asked the Minister of Education if she will try to arrange with the U.S.S.R. that the elementary Russian language lessons about to be broadcast from Moscow in the evenings shall be made available by recordings or otherwise for retransmission to schools during the day.

No, Sir.

Why not?

Because these programmes are intended for grown-ups, and I do not think they are suitable for children.

But do not the children speak the same language as ourselves?

I hope not. But in any case, these programmes are specifically prepared for adults.

asked the Minister of Education how she proposes to accommodate larger classes in rural areas in April, 1947, when the school leaving age is raised.

The arrangements for providing additional accommodation for the raising of the age of compulsory school attendance are outlined in the Ministry's Circular 64 of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

Will the right hon. Lady consider keeping one class back in the primary schools, to assist the main burden on the secondary schools?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that these matters have been taken very fully into consideration, and the scheme is really far too far advanced for changes now.

asked the Minister of Education what provision for secondary education and for the raising of the school-leaving age to 15 she is making in the all-standard schools in the rural areas of this country.

The benefits of secondary education cannot be fully effective so long as senior pupils have to be educated in the same classes or schools as junior pupils, and that is why I intend to press on with the reorganisation of schools as rapidly as the country's building resources permit. In the meantime, I am confident that teachers and local education authorities, with whom my Department keeps in close contact, are fully alive to the necessity for making the best possible provision for the older children in unreorganised schools.

In view of the fact that most of these schools are in rural areas— there are nearly 6,000 of them out of a total of 10,000 for the country as a whole —cannot the right hon. Lady appeal to the Minister of Works to ask for a further consignment of huts, which he tells me he is willing to make, so that she can build schools in central areas for senior children, because they are really not getting any advantage at all out of the Act?

Surely the hon. Lady does not wish to imply that the Minister of Works has huts which he has not revealed to me but has revealed to her? Believe me, we are working in the closest contact with the Ministry of Works, and this matter has been put in the hands of the Parliamentary Secretary. I am convinced that we have a great deal to be thankful for to the Minister of Works, but he cannot do miracles, as materials are very short at the present time.

In view of what the Minister said about the difficulty of new buildings, can we be given an assurance that no existing educational buildings shall be taken for any non-educational purposes?

It is not possible to make a reply to a wide generalisation like that. [HON MEMBERS: "Why not?"] Because I do not know. So far as possible, we are not only using all the available educational buildings, but getting other buildings as well.

May I ask the right hon. Lady whether she proposes to answer the last part of my Question, and whether she has or has not, through her inspectors in the areas, given a lead and direction to these standard schools?

My hon. Friend really ought to understand that owing to the appalling mismanagement of education by previous Governments in those years before the war, when both labour and materials were available, we are now left with a tremendous lot of bad buildings which we really cannot deal with at once.

Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

On a point of Order. Would it be possible for you, Mr. Speaker, to arrange for this House to meet on Sundays to get through all these points?

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware that dissatisfaction is felt by parents over the manner in which local education authorities are exercising their functions with regard to the entrance of children from rural areas into local grammar schools, especially where a grammar-school education is a pre-requisite to entrance to an agricultural college; and what steps she is taking in the light of a Louth case, details of which have been sent to her.

I am not aware of any general dissatisfaction in this matter. I have investigated the facts of the case which the hon. Member has brought to my attention and am satisfied that the pupil concerned was given every chance to show that the grammar school course would suit her ability and aptitude, but that on the results of the tests and on the basis of her school record the authority rightly considered that this course was not best suited to her requirements.

Will the right hon. Lady give local authorities more flexibility in administering the conditions she lays down, so that exceptional cases can be taken into consideration more than they have been in the past?

Local authorities have all the flexibility they can possibly want in these matters. We are not concerned with laying down hard and fast rules. The whole of this matter was dealt with by the local authority.

asked the Minister of Education how many students are in receipt of grants under the Further Education and Training Scheme; and whether she is aware of the continued delay in the payment of these grants

asked the Minister of Education what is being done to expedite payment of grants under the Government's Further Education and Training Scheme.

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware of the distress caused to many students by the delay in payment of Further Education and Training grants; whether she will state the number of awards made and the number of payments that have been paid; and what steps she is taking to effect an immediate settlement of outstanding awards.

