asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has considered representations which have been sent to him concerning the preferential treatment of Civil Service pensioners over local government pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

Local government pensioners, unlike civil service pensioners, did not in general suffer reductions in pension in the 1920's.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the breach of the loan agreement contained in the Anglo-Argentine Agreement, His Majesty's Government propose to approach the Argentine Government to effect a modification in the method of disposal of Argentine sterling balances.

I assume that the hon. and gallant Member refers to Section II (b) of the Anglo-Argentine Agreement regarding payments. The probability of a deficit between the Argentine and the Sterling Area during the coming four years is hypothetical, and in my view consideration of this hypothetical question may be deferred until there is some reasonable prospect of its becoming actual.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, since every wage and price increase is to the detriment of the wage-earner who supported the National Savings movement, if he will investigate the possibility of prohibiting any further increases in wages and dividends for a period of two years and institute an official campaign for lower prices.

No, Sir, the hon. Member's suggestion is not practicable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, with a view to encouraging local authorities to provide equipped playgrounds in the interests of road safety for children, he will consider exempting the necessary equipment from purchase tax.

The hon. and gallant Member will not expect me to anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how often returns are made by customs officials to his Department of goods seized as forfeited on the grounds that they have been imported in contravention of the Customs Act; if he will specify the form upon which the returns are made; and how often his Department receives these reports.

Returns of goods seized for contravention of the Customs Consolidation Act are made by the seizing officer to Customs Headquarters on the occasion of each seizure. In addition omnibus returns are made monthly and again annually I am sending my hon. Friend copies of the forms used in this connection.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on what basis invitations are called for tenders in the case of goods seized by the customs which are not subject to price regulation.

Tenders are invited from traders known to be interested in the class of goods concerned, and trade associations are consulted from time to time.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what amount of licence duty is charged in respect of each restaurant car on the railways; and the total amount of such duty collected for the last complete financial year prior to the war.

The answer to the first part of the Question is £1 per annum; and to the second part £1,355.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if, to remedy the injustice done to Schedule D taxpayers, he will consider the institution of a modified form of Pay As You Earn, whereby the instalment of tax becoming due on 1st July, 1947, shall be regarded as a payment on account of the 1947–48 liability, and cancel six-twelfths of the 1946–47 liability of such taxpayers;(2) if he will arrange for deferred credit certificates of seven-twelfths of the Income Tax liability 1943–44, payable on death or retirement, to be issued to taxpayers in respect of all earnings and profits assessed for that year under Schedule D and so give to them an equivalent benefit to that conferred on Schedule E taxpayers when Pay As You Earn was instituted;(3) if he will take steps to remedy the injustice created by granting to taxpayers under Schedule E a cancellation of 7/12ths of their liability for 1943–44, whereas taxpayers who were assessed under Schedule D or who were civil servants received no such benefit.

No, Sir. There is no injustice, as I explained to the hon. Member in reply to his Question on 26th November last.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of persons in all Government Departments, respectively, employed as Public Relations officers and Press officers; the total number in each respective Department; and the total annual cost.

The information requested is being collected, and will be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of civil servants with more than 10 years' established service who resigned their posts in 1945–46 for reasons other than those of ill-health; the number of such persons who were granted pensions and on what grounds and, in the case of those to whom no pensions were granted, the reason for refusing this benefit; and whether it is his intention to grant pensions in all cases of retirement before the full 40 years have been served, having in mind the superannuation contributions already made by such civil servants.

Broadly speaking, the Superannuation Acts only permit the award of pension to established civil servants when they retire—

(a) after reaching the normal retiring age 01 60 (55 for certain prison officers, etc.):

(b) through ill-health;

(c) on abolition of office (Section 7 of the Superannuation Act, 1859, and Section 6 of the Superannuation Act, 1909);

(d) through inability to discharge efficiently the duties of their office (Section 2 of the Superannuation Act 1887).

The number of established civil servants, who retired in the calendar year 1946 for reasons other than ill-health and were awarded a pension, is approximately 6,700. Figures for the year 1945–46 are not readily available. Statistics of those who retired without pension could not be obtained without a disproportionate amount of labour. The Civil Service pension scheme is non-contributory. I do not propose to amend the present statutory conditions governing the award of pension.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the terms of reference and Membership of the standing Inter-Departmental Committee on Social and Economic Research which has been set up following the Report of the Clapham Committee.

Yes, Sir. The Committee will survey and advise upon research work in Government Departments, and in particular (a) will bring to the notice of Departments the potential value for research purposes of the material which they collect and will suggest new methods and areas of collection; and (b) will advise on how there could be made available to research workers information gathered for their own purposes by the Departments which has potential value as material for research.The members are:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is now able to say when the Report of the Canadian Royal Commission to investigate espionage will be made available to the British public through His Majesty's Stationery Office.

Copies are now available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make the published Reports of the Preparatory Committee of the World Conference on Trade available to hon Members in the Vote Office.

I regret that this request cannot be acceded to but copies have been made available for reference in the Library of the House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the names of the members of the Arts Council and their respective qualifications for their duties.

