asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many former agricultural workers serving in the R.N. have been offered release under the Class B block scheme; and how many will be released by the end of May.

Up to mid-May, release under the Class B block scheme had been offered to 1,731 persons serving in the Royal Navy who were previously employed in agricultural work. It is known that of this number 251 persons have been released, and that there have been 295 refusals, but the results of the remaining offers are not yet available. I regret that it is not possible to say how many will be released by the end of the month.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will state, by trades, the numbers of workers discharged from the Royal Dockyard at Portsmouth since 18th April last; and the numbers to whom alternative employment was offered.

During the four weeks ended 11th May, 1946, the following employees of the occupations stated were discharged from Portsmouth Dockyard on reduction of numbers:

Engine Fitters	8
Welders	7
Skilled Labourers	11
Drillers	4
Labourers	3
Female Recorders	16
Women	13
	62

Of these, alternative employment was offered to the following:

Engine Fitters Welders	8
Welders	7
Drillers	4

asked the Secretary of State for War under what authority soldiers returning to this country were disembarked at Suez on the orders of the ship's captain; why that was done when they had been vaccinated as smallpox contacts; how long the 40 smallpox contacts from the " Georgic " were kept at Suez; whether any of them developed smallpox there or on the way home; and what remedy soldiers have against detention of this sort.

The men who were disembarked at Suez had all been in close contact with a patient who contracted smallpox, before smallpox had been diagnosed and before they had been vaccinated. This action was taken on the recommendation of the Assistant Director of Hygiene, Middle East Force, because it was considered that these men were more likely to develop smallpox than others and that, therefore, they should be segregated both in their own interests and in order to prevent the spread of infection to their comrades. I have no information as to how long these men remained at Suez or as to whether any of them subsequently developed smallpox. The normal practice would, however, be to segregate them for the usual quarantine period of approximately 16 days and then embark them on the next available ship. I assume that this is what was done in this case. The steps taken to protect the health of the troops in this ship were in accordance with the accepted medical policy which is designed to prevent the spread of smallpox and its introduction into this country.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Towns End Field, Shepton Mallet, is still under requisition by his Department, but has not been used since the beginning of this year; that an industrial concern has been endeavouring to obtain possession of it with a view to immediate production in the temporary buildings now standing on this site; and whether, in view of the unemployment in the Shepton Mallet area prior to 1939 and the present lack of industry there, he will give the matter of derequisitioning it his immediate attention.

The War Department no longer requires either the land or the buildings on it. It now rests with the Board of Trade and the Ministry of Works to decide how the land and the buildings shall be finally disposed of. I understand that arrangements for these premises to be taken over for industrial use are reaching finality and it is probable that the manufacturers will be able to go into occupation at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that mental nursing orderlies in Groups 27 and 28 are being retained in Banstead Military Hospital, Sutton, after their notified date of release; and whether he is satisfied that this retention is unavoidable.

Mental nursing orderlies in Group 27 at Banstead Military Hospital have now been released. Four men in Group 28 have been unavoidably-retained owing to the general shortage of mental nursing orderlies, but I hope that it will be possible to release them in June.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many troops of the Indian Army and the Dominion and Colonial Forces are being brought to the United Kingdom for the Victory parade; and to what extent their transport is delaying the embarkation of Service men and women for repatriation and demobilisation and the return of British civilians who have long awaited a passage home.

The number of troops being brought to the United Kingdom from India, Burma, the Dominions, and Colonies for the Victory March are as follow:

India and Burma	…	790
Dominions	…	743
Colonies	…	1,551
		3,084

As regards interference with the repatriation of Service personnel, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. and' gallant Member for the Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke) on 13th May. I would also refer him to the reply giver(to a number of hon. Members on 21st May. It is not possible to say how many British civilians could have been accommodated in the space occupied by the Victory March contingents as this depends on the type of accommodation which they used.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why eight electricians out of 20 at R.A.F. Station, N. Luffenham, Oakham, Rutland, are employed on general duties, in view of the fact that the demobilisation of electricians will be three groups behind other ground tradesmen by the end of June.

I am grateful to the hon. Member for drawing my attention to this case and I am taking steps to remedy the position. At the same rime I should explain that the volume of flying and maintenance work at particular stations is bound to fluctuate at times like the present and it is impossible for establishments to be adjusted in accordance with these fluctuations. Five of the electricians on this station are due for release from the Service almost immediately.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he k aware that, despite the recent taking of the numbers of all motor cars parked in Berkeley Street during the lunch hour, motor cars continue to be parked in that street during that period; whether it is now permissible to park motor cars in Berkeley Street during the lunch hour, or whether he will instruct the police to erect some sign to the contrary.

Parking is not permitted in Berkeley Street and, in the past two months, the police have dealt by way of summons or written caution with 122 cases of obstruction by parked cars. As regards the last part of the Question, parking on the highway is prohibited in the absence of a sign indicating that it is permitted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that members of the Legislative Council of Kenya representing African interests have condemned the Kipande system; that the Kenya African Union have demanded its abolition; and whether he will take steps to 'see that this form of discrimination against Africans is abolished.

I am aware that these views have been expressed. As regards the last part of the Question the Kenya Labour Advisory Board has recently been considering this matter, and, acting on its recommendation, the Kenya Government has now announced that it regards some form of registration as essential both in the interests of the Africans themselves and of good government, but that a sub-Committee of the Labour Advisory Board is already examining the present system with a view to removing certain features which are unsatisfactory from an African point of view. This sub-Committee has not yet reported.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give the date on which the Geneva Convention ceased to apply to German prisoners.

