asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of recruits and resignations, respectively, in the Metropolitan and Home Counties police forces, and in the country generally, during the past six months.

As the answer involves a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Would my right hon. Friend consider improving the position of these forces as a means of improving the intake? Would he, for example, consider the fact that police constables are asked even to buy their own typewriters, and that this requirement might be abolished?

I have, as I told the House three weeks ago, appointed a committee of the Police Council to advise me generally on a revision of the conditions of the police forces. When I receive that report I will take it into immediate consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider the supply of a lighter uniform to the police force for use in summer.

In many forces there is already a difference between the weights of the uniforms worn in summer and winter. This question, among others, will be examined by the Committee of the Police Council which I propose to set up to consider the general question of police uniforms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that by the description and nationality of origin on certificates of identity, those born in the U.S.S.R. before the revolution as well as certain others are given an unexisting nationality; and if he will consider recording such people as stateless or accept the descriptions desired by the person concerned when the actual nationality of his parents is unknown.

I do not understand my hon. Friend's difficulty. The insertion of a nationality of origin in one of these documents does not imply that the holder still possesses that nationality. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants there are for naturalisation who are alien ex-Service-men, formerly serving in the British or Allied forces; and what priority is given to the applications of such men.

As I announced last November when naturalisation was resumed, priority is being given to those who are serving or who during the war served as members of His Majesty's Forces. The number of those who have applied for naturalisation is about 7,000, about 4,600 of whom have by now been released from the Forces.

asked the Minister of Health the cost of erection on site of the aluminium houses; the total number ordered; and the total loss, and the loss per house, to the taxpayer.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Hornsey (Mr. Gammans) on 24th and 31st October.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there has been a loss on these houses or not?

If the hon. Member will examine the replies, he will find the information there.

Is it not information which could be given openly here before the House of Commons?

The information was given openly in the replies.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give an estimate of the increase in the present cost of a £1,200 house if the demand for 3s. an hour for all craftsmen in building trades, made by the General Council of the National Federation of Building Trades Operatives, was granted.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Hertford (Mr. Walker-Smith) on 17th October.

Is this not typical of the Government's evasiveness and refusal to give information?

It is typical of the repetitiveness of the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to state how many applications have been made by local authorities for the higher rate of subsidy in respect of the number of new houses allocated to the agricultural population.

Applications received so far cover 207 houses, but I understand that most local authorities prefer to delay their applications until a claim for subsidy can be made which is based on the number of houses actually completed and occupied.

Does the Minister realise that his failure to produce any adequate subsidy for rural housing in place of the Housing (Rural Workers) Act is the greatest obstacle that agriculture in this country has to overcome today?

I have not heard from a single local authority any complaint that the subsidy is inadequate. On the contrary, all regard it as generous.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that his London Regional office took seven weeks to inform an applicant that the responsibility for allocating houses did not rest with him, but with the Heston and Isleworth Urban District Council; and if he is satisfied that the regional office still performs a useful function.

I regret that the reply was delayed owing to pressure of work. The hon. Member will be aware that action was taken meanwhile by the regional office to ensure that in the particular case the applicant was registered by the appropriate local authority.

Yes, but what can be the use of a regional office which does not know—and apparently the Minister does not know either—that this urban district council in its area ceased to exist over 14 years ago?

It could quite easily happen at that time when the regional office was overburdened, because this was at a moment when considerable disturbances took place. I understand from local authorities that they are exceedingly grateful for the assistance given by the regional officers.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, as a result of the timber shortage, local authorities are being instucted to use cement finishes in place of timber for kitchen floors in all new houses now under construction; and whether, in view of the unsatisfactory nature of cement for such floors, he will arrange that so long as timber continues in short supply, pitch mastic, mastic asphalt, quarry tiles or other more agreeable surfacing materials are used for kitchens, as in the case of ground-floor living-rooms.

I have advised local authorities to use a granolithic or cement finish for kitchen floors in the immediate future in order to conserve the supply of pitch mastic, mastic asphalt and quarry tiles for the living rooms. I hope that there will soon be a wider range of materials to choose from both for kitchens and living rooms.

asked the Minister of Health in how many cases local authorities have submitted references to the furnished houses rent control tribunals; and in what circumstances such references should be made.

Up to the end of October one reference only had been made to a tribunal by a local authority. It is for the local authority to determine in the light of the circumstances of individual cases when they should exercise their power to submit references to tribunals.

Is the Minister aware that many tenants refrain from making references to the rent tribunals owing to their fear of subsequent eviction? Would my right hon. Friend say that these would be appropriate cases in which the local authority might act on their own initiative?

