asked the Minister of Health whether he will provide figures indicating the number of families on the waiting lists for houses in London, Birmingham, Manchester. Liverpool and the other principal cities of the country; how these figures compare with the position six months ago; and whether, in connection with the future statistics published with regard to the housing position, he will include figures giving the numbers of those who are still seeking houses.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) on 9th May last, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health when tribunals will be set up with power to fix fair rents for furnished and unfurnished accommodation as recommended in the Ridley report.

The Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act, 1946, authorises me to appoint rent tribunals to fix rents for furnished lettings and 61 such tribunals have already been appointed; 17 more will shortly be appointed. I have no power to appoint tribunals to fix fair rents for unfurnished lettings and I cannot promise early legislation in the matter.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will convene a conference with the trade unions concerned, to discuss the introduction of legitimate overtime in the building industry so as to hasten relief to the larger number of people suffering from distressing housing conditions and remove the incentive of black-market building in overtime hours.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for South Derby (Mr. Champion) on 2nd December.

asked the Minister of Health how many parishes in the counties of Brecon and Radnor are without a piped water supply.

Twenty-one and 14 respectively.

asked the Minister of Health how many outside water undertakings derive their supply from Brecon and Radnor; and which have provisions to supply water to local authorities enroute.

There are eight water undertakings with headworks in Breconshire and one undertaking with headwork in Radnorshire which supply areas outside those counties. All these undertakings have statutory powers to supply water to authorities of areas through which their mains pass.

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the understaffing of nurses in some hospitals and the relative overstaffing in others, whether any consideration has been given to the possibility of the temporary transference of members of the more fortunate hospitals to the less fortunate.

Yes, Sir. Some help is being given by the better staffed hospitals on a voluntary basis, but as my hon. Friend knows nurses are no longer subject to direction.

asked the Minister of Health if he will inform the House what is the rate of pay for pupil and probationer assistant nurses recommended by the Rushcliffe Committee and accepted by him; and what is the lowest rate of pay plus overtime recommended by the National Council for Staff of Hospitals and Allied Institutions for Female Domestic Workers.

The rates of pay for female pupil and probationer assistant nurses are £55 per annum during the first year of training and £65 during the second, plus residential emoluments valued at £75 per annum. Both grades are in training for enrolment as assistant nurses, and their pay is the same as that for student nurses during the first two years of training for State registration. The minimum national rate for non-resident female domestic workers aged 18 or over is 64s. per week. Where board and lodging are provided there is a deduction of 23s. per week. Payment for hours in excess of 48s. per week is at the rate of time and a quarter for the first three hours and time and a half thereafter.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that many public assistance authorities are finding it impossible, owing to the shortage of assistant nurses, to staff all the sick wards in their institutions, with the result that many persons needing institutional care and treatment have to be left in their own homes; and what steps he is taking to make the profession of assistant nurses a more attractive one.

Yes, Sir. I am about to publish a recommendation of the Nurses Salaries Committee increasing the salary scale of female enrolled assistant nurses.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider further steps both to promote the use of analgesia in childbirth and to ensure that the necessary apparatus will be available to all women at the time of childbirth

The output of the necessary apparatus is rapidly increasing. The real difficulty is that there are not enough midwives trained to use it. The administration of analgesia is now part of the course of all pupil midwives, but there is still a serious shortage in the number of recruits.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that persons dependent on the non-contributory old age pension, available at 70 years of age for those who need it, have no choice as to what doctor's panel they go on; and whether he will take steps to have this altered.

In some areas, where the Poor Law authority have instituted a panel system, non-contributory old age pensioners already have a choice of doctor. When the new Health Service comes into operation, all such pensioners will have the same free choice of doctor as everyone else.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider making available to the House and to the public, reports of the commissioners or inspectors of the Board of Control of their visits to mental nursing homes and institutions run for personal private gain.

The question of the reports of Commissioners and Inspectors of the Board of Control will be one of the matters to be reviewed on the integration of the Board with the Ministry of Health under the National Health Service Act, and in that connection my hon. Friend's suggestion will be carefully considered

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the expense and delay involved by the present procedure under which local authorities who wish to take effective action with regard to smoke abatement and the provision of district heating schemes must individually seek powers for that purpose, he will consider legislation at an early date giving general powers to appropriate local authorities in these matters.

These matters are now being examined with a view to the introduction, when opportunity permits, of any necessary legislation.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the bad conditions existing in the institutions of the Lancashire County Council in which defective children are accommodated with old people; and what steps he is taking to abolish the present system.

I am aware that there are a number of mentally defective children in Public Assistance institutions in Lancashire. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I am giving today to a general Question on this subject put by the hon. Member for Cumberland, North (Mr. W. Roberts). All that is possible is being done to improve conditions in Lancashire as elsewhere.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what negotiations have taken place with the Swiss Government regarding the decision on the part of the latter Government that henceforward only a small part of the £75 made available to British tourists overseas will be available in cash and that the payments will only be payable in Swiss hotel bonds; and whether it is intended to impose similar limitations on Swiss visitors arriving in this country.

If the hon. and gallant Member will put this Question down again next week, I hope that I shall be able to reply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds duty is demanded on cameras and cinecameras brought into this country by Dominions students for their personal use; and whether the same rule applies to tourists and journalists.

