asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air (1) the number of days on which Transport Command's daily service between London and Prague and Prague and London, respectively, has been cancelled during the first five months of 1946 and the reason for these cancellations;

(2) whether he will arrange for Transport Command in Prague to be signalled immediately the daily service between London and Prague is cancelled, so that passengers with reservations for the return journey from Prague to London can be informed accordingly.

The aircraft on the service from London to Prague and back are all based in this country, and a cancellation here always means that there will be one flight less from Prague. In 1946, up to the end of May, there have been 16 cancellations due to bad weather and six due to reasons connected with the aircraft. Normally, we send a signal at once to Prague when the service is cancelled. Unfortunately, they were not told of such a change in the schedule at the beginning of this month, and I much regret any inconvenience at Prague caused by this mistake.

Would it not be possible to keep a reserve plane in Prague, so that, when the service from here was cancelled, it would be possible for return flights to take place, and thereby avoid the necessity of travellers from Prague using Dutch airlines to get back to London, as is often the case?

I am afraid that would not be possible. We have already, under the general contraction of Transport Command and the R.A.F. generally, had to reduce the service from one a day to four a week.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how long the five cottages belonging to Blunts Farm, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, at present under requisition by his Department, are to continue untenanted.

The Royal Air Force will be leaving Sawbridgeworth next month. The occupation of the cottages depends on the future use of the airfield, and we are now discussing that matter with the Ministry of Agriculture. I do not think it will be long before the cottages are occupied.

Does that mean that these cottages will still be kept in some form of Government requisition and that they will not be available for occupation by the people of Sawbridgeworth?

It depends on the use to which the airfield is put. If it is used for farming purposes, farm labourers will be put into these cottages.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what steps he is taking to reduce the delays experienced by personnel awaiting repatriation at 21 P.T.C.

Although shipping difficulties caused some hold-up last winter, there has recently been no undue delay in sending men home from this centre. Individuals may occasionally be delayed for various reasons, and if the hon. Member has any particular case in mind, I will make further inquiries.

How does the Under-Secretary define "undue delay"?

There have been occasions when the interval between sailings has been as much as 10 days, which I do not regard as undue. There are occasions when men arrive without proper documents or become ill while there.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether the use of German prisoners of war for the packing of parachutes is authorised by his Department.

No, Sir.

May I ask the Under-Secretary whether he does not think that it is quite time we ceased using these people as slave labour in this country?

That is another question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why only one group of Fitters II E are being demobilised between now and August, whereas three groups of the average trades of the R.A.F. are to be demobilised during this period; and whether, in order to speed up the release of fitters and riggers, he will retransfer from the Fleet Air Arm such tradesmen in later release groups.

This disparity in release for the fitter group of trades is due to accelerated release for the Service as a whole having out-distanced our training programme for fitters. It takes nearly six months for a recruit to qualify as a fitter II E, but we are doing all we can to in- crease our training effort. To bring fitters back from the Fleet Air Arm at this stage would prejudice the Naval release programme, would be extremely difficult to carry out, and would be of little help to us, since the numbers involved are not large.

Is the Minister quite satisfied that we could not get more fitters by seeing that those who are misemployed in buffets and canteens are brought back to the work for which they were originally mustered?

If the hon. Member will give particulars of such misemployment, I will of course look into it.

asked the Under-Secretary for Air, how many personnel of the R.A.F. accounts branch, in Group 29, await demobilisation; when demobilisation will be effected; and what is the cause of the delay.

There are 44 officers in the accountant branch in Group 29. I hope they will be released in September. We should have to release 131 officers to bring the level of this branch up to the average, and I am afraid it is impossible to do this. Our efforts to compensate for releases by commissioning airmen and the diversion of officers from other branches have been disappointing. We have called for recommendations from all trades for transfer to the accountant branch, and I hope the numbers may be forthcoming. I deeply regret the necessity for this hold-up in release and can assure the hon. Member that it will be eased at the earliest possible moment. The acceleration of the release programme has in itself imposed a heavy burden on the accountant branch, and that burden will be increased by the introduction of the new pay code on 1st July. We cannot risk a breakdown in the accounting system by releasing more accountant officers than are at present planned.

Is it not a fact that the delay in the release of these officers has been considerably increased owing to the introduction of the new pay code? Is it not unfair that officers who have served for a long period in the war should be retained in the Service for administrative changes that have taken place since? If the service of these men is so necessary, why should many of them have been put on to "square-bashing" for the Victory Parade?

The answer to the first part of the question is that it is true the new pay code does increase the work, but it is of advantage to the Service as a whole. The officers are in an unfortunate position, but we are doing what we can. I cannot promise to accelerate their release at the moment.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what groups in the equipment branch will be released in July and August; and what are the release groups for other branches of the R.A.F. for the same period.

