asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that, on 16th December, 1946, the departure schedule board at the Mauripur airfield at Karachi bore the entry 'Lancaster Plane, Special. Rations for 'V.I.P. Bound for United Kingdom"; whether he will state the names of the 'V.I.Ps.": whether they travelled in this or another aeroplane; and what was the nature of the rations.

Yes, Sir. The names of the passengers were Sir Leslie Boyce chairman of the Gloster Carriage & Wagon Co.; Mr. Morgan, consulting engineer of Sir William Halcrow & Partners; Mr. Carmichael, director of British Non-Ferrous Metals Federation; Mr. Thornton, secretary, United Textiles Factories Workers' Association; Mr. Haworth of Unilever Ltd.; Mr. Scott, of Dorman, Long & Co. These passengers were all members of a trade mission to China; they travelled on the Lancaster in question, which had been chartered for them by the Board of Trade; they received as rations for their journey between Karachi and Cairo the normal lunchbox, which contained some sandwiches, an egg, a little fruit, a small piece of chocolate and, to the best of my belief, some chewing gum.

May I ask the Minister if the schedule board also bore these words, relating to a separate plane altogether:

"Flight.	Bound	Carrying
Special V.I.P.	U.K	Lady Cripps daughter and retinue

and that for another plane, a Lancaster, the inscription was:

"Special (Rations for V.I.P.)"?

On the schedule board, the trade delegation were not referred to as "V.I.Ps."

In fact it was the plane which carried the trade mission. That is the plane about which the hon. Member has asked. They were a trade mission. They were not technical "V.I.Ps.," according to the verbal usages that are customary, but they had to be given "V.I.P." treatment and a special plane. Otherwise their trade mission to China could not have been carried out.

May I ask the Minister whether he is aware that my Question refers to "V.I.Ps." specifically, and that the schedule board also referred to "V.I.Ps."; and, further, that that is not the plane in which the trade mission travelled?

Yes, it is the plane in which the trade mission travelled. The expression "V.I.P."was used in order to make plain to those who had to provide the rations that the plane was leaving not at the ordinary scheduled time but at a special time and that the rations had to be there.

Had Lady Cripps and her daughter a special plane, in addition?

That is another question. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put it down.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that serving members of the R.A.F. employed in his Department have received invitations to join the Fabian Society; that the invitations were sent to them at their Departmental addresses and that the letters were delivered to them through the official administrative channel; and whether the use of official channels and of the official directory to recruit serving members of the R.A.F. into a political organisation was made with his permission.

Yes, Sir. I understand that serving members of the Royal Air Force employed in the Air Ministry have received through the post invitations to join the Fabian Society. The names are obtainable from published reference books. I cannot think that the hon. Member would welcome any interference with the ordinary procedure for delivering letters, even if I had the power to see their contents, which I have not.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell me whether my former connection with his Ministry is the explanation of my receiving such an invitation?

It certainly is a very distinguished passage in the hon. Gentleman's career. I hope he will accept the invitation.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will make a statement with regard to the peacetime use of a bombing range at Howden, East Yorkshire; whether he is aware that the land in question is good agricultural land; and whether he has consulted the Minister of Agriculture on the matter.

The range at Howden was used for practice bombing from 1942 till 1945. Almost all of it has been farmed with little interruption since 1944. I regret that I cannot now say whether this range will be required in future, but I am, of course, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, and with my other right hon Friends who are concerned.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that before the final decision is made he will have further consultations with his colleagues?

Yes, Sir, certainly. Perhaps I might add, to remove misapprehensions in the locality, that were this to be retained as a range we should only use small smoke puff bombs which would do no damage and would not substantially interfere with farming.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what aircraft, officers and other ranks of No. 26 Squadron, B.A.F.O., came to England last year and assisted in making a film; how many flying hours were involved in moving the squadron from Germany to England and back to Germany; and how many hours were flown in connection with the making of the film.

