asked the Minister of Education the reasons for the delay in opening St. Peter's Training College, Peterborough; when it is anticipated that it will be opened; why the tutors were provisionally appointed on 8th December, 1944, for a period of not less than two years; when they were allocated; what official duties they have been doing since; and from what date will the beginning of the two years' appointment be reckoned.

There has been no delay in opening this college. The main premises were in use by the American Red Cross until October, 1945, and the hostel which forms an integral part of the accommodation was in use for prisoners of war until 16th February, 1946. The college was opened as soon as the necessary adaptations could be made, namely, on the 19th March.

The tutors were provisionally selected in December, 1944, at a time when staffs were being built up on a shadow basis and it was not known when or where any particular staffs would actually be employed. All concerned clearly understood that this was the position and that provisional selection involved no commitment on either side. The teachers remained in their previous employment until they were appointed to the staff of the college in January, 1946, and from then until the opening of the college they were employed on essential preliminary duties. There is no question of staff being appointed for a period of two years and the last part of the question does not therefore arise.

Why is it necessary to appoint teachers in December, 1944, when the college was not going to be opened until October, 1945?

As I have explained, they were appointed on a shadow basis and they remained in their own employment, getting their salaries where they were employed. [An HON. MEMBER: "Shadow salaries? "] No, not shadow salaries. It was a perfectly wise idea, because otherwise my predecessor would not have known where to get staff.

Is the Minister aware that I was in communication with her Department and with the Minister of Works on this matter at the end of last year and in January of this year, and that we received every consideration in the release of this college? I have a letter from the Chief Education Officer expressing deepest thanks for the way things turned out and we have managed very well without the assistance of the hon. and gallant Member for Henley (Sir G. Fox).

asked the Minister of Education what arrangements have been made for the payment of additional expenses for teachers both seconded and non-seconded as tutors to training colleges through taking up an appointment away from home; whether the same arrangements are made for tutors from His Majesty's Forces; and if, in the event of removal, removal expenses will be paid.

Tutors in such cases are eligible for payment of removal expenses. If they do not remove their families, but find accommodation for themselves only near the college, they are eligible for an allowance in respect of the extra cost of living away from home. It makes no difference whether or not a tutor is seconded or whether he is appointed on release from H.M. Forces.

asked the Minister of Education, whether ample supplies of one-third pint bottles are now available for school milk distribution; and to what extent in the London and home counties supplies are still being distributed by the teaching staffs in all sorts and kinds of odd containers from bulk.

I regret that ample supplies of one-third pint bottles for school milk distribution are not yet available, but all possible steps are being taken to increase the supply and a gradual improvement in the position is expected. I am informed that in all but a few schools in London and the neighbouring areas milk is now being delivered in bottles and delivery in churns has been discontinued.

Is the Minister aware that in January she said the supply of bottles would gel better and that up to now there has, in fact, been no improvement? It is a very serious matter that teachers' time should be taken up distributing this milk from bulk, and can she do anything in this regard?

May I ask the Minister to consider the use of carton containers for this purpose? They are in supply and would be much more hygienic than this present system, and would do away with washing bottles.

I am fully aware of all the uses of cartons, but they are available only in a few places and the Ministry of Supply cannot give us the amount of wax paper necessary for this job.

Could not the Minister divert some of the beer bottles to this purpose?

asked the Minister of Education whether the sub-committee appointed to deal with applications for inclusion in the London area for the purpose of additional payments under the Burnham Scale has yet met; and whether she has any statement to make as to progress made.

As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Epping (Mrs. Manning) last Thursday, I understand that the Burnham Committee are about to appoint this sub-committee.

In view of the fact that this matter has been outstanding for seven years, will the right hon. Lady take steps to ensure that it is not another seven years before this matter is settled?

The Burnham Committee was only appointed in 1945 so it could not have been before the Committee for seven years.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that the application was first of all submitted in 1939 to the predecessor of the Burnham Committee and that this is a most urgent matter?

I am afraid when we appoint an independent Committee to go into matters the Government have no power to order the date on which the Committee shall make their report.

asked the Minister of Education whether the conditions under which frozen cooked meals could be provided for schools have been fully considered from the point of view of providing the most suitable types of meals for schoolchildren, cooked under the best possible conditions, and with a great saving of expenditure on kitchens and kitchen staffs.

I understand that the system to which the hon. and gallant Member refers is still in an experimental stage and that its use on a large scale will not be possible for some considerable time. It seems unlikely that it could be used in connection with the school meals service, which must be expanded with all possible speed.

May I ask the right hon. Lady not to disregard the suggestions made, but to disregard any consideration of vested interests and have regard to the path of progress in this matter, remembering that this will be the principal way of feeding in the future?

