asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, following the discovery of the theft of £6,900 at R.N.A.S., Culham, how long elapsed before Oxfordshire civil police and Royal Naval Special Investigation Branch police were informed and visited the station, respectively.

The burglary was discovered soon after 8 a.m. on 6th September, 1945, and the Oxfordshire Police were informed by telephone at 8.15 a.m. A police constable arrived shortly afterwards, followed by a sergeant at 9 a.m., and at 11 a.m. an inspector from Wheatley took charge of the investigations. Royal Marine Police Headquarters, Portsmouth, were informed by telephone at 9.45 a.m., and detectives arrived at R.N. Air Station, Culham, at 2 p.m.

Were the police able to discover whether this was the work of a highly organised outside gang?

I have no reason for supposing so.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty following the theft of £6,900 at Royal Naval Air Station, Culham, if he has made an investigation into the precautions taken by the Royal Naval Police; and if he has any statement to make in connection therewith.

Yes, Sir. The investigations showed that the night patrols by the Royal Marine Police were inadequately carried out, and that their supervision and instructions were insufficient. Suitable disciplinary action has been taken.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think it is a disgrace to his Department that three heavy safes, one weighing three cwt., can be spirited away from a Royal Naval Air Station?

Does not the hon. Gentleman find it very difficult to keep pace with private enterprise?

In view of the admission in the answer, are the Admiralty prepared to make good the losses to personnel who had money lodged in the safes?

If the hon. Gentleman will await my answer to the next Question he will see.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why, following the theft of £6,900 at the Royal Naval Air Station, Culham, directions have been given to all royal naval air stations for bricking in safes; and when will a decision be taken to reimburse the naval personnel who suffered losses.

The directions for safes to be embedded in brick and concrete are part of the additional security measures taken to prevent a recurrence of this type of theft.

As regards the moneys lost, approval has been given for the reimbursement out of public funds of the amounts lost by the three Station funds, and of the clothing gratuity lost by the W.R.N.S. officer. The question of the replacement of the private money lost by the two naval officers is under consideration, but I am sure the hon. and gallant Gentleman will realise that as it raises a matter having wide repercussions, not only in the Navy but elsewhere, I cannot give an immediate reply today.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that his Department have now been discussing this for eight months with other Departments, and why should these officers, who have lost £200, not be reimbursed?

I only want to make it quite clear that this is not a rule which affects the Royal Navy alone. It affects other Departments. That is why I am having it examined.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether these losses are covered by insurance?

Not without notice

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will make arrangements whereby R.N. ratings can receive their pay and leave allowance on demobilisation by means of money orders in lieu of crossed cheques.

While it is possible that issue of crossed cheques can well cause some inconvenience to R.N. ratings, the Admiralty has, in fact, received few complaints. As my hon. Friend will realise, it would be impracticable to effect a change at this precise moment, when demobilisation is at its height, owing to the great pressure of work on the Admiralty accounts staff. I am, however, considering, as a result of my hon. Friend's Question, whether later in the year, when the pressure of work is less, the Amiralty can adopt the system of payment by money order which he has suggested.

Can my hon. Friend say what is the legal authority for compelling men who probably have no banking account to accept payment by means of a crossed cheque; and why is it thought that ratings will find it easier to cash cheques than for the authorities to make other arrangements?

As regards the first question, I am afraid I cannot say the legal authority. As regards the second question, I have found this system to be that which is taking place in the Admiralty, and, quite frankly, I personally would like to see another system. However, the change cannot be effected during the very great pressure of work that is now engag- ing the Department as the result of demobilisation.

Why could not they be paid with open cheques instead of crossed cheques?

Because it would be extremely unsafe. They might well get lost and be cashed by somebody else.

Has the hon. Gentleman considered the method of payment used in the United States to both naval and Merchant Service ratings, namely, by travellers' cheques of small denomination?

I will certainly consider that.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what arrangements are being made to enable chief and E.R.A. ex-prisoners of war to refresh their knowledge, so that they will suffer no handicap when seeking promotion, as the result of the time they have spent in prisoner-of-war camps.