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware of the hardship caused through the delay in the payment of grants under the Further Education and Training Scheme, and if she will take steps to see that these grants are paid punctually when they are due.

asked the Minister of Education if she will take immediate administrative steps to speed up the assess- ment and the payment of grants to ex-Service students, some of whom have been waiting for five months since the date of their application.

asked the Minister of Education what steps she is taking to remove the delays in assessment and payment of Further Education and Training and maintenance grants to ex-Service students; and if she is aware of the hardship caused by the present delays.

asked the Minister of Education the number of students entitled to Further Education and Training grants who have not received any payments; if she is aware that many have been compelled to apply to the unemployment assistance board for financial assistance; and when the students concerned may expect to receive the grants due to them.

asked the Minister of Education whether she will take some immediate action to mitigate the financial hardship imposed on many ex-Service students by the continued delay in settlement and payment of training grants.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware of the anxiety and hardship caused by delays in the payment of grants to ex-Service university students under the Further Education and Training Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

The answer is rather long, but it will not take as long as it would to answer all the Questions individually.

Up to 6th December over 22,000 awards had been made since the Scheme began, of which 19,897 are current. Of the latter, over 17,000, either as termly instalments or as initial payments, had been paid up to 6th December, and the remainder were in process of being paid. In addition, new awards were being made at the rate of about 800 a week. Fresh applications are, however, being received every day from students who actually began their courses before they applied. Over 7,000 such applications have been received since this term began.

Every application has to be considered on its merits and every award has to be calculated separately in relation to the resources and needs of the candidate. As candidates are not listed under particular institutions until awards are made to them, I am sorry that I cannot investigate general charges of delay. I am, of course, very glad to look into particular cases where a candidate considers that there has been undue delay, but I must warn hon. Members that these individual investigations hold up the process of assessment and payment.

A serious cause of delay is the fact that many colleges do not return promptly the certificates of attendance and the students' undertakings, without which my Department has no authority to pay maintenance allowances. I have already asked the colleges, if there is likely to be any delay about fees, not to hold up the form for the students' maintenance. I am now instructing the colleges that the certificates of attendance and the undertakings of the students must be returned at once without waiting to calculate the amount of the tuition fees. If these instructions are followed by the colleges and by the students, there should be no undue delay in making the normal termly payments to the students.

Apart from any possible delay there may be on the part of the colleges, is the Minister aware that quite often students have to wait a considerable time even in order to get into the colleges, and that in those cases they find it very difficult to live in the meantime?

I am sorry, but that is not part of this Question. The supplementary question raises an entirely different question.

As one of those who has put many individual cases, may I ask the right hon. Lady whether she realises that this has been going on now for over a year, and that this announcement today cannot possibly convince us that there will be any immediate speeding up? Therefore, will she reorganise her Department and see that sufficient administrative staff is there to deal with this, even in spite of the concession that has been made today?

To be quite honest, I am not making any concession. This matter has been continually under review by my Department. I do ask hon. Members to imagine the flood of applications that there has been, and the fact that every application has to be judged on its merits, and that so many of these forms have to be filled in and sent in. [ Laughter. ] I mean, the large number of forms involved by adding up all the individual applications together. But the point is, that though I have enormously increased the staff, it is still impossible to get as quick a passage of the applications as I should like to get, largely because of the circumstances I have outlined in the main answer.

Could the right hon. Lady say what she would now assume to be the average delay?

It is extremely difficult to talk about averages, because in these matters one case may be held up for a long time owing to circumstances over which my Department has no control while another may go through very quickly. That is why it is so difficult.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that even when her Department says a grant will be made, it means none the less a delay of several months before making payment?

The position is quite bad enough without exaggerations—

There is no exaggeration there.

There are no delays of months. [HON. MEMBERS: "There are."] No, not if we are talking about the same thing. From the time when we get the certificate sent back by the college, the delay is sometimes, I regret to say, a matter of perhaps a week or a fortnight, sometimes more. The real delay may arise between the time of application and the time when the student gets into the college.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that a good number of these students have gone through their small savings and are now on the Assistance Board? Some of them date back as far as January, and if it is a case of shortage of staff, surely the Minister might borrow from some other Department so as to be able to get on with it and avoid these shocking delays?

I must ask hon. Members not to mix up different issues, and not to exaggerate. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] I am perfectly ready to admit that there is delay, but I have pointed out that the delay is only partially because of shortage of staff. In some cases it is the fault of the students themselves. If people will not apply in time, then of course these difficulties do occur. There really is no need for any student to go on public assistance, or anything like that, if he will write to us.

