asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under what conditions and surveillance the ex-Mufti, who is classified as a war criminal, is today living in Egypt.

In answer to the right hon. Member for West Bristol (Mr. Stanley) on 2nd July, the Prime Minister said that negotiations about the Mufti were proceeding with the Egyptian Government. I regret that I cannot yet add anything to that reply. My right hon. Friend is mistaken in thinking that the ex-Mufti is classified as a war criminal, since, as my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs explained in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Cardiff (Mr. G. Thomas) on 15th April, he is not an enemy national, nor a person who served in the enemy forces.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the ex-Mufti has been officially listed as a war criminal by the Yugoslav Government, and that in a speech made to the Egyptian Senate, on 15th July, which was fully reported in "The Times" on 16th July, the Egyptian Premier stated that no restrictions were to be placed either on the political activities or movements of the Mufti in Egypt? Has my right hon. Friend seen that speech, and has he taken any action?

Negotiations with the Egyptian Government are going on, and I cannot add to what I have said, except that our grievances against the ex-Mufti are more serious than those of Yugoslavia.

In the vocabulary of the Foreign Office, is anybody a war or other kind of criminal before he has been tried? Could I have an answer to that?

I think that in everybody's vocabulary certain people are listed as war criminals, and are then brought up for trial.

Is there any truth in Press reports this morning to the effect that the ex-Mufti has been invited by the Palestine Administration to Palestine?

There is no truth in it whatever.

Is it not a fact that the ex-Mufti did organise Arab deserters into an S.S. Waffen Korps, to fight against this country during the war?

What about "Uncle Joe"?

There is no doubt the Mufti did what he could during the war to damage British interests.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the death of two military policemen at the hands of a mob in Alexandria on 14th July.

The facts are as follows: On 13th July, at 9.15 p.m., a number of British military police were walking along a street at Alexandria, when two grenades were thrown. A crowd of Egyptians gathered, who were apparently misled into thinking that the British troops were responsible for the explosion. The military police, when they saw the crowd collecting, made towards a police station, in which, when they reached it, they took refuge. Seven of them were injured by the crowd; one of them was stabbed and he has, I regret to say, since died as a result of his wounds. As the hon. and gallant Member will be aware from a statement issued by the Foreign Office on 24th July, His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo has made a most energetic protest about this and other outrages which have occurred. The Egyptian authorities have now informed us that, as a result of the action they have taken, a number of persons believed to be responsible for these crimes have been arrested. The Egyptian Prime Minister has sent my right hon. Friend a personal letter, in which he deplores these crimes and expresses his deep sympathy with the victims.

In view of the relatively unprotected position of British nationals in Egypt, is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the Egyptian Government realise their responsibility to protect them?

Yes, Sir, I think the Egyptian Government realise that very fully, and have taken very vigorous and satisfactory action in the matter.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether compensation has been asked for in respect of these outrages?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the paramount need of establishing and extending understanding and goodwill towards this country among European, Soviet and Middle East peoples, he will consider the improvement of the present Overseas Broadcast Service, particularly in relation to the unsatis- factory grouping of countries in the B.B.C. organisation and the checking of actual broadcasts made, so that their accuracy and tact may be assured.

His Majesty's Government agree with the hon. Member in thinking that broadcasting is an important instrument in promoting understanding and goodwill towards this country. This has been clearly shown both in the White Paper on Broadcasting Policy and in the remarks of my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council in the Debate in the Committee of Supply, on 16th July. But, for the reasons given in the White Paper and by my right hon. Friend, it is not the policy of His Majesty's Government to control the output of the B.B.C., or to dictate the details of its internal organisation.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware of the precise criticism which I offered of this particular service, and that I addressed a series of precise points to the Lord President of the Council on this question? As the right hon. Gentleman himself has chosen to reply to me, is he not prepared to pay the slightest attention to the criticisms which I made in the recent Debate, which were not answered?

I will certainly pay full attention to the hon. Gentleman's criticisms and proposals, but I do not think that I could usefully add, at Question time, to what my right hon. Friend the Lord President said.

asked the Lord President of the Council what further broadcasting stations on the European Continent he proposes to try to acquire or otherwise prevent from broadcasting to this country; and with which foreign Governments he is now negotiating or intends to negotiate for the suppression of broadcasts which may be heard here.

