asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what changes in the price of jute occurred recently in India when price controls were removed.

The Calcutta market quotation for raw jute of nth November Was Rs. 180 per bale of 400 lb., compared with the maximum permissible price before control was removed of Rs. 87 per bale.

Can my hon. and learned Friend say how much jute the Jute Control purchased at the reduced control price; what stocks are now in hand; and how long they will suffice?

I am afraid I could not answer that question without notice.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he will give an assurance that the Government of India will not undertake bombing from the air against those areas where communal disorders occur.

As Mr. Nehru is reported as having recently reminded the Indian Legislature, "The Government of India may not interfere under the existing consitution with Provincial autonomy." Law and order is a subject entirely within the Provincial field of legislation and administration in India. If a Provincial Government were to ask the Government of India for assistance by bombing, the request could clearly be considered only in the light of the circumstances which obviously would be most exceptional. My noble Friend is not prepared to give the assurance asked for. To do so on a hypothetical basis would unwarrantably call in question the ability of the Indian Government to deal wisely with such a situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the limited U.N.R.R.A. relief "granted to Hungary in January last has now been exhausted; on what commodities it was expended; and whether any further grant will be made available.

I am informed that out of the original emergency relief programme of 3,333,000 dollars approximately 700,000 dollars remained unspent on 1st November. To this balance must be added a further 1 million dollars, subsequently credited to the budget for Hungary in respect of transit charges on U.N.R.R.A. supplies crossing Hungary to other countries. Of the original programme of 3,333,000 dollars, 2,662,000 dollars were budgeted for' food, the balance being divided between clothing, medical requirements and supplies for industrial rehabilitation. I understand that the possibility of a further relief grant for Hungary will be considered by U.N.R.R.A. at the end of this month.

Would the hon. Gentleman tell the House what proportion of this contribution to U.N.R.R.A. is payable by the British taxpayer?

It is not possible to say that. The actual allocation between individual countries is made by the Administration and not by His Majesty's Government.

Is not it a fact that the British taxpayer is making a substantial contribution to this grant to Hungary?

Is not one of the reasons for the shortage that U.N.R.R.A. goods were not delivered to the people for whom they were intended but were sold on the black market?

Is my hon. Friend aware that there is no evidence whatsoever on the spot to substantiate the observation made by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers)?

It was a question not an observation, and it is fully justified.

Would my hon. Friend consider allocating medical supplies for the remainder of the amount now available, because they are in very great need?

I believe the majority of the remaining grant may go for food, but I will certainly bear in mind the suggestion just made by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) the volume and value of the relief measures provided by U.N.R.R.A. for the people of Yugoslavia; and the estimated contribution from the British Exchequer since the inception of U.N.R.R.A., to the latest convenient date;

(2) the volume of value of U.N.R.R.A.'s supplies for the industrial rehabilitation of Czechoslovakia as at the latest convenient date; and the proportion of the cost of these supplies borne by the Exchequer;

(3) if he will make a statement on the supply operations of U.N.R.R.A. in Austria since relief operations commenced; and the proportion of the total cost borne by the British Exchequer.

Details of the volume and value of U.N.R.R.A. relief measures to Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Austria are given in the report of the Director-General of U.N.R.R.A. to the United Nations dated September, 1946, entitled Economic Recovery in the Countries Assisted by U.N.R.R.A." perhaps I may be allowed to refer the hon. Member to this report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Figures are not available to show what proportion of the total cost of each country's supply programme has been borne by the Exchequer. It is left to the Administration to allocate the supplies and services amongst the various recipient countries. Amongst other goods from the United Kingdom however, substantial quantities of industrial and agricultural supplies, textiles and clothing and medical supplies have been sent by U.N.R.R.A. to the three countries.

Is it not very important from the point of view of the taxpayers of this country, and in view of criticisms made in the United States and elsewhere, that we should have the actual figures of the amount contributed by this country towards this relief organisation; and will the hon. Gentleman undertake to prepare for the House, in the form of either a White Paper or an answer to a Question on the Order Paper, the details of these figures, in order that the people of this country may know what contribution they are making?

In the way the Administration is arranged at present, our contribution does not refer to any particular country; that decision is taken by U.N.R.R.A. itself. I believe that even if it were possible the detailed work involved in getting out the separate figures for each country as far as our contribution is concerned would be very heavy, and I very much doubt if it would be a practicable decision.

Is it not a fact that this country has contributed largely to relief in Yugoslavia, and does not that have some moral if not legal bearing on the answer given to Questions No. 6 and No. 16?