The right hon. Lady has only dealt with the question of primary applications. Difficulty also arises in the recurrence of grants; why, when an application has been granted, have men and women to wait months, and perhaps have to borrow from heads of departments? Will she not have some simple arrangements made whereby perhaps the people who are in London at any rate could come to her Department to collect their grant?

I only wish I could, but in this matter the Department is not master in its own house. We have to have signed every term by each student a form stating that he is in attendance and a form of undertaking that he will repay if he does not complete attendance. That cannot be wiped out. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"] Because it is laid upon us as a duty by the Public Accounts Committee, which is a Committee of this House. If hon. Members feel aggrieved about it, it is to the Public Accounts Committee that they must go, not to me.

In view of the fact that my right hon. Friend's answer clearly shows the main cause of delay to be the waiting until the student actually begins to attend a course before payment is authorised, will she consider authorising payment the moment the grant has been sanctioned?

That would merely mean repeating everything I said in my original answer.

In view of the absolute need for removing this intolerable grievance, I beg to give notice that I will raise it as soon as possible on the Adjournment, so as to give further opportunity for debate.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware that there are a large number of ex-Service students at Aberystwyth who have been assessed for grants for maintenance and education under the Further Education Training Scheme, many of whom are married men with families and that great hardship is being caused to them by delay in the receipt of moneys due under this grant; and whether she will take steps to see that their grievance is remedied and that payment is put upon a prompt and proper basis.

Up to 6th December, of 120 students whose awards had been assessed, 105 had been paid and the remainder were in process of being paid. On the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I have given to the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. G. Thomas), and others.

The right hon. Lady has referred to a number who are not receiving payment. What about the hardship in regard to them?

This comes under the very long answer I have already given, and the subject will now come up on the Adjournment.

Will the Minister define the meaning of the expression she used, "in the process of being paid," and state how many months it takes?

I must refer the hon. Member to the answer I have already given.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware that students having awards under the Further Education and Training Scheme, who are married, with children, are not permitted to receive family allowances in respect of their children; and what action she proposes to take.

Under the Further Education and Training Scheme, the normal allowance for a child is £40 per annum. Where an award holder has more than one child, he receives £40 per annum under the scheme for the first child, and £27 per annum for each of his other children up to four, in addition to £13 per annum for each of them under the Family Allowances Act.

I gather that the family allowance of £15 a year is deducted for a second child?

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware that of 700 ex-Service students at the University of Leeds, only 200 have received instalments of grants under the Further Education and Training Scheme; and whether immediate aid can be given in view of their critical condition.

I cannot say whether the figure of 700 students who may become entitled to awards is correct, since my Department does not classify students by institutions, until they are told the amount of the award which they are to receive. Up to 6th December, the awards of 354 students had been assessed. Of these, 237 had been paid, and the remainder were in process of being paid. If other students at Leeds have applied for awards which have not yet been assessed, they will be paid in turn as rapidly as possible, having regard to the very large number of applications at various stages of consideration.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that I have received a telegram this morning, showing that 350 students have received payments, which means that 350, or half, are now going home on their Christmas vacations without payment?

I do not think it can be so. I should like to see the hon. Member, because his figures do not coincide with mine.

Will the Minister bear in mind that students cannot give the best attention to their studies if they are continually financially embarrassed? Can she give an assurance that these students will receive their money for next term in plenty of time?

I can only say, as I have already said, that I am giving the closest personal attention to this matter, that I have increased the staff and reorganised the Department, but for the reasons I have already given, some delay in view of the present number of applications is inevitable.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that those of us who were ex-Servicemen and received grants after the last war under a Tory Government experienced no delays?

asked the Minister of Education how many ex-Service men and women have applied for further education under the Government's scheme: how many of these are receiving further education, giving separate figures for London; and how many have been refused, stating the main grounds for refusal.

Up to 6th December, 38,050 applications for awards under the Further Education and Training Scheme had reached my Department. Awards have been made to 22,037 applicants. Figures for the very numerous institutions of all types in London at which awards are held cannot be given separately without an undue expenditure of time and labour which would cause further delay. 5,000-odd applications have had to be refused for a variety of reasons, such as that the candidate could not be regarded as coming within the scope of the Scheme, or was unsuitable, for one reason or another, for an award from public funds.