All cameras and cinecameras brought into this country from abroad are liable to duty, but concessions are made if the traveller is only making a short visit, or if the camera is an old one and is for his own personal use.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will remit the Purchase Tax on chambers, commodes and similar domestic utensils, in view of their essential need during illness by families living in houses that have no lavatory upstairs or inside the dwelling.

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my next Budget Statement.

asked the Minister of Education at what date she proposes to open the Llandrindod Emergency Training College; and when she proposes to open a day emergency training college in South Wales.

It is intended to open the Emergency Training College at Llandrindod Wells on 20th January, 1947. The Emergency Training College at Cardiff, which will be largely a day college, will probably open some time in the late Spring of 1947, but I cannot yet name a precise date.

asked the Minister of Education what Welsh local educational authorities have submitted schemes for the merging of small and separate secondary grammar schools and modern schools.

There are no cases of plain straightforward merger of small separate grammar and modern schools, but proposals for the adaptation of existing small grammar or modern schools to provide education of both types have been submitted by the following local education authorities: Anglesey, Breconshire, Caernarvonshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Glamorgan, Monmouthshire, Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire.

asked the Minister of Education when the hon. Member for Epping and the members of the Parents' Association of the West Essex Technical College may expect to receive the information promised by her Parliamentary Secretary at the conclusion of the conference held at the college in early July last.

A letter was sent to the Secretary of the Parents' Association on 29th November, and I am sending a copy of it to the hon. Member for her information.

asked the Minister of Education how many full-time youth organisers are now employed by local education authorities; and what is the size of the central staff in her Department responsible for work in connection with youth service.

The latest information available shows that the local education authorities in England and Wales employ 244 full-time youth organisers. The central administrative and clerical staff in my Department responsible for work in connection with the youth service numbers 21 and works under the general direction of the under-secretary responsible for Further Education.

asked the Minister of Education if she is in a position to give the names of the areas where the 970 school canteens, set up between February and June, 1946, have been installed.

The information is not available in detail but is being obtained. I will send it to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Education if she is in a position to give the names of all local education authorities who had not submitted their development plans under the Education Act, 1944, to the Ministry by 31st October, 1946.

The information is as follows: LIST OF LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITIES WHO HAD NOT SUBMITTED DEVELOPMENT PLANS, EITHER IN WHOLE OR INSTALMENTS ON 31ST OCTOBER, 1946. ENGLAND. Counties . Buckinghamshire Peterborough J.E.B. Cambridgeshire Nottinghamshire Cumberland Oxfordshire Durham Somerset Essex Staffordshire Huntingdonshire Suffolk (West) Lancashire Surrey Leicestershire Sussex (West) Lincs. (Holland) Warwickshire Lincs. (Kesteven) Worcestershire Middlesex Yorks. (East Riding) Norfolk Yorks. (North Riding) Northamptonshire London County Boroughs . Bath Middlesbrough Blackburn Newcastle-upon-Tyne Blackpool Northampton Bolton Norwich Bradford Oldham Burnley Portsmouth Bury Preston Carlisle Rochdale Croydon St. Helens Eastbourne Sheffield Great Yarmouth Southport Huddersfield Stockport Leeds Wallasey Leicester West Hartlepool Liverpool Wigan Manchester Worcester WALES. Counties . Breconshire Flintshire Cardiganshire Merioneth Carmarthenshire Pembrokeshire Denbighshire County Boroughs . Merthyr Tydfil Newport (Mon.) Swansea

asked the Attorney-General which parts of the British Commonwealth have introduced legislation similar to the Crown Proceedings Bill.

I assume that the hon. Gentleman refers to the draft Crown Proceedings Bill prepared by the Committee whose report was published in 1927. In no parts of the British Common- wealth has legislation similar to the proposed Crown Proceedings Bill been introduced, but in some Dominions and Colonies the law is already, in certain respects, in accordance with the principles set out in that Bill. Broadly speaking, the subject may sue the Crown in tort in the Union of South Africa, and the Commonwealth of Australia, and certain of the Colonies. In contract the position in most parts of the British Commonwealth is approximately as in this country, namely, that the subject can proceed by Petition of Right or analogous procedure, subject to his obtaining a fiat from the Attorney-General or Governor. There are many qualifications to these general principles and it would be impossible within the scope of a Parliamentary Question and without considerable research to give them in detail, but if my hon. Friend is desirous of knowing the position with regard to any part of His Majesty's Dominions, I will be happy to obtain the necessary information and communicate with him.

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to two anti-Semitic libels entitled, respectively, "The War Criminals" and "Gothic Ripples," which were recently distributed with copies of "The Patriot"; and whether he proposes to take legal proceedings, or other steps, to deal with those responsible for their printing and distribution.

I am aware of the publications referred to. I have no present intention of instituting proceedings in respect of these publications.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that due to the increased demand, great difficuty is being experienced in purchasing heatproof babies' bottles; and what steps he is taking to make available increased quantities.

I am aware of the shortage of this special type of feeding bottle. New plant is now being installed, and there should be a substantial increase in production early next year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the cost price delivered to British ports of the 139,958 tons of natural rubber and 2,485 tons of synthetic rubber, being the Government's rubber stocks on 27th September, 1946.

£18,022,868.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that farm work is hard on clothes, he will increase the annual number of clothing coupons for farm workers.

No, Sir. The farm worker is already fairly treated in this respect.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of electrical machinery exported from Cardiff during the past six months.