The members of the Arts Council have been selected for personal qualities as well as for practical and professional experience of the various arts. The present members of the council are:

• Su Ernest Pooley, K.C. V.O. (Chairman)
• Dr. B. Ifor Evans (Vice-Chairman)
• Mr Ivor Brown
• Sir Lewis Casson, M.C.
• Sir Kenneth Clark, K.C.B.
• Lord Esher, M.B.E.
• The Hon. Member for Hendon, North (Mrs. Ayrton Gould).
• Lord Harlech, G.C.M.G
• Mrs. Cazalet Keir.
• Lady Keynes
• Sir Stanley Marchant, C.V.O.
• Dr. James Welsh.
• Mr W. E. Williams, C.B.E.
• Dr. R. Vaughan Williams, O.M

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that because of uncontrolled prices for non-utility garments, materials and craftsmen are being diverted or attracted to certain firms which produce only non-utility clothing; and whether he will take steps to ensure that allocation of woollen and worsted cloth is conditioned by a reasonable ratio of production of utility clothing.

The balance of production between utility and non-utility cloth is determined by the relative proportions of cloth produced, and not by differences in the prices of the finished garments. It is not practicable or desirable to introduce a cloth allocation system on the lines suggested, since there are some 25,000 clothing manufacturers engaged in a wide variety of different types of business. These firms should be left free, subject to the quantities of utility and non-utility cloth available, to use the materials best suited to their normal trade. My hon. Friend is mistaken in suggesting that the prices of non-utility clothing are uncontrolled. They are subject to the General Apparel and Textiles Order, 1945, and, in addition, ceiling prices have recently been fixed for most types of women's non-utility outerwear.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much potash has been made available to fertiliser manufacturers and distributors in the past six months; and what were the comparable quantities in 1945 and 1944.

65,000 tons, calculated as K₂O (potassium oxide), as compared with 55,000 tons and 74,000 tons in the corresponding period of 1945 and 1944 respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultation his Department had with manufacturers', wholesalers' and retailers' representatives in the blanket trade before the announcement was made that blankets would in future be docket free; and whether he will make a statement on the letter sent to the wholesalers on 24th December by his Department indicating that dockets were to be regarded as necessary in certain cases.

Representatives of the manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers were consulted in confidence before the decision was taken to end the docket system for blankets. As regards the second part of the Question, the letter of 24th December did not indicate that dockets were to be regarded as necessary in any case but only that supplies would continue to be made available to meet dockets outstanding in retailers' and wholesalers' hands on 19th December.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now prepared to issue a separate lot of coupons to be available for household linen.

Most essential articles of household linen which are in short supply will be on the ordinary ration from 1st March. I do not consider that my hon. Friend's suggestion would be practicable or of any advantage to the consumer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress is being made in the development of the new synthetic textile fibre Terylene; and whether it can now be produced on a big scale.

An announcement has been made in the Press by I.C.I. Ltd. and the Calico Printers' Association that this fibre is in a very early stage of development and in any event a considerable time must elapse before it can be produced in appreciable quantities for the textile industries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that skilled workers are unable to take up their work at Crook, County Durham, owing to the housing shortage; that some householders would take in these skilled workers as lodgers, Out are unable to do so because of their shortage of bedclothes; and whether he will give assistance in the special circumstances of this case.

We have recently made special arrangements to give assistance in appropriate cases to transferred workers who can show that they are unable to take their sheets with them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an estimate of the value of the export orders placed as a result of the "Britain Can Make It" Exhibition.

It is not possible to provide an estimate of the actual volume of export business resulting from the "Britain Can Make It" Exhibition, but there is ample evidence to show that it has aroused a worldwide interest in the products displayed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many locomotives of a gauge and type suitable for operating on British railways and manufactured in the shops of private locomotive builders have been exported from 1935 to the end of 1946; and to which countries.

Statistics relating to exports of locomotives do not distinguish those of a gauge and type suitable for use on British railways.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make an announcement on the supply of clothing coupons to the Forces, to enable them to procure civilian clothing to wear when off duty.

No, Sir. I still await the final views of all my colleagues in the Service Departments.

Month.			Imports.		Exports.
			Sq. feet.	Cwts.	Sq. feet.	Cwts.
October	…	…	20,316	548	874,082	25,088
November	…	…	353,662	9,588	1,009,423	29,053
December	…	…	260,567	7,270	823,054	22,410
Totals	…	…	634,545	17,415	2,706,559	76,551

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an assurance that applications by individual firms for licences under S.R. & O., 1946, No. 2087, will be dealt with by, his regional controllers upon the merits of each case and not decided generally by reference to the industry to which they belong.

The decisions on such applications as are supported by the regional controllers of the various Departments are given by the fuel allocation committees who have instructions to take into account the merits of each case.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why sisal grown in British East African territories is being sold by his Department to U.S. buyers at £53 f.o.b and to continental buyers at £61 per ton c.i.f., whereas Portuguese sisal of no better quality is being sold at approximately £90 per ton; and what action he proposes to take.

His Majesty's Government purchases the whole output of sisal

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of polished plate glass exported in each month of the last quarter of 1946, and the imports for the same months.

