asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why coupons for purchase of civilian clothing are not issued to patients in R.A.F. hospitals undergoing longterm treatment.

As stated by my right hon. and learned Friend the President of the Board of Trade on Monday, airmen who have one year or more to serve on 1st October, 1946, will receive an issue of 21 civilian clothing coupons. We also provide clothing for airmen who are patients in R.A.F. hospitals. This outfit includes pyjamas and dressing gown; a red tie, a white shirt and a blue coat and trousers.

Does the Under-Secretary of State appreciate the position of men in these hospitals who will be demobilised on discharge from the hospital and who are only offered uniform, plus a red tie, although they are never going to wear uniform again; and is any useful purpose served in pressing uniforms upon them when what they want is coupons to buy civilian clothes?

I will look into these points. There is, of course, the big concession of 21 coupons for those men who have more than a year to serve.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air how many applications for permanent commissions are awaiting decision by his Department; and when it is proposed to announce the results of these applications.

Since March, 1944, about 26,000 officers altogether have applied for permanent or extended-service commissions. Some 5,500 have not yet received a reply to their application. We are issuing frequent selection lists and I hope that before the end of the year everyone will know what has been decided.

While appreciating that the hon. Gentleman's Department has a considerable task in this matter, may I ask him to bear in mind that many of these young men are due for demobilisation very shortly, and that it would help them to plan their future careers if they could be given an answer about this as soon as possible?

I understand that. Of course, all these applications have to be examined carefully, in justice both to the men and to the taxpayers. We can afford only the best.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that some of these officers filled in application forms for permanent commissions some three years ago, and have not yet been told whether or not they are to be given permanent commissions? Will the hon. Gentleman do something about this quickly?

I understand that the scheme did not start until March, 1944, but if there are any which have been long outstanding and the hon. and gallant Gentleman will give me examples of them, I will look into them.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made with the formation of the Reserve of Air Force Officers and the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve: and when applicants will be accepted for service.

I am afraid there is little I can yet add to the answers given by my predecessor on 27th March and 1st May. The hon. and gallant Member will realise that much has to be done on the accommodation side alone before a real start can be made with training and that it is bad policy to recruit men before we have training facilities. I can, however, assure him that everything will be done to re-form the reserves and to provide training as soon as we can.

While I appreciate the Minister's difficulties, may I ask if he is aware that many of these ex-N.C.O.'s and officer-pilots have been out of the Service for over a year and are rapidly getting out of flying training, so that unless steps are taken at an early date to train them the cost to the Government will be much more and they will not get the material? Will he look into the matter?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why Mr. R. H. Hunter was discharged from No. 23 Maintenance Unit, Aldergrove.

The work at this Unit has been declining for some time and Mr. Hunter is one of the employees whose services are no longer required.

Is the Minister aware that this highly skilled man is now unemployed? Is the real reason because he refused to leave his union and join the Amalgamated Engineering Union?

With regard to the second part of the question I have no information; as for the first point, this man was given an opportunity of transferring to work in this country and he declined to take it.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air if he is aware that there is only one person in the married quarters at Northcotes R.A.F. Station, Lincolnshire, and, in view of the shortage of houses, if he will now carry out his officially announced policy by offering the accommodation to the local authorities.

These married quarters are already being allocated to Royal Air Force families who are at present mostly in private houses. We have to take our turn in getting the quarters done up, but we are aiming to have them all ready and fully in use this autumn.

Is it not a fact that a similar answer was given to me a few months ago? Is the Minister aware that I am told by my constituents that the quarters in question are still empty, and can he expedite the matter?

I have attempted to explain that we could not very well take men and materials out of turn and prejudice the local authorities of Lincolnshire in order to get these buildings ready for occupation, but if the hon. Member finds at any time that there are buildings there which are ready for occupation and are not occupied, I should like him to let me know.

asked the Under-Secre-tary of State for Air when it is intended to close down the R.A.F. station at Kirkham, Lancashire, and transfer the civilian armament instructors back to their permanent station at Manby, Lincolnshire, since these workers have been separated from their families for over five years.

The return of these civilian instructors to their families at Manby does not depend on Kirkham being closed. It has always been made clear that liability to serve anywhere in the United Kingdom is one of the conditions of service for our civilian instructors.

