asked the Minister of Food whether he will give a comparative price list of prices paid to British producers and to Denmark for butter, cheese, bacon, eggs and meat during the latest convenient period or on the latest convenient date.

It is very difficult to give a satisfactory comparison of prices for several of these commodities but I will circulate a statement giving the best com parison I can in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the Coalville Cooperative Society allow miners to take home biscuits and cakes from the canteens without presenting bread rationing coupons; and what steps he will take to ensure the enforcement of food orders against cooperative societies.

I am satisfied that the Coalville Cooperative Society does its best to ensure that rationed foods sold for consumption on canteen premises and therefore free of coupons are consumed there and not taken away. Cooperative Societies are treated no differently from other traders in respect of Ministry of Food Orders.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that nurses engaged in tuberculosis hospitals are not allowed a supplementary milk allowance except when nurses are suffering from tuberculosis themselves; and if he will arrange for a supplementary allowance to be given to nurses and the domestic staffs engaged in tuberculosis hospitals.

I am assured by my medical advisers that there are no medical grounds for granting extra milk to nursing and domestic staff in tuberculosis sanatoria.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that last Christmas in Huntingdonshire the ingredients for Christmas puddings were supplied to local wholesalers only about two days before Christmas which was too late to ensure effective distribution to the public before Christmas; and whether he will en sure that this year supplies are sent to the local wholesalers at the earliest possible data.

The special allocation of dried fruits was made on 13th October and should by now be in retail shops. A further allocation was made on 10th November and should be available well before Christmas.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that canned fruit, imported through London, is not always reaching country districts in sufficient quantities owing to the fact that the profit allowed to the importers does not cover the cost of carriage to the provinces; and whether he will arrange for such canned fruit to be placed in local depots as is done with canned meats.

The hon. Member is, I think, under some misapprehension. My Department bears the cost of carriage to distributors' depots in the provinces.

asked the Minister of Food on what basis the allocation of canned fruit is distributed for the township of Barrow-in-Furness; and whether he is aware that the allocation made to G. Baynes, grocer and provisions dealer, is so limited as to be inadequate to meet the needs of his registered customers.

Barrow-in-Furness, in common with the rest of the country, receives a share based approximately on population. Distribution is through the ordinary trade channels and it is not tied to consumer registrations. I am afraid I am not in a position to determine the share of any particular retailer.

asked the Minister of Food whether there are arrangements whereby self-employed persons working full time on agriculture or horticulture may obtain the extra bread rationing coupons available to manual workers; and what are the conditions of qualification.

Yes, Sir, if they are regularly employed in manual work for an average of not less than 22 hours a week.

asked the Minister of Food what quantities and types of livestock products have been received, or are under contract to be received, in 1946, from Poland, Yugoslavia and Hungary.

The following quantities received and under contract areFrom Poland, 15 tons of turkeys, 235 tons of geese, and 6,000 boxes each containing 360 shell eggs; from Yugoslavia 500 tons of turkeys; and from Hungary, 1,000 tons of turkeys and 1,500 tons of fowls and chickens.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make available to agricultural workers the extra meat ration now granted to miners and heavy industrial workers.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Baker White) on 22nd October, 1946.

asked the Minister of Food why biscuits are being permitted to be imported from Europe, thereby causing unemployment among biscuit-factory employees in this country and at the same time taking out of Europe biscuits needed there.

The biscuits will be imported to eat. If we could get the raw materials and make the biscuits here we should, of course, do so.

asked the Minister of Food why restaurants are allowed to add 10s. or more to the price of Government-controlled wines.

The maximum prices for the sale of wines in restaurants have been agreed by my Department. The margins of gross profit are, on the average, less than before the war.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the unsatisfactory train services to Bridport; and when it is intended to restore services which compare more favourably with those existing before the war.

Yes, Sir, but augmentation of the present service is not possible in view of the general shortage of engines and coaches, and of the number of passengers to be carried.

asked the Minister of Transport the cost of demurrage on shipping held up by the Singapore dock strike during the months of October and November.

No demurrage was incurred on shipping under my control as a result of the recent strike at Singapore. Some ships, including tramp ships which were at Singapore during the period, were discharged in the Roads and were not affected by the strike, but a number of ships undoubtedly lost time.

asked the Minister of Transport what his Department propose to do about the closing of Colintraive pier in Argyllshire; and what arrangements have been made to enable the mail and passenger steamers to make the usual calls at this village in future.