At present, none, Sir. I would take this opportunity of making clear that a primary object of our negotiations with the Luxembourg Government is to obtain the use of Radio Luxembourg jointly with the French Government for broadcasts to Germany and Austria.

Is there any truth in the statement, made over the weekend, that Luxembourg are to undertake this programme and have now invited artists to go there?

I should not like to pronounce without notice upon statements that are made over the weekend, because all sorts of statements are made over the weekend.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the announce-by General McNarney, the Military Governor of the U.S. zone in Germany, that the proposed plan for economic unity between the British and U.S. zones would mean the U.S.A. having a 50 per cent. share of the Ruhr coal production and supplying coal and steel to industries in the U.S. zone; that U.S. business men would visit Germany to offer raw material for processing and export in the form of finished goods; and if he will give an assurance that no agreement will be entered into which helps German-U.S. manufacturers to compete with British exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in considering any U.S. proposals for the economic unification of the British and U.S. zones of Germany, he will safeguard the right of His Majesty's Government to promote or encourage the reconstruction of the British zone on the basis of public ownership of key industries and services and public control of external trade.

In view of the important issues which they have raised, I would ask my hon. Friends to await the statement on future economic policy in the British zone in Germany which I will make in the Debate this afternoon.

Will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that no decision will be taken which will prejudice the possibility of carrying out a Socialist policy in the British zone of Germany?

Yes, Sir. I am very glad to give that assurance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proposals he has made to the French, Soviet, U.S. and other interested Governments for their joint participation with His Majesty's Government in the ownership and control of the coal, iron and steel industries of the Ruhr.

His Majesty's Government have made no definite proposals concerning the international ownership and control of the industries of the Ruhr. There have, however, been some informal discussions between officials of His Majesty's Government and other Governments, but His Majesty's Government do not desire to take part in more definite negotiations if they are restricted to the control of the Ruhr industries alone. They consider that that question should not be treated in isolation, but only as part of the general question of Germany's economic and political future and on a basis of strict reciprocity.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is now in a position to grant facilities, in extreme compassionate cases, for people in Great Britain to visit relatives in the British zone of Germany.

Yes, Sir. Short visits, justified on extreme compassionate grounds, can now be permitted although the number has to be severely restricted in view of present conditions in Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will prepare and announce a release and repatriation scheme for German prisoners of war classified as anti-Nazi or non-Nazi.

The repatriation of German prisoners of war is mentioned in paragraph 45 of the Report of the Select Committee on the Estimates for the Control Office for Germany and Austria which is to be discussed this afternoon. With my hon. Friend's consent, I will ask him to await the statement which I will make on the subject in the course of the Debate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the text of the British-Polish financial agreement contained a clause conditioning its ratification to the keeping of the Yalta or Potsdam agreements.

No, Sir, but the intentions of His Majesty's Government were conveyed to the Polish Ambassador in an official note.

If there was no specific clause in the agreement, are the Government really justified in withholding ratification of the agreement?

I have explained before why we desire to withhold ratification until we feel sure that the Yalta Agreement is to be carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if any date has been fixed for free elections in Poland; what authority exists under the Yalta Agreement for the British Government and the U.S. Government to supervise such elections and so to arrange that the votes are counted correctly; and if there has been any consultation with the Polish Provisional Government on this matter of procedure and the counting of votes.

In a note addressed to His Majesty's Ambassador on 29th April, the Polish Provisional Government informed His Majesty's Government that elections would be held during the autumn of this year. The terms of the Crimea and Potsdam Agreements do not provide for foreign supervision of the elections, and there have been no discussions with the Polish Provisional Government on the subject.

Does my right hon. Friend consider, taking into account the conditions that exist in Poland, that the various parties have had a fair opportunity of expressing their opinions, and does he think that, if there is no proper supervision by our Government in this matter, the voting can be a reverse to the Provisional Government?