The value of electrical machinery exported from Cardiff during the six months, May to October, 1946, was £148,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why plastic material is sold coupon free by the yard wholesale or retail although coupons must be surrendered for ready-made goods of the same material.

As the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. J. Morrison) was informed on 6th November last, the conversion of plastic material to clothing involves the use of making up facilities, and coupons are reasonably charged. Furskin and leather are similarly unrationed, but clothing made from them is subject to coupons. I should not wish to add plastic material to the ration in view of its various household uses.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he anticipates the revised schedule of prices for homegrown timber will be published.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what decision the Government has arrived at regarding the revision of prices for home-grown timber.

I hope an announcement will be made towards the end of this month.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if in view of our manpower shortage and the growing disproportion between the numbers of workers engaged in distribution as compared with production, he proposes to take any action.

The proportion of workers engaged in distribution, though it has been rising, is still well below prewar, and it would clearly be undesirable that it should rise to the prewar level. The attention of distributors has been drawn to the importance of their ensuring the utmost economy in manpower, and the question of any specific steps which the Government can take will be borne in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the utility furniture office of his Department turned down an application for priority dockets for a pair of flannelette sheets required by a 79 years old sufferer from arthritis, Mrs. Mulligan, 82, Kings-mill Avenue, Kenton, Harrow, because either she set up house for the first time or brought her bed into use before June, 1944; and if, in view of the irrelevance of such considerations in this case, he will further review the application.

I am having inquiries made and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as they are completed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, on account of the existing housing situation, he will prohibit the export of building materials which are in short supply.

The allocation of available supplies of building materials is considered at regular intervals by the Departments concerned, and, where necessary, steps are taken to reduce or even to stop exports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the supply of equipment to the hotel industry for the 1947 season.

Earlier this year, under a scheme which was announced on 15th March, and in the administration of which the main hotel trade associations gave most valuable help, a quantity of sheets, blankets, and mattresses were allocated to more than 1,000 establishments in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man which lacked equipment as the result of bomb damage or requisitioning and were in a position structurally to open by 31st July, 1946. Arrangements were also made for the import from Holland of a certain number of bedroom suites, which are now arriving in this country, and a quantity of Government surplus linen dowlas has been allocated to hotels for use in the upholstering of furniture. These schemes were the most that could be provided in 1946. The importance of developing our foreign tourist trade and the need to rehabilitate establishments catering for home holidays, makes it essential that we should give further help in time for the 1947 season. The House will appreciate, however, that the goods needed by hotels and similar establishments are, in general, those in most urgent demand by the ordinary domestic consumer. So long as these goods are scarce, the quantities which can be made available to hotels, etc., are necessarily limited.

As, therefore, we cannot meet all the requirements of this industry in full, we have decided that help should first be given to those establishments of special importance to the economy of the country and to those which have suffered most as a direct result of the war. The claims of other establishments must be deferred for the time being. For the present, facilities can be given only to four main classes of establishment: (1) those with equipment damaged by enemy action which did not have 127 their minimum essential requirements met under the scheme earlier this year: (2) those lacking equipment as the result of requisitioning or evacuation from Defence Areas, which did not have their minimum essential requirements met under the scheme earlier this year: (3) those with essential equipment unserviceable through accommodating war-time billetees for a substantial period: (4) those of special importance to overseas visitors. In addition, we hope to be able, in certain circumstances and after adequate consideration of the claims of these 4 main priority classes, to give some help to new establishments catering primarily for overseas visitors and home holiday-makers.

During the operation of this scheme we hope to be able to provide for the minimum essential needs of these priority establishments for sheets, blankets, mattresses and ticking for mattresses, curtain materials and upholstery cloth, towels, linoleum and certain items of utility furniture such as beds, divans and easy chairs. I should point out, however, that not all these goods are wholly rationed and in most cases some part of their production is already available to hotels as to other customers. Carpets, crockery, glassware, cutlery and certain other items needed by hotels, although in some cases in short supply, are not rationed in any way. For this reason we cannot make any special arrangements for their supply to hotels and similar establishments.

I must emphasise that we can give no guarantee that the supplies of the rationed goods which we shall be able to make available will be sufficient to meet the minimum essential needs of all establishments in the priority classes to which I have referred. Indeed in some cases I feel sure they will not. For example it will be necessary, apart from any other limitations, to restrict the issue of towels to establishments catering for overseas visitors and the issue of linoleum for use in bathrooms and lavatories.

Forms for application under this scheme can be obtained from the Board of Trade, Tourist, Catering and Holiday Services Division, Vincent House, Vincent Square, London, S.W.I, and should be completed and returned at the latest before 15th January, 1947. We are anxious to complete the allocation of supplies as early as possible in the New Year and I cannot undertake to consider any claims received after that date. No allocations will be made before then, because we must ensure that similar treatment is given to all claims irrespective of the date on which they are received. As soon, however, as the final basis of allocation has been determined, every effort will be made to issue the units, dockets, etc., as rapidly as possible, with the object of ensuring that the equipment concerned can be obtained before the opening of the 1947 Season.