I am not at all sure that it is the path of progress.

asked the Minister of Education the total number of special schools for the education of deaf children in the country and in the county of London; whether she is satisfied that the number is sufficient and that these schools are adequately staffed and equipped with hearing and other appliances; what advice is given to parents in early examinations of the children regarding speech training; and whether the number of deaf children is increasing in the country.

There are 43 special schools for the deaf with accommodation for 4,230 children in England and Wales, including four schools in London with accommodation for 246 children. I here is some shortage of provision, particularly for young deaf children, in the south of England, and in deaf schools as in ordinary schools more teachers are needed. Steps are being taken to remedy both these deficiencies. Before the war the provision of hearing aids in these schools was proceeding rapidly, but this development was stopped by evacuation and difficulties of supply and maintenance during the war. Suitable apparatus is, at the moment, virtually unobtainable but a committee of the Medical Research Council is investigating the whole problem.

It is the practice of school medical officers and teachers to explain to parents the importance of giving a deaf child speech training from an early age. I have no definite evidence of an increase in the incidence of deafness among children, but I am glad to say that there appears to be a growing appreciation among parents of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, and a consequent increase in the demand for special school education for the younger deaf children.

Are children ever refused admission to schools for the deaf because they are slightly below the normal mental level, and is provision made for children who appear not to be up to the normal level?

They are not refused on account of any slight deficiency or backwardness, because that might be due to deafness.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to make a refund to telephone subscribers whose lines have been out of action so much in the last 12 months.

The rental for a telephone line leaves no margin for rebates in respect of incidental interruptions of service; but I am always prepared to consider any individual case where circumstances may have been exceptional.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will now eliminate the extra charge for the hand microphone type telephone, as against the candlestick variety.

I hope that it will be possible fairly soon to provide hand microphones free of charge whenever new telephones are installed I am afraid, however, that, in view of the acute shortage of labour and the large amount of work to be done in meeting the wartime arrears of applications for telephone service. it will be quite impossible to undertake for a considerable time the work of replacing existing subscribers' candlestick telephones by hand microphones.

Is the Minister aware that this will give satisfaction, and will he see that other improvements in the telephone service are not kept from 10 to 15 years before coming into public use?

There is no desire to keep back any improvements. The difficulty here is largely one of labour supply which the Post Office has to meet along with other Departments.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General when the new Victory stamps will be available for public use; how many are being printed; and what size they will be.

The new Victory stamps will, I hope, be on sale at all post offices on and from Tuesday, nth June. 240 millions of the 2½d. value and 24 millions of the 3d. value are being printed. The stamps will be double the size of ordinary stamps.

May I ask if it is possible to have the stamps by V-Day, 8th June, so that they may be used on that day?

We have made every possible effort to get them at the earliest possible date and there have been much working of overtime and very great pressure to get them on the date mentioned. It is still doubtful if they will be ready even for that.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many Servicemen have been offered Class B release since the inception of the release scheme for Post Office workers; how many have accepted; and how many are now back at work with the Post Office.

Up to the end of March, 4,733 men in the engineering and manipulative grades of the Post Office serving with the Forces had been offered release in Class B, and 1,332 had accepted. Five hundred and eighty-one had been released up to 15th March, and have now resumed their Post Office duties.

Is not this a very disappointing figure? What does the Minister intend to do to increase the numbers?

The Services are cooperating with us. We cannot get people out under Class B unless they are willing to come, but they are coming out fairly regularly now.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether the post office at Pevensey Bay, which was closed during the war, will now be reopened.

It has not yet been possible to reopen the post office at Pevensey Bay for lack of a candidate. An application has recently been received and, if the applicant proves suitable and can provide satisfactory premises, the office will be reopened as soon as possible.

Does the hon. Gentleman realise how much inconvenience is caused at Pevensey Bay at the moment, especially in view of the large returning population which was evacuated during the war?

Yes, Sir, I am well aware of that, but the difficulty is not merely that of finding a suitable applicant, but also that of suitable premises.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what is the retiring age for the public relations officer of his Department.

The post of public relations officer of the Post Office may be held by an established or an unestablished officer. There is no fixed retiring age in either case.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what is the age of the new public relations officer of his Department; and what was that of his predecessor on retirement.

The incoming public relations officer is 64 years of age. The outgoing public relations officer will be 62 in May, 1946.

Are we to understand that this exacting task of public relations is now to be regarded as suitable gainful employment for a superannuated Socialist ex-Minister?

Is it not a fact that this is an admirable appointment?