I do not want to inspire the local authorities to make references to the tribunals at the moment because the number of ordinary references which are being made are quite enough to occupy the tribunals.

May I ask the Minister whether he will not reconsider his view in that regard? Does not the fact that many successful applications that are now being made to rent tribunals indicate that local authorities should take a hand in the matter?

Not necessarily. It would merely mean further delay.

asked the Minister of Health which county councils are making annual contributions under Section 8 of the Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1946; what are the separate amounts contributed and in respect of how many houses.

I regret that I am unable to supply the names of the county councils or the number of houses, since the local housing authority will not normally inform me when a county council commences to make a contribution which it is liable to make under Section 8 (1) of the Act of 1946. The amount of the contribution is £1 10s. per house annually for 60 years. No application has been made for my consent to the payment of a contribution under Section 8 (2) of the Act.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state to the nearest convenient date the amounts advanced to local authorities by way of annual Exchequer grants, for the purposes of Section 1 (1) of the Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1946, showing separately the general and special standard amounts and the amounts advanced under Parts II and III of the First Schedule to the Act, and in respect of how many completed houses and flats, in each category.

Only 20 of the authorities which had completed houses under the 1946 Act by 30th September had submitted applications for subsidy up to the 18th November, 1946. £3,584 has been advanced to eight local authorities in respect of 224 dwellings qualifying for the general standard amount and £184 to three of those local authorities in respect of eight dwellings qualifying for the special standard amount. Advances will be made to the remaining 12 authorities in time to enable them to meet loan charges. No applications have yet been received in respect of flats qualifying for the contributions set out in Part II and Part III of the First Schedule to the Act.

asked the Minister of Health if he will arrange for completed permanent houses in rural areas, to have the same priority with regard to allocation of baths as temporary prefabricated houses.

Special priority is already being given to all permanent houses which were up to or beyond eaves level at 31st August, 1946. Baths are being supplied for temporary houses under direct Government orders, but I understand that deliveries against these orders are nearly complete, and that there are now sufficient baths available to meet all urgent demands for permanent houses.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent his refusal to grant additional building licences is a result of the reduction of the stock in hand and monthly overall figure of bricks available; or what other reason caused him to make these refusals.

None, Sir. The reasons for the restriction of building licences were given in the statement 1 made in the course of the Debate on 21st October.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the stock in hand of bricks since July, 1945, has fallen by 911,787,000 and does he consider that the stock in hand of bricks is adequate to cover the promise which he gave on 21st October, when he said that the output would be 17,081 houses per month?

As I have already said in my reply, the issue of licences has no relationship to the existence of the bricks, so that brick figures are irrelevant to the Question.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will introduce legislation to debar persons who are professionally interested in the buying, selling or letting of houses from serving on municipal housing committees, in view of the inevitable conflict between their private interests and their public duty.

I think that the safeguard already provided by Section 76 of the Local Government Act, 1933, is an adequate one.

But is the Minister aware that these committees now have new and additional responsibilities in regard to requisitioning and the issue of building licences, and that the chairman of the housing committee of the council of which I happen to be a member is an estate agent?

It often happens that that is the case, but I think local authorities generally are careful to see that no improper use is made of their statutory powers in this regard, and I do not think it would be desirable to lay further penalties on councillors.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered the many representations of the Shoreditch Borough Council to his Department regarding the shortage of essential materials for the completion of a block of houses known as the Stonebridge Estate; if he is aware that work on these houses has been held up for several months owing to the absence of these materials; and if he can now hold out any hope of an early delivery of these supplies.

Since 8th October, when I received full details of the materials required, 37 of the 79 different goods listed have been delivered. Delivery before the end of the month has been promised for all but one of the remaining items.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I was in touch with the borough engineer an hour ago and learned from him that work on these houses is still held up? Is he also aware that Shoreditch has very blitzed and crowded areas, and that the need for houses there is desperate? Is he further aware that my friends in Shoreditch, who formerly thought I was too critical of my right hon. Friend, now think I am not critical enough?

The hon. Member probably will take an early opportunity of reindulging in this form of avocation, and I shall be interested to reply.

In view of the maldistribution of building materials all over the country, as well as in Shoreditch, will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the committee he appointed in June, 1946, after the representations from this side made in December, 1945, will report on the matter?

Of course the shortage of building materials at the present time—

Maldistribution.

The shortage of supplies is an expression of the fact that a far larger number of houses are under construction than hon. Members opposite ever expected.

asked the Minister of Health what are the top limits on the construction price of houses in rural areas for local authorities and the private builder, respectively.