Will the right hon. Lady use her influence with the Government to see that civil servants are made to attend to this day-to-day administration, instead of being diverted for political purposes and objects?

asked the Minister of Education the procedure whereby ex-Service students obtain grants for a university education; how many students have obtained grants; and how long a time elapses between application, award and the first money payment.

Application is made in the first instance to the nearest appointments office of the Ministry of Labour from which, if the applicant is found to be prima facie eligible, it is sent to my Department for a decision. Up to 6th December, 22,037 awards had been made by my Department. It is not possible to give any general estimate of the time which elapses between the application, award and first money payment, since it depends on the circumstances of each case and, not least, on the promptitude with which the necessary certificates are received from the college.

Can the Minister tell us how many applications are pending? I understand that 22,000 have already been settled.

If the hon. Gentleman will look at the long answer I gave to a series of Questions earlier, he will find in it all the figures for which he is now asking.

asked the Minister of Education what is the average length of time which now elapses between the acceptance of a candidate for training under the Teachers Emergency Training scheme and the actual provision of training for such candidate; and whether this average constitutes an improvement on the situation as it was six months ago.

Candidates from the Forces are now being admitted to colleges about a year after their Class A release date, a little less for men and a little more for women. Civilian candidates are being admitted after an interval varying from a little over a year for women to about 18 months for men from the date of their application. Though far more colleges are now open than six months ago, the waiting period is growing longer because of the very large number of candidates recently released from the Forces.

Is there likely to be any improvement in the near future?

Owing to the large number of releases from the Forces, there is bound to be a piling up during this period.

asked the Minister of Education if she is aware that there are uncertified male teachers with family responsibilities who, at the present time, are earning £3 9s. a week, less deductions, which salary is below the general level of wages in industry; and whether she will take steps to remunerate such persons with a salary more in keeping with their abilities, qualifications, and work performed, thus encouraging them to remain in the profession.

The salary prescribed in the Burnham Report for unqualified men teachers is the scale of £180 to £300 per year and for temporary men teachers the scale of £180 to £228, in both cases with annual increments of £12. The figure quoted by my hon. Friend represents the minimum of these scales, but as annual increments can be allowed for previous experience and for war service the large majority of teachers in these categories enter the scales at salaries above their minimum.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied in all conscience that the wage being paid is the rate for the job, and how can she possibly defend the very low rate of pay given to the teacher to whom I have referred?

It is the wage fixed by the Burnham Committee, which is a Committee representing the trade union —the teachers—and the employers, and they have come to an agreement. I would point out, however, that in certain cases it may well be that teachers do not realise, especially those who have come back from the Army, that they can get increments for war service. If they will write to me about that I will see to it.

Can my right hon. Friend explain how any scale with a minimum of £180 and increments of £12 a year up to £300 and later to £500 can mean that a man gets only £3 9s. a month less deductions—[HON. MEMBERS: "A week."]—I am sorry, a week?

asked the Minister of Education whether she has any report to make on the conduct of a head-master who recently inflicted corporal punishment on a girl of eight years of age; whether the inquiry of the local education authority has been completed; and what action she proposes to take.

I understand that this case will be considered further by a subcommittee of the local education authority on 18th December. It is for the authority to decide what action should be taken in the matter.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that at a medical examination soon after the event two heavy weal marks were found by an independent doctor on the buttocks of this little girl? Is it in accordance with the regulations of her Department that a headmaster can inflict such assault and punishment on a child without witnesses, without inquiry, without informing the child of the fault or crime committed, without giving any reasons, without any knowledge of the state of health of the child, without informing the parents or anybody else, and without anything being done by her Department?

I am sorry, but this is one of the matters which come within the purview of local education authorities, and they must deal with their teachers on these questions of discipline.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible moment.

asked the Minister of Education how children in rural areas, or who are attending technical and other schools which serve a wide area, can receive free milk during the Christmas holidays.

The milk in schools scheme is obligatory on local education authorities in term time only, and has never operated widely in the holidays, but authorities have power to arrange, where practicable, for such children as those mentioned to drink milk at a centre or possibly some other school within reach of their homes, provided that irregular attendance does not cause waste.

Will the right hon. Lady consider investigating the possibility of giving parents coupons, or some paper tokens, to exchange for milk during the holidays, because at the moment this scheme is not working fairly, and many children who really need milk are not getting it?

When experiments were made to see whether children would go to the schools for the milk, we found that so few of them turned up that the milk was wasted, and we had to stop it.