The quantity of polished plate glass imported and exported in October, November and December, 1946, was as follows:in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika under an agreement with the producers, which provides for the adjustment of buying prices in relation to changes in costs of production. The purchase ensures that the needs of the United Kingdom and of certain other countries for sisal for the manufacture of binder twine and other essential purposes can be met in so far as the supply position permits. In these circumstances, it is not the policy of His Majesty's Government to make profits on re-sale. Sales, other than in the United Kingdom, are mainly to the Dominions and India. Sales to continental countries are small, and no sales have been made to the United States for many months. It is understood that the major part of the output of Portuguese African sisal is sold to the United States at prices much lower than those mentioned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the names of the board of the unincorporated body which is to be set up by His Majesty's Government to foster and develop the tourist, catering and holiday services.

Yes, Sir. It was announced in the Press on 20th December last that Sir Alexander Maxwell had been appointed Chairman of the organisation which will be known as the British Tourist and Holidays Board. I am glad to be able to state that the following have accepted my invitation to join the Board:

• Robin Brook, Esq.: A Director of the Bank of England.
• The Lord Dukes, C.B.E.: A member of the General Council of the T U.C.
• ^*M. W. Ferris, Esq.: Member of the Scottish Tourist Board.
• The Lord Hacking, P.C., O.B.E., D.L.:
• Vice-President of the Travel Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• Miss Caroline Haslett, C.B.E.: Director of the Electrical Association for Women.
• F. C. Hole, Esq.: Chief Hotels Superintendent of the London. Midland and Scottish Railway Company.
• ^*Rt. Hon. Tom Johnston: Chairman of the Scottish Tourist Board.
• Mrs. J. Jones-Roberts, B.A., J.P.: Member of Merionethshire County Council and of the North Wales Development Council.
• Sir Eustace Missenden, O.B.E.: General Manager, Southern Railway
• Harry Salmon, Esq., J.P.: Chairman and Managing Director of J. Lyons & Co., Ltd.
• E. W. Wimble, Esq., C.B.E.: Secretary and General Manager of the Workers Travel Association, Ltd.
• Norman Wood, Esq.: A Director of the Co-operative Wholesale Society, Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the discouragement that commanding officers are meting out to Servicemen who submit applications for leave or release; and what he proposes to do in the matter.

I have no reason to believe that commanding officers are meting out discouragement to Servicemen who apply for leave or release. In fact all my evidence on the subject is to the contrary. Leave and release can, of course, only be granted according to the regulations in force at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for War if his attention has been called to the over-staffing of the military medical services in Ceylon; and if he will inquire into the situation with a view to causing a reduction in the wastage of manpower and helping to ease the shortage of practitioners at home by releasing the longer-service men.

My attention has not previously been called to over-staffing of the military medical services in Ceylon. I have now obtained a report on the subject, which shows that there is no overstaffing by Royal Army Medical Corps medical officers in Ceylon.

asked the secretary of State for War the number of graves that have been concentrated into El Alamein Cemetery and handed over to the Imperial War Graves Commission; and when it is anticipated that all the mines will be rusted and no longer dangerous, thus enabling the graves still in the minefield to be concentrated at the cemetery.

The total number of graves concentrated in El Alamein Cemetery and handed over to the Imperial War Graves Commission is 7,181. Expert engineers cannot give an opinion as to when all the mines will be rusted and no longer dangerous. The clearance of the El Alamein minefields is being undertaken by the Egyptian Government. Work is now proceeding and to assist in this we have provided trained personnel and equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Northern Command are contemplating requisitioning 1,300 acres of land near Otley and that 1,000 acres is good dairy farming land; and why no prior consultations have been held with the local authority and the local farmers.

This area has been used by the War Department since June, 1943. The proposal for its retention for training purposes is before the Inter-Departmental Committee on Service Land Requirements who will, in the course of their investigations, take into account all relevant considerations, including agricultural use, and will consider the views of all the authorities interested.

asked the Secretary of State for War what educational facilities now exist for our Forces serving with the Army in Burma.

The Army Education Scheme is being carried out for British troops in Burma as fully as the military commitments of units permit. In addition to such education as is possible in units, there are pre-vocational training courses, and there are education centres at Rangoon and Maymo, which provide a variety of educational facilities. War Office correspondence courses in a wide range of professional and general subjects are available for those who cannot obtain direct instruction. Arrangements have been made for selected men to be returned home in time to attend the one-month residential courses at Army Colleges in the United Kingdom before their release from the Army. I have called for a special report from Burma and will let my hon. Friend have any further details that I receive.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether prior notice was given to units in the Far East that they were to be visited by the Financial Secretary to the War Office.

All overseas Commands were, of course, informed beforehand of the Financial Secretary's visit so that the necessary arrangements and planning could be made. The extent to which individual units were given prior notice varied from unit to unit.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is now able to shorten the period of repatriation from three years and two months for men serving outside the European sphere.