The tenders received for contracts for rural district councils are considered on their merits having regard to the general level of accepted tenders. The £1,200 limit, which applies to private builders' houses in both rural and urban areas, relates to the selling price, including land.

Does the Minister appreciate that his reply will confirm the widespread belief in this country that he would rather not see houses built than have them built by private enterprise?

Perhaps at some time or another it will percolate through to hon. Members opposite that almost all the houses are being built by private enterprise.

Is the right hon. Gentleman able to state the difference between the tender price and the final account when rendered and paid?

If the hon. Member will put down that question, I will try to get the information for him.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether he will take steps to see that houses being rebuilt or repaired under the War Damage Act, which the owners do not themselves intend to occupy, shall be made available in the first instance to the former tenants of such houses and shall not in any case be sold at inflated prices, but if not required cither by the owner or the former tenant shall be open to requisition by the local authority;

(2) what steps he proposes to take in order to prevent the sale to a third party, at inflated prices, of cost-of-works agreements between the War Damage Commission and the owners of war damaged property, in view of the effect such transactions are having upon the already high costs of house property.

The legal right of a tenant to return to a house which has been demolished as a result of enemy action and later rebuilt, is governed by the Landlord and Tenant (War Damage) Acts and the Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Acts. I cannot express an opinion regarding their interpretation in individual cases. I do not think it would be equitable to differentiate in regard to sale or requisitioning between owners of war destroyed houses and owners of other houses.

It is difficult to hear, but I would like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that the tenants of houses which are being repaired after bomb damage are often under very considerable hardship owing to the fact that these houses, instead of being offered to the former tenant, are being sold at very highly inflated prices over their heads?

Yes, I daresay, but it would seem to me to be inequitable under the law to differentiate between two owners—one owner who has had a house destroyed and rebuilt and another owner who has not had any destruction at all. It would be a double burden on the owner who has already received injury from enemy action, and I cannot make that differentiation under the law.

asked the Minister of Health if it is his intention to introduce legislation to assist the reconditioning of rural cottages.

The report recently submitted by the Rural Housing Sub-Committee of my Central Housing Advisory Committee on this subject is receiving consideration but it has not yet been published, and I cannot make any statement at present.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the pleasure which that answer will give to the rural critics of his housing schemes, who see so little going on actually on the ground?

The answer is that the rural authorities are doing a. very good job. The hon. and gallant Gentleman should spend a little more time in his own area, and find out what is happening.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied with the supply of window frames for immediate housing needs.

I am hopeful, despite difficulties, that sufficient numbers of window frames will be secured to meet immediate needs.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that large premiums are being requested as a consideration for the granting or transfer of leases and other tenancies of some houses and flats; and whether he will take steps to deal with this position in respect of those cases where the Rent Acts do not afford protection against such demands.

The reply to the first part of the Question is "Yes, Sir." As regards the second part, the matter is one which will be considered in connection with the proposed review of the Rent Restrictions Acts, but I can hold out no prospect of early legislation.

In view of the serious position created by the large premiums which are being demanded and in view of the fact that the objects of the rent control Acts are thus being frustrated, cannot my right hon. Friend see about introducing a short Measure to remedy this particular position?

The possibility of Parliamentary time being made available for legislation is not a question which should be addressed to me but to the Prime Minister or the Leader of the House.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the present policy of reserving a high proportion of electric washing machines for installation in new houses is unfair to people who live in old-fashioned houses and have great need of such labour-saving devices: and whether he will change this preferential policy so as to give the occupiers of older houses a fairer chance of obtaining these appliances.

I am not aware that any part of the production of electric washing machines is reserved for installation in new houses. The latter part of the Question does not therefore arise.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that the Board of Trade say that a proportion of these machines is reserved for new houses?

I do not think that is the case.

asked the Minister of Health if he proposes to have libraries for patients and for the hospital staff in all hospitals in future; if there will be paid and trained librarians in all the larger hospitals; and if these librarians will become part of the hospital staff.

I hope to see library facilities developed in all hospitals within the National Health Service as and when possible. But the details will have to be worked out at a later stage by the regional hospital boards and hospital management committees.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise the importance of trained librarians in the rehabilitation side of hospital work, and will he be prepared to use the facilities of the county libraries for the training of librarians for the hospitals?

I hope it will be possible to make arrangements so that we do not have as many dead books as there are at the present time and so that there will be a large number of points at which books are available to readers. These hospital libraries will be very valuable centres.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the committee of the Willesden General Hospital, a voluntary hospital, have refused to set up a consultative committee in defiance of his advice to all hospital authorities; and what further steps he proposes to take.

