asked the Minister of Education on what date it is expected that the new examination proposals will come into operation; and what arrangements are being made for the interim period.

As indicated in paragraph 3 of Circular 103, details of the proposed reform of the Higher School Certificate will have to be worked out by the Secondary Schools Examinations Council. I am anxious that the reform should come into operation as soon as possible, but until I have received the recommendations of the Council I cannot give a definite date. Action in respect of the School Certificate must also await the recommendations of the Council. In the meantime, the present arrangements for Higher School Certificate and for School Certificate will continue, subject to the points made in paragraph 7 of the Circular.

While congratulating the right hon. Lady on becoming a learned Lady, may I ask whether she is prepared to say that she will always consult the Secondary Schools Examinations Council before she makes any decision with regard to examinations?

"Always"Is rather a big word. I might say "almost always."

asked the Minister of Education what steps she proposes to take to ensure that a fair proportion of the new scholarship provision is spread out among the seven universities and to reduce the present high proportion of State scholars going to Oxford, Cambridge and London.

The supplemental awards, for which the new scholarship arrangements provide, will be attached to the open scholarships and exhibitions awarded by the several Universities. I am anxious to ensure a better distribution of State scholars among the various Universities, and in the further consideration which I am giving to the question of awards to University students, I will certainly keep in mind the point to which my hon. Friend has drawn attention.

In the event of a State scholar desiring to go to Cambridge or, less comprehensibly, to Oxford, would the right hon. Lady frustrate that laudable desire?

It is not a question of frustrating the desires of any individuals. The hon. Gentleman will realise that it is really not a healthy state of affairs that, as at present, nine out of every ten State scholars somehow get themselves to Oxford, Cambridge or London. It is only wise, I think, if we are to bring up the standard of the others, that the cream should be more widely spread.

asked the Minister of Education what percentage of the 14,400 men and women accepted as suitable for training in emergency colleges are ex-Service personnel.

At the beginning of this month 76 per cent. of the accepted candidates awaiting training were from the Services. This includes a number not yet released from the Forces and excludes a number discharged on medical grounds before demobilisation started, but these represent only a small proportion of the total number of accepted candidates.

asked the Minister of Education what provisional training is being given for intending teachers who are still in the Forces; and what allowances are available for ex-Service intend- ing teachers who have to wait over 12 months before entering an emergency college.

The educational schemes of the three Services offer a wide choice of subjects from which intending teachers can select. As a. rule candidates are best advised to continue their general education, particularly in those subjects which they desire to teach. Ex-Service candidates who may have 12 months to wait are encouraged to seek employment and no question of a maintenance allowance therefore arises.

Obviously, I cannot be satisfied that 15,000 teachers arc seeking employment for the first time. As the Minister is terribly worried about it, and to short circuit the whole business, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter again when we can have a full dress Debate.

asked the Minister of Education how many officers of her Department are authorised to sign Statutory Rules and Orders on her behalf; and what are the respective Departmental ranks of these persons.

It is the practice in my Department for Statutory Rules and Orders to be signed by the Minister or by the Permanent Secretary,. or, in the case of Wales, the Welsh Secretary, or, in the Permanent Secretary's absence, by one of the two deputy secretaries.

asked the Minister of Education whether the provision of new nursery schools, the opening of county colleges, reduction in the size of classes and the extension of further education still form part of His Majesty's Government's educational policy; and what allowance she is making for staffing in connection with these matters.

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative; and to the second part that the arrangement for emergency training of teachers and for the expansion of permanent training facilities, referred to in Circular 85, have in view the implementation of the reforms contemplated in the Education Act, 1944.

As two weeks ago the hon. Lady said the number of 12,000 teachers was being planned solely for raising the school leaving age to 15, what extra provision is being made for these equally important reforms?

I have a large number of answers to that supplementary, but I am sure that Mr. Speaker would prefer that I sent them to the hon. Gentleman by letter.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why it takes up to two months for British newspapers and other material despatched by surface mail to reach Malaya, although ships make the voyage in 18 to 22 days.

