asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the village pump at Charlton-on-Otmoor, Oxfordshire, was condemned eight years ago; that, owing to bad water, churns are sent daily into Oxford 10 miles away to obtain water for the farms; and when a piped supply of water may be expected.

My right hon. Friend is aware that the present water supply facilities are unsatisfactory. The Parish is included in the scheme for a piped supply of water to the Ploughley Rural District to which he referred in his reply, on 4th July, to the hon. and gallant Member's Question with regard to a supply of water to Weston-on-the-Green.

asked the Minister of Health when it is anticipated that piped water will be supplied to Pishill-with-Stoner, Oxfordshire.

I have approved in principle proposals submitted by the Henley Rural District Council for a comprehensive scheme of water supply in their district and examination of the technical details is proceeding. I have agreed that the extension to the Pishill-Stoner area shall be carried out in advance of the main scheme but I am unable to forecast when this work will be completed.

asked the Minister of Health the number of people reported as suffering from malnutrition in this country in the years 1935 and 1945, respectively.

I regret that there are no statistics available that would enable me to answer precisely the Question put by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health what proportion of children have been immunised in Manchester, Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham, Droylsden Urban District, Audenshaw Urban District, Denton Urban District, Limehurst Rural District, Staly- bridge and Hyde, Cheshire, for the latest period for which statistics are available.

According to returns from the local authorites concerned the figures at 31st December, 1945, were as follow:The return for Hyde has not yet been received.

Estimated proportion of child population (up to age 15) immunised against diphtheria at 31st December, 1945.
			Per cent.
Manchester C.B.	…	…	66
Ashton-under-Lyne B.	…	…	49
Oldham C.B.	…	…	52
Droylsden U.D.	…	…	68
Audenshaw U.D.	…	…	62
Denton U.D.	…	…	77
Limehurst R.D.	…	…	35
Stalybridge B.	…	…	47

asked the Minister of Health how the present cost of house repairs compares with prewar figures; and what action he intends to take to help owners of property to meet such charges.

I regret that no precise figures are available. Local authorities are already empowered under the Housing Act, 1936, to make advances for the purposes of carrying out repairs in cases where they consider that, having regard to the cost of repairs, or the financial position of the applicant, it is reasonable to give him such assistance.

asked the Minister of Health the circumstances under which the Solihull Urban District Council has refused civil building licences for the erection of 53 houses on the Tanhouse Farm Estate, Olton, by the Ideal Benefit Society; and, as the erection of these houses is part of the extensive building programme of this society, if he will issue instructions for the necessary licences for labour and materials to at once be made available for the construction of these houses.

As my right hon. Friend informed the hon. Member in a letter sent to him on 20th June, it has been necessary to restrict the issue of further licences in the district for the present in view of the calls upon labour and materials for housing proposals already approved. My right hon. Friend will be prepared to review the question in the light of progress made with the actual building.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses required at Souldern, Oxfordshire; the number of tenders given out; the future quota allotted: and the number of sites still to be found.

The Ploughley Rural District Council consider that six or eight houses should be built at Souldern in the immediate future. A tender for the erection of two houses has been approved and a site for the remainder is being selected by the Council.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give an assurance that the selection of members of the tribunals, now being set up under the Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act, 1946, will be made regardless of political considerations.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will make a statement based on the reports of school medical officers or otherwise, showing for age categories eight to 13 years, the average weight and height of boys and girls in the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne for the years 1934, 1938 and 1945–46.

I regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Education the number of children who were being educated in the national schools before the war; the number being educated in 1946; the number which would be educated in 1947 if the school-leaving age were not raised; and the additional number of children who will he retained in the schools as a of the raising of the school-leaving age, on 1st April, 1947.

The number of pupils in grant-aided primary and secondary schools on the 31st March, 1939, and a date in October, 1945 (the latest figure at present available) was 5,597,875 and 5,022,068 respectively. In September, 1947, by which date the effect of the raising of the compulsory school age will first cause an addition to the school population, it is estimated that there will be about 5,300,000 pupils in the schools, against about 5,170,000 if the age had not been raised. In autumn, 1948. when the raising of the age will be fully operative, the estimated number of pupils is about 5,640,000 against about 5,250 000 if the age had remained at 14.

asked the Minister of Education why a circular has been issued from her Department to local education authorities informing them that a secondary school teacher's service must be entered into the teacher's service book according to the type and status of the school.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to Teachers' Service Book, Bulletin No. 34, which was issued to employing authorities in April last. The new conditions created by the Education Act, 1944. have necessitated a revision of a procedure which has been in force for many years. It is designed to provide the information required for the preparation of the Ministry's statistical records.

asked the Minister of Health if it is with his approval that grandparents are held liable by local authorities for public assistance granted in respect of their grandchildren.