May I ask the Minister it he is not aware that these men were sent to Kirkham as a wartime measure and for the war period only, and will he reconsider letting them return to their families?

As I have stated, it is quite clear that these men are liable to serve anywhere in the United Kingdom. The functions of Kirkham and Manby are somewhat different and the instructors are not necessarily interchangeable. If, however, there is any case in which an exchange posting can be personally arranged between Manby and Kirkham I shall, of course, look into the matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he will now announce the continuance of the B.O.A.C. service between Bermuda and the U.S.A.

Yes, Sir. The B.O.A.C. flying-boat service between Bermuda and Baltimore is to continue in operation until further notice.

Can the Minister say what type of aircraft will be used on this service?

Immediately, the existing Boeing flying boats are to be used. We are considering the possibility of using Sun-derland Vs, which will be named "Plymouths," when they become available.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation the reason for the increased landing fees to be imposed on aircraft using State-controlled airfields.

I refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Glasgow (Colonel J. R. H. Hutchison) on 24th July and to my hon. Friend the Member for Acock's Green (Mr. Usborne) on 26th July. In brief, the landing fees have recently been increased to meet increases of costs in establishment and maintenance, especially at airfields provided with hard runways. I take the opportunity of adding that these rates will not apply to flying clubs, with whom my Ministry is willing to make special arrangements.

May I ask my hon. Friend whether these rates will apply to British aircraft?

Yes, Sir, they will apply to all aircraft except those of my own Ministry.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that it is said that increased landing fees are in the neighbourhood of 400 per cent. and that such a substantial increase will have severe repercussions on landing fees in other parts of the world?

No, Sir. Compared with prewar charges the increases are: for commercial aircraft, 50 per cent. for aerodromes with grass runways and 150 per cent. for aerodromes with hard runways; for private aircraft they range, according to weight, from 50 per cent. to 114 per cent. for aerodromes with grass runways, and from 150 per cent. to 257 per cent. for aerodromes with hard runways. I may add that there has been mis- understanding because in addition to the prewar charges there was often an extra loading charge for each passenger.

Since the airfields will now be nationalised, would my hon. Friend reconsider the whole question of charges in so far as it affects British aircraft?

This is only a preliminary scale and the whole matter will be revised next year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will lay before the House a White Paper describing the approaches which the Minister has made to other countries regarding the establishment of an international organisation to own and operate trunk services, and the results of such approaches.

No, Sir. As I explained on 24th January last my noble Friend's international negotiations all have the greater goal of international operation in view. Practical effect has been given to this principle in the arrangements made following the Wellington Conference in February last for the creation of a joint Australia—New Zealand—United Kingdom Corporation for the operation of air services across the Pacific Ocean. For the rest, however, the position remains as I reported it on 24th January last. I should add that in the course of the discussions which took place in Montreal in June last at the meeting of the Interim Assembly of the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organisation the United Kingdom delegation made it clear that the United Kingdom favours the international operation of international air services. Although supported by Australia, New Zealand and Belgium it was evident that no sufficient measure of international support was forthcoming to enable further progress to be made at the present time.

Although the position outlined by my hon. Friend is that the Government say they would like to have an international owning authority but that other Governments will not play, is it not, in point of fact, that the Government do not ask any other Governments whether they will cooperate?

No, Sir. I have been charged myself with a good many of these international negotiations and I have put the question specifically to other Governments concerned.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he is now in a position to state whether it is intended to use Loch Ryan, Wigtownshire, as a flying-boat base.

The position is as stated in my reply to the hon. Member on 17th July last.

Could we know what that reply was?

The reply was that we must await the consultations with other Departments which are now proceeding.

May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he will bear very carefully in mind the anxiety which is being felt about the long time which is being taken to come to a decision? In view of the very vital part which Loch Ryan played in the war, will he give this matter serious consideration?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he has any statement to make on the number and type of aircraft it is proposed to use on the Atlantic route of B.O.A.C. in place of the Constellation-taken off service; how long it is anticipated that they will be off the service; was there any clause in the contract of purchase to cover compensation for such an eventuality; and why these aircraft were purchased, in view of the technical and operational difficulties that this design of aircraft has continuously encountered, even before the purchase was made.