As there is one law for the towns and another for the country, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Education if she will give an estimate, expressed in percentage, of the number of schoolchildren in Kent who received free milk during last summer holidays, and of the percentage who will receive free milk during the coming Christmas holidays.

Authorities have not been asked to submit returns of holiday milk and I regret, therefore, that I am not able to give these estimates.

asked the Minister of Education the average size of classes in primary schools in England and Wales as compared with the average size before the war; and how many of these classes are of over 40 children.

The average size of classes in primary schools in England and Wales in January, 1946, was 34.8, compared with an average of 34.7 in public elementary schools in 1938. There were 36,378 classes with over 40 children in primary schools in January, 1946, compared with 44,581 in public elementary schools in 1938.

Can the Minister say how the figures will be affected by reason of the school-leaving age?

At the moment, I cannot.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the fact that the names of Messrs I. W. Evans, Cecil Godfrey and Dale H. Parkinson, had been added to the Surrey Federation of Labour Parties' approved list of nominations for justices of the peace has been published in the "Surrey County Clarion," Surrey's Labour monthly, and that consequently, if appointed to the bench, these gentlemen will be known to be political nominees, consideration will be given to the undesirability of making these particular appointments.

I have been asked to reply.

As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for the advice given to the Crown in relation to the selection and appointment of justices of the peace, is assisted in the county of Surrey, as elsewhere, by an ad isory committee. My noble Friend has no objection to any organisation, political or otherwise, suggesting to his advisory committees the names of persons considered by the organisation to be suitably qualified for appointment as justices, and it is for the advisory committees in the first instance to review the names and credentials of all candidates brought to their notice and, as a result of such review, to make recommendations to the Lord Chancellor.

My noble Friend is of opinion that it is desirable for many reasons that the names of candidates should not be prematurely published, but he has no power to prevent publication by an independent body. He would, however, be guided in his selection by the overriding consideration as to whether the candidates were individually suitable.

Does that answer mean that the right hon. Gentleman and the Government appreciate that gentlemen whose names have been published in advance as political nominees for the bench should, for that very reason, be disqualified from the public respect for their impartiality, which most reasonable people would regard as a fair requirement for appointment to the judicial bench?

All names are considered by the advisory committee. The answer to the hon. Gentleman's question is, "No."

Is it not a fact that in many country districts one of the chief qualifications for quick entry on to the bench is to be chairman of the local Tory association?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Surrey Federation of Labour Parties' list was approved by the Labour Party, or the T.U.C.?

Various organisations make suggestions as to names, which have to be sent to the advisory committee. The local Labour Party is an organisation and has the right, just as much as anybody else, to suggest names.

Is it not a fact that in the county of Surrey recently a great many Conservatives have been appointed to the bench?

Is it not in any case desirable, whatever party they come from, that the names should remain confidential until the matter is finally decided? Should not the organisations in question be told this?

That was indicated in the answer to the main Question.

Is not this the first occasion on which it has been laid down that nominees from political bodies would be acceptable?

No, Sir; as a member of an advisory committee I know that that is not correct.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this has been the practice for a very long time, and that the moment the lists are known there is no doubt about political affiliations or appointees?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is prepared to review the present limitation of special areas; and if he has in view the consideration of including the port of Leith in accordance with Election promises.

The employment trends in all parts of the country are under constant examination and additions to the areas scheduled under the Distribution of Industry Act, 1945, can be made at any time, if circumstances justify. I do not consider that the present position calls for the scheduling of Leith, but I shall, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, continue to watch the situation closely.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the Edinburgh Town Council, whose jurisdiction includes the port of Leith, have held a public meeting in his connection, and that it has been asserted by one of the members of that council that no man in Leith, in employment, walks about except in fear of unemployment? What does he intend to do in these circumstances?

Examine all the statements, and the position generally.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, when advance payments were made to claimants under the War Damage Act, 1943, Part II. Private Chattels Scheme, they were promised, in Deferment Letter A, that any balance would normally be deferred until after the war and would carry interest at 2½ per cent. per annum from date of damage to date of payment; and why payment of such interest has been avoided by fixing July, 1947, as the date for general payment and so treating payments now being made as advance payments not entitled to carry interest instead of as deferred payments made after the war hearing interest.

This matter is governed by provisions of the War Damage Act, under which interest is payable only on that portion of a payment which is deferred until the time to be specified in Treasury Regulations. For private chattels payments this time will be July, 1947, and interest is not payable on advances made before then. There has been no change in this respect though for greater clarity the rather indefinite phrase "until after the war" in Deferment Letter A, to which the hon. Member refers, was after VE-Day replaced by the more precise phrase "to a date to be specified in Treasury Regulations."