Twelve aircraft, nine officers and 60 airmen of No. 26 Squadron flew over to this country from Germany last autumn to take part in an instructional film on Combined Operations. About 90 hours flying were involved in the journeys to and from this country. About 20 hours were flown by the Squadron in the making of the film.

Would it not have been possible to convey the parties taking the film to Germany? Would that not have been better?

That would probably have cost more. The hon. and gallant Member must, of course, recognise that the Royal Air Force has to fly for practice anyway.

Will the right hon. Gentleman do everything he can to encourage the Royal Air Force to make films?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will consider paying the rate for the job in those cases where it is definitely established that W.A.A.F. officers and non-commissioned officers are holding R.A.F. officers' and non-commissioned officers' posts and performing the duties laid down satisfactorily.

My hon. Friend is, I am sure, aware that His Majesty's Government have recently received the Report of a Royal Commission on the general subject of Equal Pay for Men and Women, and that its recommendations are now under consideration. He will understand that I can make no statement on the principle of equal pay in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force at the present time.

Is it then to be the continued policy of my right hon. Friend to get these jobs, which are admittedly men's jobs, done on the cheap?

No, Sir. My hon. Friend must not assume that. I would refer him in particular to paragraph 60 of the Report of the Royal Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many gliders belonging to the R.A.F. have been destroyed since the end of the war.

Since the end of the war, 1,295 gliders belonging to the Royal Air Force have been declared surplus to our needs, and 982 have been scrapped on the authority of the Ministry of Supply.

Is the Minister aware that these gliders are burnt outright in many cases and that they contain a lot of material which would be very useful if it were salvaged?

Yes, Sir; I will certainly look into it. About 300 gliders have been sold mostly for use as gliders. I am told that the great majority of, I believe, the rest are made of very hard laminated plywood which takes a great deal of labour to break down and is almost unsaleable even as firewood.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware whether these gliders which have been destroyed were serviceable gliders, and if so, was the Minister of Civil Aviation consulted before they were destroyed?

I. would not like fully to commit myself, but I feel sure that my noble Friend was consulted. I think that all that were usable for Service purposes or any purposes as gliders have been kept.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Air Training Corps had their demands supplied?

To the best of my belief that is so.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is yet in a position to state whether compassionate release or extended leave will be granted to 23356I0 G. D. Largue, A.C.2, whose parents are in hospital, his only relatives at home being a 10 year old brother and an 80 year old grandmother.

My hon. Friend's letter of 14th January, for which I am grateful to him, was the first information we have received that A.C.2 Largue was in difficulties at home. My hon. Friend has, I hope, now had my letter telling him that Largue has been released.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he has now investigated the allegations, brought to the attention of his Department on 28th December by the hon. Member for Spen Valley, of the improper treatment whilst under arrest, of 1681192 L.A.C. B. Dennis; and what further action he now proposes.

I have called for a full and urgent report on the case of L.A.C. Dennis, and this report is on its way from Singapore. I will write to my hon. Friend when it has arrived and has been considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that at the R.A.F. station at Lasham, Hampshire, there is so little for the workshop personnel to do that skilled tradesmen are working on the average only 48 hours in each month and often not more than one hour per day; and whether, in view of the manpower position, he will take steps to remedy this.

I should be grateful for any detailed information about unemployment at Lasham Station which the hon. and gallant Member can let me have. My information is that in November the working hours were approximately 184. in December 150, and in January 200. It is, however, true that, owing to transport difficulties, some men have during the last few weeks, been employed outside their trades.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that my information, which was derived from a non-commissioned officer in those workshops, is exactly as I have indicated in the Question? The men have little to do and very often they are employed on work which is practically manufacturing and has nothing to do with their trade.

As I have said, some are working outside their trades. The work in this station is largely repairing crashed aircraft, and in the last few weeks it has not been possible to bring in a good many of the crashes.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will make a further statement about the conditions in the R.A.F. camp at Miho, Japan; and whether he has assured himself that similar conditions do not prevail in other Japanese centres.

