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926, by taking immediate steps to secure that the existing statutory power to institute criminal proceedings upon samples taken on manufacturers' premises is extended to samples taken on the premises of put ċhasers.

I have no evidence that there has been any marked increase in the quantity of unsatisfactory fertilisers offered for sale to farmers, but if my hon. Friend will let me have any information in his possession supporting his allegation I shall have inquiries made. With regard to the second part of his Question I can give no undertaking that legislation amending the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926, will be introduced in the near future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total quantities of barley imported in 1938; the proportion used for brewing and the proportion for feeding to livestock.

The total quantity of barley imported in 1938 was 994,000 tons. It is estimated that of this, about one-fifth was used for brewing and about two-thirds for feeding to livestock.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when it is proposed to discontinue the use of inhumane spring traps which were permitted during the war as a temporary measure.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Ayr Burghs (Sir T. Moore) on 4th February, and to the further statement circulated in the OFFICIAI, REPORT On 7th March to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now in a position to make any further statement with regard to the terms of employment of the W.L.A.; and whether he is prepared to bring the W.L.A. into a comparable condition with the other women's services in respect of pay, allowances, clothing coupon issue, clothing allowance, gratuity, uniform retention and paid leave, or any of them.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I have given today to the hon. Members for Holland with Boston (Mr. Butcher), and Evesham (Mr. De la Bère).

asked the President of the Board of Trade the present cost of a standard of timber; and what percentage of that cost is needed to cover salaries and overhead expenses of the Timber Control.

Timber prices vary considerably according to grade, specification and place of delivery, but the average cost per standard of some typical building specifications of timber landed in a port area is £46 1os. The percentage of this cost needed to cover salaries and overhead expenses of the Timber Control is 1.5.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why linseed is in short supply to the manufacturers of putty and paint.

I understand from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food that the shortage of linseed oil available for the manufacture of putty and paint and for other industrial uses is due to the overall world shortage of vegetable oils and oil seeds.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that many foster mothers looking after children boarded out by local authorities feel unable to continue their work owing to the impossibility of obtaining new and sufficient bedding; and whether he will now extend the priority scheme to such people.

I understand that under the arrangements now in force foster mothers are supplied from stocks held by local authorities wherever possible. I am considering with the Departments con-corned whether the Board can assist in cases where local authorities have no suitable stocks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider decentralising the work of the Utility Furniture Office, Southport, to the extent of empowering local authorities to issue up to an agreed number of permits and dockets to qualified applicants, without prior reference to his Department.

No, Sir. This would not be practicable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the continued shortage of ophthalmic lenses in this country, he will, as a temporary measure, grant licences for the import of limited quantities of optical glass to enable outstanding arrears of work to be completed without further delay.

Applications for import licences will be considered. I am hoping, however, that, as the supply of skilled labour for manufacturing the lenses increases, the need for granting import licences will diminish.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that inmates of public assistance institutions do not receive an allocation of clothing coupons; and if he will make an allocation of 20 clothing units per annum to such people in order to alleviate the hardship suffered.

The present arrangements should not cause hardship. Inmates of public assistance institutions are normally clothed entirely by the institution and do not, therefore, need clothing coupons, but those who wish to make purchases of clothing for themselves may be issued with coupon vouchers, so long as the total coupon value of clothing issued or purchased does not exceed the normal ration. To issue further coupons would place inmates of these institutions in a more favoured position than other people.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the issue of extra coupons to War Reserve Police on their resignation from the force.

No, Sir. Members of the War Reserve Police have received the same basic ration as all other civilians. They have surrendered not more than 52 coupons since rationing started for complete uniform and footwear, and the use of this has meant a corresponding saving in wear and tear on their other clothing. In these circumstances, it should have been possible for them to maintain a reasonable civilian wardrobe, and I could not agree to give them extra coupons on resignation from the force.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now grant permission for the industrial 10 supplement of clothing coupons to be issued to workers employed in the making up of cloth into clothing in factories exclusively devoted to this purpose and provided with mechanical power, irrespective of the number of employees so employed, in view of the fact that the wear and tear on clothing by reason of the use of machinery is not affected by the number employed in a factory.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 18th March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will allow a special issue of clothing coupons to school managers, to enable sports kit to be purchased for those taking part in games.