We have no right under any existing agreement to propose international supervision. If the Polish Government or the parties in Poland asked for it, that would be a different matter.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether, in view of the declaration of Yalta that the Polish elections should be free and unfettered, His Majesty's Government will make it perfectly clear to the Polish Government that if they are not free and unfettered His Majesty's Government will not be best pleased?

We have done that many times already.

Have His Majesty's Government received any sort of assurance at all from the Polish Government?

Yes, Sir, we have received assurances.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give the figures for the number of persons in the Sudan punished by flogging during 1945 and the preceding years from the outbreak of war and the number of civilians and members of the Sudan Defence Force who were subject to flogging during these years, with the types of offence for which this punishment was ordered.

With my hon. Friend's permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT such detailed information as I have available about flogging in the Sudan for the years 1939 to 1945. I have asked for further information and will communicate with my hon. Friend when it is received.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that the worrying thing about such figures as have been published is that there has been a very rapid rise in floggings, from 25,000 in 1937 to 35,000 in 1944? What is the reason for this rapid increase?

It is precisely that kind of figure about which I want to make further inquiry, and that is why I have asked for a report. Of course, my hon. Friend will recognise that there has been, unfortunately, a very great increase of crime during the war, and a shortage of prison accommodation which could not be remedied.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the annual cost of Lord Killearn's organisation in Malaya.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the size of the European and Asiatic staff working for Lord Killearn in Malaya; what is the annual estimated cost; and if any part of it falls on the exchequers of the Malayan Governments.

Lord Killearn has 101 Europeans and 103 Asiatics on his staff. The estimated annual cost is about £150,000, but this figure does not include the cost of board and lodging and transport, which is provided for most of the European staff at the expense of His Majesty's Government. I am inquiring about this cost, and will communicate with the hon. Members. No part of the expenditure falls on the Malayan Governments.

How long is this arrangement likely to continue, and will the right hon. Gentleman issue some sort of White Paper showing what are the functions of Lord Killearn, and what would justify this enormous number of staff?

I think my right hon. Friend has explained the purpose of this organisation set up by my right hon. Friend under Lord Killearn, and in view of the really remarkable results which Lord Killearn has already obtained in increasing the supply of food in places where there was great danger of death by famine in the Far East, I think the result has fully justified his action.

Why should the whole of the very heavy expense of this extravagant establishment be borne by the British taxpayers?

I think it was a contribution which we were able to make, and glad to make, towards the solution of an extremely difficult problem.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement in reference to the recent visit to this country of the Greek Prime Minister, particularly as affecting the forthcoming plebiscite.

The communiqué which was issued at the end of the Greek Prime Minister's visit fully covered the conversations which took place, and I have nothing to add to its terms. The occasion was taken to impress on Monsieur Tsaldaris the urgent hope of His Majesty's Government that the forthcoming plebiscite will be held in conditions of law and order which will enable the electors of all parties to cast their votes with a sense of freedom and security, and he was warned of the lamentable impression which would be created abroad if there appeared to be grounds for thinking that the result did not properly express the will of the Greek people.

As a result of these conversations, is there any prospect of the very oppressive Public Security Acts being modified, particularly as the Undersecretary of State indicated on 1st July that he was making suggestions to that end?

That is quite a different question. Perhaps the hon. Member will put another Question on the Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Greek Government have agreed to make any changes in the new Extraordinary Measures for Public Order Act as a result of the advice given by the British Ambassador.

The law concerning Extraordinary Measures for Public Order was proposed by the Greek Government to their Parliament, and was adopted by that Parliament after certain amendments had been made to meet the objections of the Opposition. The Greek Government and Parliament are, therefore, solely responsible for the Law, and I have no statement to make.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs informed me a week or two ago that we were giving certain advice to the Greek Government in respect of this law, and can he say what advice has been given and what response has been received?

My right hon. Friend is not here, so I cannot consult him about this. I do not think I want to add to what I have said already.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether it is more important or less important in Greece or in Poland that elections should be free and unfettered?

We have debated this matter and I think it is agreed that the report of the Allied Commission shows that the elections in Greece, broadly speaking, were free and represented the will of those who voted.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what British subjects are held by the Yugoslav Government; and for what reason.