I have just received a report for which I called in January on conditions in the camp at Miho in Japan. This report confirms my earlier information that the offices, dining and recreation rooms are adequately heated, but that the shortage of labour and materials has prevented the, installation of heating in more than 10 per cent. of the sleeping quarters. At the other R.A.F. centres in Japan heating has been installed in all the offices and in all the communal buildings, including the sleeping quarters.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what efforts are being made to clear goods from redundant ground equipment depots in order to avoid further loss, waste and deterioration.

There are five ground equipment depots in this country, from which goods and equipment are steadily being cleared. Equipment needed by the Royal Air Force is transferred to seven permanent storage depots. Surplus equipment is declared for disposal to the Ministry of Supply. Goods that might deteriorate are properly stored. The depot staff are constantly reminded that they must avoid all waste or loss, and in general I am satisfied that a difficult task is being handled well.

Is the Minister aware that it is impossible to store these goods without deterioration occurring and that it would be much quicker and more economical to dispose of them by direct sales, to the public?

I am afraid we must hand them over to the Department which disposes of them. I do not think we could set up a sales organisation. We are doing our best to accelerate this disposal but we are hampered by shortage of labour.

Would my right hon. Friend make sure that there is no generating equipment included in these depots?

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will take steps to expedite release from the W.A.A.F. so that women serving in this service are not compelled to serve longer than men in some branches of the R.A.F.

I think my hon. Friend must be under some misapprehension. There is no trade in the Air Force in which the release of women is behind the release of men, and the general level of release for airwomen is three groups ahead of that for men.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there are some trades in which women are being retained longer than men in other trades in the Royal Air Force?

Yes, Sir. Of course, we do keep a certain equivalent between the men and women of each trade, although the women are ahead. Is my hon. and gallant Friend really suggesting that all the women should be brought out before any men? I am sure the women would repudiate him on that.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the women are paid very considerably less than the men doing the same jobs?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he intends to publish reports of air accidents involving British-operated planes; and how soon after any accident such reports may be expected.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if, in view of the recent accidents to civil aircraft, he will ensure a more speedy publication of the causes, compared with the six months' delay which occurred in publishing the accident report on the B.E.A. Dakota operating the Northolt—Oslo service on 7th August, 1946.

Unless for security or other reasons publication would be contrary to the public interest, my noble Friend proposes to publish the complete reports. By reason of the nature of the investigations it is impossible to say how soon after any accident the reports may be expected, but it is my noble Friend's intention that publication shall take place as rapidly as possible.

The accident to the British European Airways Dakota at Oslo on 7th August, 1946, was investigated by the Norwegian Authorities under the provisions of the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organisation and was attended by an accredited representative from the United Kingdom. The preparation of the report was a matter for the Norwegian Government.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary able to assure the House that, save in the circumstances he has mentioned, all these inquiries will be held in public?

That is the intention of my noble Friend so far as aircraft on the registration of this country are concerned. In the case of aircraft on the registration of other countries, my noble Friend is required to consult with the Government concerned prior to making his decision, and he will do that.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that on the occasion referred to in Question 18, although the causes of the accident were known within a matter of only three days of the accident occurring, the essential notices to airmen were not published for two and a half months? Will he see that in the case of the present accidents such delay does not occur?

So far as is humanly possible, yes, Sir.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary assure us also that future British inquiries will be judicial inquiries under legal chairmen with evidence taken on oath?

I cannot give that assurance.

Why not?

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the result of the investigation into the crash of a York aircraft at Bathurst in August last year has not yet been made public and can he say when the result of that investigation is to be made known?

A report has been made by the inspector to my noble Friend and it is with him now. As soon as possible it will be published.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation how many air crashes have occurred in this country during the past year; how many people have been killed and how many injured; what proportion each represents of the total number carried; and what further steps he proposes to take to prevent further accidents.