As I stated in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for South Blackpool (Wing-Commander Robinson) on 17th July and to my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Mr. Proctor) on 24th July, I am unable to make a statement on the temporary grounding of the Constellations until the investigation now proceeding in America is complete. It is not proposed at present to provide alternative aircraft for use on the B.O.A.C. trans-Atlantic service. The answer to the third part of the Question is "No, Sir." The Constellations were purchased by B.O.A.C. because they were the most suit- able aircraft available for operation on the North Atlantic route and I cannot accept the statements or implications contained in the last part of the Question.

May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary if the Minister is aware of the report which appeared in the Press recently made by the American Airline Pilots' Association, which stated:

"A majority of the pilots flying Constellations believe the planes definitely dangerous and unsafe for commercial airline use ''?

The B.O.A.C. pilots who have been flying these aircraft have expressed their complete satisfaction with them. We are fully aware of the reports to which the hon. Gentleman has referred, and we are satisfied with the technical advice given. These aircraft were ordered by airlines all over the world.

What steps have been taken, either by officials of his Department or of the corporation, to satisfy themselves of the airworthiness of these aircraft before making the purchase?

We accepted the certificate of the American authorities, who have a very high reputation in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the objection of Kenya Africans to the Kipande system of compulsory passports, he is prepared to recommend that the ordinance under which this discriminatory practice operates, be rescinded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make representations to the Government of Kenya regarding the abolition of the Kipande system of registration which is causing resentment amongst Africans in Kenya.

The Sub-Committee of the Kenya Labour Advisory Board, to which I referred in the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend on 14th May, has not yet reported, and I am not therefore in a position to add to that reply. I am in communication with the Governor about expediting the report.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that there is a Kipande system in use in this country, in the form of an identity card whose termination was refused by Government last week? Will he see that the native East African gets no priority over the inhabitants of this country?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which of the West African Colonies special representation is given to private trading monopolies in the Legislative Council.

No individual firm is represented on any West African Legislative Council but all four Legislatures include at least one member nominated by the Governor, usually on the advice of such bodies as any local chamber of commerce or mines, to represent commercial interests generally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many African and British doctors, respectively, and qualified nurses are now giving service in West Africa; and what progress he expects will be registered in respect of the expansion of medical services and the increase of African doctors and nurses during the next five years.

In order to give a complete reply to this Question I am asking the West African Governors for present figures and future estimates, and I will write to my hon. Friend when I have their replies.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he himself knows in a broad sense whether any substantial progress has been made in the absorption of West Africans into the medical and nursing service?

Some progress has been made, but I would prefer to await the reply from the Governor before giving my hon. Friend any details.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what amounts were involved in the destruction of food left behind in Nigeria by U.S. troops; and why better use was not made of these supplies.

I have no information about this matter, but I will make inquiries from the Governor and let the hon. and gallant Member know as soon as I get a reply.

There are allegations that large quantities of military stores in West African Colonies are being destroyed or going to be destroyed or dumped into the sea. Will the right hon. Gentleman direct his attention to that?

I certainly will—

I do not associate myself with that, but I have heard the stories.

—but I have not heard any suggestion that that was the case. When I was in West Africa in January that subject came under discussion and I was assured that there was a surplus only of Army lorries.

Can the right hon. Gentleman extend that assurance to medical stores?

I will have inquiries made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reports he has recently received of disturbances or demonstrations in Nigeria.

I have received no such reports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will reconsider the claim of the Akarigbo of Ijebu-Remo to £3,000 alleged to have been made in an agreement of 4th August, 1894, between the Akarigbo's predecessor and the Governor of Lagos.

No, Sir. The Akarigbo was entitled to a stipend of £100 a year under the 1894 Treaty and the claim of £3,000 represents the sum of the payments which he considers should have been made to him since he was installed in 1916. But since then he has been paid a salary from Native Authority funds, which has now risen to £600, and I am satisfied that its payment fulfils the Treaty obligation; indeed a much higher sum is now paid than was provided in it.

Is the Minister aware that the dispute is concerned with the fact that payment for two or three items covered by the original stipend is now being refused? Would he not look into this matter more closely?

I have looked into this matter. In all the circumstances, there is no justification for the claim, and this person is very much better off than he would be if the agreement were applied.