According to the information at my disposal there are five British subjects belonging to Canada, one belonging to Australia and two belonging to the United Kingdom. I do not think it would be in the public interest to add anything further.

While not wishing to press any question and possibly do harm to these people, but remembering that we are about to separate for 11 or 12 weeks, may I have an assurance that information will be sought quickly and communicated to those who are most interested?

I will take the earliest opportunity of letting the hon. Member know all the facts that I can gather.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) to how many British subjects, normally resident in the United Kingdom, it is intended to grant privileges and immunities under S.R. & O. 895 of 1946 and by orders made thereunder;

I am informed that the European Coal Organisation intend to ask for privileges and immunities under Statutory Rules and Orders 895 of 1946 to be granted to 17 British subjects normally resident in the United Kingdom and to 20 persons other than British subjects normally resident in the United Kingdom. I will communicate the details of the privileges and immunities which are granted to the hon. Member.

Is the right hon. Gentleman really satisfied that it is necessary for the efficient working of this organisation that this very substantial number of people should be so privileged?

Yes, Sir, I think it is; 11 of them are representatives of foreign Governments, the British—all of them—only receive the minimum immunity from legal suit in respect of their official actions; and I think only two of the officials, both foreigners, receive the wider diplomatic immunity.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why special facilities of luxury travel and food were afforded to Herr E. Wendler, ex-German Minister to Siam and his family on the "Empress of Australia"; why special instructions were issued by the Home and Foreign Offices to attempt to ensure secrecy regarding his transport; and if he is aware that deep resentment is felt by Service personnel who travelled on the same boat at the privileges extended to an ex-Nazi.

According to my information no special facilities were afforded to the former German Minister to Siam, and no instructions were issued to keep his movements secret. On His Majesty's Troopship "Empress of Australia," it was found expedient, for reasons which my hon. Friend will readily appreciate, to keep the surrendered German personnel in separate accommodation by themselves. This may have aroused the suspicion that they were receiving preferential treatment, but, in fact, neither the former German Minister and his family, nor the remainder of the German surrendered personnel who travelled with him, were accorded special privileges of any kind.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that that is quite contrary to the information given by people who sailed on the ship in question?

I should like to assure my hon. Friend that this is official information from those who provided the accommodation and those who commanded the ship.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will arrange for the issue of five-yearly driving licences for motorists.

No, Sir. I attach considerable importance to the annual declaration of physical fitness. In addition, there is some advantage in the licence bearing the current address of the holder.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that if housewives and old people can carry home their shopping baskets by omnibus. they are saved a great deal of fatigue; and if he will take steps to provide short-stage 1d. omnibus fares to facilitate shopping conditions.

I presume that my hon. Friend refers to omnibuses in the London area. As she is probably aware, the Charges Consultative Committee have conducted a public inquiry, which ended on 18th July, for the purpose of advising me as to the best method of adjusting the Board's fares. I must therefore defer consideration of the second part of the Question until I have received their report.

Will my right hon. Friend remember that in these days there are a great many old and infirm people who have no alternative but to go and buy and carry home their rations and other things with great difficulty, added to which the ordinary housewife's burden is a very heavy one, so that if she has long distances to walk, carrying a heavy basket, it makes her very much more tired?

asked the Minister of Transport what is the average time taken for a consignment of goods to come by goods train from Glasgow to London via the L.N.E.R. service.

Three days, Sir.

Is the Minister aware that the average time is found by private traders to be nearer three weeks, and in many cases a month, and will he look into the services?

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will indicate plans for the initiation of electrification of railways in Scotland, especially in Edinburgh, Glasgow and in the Highlands.

No schemes for the electrification of railways in Scotland are before me at present.

Will the Minister try electrifying his own Department to get on with this matter?

asked the Minister of Transport under what authority Arthur Chaplin, L.N.E.R. ticket collector, was dismissed by the L.N.E.R. following upon his conviction for an offence in connection with clothes rationing at Old Street court on 18th July.