So far, no cases have been reported of chief or engine room artificers ex-prisoners of war experiencing difficulty in qualifying for advancement, but special refresher courses will be instituted if found to be necessary.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, if he is aware that the Department of Inspection of Naval Ordnance, when considering discharges on the grounds of redundancy on the basis of those with least Government service being discharged first, allow civilian service in other Admiralty departments to count, but do not allow ex-naval employees to count their naval service; and if he will take steps to remove this anomaly.

I am not clear whether my hon. Friend is referring to industrial or non-industrial staff. Discharges among non-industrial staff are governed by the procedure agreed by a committee of the National Whitley Council. Under this procedure, time spent in the Forces during the recent war is included in the calculation of length of service for the purpose of determining the order of discharge on redundancy. Industrial staff discharges are regulated by an agreement made between the trade union and official sides of the Admiralty Industrial Council. This provides that in the case of workpeople in Admiralty employ who later joined the Forces, " length of service," as one of the factors determining the order of discharge, includes service with the Forces.

My hon. Friend will appreciate that in both fields, the rules followed by the Admiralty are those laid down in agreement with the representatives of the employees concerned. If, however, he would care to let me have details of any particular cases giving rise to his Question, I should be pleased to look into the matter further.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many applications since 1st January, 1946, have been made by ordnance artificers who are eligible to take the examination for chief ordnance artificer; and whether he is satisfied that this number is sufficient to meet naval requirements.

Fourteen applications for examination for chief ordnance artificer have been received since 1st January, 1946. This is enough to meet requirements.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what percentage of petty officers of the seaman branch, who are eligible, have elected to complete time for pension since January, 1946.

Twenty-seven per cent.

Does not the hon. Gentleman consider that this is most unsatisfactory? Does he not consider that it is very largely due to the lack of inducement held out by the new pay code? How are we going to get senior petty officers in the Navy in future?

I cannot admit that at all.

Can the hon. Gentleman say how it is proposed to raise these ratings in the future, in view of this rather disturbing figure?

There is a recruiting campaign now being carried on, and I hope the hon. and gallant Gentleman will do his utmost to support it.

Can the hon. Gentleman say why the percentage is as low as 27 per cent.?

Not without notice.

Is this not a question of the inducements? How can any publicity campaign or recruiting campaign affect the matter if the conditions are not improved?

Conditions are considerably improved in many respects on those under previous Governments.

Will the hon. Gentleman note the Opposition campaign for economies in this regard, when he considers this question?

Can the hon. Gentleman say how he thinks this recruiting campaign is going to help us in the provision of petty officers and chief petty officers in the Royal Navy in the immediate future?

Obviously, it cannot affect them in the immediate future, but I hope those people who are recruited will obtain rapid promotion and become petty officers and chief petty officers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can now state the terms of service for warrant officers.

Consideration of the position of the warrant officer classes in the postwar Royal Navy is not yet completed. It is hoped, however, that a considerable measure of improvement in their general conditions of service will shortly be promulgated.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary consider the abolition of this class distinction, and put these men straight into the wardroom?

That is quite another question.

Can the hon. Gentleman say when the terms will be published, so that warrant officers may know as soon as possible what they are?

I can say only " as soon as possible."I cannot give the date today.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what are the duties of the new quartermaster branch of the Royal Navy.

Precise details of this new branch are still under consideration. There will be three grades, corresponding to the rates of able seamen, leading seamen, and petty officer or chief petty officer, respectively. Courses of instruction will be given, and ratings will have to pass qualifying examinations for promotion as for other technical rates. The quartermaster branch will provide quartermasters and boatswain's mates in all H.M. ships, and will absorb the existing rates of destroyer and submarine coxswain. The quartermaster will be able to rise to warrant and commissioned rank under the same conditions as other seamen.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why the derequisitioning of the Tormentor maintenance yard at Warsash has been held up, having regard to the fact that the service vacated it two months ago and that it is required for civilian boat building.

