asked the Under-Secrtary of State for Air when he will be in a position to make a statement to improve the pensions of commissioned warrant officers.

I am glad to say that improvements in the rates of retired pay for officers appointed to permanent commissions from warrant rank have now been announced to the Service. I am taking advantage of the hon. and gallant Member's non-oral Question to circulate a full statement on this matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that commissioned ex-warrant officers are unable to calculate the amount of their retired pay under the new scheme; and if he will let the officers in question have this information at the earliest possible moment and set out in a form in A.M.O.s that is easily understandable.

It has been decided that officers appointed to permanent commissions in the Royal Air Force from warrant rank or below will in future be eligible for the normal retired pay of their branch, which, except in the case of Directors of Music, will be at the rates laid down in Appendix III to Cmd. 6750. In any case where this would be to his advantage, however, an officer will have a vested right to the old terms, subject to the conditions laid down in paragraph 67 of that Paper. Officers who have already retired but who gave full-time service in the Armed Forces in the 1939–1945 war will be eligible for re-assessment of their retired pay in the manner indicated in the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for War, on 15th April, 1946. The possibility of somewhat complex calculations cannot be avoided if the officers concerned are to have the full benefit of these arrangements. Difficulties arise no doubt partly from the rules for reckoning service in temporary or acting rank, and partly from the existence of vested rights to existing pension terms if more favourable. The rules for reckoning service in temporary or acting rank are common to all officers, while the question whether a particular officer commissioned from warrant rank would benefit under a vested right would depend on individual circumstances, and it is necessary to make an individual calculation in each particular case. The officers have been given, in a "Newpayform," a clear reference to the Air Ministry Orders defining the various vested rights which exist at present, and I do not think that they should experience difficulty in calculating whether these terms are or are not more favourable than those promulgated in the White Paper. I should perhaps add that when an officer is retired his entitlement under each scheme is calculated in the Air Ministry, and he automatically receives the award under whichever scheme is most favourable to him.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air how many engineering tradesmen employed at No. 23 Maintenance Unit, Aldergrove, were first notified of their registration as dilutees several years after they had first become employed by his Department as skilled workers; how many registered dilutees had had that registration cancelled by agreement with the Amalgamated Engineering Union; and in how many cases did dilutees have this registration cancelled without first becoming members of the Amalgamated Engineering Union.

Ninety-eight and 18 respectively. I have no information on the last part of the Question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many ex-Servicemen it is intended to lay off from the maintenance unit at Aldergrove; and if preferential treatment is being given to these ex-Servicemen.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air the circumstances in which 300 employees at No. 23 Maintenance Unit, Aldergrove, are being discharged; how many of them are ex-Servicemen; and what steps his Department is taking to provide an alternative form of employment.

The size of this Royal Air Force Maintenance Unit has to be reduced as there is now much less work to be done there. Two hundred and thirty employees, including 80 ex-Servicemen, are being discharged on grounds of redundancy. The order of discharge is determined by the length of employment in accordance with the general practice agreed with the trade unions, subject to the proviso that dilutees are discharged before fully skilled men; except for men who are being reinstated in employment, service in the Armed Forces is not taken into account in determining the length of civil employment. All the skilled men, to a total of 185, have been given the opportunity of applying for transfer to units in this country. So far 42 applications have been received.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air what is the bricklayers and carpenters employed at the Waterbeach and other R.A.F. stations in the Cambridge area as stokers.

I have no evidence that we are employing bricklayers or carpenters as stokers. I will certainly look into any such case if it is brought to my notice.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what is the present approximate number of typewriters in the possession of his Department; how many are required; and how many are to be released as surplus during the current year.

About 38,000 typewriters are on charge to the Air Ministry. This total covers all Royal Air Force stations at home and overseas. Since V.E. Day some 6,000 typewriters have been returned to His Majesty's Stationery Office. About 2,000 more will probably be declared surplus by the end of the year, in addition to any local disposals overseas. I would, however, remind my hon. Friend of the reply given to his Question by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 14th May, which stated that many of the typewriters on charge to the Fighting Services may ultimately have to be written off as casualties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of students from East Africa at present studying in this country as compared with the number of West African students; and the reason for the discrepancy in numbers.

The number of students of all races from East Africa, known to my Department, at present studying in this country is 65. There are over 400 students from West Africa. The difference in these numbers is explained by the fact that the population of West Africa is nearly double that of East Africa, and that secondary education had a much earlier start in West Africa than in East Africa. I am hoping that increasing numbers of students from East Africa will come to the United Kingdom in the future after they have passed through Makerere College.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what provisions and aid the Government of Kenya provides for African higher secondary and primary education.

Excluding the overhead charges of the Education Department, the approximate expenditure on African higher, secondary and primary education during 1945 was £3,600, £22,000 and £84,000 respectively. This provision is increased by 30 per cent. in the 1946 Estimates. In addition there will be a contribution of some thousands of pounds to Makerere College, which has not yet been fixed. These figures do not, of course, represent the total expenditure on African education, the main burden of which is carried by the various missions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) how many United Kingdom scholarships and how many Colonial scholarships are being offered for study in this country in the next academic year to students in Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika, respectively; and what steps have been taken by the local governments concerned to bring the facilities offered to the notice of possible applicants;

Awards of United Kingdom scholarships for study in the United Kingdom for the next academic year have been made to one African student from Kenya for study at Oxford, and to two from Tanganyika far London University. A Kenya Government scholarship has been awarded to another African for study at the University College of the South West. I am not, however, yet in a position to furnish the full information desired or to give the final number of scholarships to be offered for the next academic year. Offers of scholarships are normally published in the Colonial Government "Gazettes" and given newspaper publicity. I propose to consult Colonial Governments about the procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what provision is made for mass education in the 10-year development plan for Nigeria.