Mr. Arthur Chaplin has not been dismissed by the L.N.E.R. The statement made by the company's legal representative during the prosecution that he would be dismissed was due to a misunderstanding, and was incorrect.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that a crowded train on the Piccadilly Railway broke down in Ravenscourt Park Station at about 5.50 on 18th July and that the conductor refused to allow the passengers to alight for 22 minutes; and if he will see that in future conductors are instructed to open the doors of a train that breaks down in a station even if it is not scheduled to stop at that station in the ordinary way.

I am informed that the train in question was held by signal at Ravenscourt Park Station because another train ahead had developed a defect. I am informed that there was a delay of seven, not 22, minutes, before the doors were opened. The London Passenger Transport Board regret that on this occasion their standing regulation as to the opening of the doors was not carried out more promptly.

asked the Minister of Transport if increased accommodation will be provided for passengers on the 5.53 a.m. train from Exchange Station, Liverpool, to Todmorden, owing to the acute congestion between Blackburn and Accrington.

I understand that it is on the 6.45 a.m. train from Preston to Todmorden, with which the 5.53 a.m. train from Liverpool to Blackpool connects, that congestion sometimes occurs. Since 3rd July, whenever rolling stock permits, this train has been strengthened by an extra coach, which meets the requirements of the traffic.

asked the Minister of Transport how many cargoes originally intended for Aberdeen have been diverted to other East coast of Scotland ports during the last four weeks; to what other ports they were so diverted; how many of these cargoes so diverted have then been sent by rail to Aberdeen and how many to other centres; and why this was done.

I am not aware of any ships being diverted from Aberdeen during the last four weeks. Just previous to that period, however, a ship carrying 3,700 tons of phosphates was due to arrive at Aberdeen during a period of neap tides. In order to avoid a delay of 12 days to the ship the Fertiliser Control arranged to discharge the cargo at Leith for local consumption.

Will the Minister look into this again in order to ascertain whether the implication in the Question is accurate; axe not the railways in North East Scotland, in fact, being made more congested thereby; have not the Ministry of Fuel and Power sought to relieve this congestion by diverting coal traffic from rail to ship, and will the Minister ask that this be discontinued?

That seems to me to raise many points which are not in the Question.

asked the Minister of Transport what percentage of the tonnage in actual use for taking Service personnel on leave from the Continent has been requisitioned from cross-channel services between Great Britain and Ireland.

Three vessels formerly engaged on cross-channel services between Great Britain and Ireland prior to requisitioning are now engaged on Service personnel movement to and from the Continent, and represent 14.06 per cent. of the present total tonnage so employed.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that hundreds of the fortunate people who have managed to circumvent the obstructions of the Passport Office in going to Ireland are not able to cross, and have had to cancel their holidays, because there are not sufficient boats? May I have an answer to my question?

It is a question which appears to concern the Passport Office.

Is not the Minister aware that people who got through the Passport Office are still unfortunate, because they cannot get sailing tickets?

I have told the hon. Member on more than one occasion that this service has not suffered adversely, compared with similar services.

asked the Minister of Transport why work on the reconditioning of the s.s. "Lady Connaught" is held up, in view of the need for cross-channel ships to Ireland.

This vessel was redelivered to her owners on 2nd January this year, and the arrangements for reconditioning are in their hands. They have informed me that the work is proceeding satisfactorily.

asked the Prime Minister if he will propose the appointment of a Select Committee of this House with the intention of devising means whereby Bills and Orders may be so prepared that their intention is expressed in simpler language.

I have been asked to reply. No, Sir. Those responsible for the drafting of Bills and Orders are well aware of the necessity for expressing their intention in the simplest language that the subject matter permits, but the draftsman's duty to make himself as readily intelligible as possible must always be related to the important duty of making sure that what he writes cannot be misconstrued by the ingenuity of those who may wish to take advantage of any loophole. In short, the draftsman has a double duty—to be understood and also not to be misunderstood.

Why, therefore, do the draftsmen put an Explanatory Note, in simple language which can be understood, while the main body of the Order is unintelligible?

The Explanatory Note was put in at the urgent request of the House in order to oblige hon. Members.

Why cannot it be embodied in the main Order?