Is it not true that the amount paid for the salary is for a specific service while the other represents what was given the Akarigbo some time ago?

I am quite prepared to discuss this matter with my hon. Friend.

What functions does the Akarigbo perform in Ijebu-Remo for this £600?

The functions which, in the opinion of the Governor, give him the salary to which he is entitled.

Are there any vacancies in these appointments?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the retail prices of Iraqi petrol, paraffin and fuel oil in Palestine; on what basis were the prices fixed; and whether he is satisfied that the cost of carrying the raw product from Iraq justifies the much higher prices charged for the refined products in Palestine than in Iraq.

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

But is the Secretary of State aware that oil prices in Palestine are much too high—

Prices are everywhere too high.

—and that the Palestine Government were asked for pipeline way-leaves and were therefore in a strong position to demand reasonable prices? Was this failure to do so due to the fact that the British Government were, and are, a large holder of oil shares?

I do not think that the latter part of the hon. Gentleman's question has anything at all to do with the matter. If he will wait and see the figures I am giving, I think he will find that the price of oil is not unduly high.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has considered the official poster advertising recruiting for the Palestine police; and if he will consider withdrawing it.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes," Sir, and to the second "No," Sir.

Would the Minister be good enough to tell me what policing Palestine has to do with national defence, and whether there is any significance in the phrase "a man's job" in view of the fact that no women are making application for these posts?

The police are acting in strict cooperation with the military at the present time, and, if I may say so, they are doing their job very well indeed.

Would not the Minister arrange to get the police for Palestine in Palestine?

There are quite a number of Jews and Arabs serving in the police force in Palestine.

Will the Minister answer the Question I put to him, and not merely talk about how well the police are doing their job? What has policing in Palestine to do with national defence? Will the Minister assure us that this is not an attempt to reorganise the Black and Tans?

The police forces are apart from the defence forces in Palestine, at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what statistics of water measurements in and relative to Palestine have been compiled; to what non-official parties such statistics have been communicated: and if he will arrange to have them made available to the public in printed form.

The information asked for by my hon. Friend is contained in the "Survey of Palestine" published in Jerusalem by the Government of Pales-time for the, information of the Anglo-American Committee of inquiry. Copies of this publication, in which Chapter 10 is relevant, are in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give details of the Jordan Valley Project referred to in the Report of the Anglo-American Committee on Palestine; and whether British technical experts have expressed their opinion on its feasibility, especially with reference to its potentialities for making new land available to settlers.

On a point of Order, Sir. Is it in Order for an hon. Member to ask his Question seated? The hon. Member has not risen in his place for the last two Questions.

[having risen]: Question No. 32, Sir.

I understand that this project envisages the irrigation of the plain land of Palestine with the waters of the Jordan and the generation of hydroelectric power, partly by means of a canal taking water from the Mediterranean to the lower part of the Jordan Valley. As regards expert examination of such schemes, I would ask my hon. Friend to await the statement which will be made by my right hon. Friend the Lord President in opening the Debate this afternoon.

Yes, Sir, I know, and that is the whole point. May I ask whether the report of the experts who advised this scheme has yet been made available to hon. Members of this House?

I do not know that any experts, with the exception of Dr. Lowdermilk, have examined the scheme. The hon. Member will see the scheme described in the book.

Yes, I know, and that again is the whole point. Only Dr. Lowdermilk has reported, but is it not the fact that experts who have examined the scheme do not agree with his findings?

Is it not the case that it is not only Dr. Lowdermilk who has examined this project and reported in favour of it, but one very notable American economic expert?

It is absolute boloney.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, what quantities of arms were found by the Government of Palestine before they discontinued, early this month, the military searches for weapons and ammunition in the possession of the illegal military organisations condemned by the Anglo-American Commission.

I have not yet received a complete list of the arms discovered and owing to the blowing up of the King David Hotel it may be some time before full details are available to me. I would, however, invite the hon. Member's attention to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston (Dr. Segal) on 10th July in regard to the arms discovered at Yagur.

As it is painfully obvious that those searches were not exhaustive, can the Government give us an assurance that they were not discontinued because of pressure, either from the Zionists or from any other quarter?

