asked the Minister of Health what arrangements exist under his regulations for the reclaiming of back rent when rent tribunals decide that an excessive amount has been charged.

None, Sir. The Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act, 1946, under which these tribunals are set up, does not authorise the reclaiming of back rent.

Would the Minister consider it desirable to make provisions where gross overcharges are involved?

This was discussed when the Bill was before the House, but as there is no legal way of knowing what amount of back rent would be involved, that cannot he done.

asked the Minister of Health the number of people now living in houses which have actually been condemned, and the number living in houses which would be condemned if the normal standards were being observed.

The information is not available, but of the 480,000 houses in England and Wales included in prewar slum clearance programmes some 98,000 are. still in existence and occupied.

Is the Minister able to say when he will remove these houses and rehouse the people?

These slums accumulated before the war, but they will not exist as long after the war they did before the war

May I ask whether these houses are included in the Minister's estimate of 750,000 houses required to meet immediate needs?

No, Sir.

Is the Minister aware that in my constituency there are large numbers of persons living in houses which were condemned 40 years ago?

indicated assent.

Is the Minister aware that a lot of these condemned houses need some first-aid repairs, and that it would be a reasonable use of materials and labour to make arrangements for those first-aid repairs to be done? At present they cannot be done.

I am very well aware that these houses have needed first-aid repairs for very many years, but this House is not a confessional.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent builders are held up due to the inability to obtain the cast-iron ingredients required in their housing programme.

I have no precise information as to the numbers of cases. Supplies of certain cast-iron components still fall short of requirements, but articles in various alternative materials are increasingly available and have been recommended to housing authorities.

Could the Minister give a list of those in the OFFICIAL REPORT tomorrow?

Tomorrow?

Yes, in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

It would be very difficult to extract these this afternoon, but, if we have an opportunity of discussing the housing programme we will be able to give the further particulars needed.

Would the Minister consider sending me the instructions he has sent to the public authorities?

Certainly, Sir

asked the Minister of Health to what extent local authorities have been authorised to permit the use of galvanised wire as wall ties in housing work; and whether the usual wall ties are available or in short supply.

Local authorities have been instructed to specify wall ties in accordance with British Standard 1243/45 for their housing work, and this permits the use of zinc-coated wire ties. No shortages of the standard types of wall tie have been reported to me.

Is the Minister aware that only yesterday the Parliamentary Secretary admitted that there was a shortage of these very items?

Where? Not at the moment.

asked the Minister of Health what complaints he has received regarding dampness in recently-erected prefabricated houses; and what action has been taken.

Some complaints have been received from tenants of recently-erected temporary houses. They are found to be due in some cases to the tenant's failure to observe the official advice for the avoidance of condensation. Where remedial measures are necessary, they have been undertaken.

Is the Minister aware that in many instances in the case of the newly-erected prefabricated houses in Bolton there have been justifiable complaints of very great dampness, and can he say whether the cause was as indicated in his answer or was due to other factors?

Even traditional houses in a climate like this suffer from condensation. If the people occupying these prefabricated houses just managed to open the windows for a little while during the day, condensation would be avoided. Where there are structural defects, we are having them remedied.

asked the Minister of Health whether housing authorities have power to allocate living accommodation to midwives on new housing estates; whether he is aware that the shortage of midwives and district nurses in Cornwall is being aggravated by lack of accommodation; and whether he will encourage local authorities to give them some degree of priority.

Yes, Sir, I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a circular dated 8th May which was sent to local authorities on this subject.

Will the Minister make arrangements for a greater use of local builders and local materials, especially in remote rural areas, where the services of district nurses and midwives are so badly needed?

I can hardly see the relevance of that observation to the Question on the Paper. We are making provision which will result in more accommodation for midwives and, where it is possible to use local materials, they are being used, but it is always a slower rate of building.

Is the Minister aware that provision for midwives is a service which may reasonably be described as vital?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that, although a compulsory purchase order in respect of land at Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, was confirmed on 12th March, 1946, tenders for the building of houses have not yet been advertised; and what steps he proposes to take to push forward housing development in this area.

Yes, Sir. The council are about to invite tenders for 40 houses.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say where the blame for this delay lies? The people of Radcliffe-onTrent believe that it is his Ministry; can he refute that or not?

I am not aware that in this matter there has been any delay on the part of the Ministry, but if the hon. Gentleman will look at the Housing Returns, he will see that there are far more houses in tender than the building industry will be able to manage, and therefore the blame cannot be put on the administration.

But not in this particular village.

asked the Minister of Health how many families are accommodated in converted Nissen Service huts; and what is the average rent charged.

On 31st January approximately 12,280 families were accommodated in hutted camps under the control of local authorities, but I cannot say how many huts in those camps are converted huts, or what rents are charged for such huts.

Does the Minister appreciate that he is asking local authorities to levy an average rent of 7s. 6d. a family, which is quite incomparable with the amount of facilities that they get in these circumstances?