Is it not a fact that this appointment was made purely on merit, and that this person is a first-class public servant?

All Post Office appointments are made on merit, and this is one of the best.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the delays which occur in the delivery of telegrams in country districts and of the fact that such telegrams are sometimes delivered by post on the day after their despatch; and when it is expected that improvements in the telegraph service will be practicable.

Telegraph delivery by hand in country districts ceases at 7 p.m. If a message cannot be disposed of by telephone after that time, it is either posted or held over for delivery by hand the next day, whichever is the quicker means of getting it to the addressee. Every effort is, however, made to effect delivery of telegrams of a vitally urgent nature. Although it will take some time to achieve prewar standards, the quality of the telegraph service has materially improved over the last few months, and I am confident that the improvement will be progressive.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that telegrams are sent with the object of getting messages accurately and quickly despatched, and that the cost is not low? In those circumstances, can he justify taking a high fee for a telegram, and then delivering it by post 17 or 18 hours afterwards?

There are certain difficulties in country districts. Sometimes telegrams arrive late at one office, and are transmitted to an office where there is no means of delivery. People cannot be kept waiting in country post offices for the purpose of delivering an occasional message.

Is the Minister aware that a telegram arrived by post at 11.30 one morning for me, having been sent the previous day, and that as I am on the telephone this was not a very speedy way of delivering the message?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the estimated average cost to public funds, reckoned per seat, of a contested election in a county council, rural district council or urban district council area.

The expenses incurred in holding elections of county and district councillors are paid by the county or district council concerned, and I regret that I have no information as to the average cost.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that the changes are worth the money expended?

Does not the right hon. Gentleman consider that in view of the considerable number of cases involved candidates should put up a deposit, as they have to do in the case of election for the House of Commons?

This matter has been considered by the local authority associations and Government- Departments concerned, but there appears to have been no general demand for it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he now has any further statement to make on the control and restraint of Fascist and anti-Semitic political activities.

Fascist and potentially Fascist bodies in this country are small, disunited, and ineffective. They will be watched with the utmost vigilance, and the potential danger of such bodies will always be kept in mind. The Government have examined in consultation with the Law Officers the scope of the existing law and are satisfied that in present circumstances the law is fully adequate to enable action to be taken against all really dangerous activities. If believers in Fascist doctrines engage either singly or in conspiracy in subversive activities, or disturb the peace, they can be, and will be, dealt with firmly as law breakers.

Will my right hon. Friend say whether he regards anti-Semitic propaganda, carried out at a meeting for political purposes, as subversive within the scope of the definition?

It all depends on the strength and virulence of the statements that are made.

Did my right hon. Friend observe that a recent meeting intended to promote anti-Semitism could not be held because the Westminster City Council, very properly, refused the use of the hall? Will he commend that example to other authorities?

No, Sir. I was very anxious to hear what the man who was advertised to address that meeting would say. Unless statements are made I cannot prosecute the people who would like to make them.

But has not this man made hundreds of statements before?

Most of the statements hitherto made by that gentleman have been made in Scotland, where the law;is not quite as powerful as it is in England. This was the first opportunity for getting him to make a statement in England.

The right hon. Gentleman used the term "Fascist doctrine." I am sure all Members of the House condemn Fascist doctrine—[HON. MEMBERS: "Not all."]—but does he include all totalitarian philosophy?

We are getting very wide of the original Question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the age of criminal responsibility is lower in Britain than in many other countries; and whether he will introduce legislation to amend the law accordingly.

The age of criminal responsibility was raised from seven to eight by the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, following a recommendation made by the Young Offender's Committee. Consideration of any further change must await a suitable opportunity for legislation.

But does my right hon. Friend really believe that at the early age of eight that would be true?

The difficulty is not so much one of agreeing with that statement, as of deciding what is the proper age to fix as the minimum age in the circumstances. This will be a matter which will have to be considered when the Criminal Justice Bill is before the House.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that this question of his responsibility for young offenders is an urgent one, and will he give it special attention with a view to preventing such offenders from embarking on a life of crime?

I am exceedingly anxious to comply with that principle, and if and when the Criminal Justice Bill comes before the House I hope I shall get the support of the House in strengthening my hands in that respect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of persons over any recent convenient period in Great Britain convicted of crime were so convicted a second and a third time.

The last occasion on which the criminal records were analysed for the purpose of obtaining statistics as to reconviction rates was in 1938; and I am sending to my hon. and learned Friend extracts from the volume of the Criminal Statistics which contains the results of that analysis.

Would the Minister state what special steps are taken to prevent young offenders in the first class from falling into the other two classes?

