asked the Minister of Health what direction or request he has issued to local authorities with the object of discouraging or prohibiting the issue of licences for building repair work.

No instructions have been issued to local authorities prohibiting the granting of building licences for repair work, but local authorities were reminded in a recent Circular of the need to relate the volume of work for which licences are granted to the requirements of their own housing programmes. Subject to this, local authorities have been advised to give preference to licences for repairs to houses required by statutory notices and to other repairs or essential alterations which are designed to improve the standard of accommodation. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Circular in question.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in the development of housing estates, provision is being made for houses large enough to be used as a doctor's house and surgery.

Local authorities are being advised in laying out their housing estates to leave space for houses of this kind which can be built a little later when materials and labour are more plentiful.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to secure that a former tenant, who wishes to reoccupy a house which has been bombed and where a new house has been built on the site, is not debarred from resuming his occupation of that house.

I am not empowered to take any steps in the matter. The rights of the parties in such a case can be determined by the courts alone.

asked the Minister of Health how many sites are ready for prefabricated houses in Wallasey; and how many completed houses had been delivered up to 15th May.

On 15th May, 202 foundation slabs were ready for temporary houses in Wallasey, five houses had been delivered and one was erected.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General under what arrangement commercial broadcasting companies use B.B.C. facilities free of charge.

Commercial broadcasting companies in the ordinary sense of the words, namely, companies that originate broadcast programmes, are not permitted to operate in this country, and I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the rebroadcasting of B.B.C. programmes by commercial broadcasting companies overseas. Subject to some copyright and other legal considerations, programmes transmitted in the B.B.C's overseas and European services are generally available for rebroadcasting from stations in other countries without payment to the B.B.C., whether the rebroadcasting is arranged by a commercial or Government organisation. It is the policy of the Government to foster the rediffusion of British programmes to audiences overseas.

asked the Minister of Education at which of the new teachers' colleges there are shortages of textbooks, benches, tools and wood; and why the demand for this equipment was not foreseen.

The demand for equipment was foreseen and energetic steps have been taken for months past to meet the demand. On the whole I am satisfied that Emergency Training Colleges are well equipped, considering the fact that they are being opened at a time of general shortage.

asked the Minister of Education what proportion of teachers in the secondary schools, before the passage of the Education Act, 1944, were university graduates; and what is the proportion since 1st April, 1945, up to date, of graduate teachers in the schools now classified as secondary.

The latest available figures relate to 1938, when rather under 80 per cent. of the teachers in grant-aided secondary grammar schools were graduates. Figures showing the present position in all types of secondary schools will be available in a few months.

asked the Minister of Education how many teachers holding appointments in her Department receive a salary of £2,000 per annum; how many receive salaries of £1,500 per annum; how many receive salaries of£1,000 per annum; and how many receive salaries of less than £500 per annum.

Teachers are employed by local education authorities and governing bodies of schools and not by my Department. The collection of statistics about teachers' salaries was suspended during the war and I regret, therefore, that I cannot supply the information for which the hon. and gallant Member asks.

asked the Minister of Education how many applications have been received from Wales for training facilities under the Emergency Training Scheme; how many have been rejected; and how many of the successful applicants have commenced training.

It is not possible to say how many applications have been received from Wales under the Emergency Training Scheme. At the beginning of May, however, out of nearly 18,000 candidates who had up to that time been accepted, 642 had expressed the desire to teach in Wales. Of these, 229 had commenced training.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if, in view of the decline in annual premiums received for life insurance through the State from £20,760 in 1914 to £3,522 in 1945, he will discontinue these facilities and so relieve post offices of an unprofitable activity.

As indicated in the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 6th May, the Post Office discontinued life insurance business in 1929; but contracts already entered into before that time remain in force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish a new edition of the Directory of Probation Officers and Home Office Schools which has been out of print for several years; and, in view of the value of this book to courts, pro- bation officers and schools, whether he will endeavour to expedite the publication.

A revised edition of this Directory is in proof, and there will be no avoidable delay in publishing it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered the case of Audrey Knox, aged 17 years, who was recently, at Skipton, sentenced to six months' imprisonment; whether, as this was a first offence, he will remit this sentence; and, in view of this and similar sentences, if he will speedily introduce legislation to prevent young girls being sent to prison.

I am making inquiries about this case and will communicate with my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds and under what authority Mr. F. Willner is now detained in Brixton Prison; how long he has been detained there or elsewhere; what is his nationality; whether that nationality has been affected by recent territorial changes; for what reason he took refuge in this country; and whether he will undertake that this man will not be deported, against his will, to Poland.