May I submit that this is very important? The people of this country are making a substantial contribution to this organised relief. Surely, we ought to know the proportion which we are paying from the taxation of this country to this work.

I think I have explained the position. I have given the gross figures, and explained that it would not be possible to give the figures for which the hon. Member asks.

Will the hon. Gentleman explain why it is necessary for us to be sending food to mid-Europe when they are already sending eggs and turkeys from mid-Europe to this country? We do not understand why that is necessary.

That is another question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has considered the petition sent to him by the hon. Member for Cheltenham, on behalf of a large number of his constituents of the Roman Catholic faith, asking him to take steps to secure the early release from prison of Archbishop Stepinac, of Zagreb; and what reply he has made thereto.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to state the result of his inquiries from our ambassador regarding the recent trial of Archbishop Stepinac.

On a point of Order. I want to ask for your guidance, Mr. Speaker, in view of the fact that Question No. 6 appears on the Order Paper. If I put down a Question about Communists arrested in South Africa it will be refused at the Table on the ground that there is no Minister who is responsible for what is happening in South Africa. Would you tell me, Mr. Speaker, how it is I cannot get a Question accepted about a matter of this kind in South Africa, whereas a Question can be accepted concerning matters of this kind in Jugoslavia?

A point of Order does not arise there, because the hon. Gentleman the Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) is asking what answer was given to a letter sent to the Minister.

Further to that point of Order. The Question submitted to the Minister in the letter is about affairs in Jugoslavia. If I write to the Minister about affairs in South Africa and try to put down a Question it will be refused at the Table on the ground that no Minister is responsible for what takes place in South Africa.

That is another matter. If the hon. Member writes a letter to a Minister and does not get a reply, he may be entitled to put down a Question on that matter, provided it falls within the responsibility of the Minister concerned.

I am much obliged to the hon. Members, for having put these Questions down, and I should like to say that I have considered, among the many petitions forwarded to my right hon.

Friend and myself, that referred to by the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson). The Yugoslav Government contend that this trial and sentence of a Yugoslav citizen is entirely a domestic matter, and His Majesty's Government, having considered the matter fully, find it impossible to dispute this contention. In these circumstances His Majesty's Government have no legal grounds for making official representations.

In view of the fact that our relations with the Yugoslav Government are of a friendly nature, would it not be possible to make unofficial, friendly representations on the matter, with a view to expressing the very great concern of very large numbers of people in this country?

My answer does not necessarily mean that no further action will be taken, but we believe that official representations may well do more harm than good to the Archbishop.

May I ask the hon. Gentleman how many petitions he has already received, and the number of signatories to those petitions? Is he aware that there is grave disquiet throughout the country about this particular trial and the result of the trial? Will he make a statement on the matter?

I am afraid that I cannot give those figures without notice, but they are sufficiently large to make me well aware of the disquiet.

While I quite understand the hon. Gentleman's point of view about official representations, may I ask him to consider whether it would not be, at least, a friendly act to the Yugoslav Government to let them be made aware of what is clearly the feeling in many parts of this country?

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind, and let it underline what is in his mind, that there are great numbers of people in this country other than Roman Catholics who are gravely concerned? It is not only the Roman Catholics who are concerned.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, whatever may be the pros and cons in this distressing case, the severity of the sentence meted out to the Archbishop is really an affront to Christian opinion the world over?

If it had been a worker there would have been heard nothing about it.

Will the hon. Gentleman, and the Secretary of State, bear in mind that this gentleman is considered by the Yugoslav Government to be a traitorous collaborator, and, in view of that, will he underline the danger of interfering in a matter of that kind with the Yugoslav Government?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the terms of the request received from the Yugoslav Government demanding the extradition from Egypt of a judge and four senior officers who fought with the Royal Yugoslav Army, which was disbanded in 1945; what reply has been sent to the Yugoslav Government; if he will give the names of the five persons concerned; and what evidence he has to indicate that these men should, in fact, be tried as war criminals on charges of collaboration with the Axis.