I do not think I could detail them in answer to a question. Doubtless on the Estimates or on some other suitable occasion I shall be able to deal with the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is proposed to pay war gratuity to N.F.S personnel in the borough of Romford, Essex.

Arrangements have been made to accelerate this work in all areas, and I hope it will be completed at a reasonably early date.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that some of these N.F.S. personnel have been waiting for as long as nine months for payment and that the continued delay in paying gratuities is creating a very unfortunate impression in the minds of a body of men who rendered the most invaluable service during the war?

As I have previously explained to the House, my Department is not wholly responsible for this matter. We have to check up the periods of service with the local authorities who were the employers of the men prior to the establishment of the National Fire Service, but I am hopeful that everybody will be paid by the end of May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the desirability of legislation continuing Summer Time during the Winter months.

In present circumstances I cannot say more than that I have noted my hon. Friend's view.

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider sympathetically the position of school children—especially in the country districts—who are not able to reach home before darkness in the winter months?

I have to consider that and a number of other matters, including the case of those who have to go to work and possibly to school in the dark in the morning if the alteration is made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his attention has been called to requirements by the chief constable of the North Riding of Yorkshire that the wives of constables should cease to be teachers and should refrain from offering themselves as candidates for local authorities; what authority the chief constable has to make these requirements; and if he will advise the chief constable not to interfere in the private concerns of these and any other women who are not in the employment of the police authority.

After representations from the Home Office the Chief Constable withdrew his requirement that the wives of constables should give up their employment as school teachers. As regards the case of the constable's wife who offered herself as a candidate for election to a local authority, the Chief Constable was asked for an explanation as soon as the facts came to my notice. He has informed me that the lady withdrew her candidature as the result of an intimation to her husband from the local superin- tendent that it was considered imprudent for a constable's wife to be a member of the rural district council of the district in which her husband was serving as a constable; the Chief Constable added that he himself would have offered no objection if the matter had been put to him officially.

In both cases serious errors of judgment were made to which it is right that public attention should be called, and I am glad to have this opportunity of making it clear that such interferences with the private actions of constables' wives are not warranted by Police regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will cause to be published the reports on fun fairs, in relation to juvenile delinquency, from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and chief constables of certain towns.

I have received no recent reports on the alleged connection between fun fairs and juvenile delinquency. Four years ago my predecessor invited the observations of several chief officers of police and came to the conclusion that there were no grounds for any amendment of the law. I cannot publish these replies, but if my hon. Friend has any information to give me I shall be glad to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been drawn to the case of two girls of 14 years of age sentenced at York to three months imprisonment; and whether, to prevent these girls being sent to an ordinary prison and in view of the frequency of such cases, he will take steps immediately to provide a special place of security outside the prison system with a staff specially qualified to deal with such cases.

I have received information about these girls, who recently escaped from an approved school, and I have decided to recommend the remission of the unexpired portion of their prison sentences and to transfer each of them to another approved school for further training. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the general statement contained in the reply which I gave to her on 21st March.

Would the Minister consider providing finance to enable some outside specialist body like the Institute for the Scientific Treatment of Delinquency to set up institutions, one for boys and one for girls?

No, Sir. I have no power to make such a payment. That again is a matter that would, I think, have been dealt with more satisfactorily had the Criminal Justice Bill become law in 1938 or 1939. I hope that the House will not insist on a number of small Measures that would fritter away the time that might be far more usefully employed on a comprehensive Measure when Parliamentary time permits.

Would the Minister say when he is going to introduce this comprehensive Measure? It has been asked for from all sides of the House.

This Parliament is young and I have had my share of legislative time this Session, but I am not unhopeful that before this Parliament ends the Measure will be on the Statute Book.

Does the Minister realise that there is need for a very rapid overhaul of the whole prison system, and will he hurry forward the legislation?

asked the Minister of Pensions if he has considered the recent judgment given by Mr. Justice Denning in favour of an ex-Serviceman on the grounds of "fit for service, fit for pension "; and if he is now prepared to review similar cases which have been refused by his Department.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is proposing to take any action in regard to those cases where ex-Servicemen have been refused a pension, despite a breakdown in health since entering the Service, in the light of the judgment of the High Court, given on 1st April, 1946; and whether he is prepared to take steps to review all such cases despite an adverse decision by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal, if necessary, introducing amending legislation for the purpose.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the ruling given by Mr. Justice Denning in a successful appeal against his Department last week that if a man is discharged from the Services with his health deteriorated from the standard at which the Army certified it on joining, such deterioration may be presumed to be due to his war service, he now accepts the principle of "fit for service, fit for pension."

asked the Minister of Pensions in view of the recent decision of a High Court appeal, which decided that his Department had failed to produce evidence that the appellant's disability was caused by something other than his war service, he will consider reviewing any case dismissed by a tribunal.