While I feel sure that this statement will be generally welcomed and will, I trust, be accepted by the industry as a whole as an indication of the Government's readiness to help them to meet their responsibilities, I recognise that it will be a disappointment to those establishments outside the priority classes which have carried on for many years, in the same way as the ordinary domestic consumer, without being able to secure replacements of equipment. We must, however, proceed by stages and the arrangements I have announced today are only the second stage in the tackling of a problem the solution of which can make a great contribution to our invisible export trade and will be of inestimable benefit to the health and happiness of our own people. As for the future. I can assure the House that this whole question will be kept under constant review and that further supplies will be made available at the earliest practicable moment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many reports on German scientific and industrial developments prepared by British and American investigators have so far been released to British industry; how many more remain to be published; and what steps his Department is taking to acquaint industry with this fund of information and to assist industrial concerns, particularly those with limited research facilities, to find material of value to them.

To date, 1,390 of these reports have been published, 572 of them prepared by British teams, 278 by American teams and 540 by combined British and American teams. As investigations are not yet completed and because some teams produce more than one report, I cannot say precisely how many reports, British or American, will be published in the future, but I expect that the total, including those already mentioned, will be near the 2,500 mark.

As regards the second part of the Question, I share fully my hon. Friend's concern that this very valuable source of information should be fully publicised to industry and that the process of reference to matters which are of interest to particular trades and firms should be made as simple as possible. In addition to placing the reports on sale at H.M. Stationery Office, free distributions of all reports published are made to Universities, the principal public libraries and chambers of commerce. Trade and research associations and learned professional institutions also receive a token free distribution of the reports of direct interest to them. With a view to facilitating the process of reference, arrangements have been made with H.M. Stationery Office to produce both a classified list of reports and a subjects index. Both publications, copies of which I shall have deposited in the Library, will be brought up to date from time to time. In addition to these works of reference, an Information Bureau and Reference Library has been created at the Secretariat of the British Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee, which body is now administered by the Board of Trade.

The Reference Library contains not only all finished reports but also much of the raw material on which they were based. This work is closely coordinated with the Documents Unit of the Board of Trade which is the central repository for the large quantity of original German documents which have been collected in conjunction with the British and Allied investigations. The Documents Unit has facilities for translating and abstracting and for supplying copies of the abstracts or of original documents to any interested party. The existence of the Information Service, which has a nucleus technical staff and access both to the reports and the original German documents, should greatly assist a firm with limited research facilities and no connection with a Trade Association to find the material of interest to it. In order to give additional publicity to the fund of information, the reports and documents, and the facilities which have been created to serve industry, an exhibition is being opened at the Board of Trade on Tuesday next, 10th December. This exhibition, which will demonstrate both the scope of the investigation and the diversity of the material collected, will subsequently be shown in the most important provincial industrial centres.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the costs of the work at Blinkbonny Farm, Gorebridge, Scotland; how long the work has been in progress; and how much coal has been won.

This opencast coal site is being worked on a contract which provides for payment to the contractor for saleable coal extracted and delivered to the screens. Work commenced in August last but no coal has yet been produced and consequently no payment has been made to the contractor.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power under what authority his Department has instructed the fuel overseer for the Blofield and Flegg Rural District Council in Norfolk to withdraw supplies of coal to the families occupying military huts at West Caister, Norfolk.

The instruction for withdrawal of coal supplies from huts at West Caister was given on 19th November in accordance with the policy of the Government to withhold facilities from unauthorised occupants of camps required for Service use, but owing to special circumstances at this camp, was suspended the following day.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, as a consequence of disposing of the redd from opencast coal workings at Balgonie on to the old bing, fires have been started which are causing the utmost annoyance to the people of Balgonie; and what steps he is taking to overcome this nuisance.

This refuse bing has been continuously sprayed with water for about three weeks, and I am advised that the fires are now almost completely extinguished. When the bing is sufficiently coo] precautions will be taken to prevent a recurrence of the fires.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the Central Electricity Board in September, 1946, issued a notification to the public to the effect that an occasional reduction of the electricity load is caused by regular loss of about 300,000 k.w., due to inferior quality fuel delivered to power stations feeding the grid; and what action he is taking to improve the quality of fuel and overcome this difficulty.

Owing to the great increase in the consumption of electricity and, in consequence, in the requirements of coal by electricity undertakings, it is inevitable that some of the fuel supplied should be of poorer quality than formerly. Every possible step is being taken to improve the preparation of coal but, apart from this, no immediate improvement in the quality of deliveries to electricity undertakings can be looked for.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is considering the possibility of importing supplies of electricity by submarine cable connecting Norway with the North-East of Scotland; and what saving of British coal could be achieved if none were required for the production of electricity in the United Kingdom.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that his Ruling that householders must share fuel with sub-tenants is causing considerable difficulties and in some cases hardship to sub-tenants; and if he will review present instructions on this matter

I am aware that sharing of fires and of coal may cause inconvenience but the shortage of supplies makes it impossible to grant a separate registration to every sub-tenant. The instructions were revised a few weeks ago and provide for sub-tenants to be treated as sympathetically as the situation allows.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, as it is now proved that the initial cost of installing the most efficient and scientific devices in houses for the use of coal for heating and cooking purposes is more than repaid over a period of years by the saving of coal which results, he will set up a small subcommittee to recommend the best means for ensuring that this initial cost shall not prove an insuperable barrier in the way of providing scientific and up-to-date coal-burning apparatus in all new houses.