We shall be releasing Royal Air Force equipment officers in groups 29 and 30 in July, and in groups 31 to 33 in August. The general level of release for ground officers in those months is, group 37 and 39 respectively. Officers in the general duties branch are being released in groups 41 to 43 in July, and 44 to 46 in August. We are taking all possible steps to improve the release position for equipment officers, and I hope that further progress will be made after September.

Cannot the Under-Secretary give now a date when the disparity between releases in the equipment branch and other branches shall be brought to an end? There is very great dissatisfaction in the equipment branch, members of which feel they have had a rather raw deal.

I can understand that, but I am afraid I cannot give such a date.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he will now make a full statement on the case of L.A.C. Attwood.

I have just been informed that the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief has not confirmed the proceedings of the court martial, which means that the trial has been annulled. L.A.C. Attwood will be repatriated as soon as possible. As the rest of the answer is long, I will with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in HANSARD.

May I ask the Under-Secretary if this decision also applies to L.A.C. Noble, whose case was being considered at the same time?

No, Sir. The case of L.A.C. Noble is still sub judice.

In regard to the original answer, is it possible that this man will be subjected to a new trial?

It is of course in theory possible, but in fact it will not happen.

Following is the statement:

L.A.C. Atwood left his unit on 21st March for repatriation and demobilisation under Class "B." He arrived at Worli, the sea transit camp at Bombay, on 22nd March. On 9th April, while at Worli, he was formally charged under Section 7 of the Air Force Act and placed in close arrest. On the same day he was taken from Worli to the Army detention cell at Kalayan where he remained until 25th April. His trial on a charge of inciting airmen to disobey an order began on 2nd May. On 14th May he was released without prejudice pending confirmation by the Air Officer Commanding of a plea of condonation which the court had accepted. The Air Officer Commanding did not confirm the finding, and the trial was resumed. The trial was completed on 25th May since when the findings have been under consideration by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief.

Hon. Members have brought to my notice a number of complaints about the handling of L.A.C. Attwood's correspondence while he was under arrest. It has been impossible to ascertain exactly what happened to each letter or telegram referred to owing to the detailed nature of the inquiries necessary and the difficulty of obtaining accurate information from a command which is handicapped by vast distances and the continual alteration in staff, and at a station which is a transit camp and has, in consequence, a large transient population. However, I can assure the House that no incoming correspondence was withheld from him. In fact, because of the serious nature of the charge and because he was away from his parent unit, special steps were taken to see that letters did not go astray, and the station adjutant at Worli, the transit camp, was instructed to collect all L.A.C. Attwood's correspondence for special delivery to him.

There was delay in his outgoing mail which was due to the fact that the detention cell was under Army Control and that the Army N.C.O. in charge did not know the R.A.F. regulations. He therefore referred the matter to his superiors and they referred it to the Air Force authorities. The Air Force, of course, gave approval for him to send letters, but a regrettable delay of some days had already occurred. I can also assure the House that there was no censorship or any other interference with L.A.C. Attwood's correspondence. The fact remains that the delays in his mail must have caused him considerable anxiety, and this I much regret.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why a telegram despatched on 14th May from London to Corporal J. Stone, R.A.F., advising him on his defence in the court martial which he is now awaiting at Worli, India, had not been delivered to him by 29th May; and if he will satisfy himself that no obstruction is being offered to the preparation of a full defence for this man.

Corporal Stone has still not received this telegram although he has received two others, and the R.A.F. postal authorities cannot trace its arrival in Bombay. Perhaps my hon. Friend will be good enough to confirm that it was correctly addressed. Meanwhile, I can assure him that this airman's correspondence has not been interfered with in any way and that he is suffering no obstruction in the preparation of his defence.

Will my hon. Friend consider reviewing this man's case before the court martial takes place, instead of subjecting him—

Why?

Because in the case of L.A.C. Attwood there was a gross injustice.

This case is sub judice.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether consideration has been given to the suita- bility of including members of aircrews who had completed their training by VJ-Day among recipients of the Defence Medal, irrespective of length of service in the R.A.F.

I am afraid that it would not be practicable to make this exception to the general conditions for the Defence Medal. There is, however, the new War Medal, and the flying badges of qualified aircrew are a mark of distinction in themselves.

Are we to understand then that these aircrews who finished their training before the end of the war, do automatically qualify for the new medal?

The condition is 28 days' embodied service, and that of course must obviously have happened to qualify for aircrews.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what units or organisations are at present occupying Watchfield Aerodrome.