The plan at present provides for the appointment of 12 mass education officers, the initiation of mass education projects in selected areas, and the extension of existing work in literature bureaux, broadcasting, and cinema. My hon. Friend will appreciate, however, that these proposals are necessarily quite provisional at present, since the plan as a whole is at present being considered here in consultation with a representative of the Nigerian Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) how many European firms were engaged in the export or locally-woven Nigerian cloth before the ban was introduced; and what was the stock of locally-woven Nigerian cloth held by European firms at that time;(2) how many African traders are engaged in the production of Adire cloth for export; and how many African traders are engaged in the production of locally-woven Nigerian cloth; and whether he will now encourage African traders by the dis- continuance of the ban on the export of locally-woven Nigerian cloth.

I am consulting the Governor of Nigeria on the matter and will communicate with the hon.. Member as soon as I have the Governor's reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress is being made and by what means, in the experimental elimination of the tsetse fly in the various East African Colonies; whether any success has been obtained from aerial spraying; and whether spraying from a slow-moving helicopter has been considered.

Experimental work on the elimination of the tsetse fly in East Africa has been in progress since 1927 in Tanganyika, where a Tsetse Research Department is in being. The main activities of the department have been devoted to research into the technique of clearing areas of tsetse fly both by entomological means and by reclamation, from "sheer clearing," i.e., the removal of all trees and shrubs from the affected area to "discriminative clearing" which consists in cutting out only those parts of the bush which provide the fly's permanent home. Methods vary according to the type of vegetation and the species of fly encountered. Experiments are continuing and in the past 10 years, in Tanganyika alone, 1,150 square miles of land have been cleared and 45,300 persons re-settled on the land. An additional 1,130 square miles is in course of reclamation and further areas are being surveyed. As a result of the knowledge gained in Tanganyika, similar methods of reclamation have been adopted in other East African territories. It must, however, be emphasised that in all cases it is absolutely essential that the areas which have been reclaimed should be re-settled by human population in order to hold what has been won back. Other experiments include the elimination of tsetse by the removal of game, in a small area of Tanganyika, and research into the use of insecticides, particularly D.D.T. and I.C.I.666, by a Colonial Insecticide Research Unit. The main problem here is the application and dissemination of the insecticide, and research is to be undertaken in this country on suitable apparatus for this purpose. Field trials will be arranged as apparatus comes forward for testing. Further investigation is required into the question of the absorption of insecticides by vegetation. Experiments with repellents are also under consideration. Experiments with spraying from aircraft have been carried out mainly in South Africa. Results so far are encouraging, but further research is necessary on the residual effects of D.D.T. on insects generally, and the consequent effects on the "balance of nature." This is a wide problem which is now under consideration. The use of helicopters has also been considered, but there are technical difficulties connected with the altitude at which the aircraft are required to operate Further experiments are, however, projected both in South and East Africa as soon as the prototype of a suitable machine can be obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the majority of smallholders and estate workers and their wives and families in Malaya are still without proper clothing, which is having a bad effect on their morale and self respect; and what measures have been taken to make available to them the clothing which they are able and willing to pay for.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Grimsby (Mr. Younger) on 10th July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that civilians who have returned to work in Malaya, accompanied in many cases by their wives and children, are finding it difficult to get accommodation owing to the fact that military personnel are occupying so many of their houses; and if he will draw the attention of the military authorities to this grievance and press them to provide alternative accommodation for their own personnel so that civilian dwellings may be handed back to their rightful occupiers at the earliest possible date.

All the authorities concerned, both civil and military, are fully alive to these difficulties and to the need for the earliest possible return of private housing in Malaya to its normal purposes. Much has already been done to that end. In Singapore, for example, 45 per cent. of the premises occupied by the Services at the beginning of February had been released by the end of June. Within the last few days additional schemes for providing new temporary accommodation for the troops have been approved and in consequence the release of housing should be further speeded up during the autumn months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the roads and bridges in Malaya are being repaired; and whether full use is being made of prisoners of war for this purpose.

The repair of roads and bridges had already made considerable progress under the Military Administration. This work is being continued by the Civil Administration. Most of the available Japanese prisoners of war are employed on food production, which must have first priority. A certain number are, however, employed on railway reconstruction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what basis it was calculated that rubber can be produced in Malaya on average plantations in the near future profitably at an f.o.b. cost of is. 2d. a pound; and if planters with practical experience of rubber planting in Malaya agreed on the possibility of producing at this price and yet pay the reasonable wages for long insisted upon by the Malayan labour department.

The price of Is. 2d. has been agreed for six months only. The cost of rubber production varies greatly with the amount produced, but figures which I received from the Economic Adviser to the Governor of the Malayan Union seemed to indicate that the price of is. 2d. would not be entirely unreasonable during this period. The representatives of the plantation industry who were associated with the negotiations, though they would naturally have liked a higher price, acquiesced in this view.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what taxes are levied upon rubber exported from any part of Malaya; and whether the cess tax, which was imposed at the instigation of the late International Rubber Regulation Committee is still being collected on rubber exported; or if there is any other cess which is imposed.

In the Malayan Union there is a duty of four cents a pound on rubber exported. In Singapore, a rate is charged under the Rubber Estates Assessment Ordinance. The collection of the cess of ¼ cent per pound levied in connection with the International Rubber Regulation Scheme has been suspended. There is no other cess imposed on rubber.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now consider making arrangements to abolish wartime regulations compelling visitors to Jamaica to produce passports and substitute therefor a travel identity certificate such as that used in certain other British Colonies. including the Bahamas and Bermuda.

This matter is at present being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the 2,675 Jews recently arrested in Palestine have been released up to date.