An official Interdepartmental Committee on Domestic Heating already exists. This committee is arranging for all practicable steps to be taken to increase supplies of fuel-burning appliances of improved types as rapidly as possible and to ensure that they shall be installed in all new houses. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Health informs me that improved appliances will not be cut out of the plans submitted to him on account of additional cost.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether the end of petrol rationing will be coincident with the end of the Petroleum Board.

No decision has yet been taken regarding the winding up of the Petroleum Board, and I cannot yet state when it will be possible to abolish rationing. The two need not necessarily coincide.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) what peat sites, which could be worked on an economic basis, have already been surveyed by his Department and what further sites are to be surveyed;

(2) when the report may be expected of the survey, which is at present being carried out, of peat sites which could be worked on an economic basis.

Surveys of a number of peal sites are now in progress. Where the technical reports appear favourable, the economic possibilities are investigated by my officers in the region concerned, but it is not yet possible to indicate which sites are likely to be capable of economic working. The surveys which are now taking place are not designed to form the basis for published reports.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when the public will be allowed to buy first-grade motor fuel of branded makes and for what reason he cannot allow this at once.

As I stated in reply to a question on 21st November, I cannot yet say when the supply of pool petrol will cease, but the possibility of arranging for the provision of two grades of petrol, a commercial grade and a better grade for private motorists, is under consideration. The manufacture of a superior grade of petrol for private cars without a corresponding degrading of the quality of the fuel for commercial vehicles would reduce the total availability from sterling sources.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the amount of money paid by the British Government to the Island of Jersey for rehabilitation; if he is satisfied that this money has been put to proper use and equitably distributed; and if any further grant is contemplated.

As explained in the House on 24th March, a capital sum of £4,200,000 was given to the States of Jersey to be used for the purpose of liquidating part of the indebtedness of the Island, and it has been so used. As the money required for paying off the balance of the indebtedness and for rehabilitation had to be found by borrowing, the plans for rehabilitation which were agreed with His Majesty's Government had necessarily to be made on an austerity basis, and I have no reason to question the manner in which they have been carried out. No further grant by His Majesty's Government is contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to introduce legislation to cancel the property qualification for jury service.

I regret that I cannot hold out any hope of legislation on this subject at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the shortage of veterinary surgeons especially in agricultural areas, he will extend the same exemption to them as regards jury service as is now given to doctors and parsons.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a Question by the hon. Member for Winchester (Mr. Jeger) on 21st November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why members of the R.O.C. are now liable to be called for jury service when the T.A., the A.A.F. and the C.D. as such are still exempt.

The only classes of persons exempt from jury service are those whose exemption is authorised by statute and there is no statutory provision under which members of the Royal Observer Corps are exempt.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the plain clothes allowance granted to policemen is half as much again as that granted to prison officers who are required to wear plain clothes; that the representative bodies of both services have made strong representations about the paucity of these allowances; and if he will endeavour to remedy the grievances expressed.

I am glad to be able to say that prison officers will now receive the same plain clothes allowance as the police, less £1 per annum, representing the value of a mackintosh which is supplied in the prison service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in view of his recent announcement to the annual conference of the Police Federation, he will consider confining promotion to the higher grades of the prison service to those who have served in the uniform grades; and if he will pay especial attention to the recall of a pensioned deputy-governor to open a new prison for women, and to the announcement that a deputy-governor will be advertised for.

It is the policy of the Prison Commissioners, to which I attach great importance, that members of the prison service should be given every opportunity to qualify themselves and be considered for promotion to the highest posts in the service. I cannot, however, undertake that appointments from outside the service will never be made. For instance, for the special post to which the hon. Member refers, I was satisfied that there was no candidate in the service possessing the special qualifications required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the shortage in the police force, he will abate somewhat the requirement of the minimum height of 5 ft. 9 ins.

The Police Regulations provide that a candidate for appointment to a police force must, save for special reasons approved by the Secretary of State, be not less than 5 ft. 8 in. in height, or such higher standard as may have been prescribed by the police authority. The height standard in the Metropolitan Police Force is 5 ft. 8 ins.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that policemen invalided out of the force before completing their 26 years' service, but who subsequently rejoined the force during the war and completed their full period, are not allowed to count this war service for pension purposes; and if he will take steps to end this apparent injustice.

If the hon. Member has in mind the case of a man in receipt of an ordinary medical pension granted under the Police Pensions Act, 1921, who subsequently served as a member of the First Police Reserve, the position is governed by the provisions of Section 27 of the Act which provides for the payment of a pension only in the event of incapacity or death as a result of an injury received in execution of duty, during the further period of service. Members of the First Police Reserve continued to draw their pensions during their period of re-employment and I would not feel justified in proposing legislation to provide that, in addition, their service in the First Police Reserve should count towards these pensions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the Control of Employment (Agriculture) Northern Ireland (Amendment) Order, 1946 (S.R. & O. (N.I.) 1946, No. 158), was only presented by him to this House on 4th November although it purports to have been made by the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance for Northern Ireland on 15th October; and why no copies were available in the Vote Office on 28th November.

This order, which relaxes restrictions upon the employment of casual labour in agriculture, reached me on 4th November and was presented by me to this House on the same day. I am informed that the delay, which is much regretted, was due to printing difficulties in Northern Ireland. With regard to the second part of the Question, I am making inquiries with a view to ensuring that copies of Northern Ireland Orders laid before this House are available in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of regular fire officers previously employed by local authorities who were called up for service in the Armed Forces and now, on being demobilised, have been given a reduced rank in the N.F.S. in the London region.