The liability referred to is imposed by Section 14 (1) of the Poor Law Act, 1930, and my right hon. Friend has no authority to approve or disapprove.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he has considered the letter addressed to him by the hon. Member for West Fife drawing attention to the low rates of allowances for sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses; and whether he intends to take any action to improve the present rates.

My attention has been drawn to the letter to which the hon. Member refers. As stated in the reply sent by my noble Friend, the general question of revising the remuneration of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses is under discussion with their accredited representatives.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if, in the reorganisation of the regions of the B.B.C., he will take steps to ensure that the Home Service will be received at equal quality and strength throughout the whole of Norfolk.

It is not practicable to ensure that the Home Service will be received at equal quality and strength over the whole of Norfolk. The B.B.C.'s reorganisation will, however, improve reception of the Home Service in much of the area in which reception is at present unsatisfactory.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether, before implementing the proposal of His Majesty's Government, as stated in Cmd. 6852, to merge the West Regional wireless programme into the Midland programme, he will cause local public inquiries to be held in Cornwall and other western counties similarly affected.

No, Sir. The Government do not consider that local public inquiries would provide any relevant information they do not already possess.

asked the Prime Minister which Ministries were concerned in the organisation of the whaling expedition in the early part of this year; and are further expeditions being arranged.

The British expeditions which operated during the 1945-46 Antarctic whaling season were organised, by the whaling companies which owned or managed the vessels with the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Food and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries assisting in their respective spheres. Further expeditions are being arranged for the 1946-47 season in the Antarctic by the British and South African Whaling Companies.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, in view of the widespread interest in the "Germany Under Control" Exhibition now in London, he will, in the near future, send it to Aberdeen so that the people there may have an opportunity of seeing it.

I hope that it will be possible for a touring version of this exhibition to be seen in Scotland as well as in England. I cannot yet say which places are likely to be visited as this depends on suitable facilities being available but I will bear in mind my hon. and learned Friend's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the arrangements for the rate of exchange when the U.S. loan to Great Britain is agreed and, in particular, if it will be at the rate equivalent in June, 1946, or at a parity when the negotiations were completed and the Houses of Parliament endorsed the application.

The credit is a U.S. dollar credit, and no question of the rate of exchange is involved.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the sum allocated to services in Scotland out of the annual grant to the Arts Council of Great Britain for each of the years 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945, respectively.

Part of the expenditure from the grant in aid of the Arts Council of Great Britain, namely, general administrative expenses and the costs of touring associated theatre companies, orchestras and art exhibitions, cannot be precisely apportioned between England and Wales on the one hand and Scotland on the other.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visas have been issued in Germany and Austria, respectively, for the admission of distressed relatives to Great Britain under the recent arrangements announced by him; and how many people have arrived in this country direct from Germany and Austria under this scheme.

Visas are not actually endorsed in Germany until military exit permits have been granted. Up to last Saturday 97 visas had been endorsed in Germany under this scheme, and 121 in Austria The statistics are not kept in a form which would enable me to answer the last part of the Question.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he has received a final Report from the Departmental Committee on Alternative Remedies; when he proposes to publish it; and what action he proposed to take.

Yes. Sir; I am arranging to publish the Report immediately. It raises a number of issues going beyond the scope of the National Insurance Bills now before Parliament, and it is not proposed, therefore, to deal in either of those Bills with any aspect of this difficult problem. The questions raised are being carefully examined and any legislation found to be necessary will be brought forward in a separate Bill.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether it is possible for a person entitled to old age pension who has omitted to draw that pension for a number of years, to now draw the back pension to which he would have been entitled.