They were discontinued because it was the opinion of the Com-mander-in-Chief that they had achieved their purpose up to that point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether all sections of the population of Malaya are eligible for the issue of ration cards for the purchase of cloth; and whether he is satisfied that the cloth can be obtained at reasonable prices by those who need it most.

Present supplies in Malaya fall short of the minimum required to operate any rationing scheme. The local Governments are, however, distributing available supplies of textiles under a scheme designed to get this cloth to those whose need is greatest and to prevent its disappearance into the black market. Prices and distribution under this scheme are controlled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give details of the agreement between the Government of the Malayan Union and the British Association of Straits Merchants for the distribution of goods imported on behalf of the Government; and, in particular, whether the Government exercises control to ensure that distribution is in accordance with Government plans for the rehabilitation of the country; and whether there is adequate control over retail distribution and prices.

The agreement in question was made with the British Military Administration in Malaya, and is still being observed by the Civil Governments. The British Association of Straits Merchants act as agents for the Governments and provide for storage and distribution in accordance with Government direction, for which they are paid reasonable expenses. A proportion of all supplies is allocated to the association for sale on a 5 per cent. commission basis, the remainder being issued by them to other merchants for cash. Under the agreement, distribution prices are determined by Government and the price control officer fixes all subsequent wholesale and retail profit margins. The agreement will shortly lapse with the end of Government procurement.

Will my right hon. Friend make available a copy of the report upon the cost of living, and put it in the Library of the House for hon. Members, if that is at all possible?

That is another question, but I will look into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give details of the staffing and programme of work of the new Trade Union Department, distinct from the Labour Department, which has been set up in the Malayan Union.

I am not aware of any proposal to create a trade union department separate from the Labour Department in the Malayan Union. The senior of the three officers mentioned in my reply to a Question by the hon. Member for South Croydon (Mr. Rees-Williams) on 24th July, has, however, now been appointed as chief trade union adviser to the Governments of both Singapore and the Malayan Union.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will reconsider his decision to close the Malta George Cross Club at Cardiff, in view of the use made of it by Maltese seamen.

I am advised that very little use is being made of the club by Maltese seamen visiting Cardiff. The club is being closed temporarily for cleaning and reorganization and it is hoped to reopen it in about two months time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if the Colonies have done everything possible to produce the maximum quantities of Indian corn, millets and other easily-grown products of dry cultivation to meet their own food needs for man and beast and the needs of Europe.

Yes, Sir. I am satisfied that full importance is attached to producing crops of the type mentioned.

Has there been any appreciable export of food by any of the Colonies?

Oh yes, Sir, quite a lot.

What practical steps in the way of direct instruction that grain products like this will be paid for at reasonable prices have been taken?

There is a complete list which I have here. I will send the hon. Member a copy of what I have.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made with the rehabilitation of the Solomon Islands.

Steps are being taken to restore the damage caused by the Japanese occupation. The Protectorate capital, which was destroyed, is to be rebuilt. A sum of £800,000 has been allocated under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act for development services in the Solomon and Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Medical, agricultural and other services are in process of being restored and expanded and a new education department is being set up. Despite a serious shortage of shipping, every endeavour is being made to re-establish normal trade.

Would the right hon. Gentleman issue some comprehensive report so that the House might have some idea of the extent of this damage, what its value is in money and who is going to pay for it?

I will certainly consider that.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give a list of the services and the number of aeroplanes now being operated by British West Indian Airways.

The company is now operating with six aircraft. As the list of the services at present operated by the company is a long one, with the permission of the hon. Member I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this service is now increasing or decreasing compared with, say, a year ago?

I should say offhand that it is increasing.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the service is still in receipt of a subsidy from the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund?

I am of the opinion that it is. As the right hon. Gentleman knows, last year and the year before it received a heavy subsidy.

asked the Prime Minister why the total service personnel seconded to the Cabinet Office is larger than it was a year ago.

I have been asked to reply. The hon. Member has been misinformed. The total number of Service personnel seconded to the Cabinet Office is now 25 per cent. less than it was a year ago.

Presumably this is an interim arrangement. Can the Lord Privy Seal state when the long-promised White Paper on higher defence organisation will be published by the Government?

I am afraid that I am not in a position to say. I have answered the Question quite accurately.