I have nothing to add to the previous statements made on this subject by my right hon. Friend on 13th March, by the Minister of State on 8th May, and by the Secretary of State for War on 21st May.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, (r) how many ex-Wehrmacht personnel are employed by the military authorities or by the Military Government in the British zone of Germany; and what is the nature of, and the reason for, their employment;(2) to what extent the Wehrmacht is now disbanded; what units or formations still exist; and where and how they are employed.

The Wehrmacht has been completely disbanded throughout Germany and no units or formations of it now exist. One hundred and ten thousand ex-Wehrmacht personnel; organized in labour gangs, are employed by the British authorities. These men are engaged on general labouring duties, clearance of land mines and sweeping mines at sea. Other suitable labour is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why permission is granted to "The Review of World Affairs " and "The National Newsletter "To be sent to German citizens in Germany.

No permission is required for bringing newspapers into Germany, but it is not possible for private persons to send them through the post as the occupying Powers have agreed that the limited postal facilities should be used at present only for messages of a personal character.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the position of isolation of the inhabitants of the village of Walberswick, he will consider making available to them a Bailey Bridge as was erected for training purposes during the war.

I have been asked to reply. I understand that the East Suffolk County Council are considering what is the best way of providing a crossing of the River Blyth at Walberswick, and will take into account the possibility of using a Bailey Bridge. If that proves to be a practicable proposition and the County Council submit a satisfactory scheme my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Supply, will be able to make a Bailey Bridge available from stocks which have now been declared surplus by the War Office.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why sanitary towels are scarce and medium and large sizes unobtainable; why loops are not fitted to a large proportion of the sanitary towels recently manufactured; and what steps he is taking to increase the supply.

As the result of the substantial increase in production over the last few months, and imports from the U.S.A., the recent general shortage, the reasons for which were given in the reply on 4th February to the hon. Member for West Harrow (Mr. Bower), is gradually disappearing. The absence of loops in some cases is due to the shortage of labour for attaching them and to the fact that some of the imported towels are without loops. I am having inquiries made about the suggestion that medium and large sized towels are more difficult to obtain than the smaller ones.

asked the Minister of Education if her attention has been drawn to the proposal made by a local education authority to reduce to the status of a teacher, a Doctor of Science of London University, when putting the Burnham Technical Report into operation; and whether, in view of the past services and the heavy extra duties undertaken by the teacher during and since the war, of which details have been sent to her, she will withhold her approval from this proposal which, owing to the teacher's age, will have a serious effect on his pension.

Under the Burnham Technical Report the grading of a department of a Technical College is to be determined by the local education authority in agreement with the Minister. The authority's proposal for the post in question has been submitted for my agreement and in considering it I will take into account the representations made by my hon. Friend. I must, however, point out that the Report requires that gradings of departments shall be determined after consideration of the numbers of teachers and students included in them as well as of the character and quality of the work.

asked the Minister of Education whether further consideration has been given to the question of Soviet studies in school examinations as promised in Circular 81; and whether she has been in touch with the Soviet Minister for Higher Schools to effect an exchange of students and teachers.

The place of Russian in the syllabuses of secondary school examinations will be a question for consideration by the Secondary School Examinations Council which is being reconstituted. In reply to the second half of the Question, I understand that an official invitation was extended last September to the Soviet Authorities to send a delegation to this country to work out a scheme for such an exchange. I hope that this invitation, which has recently been renewed, will soon receive a favourable reply.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will identify the corrigenda issued in respect of Statutory Rules and Orders by His Majesty's Stationery Office during the current session; stating in each case the dates upon which the original document and the corrigendum were respectively issued.

The particulars are as follow:

	Published	Corrigendum slip issued.
S.R. & O.No.—
206 of 1945	3.3.45	27.11.45
1396 of 1945	14.11.45	3.12.45
1503 of 1945	20.12.45	1.1.46
1524 of 1945	18.12.45	28.12.45
157 of 1946	8.2.46	16.2.46
221 of 1946	23.2.46	5.3.46
371 of 1946	22.3.46	4.4.46
512 of 1946	11.4.46	18.5.46
589 of 1946	26.4.46	1.5.46
Related schedule 2A to S.R. & O. No. 179 of 1946	14.3.46	26.4.46

In addition a corrigendum slip to S.R. & O. No. 1588, of 1945, was issued on 1st April, 1946, to correct a printing error in a reprint edition issued on 6th March, 1946. The original copies published on 3rst December, 1945, were correct.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the temporary houses will be erected at Girvan.

The 50 temporary houses to be erected are of the aluminium type and I regret that on the present production programme it will not be possible to have them delivered until the middle of September. I have arranged to discuss the matter with representatives of the Town Council at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the harbour at Girvan is in need of dredging; and if he will take steps to deal with this matter.

A considerable amount of dredging at Girvan was carried out in 1944 by the two dredgers available to my Department for Scottish Fishery Harbours. It is known that further dredging will be required, but no request for this has been made to me by the Town Council for the use of the Department's dredgers. Both dredgers are fully occupied elsewhere in overtaking arrears and it will necessarily be some time before they could be sent to Girvan. I am, however, willing to consider any proposals that the Town Council, as harbour authority, may submit to me.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will provide figures showing the number of vehicles operating under A, B and C licences, respectively, at January, 1939 and 1946.

The last prewar census at 30th June, 1938, showed 93,216 " A " and " A " Contract vehicles, 54,906 " B " vehicles and 365,025 " C " vehicles. The figures at 1st January, 1946, which include vehicles operated under licences and defence permits, were approximately 86,75o, 54,000, and 306,450 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if any British subjects are being held prisoners in Yugoslavia.

Yes, Sir: Seven such cases are known to me. In two of them the persons concerned also possess Yugoslav nationality, and His Majesty's Government are therefore precluded from extending official protection to them in Yugoslavia. His Majesty's Embassy at Belgrade are, however, watching all the cases closely and are doing what they can to help.