The Yugoslav Legation in Cairo applied earlier this year to His Majesty's Embassy for the surrender of a number of persons in British military camps in Egypt on the grounds that they were Yugoslav war criminals. They were informed that such persons could not be termed war criminals but that applications for the surrender of Yugoslav quislings should be made to His Majesty's Government through the Yugoslav Embassy in London. Large numbers of applications have been received from the Yugoslav Embassy for the surrender of alleged quislings but none of these, so far as the evidence shows, are at present under British control in Egypt. Such reports as my right hon. Friend has received since then indicate that a request has been made by the Yugoslav Legation in Egypt to the Egyptian Government on the lines indicated by the hon. and gallant Member.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the Yugoslav Embassy in London has made a request to His Majesty's Government for the extradition of Professor Baraga, who was in his absence sentenced to death by the People's Court of Ljubljana for the torture of Yugoslav nationals and collaboration with the enemy, and can he say when His Majesty's Government Will accede to this very reasonable request?

I would certainly be very willing to look into that, but only with notice.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Polish Government have yet invited a British delegation to observe the elections due to be held on 19th January next; and whether he is prepared to accept such an invitation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps are being taken to have additional representatives sent to Poland to watch the election campaign, both before and on the day of the election.

The Polish Provisional Government have not invited an official mission of British or other foreign nationals to observe the Polish elections and it is not proposed to suggest such a mission.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that we have at present no British subject as a newspaper correspondent to observe these elections? The only British subject was sent home, and it seems that there is not a single British subject there as a correspondent.

The Polish Prime Minister stated at the Potsdam Conference, and gave us the assurance, that foreign corre- spondents would be very free to move about Poland at election time, and we certainly hope that this assurance will be carried out.

Is the Minister aware that the elections in Poland will be very much fairer than the general run of elections in Northern Ireland?

Can the Under-Secretary tell the House exactly how the Government will assess the true value of these elections? We recently debated the Bulgarian elections and how are we to assess the value of the forthcoming election in Poland?

We have our Mission there, and the question of whether extra representatives are necessary at the Embassy is being considered by my right hon. Friend.

Can the hon. Gentleman inform the House how many Opposition leaders have already been assassinated before the elections?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that the secretary of the Polish Peasant Party in Cracow, Stansislaw Mierzwa, and three members of the party's provincial council were arrested last month; and if he has called for a report on these arrests as being contrary to the agreement for free elections.

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend is aware of these and other arrests of officials and members of the Polish Peasant Party, which clearly must tend to hamper that party's electoral activities. In the case of Mr. Mierzwa I am informed that he is charged with having connections with illegal underground organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (I), if he is yet in a position to make a statement about the discussions between His Majesty's Government and the U.S. authorities with regard to the enforcement in the U.S.A. of paternity orders made out in the United Kingdom against former U.S. Servicemen;

(2) what steps are being taken by His Majesty's Government to safeguard the interests of the wives and children abandoned in the United Kingdom by former U.S. Servicemen who have now returned to the U.S.A. on demobilisation.

As at present advised, I regret that I can offer little hope that it will be found possible to secure the enforcement of affiliation orders, but we are still thoroughly exploring this possibility in relation to the numerous and complex State laws of the United States. The maintenance of the dependants of former United States Servicemen is being informally discussed with the United States State Department. I regret that, as regards these discussions, I have nothing to add to my written reply on 17th October to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Bexley (Major Bramall). His Majesty's Embassy and Consular officers in the United States do all they can to assist British wives of United States ex-Servicemen who become involved in divorce proceedings in the United States courts.

As these discussions have been dragging on for months, can ray hon. Friend say what is the particular reason which prevents some reasonable arrangement being made?

The difficulties about affiliation orders are primarily legal difficulties. The question of alternative methods of giving assistance to dependants over here is, of course, primarily a matter for the United States Government. I agree with the hon. Member that the position is not satisfactory, but it is primarily for the United States Government, although we are doing what we can.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the present Minister of State assured me some months ago that a list of these cases was being drawn up in conjunction with the Home Office, and could he say whether that list is more or less complete, and approximately how many names there are on it?

I think that some 6,000 people are involved. Without notice I cannot give details about the list.

I am sure the hon. Gentleman is aware of the grave hardship caused to citizens of this country, and I want to ask him if there are not some unofficial methods which might be adopted in the case of affiliation orders? Must it always be taken up on the highest official level?

There are unofficial ways of coming to informal arrangements, and these are being pursued by His Majesty's representatives in the United States.

Would it not be the practical thing for the British Government to take over the responsibility and pay some of the paternity orders out of the Dollar Loan?

Does the hon. Gentleman really mean that no representations of any kind can be made to the American Government on a pressing matter of this kind?

asked the Minister of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the nominal fines imposed on bakers for breaking the bread rationing regulations; and whether he proposes to introduce legislation imposing heavier penalties which will prevent further contravention of the rationing regulations by master bakers.