Surface mails for Malaya are sent by direct ship to Singapore, or via Bombay if that route offers advantage. The voyage to Singapore takes from 25 to 47 days, the average being 35 days, and to Bombay from 15 to 25 days, the average being 20 days. To the sailing times must be added the interval between sailings and over the route via Bombay also the interval between sailings from India. I am glad to say that the number of direct sailings to Singapore has recently increased, and I can assure the hon. and gallant Member that no opportunity will be neglected to improve the service.

Is it impossible to have some greater regularity in these despatches, because mail at the present time comes to this country in huge batches, and then there is a big gap?

The position is improving. We tried the Bombay route in order to bridge the gap, but we have to depend on the space allotted to us.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will consider altering the regulations governing the issue of uniforms to rural postmen so that men who do less than 12 hours duty a week may in future be provided with uniforms without having to surrender 26 coupons.

Uniforms are not issued to postmen employed for less than 12 hours per week and the question of surrendering 26 coupons does not therefore arise. Such officers are supplied with armlets only, and the issue of uniform is not considered to be necessary. An issue of a waterproof cape and leggings is also made on request on surrender of the appropriate coupons.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how soon facilities for cable, telephone and postage services will be available for passengers arriving at Heathrow.

There are at the moment no premises at the airport in which a Post Office might be set up, but the matter is being actively pursued. Four telephone kiosks will be available tomorrow for passengers wishing to send telegrams or make calls.

Is the Assistant Postmaster-General aware that it is highly desirable that the best possible impression should be given to visitors coming to this country from overseas? Could not some temporary structure be quickly erected so that visitors can have these facilities?

I am quite aware of the desirability. As the hon. Member will know, the layout of the airport is being redesigned, and we have to wait for that before we can get going.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will give instructions that in all cases letters addressed to occupants of flats shall, on the removal of the occupants, be redirected by the Post Office equally with those of occupants of houses.

Occupants of houses and occupants of flats are treated similarly in this matter so far as the circumstances are similar; but when postal packets addressed to flats are distributed, after delivery into a common letter box, by an agent shared in common with other tenants, the Post Office does not undertake redirection save in exceptional circumstances.

I understand that the arrangement is convenient, but does the Assistant Postmaster-General think it is satisfactory that redirection of this important class of letters should be undertaken by some anonymous agent over whom the Post Office have no control whatever?

Where there are difficulties of this kind we try to meet them exceptionally. The hon. Member will realise the considerable amount of work which is involved in redirection.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why a man who had a business telephone before the war, but surrendered that telephone when he volunteered for service at the beginning of the war, is now refused reinstatement of that telephone for business purposes on the ground that there is no wire vacant in the vicinity of the house; and whether he will reconsider the matter as, in the case of which particulars have been forwarded to him, there is a vacant wire connected to a pole a few yards from the house of the applicant.

I have looked into the case which the hon. and gallant Member has sent to me, and have confirmed that although an overhead wire exists for part of the way, it is not continued in the underground cable and an additional cable must be laid before service can be provided. There is unfortunately a large number of similar cases where new cables are needed, and it is not possible at present to say when this particular cable can be put in hand, but I can assure the hon. and gallant Member that there will be no avoidable delay.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many miles of telephone wire have been laid and telephone instruments installed ill the last six months in the Parliamentary division of North Dorset.

Seventy-six miles of wire have been erected, 343 wire-miles of cable have been provided, and 210 telephone instruments have been installed during the last six months.

Is the Assistant Postmaster-General aware that there is considerable feeling that the towns are being provided with important facilities, while essential services are denied to the countryside—this figure indicates that? Can the Minister take steps through a committee of country people to see that the countryside gets a square deal?

Where there are essential services required in country districts by farmers, for example, we do everything possible to meet their needs, and they get a very high priority. The difficulty in the hon. and gallant Member's area is that the exchanges are full to capacity; it is a rebuilding problem.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he can now say when it will be possible to restore the night telegraph letter service.