I assume it concerns the right hon. Gentleman very much as it is an important matter.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the increasing concern in Scotland at the growing gap between the labour absorption capacity of new industries and unemployment; and whether he is satisfied with the machinery for the location of industry and that, in particular, the Ministry of Supply and the Board of Trade at all times consult the Secretary of State for Scotland as well as the Minister of Town and Country Planning with a view to encouraging industry to avail itself of the favourable conditions of labour supply for development in Scotland.

I agree that the present volume of unemployment in Scotland is a matter for concern but the allocation of Government factories for civilian production and the large scale building programme which is under way, and which can be expanded as may be necessary, should go far to absorb the number of unemployed. For details of this programme I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade to the hon. Member for South Edinburgh (Sir W. Darling) on 14th May. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative. The Scottish Office takes full part in the machinery both in London and in Scotland for dealing with distribution of industry matters, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is directly responsible for town and country planning in Scotland.

May I ask the Lord Privy Seal if he will consider advising the Department concerned to take larger areas of Scotland into the Distribution of Industry Act, especially in the East of Scotland and in the Highlands and Islands?

That really raises a question of legislation. I am afraid we shall have to amend the Schedule to the Distribution of Industry Act to do that.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is aware that not only is unemployment increasing but that a more disturbing fact is that even in the case of ex-Servicemen given special places as trainees, the Government are beginning to wash their hands of the business, not being able to find employment for them?

The House must appreciate that this is a transitional period and part of the change from war to peace. There are sure to be local disturbance and increased unemployment. I hope the hon. Gentleman is not suggesting that we should stop the training schemes, but that he is hoping what I am hoping—that we shall be able to absorb the trainees into industry.

Is not the situation envisaged in the Question largely due to action by the Government such as their civil aviation policy, whereby the aircraft industry will be lost to Scotland?

asked the Lord President of the Council by what method the members of the Advisory Committee for Wales will be appointed.

The Welsh Advisory Council of the British Broadcasting Corporation, to which I assume my hon. Friend refers will be appointed by the Governors of the Corporation, who, in accordance with their usual custom, will take such prior consultations as are appropriate.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there will be strong resentment in Wales if any appointment is made on the Welsh Advisory Committee without consulting or receiving any advice from anybody in Wales? Would he not consider making such appointments on the nomination of such a representative body as the Welsh Parliamentary party? Will he consider such nominations?

It will depend on what the House wants. If the House wants the B.B.C. to be run by Parliament and politicians, all right, but the tendency in the Debate was the other way. Whether we can get an advisory council to select an advisory council, I do not know, but if there are means whereby we can have informal consultations with representative Welsh opinion on the matter we shall be delighted to do so.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that whoever is appointed will be able to speak the Welsh language?

That is a matter for the B.B.C. I have no doubt that would be taken into account, but if I may say so with respect, I think that to exclude a large number of Welshmen and Welsh residents who do not speak the Welsh language would be rather inappropriate.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that English Members of this House are so terrified of the Welsh and Scots that if the committee consists of 100 per cent. Englishmen, they will both get better terms?

We will try to remember that.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether he is aware that' a copy of HANSARD addressed to the Cardinal Archbishop of Berlin, has been returned to the hon. Member for Ipswich, marked "Contrary to Regulations "; and if he will now modify the rules which prevent reports and books being sent to religious and political leaders in Germany.

Postal regulations are governed by Quadripartite decision and provide at present only for correspondence dealing with social and domestic matters in mails to and from Germany. The desirability of extending these regulations to enable the inclusion of newspapers, periodicals and books is recognised and the possibilities of such an extension are now under examination. As my hon. Friend is aware, an experimental scheme is already in torce whereby political leaders in Germany may receive newspapers and reports, including the weekly edition of HANSARD, through official channels. This scheme is now being reviewed and possible extensions are being considered.

But is my hon. Friend aware that, as far as I know, none other of the tributaries to the Quadripartite Agreement, which has already been burst wide open, has anything corresponding to HANSARD? Further, does he not think it important that, as we are trying to persuade people to indulge in democratic government, the full record of this House should be made available as fully as possible and as widely as possible to all enemy nationals?