It has now been found possible to reduce to three Years the Python qualifying period in all overseas theatres in which the overseas tour was in excess of this period. This new reduction, which became effective on 1st January, 1947, achieves our aim, which has already been announced in the House on several occasions, of introducing a world wide Python tour of three years. I would point out that the three-year Python tour represents the shortest period which can be attained and it is not our intention to make any further reduction. The new reduction is being phased over a period of about three months, which will vary slightly between Commands.

asked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of British troops in Palestine are still living under canvas; what action is being taken to provide them with proper quarters and amenities; what uncompleted camps of the type required exist near Gaza or elsewhere; and when they will be completed.

About 85 per cent. of the British troops in Palestine are living under canvas. A high proportion of our men are necessarily housed in accommodation that is not designed for lengthy occupation. One of the semi-permanent camps near Gaza is due to be finished by the end of February and the other at the beginning of June. Everything is being done to improve accommodation and amenities that is possible within the limits imposed by the operational situation and factors of labour and materials in Palestine.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of civilians killed by Army vehicles as a result of accidents; and whether he is satisfied that there are sufficient provost officers.

The hon. and gallant Member does not say in what periods he is interested. The numbers of civilians killed in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland in accidents involving British Army vehicles in 1945 and 1946 were 271 and 99. Fuller details may be found in the Ministry of Transport's monthly statements. I am satisfied that there are sufficient officers of the Corps of Royal Military Police.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Danish soldiers are serving in the British Army; in what spheres they are serving; and if it is with the accordance of the Danish Government that these soldiers are serving in spheres which were not contemplated at the time of their volunteering.

Up to date figures are not available at the moment but a census is about to be taken. I will write to the hon. Member when the results are received. As stated publicly in 1945, when the scheme began, these men were, with the agreement of the Danish Government, enlisted for service with the British Army anywhere in the world. The latter part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the officer and non-commissioned officers who were flogged by Jewish terrorists were armed at the time they were kidnapped; and whether all men on or off duty in Palestine are now either armed or under armed guard.

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. In regard to the second part, the orders now in force are to the effect that all personnel will carry arms at all times except in certain areas where, in the opinion of the local commander, conditions do not make this order necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War what special instructions have been issued to the British Armed Forces in Palestine forbidding them to use their weapons in self defence when they are jostled and suspect this may be the prelude to either kidnapping, flogging, or other violence.

No special instructions have been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether all men who have served in Palestine since VE-Day qualify for the Palestine General Service Medal; and whether he will give the details of any other qualifications required.

I presume the hon. and gallant Member refers to the General Service Medal instituted in 1918. This medal certainly cannot be awarded to all those who have served in Palestine since VE-Day. There has been no decision to grant it for any services there subsequent to 3rd September, 1939.

asked the Secretary of State for War why he has decided to cease arranging compassionate postings.

From the beginning of this year men are being called up to the Army for a fixed period of short duration. To be of any real value their services must be unrestricted and consequently the system of compassionate postings has been stopped. Deserving compassionate cases, however, can still be, and are being, met by the grant of compassionate leave or release where this is justified.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will now make a further statement on the future of the Army Records in Edinburgh.

Numerous possibilities are being examined, including that suggested by my hon. Friend on 10th December, but the matter is one that has to be gone into most carefully and I regret, that I am not yet in a position to make a definite statement.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that Northampton Racecourse is now occupied only by a maintenance party, and that it is urgently required for recreation purposes, he will now derequisition this public park.

My hon. Friend is misinformed. The camp in question is occupied by about 470 troops who are required to be in the district and for whom no other accommodation is at present available. I sympathise with the desire of the citizens of Northampton for the return of their park, but I regret that the camp must remain for the time being.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is now prepared to apply the special hardship allowance of December, 1945, to peacetime disability pensioners.

The allowance in question applies only to pensioners of the 1939–45 war and it will not be extended to cover prewar peacetime cases. The postwar disability pension code has not yet been drawn up, but when the time comes the question of including a special hardship allowance will be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent free postage facilities have been granted to commanding officers of regiments whereby they may forward letters to old serving members of regiments urging them to subscribe to appeals.

No special concessions have been granted for this purpose. Officers and men serving overseas still enjoy the concession of sending free to this country and the Empire letters up to two ounces in weight.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that there are ex-officers over 30 years of age who would welcome the opportunity to return to the Army for a permanent career; and if he will consider revising existing regulations to make it possible for them to do so.

The regulations on this point are, in fact, being re-examined, but I cannot say more at the moment.

asked the Secretary of State for War what scheme is now in operation for the transport to Japan from this country and India of the families of members of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force; how many families have asked for passages; and how soon he expects they will all have been transported.

There is a scheme for sending families to Japan similar to those in force in most other overseas commands. Fifty-three applications by officers and other ranks were received in the War Office in November with assurances from the Headquarters concerned that accommodation was available. We then hoped that the families would all leave in January. As a result, however, of certain changes in the Force in Japan the departure of families has had to be held up until we receive confirmation that the men concerned will actually be remaining in Japan, I cannot, therefore, say at the moment when all the families will have left.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many of the officers promoted to the rank of major-general, as announced in the "London Gazette," of 10th January, 1947, commenced their service careers in the ranks.