In the judgment referred to, the learned judge expressed the view that the interpretation to be placed on Article 4 of the Royal Warrant was that if a man is accepted for service in a certain medical category there is a presumption that at the time of his acceptance he was fit for the kind of service demanded of a man in that category; and that in the event of his discharge subsequently on medical grounds due to deterioration in his health there is a presumption that the deterioration was due to his service. He added that the presumption is not a compelling presumption but a provisional one. In order, however, to defeat the man's claim, the evidence had to show a real, preponderance of probability that his condition was not aggravated by war service. In the case before him the learned Judge held that there was no such evidence and that the tribunal could not properly come to a conclusion in favour of the Ministry.

While there may at times be a difference of opinion as to what constitutes a real preponderance of probability I do not think that the general line of approach laid down by the learned Judge differs materially from that followed by my Department

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a large number of cases similar to those dealt with by Mr. Justice Denning? Having regard to the strong feeling among ex-Servicemen regarding the continuance of this scandal, can he suggest some way whereby these cases might be reopened and the Ministry's arrangements brought into line with the law and commonsense?

It was laid down when the Tribunal Act went through that certain procedure should be followed—first my Ministry, then the tribunal, and, finally, an appeal to the High Court could be granted on a point of law. That procedure has been followed; the cases mentioned have been to the High Court and the decision is against us. That does not mean that we are wrong in all the other cases. Thousands, at least, of such cases which have had an opportunity to go to the High Court have not asked to be allowed to do so. The decision which has been given does not necessarily mean that the whole of our Royal Warrant is wrong or that it has been wrongly interpreted.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the number of these appeal cases is increasing? In view of the evidence brought forward, does he not think the time has arrived to alter the whole of the Royal Warrant and bring in the only real solution, "Fit for service, fit for pension"?

If the numbers have increased at all it is only very slightly. There has not been a great number before the Court.

Would not the Minister admit that the effect of this ruling is that the fact that men are accepted in one medical category and discharged in a much lower category establishes a prima facie claim for pension, and that the onus of disproof rests upon his Department?

Certainly, there is a presumption in favour of that—the Judge said so—and we have to disprove that a pension is due.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply by my right hon. Friend, may I give notice that I propose to take the earliest opportunity of raising this matter on the Adjournment?

asked the Minister of Pensions how many cases were heard before Pensions Appeals Boards in the period 1st July, 1945, to 31st March, 1946; and in how many of these cases were the applicants for pensions successful.

The number of appeals heard by pensions appeal tribunals in the period from 1st July, 1945, to 30th March, 1946, was 19,275, of which 3796 were successful and 4,145 were adjourned for various reasons.

Does not the Minister agree that although a large number of these cases have been successful they ought never to have reached the appeal stage but ought to have been granted before?

The Ministry have to deal with hundreds of thousands of cases and it is inevitable that some of these go through. The tribunals were set up in order to deal with this matter and to make sure that pensioners and appellants have a fair deal.

How many applications to go to appeal tribunals were made in 1945 and have still not been sent to the Attorney-General's Department?

I could not give that information without notice.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of applications for pensions by ex-Servicemen, rejected before the appeal tribunals were formed, who have now been accepted by these tribunals as eligible for pension.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of Service pension claims originally refused by his Department which have subsequently been allowed by him with recourse to the appeals tribunals since such tribunals were set up.

Of the 36,016 Service appeals decided by the Pensions Appeals Tribunals up to 3oth March, 1946, 9,110 were allowed.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is yet in a position to give details of the seven occasions, between 1930 and 1942, on which his medical officers examined Mr. F. Lawton with reference to the claim of which he has been informed

Medical examinations were carried out on nine occasions between 1930 and 1942, the dates being 2nd March, 1931; 23rd January. 9th and 27th February, 1934; 21st March, 15th October, 29th November, 7th and 29th December, 1938.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for the time which he has recently devoted to this claim, I would like to ask him whether he is aware that on only one of the dates that he has mentioned was the man examined with reference to the claim of which I informed my right hon. Friend?

I am not quite sure to what matter my hon. Friend is referring. The man in question had a full medical board in 1931 to determine whether he was due for pension. On the other occasions he came before our own medical man.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many limbless persons are now receiving pensions; and how many have applied, so far, for the new clothing allowance.

The numbers are, some 37,00o and 14,000 respectively.

Is the Minister satisfied that the existence of this grant is adequately known throughout the country?