Present conditions in the postal and telegraph service preclude the re-introduction of the night telegraph letter service for the time being. The matter is being kept under periodical review.

Does not the Assistant Postmaster-General consider that the restoration of the night telegraph service would relieve the present congestion in the evenings on the telephone trunk lines?

Yes, Sir. It is a question of fitting this in when our current staff are free, and also making it fit in with the night mail service.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will make inquiries as to delivery delays of two or three days in the Orpington and Sevenoaks areas; and if he will take steps to improve the service.

Yes, Sir, especially if the hon. Member will let me have details of any cases. No recent complaints have been recorded. The question of improving the postal services in the Sevenoaks district is already under active consideration.

Does the Assistant Postmaster-General realise that it is only local deliveries in this area of 10 or 12 miles where delays occur?

I think that it will improve when we get an extra delivery in the day.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign children, and of what nationalities, have arrived in this country without their parents to be cared for since VE-Day; and how many more children, and of what nationalities, are expected before the end of 1946.

As the answer is rather long and contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refugees from Nazi oppression have been granted British naturalisation since 1st January, 1946, and how many of these have served in His Majesty's Forces.

Since 1st January much preliminary work has been done on claims for priority made on the several grounds which I announced, and a large number of cases are in various stages of advancement. Among the certificates actually granted to those who lodged their applications for naturalisation before November, 1940, it is estimated that about 250 have been granted to persons who can be classified as refugees. They include a few who have served in His Majesty's Forces, but the scheme for dealing with applications for priority on the ground of service with His Majesty's Forces did not come into effective operation until April, and it is only now that the first batches of recommendations from the examining tribunals are reaching me.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what is the number of certificates granted in the relative period, so that we can see what proportion the 250 bears to them?

The total number of naturalisation certificates between 1st January and 28th April, 1946, was 716. That includes all classes of naturalisation. I may say that we are getting the first dribbles at the moment, and I have no doubt that the stream will flow much more freely in a few weeks' time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many distressed persons have, in fact, been enabled to rejoin their relatives in this country under the scheme announced on 13th November, 1945, specifying the numbers admitted from each country on the Continent, from the British zone in Germany, and from the camps for displaced persons in Europe.

924 foreigners have so far been identified as arriving under the scheme for distressed relatives, but large numbers are known to be awaiting transport facilities. The statistics are based on arrivals at ports in the United Kingdom and do not show the place from which the individuals started their journey.

In view of the right hon. Gentleman's answer, is he really satisfied that the necessary machinery exists abroad to enable these people to take advantage of the appropriate scheme?

I am satisfied that the machinery for obtaining visas is adequate. I have no responsibility for the transport facilities, some of which exist or fail to exist in areas over which His Majesty's Government have no effective control.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many U.S. ex-Servicemen have applied for permission to join their British born wives resident in this country; and when he expects that these married couples will be re-united.

I regret that this-information is not available. As my hon. Friend knows, special arrangements have been made by the United States authorities to enable wives in this country to join their husbands.

Can my right hon. Friend say why it is that, when there is a marriage between two people of different nationalities, it is always the wife who is expected to be uprooted and sent to another country, and would not most of these relatively few men be a great asset to this country?

I think that the matters raised by my hon. Friend go much beyond those which it is possible to deal with by question and answer.

Is it not a fact that there is a shortage of manpower in this country? Why should there be any restriction of this sort?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) how, and by whom, on or before Sunday last, the date of the forthcoming release of a man of whose name he has been informed, who had purged his offence, was disclosed to the Press; and if he will inquire into the matter;

I share the view of my hon. and learned Friend as to the undesirability of publicity of this kind, and I believe that the great majority of newspapers recognise the considerations to which he calls attention and avoid publication of such information. As regards the particular case he mentions, I do not know how the Press obtained its information, but I am satisfied as a result of inquiry that the prison authorities were not in any way responsible. Every care is taken by the prison authorities to see that prisoners are discharged in circumstances which will avoid undesirable publicity.