Up to 29th July, 1,296 had been released. The screening of the remainder is being pressed on with as rapidly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the name of the person referred to as Hayyim in telegram No. 2 on page 4 of Cmd. 6873.

There is reason to believe that Dr. Weizmann is the person referred to as Hayyim. It is fair that I should add that Dr. Weizmann is a man of moderate views who has always co-operated with His Majesty's Government, and there is nothing to show that he was fully informed of the activities of his colleagues in regard to the terrorist organisations.

asked the Minister of Food how much his Department spends annually on advertising.

Expenditure in the year ended 31st March, 1946, amounted to £368,000.

asked the Minister of Food by what authority some of his officers gave permission for bread to be sold off the ration; and what disciplinary action he proposes to take in such cases.

The permission was given under my authority which derived from Article 28 of Food Rationing (General Provisions) Order.

Davies asked the Minister of Food why he did not consult the trade unions covering members engaged in bread distribution as he did the employers before introducing bread rationing; whether he is aware that much of the detailed work of implementing his Regulations fall on those employed in the bread delivery business; and if he will consult them in future when any changes are made in rationing foods of any kind so as to ensure the smooth working of his schemes.

I do not know where the hon. Member can have got this impression. The bread rationing scheme was discussed with representatives of the Trades Union Congress, including, of course, representatives of the trade unions particularly concerned, on 6th June, 1946, and was modified in certain respects as a result of their advice. At subsequent meetings representatives of the distributive workers' organisation were present and all gave me valuable advice.

asked the Minister of Food what concessions are made to vegetarians under the bread-rationing scheme.

My scientific advisers assure me that the scale of allowances under the bread rationing scheme are such that there is no need to make allowances to vegetarians.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will take steps to amend the Bread Rationing Order so as to enable the staff of small offices and factories to obtain buns and cakes to eat with their rationed tea and milk in the mornings and afternoons, thus enabling the employees of small firms to be in no worse a position than the employees of large firms in this respect.

I should like to do so. But I cannot see a practicable method except by the establishment of a canteen by the firm concerned.

asked the Minister of Food if he can give an estimate of the extra amount of bread, flour and cereals bought in anticipation of bread rationing on 21st July.

In a few weeks I shall have the weekly figures of flour consumption for the periods immediately before and immediately after bread rationing. I shall publish these figures, which will provide an answer to the hon. Member's question.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will raise the bread ration of policemen who, by the nature of their work, are prevented from eating in restaurants, who depend considerably on sandwiches for their meals and who, as in Coventry, lack canteen facilities.

I regret that I cannot adopt this suggestion.

asked the Minister of Food whether, for the purposes of bread rationing, he will classify as manual workers all policemen who engage in patrol work even when this totals less than 22 hours a week.

I should not feel justified in making the exception suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Food how many bakers have been prosecuted as a result of failing to carry out the provisions of bread rationing; what is the total amount of fines im- posed; how many are in prison; and whether he will make a statement on the working of the scheme.

No such prosecutions have been instituted. And I am, of course, most anxious to avoid this. On the other hand, anyone who deliberately breaks the law must and will be prosecuted. In general I will say that our experience of the first 10 days of the scheme is that both the distributive trader and the housewives have assisted it in the most admirable spirit of cooperation. And I should like to take this opportunity of thanking them most sincerely for shouldering what must be a heavy, though an absolutely necessary burden.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that heavy workers in the retail food trades are experiencing difficulty in obtaining extra bread coupons owing to wrong interpretation by Ministry of Labour officials of the BMW I Schedule, Part II; and whether he will take steps to ensure that this schedule is interpreted in such manner as to include all heavy workers in the retail food trade.

Workers in the retail foods trades are eligible for the manual workers' ration if they are regularly engaged for not less than 22 hours a week in shifting, loading and unloading heavy goods. If my hon. Friend will give me particulars of any specific case I will look into it.

asked the Minister of Food the total quantity of bread, cakes and similar foods which has been declared unfit for human consumption, or otherwise consigned to pigs or waste, since bread rationing was introduced.

I regret that information is not available. I have had very few reports of bread and cakes becoming unfit for human consumption.

asked the Minister of Food the estimated extent of the saving of flour resulting from the first week of bread rationing.

I have not yet sufficient information to make an estimate of the savings.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that, although roundsmen are eligible for the manual workers' bread ration, self-employed persons who go round delivering goods in rural areas for as much as 30 hours a week are not so eligible; and if, in view of the fact that the conditions of work and the difficulties of obtaining food of such persons are comparable with those of employed roundsmen, he will correct this anomaly.

For the purposes of the manual workers bread ration no distinction is drawn between employed and self-employed roundsmen. But I regret that I cannot extend the schedule of trades and occupations to cover persons other than roundsmen who deliver goods.

asked the Minister of Food what amount of bread, cakes and pastries have been condemned as unfit for human consumption since bread rationing was introduced; and, to prevent waste in future, if he will allow unsold bread, cakes and pastries to be sold, or given, without coupons to hospitals, orphanages and similar institutions.

As regards the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for East Fife (Mr. Henderson Stewart). I do not anticipate that there will be any substantial waste in future and I do not think it is necessary to make any arrangement suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the latest crop estimates, he will make a further statement on bread rationing.

No, Sir. The latest crop estimates are only one factor in a complex situation and it would be premature for me to make any further statement at present.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the congestion at food offices and to assist both housewives and food office staffs, he will abolish the system of exchanging surplus bread units and points through these offices, and will attain the same objectives by making it possible to purchase points goods with surplus bread units and bread with surplus points.