It has been fairly well advertised, but if there is any way by which it can be made better known, and if some of these people have not applied because they did not know about it, I would be willing to do it.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many cases of psychoneurosis of ex-Servicemen have been accepted as due to war service and pensionable as a result of the last war and the 1914–18 war, respectively; what proportion have been rejected; and whether he proposes to take any steps in the near future to improve the arrangements for dealing with such cases.

Approximately 30,000 awards of compensation have been made to persons suffering from disablement due to psychoneurosis arising out of the 1939 war, as compared with 47,000 in which my Department has notified the formal rejection of a claim in respect of that condition. In addition there have been a further 47,000 persons invalided on account of psychoneurosis who have at no time made or inferred anything in the nature of a claim. I am sorry that the records of my Department do not enable me to give the corresponding figures for the 1914–18 war. I am not clear what arrangements the hon. and gallant Member has in mind. The general principles governing entitlement to pension are set out in Command Papers 6459 and 6714 and the presumptions in a claimant's favour are applied in cases of psychoneurosis as in other cases.

asked the Minister of Pensions what success has been met with in his endeavours to obtain quicker deliveries of the essential fittings to the artificial limbs supplied by Roehampton; and what is the average length of time taken for delivery of the fittings after the limb has been fitted.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind fittings for use with artificial arms and I am glad to say that our efforts towards speeding up this supply are now meeting with success. To quote an average time for deliveries would be misleading as devices or appliances needed for cases of special difficulty naturally take longer to complete than the more common appliances which are normally available within a week or so.

Is the Minister aware that there are still many complaints about this matter? Has he considered obtaining skilled labour from among German prisoners for the making of these limbs?

I do not think we have considered that aspect of the matter, but we have certainly been making efforts for months past in order to catch up with this business.

Is the Minister aware that the price charged for artificial limbs is exorbitant in many cases? Will he look into the question and see whether they can be supplied more cheaply?

I will look into it. I am not aware that the price has been exorbitant. Steps were taken to deal with the matter.

Speak up.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that landlords are pressing tenants to sign undertakings that they will not accept Indian and other dark-skinned citizens as lodgers; and if he will introduce legislation to prevent such colour-bar barriers.

I have received no information on the subject. If my hon. Friend has information which he cares to send me, I will consider it, but in any event there will be no opportunity for legislation in the present Session.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that 700 or 800 students recently came to this country and have very great difficulty in finding suitable lodgings because of the colour bar? Will he take some steps to find opportunities for them?

There are difficulties, of course, in finding accommodation everywhere, but if special obstacles are being erected against these students, I will certainly investigate the matter if my hon. Friend will let me have the information in his possession.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that local authorities with long waiting lists of housing applications have no means of ascertaining whether housing properties are available for letting, and since self-contained lettings do not interfere with the privacy of either owner or other tenants in a house, he will give local authorities power to register and control all lettings of self-contained housing units within their areas.

Registration and control by local authorities of all lettings would entail a great deal of additional work which I do not think would be justified.

Would the Minister agree that if local authorities could make registers of these lettings, it would enable them to give accommodation to people most needing it?

They would not always have control over the lettings, but certainly it would be desirable, if the local authorities could undertake the additional work, to have a register of that sort.

asked the Minister of Health if it was with his sanction that the Harrow Council raised the rents by is. per week from 1st April of all its houses and flats in order to cover the increased costs of repairs; and what additional repairs have to be undertaken by this council as compared with a private landlord who is not permitted to raise the rent for such a purpose.

The power to fix rents for council houses is vested by statute in the local authority themselves, and my sanction was therefore not required.

Does the Minister propose to seek powers to prevent a local authority doing something for which a private landlord, if he did it, would go to gaol?

I do not propose to seek powers at the moment at all. The power to vary rents charged by local authorities on houses or to fix a maximum for those rents is a matter for a Rent Control Bill which it is not practicable to introduce just now.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that part of his housing policy which states that four houses must be built by local authorities for every one built privately, is causing resentment throughout the country; how many licences for private builders have been refused, countermanded or reduced as a result of this policy; and how many more houses for sale and for rent, shown separately, it is estimated would now be under construction had licences not been so handled.

asked the Minister of Health what instruction he has issued to local authorities where private enterprise builders are starting or completing houses faster than the ratio of 1 to 4; and how many instances have occurred of licences being refused to private builders or work being held up because local authorities are unable to maintain this ratio.

asked the Minister of Health why he issued instructions to the Wokingham Rural District Council which resulted in the cancellation of 48 licences for building by private enterprise; and whether he is satisfied that local builders will immediately be able to erect at least the same number of houses for the local authority.

asked the Minister of Health (1) the reasons which have prompted him to revoke, or cause to be revoked, licences issued by local authorities for the building of houses by private enterprise;

(2) in how many cases have licences, given to build houses, been revoked subsequently, either by the local authority concerned or by his Department.

asked the Minister of Health why he has instructed local authorities to cancel all licences granted to private builders on which work had not yet begun.

asked the Minister of Health how many houses are affected by the revocation of building licences as the result of action by his Department.