No, Sir. Arrangements already exist for the provision of limited supplies of communal clothing for such purposes. It is not possible to make more generous arrangements until clothing supplies as a whole improve.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will increase the supply of newsprint in the near future in view of the fact that certain provincial papers have now secured from the Forces their staffs hitherto on war service but cannot utilise them owing to shortage of newsprint.

No, Sir. The position will be reviewed generally at an early date.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the public are unable to buy the newspapers of their choice; and if the rationing system applied by the Newsprint Supply Company will be altered to overcome this difficulty.

I am aware that this occurs to some extent, and means are being considered to overcome it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the paper shortage in this country, he will stop further exports of paper from Britain.

No, Sir. I consider it to be the national interest that the paper indusry should make progress without delay in recovering its export markets.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that surplus tables at £1 each, forms at 5s. each and trestles at 1s. 6d. are to be sold by the Ministry of Works in lots of 100 and two-tier iron bedsteads in minimum lots of 50 at 15s. a bed, whether he will, in the interests of the general public, fix maximum retail prices for these goods.

The prices charged for this furniture will be subject to the ordinary margins for secondhand furniture fixed by the General Furniture (Maximum Prices and Miscellaneous Provisions) Orders (S.R. & O. 1944, No. 765 and S.R. & O. 1945, No. 233).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government have formulated any plans for the future of the gem diamond industry; and, in particular, at what level of employment it is proposed that it shall be stabilised.

The future outlook for the gem diamond manufacturing industry in this country will depend partly on the ability of the cutters to compete effectively in overseas markets, and partly on the availability of suitable rough diamonds, which for at least the next two or three years will be in acutely short supply. This latter consideration;s likely to restrict employment in the industry to its present level of less than 400 skilled and semi-skilled polishers and less than 200 other workers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Report of the working party for the cotton industry due for publication before the end of March, will be published.

Since my right hon. and learned Friend replied on 25th February last to a similar Question addressed to him by the hon. and gallant Member, I have learnt from the chairman of the working party that completion of the report is taking more time than had been expected and that it is now unlikely to be finished until about the end of April. The report will be published very shortly after completion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of perambulators now being made is for the export market.

For the three months, December 1945 to February, 1946, the percentage exported was 7.7.

asked the President of the Board of Trade for what industries joint overseas marketing associations have been established by manufacturers; and whether it is his intention to encourage the establishment of more associations of this kind.

Joint overseas marketing associations may take many forms. There are combined selling organisations in certain industries though I am not aware of any which include all the firms in an industry. Others have been created which include firms in a number of industries catering for the requirements of the same type of customer. These groups cover such goods as machine tools, engineers, small tools, internal combustion engines, radio components, hosiery, hospital equipment and pharmaceuticals.

I am satisfied that such joint efforts will strengthen our overseas selling efforts and that all trade organisations and individual firms should study the possibility of such development. In these organisations it should be possible to take advantage of the great services which merchants are in a position to render and I am aware of several arrangements which have secured this combination. The Board of Trade will be glad to advise firms which may contemplate such arrangements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what complaints he has had from the Chamber of Trade, Blackwood, Mon., about the difficulty in getting perambulators, children's cots and mattresses, water bottles and vacuum flasks; if he is aware that the three furnishing firms in the town have only had two dozen cots, etc., in the last six months; and what he proposes to do to rectify the matter.

I have not received any representations from the Blackwood Chamber of Trade, but I shall be glad to look into the matter if they will send me information about the number of perambulators and water-bottles that have been delivered to retailers in the town in the last six months, and the names of the suppliers. Utility cots are in ample supply, and, if the retailers in Blackwood who cannot get them will write to the Board of Trade, they will be given the names of manufacturers who can give immediate delivery. Supplies of cot mattresses are substantially in excess of the production of utility cots, and production is increasing.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Wool Control is to be abolished.

No decision has yet been reached, as much work remains to be carried out by the Wool Control.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Priority A scheme, under which the Wool Control makes material available for the manufacture of officers' uniforms, has now been abolished.

Priority Scheme A, under which cloth for officers' uniforms has been produced to certain specifications, has not been abolished. The Wool Control, however, since the end of November last have ceased to make separate issues of wool and yarn for this purpose, the supplies of materials for such production now forming part of the general non-utility ration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is prepared to stop the export of polished plate glass until present domestic requirements are satisfied.