Owing to the condition of Colintraive pier which is privately owned, calls by the mail and passenger steamer have been discontinued. Pending the resumption of the steamer calls, goods and passengers are transported by road between Rothesay and Rhubodach and by ferry between Rhubodach and Colintraive. I understand that representatives of the Argyllshire County Council are to discuss the situation in regard to this and other piers with my hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland on 16th December.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has given consideration to colour blindness tests for motorists now that the driving tests are to be resumed.

The present driving test is similar to that conducted before the war and my right hon. Friend is not at present contemplating any additional test for colour blindness.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that the parking of motor cars by the side of any highway in town or country is prohibited unless there is a specific indication to the contrary, he will specify the exact nature of the prohibition in question, together with information as to what, in fact, constitutes parking; and whether, as thousands of motor cars are daily and nightly parked at the side of the highways, he will either modify the prohibition or arrange for the mass pro vision of signs indicating where parking is allowed and for how long.

There is no prohibition expressly referring to parking. What my hon. Friend no doubt has in mind is that no person may obstruct a highway. Whether an obstruction is caused, depends on the facts of each particular case. The leaving of an unattended car on a highway for an unreasonable time would certainly come within the prohibition. The Minister of Transport in London and local authorities in the provinces are empowered to provide parking places on highways and where such places are provided suitable signs are erected.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make arrangements for workmen's tickets at reduced fares to be available on petrol omnibuses in the same way as they are available on the other services run by the L.P.T.B.

Apart from other difficulties, the extension of workmen's fares to the Board's omnibuses would be likely to attract large numbers of passengers who now travel by other forms of transport, and would thus upset the existing traffic distribution during peak hours and seriously add to present transport difficulties in London. Moreover, there would result a loss of revenue which would have to be made good by increasing fares to other passengers. I regret, therefore, that I cannot adopt the suggestion in the Question.

asked the Minister of Trans port whether the L.P.T.B. is still without a full-time vice-chairman, general manager and chief engineer.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any record of the number of cats and dogs caught in steel-toothed spring rabbit-traps.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will provide in formation as to the present approximate annual value per head of the output of the agricultural community of this country; how it compares with the average annual value per head of the output of the other principal industries such as coalmining; and whether he will arrange for such data to be made available regularly in future in order that a more effective comparison can be made between the importance to the national economy of agriculture and the importance of other industries.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Tonbridge (Mr. G. Williams) on the 17th December last.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take steps to improve the supply of caterpillar tractors for the West Riding of Yorkshire.

All possible steps are being taken to increase the supply of tracklaying tractors for agriculture in the West Riding of Yorkshire and in other counties from home production, new imports and Services surpluses.

asked the Under secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what action he is taking to increase the output of newsprint from Newfoundland.

I have been asked to reply. The Newfoundland pulp and paper industry is in the hands of two companies. In the fiscal year 1939/40 their combined exports of newsprint totalled 346,000 tons. During the war, various factors, including high freight and delivery costs and labour shortages in the woods led to a reduction in exports. The present world demand for newsprint is, however, absorbing the total production capacity of the Newfoundland mills.

asked the Under secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether there is an up-to-date geological survey of Newfoundland.

I have been asked to reply. On the establishment of the Com mission of Government in 1934, steps were taken to revive the Geological Survey of the Island. A small but fully qualified staff was engaged, and the work of the survey has proceeded actively since that date. Field work has been devoted principally to investigations in economic geology designed to foster the mining industry, and a series of bulletins has been issued, the purpose of which is to provide a scientific foundation for mineral exploration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what action he is taking to keep open as many landing fields in Newfoundland as possible; and, in particular, to open up the country for tourists.

I have been asked to reply. In addition to the airfield at Gander which has been designated by the Newfoundland Government as their international civil airport, there are airfields at Torbay and Goose Bay which are operated by the Canadian Government. The question of the civil use of the airfields in the United States Bases is now under discussion. The opening up of the country through the medium of further airfields is a matter which the Commission of Government have well in mind.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will hold an inquiry into the work of the Disposals Board in Egypt; and whether he is satisfied that the lots are fetching the proper prices and that there are no irregularities.