I am drawing the attention of the hospital authority to the recommendation I have already made that there should be a nurses' representative council in every hospital.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that recently the nurses employed at the Willesden General Hospital, a voluntary hospital, before commencing their night duties of 12 hours had to be satisfied with seven kippers for 11 nurses for breakfast; and if he will ensure that adequate food is provided.

I am making inquiries about the nurses' diet here, as I am most anxious that nurses should be well fed.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will cause a review of the dietaries of the various hospital staffs in the country?

That is another question. I am, of course, at this moment not directly responsible for their administration.

There was a multitude fed on five.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give an assurance that the statement in the summary of the proposed National Health Service, Cmd. 6761, to the effect that all the service or any part of it is to be available to everyone in England and Wales is still the intention of the Government and that he is taking steps to carry it out.

Yes, Sir. But it is no longer the intention of the Government only, but of Parliament, and is embodied in the National Health Service Act. The preparatory work now in hand to bring the Act into operation is therefore based on the principle to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Minister of Health what action he is taking in regard to alien medical practitioners and dental surgeons who are practicing in this country under the temporary registration scheme; and what are the proposals of the Government.

As regards temporarily registered doctors my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and I are at present in communication with the profession and I am not yet in a position to make a statement. As regards alien dentists, other than the few practising solely by virtue of temporary medical registration, there is no provision for temporary registration. Those admitted to the Dentists' Register have secured admission in the ordinary way by virtue of either British or foreign dental qualifications.

Can the Minister say whether the men referred to in this Question will be eligible to come under his new Act?

All persons who are competent to practice will, I imagine, be competent to enter.

asked the Minister of Health how many ex-Service doctors are unable to obtain employment in general practice; and if he will make a statement as to the provision of employment for such doctors until the National Health Service Act comes into operation.

I regret I have not the information requested in the first part of the Question. Ex-Service general practitioners can take the hospital posts and refresher courses available under the Government's Postgraduate Scheme, and it is then open to them to buy or open a practice or to seek assistantships or other appropriate employment in the usual way during the interim.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the great difficulty there is among doctors in obtaining assistantships at the present time?

Yes, I am aware that there is a difficulty. It is a difficulty which always arises immediately before great changes are made. We are doing our best to mitigate the hardships where we can.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the names of the authorities in the Greater London area which have been allocated mass radiography units; the dates when these units were allotted; and when it will be possible for the county borough of West Ham to have the use of such an apparatus.

The authorities referred to are the County Councils of London, Middlesex, Surrey and Essex. The first two began mass radiography at the end of 1943, Surrey County Council at the end of 1944, and Essex County Council early in 1945. A further allocation of apparatus to selected authorities who are prepared to operate it, including West Ham Borough Council, is to begin soon, and I shall shortly be communicating with these authorities.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give his sanction to the Thornbury Rural District Council to renew a sewer on the east side of New Street, Newtown, Berkeley, and thus obviate any pollution of the wells of the district from defective sewerage.

Yes, Sir. My approval was given in a letter to the Thornbury Rural District Council dated 26th of this month.

asked the Minister of Labour how many ex-Servicemen are waiting for a course of training in hair-dressing; and what is the average time an applicant waits before commencing training.

Eight hundred and eighty-seven ex-Servicemen who have been accepted for training in hairdressing are awaiting admission to training. Informa- tion is not immediately available as to the average time an applicant waits before commencing training, but I will find out and let the hon. Member know.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied with the Ministerial training schemes in general, and the hairdressing scheme in particular?

Yes, Sir. I am satisfied with the administration, but in these cases we are not satisfied with the delay in getting the premises suitable for this training. The delay in these cases is entirely due to having to wait for suitable premises.

Will the Minister give special consideration to a case, particulars of which I have sent to his Parliamentary Secretary, in which an ex-Serviceman, having waited a year for a course in ladies' hairdressing, was told there is not to be such a course?

I will look into that.

asked the Minister of Labour the nature of the terms governing the release from productive industry to the Army of skilled engineering artisans under the Leading Artisans Staff-sergeants Scheme; if he is satisfied that the conditions are being carried out; and whether he is aware that many of the men are dissatisfied.

The release from industry of the men referred to was not governed by any conditions, and the second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise. I am informed that because of cuts in the Army's requirements after the end of the war, some men selected for training as potential leading artisan staff-sergeants had to be re-mustered in other trades, but every effort was made to post them to trades in which their industrial experience would be used.

In view of the appeal of the Government for, production, is the Minister aware that many of these men have been waiting over a year for a course, that they feel their skill is being lost to the country, that they are losing practice in their craft, and that they are very upset and frustrated at the ill-working of the scheme?