No, Sir. Exports of polished plate glass, both direct and in- direct, for example in motor vehicles for export, are too important to justify the drastic step suggested by the hon. and gallant Member; but I can assure him that the balance between home and export requirements is constantly under review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade at what date the Report of the working party of the boot and shoe industry will be available to Members of this House.

I understand that the report of this Working Party is unlikely to be ready before May. It will be published as soon as possible after completion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) the nature of the inquiry into the shortage of consumer goods in Hull; on what dates and by whom the inquiry is to be held; whether representatives of the city council, trade organisations and the public will be able to give evidence; and whether the report will be made public.

(2) whether he is aware that residents in Hull have to travel to Leeds, a return journey of over 100 miles, and elsewhere, to obtain docket and coupon goods; and what steps he proposes to take to increase the supply of consumer goods to the city and inform residents that such increase has been made.

An investigation into supplies of consumer goods in Hull is being made by area distribution officers of the Board of Trade, who are experienced in assessing stocks and deliveries in the shops and comparing the position in particular areas with that in the country as a whole. The investigation began on 20th March and is still in progress. The investigators will consult the Lord Mayor, the Town Clerk and the Chamber of Trade. Information which retailers are so good as to make available to these Officers for these inquiries is confidential and detailed reports are not published, but I shall let my hon. and gallant Friend know the general results of the inquiry and if serious deficiencies in the supplies of essential goods are revealed action will be taken to remedy matters.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made since V J-Day in installing air conditioning plant in cotton mills.

No figures are available of the amount of air conditioning plant installed in cotton mills since V J-Day, but bulk supply licences have been issued to the manufacturers of this equipment, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply is giving all practicable assistance to those manufacturers to increase their output.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he will be able to announce revised ceiling prices for utility manufacturers.

There are many kinds of utility goods, the ceiling prices of which are revised from time to time in the light of changed conditions. Perhaps the hon. Member will let me know what particular class of goods he has in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to secure the increased import of timber to this country.

We are losing no opportunity of increasing our imports of timber from such overseas sources as are available. If the hon. Member has any suggestions to make as to particular steps which might be taken, I will consider them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the restriction of the use of the words "British," "English," etc., in the registered names of limited companies, so that when the controlling interest passes out of the hands of British nationals the public are not misled by the retention of the word "British" in the name of the firm or the article for sale.

Under the recommendations of the Committee on Company Law Amendment, the powers of the Board of Trade in regard to the names of companies seeking registration will be greatly strengthened, and, as the hon. and gallant Member is aware, legislation to implement the Committee's recommendations is to be prepared and introduced as soon as the heavy programme of legislation will permit. To withdraw the right to a name from a company after registration would, however, be open to serious objection, and the Committee made no recommendation to that effect.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that departmental and other officers of the Indian Army who retired during the war and before 8th May, 1945, on reaching the retiring age, were granted only 91 days' war leave, less any war leave previously taken during the year of retirement, or 42 days' notice leave, whichever was the more favourable, whereas such officers who retired before the war, or since 8th May, 1945, have been granted up to 12 months' leave pending retirement; and whether he will now treat the officers who retired during the war up to 8th May, 1945, in the same way as those who have retired since this date by making the necessary financial adjustments.

I am making inquiries into this matter and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India have yet reached an agreement with the Government of Ceylon on the question of the franchise for Indian estate workers in Ceylon; and what are the terms of the agreement.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir." The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he is aware that 9,000 British subjects, with their wives and families, are now awaiting a passage home to the United Kingdom for long overdue leave; that whereas 1,000 civilians per month sailed from India last year, the total for February, March and April of the present year is not expected to be more than 30o per month; and what steps he is taking to expedite passages for these British subjects, many of whom have been away from home for over to years.

I cannot give a precise figure for the total number of registered applicants awaiting passage, but the number of urgent cases was recently reported as being some 4,500. The average monthly lift of civilians this year has been 800, not 300 as suggested by the hon. Member. The urgency of this problem is fully appreciated and I can assure the hon. Member that every possible effort is being made to obtain additional passages, but there is still insufficient accommodation available for all who wish to travel.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that mail for some members of the 54th Field Company of the Royal Engineers attached to the 8th Field Regiment, R.A., A.B.P.O. 21, Poona, India Command, has failed to reach them for three months owing to the fact that mail addressed to that company is sent to their present station in the Malayan jungle and no adequate arrangements exist to send letters back from there to the rear party; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction of the men concerned, he will arrange facilities for them to receive their mail.