The considerable contraction of the National Fire Service during the last two years has involved a large reduction in the officer establishment and numerous reductions in rank were therefore unavoidable. For this purpose the case of every officer in the service was individually reviewed. This process has been applied also to those officers reinstated after demobilisation, but before the review takes place each officer is given a refresher course and a period of at least six months operational experience, and during this period the officer retains his former rank. Up to the present the number of men reinstated after demobilisation in ranks above fireman who have, on subsequent review, been reduced in rank is 23.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds priority is being given to the application of Prince Philip of Greece for British nationality.

I have ascertained that Prince Philip has submitted an application through his commanding officer in accordance with the arrangements which, as I announced on 28th February, 1946, have been made to enable early consideration to be given to applications for naturalisation from foreigners who have served during the war in His Majesty's Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the terms of Section 10 of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, he will state on what grounds he has decided that medical qualifications are essential for inspectors of animals kept for scientific purposes; and for what reason veterinary surgeons cannot be appointed under that section.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Hampstead (Mr. Challen) on the nth July and 1st August last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of cases in which conscientious objectors applying for positions as probation officers have been rejected on account of the fact that they were conscientious objectors.

This information is not available. Justices may appoint probation officers either from outside sources or through the training scheme: experience in placing conscientious objectors who have been trained has shown that only a limited number can be absorbed into the service.

asked the Minister of Works what steps are being taken to divert the employment of the 324,000 building workers at present engaged on non-priority work to new housing and other essential work.

The majority of the workers to whom my hon. Friend refers are engaged on work which has been licensed by the Government and local authorities, including new factories and other projects important to the economic life of the community. The remainder are engaged mainly upon essential maintenance and repair of houses and industrial buildings. This work has already been severely restricted, but arrangements have recently been made for a further reduction in the licences with a view to making more men available for work which is given a higher priority.

asked the Minister of Works the number of face bricks that have been sent out of South Wales this year and the number of stock bricks that have been received into South Wales from other places during the same period.

Precise figures are not available but the number of facing bricks supplied from South Wales to English customers this year would not be much in excess of 1,400,000. I have no information about the transfer of stock bricks to South Wales but at least 309,000 fletton commons and 2,316,000 bricks of Belgian origin have been delivered to South Wales during the period.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that Murrayfield ice and sports stadium has been requisitioned since 3rd September, 1939; that it has subsequently been evacuated by the R.A.S.C. and the N.A.A.F.I. and is now being used as a stationery store; if he is aware that the most modern refrigeration plant is installed in this building; and if he will give a date when it is likely to be made available to the citizens of Edinburgh.

The answer to the first three parts of the Question is in the affirmative. With regard to the last part of the Question, this store is the issuing depot of the Stationery Office for Scotland and the North-Eastern counties of England, and I regret that in the absence of any suitable alternative accommodation, I am unable to indicate a date on which the premises are likely to be released.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware of the difficulty in obtaining 15-ampere switch plugs, main D.P. switch fuses and wood blocks for fixing five-ampere switches, in Cardiff; and what steps he is taking to increase the supply.

I am aware of a general shortage of these electrical components throughout the country, and I have taken steps to ensure that the most urgent requirements, both in Cardiff and elsewhere, are met with the least possible delay. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply is doing his utmost to increase production. If my hon. Friend will let me have details of any priority work that is held up, I will arrange for the necessary supplies.

asked the Minister of National Insurance (1) what steps he is taking to avoid the widespread hardship caused through the dentists refusal to undertake work under the National Health Insurance Scheme;

(2) what action he has taken to review the claims submitted on behalf of the dentists for a revised scale of charges for work done under the National Health Insurance Scheme.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Baird) on Tuesday last.

asked the Minister of National Insurance when Mr. Ernest D. Miles, West Hartlepool, who applied for his old age pension in June, 1946, and who reached the appropriate age in September, 1946, can expect to receive intimation of a decision in respect of his application.

I am having inquiries made and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of National Insurance when Mr. George W. Stopp, 31; Arlington Gardens, Chiswick, may expect to receive his increased old age pension, in view of his repeated representations to the Department which have so far only been formally acknowledged, Ministry reference 52485656, but have produced no result.

I am having inquiries made and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he will consider exercising his powers under Section 29 of the National Insurance Act, 1946, to make regulations permitting the payment of pensions in special compassionate cases where a person entitled is absent from Great Britain.

My right hon. Friend proposes to exercise these powers in due course in relation to benefits under the National Insurance Act, 1946, but their detailed application is still under consideration. In the meanwhile pensions under the present contributory pensions scheme are payable not only in Great Britain but also in any part of His Majesty's Dominions.

asked the Minister without Portfolio whether he will indicate, separately, the acreage of Dartmoor at present held, and that under consideration for future use by each of the three Services.

The Admiralty have 16,850 acres of Dartmoor under requisition. The War Office hold 22,145 acres on a prewar lease and 18,850 acres which were requisitioned during the war. The Air Ministry hold no land on Dartmoor. It would not at present be appropriate to give details of the areas now being considered by the Inter-Departmental Committee on Service Land Requirements. I would in this connection refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 28th November by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Denbigh (Sir H. Morris-Jones), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister without Portfolio if he will consult with the Service Ministers so as to arrange, as far as possible, consistent with the needs of the Services, that Scottish Servicemen will get their leave at the end of the month, so as to allow them to be at home with their families at the New Year instead of Christmas, in view of the Scottish holiday period being the former, instead of the latter.