No, Sir. Arrears of contributory old age pension can, under the Statute, be paid only for three months immediately preceding the date on which a claim is made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the inspectors appointed for the purpose of investigating the experiments by vivisection under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, have previously held Certificate A permitting performance of experiments without anaesthetics; and whether he will consider appointing a nominee of the R.S.P.C.A. or other animal welfare society.

Of the three prewar inspectors none had held licences or certificates. During the war one of these three died and the increase of work made it necessary to increase the staff from three to four. Two men were appointed during the war, each of whom had held a Certificate A, but neither had been doing experiments under the Act for 12 years or more. As the responsibility for the appointment of inspectors is placed by the Act on the Home Secretary, it would be wrong for me to undertake to accept nominations made by the R.S.P.C.A. or any other society.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether having regard to the recent disclosures about the conditions of animals at a research laboratory during the hearing of a cruelty case at a police court, he will take steps to ensure that, as soon as may be, all inspectors appointed by his Department under the Cruelty to Animals Act are qualified members of the veterinary professions and also that more regular inspections of research laboratories are made by such qualified inspectors.

I should be glad to consider candidates with veterinary qualifications, but medical qualifications are essential in an inspector, and it is rare to find a candidate qualified in both professions. As respects the recent case at Oxford—which, I believe, is still sub judice—the premises had been visited in the previous month by a Home Office inspector before the outbreak of distemper which was mentioned in the proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many towns and cities now permit opening of cinemas on Sundays; how many have refused to permit it; and whether it is his intention to adopt any common policy throughout the country.

According to my information about 482 urban areas (including London, 66 out of 83 county boroughs, 212 out of 309 boroughs and 203 out of 572 urban districts) have at present powers to permit Sunday opening. In a good many instances these powers were derived from Defence Regulation 42B and will lapse with the expiry of the regulation except where the local authorities concerned take steps, as some of them have done, to obtain orders under the Sunday Entertainment Act, 1932. In answer to the last part of my hon. Friend's Question, Parliament decided in 1932 that this controversial question was best left to local option, and I have no reason to doubt the wisdom of that decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will exercise clemency, remitting sentence, in the case, particulars of which have been sent to him, where a soldier was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for breaking a window of a British Restaurant and eating a jam tart and three scones, at Salford Quarter Sessions.

I have had inquiries made in this case. The offences of which this man was convicted were breaking and entering and larceny, and he has a number of previous convictions for theft and breaking and entering. I have examined the case and regret that, on the information before me, I can find no grounds for recommending any interference with the sentence which the Court thought it necessary to impose

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why prison officers at the Borstal Institution at Princetown receive extra pay at the rate of 3s. an hour while engaged on outside duty in search of inmates who have escaped from their charge, whilst police and special constables perform the same duty, when required, as part of their ordinary functions.

Prison officers are not entitled to extra pay merely because they are engaged in outside duties in search of escaped prisoners. They receive overtime pay only if they work in excess of the normal hours of duty and cannot, owing to the exigencies of the service, receive time off in lieu. Police constables and sergeants are in the same position.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that when the daughter of Mrs. Wiseman, 47 Pelham Road South, Gravesend, was taken seriously ill at 11.30 a.m. on a recent Sunday and the doctor prescribed medicine for immediate treatment, it was impossible to get this as the chemist shops in the district closed at noon for the day; and whether he will take steps to see that opening periods on Sundays for chemists are staggered.

There is nothing in the Shops Acts to prevent a chemist from opening his shop on Sunday or supplying medicine at any time in case of illness. I have no power to require shops to be open for specified periods, but I understand arrangements for the Sunday opening of chemists' shops are generally agreed with the Insurance Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take action to terminate the compulsory serving of sandwiches when drinks arc sold in catering establishments.

I think my hon. Friend must have in mind Section 3 of the Licensing Act, 1921, which allows an extra hour for the sale of drinks with meals. I am informed that the Metropolitan Police are not aware of any recent instances of the use of this provision in connection with the sale of sandwiches.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has considered the Report on the Bolton Cup-tie disaster; and if he has any statement to make.

I have the Report under consideration and propose to discuss the recommendations made in it with representatives of the interests concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will announce the date when the Parliamentary Boundary Commission will be able to report; and what opportunities will be afforded to interested parties to make due representation to the Commission before the issue of their final recommendations.