No, Sir. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of my reply to a somewhat similar Question by the hon. Members for Hemel Hempstead (Viscountess Davidson) and West Lewis-ham (Mr. Skeffington) on 10th July.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is satisfied that the proposed bread ration for the age groups 5 to 11 years is adequate for the maintenance of health.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Food if he will take the necessary steps to ensure that those manual workers who indulge in unofficial strikes shall have their bread ration card withdrawn, or at least that their bread ration for the period in which they are on strike shall be reduced from 15 ounces to 9 ounces a day.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the value of salad as an article of diet, he will make available small quantities of oil other than olive oil for use as salad oil.

Unfortunately, all available edible oil is needed to maintain the fat ration. Otherwise I would most willingly have accepted the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Minister of Food when he intends to reply to the communication sent to his Department by the Department of Commerce, Commonwealth of Australia, in connection with the importation of poultry available for export to this country from Messrs. W. Glazebrook, 50, Cross Street, Double Bay, Sydney.

My Department has received no communication on the subject from any Department of the Commonwealth Government.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations for a supply of food by Eire to this country; if an agreement has been made; and, if so, what are its terms.

Negotiations with the Eire Government are nearing completion and I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Minister of Food why, in view of the shortage of fats in this country, sheep carcases for export from Australia to this country weighing over 72 lbs. are automatically rejected by his buyers as being too fat.

We buy the whole of the Australian exportable meat surplus in any case. So which particular carcases are retained in Australia for local consumption makes little difference. We prefer to import meat which is suitable for distribution against the meat ration and it suits Australia to retain the very heavy carcases.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that Italian plums are being sold in this country at uncontrolled prices, in spite of the assurance given to home producers that any fresh imported fruit would be controlled at the same prices as home-grown fruit; and if he will give an undertaking that this assurance will be observed in the future.

The plums referred to were part of an experimental consignment of fruit from Italy and there were only 12 tons of them. They were included in the trial consignment through a misunderstanding on the part of the Italians who were asked not to include them. When home-grown and imported fresh fruits are subject to price control they will be controlled at the same maximum prices.

asked the Minister of Food why his Department have refused to consider the import of quick-frozen fruits from the U S.A.

For currency reasons I have so far been obliged to confine imports of food from the dollar area to the essential foods which are capable of nation-wide distribution. But I am very ready to believe that there is a considerable future for frozen fruit.

asked the Minister of Food if he will specify the foods of which members of the W.R.N.S., A T.S. and W.A.A.F., fed in messes, still receive larger rations than miners, exclusive of canteen supplies.

Compared with foods supplied to miners on the household ration members of the Women's Services receive larger rations of meat, bacon, sugar and margarine. However, special arrangements are made for miners to be supplied with substantial additional supplies of rationed foods through pithead canteens especially by means of packed meals and any comparison which ignores this is bound to give a false impression.

asked the Minister of Food if he will now publish the number of officials of his Department who have been connected with the firm of Unilever, with the positions held by them.

Complete and accurate information could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour. Subject to the foregoing, 90 officials on the staff of the Ministry were previously in the employment of Unilever's, and at the present time 12 occupy the following senior positions:

• Director of Oils and Fats.
• Director of Margarine.
• Two Assistant Directors of Oils and Fats.
• Assistant Director of Margarine.
• Assistant Director of Margarine Production.
• Assistant Director of Imported Fats, Oils and Oilseeds.
• Retail Trade Adviser.
• Director of Animal Feeding Stuffs.
• Assistant Director of Cocoa, Chocolate and Sugar Confectionery.
• Representative (Oils and Fats) British Food Mission, North America.
• Representative for Canned Fish, Norway.

asked the Minister of Food it he is aware that Italians in many cases do not use their dark flour ration and buy white flour on the black market; and if, in view of the plentitude of flour in Italy, he will put forward a claim for a greater allocation to this country.

It would be quite wrong to suggest that flour or any other foodstuffs were plentiful in Italy, except for the rich. The hon. Member can rest-assured that we shall not fail to take every possible measure to increase the wheat supply of this country. Perhaps the conclusion of the Canadian Wheat Contract has escaped the hon. Member's attention.

asked the Minister of Food if, now that the season of peak egg production has passed, he will modify the control of egg collection so as to allow poultry farmers in all districts to sell their eggs through their own cooperative packing stations.

I hope to be able shortly to announce changes in the system of egg collection.

asked the Minister of Food if he has now reached a decision on the killing price to be fixed for hens during the period August to November when poultry farmers will have to dispose of many thousands of birds from laying flocks.

I regret that I am unable at present to add anything to the reply which I gave the hon. Member on 17th July. I hope, however, to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the Reigate food office has recently refused a number of applications made by gardeners with an agricultural employment card for extra cheese rations; and, in view of the fact that these men have hitherto received these rations, he will state the reason for the change.

Owing to an error in the local food office, which I regret, the special cheese ration was withheld from some gardeners; but immediately the matter was reported to the Divisional Food Officer the ration was restored.

asked the Minister of Food why estate carpenters, masons and bricklayers are not among the categories entitled to cheese and extra bread rations, seeing that they are habitually dependent on a packed midday meal; and whether he will arrange for them to be so included.

Building trades workers, generally, are not eligible for the special cheese ration and I regret that I cannot make individual exceptions.

asked the Minister of Food if he will allow to manual workers laying gas-mains across country the same cheese ration as is given to those laying water-mains.

The special cheese ration is allowed for employees of waterworks undertakings who are unable to take advantage of canteens or other catering facilities. Workers employed on the laying of gas mains are only intermittently and for comparatively short periods working on sites which are remote from all catering facilities and I regret that I should not feel justified in extending the grant of the special ration to them.

asked the Minister of Food why some of the proceeds of the U.S. Loan are to be spent in purchasing pilchards from the U.S.A., in view of the abundance and variety of fish obtainable from other parts of the world and in particular from around our own shores without dollar expenditure.