As the reply to the first three parts of the Question contains a number of figures, I will with permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

As regards the last part of the Question, my noble Friend has established the Air Safety Board to advise him from the highest technical level on all matters of safety. As I informed the hon. Member for Eye (Mr. Granville) on 4th February, the latest safety devices have been or are being adopted as equipment becomes available.

Can my hon. Friend say whether any single factor, either mechanical or technical, operated in more than one case to cause these disasters?

That is an entirely different question.

Would not these figures, when published, show that British aviation is still far and away the safest in the world?

I am in entire agreement with that, Sir.

In supplying the information, will my hon. Friend keep before him the fact that the third part of the Question lends itself to two interpretations, and would he say "what propor- tion each represents of the total number carried" by the planes involved? Will he keep in mind that point?

In view of the fact that, apart from crashes due to bad visibility, a large number of accidents have occurred in taking off when one engine failed in a two-engined aircraft, will my hon. Friend consult with his noble Friend to ensure that aircraft carrying civilian personnel are so designed that, if one

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation how many aircrew personnel have left the employment of B.O.A.C., B.E.A. and B.S.A.A., respectively, since 12th September, 1946; and what proportion this represents of the total of such employees.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation how many skilled aircraft maintenance workers have left the employment of B.O.A.C., B.E.A. and B.S.A.A., respectively, since 1st September, 1946: and what proportion this represents of the total of such employees.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to what extent there is unnecessary competition between B.E.A. and

The assumption in the latter supplementary question cannot be accepted as the reason. In reply to the previous supplementary, any statistics are likely to be misleading. For instance, had this Question been asked at 31st December, a very different ratio of passengers carried per accident would have been the case.

As I said to the hon. and gallant Member for Henley (Sir G. Fox) on 22nd January last, I regard detailed information about staff matters as falling within the field of management, on which in accordance with the Statute the three airways Corporations are not subject to Ministerial directions. I regret that I do not think it right in these circumstances to invoke Section 22 (6), of the Statute to acquire the information necessary to answer this Question.

While always anxious to limit the field of Ministerial intervention, could we have an assurance that the Corporations will be encouraged to publish these figures in their annual reports?

That will be considered, Sir.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the final responsibility rests on the Minister and his Department, and whatever the figures are, even if they are large, will the Parliamentary Secretary reconsider this matter and inform the House and the public how many are leaving?

No, Sir. Whether a man accepts a job, rejects a job or leaves a job depends very largely upon the rate of wage paid, the conditions under which he works, and whether he likes the job or not. The conditions are entirely matters between employer and employee, and there is well established machinery for dealing with those matters.

Does the Minister not consider that if the operations

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation why, under the air services agreement concluded with Sweden, no power was taken to fly from Scotland to Amsterdam and Hamburg.

One of the accepted principles of civil aviation agreements is that the routes on which traffic rights are to be accorded should be reasonably direct. The direct route to points in Sweden from points in Scotland does not go by Amsterdam or Hamburg, and services from Scotland to these places could not appropriately be covered in an agreement with Sweden.

I think if that were so, one could leave it to the appropriate organisation to call attention to the matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation the weekly wage, hours of work, overtime rate and Sunday rate of runway controllers at Northolt; and what the comparable figures are for unskilled labourers employed at the same airport.

As the reply contains detailed figures, I will with permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Would my hon. Friend say whether, for a similar number of hours worked, the unskilled labourers are paid more than those in the runway control?

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will make a statement on the trainload of refugees from Western Poland, about which British Military Headquarters at Herford gave some details on Friday 20th December; what steps have been taken to deal with those responsible; and what efforts are being made to prevent a repetition.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statements I made in the House on 22nd and 29th January. The movement of these refugees has been suspended.

Can the Chancellor make any comment on the statement made by the Polish Government that fuel sufficient for the journey accompanied these individuals?