I agree that it is highly desirable, and it is for that reason we are trying to get agreement to extend the present quota possibilities by Quadripartite Agreement. It seemed to me that my hon. Friend was suggesting that the Quadripartite Agreement has been burst wide open. On the contrary, we are trying to get agreement on all these matters.

By what authority does my hon. Friend's Department, or any other Department, interfere with the correspondence of hon. Members of this House? If my hon. Friend had written a letter to the Archbishop and enclosed a cutting from HANSARD, would that have been returned?

I should say, "No." The question is what constitutes a letter and what constitutes a newspaper or a periodical. The fact is that we are committed 10 the quadripartite government of Germany and we are obtaining, as far as we possibly can, agreement on these matters. There has been no difficulty so far on the matter of postal regulations.

Is it a fact that it would be perfectly all right for the hon. Gentleman to send his own speech to the Archbishop, but the fact that he sent every- body else's speeches as well made it illegal?

The regulations have been published and are well known. It is largely a matter of weight so far as the amount which can be contained in an envelope is concerned. The question of newspapers is largely a matter of mechanics on the other side including, largely, censorship.

May I ask the Chancellor of the Duchy whether, in view of his experience of the difficulty of obtaining agreement, he really proposes to continue to stop the distribution of HANSARD in Germany until he gets agreement? Surely it is about time we took a bit of unilateral action in this country and allowed a little commonsense, including the speech of the right hon. Gentleman, to be distributed widely in Germany.

asked the Minister of Food why it is that the largest manufacturers of the basic material for soapless detergents are required to export so much of their production as to cause them to lesser, supplies to the domestic market; and if he will state what action he proposes to take.

While the present soap shortage lasts exports of the raw material for soap substitutes will as from 15th August be restricted to token quantities.

:Does it mean that more soapless detergents will become available to the hair-dressing trade?

More soap substitutes in general will become available.

asked the Minister of Food with reference to New Zealand providing 10,000,000 Ib. of butter to supply the U.S. Forces in the Pacific during the next six months, how much of the 10,000,000 lb. of fat, particularly lard, to replace the above mentioned 10,000,000 lb. from New Zealand would normally have come to this country without prejudice to the exchange arrangement above mentioned.

I would like to repeat what I said in reply to the question by the hon. Member for Northern Dorset (Mr. Byers) on 26th June, namely, that the United States authorities have undertaken to replace the butter released by New Zealand in full with ân equivalent quantity of fats from their own sources.

But surely the right hon. Gentleman knows just as well as I do—and I am well informed—that both lard and butter came over here normally and, therefore, they are really not doing anything to replace that amount, and the present figures are quite misleading in this matter?

I must contest the statement of the hon. Gentleman that he is well informed because, of course, some quantities of other fats have been received from the United States but an additional quantity will be received in replacement of this amount.

It is nothing but the normal amount which is sent over here.

asked the Minister of Food what proportion of the 300,000,000 tons of coarse grain which have been purchased in the Argentine this year is maize; and what are the proportions of other grains suitable for cattle feeding.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to my statement in the Debate on 3rd July that we had in our possession over 300 thousand tons (not 300 million tons) of coarse grains in the Argentine and Brazil, not the Argentine alone. Of this total, maize was 78 per cent., barley 21 per cent., oats 1 per cent.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House now, before the Recess, whether anything is really being done to assist the farmers to keep their livestock throughout the winter, in view of the fact that large supplies are still available in the Argentine? Never mind the noughts, they are merely a misprint.

It is perfectly true that the question is of the utmost importance, and a great effort is being made to obtain coarse grains from this and any other sources available.

This is definitely important.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is prepared to grant the extra heavy manual workers' bread ration to men and women employed as casual labourers on farms for purposes of potato lifting, fruit picking, singling beet, etc.

The manual worker's ration is available to those workers who are regularly employed in manual work for an average of at least 22 hours a week. I have, however, made arrangements for casual workers in agriculture to have ample additional supplies of bread during such periods of seasonal activity. These harvest rations will be distributed through the farmers and they are intended as the equivalent of a canteen.

Do I understand from the right hon. Gentleman that he will make available to casual workers during this next harvest season a full equivalent extra bread ration to compare, shall we say, with the normal agricultural labour engaged on that work?