Would my right hon. Friend consider, in conjunction with the Attorney-General, whether the law of criminal libel could not be invoked in order to punish and restrain that very small section of the Press that acts in this snooping unconscionable and disreputable manner?

I am very 10th to take steps that would appear to interfere with the freedom of the Press. I believe that the good sense of the community will, in the long run, sufficiently repudiate the few who are guilty of cases of the kind to which my hon. and learned Friend has drawn attention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in planning the new prison buildings which he contemplates, and in adapting old ones, he will provide not only for prevention of and punishment for crime but also for reformation by training prisoners in scientifically equipped workshops, farms, laboratories and libraries to be, on their release, educated and useful citizens.

The Prison Commissioners attach great importance to the provision of facilities for training and education for all prisoners whoso sentences are long enough to enable advantage to be taken of such facilities and who are likely to benefit by them. It is the intention in planning new establishments to develop, as much as possible, provision of this kind.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking in conjunction with other Ministers to ensure the employment of successful ex-Service applicants for training as teachers, in view of the long delay of a year or more which may elapse before they can commence their training.

All the resources of my Department are available to help these candidates to find employment during the waiting period. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education has suggested to local education authorities that they should, where practicable, employ candidates as temporary teachers or in other capacities. My right hon. Friend is, for this purpose, sending to each local education authority a list of the accepted candidates living within their area.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the candidates who are waiting are being encouraged to take up work in the Control Commission and elsewhere?

I would not like to say the Control Commission, but what vacancies there are at our disposal are brought to their attention.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are unemployed at Wigan; and what percentage' that number is of the population.

At 8th April, the latest date for which figures are at present available, the number of unemployed insured persons aged 14 years and over, suitable for ordinary employment, on the registers of employment exchanges and juvenile employment bureau in Wigan was 3,100. This represented 7.9 per cent, of the estimated insured population at July, 1945, as indicated by the number of unemployment insurance books exchanged at the same offices.

Could the right hon. Gentleman persuade His Majesty's Government to remove as many regulations as possible and give a free rein to free enterprise, thus speeding up the absorption of these unemployed?

I can only say that I am in contact on this matter with the hon. Member who represents Wigan (Mr. W. Foster).

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that heavy unemployment in the Wigan area, part of which is in my own constituency, was caused, during the last 25 years, by private enterprise?

Before the right hon. Gentleman removes any more of these Regulations will he have regard to the chaos now facing the United States of America?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that an unsigned notice has been posted up at New-church Hall, Warrington, informing residents that persons not bona fide State servants will not be accommodated after 22nd June; whether this notice applies to agricultural and colliery workers resident there and, if so, whether they will be at liberty to return to their homes in other parts of the country, unless alternative accommodation is provided for them, seeing many of them are governed by the Essential Work Order.

I understand that the notice referred to was incorrect. All residents not employed by Government Departments are being informed that they will have to leave during the summer and after the end of June will be liable to be given a week's notice. It is not intended to ask them to leave at once and in so far as the residents affected are transferred industrial workers we shall render them assistance towards finding alternative accommodation so as to obviate the difficulties which the hon. Member foresees.

Will the right hon. Gentleman see that in future such bewildering notices are not issued and posted unless they are signed by an authoritative person, and will he also make it clear that notices will also be sent to individuals?

I am not aware who posted this notice. It might have been anybody.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the employers' side of the National Joint Industrial Council of the hosiery trade, having failed to negotiate an agreement with the National Union of Hosiery Workers to replace the Essential Work Order, have requested that the dispute should come be fore the National Arbitration Tribunal, but the hosiery workers' executive, instead, are taking a ballot and recommending a strike; and what action he proposes to take in this matter before there is a stoppage in the industry.