That has been included in the statement have already made.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is aware of the announcement by the Polish Government to the effect that the two trains carrying German repatriates from Poland, in which there were a large number of deaths from exposure, were received without any reservations by British liaison teams and were therefore no longer the responsibility of the Polish authorities, and that the same trains were used for the return of Polish repatriates; and whether he will make a further statement on the action of the Polish Government in this matter, in the light of the requirements of the Potsdam Agreement.

A full statement has already been made in the House about the trains which arrived from Polish administered territories and, as will be gathered from that statement, the British liaison team was faced with the dilemma of accepting the trains, or leaving the passengers isolated in an area in which no shelter could be provided. To turn the trains back would have entailed a journey of three days. To send them forward to the British zone would normally have taken only 24 hours, and it was therefore decided, in the interests of the refugees, to adopt the second alternative, while at the same time, making immediate telephonic representations to Berlin to secure the cancellation of any further trains in these conditions. I understand that one of the trains was used for the return of Polish repatriates, although efforts were made to stop it.

Representations and protests to the Polish authorities have been made in the light of an agreement which was signed by British and Polish representatives in February, 1946. This implemented Article XIII of the Potsdam Agreement under which population transfers were to be effected in an orderly and humane manner.

Will my right hon. Friend say whether these liaison teams had any responsibility for the timing or conditions of rounding-up of these unfortunate people in Poland?

Certainly not. The British liaison teams were posted on the frontier to check up on the condition in which these people arrived at the frontier, and to decide whether or not they could go forward. On the occasion of the arrival of these two trains, the conditions were particularly severe, and it was felt by our officers that it would be a serious thing to turn these people back.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what effect the protest has had?

Yes, Sir; there have been no further trains received after the one reported on by my officers.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster at what price per ton steel ingots made in the British zone of Germany are sold; and how this compares with the corresponding price per ton of steel ingots made in Britain

The value of ingots steel in the British zone of Germany is about 86 RMs. a ton, and the corresponding value of British ingots is, I understand, in the region of £10 a ton. In the absence of a recognised rate of exchange no effective comparison can be made between these two values.

As the Secretary of State for War repeatedly tells the House that the official rate is 15RMs to the pound, why is the steel not sold at 150RMs a ton? Surely firms are making unnecessary losses owing to the bogus rate of exchange?

It is true that at the moment the firms are not making a profit on this, but the fact has been repeatedly stated by me in this House that there is no exchange rate for the mark, and it is impossible to compare the mark rates with British pound rates.

Is it not a fact that the Germans are able to sell steel ingots at this price because they get their coal at 15RMs a ton whereas it cost 30RMs to produce?

The price to which I have referred is the price for internal sale in Germany; it is not the export price.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster the value of the commercial products that are now received here from Germany, which come to counterbalance the British expenses incurred with Germany.

Total exports from the British zone of Germany up to 31st January, 1947, were £43,629,200. Of this total, the amount imported into the United Kingdom was £3,011,000. Present imports into the United Kingdom are now at the rate of £450,000 per month

Can the Minister state how touch of this was due to timber for housing.?

The total amount of imports received into the United Kingdom during the three months to 31st January represented £1,264,650. Of that, timber represented £941,200.

Could the Minister say if that timber was satisfactory?

I have not had any suggestion to the contrary.

Can the Minister say how much of that export is attributable to current production, and what amount of it comes from stock?

The main imports into this country consist of timber, with a small amount of, I think, steel scrap of different kinds, but the timber is almost entirely current production.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has considered particulars which have been sent to him concerning the seizure by a British unit of a house in Germany and the removal of personal belongings when the unit moved; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for East Nottingham (Mr. Harrison) and to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Bexley (Major Bramall) on 10th February and 29th January respectively. I will communicate with the hon. Member when my inquiries are completed.