Supplies are being purchased from the United States to supplement our home produced supplies which together with imports from other countries are totally inadequate for our requirements.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the growers of home-produced fruit and vegetables are being grossly undercut by the foreign produce dumped in this country; and what steps he is taking to compensate the home growers for the current rise in the minimum wage of their employees.

I am most anxious to increase the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables to the public, and while prices are certainly more reasonable, I am satisfied that home producers have no grounds for just complaints of the competition of imported supplies. Changes in production costs in this country are taken into account when maximum growers' prices are fixed.

asked the Minister of Food what supplies of sugar are now available from British Colonies and Dependencies; and when he estimates that he will be able to abolish sugar rationing in this country.

About 17 per cent. of our total supplies of sugar come from Colonial sources. World supplies are still much below prewar levels, and I am not able to say when I shall be able to take sugar off the ration.

asked the Minister of Food if he has explored the possibility of obtaining bacon from Nigeria; and why no bacon may be sent by post from Nigeria to this country.

Nigeria is not a very suitable source of supply, but we are considering making an experimental shipment; small parcels of bacon may be sent by post, but the climatic conditions in Nigeria and en route are very unfavourable.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has any statement to make on the action he proposes to take to encourage the collection of wild berries.

I am making an Order decontrolling bilberries and blackberries forthwith, and this I hope, will have the effect of encouraging the collection of wild berries.

asked the Minister of Food how much profit has been made from buying New Zealand butter and selling it to other countries at a higher price; and how often, and for what other commodities, his Department undertakes such profit-making transactions.

My Department is continuously purchasing a wide range of commodities other than for distribution in the United Kingdom, but they are all on a non-profit basis.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the recent increase in the meat ration, he will make any corresponding increase in vegetarian rations, particularly in view of the introduction of bread rationing.

I regret that I am unable to increase the ration of vegetarians, who already get a special cheese ration of 12 ounces and an extra two ounces of vegetable margarine a week.

asked the Minister of Food what function the Overseas Gift Allocation Centre, Portman Square, serves; on whose authority do they receive overseas gifts of fruit; and what system is adopted in their allocation of such property to hospitals.

The Overseas Gifts (Food) Allocation Centre of my Department was formed by agreement with the Dominions and Colonies concerned to distribute their gifts sent in bulk. It is seldom called upon to deal with fruit, which is perishable, but if gifts sent to individuals exceed the permitted weight, and are confiscated, they are usually sent by my officers to local hospitals to avoid deterioration.

asked the Minister of Food why his Department refuses to permit receipt by the West Hartlepool Steamship Navigation Company, Limited, of a gift of wine and other articles dispatched to them by the Hellenic Lines Limited, of the Piraeus.

If I were to permit the import of large parcels it would be impracticable to distinguish between bona fide presents and transactions of a commercial character, or to ensure equitable distribution of the food. I regret the disappointment of the firm concerned, but I cannot grant them facilities which I have had to refuse in many other cases.

asked the Minister of Food why he failed to consult the catering industry before making the Meals in Establishments Order, 1946; why the representatives of the industry were not informed until 18th July of the contents of the Order which was made on 12th July; and why, having regard to the existing commitments of caterers and the complexity of the Order, it was made operative within two days after publication.

The catering industry was consulted on the proposed amendments at meetings held on 18th June and 11th July and the most important of the new provisions of the Order were communicated to the catering trade associations on 17th July. I regret that it was not possible to arrange for a longer period between date of publication of the Order and the date on which it came into operation but the main provisions were already well understood.

asked the Minister of Food if he will inquire into the case of Mr. Gray Jones, Heath Mill, Worplesdon, Surrey, who has for many years provided flour containing the whole wheat grain acceptable to a wide public and who, on transferring his business from Maidenhead to the Guildford rural district, has experienced difficulties at the Guildford food office in getting his bakery licence transferred from Maidenhead to Guildford; and if he will authorise this transfer.

Mr. Jones has been invited to make his formal application for a licence to operate a bakery at Worplesdon, and I shall be pleased to consider the matter if he will complete the forms and forward them to the Ministry. I cannot authorise the transfer of the bakery licence from Maidenhead to Guildford because it appears that Mr. Jones ceased baking at Maidenhead before bread producers were licensed by the Ministry of Food, and consequently there is no licence to transfer.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in the present increasing stringency of food rationing and, in particular, during the continuance of the impending milk shortage, he is proposing to make any special arrangements for households consisting of single persons.

I regret that I cannot undertake to make special arrangements for single persons' households, but as regards milk, I am sure that dairymen will do what they can to supply in ½-pint bottles wherever possible.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that ground white pepper is almost unobtainable in Upton, West Ham; and what action he is taking to improve the supply of white pepper.

We have exhausted our stocks of white pepper and there is little prospect of further supplies until the damage done in the main producing areas has been made good.

asked the Minister of Food if he will take the necessary steps to stop the supply of beer to those public houses whose landlords enter into regional arrangements to close their houses on several nights in each week, thus enabling them to sell their total allocation on one or two nights, but thereby causing the utmost overcrowding and discomfort to their patrons.

I should hesitate to go as far as my hon. Friend suggests or to condemn a local arrangement without knowing the reasons on which it is based, but I have consulted my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary who shares my view that publicans should, wherever possible, make arrangements to spread supplies of beer over the whole week.

asked the Minister of Food on what basis soap is allocated for the use of workers in the cotton industry during their employment.

Soap is allocated to employers in the cotton industry on the basis of their purchases during the six months ended 9th February, 1942.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when it is expected that barytes will be imported from Germany and lithopone from Belgium; and whether a distribution will take place in this country through the normal trade channels.