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman not agree that thousands of people received in 1942 and 1943 what was in fact a promise from the Board of Trade that these payments, made after the war, would carry interest; and is it not now after the war; and, in those circumstances, will he reconsider what really amounts to a repudiation and breach of faith?

No such promise was ever given; it could not be in accordance with the provisions of the War Damage Act itself.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will remove the restrictions on newspapers and other publications started since 16th August, 1040, in regard to the amount of advertising matter they may carry.

No, Sir.

Does my right hon. and learned Friend appreciate that these regulations make the commercial success of new newspapers, some of which may support His Majesty's Government extremely doubtful?

Eight cwt. in four months would not be of much value for any commercial venture. It is intended for parish magazines, works papers and matters of that kind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will grant extra clothing coupons to growing children during the next rationing period.

No, Sir. The additional supplements for children for the rationing year which ends next August have already been issued. These supplements were in fact rather higher than those issued in the previous year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications he has received for sites for industrial purposes in quasi-satellites and new towns within the scope of the Greater London plan, how many of these are for the transfer of industrial undertakings from areas in London and Greater London; and how many are new undertakings.

Some 1,500 firms have notified their desire for new industrial premises in the area of the Greater London plan. These include about 200 firms who have shown an interest in the possibility of sites in new towns or quasi-satellites. The applicants are predominantly existing London firms, but the split-up asked for in the second and third parts of the Question is not immediately available. I would add, however, that the new towns and quasi-satellites are intended to accommodate firms moving out from the congested parts of London and approval will not normally be given to new undertakings or to firms from other parts of the country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be in a position to publish the names of the members and the chairman of the first council of the British Institute of Management.

I am pleased to say that Mr. C. G. Renold, chairman of the Renold and Coventry Chain Company Ltd., and a leading authority on the subject of Management, has accepted my invitation to be the first chairman of the British Institute of Management. I hope shortly to be able to announce the names of the members of the council.

May I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman whether, in making this selection, he will pay due regard to the claims of professional and other bodies interested in improving industrial conditions who put forward names?

Certainly, I have done that.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of cases in which ex-Service men and women who have applied for their entitlement of clothing coupons have had their applications rejected on the grounds that they have been unable to produce the clothing book containing the necessary application form.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that many thousands of demobilised Servicemen have mislaid and destroyed their Sc./V. clothing books and are unable to obtain the supplementary issue of clothing coupons; and if he will introduce a scheme whereby these men may receive their coupons without the V. form.

Up till and including Tuesday, 68,000 persons claimed for loss of their "V" vouchers on the form known as L.C.4 or about 1½ per cent. of those who are, or will become, eligible for the 26. A small number of these claims were admitted because loss was due to fire or burglary. I have now reconsidered the position in the light of these figures. In view of the disappointment caused to a considerable number of ex-Service men and women who have carelessly lost or destroyed these vouchers in spite of many printed warnings on their original document, I have agreed to extend the conditions of replacement to include such losses. Those who have already made application on form L.C.4 will receive their replacements in rotation, and those who still wish to make application should obtain the form L.C.4 from their local food office and then post it when completed to the area office of the Assistance Board. No application in respect of lost "V" vouchers will be entertained after 15th January. I would ask all concerned not to send us reminders which will only delay consideration of application.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman see that they have the earliest possible consideration?

Certainly.

Will the Minister see that in any case where a refusal has already been made of the application for renewal, these people will not have to re-apply?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the deep concern of the boot and shoe industry at the failure in the crêpe sole supply; and, in view of the shortage of footwear and short-time working of the operatives, what steps are proposed to expedite shipments to this country.

World supplies of crêpe sole rubber are still only about one-third of prewar, and it is not yet possible to secure imports on the prewar scale. Arrangements have been made, however, with the principal producers of sole crepe to assure to this country a reasonable percentage of their output.

May I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman whether we are likely to have an increased supply for the first quarter of next year?

It depends on how soon the machinery can be rehabilitated in those countries from which crêpe comes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which industries receive an allocation of linseed oil; what tonnage each industry receives; and how this compares with their prewar usage.