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

asked the Minister of Supply if night-flying facilities in the form of aerodrome lighting are being fitted on the new runway being constructed at Filton aerodrome.

No, Sir; this runway is being built essentially for the makers' flight trials of the Brabazon I

asked the Minister of Supply whether he will make a statement on the circumstances in which a R.A.F. fighter aircraft passed over the town of Lyme Regis firing its guns and scattering shell-cases and clips on the town; and what steps he is taking to prevent a repetition of this occurrence.

Owing to an error of judgment as to his position, the pilot of a Meteor aircraft engaged on firing trials fired his guns over Lyme Regis instead of over the sea. I regret that some empty cartridge cases and links fell on the town and broke a few slates on four houses

asked the Minister of Supply what steps he is taking to stimulate an increase in the output of sheet steel above the present level of 80 per cent. of capacity.

Until the proposed new continuous strip mill comes into operation, the problem of increasing sheet steel production is primarily one of attracting more labour to the older handsheet mills which were concentrated during the war. My Department is in close touch with the Ministry of Labour, the industry and the trade unions concerned and special arrangements have been made by the industry for the training of new entrants and for the payment of a bonus above the unskilled rate to trainees retained in the industry. Production from the two existing continuous strip mills is already very near its maximum, but efforts are being made to increase it.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that unemployment in Scotland is being aggravated by the shortage of steel; and if he will take immediate steps to remedy this in view of the disproportionate amount of unemployment in Scotland.

Yes, Sir. I regret that in Scotland, as elsewhere, the general steel shortage is adversely affecting employment In authorising supplies of steel, departments pay special regard to the requirements of the Development Areas, including the Scottish areas

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that, at recent auction sales of War Department vehicles, certain lots, after being catalogued, have been with drawn from the sale having been apparently disposed of by private arrangement to the manufacturers of those vehicles who, in turn, have then allocated them to selected dealers; and if he will give instructions that this practice must cease, in order that all potential buyers may have an equal opportunity of purchasing vehicles when once they have been lotted for sale by public auction.

Yes, Sir. I regret that some vehicles which had already been sold to manufacturers under the trade scheme were included in the catalogue by mistake and were removed before the sale. Normally all vehicles catalogued are offered for sale.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will give instructions that all vehicles catalogued for sale at the forthcoming auction sale at Kirmington, Lincolnshire, must pass through the auction and not be disposed of privately.

Yes, Sir. This has already been done.

asked the Minister of Works in what parts of the country there is now a surplus of bricks; and whether he is taking steps to send these surplus bricks to other parts of the country in which there may be a shortage.

There are stocks of bricks in all regions, but in the aggregate these are no more than one quarter of the stocks at the end of 1945. In three regions where stocks are rising (the East and West Ridings, North Midlands, and the North Western region) my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health has requested local authorities to arrange for building' contractors to order and accept delivery of bricks during the winter against their requirements in the first half of 1947. It is open to local authorities and contractors in other parts of the country to make purchases from these regions if they are prepared to meet the cost of transport.

asked the Minister of Works the cost of transporting bricks from Belgium to North-East coast ports and South Wales ports, respectively; and TO what extent it would be cheaper to explore the possibilities of manufacturing bricks from granulated slag obtainable from furnaces, a plentiful supply of which is available adjoining the existing steel plants, particulars of which have been sent to his Department.

The cost of delivering Belgian bricks at the North-East ports is about £ 8 10s. per thousand, and at the South Wales ports £ 9 per thousand. The possibility of producing bricks from granulated slag from furnaces is being explored at the moment.

asked the Minister of Works what action he has taken to see that other Departments, who may possess building materials in stores throughout the country, have examined their stock position in order to release for disposal any materials which might usefully be incorporated in temporary or permanent houses.

All Departments concerned are fully aware of the need to re lease surplus stocks of building materials, and the urgency of this matter has been constantly impressed opon them.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that, where W.B.A. priority licences have been granted involving the use of timber, his Department in Edinburgh is refusing a licence to purchase the timber, although local timber supplies could readily provide it; and if he will give instructions that timber is to be released against W.B.A priority licences, where it is available.