I am aware of one case in which a nominal fine was imposed on a baker for breaking the bread rationing regulations. I do not propose to introduce legislation on the lines suggested as the maximum penalties already provided are, in my opinion, adequate.

Would not the solution of this question be to abandon bread rationing?

That will be done as soon as it is possible to do so.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is satisfied that Great Britain is given a fair allocation of feeding stuffs by the International Emergency Food Council.

I am satisfied that we are getting a fair share of oil cake, which is the only kind of animal feeding stuff allocated by the International Emergency Food Council.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make inquiries into the dirty and careless condition in which the meat killed in this country, is packed and delivered to the retailers, and attempt to bring up the standard to that achieved by the packers and cleaners of our imported supplies.

I cannot accept the generalisation that all meat killed in this country is packed and delivered in a dirty and careless manner, though wartime conditions made things difficult. Improvements, however, are being made as quickly as present circumstances permit. If the hon. Member knows of any places where the arrangements for the handling and transport of meat are unsatisfactory, I should be most grateful if he would furnish me with particulars.

asked the Minister of Food if he is in a position to make a statement about the allocation and distribution of imported fresh fruits.

Yes, Sir. I have found that there is a tendency for home-grown fruit to be sold and eaten near the areas in which it is grown. It is impracticable to regulate distribution of this home-grown fruit so as to secure an even spread over the whole country. I have, therefore, decided to draw on the increasing supplies of imported fruit to compensate those areas, mainly in the North, which get a smaller share of home-grown fruits, by directing to them a larger share of the oranges and apples imported during the current quarter and the first quarter of next year. This will be done by making more frequent allocations of oranges and larger allocations of apples to these hitherto unlucky areas. The areas to be so treated are Scotland, Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmorland, Durham, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, North Staffs., Derbyshire, Notts., Wales and Northern Ireland. Fortunately, the total of imported fruit which we plan to import will be so much higher that the amount going to the South will also be substantially higher than during the past year. But it will not increase as rapidly as the supplies to the North.

Is the Minister aware that this answer will give very great satisfaction to the people in the areas concerned?

Will the Minister give: an assurance that should there be a glut of any home-grown fruit, there will be no restriction on sending it to those areas in the North which he has mentioned?

There is no restriction now.

Does it include pomegranates at 2s. 6d. each?

Is the Minister taking steps to encourage the increased production of fruit by British people who are anxious to be given an opportunity?

That is a question of consultation between my right hon. Friend and myself, but we are certainly giving such encouragement.

asked the Minister of Food whether he intends to issue special food coupons for the benefit of schoolchildren during the Christmas holidays, to make up for the meals they normally get at the school during term time.

I am afraid that there would be many objections to entering upon this form of temporary differential rationing. School dinners are provided primarily to enable children to get a hot midday meal whilst away from home.

Does not the Minister realise that these children are getting a good meal now? Are they to be denied these meals in future because their parents have been using their food ration for their own meals?

I do not think that I can accept that imputation against parents.

Where is the food coming from?

School meals are a provision which can be made during term time and cannot be made at any other time. After all, it is a very great advance that we have school meals at all.

asked the Minister of Food whether his attention has been called to the fact that a pig's carcase, weighing 80 lb., with the wrapper marked "Gift to Great Britain from Rhodesia," was included amongst other carcases of meat for sale delivered recently to a butcher's establishment in South-East London; by what authority gifts to this country are put on sale; and who receives the proceeds.

With the approval of the donors, the gifts of meat received from Southern Rhodesia are being distributed in accordance with the arrangements described in the reply given on 30th January, 1946, to the Question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Mr. Attewell), of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

If donors give permission for these gifts to be sold, who gets the money?

These arrangements are usually come to in agreement with the donors.

But who gets the money?

The money is used for the provision of other unrationed foods from the donors—in this case Rhodesia— as and when these become available.

What an answer.

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the fact that bread and other rationing is to continue for some time, he will arrange for food-office facilities to be available at High Bentham.

I am sorry that I cannot undertake to open a sub-food office at High Bentham. To do so in the case of these smaller communities must lead to a quite unjustifiable increase in staff and expense.

Is the Minister aware that this town is the centre of a large agricultural area, and that the continued absence of a food office there entails numerous visits to a neighbouring town, which causes great inconvenience to those in the locality?

I am very willing to look into this individual case if the hon. Member will put it to me, but we must try to limit the number of food offices and sub-food offices which we set up.

asked the Minister of Food in view of the fact that there is no immediate prospect of the removal of bread rationing, if he will now consider the introduction of mobile food sub-offices, so that small burghs in rural counties may be visited one day a week, with a view to the exchange of bread rationing coupons and issue of emergency food cards, etc.