Watchfield is at present occupied by the Beam Approach School, the Airfield Controllers School, and the School of Flying Control.

Would it be possible to make a certain proportion of that airfield available to the original owners who wish to resume their civil occupations?

I do not think it is possible at the moment, because we hope to move entirely by the end of the year. As I said in reply to an earlier Question by the hon. Member, we will probably consider the use of the previous owners when we come to dispose of the airfield, but I cannot give any undertaking as to what is going to happen now.

Will the hon. Member bear this in mind when moving out, and allow the original owners to move in as soon as possible?

In view of the fact that a large number of very pleasant aerodromes are now declared as redundant, is it not very unpleasant that the people at Watchfield should have to stay when at places quite near them there are better conditions?

I will look into that.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made with the proposal to form a national meteorological service.

The Meteorological Service is already organised on a national basis. The developments to which my predecessor referred in his reply of 3rd April did not involve any divorce of the Meteorological Office from the Air Ministry, but related to plans for its expansion and development. Owing to the release of wartime meteorologists, and to the time taken to train scientists as meteorologists, the service will have to be built up gradually. The service will eventually be far larger than it was before the war.

Will the Under-Secretary take steps to see that the policy of the service is improved? On Victory Day the public were completely misled, and it is getting worse every week. Something must be done about it.

Has the attention of the Under-Secretary been drawn to the suggestion that we should abandon all the paraphernalia of this expensive and apparently unreliable service and employ a few aged farmers with well-developed corns?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the present tour of duty for the R.A.F. in the Middle East; how many men have exceeded this time; and when is it expected that repatriation will be in accordance with the stated length of tour.

The tour of duty in the Middle East is now three years for both married and single officers and airmen, but there seems to be some misunderstanding of the position of single men. Their tour was reduced to three years as from 1st April, 1946, but in announcing this reduction my predecessor stated that it could not immediately become effective for all the men concerned, and would take until 1st October to complete. Thus, there are still single men in the Middle East who have served for more than three years, and who are waiting their turn for repatriation, but I have no reason to suppose that they will not all have left for home by 1st October.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation why, when representatives of his Department paid a visit to Dyce airport, Aberdeen, on Thursday, 16th May, notice of such visit was not given to the owner and to the controlling air line company, Allied Airways Limited.

No control is exercised by Allied Airways Limited at Dyce Airport. The major part of the aerodrome is State owned, the small remaining part being held on requisition. On 15th May my Ministry's representative on the aerodrome tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with the representative of the company to notify him as a matter of courtesy of the proposed visit of officers of the Department. When the visiting party discovered on arrival at the aerodrome that Allied Airways Limited had not in fact been informed, the company's local representative was at once asked to telephone to the hon. Member. I regret that he was not informed earlier.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary give an undertaking that if representatives of his Ministry are paying a visit to an aerodrome, whether requisitioned or unrequisitioned, he will as a matter of courtesy notify the owner or the occupying tenant, if any?

I am nothing if not courteous, and will do my best to carry out the hon. Gentleman's request.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation when it is proposed to operate a civilian air service between London and Prague.

It is proposed to operate a civilian air service between London and Prague next month.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation how soon it is intended to put into operation the direct service from Great Britain to Canada and the U.S.A.; how frequent it will be; and from which airport it will depart.

A direct landplane service between the United Kingdom and the United States will be introduced on 1st July next. The service will operate twice weekly to start with and will be increased progressively to seven services a week. All services will operate from the London Airport, certain of them being routed via Prestwick. As regards Canada, the existing Liberator service between Prestwick and Montreal will continue in operation for the time being.

The Minister said that certain of the services to the United States would operate via Prestwick. Will he say how many these are to be?

That is still under consideration.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary say what aircraft are to be used on the United States service?

On the direct land service the aircraft will be Constellations.

Which airport near New York are we to use?

I believe it is to be Islip, on Long Island.

Can we have an assurance that as we made immediate interim arrangements at Heathrow to accommodate American airlines, similar arrangements will be made in New York, if we wish it?

I understand that the arrangements will be equally satisfactory to the passengers, as La Guardia Airfield is very crowded and Idlewild is far from being completed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he will give an undertaking that, in the proposed Anglo-Italian Air Agreement, this country will not accept a position of a minority shareholder.

The Agreement recently concluded between the Italian Government and the British Overseas Airways Corporation, subject to the passage of the necessary decree-law by the Italian Government, provides for the formation of an Italian airline to which Italy will subscribe 60 per cent., and the British Over- seas Airways Corporation 40 per cent., of the capital. The hon. and gallant Member's request would be incompatible with Resolution VIII of the Final Act of the Chicago Conference, which gives third countries the right to refuse a permit to an airline which is not substantially owned and supported by its own nationals.