I understand that the Commissions are likely to submit their reports towards the end of this year. As regards the second part of the Question, where a Commission have provisionally determined to make recommendations affecting any constituency they will, as required by the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act, 1944, publish in the con- stituency a notice stating the effect of the Proposed recommendations, and will take into consideration any representations about them.

asked the Minister of Pensions why a pensioner disabled in the South African war is not eligible for a wife's allowance if he married within 10 years of his disablement in the same way as a pensioner of the two more recent wars.

An allowance for the wife of a disability pensioner was first introduced in 1919 for men disabled in the 1914 world war. Such an allowance has never been payable in addition to an award for disablement due to South African war service, even where marriage took place prior to the disablement.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the present rate of importation of heavy fuel oil; and by how much he expects the importation will increase in three and six months, respectively.

According to the Trade and Navigation Accounts, which do not distinguish between diesel oil and fuel oil imports, imports of diesel and fuel oil since the beginning of the year have been as follow:

		Gallons
January	…	45,307,000
February	…	50,977,000
March	…	76,101,000
April	…	54,931,000
May	…	105,025,000

It is not practicable to estimate the increase in imports over the next six months, but sufficient heavy fuel oil should be available to meet additional demand arising from conversion of industrial plants to oil firing.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power by what amount there is more petrol in storage in Britain today than there was in 1937, 1938 and 1939.

I have explained on several occasions that it would not be in the public interest to disclose stocks of petroleum products, and this applies equally to giving information on the trend of stocks in this country.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the coalmine at Radernie in East Fife has been ordered to close down on Saturday and that the workers concerned have been given only one week's notice of termination of employment; that this decision is causing much anxiety to the workers and their families; what are the reasons for closing the pit; and if the closing is permanent.

Yes, Sir. For a number of years this colliery has been carried on at a heavy loss to the Coal Charges Fund in the hope that new workings could be advantageously developed. After a full trial and expert examination of the workings I am satisfied that the output, which has recently been as low as six to II cwt. per man shift, is unlikely to improve. With the present shortage of skilled miners, the continued employment at this pit of men whose services are needed at other neighbouring pits where they could produce two or three times as much coal can no longer be justified. The pit is therefore being closed permanently with effect from 12th July and the employees were so informed on 26th June. Steps are being taken to transfer them to other collieries in the Wemyss area.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps are taken to ensure that British personnel who are ex-prisoners of war are not put in charge of German prisoners of war in this country.

The fact that an officer or other rank has been a prisoner of war does not automatically exclude him indefinitely from undertaking duties with prisoners of war camps in the United Kingdom although ex-prisoners of war are not normally posted for such duties if they are unwilling to undertake them.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that 14669833 Sergeant C. J. Reason, authority for whose Class B release was issued in April, was still serving in India in the middle of June; why there has been so much delay in this case; and how soon he anticipates that this man, who is urgently needed as a rural craftsman at Rayne, Essex, will be released.

The latest information available shows that release has been offered and accepted by this man and is proceeding. This information was received on 25th June. India have since been asked to report the estimated time of arrival, and I will inform my hon. Friend when a reply is received. I regret the delay which has occurred in this and other cases, and strong representations have been made which I hope will result in continued improvement. In this particular case the distance of the man's station from G.H.Q. and from a port may have been a contributory factor.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that men of the R.A.S.C. with five and a half years of service, three and a half years C.M.F., Group 36, who were due for demobilisation on the first week in August, have been informed that their demobilisation has been postponed for two months till October; and if he will take steps to see that these men are released in August.

Steps are being taken to furnish R.A.S.C. reinforcements to C.M.F., and it may be that it will not in the event prove necessary to defer the release of the men in question. In view of the general manpower position in this command to which my right hon. Friend referred in his reply to my hon. Friends the Members for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) and South Cardiff (Mr. Callaghan) on 9th July, I cannot, however, guarantee that all the men will be released on the due date.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, have served for periods of over three, four, five and six years, respectively; how many such officers are now due for Class A release, but have been deferred as operationally vital; and how many new officers have been posted to the battalion during the course of the past three months.