I am asking the Government of India for a report and on its receipt I will communicate further with the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Burma whether he will now permit the importation into Burma from the United Kingdom or the U.S.A. of sufficient rice milling machinery to handle the Burma rice crop at its prewar level.

Yes, Sir. Imports of milling machinery from the United Kingdom are now permitted without restriction. Imports from the United States of America are also permitted subject to the normal procedure for imports from the dollar area.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Burma what recommendations have been submitted to him by the Burma Franchise Committee; and whether he can yet make a statement on the qualifications for the franchise that will be required for the forthcoming elections and on the date of the elections.

The Committee reported to the Governor who referred their report to the Legislative Council. The Council on 19th March recommended that universal suffrage for both sexes should be adopted with 21 as the qualifying age and the Buddhist monks and nuns should not be enfranchised. The Governor is now considering these recommendations and will be forwarding his proposals to me very shortly. While I cannot give any definite date when an election can be held, His Majesty's Government as well as the Governor are most anxious that the elections should be held as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what agreements have been reached at the various conferences of the five great Powers with regard to the return to China of all territory which she has been obliged at various times to yield to Japan, either following a Sino-Japanese war, or as a result of Japanese pressure, or in an endeavour to avert a war with Japan; and whether he will provide a list of the territories which have already been, or which are to be, returned in due course under such arrangements.

Under the Chairo declaration of 1943 it was agreed that all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese such as Manchuria, Formosa and the Pescadores shall be restored to China. This agreement was reaffirmed by the Potsdam declaration of July 26th, 1945. Both the Yalta agreement of 11th February, 1945, and the Sino-Soviet agreement of 14th August, 1945, recognised Chinese sovereignty over Manchuria. As regards the second part of the Question the territories concerned are, as stated, Manchuria, Formosa and the Pescadores.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the recent announcements of increases in the pay of clerks and typists in certain Government Departments, he can now make a statement as to what decision has been reached about the increase in pay and allowances for clerks and typists in the British Embassy, Paris, and in British consulates in France.

Increases of pay granted in the United Kingdom have been or will be applied to equivalent staffs serving abroad who have been recruited in the United Kingdom. On the other hand certain reductions in the rates of sterling allowances in France as from 1st April are being considered in view of the appreciation of the value of sterling in francs.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now give the name of the new Chairman of the British Council.

No, Sir; but I hope shortly to be in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any assurances that the Czechoslovak Decree, No. 95, of 20th October, 1945, requiring that persons now resident in Czechoslovakia should register their assets with the Czechoslovak Embassy in London, is a purely financial measure and has no political purpose.

The measure is apparently a purely financial one, but we have received no assurances on this point.

asked the Minister of Works why factories stopped putty production for a fortnight in February; and what efforts are being made to increase the production of whiting, which industry is suffering from labour shortage.

Of the three putty factories where production was interrupted in February, one closed for two weeks and one for five days, both because of the shortage of linseed oil, whilst the third was closed for two clays to allow essential repairs to be carried out to machinery. The production of whiting is being increased, both by recruitment of labour and by extensions to existing plant and buildings.

asked the Minister of Works whether he proposes to consult master bakers' associations as to the most equitable sale of Government static bakeries when these are disposed of.

One such bakery has very recently been declared redundant by the War Department and I am in consultation with the Departments concerned on the subject. It is the policy of my Department to work in close consultation with trade associations in disposal matters.

asked the Minister of Works what action is being taken against the representative of the W.V.S. in charge of requisitioned property for clothing at 86, Eaton Square, London, S.W.1, for not reporting to the rodent officer a serious ship-rat infestation; and what steps his Department is taking to see that such residential requisitioned property is properly inspected and cared for.

There is no evidence supporting the suggestion of serious in- festation by ship rats at 86, Eaton Square and no damage has occurred either to the premises or their contents; the rats are being exterminated. I am satisfied that, in conjunction with occupying Departments, adequate measures are taken to safeguard requisitioned property.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now print the Interim Report of the Rural Housing Sub-Committee of the Central Housing Advisory Committee dated 18th January, 1946.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that on or about 2nd March two platoons of armed Japanese troops were employed in offensive action against two villages in Java and that eight villagers were killed with bayonets by the Japanese; and if lie will make a statement on this breach of the undertaking that Japanese troops would be used for defensive purposes only.