Yes, Sir. The farmers will be able to draw the extra harvest rations in respect of casual as in respect of regularly employed workers.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in some cases the farmers are not taking the trouble to draw these rations for their workers? Would it not be possible to allow the harvest workers themselves to get these rations?

There are great difficulties in doing that, but I should like any cases brought to my attention where farmers are failing to provide these rations for their workers, because it is very undesirable indeed.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many German prisoners of war are now beginning to idle at their work for lack of proper sustenance? Would he look into the possibility of varying the ration to the German prisoner of war, or of increasing slightly the calorific value?

I can hardly agree that if there is idling it can be for lack of sustenance. We have just increased the supply of foodstuffs, in this case fish, to German prisoners of war camps, and their calory intake at the moment is by no means bad.

Will the arrangements that the right hon. Gentleman has outlined apply to school children employed on potato gathering?

I would really like notice of that, but I do not think so. I think these are adult manual workers.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make arrangements to open branch food offices in small burghs in order to facilitate the exchange of BU units.

Much as I would like to, I regret that it is not possible to set up large numbers of sub-food offices to help exchange bread units. This can, of course, be done by post.

Is the Minister aware that at the present time people who live in small burghs and country districts are faced with the alternative of spending a considerable sum of money and a long time on bus journeys in order to get to the main food office, or of waiting anything from a week to two months for a reply from the food office?

If the hon. and gallant Member could give any instances of delays in replies in this type of correspondence, I will look into them.

What is the administrative difficulty which prevents the housewife exchanging BU's over the counter?

There are a lot of Questions on the Paper on that point. The difficulty is that it would mean putting bread on points. A commodity of the size of bread would completely outweigh the whole of the rest of the points scheme, and make it impossible to allocate the rest of the foodstuffs to meet the points rationing scheme.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give the basis on which he calculates that bread rationing combined with the slight increase in the meat ration reduces the average British calorie consumption from 2,850 to 2,800; and what is his estimate of the calorific value of a day's rations.

I have estimated that bread rationing would save 7 per cent. of our flour consumption. This would mean an average reduction of 70 calories a day. The increase of 2d. a week in the meat ration represents an average of 35 calories a day. The combined result would therefore reduce our estimated calorie intake from 2,850 to some 2,800 a day. I have no figures for the rationed foods alone.

As the Minister has estimated what the saving would be, could he say what the saving has been for the first week of bread rationing?

No, figures are not yet available. They soon will be, and I think they will be of interest.

asked the Minister of Food approximately how many retail shopkeepers previously selling bread in addition to other foods have declined to do so since the announcement of rationing.

It would, I am afraid, be impracticable to get precise figures, but the information which is so far available indicates the number is very small.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that no fewer than 50 out of 2,000 retailers supplied by one bakery in Lancashire have refused to accept any more supplies, and that this makes it much more difficult for people? Is he proposing to take any action?

No, Sir. We have not received any information of that sort.

asked the Minister of Food if he is instituting legal proceedings against those bakers who, since 21st July, because they had surplus stocks, sold cakes off the ration.

If the hon. Member is referring to cases in which authority has been given by my officers for sales of cakes off the ration the answer is, of course, "No, Sir." But I must repeat that such permission will seldom if ever be given henceforward. Where no such permission has been given the sellers, if any, have undoubtedy rendered themselves liable to prosecution and my enforcement officers will consider each case on its merits.

In view of the large amount of bread and cakes that have been sold off the ration, might I ask the right hon. Gentleman by what authority of this House he exercises these dictatorial powers?

That is the answer to the hon. Member's next Question The powers are under Article 28 of the Food Rationing (General Provisions) Order.

Is the Minister aware that a large number of workers in the centre of the city have been used to purchasing these cakes at works canteens, and have come from offices and warehouses for that purpose, and that no provision is made for that class of worker?

I take it that the hon. Member has in mind the office worker. He has to purchase within the ration allowance like everyone else. I do not see how we could make a special allowance for this type of worker.

asked the Minister of Food what deliveries of bread have been made from London to S.A.P.P.A. poultry dealers, of Bury St. Edmunds; and how such an arrangement came to be made.

Some months ago a quantity of bread, unfit for human consumption, was consigned to this Association for utilisation as poultry food. This transaction was unobjectionable. But if the hon. Member has any further or more precise information, I shall be very glad to investigate it.