It is unlikely that barytes will be available for export from Germany before the end of this year. Supplies for the United Kingdom will be imported by the Board of Trade on Government account. It is as yet too early to say how distribution will be effected in this country. It is not possible to indicate at present when lithopone will be available for export from Belgium.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will arrange for a number of motor cars to be earmarked out of the export quota for sale to doctors in country districts who are no longer able to perform their duties satisfactorily owing to lack of reliable transport.

The motor trade have undertaken to give preference to orders for motor cars needed for doctors in their work, and I do not consider that a reduction of the export quota is necessary for the success of these efforts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many persons are at present employed in the Cotton Control organisation in this country and overseas; and how many of these persons are employed at Liverpool.

Two hundred and eighty-five in Manchester, 84 in Liverpool and five abroad. These figures do not include messengers, cleaners or the locally recruited staff of offices abroad.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that British-produced floor coverings are liable, when paying Customs duty in the U.S.A., to pay duty also on British Purchase Tax; and whether he has any further information regarding the U.S.A. attitude towards the elimination of Purchase Tax on British goods in general when they are subject to ad valorem duty.

Yes, Sir. The United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals has ruled in an important case that United Kingdom Purchase Tax should not be included in the dutiable value of the goods concerned. I understand that the Federal authorities do not propose to appeal further against this ruling, but are not yet in a position to state whether it will be applied to all classes of goods subject to United Kingdom Purchase Tax. A decision is expected shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the stocks of raw silk held in this country; and if he intends to reduce the price of this silk to manufacturers.

The total stock of raw silk in the United Kingdom is at present about 600,000 lbs., the greater part of which is held by the Silk Control. The selling prices charged by the Control were reduced from 25th July to keep them in line with selling prices abroad.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there is a shortage of perambulators for sale in the Liverpool dirtstrict; and if he will take steps to meev life needs of mothers in this respect.

While the rate of supply of perambulators has been increasing steadily and is now up to the rate in 1938, there is still a general shortage in most parts of the country. My right hon. and learned Friend is much concerned by the hardship that this is causing and every effort is being made to overcome manufacturers' production problems. We have no reason to think that retailers in the Liverpool district are not getting their fair share of available supplies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the exorbitant prices demanded by some photographers in London for passport photographs; and if he will impose a price control in this matter.

Very few complaints are received about prices charged for passport photographs. I am afraid the results which could be achieved by price control of a service of such varying quality and cost would not justify the large amount of work which would be involved in the preparation and enforcement of a system of control.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much paper, cardboard and timber suitable for packing fresh fruit and vegetables has been exported to the Continent this year; and how much has been released for use for home-produced fruit and vegetables.

I regret that the records available in the case of paper and paper-board do not enable me to give the information asked for, but the amount of suitable material exported to the Continent is very small. Timber is not exported to the Continent for packing fresh fruit and vegetables. In the first half of the year, 1,329 standards of softwood and 1,165,916 cubic feet of hardwood were released for packing home-produced fruit and vegetables.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what costing factors were taken into account in reckoning that synthetic rubber can be profitably produced at 10d. a pound, labour of all grades, raw materials, capital, plant and the like and the approximate date of the computation.

The first report of the U.S.A. Inter-Agency Policy Committee on Rubber, dated 19th February, 1946, states that general purpose synthetic rubber GR-S has been produced at a cost of approximately 11 cents per pound, excluding provision for amortisation, depreciation, obsolescence, profit and certain administrative expenses, and that, assuming a reasonable amortisation and a fair profit, it is anticipated that the price of GR-S to the consumer may eventually be approximately 15–16 cents per pound (equivalent to ½9d. to 9½d. a pound). Certain details of costs of manufacture were submitted in confidence to the meeting of the Rubber Study Group held last November by the representatives of the U.S. Government which I have no authority to publish. The present selling price of GR-S is 18½ cents per pound (about 11d.) ex plant U.S.A.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Agreement between His Majesty's Government, the Dutch Government and the French Government in regard to the allocation of natural rubber and publish the terms of this Agreement and the price at which the rubber is being supplied by each country.

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the arrangements arrived at between the U.S.A. Government and the Governments of the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom for the supply of natural rubber from the Far East, and I am sending him a copy of the statement issued on 21st June last which covers the essential points of those arrangements. The agreed price from all sources was 23½ U.S. cents or is. 2d. per pound f.o.b. Far Eastern Ocean port for No. One X ribbed smoked sheet and other grades at agreed differentials.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what facilities will be given to trade and other bodies to submit items to be included on the agenda for the forthcoming International Trade Conference.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council on 15th April, in the course of which he explained that the various Ministers concerned were getting into touch with the principal organisations representing trade, industry and labour in this country. The object of this consultation was that His Majesty's Government should enter into the Conference with a full understanding of the considered views of these organisations. The agenda of the Conference will be the proposals made by the Government of the United States which was published in Cmd. 6709, but there will no doubt be opportunities of raising appropriate points to which the consultation above-mentioned draws attention. I would take this opportunity to re-emphasise the strong desire of His Majesty's Government to have the fullest possible advice from those whom they have consulted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, before taking any action in regard to removal of the import prohibition on cigars of foreign origin or the arrangement of a quota for the importation of such cigars into the United Kingdom, he will give full consideration to the fact that Jamaica is now supplying present requirements and that the Jamaican cigar industry will be capable of meeting any demand from this country in the immediate future in addition to supplying cigars for reexport from Great Britain to other markets in the sterling area.

I am well aware of the contribution which Jamaica is making towards our cigar requirements and I will bear it fully in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what associations or organisations, additional to the United Nations Association, are being allowed the quantity of paper which they have indicated is essential for their needs.