Mr. Speaker, with your permission and that of the House, I will make a statement on the subject of these Questions at the end of Questions.

Later —

The great majority of local authorities have exercised with proper discretion the powers to license the building of new houses by private persons in addition to their own housing programme. In some areas, however, as hon Members will see from Appendix B to the Monthly Housing Return, the local authorities have not preserved a proper proportion between the number of licences issued and the size of their own programme; in other areas they have gone further and issued licences far in excess of the whole building capacity of the district. I will deal with these two points separately.

The principal need of people today is a house to be let at a comparatively low rent, and this can only be provided by the local authorities. I have said that local authority house building should, in view of the needs of the people, be in the ratio of four houses to one built by private enterprise, the latter being normally a house for sale. The four to one ratio is intended to be a rough overall guide to local authorities and has not been issued as a specific direction to be adhered to strictly in each case irrespective of the circumstances. However, the Housing Return for 28th February shows that licences had been issued for nearly 34,000 houses to be constructed by private enterprise, while tenders had been approved for only just over 57,000 houses to be constructed by local authorities. This is not related to the needs of the situation.

I have, therefore, instructed certain authorities that no further licences should be issued for the time being without my consent. The number of these authorities is 161 out of a total of 1469. In 32 of these 161 areas there is the further difficulty that licensing was completely out of proportion to local resources in labour and materials, and it must be obvious that where more licences are issued than can be met by the labour and materials available, the effect is to injure either the local authority's own building programme or that of its neighbours. The local authorities in those areas were, therefore, asked to review the licences already issued with a view to cancelling or modifying those which had not yet been acted upon, or had only partially been acted upon. I cannot say how many licences have been withdrawn as a result of this instruction. No licence should have been withdrawn where the house had been begun, but I understand that that has happened in one or two cases, and I am in touch with the local authorities.

I have laid in the Library a copy of the letter sent to local authorities on this subject and of the circular letter to which it refers.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, as one result of this narrow minded and prejudiced policy, thousands, and probably tens of thousands, of families will have to wait months longer than is necessary before getting their own roof over their heads?

Is it not perfectly obvious that as the limiting factor on house building is not the number of contractors or speculative builders building houses, but the supply of labour and building materials, an additional number of houses built for sale must be at the expense of the building of houses to let? I do not expect the logic of that to sink into the minds of hon. Members opposite, but it is perfectly obvious that the issuing of licences by some authorities who were not fully cooperating with the Ministry's programme has resulted in putting the whole programme Gut of synchronisation. If we are to plan the programme properly, we must have synchronisation of this sort Furthermore, there are some local authorities who appear to have been actuated by political prejudice.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it would not have been better to forbid those authorities to give any further licences, rather than instruct them to cancel licences already issued in view of the fact that what he proposes to do amounts virtually to a breach of contract? Many people have begun work.

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. In the first place, I have prohibited them issuing further licences. In the second place, a licence not operated within two months is automatically cancelled. Where work has begun, licences are not cancelled, or ought not to be, and, therefore, no damage has been done.

Does the Minister mean that because a local authority has not got on to the job sooner, men should stand idle rather than that houses should be built by private enterprise?

It almost invariably happens that in these circumstances local authorities in the neighbourhood have got building programmes and are denied labour and material because other local authorities, who are behind in their own programmes, are artificially stimulating the building of houses for sale.

That is not answering the question.

It is well known that the right hon. Gentleman is well informed on these subjects. The fact is that in those circumstances the local authorities are not denied the right to issue licences, but it is essential that the local authorities should act cooperatively in this matter and not permit one local authority to take advantage of the activities of another.

Will the Minister say whether, before taking this harsh and drastic action, he reviewed the potentialities of private enterprise to build houses to let in conjunction with building societies? Will he further say whether in the ratio of four to one, the houses to be built in the new scheme by private enterprise for sale to local authorities will count in the four, or the one?

The answer, as the hon. Member probably knows, is that I am in consultation with representatives of the building contractors with a view to the building of houses for sale to the local authorities. Where that is done, they will count as local authority houses, and not as houses built for sale, because they will be bought by the local authority to let. I would remind hon. Members opposite that we have already built far more houses in the six months following the end of the war than were built in the three years at the end of the last war.