Does the Parliamentary Secretary think that, whatever may have been done at the Chicago Conference, the country is satisfied that this country should continuously play second fiddle in all these trade agreements?

I think that is a misunderstanding. Our agreements for air services with other countries are based on complete reciprocity. But this is an Italian airline, in which it would be improper for the United Kingdom Corporation to have a majority holding.

How much British public money will be used to subsidise the Italian airline?

It is not a subsidy. The proposed capital of the company is to be £1 million and the British participation will amount to £400,000.

It is taxpayers' money.

Arising out of the Minister's reply about reciprocity, will he see that there is complete reciprocity in the agreement with Aer Lingus, because there does not seem to be?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what further steps he is taking to improve the air service between Scotland and Belfast, in view of the long waiting list.

It is planned before the end of this month to increase the frequency of the air service between Glasgow and Belfast to four times daily in each direction. This will bring the total frequency of the services between Scotland and Belfast up to six daily in each direction.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will arrange, in conjunction with the Minister of Transport, for a commercial air service to carry fish quickly from Aberdeen to the big centres of consumption.

I regret I can add nothing to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for the Western Isles (Mr. M. MacMillan) on 5th June.

Is my hon. Friend aware that recently out of 4,300 tons of fish at Billingsgate 41 tons were wasted, and that fish is being wasted daily owing to inadequate and slow transport? Will he take immediate steps to see that the public get this food, which they require?

I would be very glad to enter into consultation with my hon. and learned Friend on this problem. It is one which we should study sympathetically, but there are many difficulties. Aircraft used for transporting fish cannot be used for any other purpose, and our prime consideration at the present time must be the carrying of passengers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what is to be the terminal near London for the Aberdeen Air Service; and what will be the estimated time of travel from Union Street, Aberdeen, to Piccadilly Circus.

The London terminal on the London-Aberdeen service will be Northolt. The answer to the second part of the Question is about five hours.

May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary—

Why does the hon. Member want to go to Piccadilly Circus?

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this new service which he is to institute in the autumn will take just the same travelling time as the service in force in 1939? Can he not do better than that?

In due course I hope we shall do better, but for a beginning I think that five hours from door to door is a very good time.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the service was run in three and a half hours at a return fare of £10 10s. by North Eastern Airways?

The hon. Member is giving information, not asking for it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he is aware that Aberdeen Flying School, Dyce, was ordered to cease instruction on 3rd September, 1939; that its hangar was requisitioned on 13th October, 1939, on the plea of national necessity; that these premises have not been returned to the school although they have been unoccupied for more than two years and that the school has now purchased four Tiger Moths from the Minister of Supply; and whether he will now derequisition the hangar and give permission for the school to resume flying instruction or indicate a date when it may do so.

Flying school activities could not until recently be permitted by the Air Ministry for operational reasons. The administration of the aerodrome was transferred to my Department at the end of May, and permission has now been given for the resumption of the flying school. The requisition of the premises is being maintained, but they can be used by the flying school subject to negotiation of suitable terms.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the premises referred to are owned by the Aberdeen Flying School, and that the Attorney-General, in Committee on the Civil Aviation Bill, on Tuesday, 28th May, gave an undertaking—

We know nothing of what happens in a Committee until it has reported.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he is aware that the Clyde Trust, the Clyde Valley Power Company and other bodies are opposing the siting of the third runway at Renfrew on the ground that their claims for the area affected had previously received official sanction in whole or in part; and what action he intends to take in this matter.

No, Sir. The flightway of the proposed third runway at Renfrew does not affect the property controlled by the Clyde Navigation Trust and the Clyde Valley Power Company. Those and other bodies are, however, affected by the flightways of the existing first and second runways and discussions between them and my Department and the other Government Departments concerned are proceeding with a view to finding a solution which will be satisfactory to all the interests concerned.

May I take it that official sanction had not previously been given in whole or in part to any of the bodies named?

I do not know what official sanction would be necessary, but as soon as these plans were brought to the notice of my Department we pointed out that they would interfere with the development of Renfrew Aerodrome. Glasgow is fortunate in having an aerodrome right on the fringe of the town, and we want to make it a very good aerodrome.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he will give an assurance that all applicants for the two deputy directorates to be filled under the Director of Control and Navigation at the Ministry of Civil Aviation will have suitable experience in civil aviation.

Such experience would of course be a consideration when such posts have to be filled.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary consider taking on two pilots who are too old to carry out their flying duties? Will he at least consider these men, who have experience, if there are other reasons for taking them on?