In general, licences for paper are based on the consumption in an appropriate previous period. Where this basis is not suitable, licences are generally issued for the minimum quantity considered essential after consideration by the Control to the needs of the association or other body concerned, but it would not be possible without detailed investigation to enumerate the cases which have arisen from time to time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the observations made by Mr. Justice Stable at Manchester Assizes, on 23rd July, regarding the Rules and Orders affecting the furniture trade and the fact that the present condition of these Rules and Orders is such as to make them unintelligible; and what steps he proposes to take to reduce these Rules and Orders to a more intelligible form.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Stockport (Wing-Commander Hulbert) on Monday last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why, since he is experiencing the utmost difficulty in obtaining linseed oil and commercial glycerine, which are indispensable in the manufacture of paint, we exported, in the first three months of this year, more than double the amount that we exported in the corresponding period in 1938 and about seven times as much as was exported in the same period in 1945.

Linseed oil exports this year have been extremely small in comparison with those in 1938. The exports of glycerine during the first three months of this year were mainly to fulfil a commitment to the U.S.A. entered into in November last, when we had substantial stocks and there was no reason to expect the shortage which has since developed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to ensure an adequate quantity of straw hats for farmers and agricultural workers employed at the harvest.

I am afraid little labour or material is available at present for making these hats, and I am not aware of any strong demand for them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is in a position to make a statement of the steps he is taking to provide further employment in the City of Portsmouth and to aid its general recovery.

In order to promote the general recovery of the City of Portsmouth, the Board of Trade are giving all possible help in the rebuilding and repair of industrial and commercial premises destroyed or damaged by enemy action. At the same time, we are prepared, in suitable cases, to assist the establishment of new firms to provide employment of the type needed to meet the requirements of the city.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in view of the fact that he downpointed coats and costumes from 18 points to 12 in the spring of 1946, but gave no relief to piece merchants or drapers who had large stocks of similar cloths in the piece and that at the present time the market is glutted with this type of cloth, principally 206 and 208 categories, and in view of the importance of the export trade and that these goods could be sold to Holland and Denmark at once, whether he will give additional permits for export.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on Monday last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the cost price of afgalaine dress material for the home trade with 7½d. subsidy is 3s. 2d. per yard, 54-inch width, and that the export price for the same cloth is 4s. 7d. and that, because of this, overseas firms are now buying through indent houses this type of cloth from France and Italy which could be supplied by Britain; and if he will grant export licences for the large stocks of woollen cloths which are at present a drug on the market.

As my right hon. and learned Friend informed the hon. Member on Monday last, export allocations of woollen cloth arc fixed as high as possible in relation to other claims, and he is mistaken in supposing that there are large stocks available for export. The export prices of cloth are not controlled.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if be will remove the necessity for the use of passports by British citizens who wish to travel within the British Commonwealth of Nations from one dominion to another dominion; and, if so, when.

The conditions governing the entry of British subjects into the Dominions is a matter for the Dominion Governments; it is wholly outside the scope and authority of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. For the entry of British subjects into the United Kingdom, the production of a British passport is a convenient way of establishing the nationality of the holder and thus of facilitating his or her passage through the control authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the agent for an applicant for renewal of a passport, intended in the first place to be used for a visit to Eire, received a message to the effect that he must furnish a duly certified letter from his wife making it clear that she is satisfied with the arrangements for her support during his absence; and whether such an inquiry is made under his authority, since when, and why.

If the hon. and gallant Member will give me particulars of the application I will ascertain whether the circumstances were such as to justify the application to this case of the administrative practice which has been followed for many years. According to this practice a married man who is leaving the country for an indefinite period, or to seek employment abroad, may be asked to show that he has provided for his wife and dependants during his absence. The evidence may take the form of a letter from his wife. If such evidence is not forthcoming passport facilities are not refused, but are merely delayed until the wife has had sufficient time to apply to the courts or to take other action, if she so desires, to ensure that she and her children shall not be left in destitution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the revision of passport arrangements between Great Britain and Eire and Great Britain and Northern Ireland must await the holding of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations; and, with a view to eliminating unnecessary travel restrictions, including passports between these three countries and in view of the amount of time, labour and material which is daily lost by these restrictions, if he will take immediate steps to seek such agreement and obviate such loss.

The arrangements about travel between Great Britain and Ireland are not dependent on such international agreements about visas or discussions or frontier formalities as were referred to by the Minister of State on 24th June. The reasons for requiring travellers to Ireland to carry documents of identity was stated in my right hon. Friend's reply of 27th June to the hon. Member for South Battersea (Mrs. Ganley).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any information about the appeal of Mr. George Dace against sentence of death passed on him at Dijon recently.

Yes, Sir. His Majesty's Ambassador in Paris has reported that Mr. Dace has appealed and that the case is likely to be heard early in August.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many ships of the Royal Navy for which we have no further use have recently been or are about to be sold or transferred to Denmark or to other states; whether it is the general policy of His Majesty's Government to dispose of obsolete ships in this manner; and if he will consider converting these ships to commercial or recreational purposes.