I am aware of the difference which has arisen on the National Joint Industrial Council of the Hosiery Trade, and of the subsequent developments. I have invited the parties to attend a meeting under the auspices of my Department to consider the best means of securing a satisfactory solution of their difficulties.

Does the Minister agree that it is very regrettable that strike action should be taken before the National Arbitration Tribunal sits, and will he do his best to get the strike notices withdrawn before its meeting?

Strike notices have not yet been tendered. The strike ballot has not yet been taken.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the circumstances that led to the dismissal of a shop stewards' convenor at Messrs. Napier's Works, Liverpool.

I understand that on 10th May the convenor of shop stewards at this establishment was dismissed following the calling of a meeting during working hours which the Management had previously stated they would regard as a breach of Works Rules.

Was this firm compelled to resort out of hand to this clumsy, summary dismissal, and could not wiser counsels have prevailed and alternative methods of action been taken?

I am not in the confidence of the firm and I do not know what prompted them to take this course. I only gave an answer to the Question which the hon. Gentleman put down, but I can say that, using what influence I have through my Department, I have tried to get the thing settled without further trouble.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the shop stewards committee of Messrs. Napiers state that the true reason for this dismissal is the personal pride of the manager, and the fact that certain quarters have already decided it is an appropriate time for cutting down the favourable scale of wages.

May I answer that question by saying this without offence—it would greatly help in the adjustment of these disputes in industry if workers themselves went to their trade union officials and not to Members of Parliament.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any assurance has been received from the trades unions that they will raise no objection to Polish ex-Servicemen who settle in this country being employed as miners and in other skilled trades.

The Government have the support of both sides of industry in their scheme for the settlement of members of the Polish forces and a sub-committee of the joint consultative committee of representatives of the Trades Union Congress and the British Employers' Confederation is to be appointed to help in working out the details of the scheme.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether any difficulty has arisen on the part of the Mine Workers' Union, as has been suggested in the Press?

I should have hoped that the statement that I made that there was cooperation on both sides of the central organisation of this industry, would have been satisfactory for the time being.

Are we not short of labour and would not the Poles be very acceptable labour in this country?

That is a question the joint committee has been established not to stop but to help.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the index figure for food and the index figure for the cost of living would be without the food subsidy of £335,000,000.

Without the subsidies, and assuming no change in costs, the food index figure would be about 60 per cent, and the cost of living, index figure about 55 per cent, above the prewar level.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the preliminary exchange of views which have been taking place between the United Kingdom and Sweden on reciprocal agreements to avoid double taxation between the two countries.

There has, as yet, been no exchange of views on the subject.

Is it proposed to have an exchange of views on this matter?

It is one of the matters we hope to discuss. I do not think it is one of the most urgent, but we should, naturally, like to get agreement on double taxation with Sweden, as with all other countries. I hope we shall take up the matter in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to be able to reduce the rates of interest charged to local authorities for loans from the Local Loans Fund.

I propose to make substantial reductions forthwith. For loans advanced from the Fund to local authorities on and after the 1st June, 1946, the rates will be:

Can my right hon. Friend say whether local authorities will be permitted to choose the period of their loans?

No, Sir. If they are borrowing for long term purposes, for instance, for the construction of houses, it would be inappropriate finance that they should borrow for only five years. I think they ought to be very satisfied with what I have said, because they will now have to pay only 2½ per cent, for long term loans.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the rates involve any element of subsidy from the Treasury, or are they rates at which the Treasury can borrow from the public?

They are rates at which we can borrow and cover our costs.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his regulations provide that a Service man or woman who develops a lasting illness or receives an injury resulting in some permanent disability while on demobilisation leave shall be pensionable in the same way as if such illness developed or injury was received on some previous period of leave during their service.