On a point of Order. There were two parts to my question, and the right hon. Gentleman has addressed himself to only the second part.

That is not a point of Order.

Further to that, the right hon. Gentleman has only answered half my Question, number 71.

If I send particulars of a case where a local authority, for reasons beyond its control, has not proceeded with its own programmes and yet, through a misapprehension of the Order, is refusing licences, where labour and material are available, will the right hon. Gentleman look carefully into the matter?

Certainly, I will look carefully into it, but it must be obvious from the February return that a far larger number of licences have been applied for for houses to sell than we can provide labour and materials for in the period. Therefore, it must be brought under some sort of control.

Can the right hon. Gentleman deny that many private enterprise builders have built houses cheaper and quicker—

The hon. Member must not debate the question of private enterprise now.

In my own area the local authority has, for one reason or another, issued too many licences to private builders; would it be possible for those houses which are being built for sale to be allocated on a basis of need in the same way as the local authorities are allocating their other accommodation to let?

The houses are in the possession of those who provide them, and I have no control over them. That is why it is necessary to canalise short labour and materials into the building of houses to let so that they may go to those who need them most.

rose —

This is becoming a Second Reading Debate on a housing Bill. I think we had better pass on to the next Business.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the codes of practice on heating and ventilating installations are effectively adopted in all new houses, as recommended by the Fuel and Power Advisory Council in their report on domestic fuel policy; and whether he will give an assurance that the permanent housing programme as a whole will incorporate the recommendations of that report.

The Interdepartmental Committee on Domestic Heating is now considering the means by which the recommendations of the Fuel and Power Advisory Council can best be implemented.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the methods, such as the concealing of the addresses of the selling agencies, which have been used to thwart his recent instructions to local authorities to requisition houses advertised for sale, with vacant possession; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

The power which I have delegated to the clerks of local authorities is that of requisitioning unoccupied dwellings so that they may be used by persons in need of accommodation. I am not aware of any general difficulties over this, but I am considering whether the procedure should be tightened up in certain respects.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the total allocation of temporary houses to Birmingham; how many of those houses have been erected; how many of the prefabricated houses from America, delivered last September, have been completed and the reasons why delay has taken place.

The total allocation of temporary houses to Birmingham is 4,631. Six hundred and fifty-nine of these have been erected and 473 completed ready for occupation. One hundred and nineteen American houses are erected and almost complete. The erection of the American houses is being undertaken by the corporation, who have apparently had difficulty in obtaining some of the equipment which is produced in this country. I am looking into this.

Is the Minister satisfied that the progress of housing in Birmingham now is satisfactory? Is it not a fact that confusion reigns in the Ministry of Works and in his Department?

No, Sir, there is no confusion whatever. With regard to the first part of the supplementary question, I am certainly not satisfied with the provision of houses, either in Birmingham or anywhere else. [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear."] I knew that would receive the enthusiastic support of hon. Members opposite.

asked the Minister of Health the cost of prefabricated houses in Birmingham, including purchase price and cost of erection; and how many of the prefabricated houses recently erected have been condemned because they are not fireproof.

I am not yet in a position to add to the information given in the White Paper on the Temporary Housing Programme (Cmd. 6686). I am not aware that any houses have been condemned because they are not fireproof.

Is it true that some of these houses actually cost £2,000 to erect?

I would be surprised to hear that. I know very well that these houses are exceedingly expensive, but I am not responsible for that.

asked the Minister of Works if his attention has been called to the confusion which has arisen in Birmingham housing schemes consequent upon acute difference on the building programme between his Department and the Public Works Committee; and if he will give more sympathetic support to the promotion of housing in Birmingham.

My right hon. Friends the Ministers of Health and Works have had a discussion with the chairman of the Public Works Committee and other representatives of the Birmingham City Corporation on 10th March at which it was thought the main differences had been resolved. An officer of my Department will see the Public Works Committee for the purpose of clearing any difficulties which may remain.

Is it not a fact that housing in Birmingham, where we have 35,00o applications for houses, has been frustrated beyond question by the differences between the Ministry of Works and the local authority?

No, Sir, that is not the fact.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the country's sea defences have deteriorated owing to lack of proper maintenance during the war; that the storms this winter resulted in damage estimated at several million pounds; that the cost of repairing the damage is in many cases beyond the financial resources at present available; that the problem of co-ordinating the design, construction, maintenance and financing of these sea defences is in urgent need of solution; and what measures are being taken in this connection.

I am aware that the country's sea defences have deteriorated and that repairs would be costly. I am afraid, however, that I am not yet in a position to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich (Lady Noel-Buxton) on 27th February.