I have called for a report and as soon as it is received I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Allied prisoners of war and internees have been rescued by Allied troops in Java; and how many are still captive or waiting for embarkation.

Since the Japanese surrender a total of approximately 2,750 Allied prisoners of war and internees other than Dutch have been recovered in Java. This total includes 1,416 British, 630 Commonwealth and Allied prisoners of war and approximately 70o civilian internees. All these people have been evacuated from Java with the possible exception of 150 civilians who may have been evacuated by now. There is no reason to believe that any prisoners of war or internees, other than Dutch, are unrecovered or in Indonesian hands. A total of 100,274 Dutch have been recovered, of whom 46,385 have been evacuated and 53,889 still remain in Java. It is estimated that a further 17,000 are in Indonesian hands, the vast majority of whom are civilians.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that notices have been posted on A.T.S. notice-boards in the Army Pay Office, Radcliffe, instructing auxiliaries that they are not to communicate in any form whatever with newspapers; and if he will cause this notice to be re-worded so that it does not conflict with assurances on this matter given repeatedly to Parliament.

The order in question has now been cancelled and a fresh order in conformity with A.T.S. regulations has been published

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the Commandant (Room 39), Central Ordnance Depot, Branston, Burton-on-Trent, habitually fails to reply to letters from demobilised Servicemen awaiting delayed issues of clothing, though such men are instructed, on demobilisation, to write to him if the clothing is not delivered within 28 days; that two ex-Servicemen, of whom he has been notified, have written repeatedly without receiving any acknowledgment; and if he will take steps to ensure the prompt acknowledgment of such letters, with explanation of the delays, and to expedite the delivery to these two men in particular, of the raincoats and shirt for which they have been waiting 10 and 11 weeks, respectively.

All available staff at Branston is being employed to ensure the rapid despatch of clothing, and this inevitably means some delay in dealing with the large volume of correspondence about individual items of clothing. The difficulties are, however, of a temporary nature due to the recent rapid rate of release and I hope that they will be overcome in the near future. At the end of March five civilian clothing depots were closed and staff is being transferred to Branston; this will enable correspondence to be dealt with more rapidly. The two individual cases to which my hon. Friend refers are being investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for War for what purpose the Delavox Works at Banbury, which have only recently been released for the manufacture of goods, largely for export, are required by his Department.

The Delavox Works premises are owned by the War Department. They were lent to the Ministry of Supply and Aircraft Production in September, 1945, in order to help the British Motor Boat Company, which was under notice to quit other premises held under private agreements, and which was engaged on a Ministry of Supply contract. This contract has now been completed and the premises have reverted to War Department control. Their future use is now being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for War why all Royal Signals officers, Group 26, in land forces in Greece have had their release deferred; and for what period.

It may be necessary for some but not all Royal Signals officers in Group 26 in land forces in Greece to have their release deferred because their retention is essential on military grounds. It is not possible at present to say for how long the release of the officers in question will be deferred, but each individual case is most carefully considered on its merits by the Commander-in-Chief, in order to ensure that no officer is retained longer than is absolutely necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War if any figures or estimates are available of the number of residents or citizens of Northern Ireland who served in His Majesty's Forces during the 1939–45 war; and if these figures can now be given.

No complete statistics are available of the total number of residents or citizens of Northern Ireland who served in His Majetsy's Forces during the war. La the case of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines the figures available are based on information supplied as to the address at the time of entry into the Service and do not include those who joined the Navy before 3rd September, 1939. Those for the Army and R.A.F. are based on information supplied as to place of birth. In the case of the Army those who left the Army before the end of 1944 or jointed after that date are not included.

On these bases the figures are as follow:

Royal Navy and Royal Marines Men entered and enlisted between 3rd September, 1939, and 31st August, 1945 4,623 Women—no figures available. Army, Total numbers serving at 31st December,1944: Men 27,462 Women 2,087 R.A.F Total numbers enlisted at Belfast between 1st January, 1943, and 31st August, 1945 Men 2,619 Women 491

As regards R.A.F. and W.A.A.F. enlistments before 1st January, 1943, no distinction was drawn in the records between Northern Ireland and Eire. The R.A.F. and W.A.A.F. statistics also do not include enlistments in Great Britain of men and women of Northern Ireland origin as to which no figures are available. It is estimated that the approximate strengths in the R.A.F. at the end of August, 1945, were probably much the same both for men and women coming from Northern Ireland as for those coming from Eire.