There is an acute scarcity of timber owing to the difficulty of securing sufficient imports. The allocation of timber made to my Department permits at present of the issue of licences only for exceptionally urgent work, such as the completion of houses at an advanced stage of construction. Stocks of timber wherever held have to be husbanded with a view to urgent requirements in the coming months

asked the Minister of Works when his Birmingham office will authorise the supply of two standards of timber to Mr. J. Hayden, 281, Bath Road, Worcester, required for a priority building contract licensed by the Pershore Rural District Council, licence number 9/115/438, dated, 29th August, 1946.

An application for timber was made on 21st October and authority is being given for the supply of half a standard at this stage. In view of the acute scarcity of timber the greatest care has to be taken over its authorisation.

asked the Minister of Works why authority to issue licences for structural timber for housing construction in the borough of Folkestone has been refused on the orders of his Department, except for those houses, about 12 in number, which may be completed by the end of this year; and if he will take steps to ensure that costs-of-works building on other sites where re-erection is proceeding is not stopped, and, unless such steps are taken, the local authority will be obliged to throw men in the building trade out of work or to license the use of structural timber for non-essential work.

The allocation of timber made to my Department only permits at present of the issue of licences for exceptionally urgent work such as the completion of houses at an advanced stage of construction. Licences for other important work will be given as soon as the timber is available.

asked the Minister of Works for what purpose his Department is proposing to take over the R.A.F. station, Drem.

The airfield at Drem was transferred to the Ministry of Works at the end of October and the hangars and certain other buildings are used as a storage depot for temporary housing with a view to releasing valuable industrial premises. The domestic accommodation on the airfield is being disposed of prior to the derequisitioning of part of the land in favour of the owner.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that Government Departments are disposing of cutlery by public auction; that new cutlery stated to be surplus Government stocks is offered for sale in Press advertisements; and why, at the same time, his Department has just issued a tender No. P7/A1/7483 for upwards of 1,000,000 pieces of cutlery.

The disposal of surplus cutlery is a matter for the Ministry of Supply, and by arrangement with that Department, my Ministry is given the opportunity of selecting, from surplus stocks before disposal, any cutlery suitable for Government use. The tender referred to provides for needs which cannot be met from surplus stocks.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that the erection of hay barns, covered yards and grass-drying plant is being held up through lack of supplies, and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

If the hon. Member will let me have any information in his possession as to what materials are required and the districts where the shortages are, I will look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Works why he sold a hut belonging to Mr. H. W. Groves, Cleadon Nurseries, near South Shields, when Mr. Groves had bought it from the Timber Control and held their receipt; and if he will take immediate steps to compensate Mr. Groves for the removal and loss of his hut and take disciplinary action against the person or persons concerned.

When the site, with the hut on it, was handed over to my Department for disposal, no mention was made of the previous disposal of the hut. I regret the inconvenience caused to Mr. Groves, but I have arranged to supply him with another hut in replacement

asked the Minister of Works what progress has been made in the negotiations to assess the extent of the war damage caused to the Cwmdu Brickworks, Skewen, Glamorganshire; and if he will give the approximate date when production may be expected to be resumed in this undertaking.

I understand that the War Damage Commission are still awaiting the company's reply to their offer of 19th October to refer the matter in dispute to a Deputy Commissioner for an independent decision. I am making further inquiries with regard to the second part of the Question and I will let my hon. Friend know the result as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Works if he will enter into negotiations with the employers' and employees' associations in the building trade with a view to settling conditions for the year 1947, under which it will be possible for the building operatives to work overtime on the building of houses when building conditions are suitable.

The working of overtime in the building industry is regulated by voluntary agreement between the organisations of the employers and operatives; the arrangements allow for the working of overtime in urgent cases.

asked the Minister of Works what action is taken by his Department to prevent speculators buying up huts held by his Department for disposal

The procedure adopted for the disposal of huts should make it difficult for speculators to operate. It is the practice first to offer huts to the owner of the site if he gives an assurance that he requires them for use on his own property and not for resale. Huts not wanted by the site owner are sold for removal off the site to people or organisations who are known to require the huts for their own use and whose need is sponsored by a Government Department. The remaining huts are sold by tender.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India (1) the reasons for the delay in announcing proposals for the termination of the Secretary of State for India's services in India;

(2) whether his attention has been drawn to the resolution recently passed by a conference of Provincial Premiers to the effect that, in the interests of efficient and frictionless administration, the control of the Secretary of State over the services should cease; and whether he will make a statement on the matter.