With regard to the first two parts of his Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food to the hon. and gallant Member for Lancaster (Brigadier Maclean) on 27th November last. As regards the last part of the Question, the Census of Production Reports for 1935 show that the paint, varnish and white lead group of indus- tries used in that year 47,900 tons of linseed oil and the linoleum and leather-cloth industries, 33,900 tons. The printing ink industry used 3,055 tons of vegetable oils of all kinds.

The right hon. and learned Gentleman read out his reply with such speed that I failed to detect in it any reference to supplies of linseed oil to the electrical installation industry, which requires a quite small tonnage which is absolutely vital for reconstruction.

I am aware of that. I gave only the figures for the main users in tonnage.

Are not the smaller users equally important?

Certainly.

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. May I ask the right hon. Gentleman not to read his replies quite so quickly?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the rubber sea boots supplied to fishermen, under permit, are of inferior material; that the rubber used is such that their boots do not keep out the weather; and if he will give this matter active consideration, with a view to improving the quality of the boots.

Owing to the shortage of crude rubber, substitute materials had to be used for rubber boot production, but, since the beginning of this year, manufacturers of fishermen's thigh boots have received increased supplies of crude rubber to improve the production of these boots. The types and quantity of crude rubber now available have enabled manufacturers to revert to the prewar construction of fishermen's thigh boots, and boots of this new production are already under actual test by the fishing fleet.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why domestically produced glue is being exported at the present time when firms manufacturing goods for export have had their allocations of glue cut by as much as 30 per cent.

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

Does the Minister realise that the policy of exporting this vital raw material is in direct conflict with that of his Department concerning the export of finished goods of high labour content and low raw material content?

There are special reasons why a very small amount of this should be exported, and that is what is being done today.

A very large amount is being exported.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much paper is being consumed on publicity for the production drive; and whether he is aware that shortage of paper is one of the principal factors which is retarding the production of some firms.

The answer to the first part of the Question is that 80 tons have been used for this purpose, and to the second part, Yes, Sir, in the case of firms using paper as raw material.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that although the use of paper for this purpose is very necessary, firms which are very short of paper themselves are receiving unnecessary supplies of posters and leaflets, and will he look into this?

I will look into that.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will decentralise the various Government Departments which have regional offices at Leeds, so that executive decisions on Sheffield matters can be taken at Sheffield, thereby leading to quicker and more efficient administration

If the proposal is that there should be a new region centred on Sheffield, I cannot accept it. Some Departments already delegate substantial authority to offices in Sheffield, but circumstances differ so widely that uniformity is not practicable. I know of no evidence for the suggestion that the interests of Sheffield suffer from the present arrangement

Is the Prime Minister aware that there is general dissatisfaction with the position at the moment; and can not he see that the Civil Service in peace time is run for the convenience of the public, and not the public for the Civil Service?

I am not aware, as I stated, of the allegation made by the hon. and gallant Member in the first part of his statement. As to the second part, there obviously must be a limit. The setting up of regional offices all over the country, in every town, would lead to a much larger increase in the Civil Service.

asked the Prime Minister whether any decision has yet been reached as to which Government Department shall in future be generally responsible for the welfare of children deprived of a normal home life.

I am not yet in a position to announce the decision of the Government on this matter, but I will do so as soon as possible.

While not pressing the right hon. Gentleman now for a statement, may I ask whether it is the intention of the Government to proceed with administrative reforms, apart from legislative reforms, without a decision on this central point, or is it proposed to make a decision on the central point?

Perhaps the hon. Member will put that down.

While the right hon. Gentleman has this matter under consideration, would he say which Department is to take care of these children, and will he also consider the possibility of setting up a separate children's department?

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government authorised Field-Marshal Montgomery to state to senior officers in Austria that one of the considerations which weighed most with the Cabinet in its decision to introduce conscription was the belief that the national morale would benefit as a result of youth spending a year and a half in the Services.

asked the Prime Minister whether the recent statement made by Field-Marshal Montgomery in Venezia Giulia, to the effect that demobilisation would be speeded up after the first three months of 1947 had the authority of the Government; and whether, in view of Field-Marshal Montgomery's frequent speeches on a variety of topics, the relevant part of King's Regulations which forbids public speeches by serving soldiers has been abrogated in favour of Field-Marshal Montgomery.

Field-Marshal Montgomery did not make any public speech. He did address a private meeting of senior officers in Austria. I have ascertained from the Field-Marshal that it is entirely untrue that he made the alleged statements contained in my hon. Friends' Questions.