All applications will be carefully considered by the establishment side of my Ministry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in addition to the education schemes for officials contained inter alia in the Devonshire Committee's Report, he will consider the publication by his Department of a monthly journal for the use of officials at home and overseas which would be a continuous educative, political and administrative record of important developments in public life at home and in the Empire of great comparative and suggestive value to all concerned.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his suggestion with which I am entirely in sympathy. Similar ideas have been under my consideration; and I hope that before long it will be possible to give effect to them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, on what grounds he recommended the appointment of the hon. Member for North Battersea (Mr. Douglas) as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Malta.

I recommended the appointment of the then hon. Member for Battersea as Governor of Malta because in all the circumstances I hold him to be the most suitable man for the post.

Without in any way wanting to make a personal attack on that hon. Gentleman, are not the facts of the matter that the only outstanding qualification he has for this appointment was that he is a Socialist; and is it not a fact that if the Government wish to go out of their way to give the impression that they are not to be trusted in matters of Empire, they cannot do better than make appointments of this nature?

No, Sir. The fact that he was a Socialist was one of his many qualifications.

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean to tell us that after five years of war there are no officers of sufficient distinction of the Army, Navy or the Air Force—[HON. MEMBERS: "Why officers?"]—to occupy the position of Commander-in-Chief and Governor of this island fortress?

I am not casting any disparaging reflections upon any members of the three Services, but there are many problems with which Malta is confronted at the present time to deal with which it was regarded as necessary to have a civilian Governor.

rose —

This matter looks likely to give rise to a certain amount of heat. I think we ought to go on to the next Question.

On a point of Order. Is the mere fact that the matter is debatable to be a reason for no further questions upon it?

For a long time I have been trying to get through Questions as quickly as we can. If there is anything which is controversial and likely to absorb time, I think the matter had far better be debated than be dealt with by Question and answer.

May I ask you, Sir, whether it is your intention to change the procedure in this House? It has already been admitted at Question time that it is important when Members put down their Questions that they should pursue their Questions and not be cut short.

Certainly not. I do not intend to change the procedure. I rather think the procedure which I advocate has the general support of the House. There may be a few hon. Members who always want to ask Questions and sometimes I have to check them.

Further to that point of Order, may I ask you, Sir, for direct guidance in this matter? Is it your intention by curtailing questions to prevent Members from pursuing the object for which their original Question was put down?

I do not want to stop the asking of Questions; I do want to prevent undue supplementaries.

Are there only certain hon. Members who should be allowed continually to put supplementaries? The hon. Member for Ipswich (Mr. Stokes) sometimes puts three or four supplementary questions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present position with regard to the determination of claims for damage and loss of property sustained by persons in Malaya as a result of the Japanese invasion, and by what date he anticipates it will be possible to make some interim payments to those urgently in need.

The secretary of the Claims Commission will be leaving by air early in July to establish the necessary organisation in preparation for the arrival of the chairman who it is hoped will arrive in Malaya in September. I will ask the Malayan Governments to impress on the Commission the desiraability of making recommendations, as rapidly as possible, as to any categories of small claims which might reasonably be settled in advance of more general payments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what decision has been reached regarding the free port status of Penang.

It has been decided that Penang shall be a free port, and that the whole island shall be included in the free port area.

In view of the fact that the people of Penang will be relieved of certain taxation which other parts of the Malayan Union will have to pay, is it contemplated that any special taxes should be levied on Penang in order to recompense the other parts of the Union for the benefits Penang is getting?

That is another question and if the hon. Gentleman will put it down, I will see that a reply is given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has sent to the memorial of the Junior Civil Services Association of the Malayan Union, regarding back pay during the Japanese occupation; and why full pay for this period was given to four European government servants who were not interned during most of the occupation but was not given to Asiatic government servants.

In March, I received a memorial dated 8th February, 1946, from the "Government Junior Officers' Association, Malay States" and at that time I felt that the grants referred to in my reply to the hon. Member on the 20th March, were as far as I could go towards meeting the Association's representations. The Chief Civil Affairs Officer, British Military Administration, was asked to inform the above Association to that effect. In view, however, of further recent representations in the matter, I have suggested that the local governments should consider reviewing the whole question with unofficial assistance. As regards the last part of the Question, the position is that when, in the extreme pressure of work prevailing in all the departments concerned following on the unexpected collapse of Japan, full pay for the period of Japanese occupation was issued to all repatriated European officials, the possibility that a small number of them might not have been interned for varying periods was overlooked.

Will the Minister give the House an assurance that European officers will not be given any advantages which are denied to Asiatic officers?