The bases on which the above information is given are not altogether satisfactory, but I regret that it is not possible to supply more accurate figures without the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of time and labour.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if it is proposed to re-form the balloon squadrons of the A.A.F. on a territorial basis; and, if so, when this will be effected.

We have not yet decided on the future Royal Air Force requirements for balloons.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what rank will be held by the A.O.C., Reserve Command of the R.A.F.; and the ranks of provincial group commanders.

I hope to be able to make a statement on this subject before Easter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air, what will be the future use of Shobdon aerodrome in Herefordshire, with particular reference to the use of the administration buildings, barracks and hangars.

We are just starting to use the airfield at Shobdon to provide part of the extra storage space we need so that requisitioned industrial premises may be released and other R.A.F. Stations closed down. All the hangars and technical buildings will be required and any empty parts of the camp may prove useful for housing German prisoners. All the land has been let for cultivation or grazing. We have not yet made plans for the ultimate disposal of this airfield.

asked the Minister of Food how many pigs were killed last year by the use of a captive bolt and how many by having their throats cut for people of Jewish faith; and whether he has any information as to how pigs were killed on private farms outside a five-mile radius of an abattoir, where neither of these forms are necessarily practised and the number of pigs so killed.

The provisions of the Slaughter of Animals Act, 1933, with regard to the humane slaughter of animals are complied with at slaughterhouses operated by the Ministry, but my right hon. Friend is unable to say how many pigs were killed by the use of captive bolt and how many by other approved methods. No pigs were killed for people of the Jewish faith by having their throats cut. My right hon. Friend has no information as to the method of slaughter adopted by persons who obtain licences to slaughter pigs for their own consumption, and whose premises are more than five miles from an abattoir, or as to the number of pigs slaughtered on such premises.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give an estimate of the percentage of saving in bread consumption which would be necessary to avoid any reduction in the supplies of animal feedings stuffs.

I am not altogether clear as to the information which the hon. Member desires. It may, however, be sufficient for his purpose to state that a saving of 16 per cent. in the bread consumption of this country would provide an additional 10,000 tons a week of animal feeding stuffs upon the assumption that the wheat so saved were used for this purpose either in the form of grain or of milling offals produced by a reduction in the flour extraction rate.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the wholesale fruit and vegetable markets in the city of Edinburgh have, since the war, been compelled to transact their business in the street as a result of the requistioning and retention of their market by his Department; and when he intends to release their premises for the conduct of their business.

My Department does not hold any market premises in Edinburgh under requisitioning powers. A market in Cranston Street, which was built before the war for use as a fruit and vegetable market, but was never so used, is at present held under a tenancy agreement and is used as a food store and distribution depot. I will gladly arrange to terminate the tenancy of this market when alternative accommodation becomes available.

asked the Minister of Food the relative proportions of the meat supplies allocated in the Cambridge area for hotels and restaurants, staff and school canteens and ordinary family rations, respectively.

Meat is allocated in the Cambridge area to the three groups indicated in the following proportions: Hotels and restaurants, including cafés, tea shops and other public eating places, 4 per cent.; industrial canteens, British Restaurants and school feeding, 5 per cent.: ordinary family rations, or per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when wives of British people working in Malaya, who are already on the shipping priority list, will be allowed to go to Malaya.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 13th February to the hon. Member for Hornsey (Mr. Gammans). Though his question referred only to the wives of European Government servants, my answer to it applies equally to the wives of other Europeans working in Malaya. As soon as permission to enter Malaya is given to individuals, on the conditions I then mentioned, passages will be provided as rapidly as the shipping situation permits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans he has made to secure more adequate staffing in the Colonial Veterinary Service.