Two of the six, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will reconsider a case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a craftsman serving with the Army in Burma whose return to this country is urgent in order that he may take over management of a one-man family business, the head of which has just died; and, as the only person left to carry on is a member of the staff of a council school which will be seriously crippled by the withdrawal of this teacher, if he will now arrange for this man's release to prevent the business from closing down.

The craftsman in question was not actively engaged in the business before he joined the Army and for that reason alone is ineligible for compassionate release on business grounds. I understand that his wife is the other person referred to and she is available to make any alternative arrangements that may be possible pending her husband's release with his age and service group.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Government property marks on photographic materials and, in particular, tins of panchromatic films, are removed or obliterated by the Army salvage depot at Singapore before sale at public auction; or how civilians or Servicemen in possession of these types of materials, which can be bought in the open market, are expected to prove that they are not in improper possession of Government property.

—	Wales.	Scotland.	England.
Total holding including land owned, requisitioned under Defence Regulation 51 or held for training under Defence Regulation 52	476,000	574,000	954,000
Percentage of area of country	9·3 per cent.	2·9 per cent.	3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for War why it is intended to quarter a Belgian brigade of 1,500 men in the town of Olpe; and whether, in view of the fact that such action will render homeless 986 families of 3,847 persons, he will investigate the position with a view to sending these troops elsewhere.

The brigade in question has to be quartered in the area in which Olpe is situated, in order to carry out its part in the task of occupation; but, in fact, only the Brigade Headquarters consisting of 220 officers and other ranks will be quartered in that town.

It is not possible in all classes of stores to remove Government marks from surplus Army goods now being disposed of to the public, since there is insufficient labour available. However, even if it were the general practice to remove such marks from surplus stores, there would be nothing to prevent those who come into improper possession of Government property from similarly obliterating the marks themselves. In cases of sales by Government auction or sales to dealers by Government Disposal Authorities the document of sale should provide adequate proof of proper possession.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the total acreage of the land now held by his Department in Wales, Scotland and England, respectively; and what proportion in each case such acreage represents of the area of each country.

The figures as at 3rst December, 1946, were:

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give a list of the items that are being obtained from the British zone in Germany to compensate the British taxpayers for the funds they are providing for food for the German people.

The main export which the United Kingdom has received from the British zone of Germany is timber, and quantities of lead, steel scrap, potash and various miscellaneous items have also been imported by the United Kingdom from the zone. Exports to the United Kingdom, and those to other countries help to pay for German import requirements, including food.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Germans were executed in the British zone between 1st July, 1945, and 31st December, 1946.

The total number is 135, of which 51 resulted from sentences by military government courts, 75 by military courts for war crimes, and nine by German courts.

asked the Prime Minister if he can now state the official date for the termination of the war with Germany.

I regret that, in existing circumstances and pending the Council of Foreign Ministers to be held at Moscow on 10th March, it is not possible to give the exact date at which the state of war with Germany will in law be terminated. Meanwhile, technically, the state of war still continues to exist between the United Kingdom and Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, in view of assurances given by His Majesty's Government, postal censorship has been reintroduced on incoming mails from other than ex-enemy countries.

So far as my right hon. Friend is aware, there is no foundation for the suggestion made in this Question, but if the hon. and gallant Member will send him particulars of what he has in mind, he will be glad to look into it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why no copy of the Control of Fertilisers (Northern Ireland) Order, 1946 (S.R. & O. (N.I.), 1946, No. 165), a copy of which was presented on 22nd November, was available in the Vote Office by 24th December last.

I have been asked to reply. Copies of this Order have now been placed in the Vote Office and arrangements have been made to ensure that in future copies of all Northern Ireland Orders presented to this House shall be placed in the Vote Office as soon as they are available in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if 'he will make a further statement regarding the conference of experts which was to be set up last year on the question of married women's nationality.

The conference will open in London or. 3rd February. In addition to its work on the question of the nationality of married women, it will consider other nationality matters of general interest to the members of the British Commonwealth.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that many scientific instruments have accumulated at Marston Moor aerodrome and that these instruments are deteriorating through neglect and exposure; and what he intends doing to get these instruments distributed to persons who need them.

There are not many scientific instruments at Marston Moor aerodrome. Those which are kept there are properly stored in locked buildings. I am satisfied that there has been no deterioration to them through neglect or exposure. Any that are no longer required for the Royal Air Force will be declared to the Ministry of Supply for disposal, but I am inquiring as to whether there has been any avoidable delay, and will write to the hon. and gallant Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that a ruling has been given that plastic surgery patients under treatment in R.A.F. hospitals must be automatically discharged from the hospital when they have completed two and a half years' treatment, without regard to their medical condition at that date, and are thenceforth classified as civilians and lose their service rates of pay for the remainder of their treatment; and whether he will amend this ruling.

There has been no ruling that these patients must be discharged from hospital, when they have completed two and a half years' treatment, without regard to their medical condition. The present rules permit the issue of pay and allowances for a period of up to two and a half years, which may be extended to three years in exceptional cases. I am considering the application of this rule to the plastic surgery cases now under treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, under his Regulations, an officer who has been dismissed the service by sentence of court martial forfeits his war gratuity for the period of his commissioned service, when he subsequently enlists and serves in the ranks and reaches the rank of warrant officer.