Since VJ-Day, two aircraft carriers, 10 destroyers, three escort destroyers, two frigates, 12 corvettes, nine submarines, 18 minesweepers, 20 motor minesweepers, 18 coastal craft, 50 landing craft, and two boom defence vessels have been transferred from the Royal Navy to foreign Governments; these figures exclude warships on loan to the Allies during the war which have been acquired permanently since the war. Negotiations are in progress for the transfer of cruisers, submarines, frigates, sloops, and smaller craft, but I am not in a position to give details at present. Two frigates and one corvette have been sold to the Danish Government.None of the above ships is obsolete, but His Majesty's Government have decided that they are surplus to requirements. Only comparatively few typos of warship, e.g., minesweepers, corvettes, and landing craft, are adaptable for other than warlike purposes. Numbers of these craft have been sold to private buyers both in this country and abroad for conversion. In no case, as far as I am aware, has there been any conflict between requirements for these ships for civilian use and for sale to foreign Governments as warships.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the lack of organisation at Greenwich during the Victory celebrations, of which he has been informed, what arrangements are made for civilians to see over naval ships visiting ports in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Arrangements for visits to His Majesty's ships at ports in Great Britain and Northern Ireland are normally made between the commanding officer and the local authorities, who are always given advance warning. Normal visiting hours are 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The shore organisation is the responsibility of the local authorities. Ship's boats are not usually employed to transport visitors to ships which are not lying alongside, as their number is quite inadequate. If very large numbers wish to visit ships, some must inevitably be disappointed as the accommodation on board is limited. This was, in fact, the case at Greenwich, where the crowds far exceeded anything that had been expected.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is yet in a position to make a statement about the future pay and conditions of service of the permanent officers of the Naval Ordnance Inspection Department.

I regret that it has not yet been possible to make progress in this direction because certain points of policy which vitally affect the future structure of the Naval Ordnance Inspection Pool still remain to be determined.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many groups behind the general release scheme are R.N. schoolmasters; and to what extent his present plans for overtaking the arrears are proving successful.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given him last week by my right hon. Friend to which I have nothing to add.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many civilian drivers are employed at R.N.A.S., Ford; by how much their wage rate exceeds the Road Haulage Wages Board standard rate; what is their weekly amount of overtime and what is their overtime rate of pay.

Eighty civilian drivers are at present employed at the R.N. Air Station, Ford; their wage rate, which covers a normal 47 hour week, exceeds the Road Haulage Wages Board standard 48 hour rate for drivers of vehicles with a carrying capacity of over 2 tons and up to 3½ tons, by8s. a week. The average amount of overtime per head worked during the week ending 27th July, 1946, was 15 hours, including Sunday duty; the hourly rate of overtime paid is approximately 3s. 2d. on week-days and 4s. 3d. on Sundays.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will make a statement concerning the payment of war gratuities and postwar credits to time-serving ratings of the R.N.

I regret I am not at present able to make a statement on this matter, which is part of the general question affecting all three Services.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give an approximate date for the payment of war gratuities to continuous service officers and men of the R.N.; or if they are likely to be paid this year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the hon. Member for North Edinburgh (Mr. Willis).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why engine-room artificers aboard H.M.S. "Buchan Ness " have been detailed as boats' crews for patrol duties; and if he will take steps to stop this practice.

Engine-room artificers may perform various duties at the discretion of the commanding officer, and it is not clear from the Question that they have been employed in a manner contrary to the regulations in this instance. H.M.S. "Buchan Ness" is at present serving abroad, but if the hon. Member will let me have further details and these indicate a breach of the regulations, I will have the matter investigated.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the result of the underwater atom bomb test at Bikini, he will now consider the cessation of all construction work on capital ships and concentrate instead on the building of small ships including a larger percentage of small carriers.

The question does not arise as no capital ships are under construction.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the present approximate number of typewriters in the possession of his Department; how many are required; and how many are to be released as surplus during the current year.

The number of typewriters on charge to the Admiralty is approximately 23,600. These are distributed throughout the Fleet, shore establishments and Admiralty headquarters. Machines are surrendered as rapidly as the reduction of requirements permits, but the future is too uncertain to enable any forecast to be made of the number which will be given up this year.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what action he is proposing to take with a view to giving assistance to sea cadet corps units with respect to boys of the age of 11½ to 13 years.

The present practice is to enrol only boys of 14 and upwards in the Sea Cadets Corps. It is not at present contemplated that this minimum age will be lowered.

asked the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to discover and prosecute the authors of the leaflets attacking the National Health Bill, copies of which have been sent to him, as they lack the imprint of publisher or printer.

Inquiries are still being made as to the authors, publishers, and printers of these pamphlets. I would point out that those who publish or disperse propaganda pamphlets of this kind which do not contain the printer's name and address commit an offence under the Newspapers, Printers and Reading Rooms Repeal Act, 1869.

asked the Attorney-General on what date the salaries of county court judges were last increased and if, owing to the rise in the cost of living, he will now consider introducing legislation to provide appropriate increases.

The salaries of county court judges were last increased by an Act of 1937 from £1,500 to £2,000 a year. It is not possible to consider further legislation in the matter at present.

asked the Attorney-General what action His Majesty's Government propose to take to implement the Report of the Committee on Alternative Remedies, and, in particular, whether the Government will, introduce legislation to abolish the doctrine of common employment.

I would refer the hon. Member to a reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of National Insurance on 11th July to the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. T Smith), and to the statement made by my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor on 19th July with reference to the Report and the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Bill. I am unable to enlarge upon the statement of my noble Friend until the examination of the Report to which he referred has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that a captain, R.N., after six years in that rank, qualifies for a pension of £900 per annum and that officers of the equivalent rank in the Army and R.A.F., in the same seniority in that rank, qualify only for £825; and if he will take steps to remedy this anomaly.

There is no substantive rank in the Royal Navy which corresponds to the existing substantive rank of air-commodore in the R.A.F. and the proposed substantive rank of brigadier in the Army. In consequence a captain, R.N., continues to serve in that rank until he is selected for promotion to rear-admiral or retires, whereas a proportion of colonels and group-captains are promoted to brigadier and air-commodore and begin to reckon service for retired pay at the higher rate immediately on promotion. The retired pay rates in Appendix III of Command 6750 were fixed with this consideration in mind.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of people engaged in distribution in the years 1920, 1930 and 1940, respectively.