Command Paper 6459 of July, 1943, laid down that accidents sustained whilst actually on leave could not be regarded as attributable to service, and this principle applies equally to demobilisation leave. As regards illnesses, the position is that if the illness was attributable to, or aggravated by, war service it would be pensionable, but not otherwise.

asked the Minister of Pensions (1) how-many applications for pensions have been received from Servicemen, ex-Servicemen or their dependants from the outbreak of war to the end of April, 1946, or the latest available date; and how many of these applications have been refused;

As the answer is long I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many sisters and nurses are there in the service of his Department who have served for 10 years or more and 20 years or more, respectively; at what age they will retire; and what pensions they will receive.

Fifty-six charge and nursing sisters have more than 20 years' service, and 12 between 10 and 20 years. Sisters are not normally retired before the age of 60, and may be retained up to 65. All are insured under the Contributory Pensions Acts. In addition, nearly all participate in the Federated Superannuation Scheme for Nurses and receive annuities or lump sums assessed according to their rank, age on retirement, and length of membership of this scheme. The very few who do riot participate receive gratuities on the scale laid down in Article 783 of the Pay Warrant, 1940, for members of Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in some of these hospitals there are a good many ladies who are getting on in years, and who will shortly have to go out, after 20 years' service, with only £25 or £30 per annum?

I am aware that there are some.

Will the right hon. Gentleman do something about it?

; There are various ways of dealing with it. In 1935 a superannuation scheme was brought into operation, but not everybody has been able to take advantage of it.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the medical superintendent of the county infirmary, Louth, is unable to take further responsibility for the proper treatment of patients because the hospital is understaffed; that a petition has been signed by all he sisters against the long hours they are having to work and there is a danger of admissions having to be restricted; and what can he do immediately to relieve the position.

My right hon. Friend knows this hospital is understaffed, and that it has been necessary to close 40 beds. The main need is for more trained nurses, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and my right hon. Friend are doing everything they can to help; but, as the hon. Member is aware, there is a shortage of nurses throughout the country.

Is the lion. Gentleman aware that many small county hospitals feel that they are not getting a fair share of the new nurses who are coming forward, as compared with the large hospitals in the cities? Will he look after the interests of the smaller hospitals?

A recruiting campaign for student nurses, covering the Louth area, is about to be launched.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that much of the shortage of nursing staffs in hospitals is due to lack of accommodation for them, many hospitals having lost nurses' homes through enemy action; that billeting accommodation is becoming more difficult to obtain because of the return of members of His Majesty's forces; and if, in view of his published New Deal for Nurses, he will consider giving some priority for the erection of nurses' homes.

My right hon. Friend is aware that shortage of accommodation is in some cases increasing the difficulty of hospital authorities in obtaining adequate nursing staffs. The erection of new nurses' homes is seriously handicapped by the present shortage of building labour and materials and the demands of housing, but my right hon. Friend is prepared to consider what can be done in any case of special urgency.

While we can all understand that houses for the people should have priority, would my right hon. Friend not agree that the care of the sick and disabled should also have priority, because if the nurses cannot get homes we shall not get the nurses?

Yes, Sir, and as I have said we shall be prepared to give special consideration to special cases of urgent need on that account.

May I ask the hon. Gentleman if bricks are in short supply?

That is another question.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to say what additional provision is to be made for granting to tuberculosis cases an allowance additional to the new rates of benefit envisaged in the National Insurance Bill; and is it the intention to extend the wartime provision of allowances to all types of tuberculosis cases.

This matter is under consideration, but my right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that there will be adequate supplies of steel for the proposed steel houses without causing undue interference with other valuable industries that depend on supplies of sheet steel and steel plate.

My right hon. Friend presumes that my hon. Friend is referring to the B.I.S.F. houses, the programme for which has been carefully worked out in relation to the availability of the materials and components required. My right hon. Friend is aware that supplies of steel sheet are restricted, but he believes that it will be possible to meet the B.I.S.F. house requirements without prejudicing other demands of comparable importance.

My hon. Friend has referred specifically to B.I.S.F. houses, but is he aware that I am concerned with factories where redundancy is imminent, and where other steel houses could be made?

The B.I.S.F. house is the only one which, so far, we have contemplated putting into production.