The Regulations provide that where service is terminated by dismissal, removal, retirement or resignation on grounds of misconduct, incapacity, inefficiency or for any like reason regarded as warranting premature ending of service, war gratuity, otherwise admissible in respect of commissioned service, may be withheld or reduced in amount, at the discretion of the Air Council. Any award made in exercise of such discretion will be entirely ex gratia. Where such service is followed by approved service in the ranks, i.e., service which confers entitlement to war gratuity for other rank service, such entitlement is assessed separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why the commanding officer at El Adem camp refused permission for an all-ranks social at Christmas; and whether it is the policy of his Department, now that the war is over, for all ranks to be segregated from each other socially.

I am glad to assure my hon. Friend that the commanding officer at El Adem did not refuse permission for a social gathering of all ranks at Christmas. There were, in fact, a number of social events, both at Christmas and at the New Year, which all ranks were at liberty to attend.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will make a statement about absenteeism in the mines; and what rewards and penalties he intends to institute in order to overcome it.

Figures of absenteeism in the mines are published, whereas in other industries they are not. Following the withdrawal of the Essential Work Order, absenteeism declined last autumn. I expect it to decline still further.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that, on 29th November, the regional mining supplies officer of the mines department of Newcastle-on-Tyne wrote to private firms with regard to the shortage of alarm clocks and requested such firms to write to the Ministry of Supply urging them to make increased allocations of alarm clocks to Newcastle; and whether this action is in accordance with normal practice.

The action taken was not in accordance with normal practice but was due to a misunderstanding on the part of my regional officer. The supply of alarm clocks to this mining area has been disappointing and my regional supplies officer was instructed to suggest to retailers in his area that they should make representations on the subject to their wholesale suppliers. The suggestion that retailers should write to the Ministry of Supply was made inadvertently, and steps have since been taken to correct the position.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what proportion of surface-mined coal is being used for domestic and industrial purposes, respectively.

During January-November, 1946, 18 per cent. of the total disposals of opencast coal for inland consumption was for domestic purposes, 40 per cent. for industry, and 37 per cent. for electricity stations.

asked the Minister of Transport why the train starting from Peterborough at 4.46 p.m. on 27th December was 42 minutes late arriving at Huntingdon, a distance of 18 miles.

The 4.46 p.m. left Peterborough 14 minutes late on account of late running of express trains from the North. As it was therefore late at Holme, it was decided to give precedence on the single up track to the 10.15 a.m. express from Edinburgh which was following it. The express was delayed by holiday traffic at Peterborough and by engine trouble after leaving there, and the stopping train was therefore further delayed, reaching Huntingdon 39 minutes late.

asked the Minister of Transport when representations were Made by the Colonial Office to his Department for inquiry into complaints about conditions on the "Empire Deben"; the date of the inquiry; the number of cases of typhoid originally contracted on the ship on the outward journey; the number who died; and, in view of the fact that passengers on this ship on the homeward journey have also contracted typhoid, what action has been taken and against whom.

First information that cases of typhoid had occurred among passengers disembarked from the "Empire Deben" in Nigeria was received from my representative in Nigeria while the ship was on passage home and the port health authorities were requested to investigate the matter on the vessel's arrival at Liverpool on 21st September. The matter was also brought later to my attention by the Colonial Office on representation from the Nigerian authorities. There was no sickness diagnosed as typhoid on the outward journey, but seven cases were reported among passen- gers after disembarkation in West Africa. I regret to say two of these were fatal. There were three cases of suspected malaria amongst the crew on the homeward journey which were later diagnosed in hospital at Liverpool as typhoid. One passenger also developed typhoid after disembarkation at Liverpool. Every possible step has been taken, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, to trace the source of the infection and the matter is being energetically pursued so that appropriate action can be taken.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the number of major inquiries which have been held dealing with the problem of transport between the two wars and make a statement.

The following is a list of the mope important official reports on transport matters in Great Britain published since 1919:

1919.	Select Committee on Transport (Metropolitan Area) Departmental Committee on the Handling of Goods Traffic (Gattie Committee Report) (Cmd. 492).
1920.	Departmental Committee on the Taxation and Regulation Of Road Vehicles (Interim Report) (Cmd. 660).
	Departmental Committee on Inland Waterways 1920–21 (1st Interim Report not published) (2nd Interim Report, 1921).
	Electrification of Railways Advisory Committees (Interim and Final Reports) 1920–21.
1921.	Light Railway Investigation Committee Report.
1925.	Departmental Committee on the Licensing and Regulation of Public Service Vehicles (Interim Report).
1927.	Report of the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee on the Coordination of Passenger Transport Facilities in the London Traffic Area.
1928.	Royal Commission on Transport 1928–30 (Cmd. 3365, 3416, 3751 and 4048).
1929.	Standing Committee on Mineral Transport (Cmd. 3420).
1931.	Report on the Electrification of Main Line Railways.
1932.	Committee of Inquiry—London Motor Coach Services and Documents furnished by the Minister of Transport.
	The Conference on Road and Rail Transport (Salter Report).
1937.	The Transport Advisory Council's Report on Services and Rates.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will consider granting to old age pensioners a free travel pass on road and rail transport when the transport system is nationalised.