The inquiry to which I referred in reply to the Question is one which will consider the position of the Asiatic officers. If it is not possible to deal with them in the way suggested by my hon. Friend, then, of course, consideration will have to be given to the question of the European officers refunding a portion of the money paid.

But surely the Minister can give a categorical assurance to the House that there will be no class or colour differentiation in a matter of this sort?

I have already pointed out that unless something can be done to meet the demands of the Asiatic officers, then something will be done to take from the European officers so that there will be the equality which the hon. Member requires.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether proposals made by the Tanganyika Land Settlement Board for settlement in the Oldeani, Ol Joro, Mufindi and Kilonbero, in Tanganyika, have been accepted by the Government of Tanganyika; and whether they will be submitted to him for his approval before they are put into operation.

Proposals for non-native settlement at the places named are still under investigation by the Government of Tanganyika. They will be submitted to me for approval.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give details of the recommendations made by the Tanganyika Land Settlement Board for the creation of a separate executive organisation to deal with all matters connected with land settlement; whether this recommendation has been accepted by the Government of Tanganyika; and, if so, what will be the composition of this organisation.

On the recommendation of the Board a land settlement division of the Department of Lands and Mines has been established and the Land Settlement Officer has been transferred from the Department of Agriculture to this new division. The division will consist of a field section under the Land Settlement Officer and a legal and office section under an Assistant Land Officer.

Has the Minister considered the advisability of placing in the Library details of the recommendations of this Board so that hon. Members may have the opportunity of gaining further information about them?

I will consider that, but they merely suggest setting up two small committees, so I hardly think it would be worth while putting them in the Library.

If the Minister is contemplating putting these recommendations in the Library, will he be good enough to consider moving the Library out of the map room?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if it is his intention to increase the size of the game reserves in Tanganyika territory.

A proposal to add an area of 8,640 square miles to the Selous Game Reserve in Tanganyika is under consideration. The former population of this area, which was sparse and scattered, have been evacuated as a measure of protection against sleeping sickness. No other additions to the reserves are at present contemplated.

Did the Minister give consideration to the fact that the farmers already think that the areas are too large at the moment, and that instead of increasing them, he should have been considering a reduction in these areas?

No complaint has been received in regard to this matter, and those who have to be transferred are transferred to land which is available and, I think, suitable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is yet in a position to make a statement regarding the future of British North Borneo.

Agreement has now been reached between the Government and the Directors of the company on the terms for the transfer of the North Borneo rights and assets to the Crown. These terms are embodied in a draft agreement which has been circulated to the shareholders of the company with the directors' recommendation for its acceptance. Under the draft agreement the compensation to be paid by the Crown to the company is to be determined by an arbitrator on the basis of ( a ) the net maintainable revenue, and ( b ) the number of years purchase which, in the opinion of the arbitrator, should be applied thereto. It is proposed to execute an agreement in the terms of this draft if the shareholders approve it at their meeting on 25th June, and I hope that it will be possible for the Borneo rights and assets to be transferred to the Crown on 15th July or shortly afterwards, as the Government cannot set up a civil administration in that territory, to replace the existing military administration, before the date of transfer.

It will be necessary to provide a grant-in-aid towards the cost of the administration of the territory, owing to the loss of revenue-earning capacity resulting from the Japanese occupation; provision must also be made for rehabilitation costs, for the compensation to be paid to the company, and for the cost of the arbitration tribunal. This expenditure will be included in supplementary estimates to be brought before Parliament in due course.

I should like to add that the Chief Civil Affairs Officer in North Borneo, who has had over thirty years' service in that territory as a civilian, has reported that there is no question but that all communities in North Borneo would welcome the proposed transfer. He went on to indicate that there was general recognition of the fairness and justice of chartered company rule, but that the general feeling was that the change would accelerate the development of the country and bring with it a consequent increase of prosperity.

Can the Minister say whether in future, then, British North Borneo will be a British Colony; and what will be its relations to the surrounding territories of Brunei, Labuan and Sarawak?

It is intended that it should be a separate territory.

What arrangements are made to enable British North Borneo to share in the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund; and, in view of the fact that allocations have already been made to the territories, is there something out of reserve which can be made available to these new Colonies?

Yes, Sir; there is something out of reserve which can be made available.

Will the four territories in British Borneo be federated in any way, or will they remain separate?

No, at the moment it is intended that two of them at any rate should be separate—that is, Sarawak and North Borneo.

What about Brunei and Labuan?

One will be attached to Singapore and possibly the other will be attached either to Singapore or North Borneo.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the size of the Corps of Observers which will watch the revision of the Greek electoral lists; and whether their functions will include the observation of the plebiscite itself and of the conditions of law and order prevailing at the time of the plebiscite and during the months immediately preceding.