I regret that it is not possible to set up large numbers of sub-food offices, whether mobile or otherwise.

Is the Minister aware that some employees of food offices have lately been released, and where that is so, and where there is a wide distribution area, could he not employ these people in order to establish mobile food sub-offices?

I am very willing to consider the suggestion, but I must again issue a warning that I do not think we must further extend very considerably a network of food offices in the country without careful consideration.

Sack the lot.

asked the Minister of Food if the Milk Distribution Working Party have yet started working; and what progress has been made.

The Committee on Milk Distribution has been at work for eight weeks and is making progress. [Laughter.] Hon. Members who laugh may not like its progress when it has made it. This Committee is, however, composed of independent members, and I do not expect to receive detailed progress reports until they are ready to submit their final recommendations.

Has the right hon. Gentleman any idea when the Working Party are' likely to submit their final recommendations?

They will move as quickly as possible. We are much more concerned in getting a right answer, than in getting an answer on any particular date.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the fact that the directors of United Dairies, Limited, at their 31st ordinary general meeting held on 25th October, recommended the payment of a final dividend on the ordinary stock of 10 per cent. actual, less tax, making 15 per cent. for the year and a special non-recurring taxfree bonus of 2½per cent., he will consider the possibility of reducing the controlled selling price of milk.

No, Sir. But, as the House knows, I have appointed a special committee of inquiry which will, I hope, soon furnish me with a report on the whole question of milk distribution.

While I thank the Minister for his answer, does he not think that it is most undesirable that these fantastic profits should be made out of the distribution of milk at a time when we are providing more than £300,000,000 a year to keep down the cost of living?

The appointment of this committee of inquiry is probably an indication that we do not think the present situation of the distribution of milk is permanently satisfactory.

Does not the Minister agree that these figures indicate that the distribution costs of milk are too high, and is he aware that a paper issued by the Coalition Government in 1942 showed that the distribution costs of milk by the Cooperative Society in some parts of the country were only half what they were in London? Will he arrange for the distribution costs in London to be brought down to those for other parts of the country?

These are just the matters at present under consideration.

Have not the employees of the Cooperative Society been showing some disgruntlement?

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that large quantities of baby foods and rusks are purchased for general consumption and that it is, consequently, difficult to obtain supplies for babies; and if he will arrange that these goods shall be sold only to holders of green ration books.

Retailers have again been asked to restrict the sale of infant milk foods to persons who produce a ration book for a child under two years old. I am told that this reminder has had good effect, but I am keeping the position under review and shall introduce a form of control should that become necessary. I was not aware that there were similar difficulties in respect of rusks, but if they are sufficiently serious I shall invite retailers to restrict sales of rusks in the same way as for infant milk foods.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is also difficulty with regard to other manufactured foods, such as preparations of broth?

I am willing to consider that.

asked the Minister of Food whether any arrangements have yet been made to print ration books for the years 1947 and 1948.

Yes, Sir, for the rationing: year, July, 1947-July, 1948.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will now allow parcels of unrationed food to be sent to individuals in Germany.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the recent deterioration in the food position in Germany and Austria is causing concern to many persons in this country; and if he will now give further consideration to withdrawing the ban on the sending of food parcels by individuals to their relatives and friends in Germany and Austria.

The question of permitting people to send food parcels to relatives and friends overseas, including Germany and Austria, is again under revision.

Could the Minister indicate when a decision on this matter is likely to be reached, because there is a great deal of uneasiness in England on this particular subject?

I appreciate that the House would like an early decision.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that in reaching a decision, in the interests of peace, it would be most unwise to dam up the springs of charity and kindliness in the world? A great many people want to help by sending food parcels to Germany at the present time.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind my Question, No. 81, which is closely linked with this matter, and which suggests that, even if nothing can be done by means of ordinary parcels, something might be done through the extra Christmas rations which have just been announced?

If a new arrangement is to be come to I think it would have to be come to in respect of parcels in general. If that is done people could use any of the extras given at Christmas as the contents of those parcels.

Will the Minister bear in mind, in coming to an early decision on this matter, the fact that the present ban on food parcels is an offence to the conscience of a great many people in the country?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has yet reached any conclusions on the Report of the Loveday Committee on Higher Agriculture Education.