In view of the events described in the Question, and in view of our attempts to de-Nazify Germany, does the Minister not think that occurrences of this kind only tend to make the Germans more Nazi, and that we must try to show them a better way of life?

I am not sure what the hon. Gentleman refers to as "occurrences of this kind.' If he refers to requisitioning of property, I am afraid that has been necessary for the accommodation of our people. The actual details of what has transpired in this case are still the subject of inquiry.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster the reason for the termination of Dr. Zimmer's administrative interest in the Haren schools, or any other school within the British zone, and his supersession by a Warsaw Government representative.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Cambridge University (Mr. Pickthorn) on 5th February. Pending the completion of inquiries, the instruction terminating Dr. Zimmer's administrative interest in these schools has been suspended.

I do not know the answer given on the previous occasion. Was Dr. Zimmer not selected by the teachers, and was that not in accordance with the United Nations' resolution?

the Committee in question is not recognised by the Control Commission. It is quite an unofficial organisation doing a certain amount of good work, and normally its activities are not interfered with. The reasons for Dr. Zimmer s removal are, as stated, certain propaganda activities, and his removal has been suspended pending inquiries.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the resolution of U.N.O. whereby refugees who did not wish to return to their countries would not come under the control of the representatives of Governments whose authority they challenged, is still being carried out in the British zone of Germany.

Yes, Sir.

Is the Minister not aware that in February this year the United Nations General Assembly rejected a suggestion that all displaced persons, irrespective of their wishes concerning repatriation, should be controlled by the representatives of the State from which they come?

The fact that the United Nations, or any other body, rejected a proposition, does not mean that they adopted a contrary proposition.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether his attention has been called to the fact that, except for the treatment of venereal disease, no penicillin is available for use in children's hospitals in the British zone of Berlin; and what action he has taken, or proposes to take, in the matter.

Since 1st December five mega units of penicillin have been made available each month to the British Sector of Berlin from official sources, for the treatment in hospitals, including children's hospitals, of serious cases of other than venereal disease. In addition 175 mega units have been allocated from very considerable supplies made available for the same purposes by "Save Europe Now", and the British medical profession. The possibility of producing penicillin under licence in Germany is being examined in consultation with the American authorities.

Is my hon. Friend aware that letters have appeared in the Press pointing out how very great the shortage is in our zone of Berlin?

There has, of course, been a very great shortage of penicillin, and it has been difficult for Germany to get into the queue at all. But I can assure my hon. Friend that supplies received since 1st December have met requirements.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the constitution of the court which has been set up in the British zone to adjudicate on disputes between members of the Armed Forces, or civilian employees of the Control Commission on the one hand, and members of the German population on the other; what is the jurisdiction of the court; and how does a successful litigant obtain enforcement of its decrees.

No such court has been set up.

Is it not time such a court was set up? Will the Minister do so without delay?

I appreciate the point of the question. In fact this question has had my attention for some time and discussions are proceeding with the Control Commission for the setting up of some formal body.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people have died from cold or exposure in the British zone of Germany during the months of December, 1946, and January, 1947; and how many people over the same period have been admitted to hospital suffering from frostbite, or from other maladies to which exposure has been a contributing factor.

Fifty-three deaths from cold or exposure were reported, and 799 persons were admitted to hospital suffering from frostbite, or from other maladies to which exposure had been a contributing factor. These figures refer to all the British zone, except Schleswig-Holstein, for which figures are not available for either month, and Lower Saxony. for which only the December figures can be given.

Tell that to your constituents.

Are the conditions any better or worse than in the previous months?

The climatic conditions are obviously very much worse, while other conditions are better, but to strike a balance between the two is difficult.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why detainees in internment camps in the British zone of Germany, including persons under the automatic arrest category, are receiving rations at a higher scale than the civilian population.

Except for hospital cases, internees have a common ration standard; in other words the rations are pooled. Accordingly, no one gets so little as the normal consumer ration and no one gets the full ration to which he would be entitled as a worker.