This alien arrived in this country in 1935, not as a refugee, but as a student from Belgium where he had previously been living. He was convicted on serious charges of false pretences in 1939 and again in 1942, and on each occasion sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment. A deportation order was made against him and as he could not be left at large to prey on the public, he was, on the expiration of his second sentence, detained under the Aliens Order until the deportation order could be executed. Since the termination of hostilities, delay in the execution of the order has been caused because the alien, who had held a Polish passport for many years and had previously claimed Polish nation- ality, now repudiates that nationality, with the consequence that further inquiries to establish his nationality have been necessary; and I have decided to release him temporarily subject to restrictions. But it is my intention to deport him when this becomes possible, unless he takes the opportunity, which has already been offered to him, of leaving the country for a destination of his own choice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Mile End will receive an answer to his letter of 19th March, 1946, concerning the case of Mrs. Helene Klinenberger and her son, Mr. R. R. Mount, of 28, Pont Street, S.W.I.

The hon. Member will by now have received my letter of 17th May in which I explained why I could not give him a definite reply sooner.

asked the Minister of Labour what special measures he has taken to assist recruitment of workers to the wool textile industry, particularly in the combing and spinning sections.

The special steps taken by my Department include the release of nearly 4,000 wool textile workers from the Forces in Class B and the return from other occupations of nearly 1,000 combers and spinners nominated by their previous employers. In addition discussions are taking place with the industry with regard to the setting up of a scheme for the provision of suitable training for the new labour it is hoped to attract to the industry in increasing numbers.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will announce that every Irishman who has fought with the British Forces in the recent war shall be free to take any employment open to him in Britain, and to equip him with the necessary green card, whether or no he has a permanent residence in this country.

Irish ex-Servicemen, whether they have a permanent residence here or not, are dealt with by my Department in the matter of obtaining employment and being introduced to employers, just like other ex-Servicemen. If the hon. Member has any particular case of difficulty in mind I should be glad to have inquiries made.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent his Department now distinguishes between aliens awaiting British naturalisation and aliens demobilised from His Majesty's Forces, as opposed to other aliens in the United Kingdom, as regards their employment in this country.

Aliens wishing to take employment who are long term residents in this country are not normally required to obtain the permission of my Department. All other aliens must obtain such permission which is given more freely to those who have been honourably discharged from His Majesty's Forces than to others.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed men and women, 'respectively, left Wales for employment in England between 8th February and 30th April of this year.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in securing the return to Wales of building trade operatives who left the principality to repair war damaged property in London and elsewhere.

I regret I am not in a position to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 2nd April.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men registered as disabled were unemployed on 18th April, or the nearest convenient date; how many unemployed men at that date were, in addition, prima facie eligible for registration; and what proportion the sum of these two categories represented of the total number of unemployed men.

The number of males registered as disabled who were unemployed on 15th April, 1946, was 53,526, and it is estimated that there were in addition over 11,000 males recorded at local offices as unemployed on the same day who though not at present registered as disabled are handicapped by disability. These figures include men regarded as needing employment under sheltered conditions. The total of unemployed males at the date nearest to the above (8th April), was 247,128.

asked the Minister of Labour what salary was received by the chairman of the Catering Wages Committee in the last financial year.

During the last financial year the former chairman of the Catering Wages Commission, who resigned on 4th July, 1945, was not paid a salary, but was, until his resignation, in receipt of a small expenses allowance. The deputy-chairman of the Commission, who acted in the absence of a chairman for the remainder of the financial year, received a fee of eight guineas a day and expenses in respect of meetings of the Commission.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will inquire into a case, details of which have been submitted to him, of an undergraduate of London University, 2257756 L.A.C., who was granted a certificate of exemption from military service, and has nevertheless been called up because he had not started at college before his 19th birthday; and if he will secure his release since otherwise he will forfeit his promised admission to the London Medical School next October.

I have inquired into this case, and I am afraid that this young man is not eligible for release from the Royal Air Force to resume his medical studies, as he is not in release groups 1–55. I am writing to the hon. Member to explain the position in full.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of open scholarship holders on the admission lists of the universities for next October; and how many open scholarship holders are expected to remain in the Services after October, 1946.