This matter will be one for consideration by the British Transport Commission which is proposed to be set up under the Transport Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster under whose auspices Dr. Schumacher addressed a meeting of German prisoners of war in this country on or about 1st December, 1946; whether it was approved that he should make a political address; whether any steps were taken to prevent him making an attack on the Soviet Union either before he spoke or when he made the attack; who presided at the meeting; and whether leaders of other political parties in Germany will be given similar facilities to make political addresses here.

The visit of Dr. Schumacher to No. 300 P/W Camp, Wilton Park, on 1st December, 1946, was arranged by my Department in conjunction with the War Office. Before his talk Dr. Schumacher was informed, in accordance with the usual practice, that his speech should not be of a party political nature. He understood and accepted this, and his speech did not, in fact, depart from the rule. The head of the resident Control Office staff at the camp presided at the meeting. There was not, nor can there be at this stage, any question of granting facilities for Germans to make political speeches to prisoners of war.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what newspapers and magazines are permitted in prisoner-of-war camps; and which periodicals are banned.

No newspaper or periodical has been banned during the past few months though the supply of periodicals not on the authorised list requires permission. I am now arranging for this form of control to cease, so that any periodical may be supplied in future.

asked the Attorney-General if he is aware that the first two Scottish cases to come before the arbitration tribunals were listed for Carlisle; and whether he will make arrangements for all Scottish cases to be heard in Scotland.

The two Scottish cases referred to were listed for hearing in Carlisle in order to avoid delay to the appellants. At that time there were only two cases awaiting hearing in Scotland and a session by a tribunal in Scotland was not considered justifiable. Since the appellants might have had to wait some time for a sufficient accumulation of cases in Scotland to justify a sitting there, those responsible for listing the case assumed, rightly or wrongly, that the appellants would prefer to have their cases disposed of at once at a centre just this side of the Border.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that wartime employees of the Government of India in the Indian Ordnance Service have not been granted furlough on their discharge from the service, in spite of the fact that specific undertakings were given when such personnel were recruited at the Office of the High Commissioner for India; and whether he will take immediate steps to have the matter rectified.

Yes, Sir; I am glad to say that the Government of India on reconsideration have now agreed to a concession which will cover the great majority of the cases affected. They are issuing orders accordingly to the High Commissioner for India who will communicate with the persons concerned as early as practicable.

asked the Minister of Supply whether it is his intention to reopen the London Metal Exchange.

No decision has yet been taken about the reopening of the London Metal Exchange.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered the letter of protest arising from a meeting of ratepayers at Whalley, Lancashire, regarding their water supply; what are the reasons for the protest and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.

I have considered the letter of protest from the Whalley ratepayers. They objected to the quality of the water from their present local source, to a possible reduction in the amount of soft water obtained from the Clitheroe Town Council, and a, a proposed supplementary supply included in the scheme of the Clitheroe Rural District Council, on the grounds that the water is hard and unsatisfactory. The rural district council propose to improve the quality of the water from the present local source, and I am advised that the proposed new supplementary supply will be satisfactory after treatment The town council have stated their willingness to provide additional supplies of their soft water after completion of their proposed new reservoir.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider introducing legislation for the abolition of privately-owned burial grounds and crematoria, bringing them into municipal or State ownership, and taking the burial of the dead, including the provision of caskets and funeral equipment, out of the hands of private profit-making concerns.

I see no possibility that Parliamentary time could be found in the near future for considering legislation amending the statutes relating to burial grounds and cemeteries, which would inevitably be very complicated.

asked the Minister of Health if he will derequisition the house of a Doctor of Music of London University, whose name and circumstances have been submitted to him, and whose professional work is handicapped by his being deprived of his house since 1940 by the Finchley Corporation who are paying him a rent considerably less than his expenditure entailed by the loss of the house.

No, Sir. The housing shortage in Finchley is much too acute to admit of release from requisitioning in this case. The compensation rent payable is at present under discussion between the owner and the Inland Revenue Department.

asked the Minister of Works to what date electricity was supplied by Central London Electricity, Limited, to his Department as the present tenants of 20, Grosvenor Square, W.I., under the original long term agreement for those premises entered into in 1934; and what are the terms and date of the contract which replaces it.

No electricity has been supplied by Central London Electricity Ltd. to my Department at 20, Grosvenor Square, under the original long term preferential agreement for those premises entered into by the lessor in 1934. From the time of requisitioning in 1941 the best terms which this Department was able to obtain were those of the two-part tariff. This provided for a primary charge of £661 15s. 6d. per quarter, gradually increased to £825 3s. 6d. per quarter as more of the premises were taken over, and a secondary charge of ¾d. per unit, increased to 1d. per unit in 1943.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now expedite the return of the wives and children of British subjects in Malaya who are anxious that their families should rejoin them and who have been unable to secure passages for them from England to Malaya, an example of which has been submitted to him of a graduate of London University on the staff of the College of Medicine in Singapore who has been separated from his wife and children since 1942.