According to present plans, the revision of the Greek electoral lists will be supervised by about 45 British and 25 American observer teams. There will also be the appropriate headquarter staffs, including administrative officers and sampling experts. The present arrangements cover only the revison of the electoral lists. In the execution of their duties, the teams will, of course, observe the conditions of law and order which prevail in Greece, and will report thereon.

In view of the comparatively small size and the limited functions of the Observers Corps, can my right hon. Friend say what guarantee there is that the plebiscite will be a fair reflection of the will of the Greek people?

The task of these observers is to control the compilation of the electoral lists, of the register, and those who supervised the general election are satisfied that they can ensure that the register shall be properly and fairly compiled.

Is it not a fact that the plebiscite, like the election, is likely to be conducted under better conditions and showing a more fair result than any similar election which has ever been held in that country?

I could not accept that statement for one moment.

Can my right hon. Friend say why it is that whereas the French were represented at the election, they are not to be represented at the plebiscite?

I cannot give any reason except that the French Government desired not to take part.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now state what arrangements have been made for Remembrance Day this year; and if the dates 1939–1945 will be added to the Cenotaph in Whitehall.

Towards the end of last year my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary consulted a number of representative bodies to ascertain their opinion on the selection of a date on which a National Day of Remembrance could be celebrated for the wars of 1914–1918 and 1939–1945.

They were all agreed that the Sunday before the 11th November, unless the 11th or 12th November be a Sunday, should be known as Remembrance Sunday, should be observed as a National Day of Remembrance for the wars of 1914–18 and 1939–45 and should be associated with the National observance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall at 11 a.m. and the Two Minutes' Silence. The Government felt that this view would commend itself to all quarters in this country. I am glad to be able to say that it has now found general acceptance here and has been approved by The King.

The inscription which was placed upon the Cenotaph when it was erected in 1919 is "The Glorious Dead," and, in Roman notation, the dates 1914 and 1918. From inquiries which I have made it seems that we should command general approval if an inscription commemorating the late war were confined to the simple addition of the dates 1939 and 1945.

His Majesty has been pleased to intimate that he will take part in a ceremony at the Cenotaph on 10th November next, to be generally in the form which has been observed since 1919. The Cenotaph commemorates men and women of all faiths and therefore the ceremony performed by King George V in 1919 included a simple act of unveiling unaccompanied by a religious dedication. His Majesty will carry out a similar act of unveiling as part of the ceremony on 10th November next.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will now instruct the food control committees to cease interfering with private caterers decisions as to whether meals should be served indoors or out of doors on their premises; and to abrogate all conditions attached to licences issued by them forbidding service of meals out of doors.

My right hon. Friend is not prepared to issue any general instructions on these lines, but I shall be glad to look into any particular case in which the hon. and gallant Member thinks that hardship is involved.

Will the hon. Lady tell us on what grounds her Department take unto themselves the right to interfere with the freedom of an individual who is given a catering licence to decide whether or not, and when, he shall serve meals out of doors or indoors?

As the hon. and gallant Gentleman knows, this matter is in the hands of the local food committee. If an individual is not satisfied, he can then appeal to the Divisional Food Office, but if the hon. and gallant Gentleman has in mind the case in Blackpool, I can assure him that we are looking into it again and I hope that the decision will be reversed.

Will the hon. Lady also bear in mind the case of the caterer who has no regard for the freedom of the citizen and refuses to serve a cup of tea without the citizen taking a meal, although he does not want a meal?

If the hon. Member can give me a specific case I will certainly look into it.

Will the hon. Lady indicate the kind of grounds upon which it is prescribed whether meals should be taken indoors or al fresco?

May I quote Blackpool? In Blackpool they feel that a man who has a licence for a shop should have another licence if he sells goods from the forecourt. I think perhaps they have been ruling in far too rigid a fashion.

Is the hon. Lady aware that the people in Blackpool say that it is not they who feel this, but the Ministry of Food, who decide this, and that there appears to be a good deal of "passing the buck" between the hon. Lady and the people in Blackpool? Will she look into that?

asked the Minister of Food whether he will consider the advisability of improving the diet of elderly people by allowing a larger allocation of milk and eggs.

Extra milk and eggs could only be given to elderly people at the expense of other sections of the community, and as our medical advisers do not consider a special concession of this kind necessary, my right hon. Friend would not feel justified in reducing anyone's allowance still further in order to provide more for elderly people.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that there is increasing difficulty on the part of the older people, especially old age pensioners, by virtue of the limitations imposed upon them, of standing in queues where they are at a great disadvantage, and could they not be compensated in some such way as I have suggested?