The future of this establishment, on which a considerable amount of public money has been spent, and which is now occupied by a naval care and maintenance party, is the subject of active consideration by the Admiralty, in consultation with the other authorities concerned. I will undertake to inform the hon. Member as soon as a decision is reached.

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind, in looking into this matter, that the new owners of this yard are ex-Servicemen who want to get a start in earning their living? Will he take that into consideration?

Certainly, Sir.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of applications for the last entry into the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook; the number of boys who were accepted; and the reasons for the rejections.

The number of applicants for the May, 1946, entry to the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, was 96, of whom 70 were accepted, 12 failed medically, and 14 failed educationally.

When does the Admiralty intend to fill this orphanage to capacity, preferably with the orphans of men who served in the Navy and the Mercantile Marine during the last war?

We are anxious to do that as soon as possible.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of boys who entered the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, on the last occasion who had, respectively, both parents dead, father dead, mother dead, and both parents alive.

Of the 70 boys entered at the last entry, one had lost both parents, 47 had lost father, two had lost mother, and 20 had both parents living.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty on what grounds compassionate leave is refused to serving men to come home to see dying parents merely because they have brothers or sisters already at home; and whether he is satisfied that this policy is fair both to the parents and to the man.

Until this year compassionate leave to visit parents who are seriously ill was not granted in the Royal Navy except in very rare cases. This rule has now, however, been altered so as to allow leave in cases where no other son or daughter is available. It has been adopted by all three Services in fairness to men due to return to the United Kingdom and other compassionate cases, such as the illness of a wife. The number of cases of serious illness of parents is large, and if the rule were extended to cover every such case, considerable difficulties would occur both in manning the Fleet and in providing passages. I will, however, consult my Service colleagues with a view to seeing whether any relaxation is possible.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the case to which he knows I specifically refer is that of a mother who has several sons serving, who is dying of cancer, and who is prevented from seeing her sons—whom she has not seen for a long time—wholly on account of this arbitrary rule of the Admiralty? Will he please have that rule changed so that the boys can come home?

I have said I will look into the matter in consultation with the other Service Ministers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what arrangements have been made to grant free passages to the families of Naval personnel stationed abroad for long periods.

I should like to apologise for the length of the reply. The Government have decided to accept the principle of paying the cost of passage and removal expenses for the families of naval officers and men appointed to serve normal commissions on stations abroad, other than B.A.O.R., where suitable accommodation can be found for them on the station. Provision of accommodation and payment for it must remain the responsibility of the officer or man concerned: and permission to have his family with him will be subject in each instance to the sanction of the Commander-in-Chief who will assure himself that the man has suitable and accessible accommodation to which to bring his family, and that the main object of the scheme—to enable the man to be with his family during periods on leave and off duty—will be achieved. I should like to make it quite clear that owing to the shortage of accommodation this concession will not mean that every man serving abroad will at once be able to have his family with him. Until there is enough accommodation, there will have to be a limit on the number of passages granted.

The concession will for the present apply to all ratings appointed for a normal commission to shore or harbour duties abroad, and to officers, chief petty officers and petty officers appointed for a normal commission to a sea-going ship based on a port abroad. It will apply equally to Royal Marines of corresponding ranks. It will be limited to those areas to which the families of Servicemen generally are admitted. The arrangements will be brought into force at an early date, and will be applied under the conditions described above to all at present serving abroad who can normally expect to remain for at least another year on the station.

In all cases application must in the first instance be made by the officer or man himself to the Commander-in-Chief through the usual Service channels. As soon as adequate accommodation becomes available, the scheme will be extended in accordance with the principles enunciated in the opening words of this statement.

Can the Financial Secretary explain " accommodation " a little more, because he used the word several times? Will this be a matter for the senior naval officer on the station? Is it Government accommodation which will be made available, or accommodation generally obtained privately?

It is accommodation generally obtained privately. At the moment it is quite impossible for the Admiralty to provide the necessary accommodation, particularly in places such as Malta.

In view of the fact that the limited accommodation will be less than the number of applicants, will there be a ballot, or on what principles will it be decided who is to get the accommodation?