May I ask the Prime Minister to make it plain that in the Government's view both the need for, and the duration of, conscription is governed by strictly military considerations?

Certainly, Sir

Would the Prime Minister be good enough to answer the second part of my Question? Is he aware that King's Regulations, paragraph 547a, state very clearly that no serving officer or soldier may communicate his views either directly or indirectly to the public, and whether or not Field-Marshal Montgomery did that?

I am afraid that the hon. Member could not have heard my reply. Field-Marshal Montgomery did not make a public speech at all. I know of nothing in King's Regulations which forbids a field-marshal or any one addressing a private meeting of senior officers.

Is it not usual when unfounded allegations are contained in Questions of hon. Members that they should withdraw them?

Withdraw.

This misstatement was made in a Press communication.

asked the Prime Minister if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the opinion of the Royal Fine Art Commission on the proposed Roosevelt Memorial.

Yes, Sir

Can my right hon. Friend say, when he referred on a previous occasion to general approval of the memorial, if he meant to imply that there was no particular approval of the actual figure?

I understand that the statue and everything concerned with it were submitted to the Royal Fine Art Commission, and they approved it.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the extended public inerest in the British film-making industry fostered by the publicity given to its future expansion in recent months, what steps have been taken to normalise the entry arrangements to this industry and ensure adequate training facilities, so as to provide a constant flow of technicians and creative workers to develop the industry, so that it is in a position to compete with the U.S.A. on equal terms

The Industry recognises the urgent need for systematising its recruiting and training methods for young entrants and with that end in view is taking steps to set up a National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Council.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the 540,000 ex-members of His Majesty's Forces, who have not yet taken up employment at the end of August, 1946, had finished their demobilisation leave.

I regret that this information is not available.

Is the Minister aware that that is an evasive reply? Is he further aware that from questions put to Service Ministers it appears that the figure is 125,000 and that this makes it a total of unemployed after one year of a Labour Government of nearly 500,000?

I am not aware that it is an evasive answer, but if the hon. and gallant Gentleman knows the answer to his Question why did he ask me?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that unemployment after the last war at this time was over a million?

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in advising persons of vacancies under local authorities, his Department simultaneously warns them of those cases where they will be required to join trade unions.

Yes, if such a condition is laid down by an employer notifying a vacancy.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the present number of disabled persons in South Wales will call for the establishment of 15 factories under the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation, Limited; for how many of these factories have arrangements been made; what compulsory powers the corporation at present has to acquire land or buildings; and whether he will arrange for powers to be granted similar to those held by Trading Estates Companies for private persons, and compulsory powers for local authorities, to construct these buildings under the housing or other Acts.

Yes, Sir. On the basis of the present unemployment figures at least 15 factories for severely disabled persons are proposed in South Wales. The Disabled Persons Employment Corporation has already opened one factory in South Wales and has acquired four other sites on which building operations will start in the near future. In eight further cases suitable sites have been found and negotiations are proceeding for their acquisition. In the two remaining cases the search for suitable buildings or sites is proceeding. The corporation at present has no compulsory powers to acquire land or buildings. I am advised that such powers as exist otherwise would not be appropriate in order to acquire land for the purposes of the corporation and to grant such powers would therefore involve the introduction of new legislation.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that private individuals engaged in essential work can have land requisitioned for them, secure priority in men, materials and equipment and obtain a factory built by a Government trading estate and provided by public funds; but for these men, who have been in the Forces and have suffered serious disability in battle, there are no such compulsory facilities; that his officers are now going cap in hand to private landowners to try to obtain land, hoping to secure the help and advice of local authorities, and then persuade private builders to put up a factory; and does he not regard this as a most unsatisfactory position?

For such part of that information of which I was not aware before I thank my hon. Friend, but that part of his question in regard to powers for private individuals is not correct

asked the Minister of Labour if he will now make a further statement on the action he is taking to deal with the grievances of the residents at the Brockworth Hostel.

The National Service Hostels Corporation, having had these complaints brought to their notice, decided to have an inquiry made into them and in agreement with me asked Lord Terrington to undertake the inquiry and make a report.

While I welcome the action taken in this matter, can my right hon. Friend say when he expects to receive the report and will he have the findings made known to the residents of the hostel?

I cannot say definitely when I expect to receive the report but Lord Terrington has actually commenced investigations, and it will depend on the report as to what I shall do with it. However, I shall be very glad to give the hon. Member the information if he puts a Question down.