I have made inquiries and I understand that it is not the usual practice to issue special instructions on the subject of New Year leave for Scottish Servicemen since it is universally recognised that they should be treated at the New Year, as far as possible, in the same way as other Servicemen at Christmas. I have no evidence to suggest that this arrangement does not work quite satisfactorily.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that the main Newport-Cardiff road was flooded on 24th and 25th November to a depth of over three feet, that damage was done to land and buildings adjacent, that Tredegar Park and St. Brides Lighthouse were completely under water; and what steps are being taken to prevent its recurrence.

I am aware of the recent flooding in this area, due to the River Ebbw overflowing its banks. In this connection I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Bedwellty on 21st November. I have written in greater detail to my hon. Friend on the subject.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that many main roads in South Wales have been recently made impassable by floods; and if he is taking any steps to deal with the problem.

I am aware that the exceptionally heavy rainfall in November caused floods which temporarily blocked a number of trunk and Class I roads in South Wales; in only two cases was the road impassable for more than one day. In the more serious cases, schemes are in hand or are under consideration to by-pass the affected area or raise the level of the road, except at two places where the road passes underneath a railway bridge and no immediate improvement is possible.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the shortage of cattle wagons at stations in the market towns of Brecon and Radnor; and whether he will take immediate steps to have this shortage remedied.

I am informed that congestion at certain junctions and the demands of other essential traffic have on occasions delayed the supply of empty cattle wagons. The requirements of the current markets are, however, being met.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the average cost of a bath compared with an overhead shower with foot-tub; and if any substantial lowering of housing costs can be achieved by the adoption of showers, using less water, heating, plumbing and floor-space.

The average cost, exclusive of connections, of baths at present being installed in local authority houses is about £10. As there are many varieties of shower baths with foot tubs, it is difficut to obtain precise figures, but I am advised that the average cost may well be more rather than less than £10. Apart from this, I cannot suppose that the hon. Member's suggestion would be generally acceptable so far as local authority houses are concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Scottish Office in London will be housed in permanent offices appropriate to its standing as principal office of the State.

In present circumstances there is no early prospect of removal from the premises now occupied, but the question of permanent quarters for the Scottish Office is being considered in consultation with the Ministry of Works.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has under consideration any arrangements by which tenants of corporation houses may be permitted to buy the properties which they are now renting, with a view to extending the ownership of their homes to the people of this country.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Supply why he has authorised the sale of Government surplus watches to mining undertakings at a price of £6 10s., whereas the controlled selling price to the public is £8 10s.

The hon. and gallant Member is under a misapprehension; £8 10s. is the maximum retail price and retailers may sell below this price if they wish.

asked the Minister of Supply (1) how many cinema projectors, magic lanterns and epidiascopes have been acquired from the Services and his Department for use in schools in Scotland;

(2) how many cinema projectors, magic lanterns and epidiascopes have been acquired from the Services and his Department for use in schools in England and Wales.

One film projector and ten epidiascopes have been supplied to schools in England and Wales and none to schools in Scotland.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the reason given for the non-allocation of a separate wavelength for Northern listeners was that none was available; that, subsequently, two further wavelengths were allocated to the B.B.C. Third Programme; and whether he will now consider separating the Northern Region from Northern Ireland in the near future.

The answer to the first part of the Question, which presumably refers to my reply to my hon. Friend on 2otb November, is in the affirmative. The statement in the second part is not understood No additional wavelength has been allocated to the Third Programme since that programme started on 29th September. The post-war allocation of wavelengths available for broadcasting in this country between the various programmes, including the Third Programme and the North Regional and Northern Ireland Regional programmes, were all worked out by the B.B.C. and approved by the Government as a single scheme. I regret that my noble Friend cannot consider any alteration of the present arrangements in the near future.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the number of wireless licences taken out in the area covered of the Northern Region giving the figures for Northern Ireland separately.

The estimated number of broadcast receiving licences in the area covered by the B.B.C Northern Region is 3,198,000. Northern Ireland forms a separate B.B.C. Region and the number of such licences current there is approximately 153,000. If, however, my hon Friend is referring to the part of the Northern Region which is only covered by transmissions from Stagshaw transmitting station whose wavelength is shared with that of Northern Ireland, the number of licences can be roughly taken as 532,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many officers and men, re-

REGULAR ENGAGEMENTS IN THE R.A.F.: MAY—OCTOBER, 1946. — May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Total. Officers; —Appointments promulgated in London Gazette. Permanent Commissions 51 63 44 23 28 27 236 Extended and Short Service Commissions. 123 168 339 160 212 238 1,240 Total Officers 174 231 383 183 240 265 1,476 Other Ranks :— Regular engagements from civil life. 1,223 1,233 1,437 1,849 1,859 2,536 10,137 Regular engagements from within the Service and on or after release leave. 482 226 227 167 481 440 2,023 Bounty engagements — 323 782 1,258 859 1,334 4,556 Total Other Ranks 1,705 1,782 2,446 3,274 3,199 4,310 16,716 Total Officers and Other Ranks 1,879 2,013 2,829 3,457 3,439 4,575 18,192

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether the inquiry into the future of Dartmoor will be held in public; whether there will be any limitation on the number of witnesses able to give evidence; and whether there will be an opportunity for representatives of local bodies concerned to cross-examine representatives of the Service Departments concerned.