It will be a question of hardship. The man who has the greatest need will have first preference.

Is the question of married quarters for those serving ashore under consideration?

If the hon. and gallant Member reads the answer, he will see that ratings ashore will be entitled to accommodation when serving abroad.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what are the regulations governing the restoration of the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to pensioners who have been deprived of it for misconduct during the period of their recall to the R.N.

If a pensioner loses his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal for misconduct during the period of recall, the regulations do not provide for its restoration.

Will the Financial Secretary give sympathetic consideration to any applications for the restoration of these medals, bearing in mind the great store men set on them?

Certainly, but in view of the very high honour attached to these medals, we have to be careful that the standard is maintained.

Can the Financial Secretary say whether the conditions attaching to active service cannot be made to apply, whereby when a man has had five years of continuous " V.G." service after he has lost the medal, he gets it back automatically and before he retires?

I will certainly give that consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many aircraft have been lost in bombing practices since the end of the war; and the number of such practices held.

Fifteen large scale bombing exercises, in which 766 aircraft of Bomber Command and 82 aircraft of Fighter Command took part, have been carried out from the United Kingdom between VJ-Day and the end of April, 1946. No aircraft have been lost or have suffered major damage on these practices.

In view of the alarming and absolutely inaccurate statements which are going about the country, will the Under-Secretary see that that statement receives the widest publicity?

I hope that this Question and answer will receive the widest publicity.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is now in a position to state if education officers in the R.A.F. will, in future, be a fully mobilised service with good conditions.

I hope to be able to make a statement on this matter after the Whitsun Recess.

Is the Under-Secretary aware that there is very grave discontent among the officers in the Royal Air Force, and that unless some improvement is made we shall not be able to maintain the establishment of these officers?

I am aware that there is some dissatisfaction, but I must ask my hon. Friend to await the statement which I hope to make after Whitsun.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many more courts martial are to take place in connection with the R.A.F. strikes of last February; and how much longer the present inquiries will last.

Two more courts martial in connection with the incidents in India are pending, but it is not certain that the men Will be brought to trial. The inquiries have now been completed.

May we assume from that reply that the period of tenseness in the Royal Air Force has now come to an end, and that there will be no more of these courts of inquiry regarding the unhappy events of last February?

These inquiries have been completed; they are now being considered and two courts martial are pending, but it is not certain that the men will be brought to trial.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether any of the arms stolen in the raid on Cluntoe aerodrome, County Tyrone, on the night of 17th April have been recovered, and if so, under what circumstances.

I understand that the Royal Ulster Constabulary have recovered the stolen revolver, but I have no knowledge of the circumstances.

Is the Under-Secretary not aware that all the weapons, with the exception of one revolver, have been recovered at a dump of the Irish Republican Army near Dungannon, and will he deny the allegations that this was a frame-up on behalf of the Royal Air Force?

I have no other information except that the Royal Ulster Constabulary recovered the stolen revolver. I have no knowledge of the circumstances in which it was recovered.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number and names of airfields in Norfolk which his Department propose to retain permanently.

The airfields to be retained for the peacetime Air Force have not yet been finally decided, but at present we are planning to keep 22 airfields in Norfolk. I am sending my hon. Friend a list showing the names of the stations.

Does the Under-Secretary realise that the retention of so many airfields in my county is restricting food production? Does he not realise that this matter is extremely urgent?

I realise it is urgent that they should be released. During the war we had 37 Service airfields in Norfolk, and 15 of these we are now declaring to be surplus. We are, of course, in close touch with the Minister of Agriculture on this matter.

Will the Under-Secretary publish the names in HANSARD?

I deliberately did not do that because I felt it was a local matter and not a matter of general interest. If the names are required, they will certainly be published in HANSARD.

Will the Under-Secretary give an assurance that the defence of this country will have priority over the interests of Norfolk?

indicated assent.

Is the same thing being carried out in the county of Lincolnshire?