My noble Friend has received a copy of the resolution adopted by the conference referred to. As stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) on 14th October last, matters relating to the termination of the Police and other civil services in India recruited by the Secretary of State have been under active consideration. My noble Friend has sent to the Government of India his proposals for the payment of compensation to the officers of these services when constitutional changes cause the termination of the services to which they belong. I cannot at present give any particulars of these proposals nor can I say on what date such termination will take place.

asked the Under-secretary of State for India if he will give further information respecting the prospective visit of the Viceroy and Indian political leaders to this country.

The Viceroy and Indian political leaders are expected to arrive in this country this evening. The conversations will, of course, be confidential and, as regards their purpose, I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Aston (Mr. Wyatt) on 27th November.

asked the Under-secretary of State for India whether consideration has been given to assisting British people and Anglo-Indians who desire to emigrate to other areas.

I am not aware of any general desire on the part of British people and Anglo-Indians to emigrate from India such as would justify consideration of a scheme at the present time.

asked the Under-secretary of State for India if he will investigate the case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a retired member of the Indian Civil Service who finds that his pension, which should be paid in the gold-based sterling contemplated at the time of his covenant, is now paid in depreciated paper currency estimated as representing 45 per cent. of the sterling value of 1900; and if he will rectify this position.

I would point out to the hon. Member that there is no undertaking, explicit or implicit, in the regulations in force at the time the officer in question entered the Indian Civil Service that his annuity would be paid in currency other than that which is legal at the time when payment is made, or that there is any obligation on the Government of India to compensate members of the service against any fall in the purchasing power of the pound, however arising.

asked the Under-secretary of State for Burma the cost of the United Kingdom publicity office to be opened in Rangoon; whether he is aware that its functions could be as effectively and cheaply discharged by the British Consul; and how many people in Burma are estimated to require an exposition of the social, economic and political developments in this country.

I am satisfied that there is no other authority in Burma to whom the functions in question could appropriately be entrusted: those of the representative of the British Council are restricted to the exposition of Britain in terms of culture and education. The United Kingdom Information Officer, who only recently left for Burma, will submit detailed estimates of expenditure for approval as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to indicate when the report of the recent Parliamentary delegation to Greece will be made available to the House.

I am discussing with my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Cocks) the question of the publication of this report and I hope it will be decided to publish it so soon at is has been communicated to the Greek Government, who invited the delegation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any diplomatic representative has yet been appointed to the Republic of Viet Nam.

No, Sir The negotiations provided for under the preliminary agreement signed at Hanoi on 6th March between the French and Viet Nam representatives were terminated in September last, in France, by a modus vivendi , which leaves the question of the diplomatic relations of the Viet Nam with foreign states, and the future constitutional status of Indo-China still unsettled. It is understood that these matters will be the subject of further negotiations early in the New Year. In these circumstances, His Majesty's Consul-General at Saigon continues to be responsible for British Consular representation throughout Indo-China, with a consul, resident at Hanoi, under his superintendence.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Government still adhere to the intention expressed in the White Paper on Call-up to the Forces, Cmd. 6831, that all men called up before 1st January, 1944, should be released during 1947.

Yes, Sir. This is still the Government's aim.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total paper allocation this year compared with last year to the National Savings movement for posters, pamphlets and notices.

Three hundred and twenty-eight tons as compared with 389.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that in some areas in the south-west there is still a general shortage of tyres for agricultural tractors and motor-lorries; and what steps he is taking to rectify the position.

There is a general shortage of certain sizes of tyres for agricultural tractors and motor-lorries, and this is not limited to the south-west. The shortage is due to a large increase in demand and to production being limited by mould capacity and the availability of trained labour. Every effort is being made to increase output. Steps have been taken to ensure, that no vehicle need be immobilised for lack of such tyres. If there is serious risk of this happening to a particular vehicle, the owner should bring the facts to the notice of tyre manufacturers through his supplier.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that the local fuel overseer of the Whiston rural district, purporting to be acting on behalf of his Department, has given instructions to local merchants prohibiting them from supplying rationed fuel to squatters occupying the Higher Road Camp, Halebank, near Widnes; and under what statutory authority such instructions are authorised.