The inquiry into the future of Dartmoor will be held in public. It will be within the discretion of the person holding the inquiry to decide who may give evidence, but the object will be to afford full opportunity for evidence to be given on any aspect of the proposal affecting the public interest. Representatives of the Service Departments concerned will be present to explain the proposal. Subject to security considerations, they will be authorised to answer questions on matters of fact which may be put at the discretion of the person holding the inquiry.

spectively, in the R.A.F. are serving on Regular engagements; and how many have been so recruited during each of the last six months.

It would not be in the public interest at present to give the figures asked for in the first part of the Question. The answer to the second part of the Question is given in the following table:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation the maximum load permitted on the standard Dakota used in this country by any of the airways corporations.

There is no specified maximum load for Dakotas operated by British operators. The maximum total weight authorised in this country for Dakotas is 28,000 lb. for take-off and 26,000 lb. for landing. Operators are at liberty to adjust the payload and fuel within the limits imposed by those weights.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in considering the arrangements to be made for conscientious objectors to military service in peacetime, he will examine the results of the wartime experi- ment in the U.S.A., where conscientious objectors gave valuable service as voluntary helpers in mental hospitals.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in the provision of a training scheme for barbers under the Resettlement Scheme.

In accordance with a scheme agreed with the National Joint Industrial Council for the Hairdressing Trade, training in hairdressing is being given in Government Training Centres and technical colleges. Seventy-nine men and four women have already completed their training and been placed in employment and 133 are now in training, including 29 women. Additional training facilities are being provided, in agreement with local representatives of the trade, as quickly as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of insured persons in Glasgow registered as unemployed on the latest available date under the categories of engineering, metal industries, shipbuilding and ship-repairing, textiles, clothing, transport, building and the distributive trades, respectively.

At 14th October the numbers of insured persons in the industries in question registered as unemployed at employment exchanges in Glasgow were as follow: Engineering 3,122 Construction and repair of motors, aircraft and vehicles 1,289 Metal goods manufacture and other metal industries 1,434 Shipbuilding and ship-repairing 1,773 Textiles 271 Clothing 317 Transport and communications 2,996 Building 1,127 Distributive trades 2,570

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of insured persons in Glasgow registered as unemployed on the latest available date and the numbers classified as men, women and juveniles, respectively.

The numbers of insured persons registered as unemployed at employment exchanges in Glasgow at 14th October were: Men aged 18 and over … … 19,111 Women aged 18 and over … … 7,289 Juveniles under 18 … … 1,044

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of insured persons in Glasgow registered as unemployed on the latest available date who have been so registered for periods of less than 13 weeks, 13 to 26 weeks, 26 to 39 weeks and over 39 weeks, respectively.

At 16th September, the latest date for which an analysis is available, the numbers of insured unemployed persons, registered at employment exchanges in Glasgow for the periods in question were as follow: Period of Unemployment and Numbers Unemployed 13 weeks or less … 16,196 Over 13 weeks and up to 26 weeks … 4,948 Over 26 weeks and up to 39 weeks … 2,964 Over 39 weeks … 2,840

asked the Minister of Labour if he has inspected the system of interviewing at the Manchester Employment Exchange, and if he will make a statement on the methods used; and if it is his intention to extend the system to other exchanges.

Yes, Sir. I have visited the Manchester Employment Exchange and examined the system of interviewing in operation there. I was impressed by the speed and efficiency of the system and the satisfaction which it appeared to give to applicants. While all employment interviews are required to be carried out in privacy, the methods adopted at the exchanges must depend on the premises. At Manchester it is possible for interviews to be conducted at tables so placed about the rooms as to ensure reasonable privacy; at some exchanges it is possible to provide separate rooms or cubicles for interviews. Experiments are being carried out at a number of exchanges to ascertain the best methods of adapting existing-buildings to enable a system on the lines of that in operation at Manchester to be introduced.

Another feature of the Manchester system is that unemployed persons attending the exchange are interviewed and considered for employment before claims to unemployment are taken. This arrangement is particularly suitable in areas where there are sufficient vacancies constantly being notified to make it possible to submit a high proportion of applicants for vacancies immediately on registration for employment, and is in operation at most exchanges in the country.

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects to receive the Report of the Foster Committee on Casual Dock Labour.

I have already received this Report which will be published on or about 9th December.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men will have been called up for each of the Services between VE-Day and 31st December, 1946.

It is estimated that between VE-Day and 31st December, 1946, 392,000 men will have been called up to the Armed Forces under the National Service Acts, including 42,000 to the Royal Navy, 245,000 to the Army and 105,000 to the R.A.F.

asked the Minister of Labour whether in considering the form of compulsory service to be adopted in the T.A., he will make concessions to those who, prior to the age of 18 years, have given voluntary service in training corps.

I would ask my hon. Friend to await the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is yet in a position to reply to the letter sent to him on 28th August about the gratuity of Mr. N. T. Gaffney, 64, Peppercroft Street, Gravesend, Kent.

A letter was sent to my hon. Friend on 5th December. I regret the unavoidable delay in replying.