The answer to the first part of the Question depends on the extent to which applications for admission are made by holders of open scholarships and other young men of high promise released from the Forces or from work of national importance or eligible for such release. It cannot be known until after 1st September. As regards the second half of the question, the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will reconsider the instructions which he has issued to universities that they should, where women are in competition for places with men, limit women entrants from school to those of exceptional promise; and whether, as sex-discrimination is especially forbidden by the statutes of London University, he will withdraw those instructions in the case of entrants to schools which are under the jurisdiction of that university.

No, Sir. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cambridge University (Mr. Wilson Harris) today, copy of which I am sending him

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the official announcement recently made concerning university entrants for 1946, some priority will be given in 1947 to the normal school entrants for 1946, who were unable to gain admission this year owing to the priority given to ex-Service candidates.

I would refer the lion. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke Newington (Mr. Weitzman) today, a copy of which I am sending him

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider giving a direction to the official side of the Location of Staffs Committee of the National Civil Service Whitley Council to try and secure that the return of evacuated civil servants should be carried out, so that those who first left London should be the first to return; and if he will ensure its early application, thus bringing about the early return of 700 of the Ministry of Pensions staff from Blackpool to their homes in London.

No, Sir. Only a fraction of evacuated staffs can hope to be brought back to London while the present shortage of accommodation continues, and applications for return must be judged on their merits and not by any rigid formula. Arrangements have already been made for the return of a limited number of the London-based staff of the Ministry of Pensions from Blackpool.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will now publish the papers relating to the trial of Mrs. C. A. Nicholson, in May, 1941, when she was acquitted by a jury on all four charges.

The documents, including the transcript of the evidence, in this case are the subject of an Order of the High Court under Section 6 of the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act, 1939, prohibiting the disclosure of information with respect to the proceedings, and I have no authority to order their production.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the location of naval barracks in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and which of such establishments in Scotland is being maintained at full strength.

There are now some 200 naval depots, demobilisation centres, and training establishments in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, mostly in temporary camps or requisitioned premises. Many are in process of being closed down. Of this number, 41 are in Scotland. The selection of establishments for retention on a permanent basis is now under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider discharging the Republican Spaniards now serving in the Pioneer Corps in the United Kingdom and in Italy in countries of the British Colonial Empire, and confer with the Colonial Office with that end in view.

I am not at present in a position to add anything to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's reply to the hon. Member for North Cumberland (Mr. W. Roberts) on 20th May.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, as a sample, he will state how many of the 177 officers commissioned to the Brigade of Guards between July and December, 1945, were educated at Eton, Harrow, Winchester or other Headmaster Conference schools, respectively; and how many were educated at elementary schools.

As I informed the hon. Member in reply to his Question on 16th April, the information asked for is not readily available. I should not feel justified at the present time, when the pressure (4 work is very heavy, in diverting the efforts of the War Office staff from their current duties to undertake the considerable detailed research which would be necessary to answer the hon. Member's Question.

asked the Secretary of State for War on what grounds his Department reused to recommend the compassionate release of 14730395 Craftsman T. Powell, and whether he is aware that as a result of this refusal, Wallands Bakery, Lewes, which employed six men before the war, will probably have to close down as Craftsman Powell's father is in ill health, and the labour exchange have been unable to provide suitable or sufficient labour to assist in the business.

As the hon. and gallant Member has already been informed, the release of this soldier has been refused because, according to our information, his father already has the help of his mother and sister in the running of the business and because compassionate release is not allowed in order to enable a man to assist in running a business. I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy of a statement which explains the conditions which must be fulfilled before compassionate release on business grounds may be granted. These conditions are not fulfilled in this particular case and I can see no' reason for interfering with the decision which has been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the hon. and gallant Member for North Dorset can expect an answer to his letter of 30th April, concerning the application for release under Class B made by 14988412 Trooper G. J. Treasure.

A reply was sent to the hon. and gallant Member's letter yesterday.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why the senior officer of the R.A.F. in Scotland is by nature of his rank inferior in status to the Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth, in the R.N., and the Commander-in-Chief for Scotland in the Army; and if it is his intention to perpetuate this adverse discrimination against the R.A.F. in Scotland.

Royal Air Force Commands at home, unlike those of the other Services, are organised functionally, not geographically.

asked the Minister of Works whether it is intended soon to use the royal ordnance factory, Bishopton, for the production of pre-cast concrete tile slabs for Airey houses and, if not, for what reasons.

No arrangements are being made for the production of Airey houses in Scotland and accordingly the question of using the Royal Ordnance Factory, Bishopton, in this connection does not arise.