It is the policy of the Government to withhold facilities such as gas, electricity and coal from squatters who continue to occupy camps required for the use of Services and other Government Departments. This camp was required for agricultural training purposes and the local fuel overseer acted in accordance with the general instructions covering such cases. I now understand that

Month Killed and Died of Wounds. Wounded. Total Casualties. Officers. Other Ranks. Officers. Other Ranks. Officers. Other Ranks. All Ranks. July, 1946 1 13 — 9 1 22 23 August, 1946 — — — — — — — September, 1946 1 1 1 1 2 2 4 October, 1946 1 14 2 7 3 21 24

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the bitter feeling growing among our soldiers in Palestine about the shoot-

alternative accommodation for agricultural training is likely to be available and coal supplies have therefore been resumed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that visitors to the Insurance and Companies Department of the Board of Trade at Romney House East, Tufton Street, Westminster, are harassed by the security regulations of his Department requiring them to obtain a War Office pass before admission; and if he will make provision for the discontinuance of this unnecessary practice.

The security provisions at Romney House do not differ from those normally applied in buildings mainly occupied by my Department, whose position as a defence Department is a special one from the point of view of security. I regret any inconvenience that may be caused to visitors to offices of other Departments in Romney House but I could not agree to change the present arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of men killed or wounded in Palestine during the months of July, August, September and October, respectively.

The figures are as follow:

ing outrages there; and if he will assure our troops that everything will be done to impress this feeling on those responsible for such outrages.

I am aware of the very natural and proper resentment felt by the members of the Services in Palestine at the murderous attacks and outrages committed there. All possible steps are being taken to bring the criminals to justice. The outrages are, I am sure, regarded, by all decent people here and in Palestine, as senseless and barbarous.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation which of the four landing grounds on the mainland of Orkney is to be used as the terminal airport for the county.

Of these four landing grounds the aerodrome at Hatston is the most suitable, both operationally and from the point of accessibility, as the main terminal airport on the mainland of Orkney and will continue to be used as such.

asked the Prime Minister what representations he has received advocating a procedure whereby changes in the formularies of the Church of England could receive the Royal Assent without approval or debate by Parliament; and if he will give an assurance that, so long as the Church of England retains its established status, His Majesty's Government will not agree to such a procedure.

I have received no representations in the sense which my hon. Friend suggests I do not think that it would be desirable, or indeed helpful, for His Majesty's Government to give any assurance or make any comment on any suggestion for Church reform involving the Crown unless and until definite proposals emerge.

asked the Minister of Health whether is aware that part of the old county offices of the Wiltshire County Council in Trowbridge is being converted to provide two houses (or senior officials; whether this work has been authorised by him; the cost of conversion; the rents to be paid in respect of each house; and whether he is aware of the public resentment that officials should receive this preferential consideration, in view of the surrounding scarcity of houses.

The answer to the first two parts of the Question is "Yes, Sir." The cost of the work is £1,100. I do not know the rents to be charged; these are within the discretion of the county council. As regards the last part of the Question, I would point out that the county council are acting under a provision of the Housing Act, 1936, which empowers them to provide houses solely for their own employees. The dwellings will not form part of the housing programme for the district which is the function of the urban district council and the position of applicants for council houses is not affected.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General why letters posted in the House of Commons before 1 p.m. frequently take two days to reach their destination in Ruthin, North Wales.

Letters posted up to 6.15 p.m. in the House of Commons boxes and up to 6.30 p.m. in the House Post Office should be included in the first delivery in Ruthin on the following morning. If the hon. Member will let me have details of any specific cases of delay, including, if possible, the covers of the letters, I will gladly have special inquiries made.

asked the Minister without Portfolio the normal tours of duty in each of the principal overseas commands for each of the three services, indicating what provision there is, in each case, for leave in the United Kingdom.

The normal length of foreign service commissions in the Royal Navy is 2½ years during which no provision is made for leave in the United Kingdom except on urgent compassionate grounds. On return to the United Kingdom at the end of the commission foreign service leave at the rate of seven days for each six months abroad plus one day for each odd month is granted in respect of the whole period spent overseas. Service in North-West Europe does not count for this purpose for Naval personnel. They are allowed 19 days leave in the United Kingdom every six months during their period of service in North-West Europe.