So far as adequate staffing is dependent upon adequate pay, prospects and status for veterinary officers,.I am in consultation with a number of Colonial Governments and with the National Veterinary Medical Association with regard to certain improvements in existing conditions which may be advisable and I hope that as a result the recruiting situation will improve. There is, however, an Empire-wide shortage of qualified veterinarians which is not likely to be resolved in the immediate future. With the general object of providing the necessary post-graduate training for candidates for the Colonial Veterinary Service, there has been in existence for several years a scheme for giving scholarships to newly qualified veterinarians to fit them for the special duties of veterinary officers in the tropics, and also to selected science graduates to enable them to take the Diploma of Membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. A training school has been in existence for a number of years at Entebbe in Uganda, and African graduates from this school are already at work in East Africa. About three years ago a veterinary training school was started at Vom in Nigeria with assistance under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act.

asked the Minister of Education, what is the lowest rate of pension for retired schoolteachers.

There are no fixed rates of pensions for teachers, which are calculated on the basis of the number of years of pensionable service and the average salary for the last five years of that service, the grant being an annual allowance of one-eightieth and a lump sum of one-thirtieth of the average salary for each year of pensionable service. The minimum qualifying period is ten years pensionable service.

asked the Minister of Education if she will make a statement on the provisions which have been made for the teaching of the Spanish and Portuguese languages in certain secondary schools; if she realises the urgency of this matter in relation to the expansion of British export trade with Latin America; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the instructions issued to local bodies on the teaching of these languages.

Provision is already made in various secondary grammar schools for the teaching of Spanish and the number of candidates taking this subject in the examinations has risen appreciably. I understand also that courses in Spanish and Portuguese are being arranged by the Instituto Espanol and the Hispanic Council. I am aware of the importance of encouraging a study of these languages and so, I am confident, are local education and school authorities. I do not think that special directions are called for.

asked the Minister of Education the position of tutors, appointed to the new training colleges, who were holding temporary jobs during the war and so could not be seconded; the position of those asked by education committes to resign their posts on the undertaking that when no longer required by her Department as tutors they could either be reappointed to their old schools, or receive a new appointment equal in all respects to their former posts; and if all these are entitled to removal expenses.

Teachers holding temporary posts who apply for and receive posts in Emergency Training Colleges will hold such appointments as long as they are needed or as they may wish (subject to the usual period of notice) and will then have the opportunity of seeking what employment they choose. In the case of teachers holding permanent posts, who wish to be seconded, arrangements are usually made for the local education authority or governing body by which they have been employed to keep their post or a corresponding post open for them to return to when their Emergency Training College work comes to an end. Any teacher who is not satisfied about his prospects is, of course, at liberty to refuse the Emergency Training College post offered to him. Payment of removal expenses is not dependent on secondment. All tutors appointed to posts in Emergency Training Colleges are eligible for consideration for this payment in accordance with the actual circumstances of their case.

asked the Minister of Education if she will give the names of the emergency training colleges now opened; the dates they were due to open and the dates they actually opened; and if she will give a list of those it is still intended to open, indicating the dates they will open.

The following is a list of emergency training colleges opened or projected with actual or prospective dates of opening:

(a) Colleges already opened. College. Date of opening Herts., Wall Hall T.C., Nr. Watford. 5. 5.45 Warwickshire. Exhall T.C. Coventry. 1. 6.45 Northumberland, Alnwick T.C. 3. 9.45 London, Camden T C. 15.20.45 Essex, Forest T.C. Walthamstow. 29.10.45 Middlesex, Hampton T.C. 13.11.45 Birmingham, City of Birmingham T.C. 30. 1.46 Manchester, Didsbury T.C. 31. 1.46 Denbighshire, Wrexham T.C. 4. 2.46 Devon, Exmouth T.C. 14. 2.46 London, Borthwick T.C. 25. 2.46 Bucks., Newland Park T.C. 1. 3.46 Peterborough T.C. 19. 3.46 Worcestershire, Kidderminster T.C. 25. 3.46 (b) Colleges not yet opened. Durham, Wynyard Hall 29. 3.40 Worcester May. 1946 Staffs., Swynnerton, Drake Hall (men). „1946 Staffs., Sywnnerton. Drake Hall (women). early July, 1946 Coventry, Kirkby Corner June, 1946 Cheltenham (men) „1946 „ (women) August, 1946 Llandrindod Wells uncertain Watford, Leavesden Green „ London, Wandsworth „ Bognor „ Lancs., Padgate „ „Risley „ „Warton „ „Lancaster „ „Bamber Bridge „ Surrey, Cooper's Hill „ Norfolk, Wymondham „ Cambs., Wimpole Park „ Staffs., Swynnerton, Nelson Hostel „ Bristol „

The opening date of an emergency training college is determined by the date of completion of the necessary alterations. In present circumstances, completion dates cannot be accurately predicted far in advance. A number of other possibilities are being considered and the above list is, therefore, not yet complete.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is yet in a position to reply to the letter sent her by the hon. Member for Gravesend on 7th March, respecting Mrs. R. E. Dyble

I replied to my hon. Friend on the 28th of March

asked the Minister of Education the number of primary schools in the counties of Brecon and Radnor which have not been supplied with milk and school meals.