Does my hon. Friend consider it fair that these rations should have been reduced to the German civilian level? Displaced persons are entitled to a full ration, and not to 1,550 calories, otherwise it is exercising economic pressure on them.

I am afraid my hon. Friend has mistaken the Question and answer.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the Question refers to Nazi detainees, principally S.S. men, and is supported by evidence from British officers? Will he have a look at that evidence if I supply it to him, from which he. will see that transport was sent long distances to feed these Nazis while the civilian population was starving.

Of course I will look at any evidence my hon. Friend sends, but these rations were decided on the recommendation of nutritional experts.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff are employed by the Control Commission in Germany on the dismantling of factories, the requisitioning of machinery and similar activities; to what extent the number has been increased during the past six months; and how many factories have been scheduled for dismantling during the past six months in the British zone.

On 31st January there were 69 British and 7,669 Germans engaged on this work, compared with 26 British and 4,813 Germans on 31st July, 1946. Seventeen plants have been scheduled for dismantling in the last six months.

Does that answer mean that we are still dismantling plant in Germany, although the right hon. Gentleman said that this had now come to an end?

I have never said this had come to an end. As I stated in the recent Debate, we are proceeding with the dismantling of those factories which have already been scheduled

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if his Department will provide facilities so that British women, resident in Germany, can make contacts with German women and children, to assist in welfare and social work on a voluntary basis

A beginning has been made with this work, which I hope will increase when physical difficulties, such as the provision of accommodation and heating, have been overcome.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many persons employed by, or seconded to, the Control Commission in the British zone of Germany are receiving no pay from the Control Commission; and how many are being paid both by the Control Commission, and by private employers

There are two officers who at present do not receive official salaries, but draw only the usual allowances for service in Germany There are, I understand, a number of cases in which Control Office salaries and allowances are supplemented by firms who have lent particular officers to the Commission. These are, however, private arrangements between the firms and individuals concerned, and I have no particulars of them.

Is my hon. Friend aware of the great concern this is causing among members of the Control Commission? Is it-not desirable that everyone should be paid by the Control Commission, and that no one should be paid by anyone else?

We are not in a position to force the acceptance of salaries on any individuals who wish to give services free.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is now in a position to announce the name and the functions of the education officer to be appointed to the Commander-in-Chief of the British zone in Germany.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is yet in a position to announce the appointment of an adviser on education in the British zone of Germany.

This appointment has been offered to Mr. Robert Birley, at present headmaster of Charterhouse School and a well known authority on educational matters, and I am very happy to be able to announce that he has accepted it. Mr. Birley will be Adviser on Education to the Deputy Military Governor and will co-ordinate, supervise and inspire all re-educational work in the British zone of Germany, whether it is carried out by the Education Branch or by other branches of the Control Commission. Mr. A. E. Riddy, the present head of Education Branch, whose admirable work is known to many Members of the House, is remaining to assist Mr. Birley I am most grateful to the Governors of Charterhouse School for making it possible for Mr. Birley to take up his appointment soon after the end of the present school term.

Does that mean that Mr. Birley will leave Charterhouse as headmaster altogether?

Yes, Sir.

Thank heavens

asked the Minister of Defence how many lectures Professor Laski has given to Service audiences in the last six months; and upon what system lecturers are invited to ensure that all political points of view are equally placed before member of the Forces.

So far as I am aware, Professor Laski has given only one lecture to a Service audience in the last six months. Political lectures as such are not arranged for Service audiences and should a lecturer have to touch on any political subject or current national issue he is asked to avoid political bias and deal with the point in as detached and objective a manner as possible. The second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.

Is the Minister aware that I and my colleague are at his service any time for giving lectures?

I hope that the hon. Member will sometimes go to these lectures to receive education.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that an essential part of political education is the ability to detect fraudulent journalism, and will he make arrangements to provide adequate facilities for that acknowledged master of journalism, Mr. Wentworth Day, to lecture to Service audiences?