Is the Under-Secretary prepared to issue a general statement, in a reasonable period of time, stating which aerodromes in the country the Royal Air Force intend to retain, as this is a question of great importance to many counties.

I will look into that and see what can be done.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the nature of the charge against No. 62801 L.A.C. Robert Deans, Headquarters, Desert Air Force, Udine, Italy; and how long he has been under arrest in the guard room, awaiting trial.

This airman has been in close arrest since 16th January awaiting trial on charges of absence without leave on two occasions. There have been difficulties in bringing him to trial owing to the release of material witnesses, out I am awaiting a fuller report on this long delay and will circulate a statement in HANSARD as soon as I can.

Has the Service any right to keep a man under close arrest for so long? Surely he ought not to be under close arrest?

I have called for a full report on this matter. It requires a great deal of explanation, on the face of it, and that is why I have asked for this report. I will circulate a statement in HANSARD.

When is the man likely to be brought to trial?

Within a month

Will the Under-Secretary bear in mind that the original charges against this man are entirely different from those stated in the answer?

I am not aware of that. The facts are that he is charged with being absent without leave for two periods, one of eight days, and one of two months.

Will my hon. Friend give an assurance that this long period of time awaiting trial will be taken into account if the man is found guilty?

Under the Rules of Procedure, paragraph 46, that automatically happens.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air to what extent delay in demobilisation of troops in the district of Haifa has been due to transport difficultties; and what steps are being taken to see that demobilisation will not again fall be hind schedule.

I am afraid that the demobilisation of some airmen was delayed owing to a railway strike in Palestine in April. The men were sent by sea to Port Said after having been held up about five days. Unfortunately, there is very little we can do to prevent delays due to happenings of this kind.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is satisfied that all the W.A.A.F. shorthand-typists at the R.A.F. Records Office, Ruislip, are fully employed; and, if not, if he will expedite the rate of release so that these girls may be more usefully occupied in civilian life.

The R.A.F. Record Office is very fully employed on the demobilisation programme and consequent postings. I should be grateful if the hon. Member would give me particulars of under employment in the office, and I will, of course, look into the matter.

Will the Minister give these girls the pleasure of a surprise visit and ask them himself if time is hanging heavily on their hands?

I shall be delighted to go and look at these girls, and I shall attempt to do so.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation when it is intended to publish the expert report on which the development of the London airport at Heathrow is now proceeding.

The report in question was prepared for Departmental use only. The subject matter is highly technical, and I do not think that the report would be of sufficient general interest to warrant publication. A precis is being prepared, and I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in view of the very large sum of money expended on this airport, it is a matter of general interest, and cannot the whole of the report be published?

There is certainly general interest in the aerodrome, but I think that the precis will meet that general interest, which I thoroughly recognise.

Can the hon. Gentleman say why this airport at Heathrow is being formally opened before it is really finished?

I will reply to a later Question on that subject.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation how many ex-R.A.F. pilots have been engaged by B.O.A.C. and British-South American Air Lines since VE-Day; and what percentage had operated with multi and single-engined aircraft.

The answer to the first part of the Question is 101 and 36 respectively. As to the second part of the Question, all these pilots have had operational experience on multi-engined types of aircraft except that 4 per cent. of the British Overseas Airways Corporation total had had operational experience only on single-engined aircraft.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the figures show that there is discrimination in favour of pilots who have been trained in Bomber Command, and will he see that pilots who have been in other commands get an equal opportunity of employment with these air lines?

I should hesitate to make that inference, but the moral which the hon. and gallant Gentleman has drawn has been pointed out to the corporations.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, what arrangements are made on civil aerodromes under the control of his Department to deal with aircraft crashes and aircraft fires; and what arrangements are being made to train personnel in aircraft fire fighting and crash tender work, particularly on British aerodromes overseas.

Crash and fire lighting equipment manned by trained persons are provided on all the more important civil aerodromes under the control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Similar provision will be made at the smaller aerodromes as soon as the necessary staff can be recruited, trained and equipped. Existing crash crews have been trained in aircraft fire fighting and crash tender work and new entrants are trained in these duties before they are employed on airfields. No British aerodromes overseas are controlled by my Noble Friend.