I have already stated that I am in general agreement with the coherent plan suggested by the Committee for improved facilities for higher agricultural education to meet the needs of the future, and that I wished to commend it to the attention of the Universities and other interested bodies. I am now considering the detailed recommendations of the Committee in the light of the views expressed by those bodies.

Will the Minister expedite his final decision on the recommendations regarding the university course, particularly in view of the recent establishment of the National Advisory Service?

I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that conversations are taking place with the universities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the shortage in the supplies of sulphate of potash available to commercial fruit growers; and if he will arrange for some allocation of this salt to be made available to British growers at an early date.

I am aware that' there is a shortage of potash, and regret that it is unlikely that supplies will be sufficient to make allocations, whether of sulphate or other forms, for fruit growers this season.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that this problem is particularly acute in Norfolk, where the soil is deficient of this element; is not he also aware that a certain amount of potash is at present being produced in the British zone of Germany, the greater part of which goes to Holland; and cannot he arrange for some proportion of this to be allocated to this country?

I cannot say what proportion of the potash produced in Germany is going to Holland—I should very much doubt whether that is the case. It is true that we recognise that there is a shortage in this country, and we are doing all that we can to improve supplies.

But is my right hon. Friend not aware that it was stated in this House a few months ago that a quite considerable amount of potash from the British zone was going to Holland?

If my hon. Friend needs information about that, he had better put down a Question to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the need today?

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many ex-Servicemen have started training in forestry work under the Government scheme; and how many, having started, have since given up.

One thousand and thirty-six ex-Servicemen started training in forestry work under the Government scheme, and 260 have since given up.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman consider that a very high and disturbing proportion? And is he aware that on some of the Forestry Commission estates the men are disappointed that they are expected to do monotonous work and get very little training?

I think that the true answer is that many of the applicants were ex-Servicemen who prior to undertaking this work were in sedentary occupations and who, in many cases, after a few days found that forestry work was not suited to them.

Will the right hon. Gentleman look into any case if I send him the correspondence?

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the demand for accommodation at the holiday harvest camp organised by the Communist Party at Great Euston, Leicestershire, with a crèche for young children, he will consider providing more holiday harvest camps with crèches in 1947.

No, Sir. In order to use the available facilities to the best advantage, it will again be necessary to confine accommodation at these camps to active volunteers.

In view of the fact that there is only a limited number of people working in the fields and that this scheme gives scope to married couples to do so, why should not the Minister consider this revolutionary scheme?

Simply because of the reason which I have stated in the reply. We need all the accommodation which we have for actual active workers. We cannot, therefore, provide facilities for children.

Is this Question an indication that the Communist Party, who have used the hammer for so long, are now to use the sickle?

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the sickle can be as effective as the hammer; and may I ask him to recall that last year the response to his Department's appeal for workers in the fields was not very good, and will he, therefore, consider this proposal in view of the fact that there was available accommodation in the camps last year for additional workers?

I do not accept that the number of volunteers was excessively small; rather I would say that the response was reasonably good, in the light of all the circumstances, and I think that the response in 1947 may be even better after the relaxation enjoyed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the total estimated tonnage of grain available from the 1946 crop; and what percentage of this is estimated to be unmillable owing to weather and other causes.

The total production of grain in England and Wales from the 1946 harvest is estimated to be 4,926,000 tons. This includes grain retained on farms for seed or stockfeeding where tills is permissible. It is not possible to estimate at present the percentage that will be unmillable.

In view of the large amount of grain known to be unmillable in the country, will the right hon. Gentleman take immediate action to make it available for poultry?

Whatever unmillable wheat is available is either retained on the farm by the farmer or finds its way into the feeding stuffs pool, out of which poultry get their rations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will take steps with a view to securing the deferment of the new clause in sugar beet contracts which requires farmers to grow sugar beet from 1947 onwards on the same land only once in every three years and thus enable many occupiers of small farms in Norfolk and elsewhere to continue to grow this valuable crop next year.

This clause has been agreed between the British Sugar Corporation and the National Farmers' Union, and I am satisfied that its inclusion in the contract is desirable on grounds of good husbandry. The possibility of some relaxation of this requirement in individual cases for 1947 is, however, at present under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether priority is given to ex-Servicemen and women in allotting appointments under his department and the A.E.C.s.

Permanent appointments in my Department are filled through the agency of the Civil Service Commission. In accordance with general Government policy, no priority is given to ex-Servicemen and women in temporary appointments and appointments with war agricultural executive committees, but care is taken to see that they are not prejudiced vis-a-vis other candidates through their absence in the Forces.