It has been necessary to refer to Middle East Command for information regarding any postings or deferments since the last periodical return. This has not yet been received but I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it arrives.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make arrangements whereby members of the Cadet Force of the St. John Ambulance Brigade can obtain uniforms without using their normal ration of civilian clothing coupons.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Portsmouth (Sir J. Lucas) on 4th July.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now considered the possibility of issuing further priority dockets to Mrs. B. A. Jones, about whom the hon. and gallant Member for Brentford and Chiswick has written to his Department.

I wrote to my hon. and gallant Friend regarding this matter on l0th July.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the difficulties experienced by hospital authorities in this country in obtaining X-ray equipment; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this deficiency.

I was not aware of any general difficulty in obtaining this equipment. There is, however, difficulty in obtaining replacements for apparatus of German manufacture, but alternative types of valves are now available and the manufacture of tubes is being developed.

asked the Minister of Food, what decisions have been taken or recommendations made to local authorities as to the future of British Restaurants.

On 19th December, 1945, my predecessor announced to the House the Government's intention to introduce such legislation as may be necessary to give local authorities permanent powers to operate British Restaurants. My Department recently notified local authorities of the terms under which they may assume full financial responsibility for their British Restaurant undertakings. These have been agreed by the representative associations of local authorities. The present financial arrangements under which British Restaurants are operated will teminate at the end of the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Food the average monthly domestic consumption of soap per head of the population of the United Kingdom during the first six months of 1938 and 1946, respectively; and the corresponding consumption in industry.

I regret that I am unable to give the hon. Member the figures in the form asked for or for the first six months of 1938. I hope that the following figures will serve his purpose. In the year ended 30th June, 1939, it is estimated that the domestic consumption of fat in soap was approximately 15 oz. per head per calendar month. During the first six months of 1946 the corresponding figure is 10 oz. In the year ended 30th June, 1939, it is estimated that about 80 thousand tons of fat was consumed in soap by industry. During the first six months of 1946 industry consumed fat in soap at the rate of about 70 thousand tons per annum.

asked the Minister of Food what quantity of soap has been exported from the United Kingdom during each of the last three quarters, excluding soap for His Majesty's Forces; to what destination has it been consigned; and why was it exported.

185,721 cwt. of soap were exported during the fourth quarter, 1945, as follows:

		Cwt.
Burma	…	78,397
Netherlands	…	33,529
Belgium	…	14,976
France	…	14,240
Germany	…	9,842
Straits Settlement	…	9,442
Federated Malay State	…	6,588
Channel Islands	…	4,995
Italy	…	2,362
Dutch West Indies	…	1,532
Norway	…	993
Other countries	…	8,825

107,312 cwt. were exported during the first quarter, 1946, as follows:

		Cwt.
Netherlands	…	45,338
Malta	…	11,287
Germany	…	9,515
Straits Settlement	…	7,471
Channel Islands	…	4,843
Aden	…	4,597
Norway	…	4,299
Belgium	…	3,719
Gibraltar	…	1,926
Other countries	…	14,317

Full details of soap exported during the second quarter, 1946, are not yet available but the quantity of soap exported in April and May was 83,274 cwt. as follows:

		Cwt.
Iraq	…	11,074
Malta	…	10,014
Germany	…	8.809
Anglo Egyptian Sudan	…	6,679
Belgium	…	6,249
Straits Settlement	…	6,501
Egypt	…	3,344
Gibraltar	…	2,215
Dutch West Indies	…	1,887
Palestine	…	2,316
Italy	…	1,690
Burma	…	1,396
Other countries	…	20,100

The heavy exports to Netherlands, Burma, Belgium, France and Norway during the end of 1945 and beginning of 1946, were made in accordance with arrangements with the Combined Food Board and were taken into account when our oils and fats allocation was fixed. We are under obligation to export soap to Colonies, Dependencies and Middle East countries as their requirements were also taken into account when our Combined Food Board allocation was fixed.It has not been possible to exclude the figures of soap exported to His Majesty's Forces in the various countries but it is estimated that the figures quoted above include about 20,000 cwt. per quarter for His Majesty's Forces. All the soap exported to Germany and Italy with the exception of a very small quantity exported by the Council of British Societies for Relief Abroad was for His Majesty's Forces and the Control Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the terms of reference of the discussions between British and U.S. representatives on Palestine are confined to technical questions or include the resettlement of displaced Jews in any part of the world.