Would my hon. Friend bear in mind that there are 5,000,000 old people over 65 years of age and that we could not add them to the priority classes. Furthermore, he must remember that old age is not pathological and that digestive disturbances do not necessarily accompany it.

asked the Minister of Food if he will now, or at a very early date, declare his policy on Christmas gifts of turkeys from Northern Ireland to residents in this country and not wait until a few days before Christmas, as was the case last year, in view of the fact that, because of the policy then adopted, many families were disappointed and were unable to make other suitable arrangements.

Last year's announcement was made nearly six weeks before Christmas, but my right hon. Friend will do his best to give longer notice this year.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this information has created very great disturbance in Ireland and dislocated business arrangements?

I am not aware that it has caused disturbance. We are only anxious that the turkeys available should be distributed equitably throughout the country.

Would the hon. Lady see, when allocating permits for the sending of turkeys, that people who obviously have no connection with the black market activities should be allowed reasonable facilities for sending presents to their friends in Great Britain?

It is very difficult to determine whether a man or woman is connected with black market activities or not, but if an individual comes to us and is obviously sincere we are prepared to give him one permit for a friend.

asked the Minister of Food the weight and value of strawberries imported from Holland and France each week in the month preceding the new Maximum Prices Order and the comparable figures for the following weeks.

I regret that weekly figures showing the weight and value of strawberries imported from Holland and France are not available. Before the Imported Soft Fruit Order came into operation on 19th May, approximately 12,576 lbs. of strawberries were imported this year from France (value £2,615) and 68,619 lbs. from the Netherlands (value £32,206). Since then no further importations have been received.

Will the Minister give the House an assurance that our friends the French and the Dutch will not again be able to slip under, or rather over, the Maximum Prices Order which they did to their great advantage this time?

We shall, of course, look at the position every year.

asked the Minister of Food if he will increase the official killing price of hens from 1s. 4d. per lb. to 3s. per lb. in order to preserve the honesty of the poultry farmer who, owing to lack of foodstuffs, is now obliged to sacrifice laying hens at a loss of fully 10s. each, unless he resorts to the black market.

The maximum prices of hens and other table poultry are at present under review, but my right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot promise to concede the very substantial increase which the hon. Member suggests.

Would it not be much better to give the producer a fair and square price for the hen that he has got to get rid of rather than tempt him to go into the black market, not only to his own profit, but to the profit of somebody else? In view of this serious matter, will the Parliamentary Secretary ask her right hon. Friend to get it settled by 1st July and give the poultry farmer a fair price so that he can be an honest man?

We are anxious that the poultry farmer should be an honest man and to keep temptation from him. That is why we are not substantially increasing the price as, otherwise, the producer might be tempted to rear birds for the table rather than for egg production.

Is my hon. Friend aware that many of us feel that an increase of from 1s. 4d. to 3s. a pound is far too high a price to pay for a poultry keeper's honesty, and if the results are not satisfactory will she consider tightening up the price machinery?

We are bearing all those points in mind.

asked the Minister of Food whether as the Ministry of Agriculture's order to reduce poultry feeding-stuffs has been issued after farmers have, at the Government's request, sown their land with spring wheat and cannot produce their own feedingstuffs, he will remove the controls on table poultry until the end of the year.

The price of table poultry is at present under consideration, but my hon. Friend has to consider the interests, not only of producers, but of the consuming public and the traders who handle the poultry. He is convinced that a temporary removal of all restrictions would not make for fair and equitable distribution.

Could not the hon. Lady consider the hardship which has been inflicted on these people by the conflicting orders from different parts of the Government, and cannot sympathetic consideration be given to the matter?

I have already told an hon. Member who put down a similar question that we must not encourage farmers to breed birds for the table at the expense of the egg production.

Could not the hon. Lady insist that the Government should not give conflicting instructions?

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the potato and carrot division of his Department sent out Form G46/1/A to farmers at the beginning of June, requiring a return of potato crops, while the Ministry of Agriculture simultaneously sent out forms, to be completed in duplicate, requiring the same information; and if he will consult with the Minister of Agriculture with a view to avoiding this duplication.

Form G46/1/A, which is sent to potato growers does not duplicate the Ministry of Agriculture return. It asks for the acreage under each variety of potatoes in each county and the type of seed used: and the Ministry of Agriculture return asks for the acreage of all types of farm crops on each holding, the livestock and labour employed. The information about potatoes is limited to the extent of first earlies, on the one hand, and second earlies and maincrops on the other, without reference to variety or type of seed.

Would the Minister remember that farmers are busy people, and as there seems to be a good deal of common ground in the inquisitiveness of these two Departments, could they not put all their questions on one piece of paper?