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will consider the payment of war gratuities to next of kin of those killed on active service. to date from the day of enlistment until the end of hostilities, irrespective of the date of death

The war gratuity is essentially a personal award in respect of length of war service. It would be contrary to the principles on which it is based to add extra service in particular cases for the purpose of calculating the gratuity payable to next of kin

asked the Minister of Defence the total annual sum required in order to restore to all ex-officers of the Forces, whose retired pay was stabilized in 1935 at 9½ per cent. below the basic rates of 1919, the amounts by which their retired pay, after the coming into force of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1944, and of the Pensions (Increase) Bill now before Parliament, will still fall short of the basic rates of 1919.

At a rough estimate, between £180,000 and £200,000 a year.

Is that not a very small proportion of our enormous expenditure in these days? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that when the retired pay of these officers was reduced originally, the Royal Warrant laid down that it should be raised in the event of a rise in the cost of living? Will he not consider, at a very early date, making the restoration?

I am aware that a sum of £200,000 does not in itself appear to be much, but if it were conceded in this case, it might have to be conceded in numerous other cases, and the cost would be much greater.

Are there any other cases in which a promise has been made by the Government by Royal Warrant that restoration would be made?

I think the matter cannot be dealt with entirely on that basis. It must be dealt with on the basis of claims made on the Treasury and upon common principles.

If the T.U.C. were asking for it the right hon. Gentleman would give it to them.

asked the Minis-of Food the annual cost of "Rodent Mail," issued by the infestation division of his Department; how many are employed in its production; how many copies are circulated; and what purpose does the publication achieve.

The estimated annual cost of "Rodent Mail" is £480. Four thousand seven hundred and fifty copies are printed monthly by H.M. Stationery Office and circulated to local authorities No special staff is required. The purpose of the publication is to stimulate effort on sound up-to-date lines.

On what basis are claims made for rats actually destroyed?

A survey is frequently made by our investigation officer.

Could I ask the hon. Lady whether the issue of "Rodent Mail" is considered as an essential service, and will be continued during the crisis?

It provides an effective antidote to the discouragement which questions like this produce upon excellent officials.

Should it not be called the "Rodent Herald"?

asked the Minister of Food how much home-produced tinned milk and home-produced tinned bacon is being made available in exchange for points; and why the milk is not available as fresh milk in the ordinary way and the bacon as part of the ration supply.

About 5,600 tons of home-produced canned milk in the last "points" period, or 30 per cent. of releases, and 2,800 tons of canned bacon, or about 60 per cent, of the total releases were home-produced. The milk was canned during the period of the summer "flush" so as to be available for consumption in the winter when liquid milk supplies are short. The bacon was canned for the Services some time ago, and is not suitable for sale as part of the bacon ration.

asked the Minister of Food if he has contracted with the Norwegian Government for the importation of Norwegian herring to be kippered in Scotland; what are the terms of the contract; where are the herring to be landed; in what quantities, and where are they to be kippered; and what will be the effect on the price and supply of kippered herring for food in Great Britain.

Yes, Sir. The contract with the Norwegian authorities, pro- vides for the sale beween 1st January and 30th April of up to 30,000 tons of herrings. The quantity imported will depend upon the fishing and the demand. The herrings will be landed at Aberdeen, North Shields and Hull. About two-thirds will be offered to kipperers in or near these ports. Kippers produced from Norwegian herrings will be subject to the same maximum prices as kippers produced from British herrings and will be a useful addition to food supplies.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the large stocks of tea in this country and the fact that many people are not drawing their full allowance, he will discontinue the rationing of tea in the near future.

asked the Minister of Food if he can hold out hope of an early cessation of tea rationing.

I cannot hold out any hope of an early cessation of tea rationing. As the estimated world production of tea for 1947 falls considerably below world demand, there is likely to be increasing competition for these short supplies.