Would my hon. Friend say whether or not trained aircraft crash tender crews stand by whenever aircraft take off or land, or are.they distributed over the aerodrome awaiting for calls?

It is the regular practice for the crews to be ready whenever an aircraft takes off or lands.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in a recent crash in which I took part, the first persons to arrive at the wreck were the Customs officials?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation when he proposes to instal at Renfrew Airport, radar and air navigational aids necessary for receiving aircraft in foggy weather; and to make accommodation available for the collection of Customs and Excise duties.

Medium frequency direction finding radio equipment has been in use at Renfrew for many years, and high frequency radio telephony has recently been added to the navigational aids available. It is hoped to instal a standard beam approach system within the next two months and to provide ground lighting before next winter. Decisions have not yet been taken on types of radar aid to be used on internal and continental air services generally; the results of the recent International Conference in Paris, which discussed this subject amongst others, are being studied. International air services are not, at present, using Renfrew, but plans are in hand to provide accommodation for Customs examination to make such services possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in how many British colonial territories the master and servant legislation is not in accordance with the provisions and recommendations of the I.L.O. Convention of 1939; in what respects the law differs from the standards laid down by that convention; and what plans have been made to bring the law into line with those standards.

As the answer is rather long and detailed, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what revision of present pensions of Colonial civil servants is under consideration; and whether he is satisfied that the temporary increases recently authorised, subject to a means test, are adequate to prevent hardship.

Pensions of Colonial civil servants are paid from the funds of Colonial Governments, and the question of temporary increases is primarily one for the legislatures concerned. A number of Colonial Governments have awarded temporary increases at the same rates, and subject to the same conditions, as those prescribed in Section I of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1944, and their awards are accordingly subject to the same limits as regards pensioners' income as those prescribed in that Section of the Act. As the hon. Member is aware the Pensions Increase Act is now under review and if changes are made in this country as a result of that review, I shall invite the attention of all Colonial Governments to them.

Will the right hon. Gentleman use his influence with those Colonial Governments that have not conformed to this practice of bringing their procedure into line with those that have?

Yes, Sir. They are very few and I am doing what I can to get them to conform.

Should the applications for increases in pensions be made to the right hon. Gentleman's office or to himself, or through him to the Colonial Offices themselves?

The applications can be made to myself, but, as I said in reply to the Question, we follow the practice of increases in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on public order in Malaya, and on the extent of outrages by Chinese bandits.

In the area of the Malayan Union, depredations by isolated gangs of armed robbers operating close to towns continue to cause grave concern. With the return of trained European police officers, rigorous and systematic action to round up these gangs is being intensified. The figures for minor crime continue to improve and in some areas approach pre-war levels. One gang recently rounded up consisted wholly of Japanese who had remained in hiding.

In Singapore before 15th February, 1946, there was wholesale intimidation of workers, shopkeepers and rickshaw coolies by subversive elements whose activities approached a direct challenge to Government. The situation changed entirely after action taken on and subsequent to the 15th February. There are however still isolated case of intimidation, and there have been a number of robberies by individuals and armed gangs.

May I ask the Colonial Secretary whether he is satisfied that there are sufficient military forces to come to the aid of the civil powers to protect the lives of Malayan citizens?

The military forces are engaged with the police in dealing with these matters, and I am satisfied that this cooperation is bringing about a peaceful solution of the matter.

asked the Prime Minister whether the investigation to determine which Ministry should be made responsible for dealing with coast erosion matters is completed; and if he will indicate the result.

I have been asked to reply. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Horncastle (Commander Maitland) on 27th May.

When the right hon. Gentleman visits my county will he spare a little time to look at the colossal problem with which that county is faced?

I will think about it, but I was hoping to have a little rest when I was not on the platform.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will now announce the decision regarding the publication of the two secret reports on tanks.

Yes, Sir. I am arranging for the publication of these reports as soon as possible, with the replies which were made to them by the Government at the time.

I am greatly obliged.