Every effort is being made to provide passages for the return to Malaya of the wives and families of British residents there as speedily as shipping can be made available. Some 184 passages to Malaya for wives and children have been arranged by the Colonial Office since 1st January, and more will be arranged as further ships become available. The records in the Colonial Office show that the officer referred to in the Question joined his wife in Australia in October, 1945, and that they travelled together to the United Kingdom in February, 1946. He left this country for Malaya in May, 1946. His wife applied for a passage in August but stated that she would not be ready to embark before the end of September. She left this country for Malaya on 20th January.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (1) what number of houses and flats, respectively, have been completed to date by the St John's Housing Corporation: and what programme is in hand;(2) what number of full-time and part-time farm holdings have been established to date as part of the reconstruction programme in the Humber Valley, Codroy Valley and Newfoundland, as a whole;(3) the numbers and names of town and rural district councils set up, to date, in Newfoundland; and any places where they are to be set up in the near future;

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will now allow men who opted for service in coal-mining and who, after being discharged for medical reasons were subsequently called up for military service, to count the time spent in the mines in computing their period of compulsory service in the Forces.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to the hon. and learned Member for Daventry (Mr. Manningham-Buller), a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Minister of Labour the reasons for the relatively high proportion of fatal accidents as opposed to non-fatal accidents amongst adult male workers in the wool, worsted, and shoddy industries, as shown in the 1945 Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories.

The 17 fatal accidents were due to a variety of causes and it does not appear that any useful conclusions can be drawn from their proportion to the number of non-fatal accidents in the year. Further steps for the prevention of accidents in these industries are being considered by the Woollen Trade Joint Committee referred to on page 17 of the Report.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will give a complete list of the naval bases, dockyards, harbours, training establishments, hospitals, armament depots, stores departments, fuelling stations, naval air stations and other naval establishments owned or administered by his Department in Scotland, distinguishing between those which are in use, those which are on a care and maintenance basis and those which are earmarked for disposal.

Apart from a few establishments which it would not be in the public interest to specify, I append a list of naval establishments now in use in Scotland and also a list indicating those which are on care and maintenance. It is not possible, however, at the present time to indicate which establishments in these lists may eventually be redundant to Admiralty requirements.LIST OF NAVAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN SCOTLAND IN USE ON 20/12/46

asked the Minister of Education how many pupils are now attending the national grammar schools, technical schools, and modern schools, respectively; and whether she proposes to maintain these respective proportions when the school age is raised.

In January, 1946, the number of pupils attending maintained and assisted schools recognised as secondary schools was 1,268,531, of whom 488,431, 59,918 and 719,682 were attending grammar, technical and modern schools respectively. The raising of the age will not of itself affect these figures, except in so far as the number of pupils, in modern schools, and, therefore, the proportion, will be automatically increased by the addition of the extra age group.

asked the Minister of Education whether she is aware that several more local authorities, whose names have been given to her, have enforced or propose to enforce membership of a trade union upon teachers in their employ as a condition of employment; and whether, in view of Regulation 11, S.R.O., May, 1945, she will now take steps to secure that her regulations are observed by local authorities.

Any breach of my regulations or any threat to the efficient conduct of the educational services in a particular area, would naturally call for my intervention. I am not aware, however, that in the cases which the hon. Member has cited, there is any occasion for action on my part now.

asked the Minister of Education whether as the provision of classrooms and of teachers which will be available on 1st April, 1947, is inadequate to deal with the addition of some 400,000 new pupils to the present congested school population, she will consider postponing the raising of the school leaving age until proper provision can be made both of teachers and of classrooms.

I do not accept the assumption underlying the hon. Member's Question. The answer is "No, Sir."

asked the Minister of Education if she will investigate the circumstances in which schoolchildren at Liskeard and Bodmin are transported by omnibus to Truro to a hospital 45 miles away for the removal of tonsils and adenoids, although there is a hospital with competent specialists on the staff in their home town and a large centre hospital in Plymouth 16 miles away; and if she will stop this practice.

The Cornwall local education authority have, with my approval, limited their arrangements for the operative treatment of adenoids and chronic tonsilitis to hospitals which have specialist ear, nose and throat departments. According to my information, there are no such departments in the hospitals at Bodmin and Liskeard. Children from these towns who need operative treatment are accordingly sent to Truro or, when beds are available for them, to the Prince of Wales' Hospital at Plymouth.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many 1914–18 war pensioners are in receipt of alternative pensions; how many are totally disabled and partially disabled; and what is the estimated cost of granting marriage allowances.

Alternative pensions are in payment in just over 1,000 disablement cases of the 1914–18 war; approximately 550 of the recipients are totally disabled and nearly 500 partially disabled. An alternative pension is an inclusive award which, when more favourable, replaces the standard disablement pension and allowances.As regards the second part of the Question, this does riot arise since, by the very nature of the Alternative Pensions Scheme, family allowances are not payable. It is always open to a pensioner who is receiving an alternative pension to change over to a standard pension with allowances for his wife and children if this would he more beneficial to him.