Because the language has to be interpreted in the courts, and argued by counsel on both sides. It must stand legal construction, in the light of legal experience.

Why is it more important that Bills should be intelligible to courts than to people?

Both are equally necessary, but as the courts have to make decisions, that aspect of the matter is equally important, as I should have thought the hon. Member would understand, from his experience of public administration.

Cannot it become the general practice for all Bills and Orders to have attached to them a Memorandum which will be comprehended by the ordinary citizen?

Indeed, with regard to Orders, that is what we have done. We must be careful how far we go about Explanatory Notes, or the courts will object that the Executive are trying to interpret the law. which is the business of the courts.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the courts would have no objection at all if Ministers said "scarce" instead of "in short supply"?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what research or experiments are now being carried out in connection with the problem of planting trees on industrial waste land such as that surrounding disused coal, iron, stone and other workings.

Although the Forestry Commission has no land of this type in its ownership and does not carry out research or experiments into the problem of planting trees on industrial waste land, it has assisted private owners with technical advice on the problems that arise, and I understand that considerable planting, largely of an experimental nature, has been carried out by the owners concerned in recent years.

Does that answer mean that the Forestry Commission are not contemplating planting in rather grim districts, such as parts of County Durham, on lands which are no good for agriculture but might yield a good crop of timber?

I do not think that is the special province of the Forestry Commission under the powers in the Act of 1919. The answer I have given to the hon. Gentleman indicates that they have been of some assistance.

Have the Ministry's advisers conducted any research into the natural regeneration of vegetation on screes and landslips where a good many useful lessons are to be learned from land such as that we are now talking about?

The question raises a rather different point, so perhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman will let us see it on the Paper.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what research is now being carried out into the improvement of machinery for cutting field drains.

My Department is actively cooperating with manufacturers in the development of new machinery and the improvement of existing machines for cutting field drains. The working of the machinery in the field is kept under close observation and the results made available to the manufacturers.

Is the Minister aware that there is practically no machinery at the moment capable of doing this work? Is he also aware that traditional methods of cutting these drains are prohibited by reason of high cost? Is it not a fact that if he can improve this machinery he will at the same time achieve a great improvement in food production from marginal land?

I am sure the hon. Gentleman knows that the Agricultural Machinery Development Research Board have had this matter under review from time to time and have been, as the hon. Member doubtless also knows, of considerable assistance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will now reimpose the Warble Fly (Dressing of Cattle) Order, 1936, suspended during the war.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps are to be taken before 1947 to deal with the labour shortage which has prevented the reimposition of the Warble Fly Order; and whether he will reintroduce the Order as soon as the labour shortage has been disposed of.

The operation of the Order which required all cattle visibly infested with warble fly maggots to be treated with prescribed dressing during mid-March to end of June, was is spended in 1942 chiefly because of the impossibility of obtaining supplies of derris and in a lesser degree to shortage of labour. I hope that it may be possible to reimpose the Order next spring.

In view of a number of Questions which have been put down on the constant procrastination in regard to this matter, why do we have to wait until next spring before this Order is reim-posed? Hides are being ruined, the yield of milk and meat is suffering, and £130,000 per annum is being lost by the Ministry of Food in regard to these hides.

Because it is in spring that the warble fly does its damage.

Like the Socialists.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why farmers are made to pay the same rates for prisoners of war who are under 21 years of age as for those who are over that age.

It is not practicable to fix charges for prisoner labour differing according to the age and qualifications of individual prisoners. I understand that the number of German prisoners under 21 is less than one per cent. of the total.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the effect of making farmers pay the same for these men under 21 as is paid for those over 21 is that many German prisoners are being charged to the farmers at a higher rate than British workers of the same age? Is he aware, moreover, that many farmers estimate that at least one-eighth of the German prisoners working on farms are under 21?

As the original answer indicated, our information is that the total number of any such persons is less than one per cent of the whole, and we therefore take the view that, administratively, it would be exceedingly difficult to make any variation. Moreover, if one were to follow that course, there is the further point to be borne in mind that there are German prisoners who have special qualifications, and no additional charge is made for those additional qualifications.