I am obtaining the figures from the local education authorities and will send them to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to ensure that every precaution has been taken to ensure the safety of the spectators during the international football match between Scotland and England at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on 13th April.

Admission to this match will only be permitted by numbered tickets, purchased prior to 13th April. The number of tickets has been limited and none will be sold at the ground. The kick-off takes place at 3 p.m., but the gates will be opened at 12.30 p.m. and 118 turnstiles fully manned will be in operation at that hour. I am assured that all necessary steps will be taken to prevent access to the ground otherwise than by the normal entrances, and to ensure that the crowd is evenly spread out. Police vehicles, equipped with loud speakers, will be posted at suitable intersections along the traffic routes, and inside the ground a broadcasting system operated by the police will control the spacing of spectators. The regular police detailed for duty on this occasion will include the mounted branch, foot patrols and mobile patrols, and will be augmented by a large number of special constabulary. Ambulance squads will also be in attendance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of convictions for felonies within the United Kingdom of males and females, respectively. during the years 1939–45, inclusive

The number of convictions for felonies during the years mentioned cannot be obtained without considerable research, but the following are the figures for indictable offences and for non-indictable offences akin to indictable offences.

Indictable Offences — Males. Females. Total 1939 … 68,100 9,958 78,058 1940 … 76,566 13,248 89,814 1941 … 90,435 17,136 107,571 1942 … 88,509 18,641 107,150 1943 … 86,003 18,865 104,868 1944 … 88,657 17,893 106,550 1945 … 99,163 16,933 116,096 … 597,433 112,674 710,107 Non-Indictable Offences akin to Indictable.* — … Males. Females. Total. 1939 … 20,913 2,432 23,345 1940 … 20,766 3,048 23,814 1941 … 22,939 3,899 26,838 1942 … 23,327 4,184 27,511 1943 … 22,913 5,392 28,305 1944 … 21,994 6,002 27,996 1945 … 24,412 5,914 30,326 … 157,264 30,871 188,135 * Assaults, brothel keeping, living on prostitutes earnings, cruelty to children, indecent exposure, malicious damage, offences against Prevention of Crimes Acts, unlawful possession, and frequenting. found in enclosed premises, etc

asked the Minister of Pensions whether it is proposed to grant a pension to Mrs. R. Verlander, 143 Belle Vue Road, Shrewsbury, the mother of the late PLY/X/1288 Marine E. W. Verlander, a widow, who was in receipt of a weekly allotment of 10s. from her son until he was presumed killed, when H.M.S "Glorious '' sank on 8th June, 1940.

No formal application for a parent's pension has been received and I am arranging for the necessary forms to be sent to Mrs. Verlander. I should, however, add that in 1940, she applied for an allowance in respect of her son, then posted as missing, but her financial position at that time was not such as would have enabled me to award her a pension.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet in a position to reply to the letters sent him by the hon. Member for Gravesend on kith February and 14th March, respecting W. J. Heathfield, and on 7th March, respecting Stephen Pay.

Replies have been sent in both cases today.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the number of telephone subscribers operated from the Springpark exchange: and the total staff and the average number on switchboard duty at normal and peak hours, respectively.

Three thousand five hundred and seventy subscribers' lines work on Springpark Exchange, and 16 full time and 17 part time operators are employed there. The number of staff on duty at the switchboard rises and falls with the flow of traffic; it varies from four at the beginning of the day to ten in the peak periods.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what was the net contribution made by revenue from wireless receiving licences to the Exchequer as surplus, after deducting the share of the revenue assigned for collection and similar services, from 1st January, 1937, to 31st March, 1939, and from 1st April, 1939, to the date when a grant in aid was substituted for the previous financial arrangement, respectively.

The amounts were as follow: 1st January, 1937–31st March, 1939, £1,242,500; 1st April, 1939–31st March, 1940, £289,000.