The conversations now about to begin between British and American officials will cover the whole range of subjects dealt with in the ten recommendations made by the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry. The first of these recommendations deals with the general problem of finding homes for all displaced persons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the complaints that the headquarters of the Women's International Zionist Organisation in Palestine was entered on 29th June by British troops by means of dynamiting the entrance; that the interior of the premises was badly damaged and that money and goods were removed; whether these actions were carried out under the orders of the commanding officer; and if he will hold an inquiry into these complaints.

The main door of the headquarters of the Women's International Zionist Organisation in Palestine was found locked and barricaded when troops sought an entry on 29th June. No watchman was on duty. It was necessary to blow open the door and a certain amount of damage resulted, but no more than was absolutely necessary to effect entry. The High Commissioner has reported that in the course of the searches at Tel Aviv, of which this was one, it was necessary to remove the contents of certain safes, but that in every case an inventory was made under the supervision of an officer. Precautions were taken to ensure that there was no unauthorised removal of valuables. I do not consider that a special inquiry into this incident is required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has considered a resolution from a mass demonstration of Jewish citizens, held in London on 7th July, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he has made any reply thereto.

The Prime Minister has received and considered the resolution to which my hon. Friend refers, and an acknowledgment has been sent to it.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that many people will be deprived of holidays owing to the lack of steamer accommodation between Northern Ireland and Great Britain; and if he will increase the number of passenger ships or allow passenger-carrying motor-boats to ply between Donaghadee and Port Patrick, provided passengers have a valid travel permit and report to the police stations in Donaghadee and Port Patrick.

I am aware that with the advance into the holiday season there is growing pressure on the steamship services to Northern Ireland, and everything possible is being done to increase the number of passenger ships on these routes. No further increases beyond those mentioned in the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Londonderry (Sir R. Ross) on 24th June can at the moment be indicated with the exception that during August there will he a nightly sailing, excepting Sundays, between Liverpool and Belfast, in place of the present sailing four times a week in each direction. Motor boats could not comply with the conditions laid down under the Merchant Shipping Acts for vessels carrying passengers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of Transport the results of the I.L.O. Maritime Conference at Seattle.

I have received a preliminary report of this conference which appears to have been highly successful. It was attended by over 30 nations and was held at Seattle between 6th and 29th June. Great Britain was represented by a Government delegation led by the Parliamentary Secretary to my Ministry and by strong delegations of shipowners and of trade union officials acting on behalf of the seamen.The conference finally decided on a number of important conventions setting up minimum international standards for the welfare of seamen. These provide for their social security, pensions, paid holidays, medical examination, and for the certification of ships' cooks and of able seamen. They also deal with crews' accommodation and the food and catering arrangements for the crew on beard ship. The most far-reaching convention is that fixing minimum wages and maximum hours for seamen in near and distant trade ships. The conventions contain provisions for their coming into force upon ratification by a sufficient number of nations.Several of these conventions deal with matters that are ordinarily dealt with by industrial agreements, not by legislation, and the conventions in question accordingly provide that effect may be given to their provisions by industrial agreements which establish standards substantially equal to, or better than, those laid down by the conventions. The full text of all the conventions, recommendations and resolutions decided on will be published in a White Paper as soon as possible and the Government will give them their careful and sympathetic consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can yet give any specific indication as to the precise amount which it is intended to expend on the building of new roads during each of the next five years.

I cannot, at the moment, add to the statement I made in the House on 6th May.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether the case of 1347345 L.A.C.W. Ritchie, has now been investigated.

The hon. and gallant Member will by now have received my letter of 9th July about this airman.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that age and service Groups 33, 34 and 35 are now being deferred en bloc in C.M.F. units in order to retain the unit establishment; that tradesmen in those groups are being employed on duties other than their trades; and whether the age and service group system of demobilisation has now been abandoned.

No, Sir, this does not apply to the Royal Air Force. There is no block deferment of R.A.F. releases from the Mediterranean and Middle East or any other Command. As forecast in the original White Paper on Release, there are some unavoidable variations in the release rate between the different branches and trades of the Service, but these variations are the same throughout all R.A.F. Commands. They are certainly not increased by any duties outside their normal trades which airmen may from time to time be given, and this month there is no deferment of airmen in any trade in groups 33, 34 or 35.