Army command or Area Period of overseas service Qualifying for repatriation under the python scheme. Arrangements for normal home leave during overseas tour. India, Far East 3 years … … One L.I.A.P. (28 days in the United Kingdom) during overseas tour but owing to shipping difficulties this can at present be granted only to about one man in five. South Caribbean Area 3 years … … Nil North Caribbean Area, Bermuda 3 years 3 months … … Nil Middle East, East Africa. Malta and Gibraltar 3 years 3 months … … One L.I.A.P. during overseas tour. C.M.F. (South Italy) 3 years 6 months … … 38 days' privilege leave a year, to be taken in one period of 38 days or two of 19 days. C.M.F. (North Italy), British Troops Austria and B.A.O.R 3 years 9 months … …

Notes. —In some cases the actual tours of duty have not vet been brought down to the newly introduced qualifying periods.

R.A.F. Command or Overseas Area. Tour of duty after which men become due for repatriation. Arrangements for normal home leave to the United Kingdom during the overseas tour. Mediterranean, Middle East 2½ years (see notes ( a ) and ( b )). No home leave to the United Kingdom during the tour overseas, except for personnel serving in Austria and Italy who are allowed 19 days' home leave every six months. India, Far East, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, and the United States of America. 2½years No home leave to the United Kingdom during the tour overseas. West Africa 15 months No home leave to the United Kingdom during the tour overseas. Gibraltar and Azores 18 months No home leave to the United Kingdom during the tour overseas. West Indies 2 years No home leave to the United Kingdom during the tour overseas. Iceland and the Faroe Islands 1 year No home leave to the United Kingdom during the tour overseas British Air Forces of Occupation (Germany). 2 years 19 days home leave every six months ( a ) Personnel will not serve for more than one year of their 2½ years' tour in the Persian Gulf area, Aden, Sudan or areas in East Africa under an altitude of, 3,000 feet, but officers filling key posts in Aden, who are required for retention may, subject to approval by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, be required to complete a tour of 2 years. ( b ) Personnel will not serve in Iraq for more than 2 years of their 2½ years' tour.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when direct telecommunication for business purpose? to and from Germany is likely to be reopened.

I regret I cannot at present say when such facilities will be reopened. It is a matter for quadripartite decision.

In the Army and R.A.F. the particulars are as given in the tables below. Compassionate and disembarkation leave are not included.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will state details of the petrol allowances granted to medical practitioners in Germany; how these compare with the allowances granted to doctors in this -country; and whether he proposes increasing the present allowances so as to make them adequate for the work to be done.

I can reply only for the British zone where German medical prac- titioners receive, through the local German rationing authorities, allowances of petrol determined according to the requirements of their individual practices. There is a standing British instruction that doctors and the public medical services generally should be given priority and I have received no evidence that the present allowances are inadequate. The procedure is, I understand, similar to that in force in the United Kingdom where doctors are granted sufficient petrol to cover their essential professional journeys.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster the name and nationality of the officer in charge of radio production in the British zone of Germany.

This officer is Mr. Hugh Carleton Greene; he is a British subject.

asked the Minister of National Insurance why Mrs. Esther Allen, about whom particulars were sent to him on 5th November, has not yet received her new widow's pension book.

A pension order book at the increased rate was not sent to Mrs. Allen as in reply to an inquiry from my Department earlier in the year she stated she had not retired nor did she expect to have done so on 30th September, 1946. Mrs. Allen did, in fact, retire from regular employment on 5th October, 1946, and a pension order book at the 26s. rate is being sent to the Area Officer of the Assistance Board for delivery to her.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when the hon. Member for Hornsey may expect to receive a reply to his letter of 29th October, 1946, with regard to the derequisitioning of Mr. Bonny's house at The Elms, Potters Bar.

I hope to reply to the hon. Member this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will now make a statement in regard to the future of airfields forming a group in Berkshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire; how many of these are to be retained on a care and maintenance basis; how many will be needed for operational purposes; and how many will be redundant.

Final decisions about these airfields have not yet been taken. The best forecast which can be made at present is that 32 of them will probably be used for flying, 22 by the Royal Air Force and 10 by other Government Departments; of the 32 one will be on a care and maintenance basis for some time. Three others will probably be required by other Departments, but not for flying. 26 will probably be redundant.