The average rent is not the same as the particular rent. The local authorities in these cases have charged the rent which they consider to be reasonable in the circumstances. If the hon. Member has instances of unreasonable rents being charged, and he will let me know, I will inquire into them.

But is it not a fact that the Minister insists on an average of 7s. 6d. a family?

It may be reasonable that in some instances more should be charged, but if there are instances of excessive charges, I will have them inquired into.

Is the right hon. Gentleman trying to withhold information from the House or assisting us to learn the truth?

asked the Minister of Health whether he will reduce the rental of 7s. 6d. per week required of squatting families, in view of the discomfort that many of them are living in.

These rents are fixed by the local authorities managing the camps. If the hon. Member has any particular case of hardship in mind I will make inquiries.

Has the right hon. Gentleman issued any instruction or circular to local authorities giving them directions?

Yes, Sir.

Will he be kind enough to put a copy in the Library?

Certainly, Sir.

Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman has told certain local authorities, that the rent should cover the costs of the services provided? If that is so, is he aware that, working on that basis, the Calne and Chippenham Rural District Council had to charge the squatters at Hardenhuish Camp 12s. a week for huts in which there was only one window and no decent accommodation at all?

I will certainly make inquiries into those cases if the hon. Member will let me have details.

Is it not a fact that if hon. Members opposite had built as many houses after the first world war as the Labour Government have built, squatting would never have occurred?

asked the Minister of Health on what grounds the appeal of Mrs. French against the requisitioning by the Exeter City Council of her house, 4 Wrentham Estate, Exeter, was rejected by his Department, seeing that this house was never untenanted, that it was only unoccupied for 16 hours and was not requisitioned during that period; and whether he will take immediate steps to have the requisitioning order terminated.

I am informed that the house was vacant when it was requisitioned by the city council for urgent housing needs, and has in fact been let by them to a building operative with four children. In all the circumstances I do not think I should be justified in reversing the decision.

Is it not a fact that two weeks' notice should be given in these cases before requisitioning, as stated in the Ministry of Health's Circular No. 138, and as this does not seem to have been done in this case, will the Minister look into the matter again if I send him further information?

I will certainly have it inquired into.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered a communication from the Paddington Borough Council regarding the Rent Restrictions (Furnished Premises) Act, 1945, and what was his reply.

Yes, Sir. I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy of my reply.

asked the Minister of Health whether it has been possible to assess, in respect of local authority houses, the average amount by which the final cost exceeds, or is likely to exceed, the approved tender prices; and what is the amount per house and per superficial foot.

I regret that information is not yet available upon which such an assessment could be made.

Could the right hon. Gentleman say when he expects to get this information, which is of vital concern to the country in assessing the real cost of houses today?

This will probably emerge when we are discussing the subject with the local authorities, and then we shall have much more precise information.

asked the Minister of Health the average price per superficial foot of approved tenders for local authority houses, assessed at the latest convenient date.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mr. Marples) on 18th July last, of which I am sending him a copy.

Is the House not entitled to know what these figures are, in order that they can see two things; first, how far the approved tender price has risen since the right hon. Gentleman assumed his present office, and, second, how far the actual cost of houses is above the approved tender price?

The average price of tenders would be misleading, because circumstances vary in different parts of the country. It is easy to obtain from the reports of local authorities what is the level of their tenders in their particular areas Averaging the tenders would not contain any significant information. Furthermore, I do not believe it is in the interests of the nation at the moment that we should state this figure, because building contractors would have a tendency to make it a floor, and not a ceiling.

Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman's secrecy is far more motivated by a desire to conceal the failure of his own policy in this regard. than by the national interest?

asked the Minister of Health if, in publishing future figures of new houses completed, he will give totals of those occupied by agricultural workers.

Yes, Sir.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that unless the ratio of new houses in agricultural districts is increased considerably, it is a very poor lookout for agricultural areas?

It is a very much rosier outlook than they have ever had.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that so little confidence have the people in the Government building houses at all, that a constituent of mine has already entered his daughter's name for a house, although the daughter is only three years of age?

The hon. Member's presence in this House is an indication of the intelligence of some of his constituents.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give powers to local authorities enabling them to requisition parts of occupied properties not fully utilised as living accommodation.

No, Sir, but I am prepared to consider making a special delegation of my requisitioning powers in appropriate cases in respect of premises which are seriously under-occupied.

Would my right hon. Friend explain if this provision will apply to rooms which are kept absolutely bare of furniture and are not utilised to any degree?

No, it is necessary that the house should be proved to be under-occupied, but it is not desired to make unnecessary hardship by putting in some families on top of other families.

asked the Minister of Health the causes for the delay in the erection of houses on the Rose Acre Estate, Shepperton.

I am not aware of delay in the erection of the 12 houses for which licences were issued.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the foundations of many of these 12 houses have already been completed, and that they are now overgrown with weeds? In addition to that there are materials available on the site, and if I give him the information, will he please undertake to look into the matter, and see why progress has not been made?

The foundations of a good many houses started are overgrown with snow. If the hon. Member can see the weeds at the present time, he is very lucky.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give a direction to the appropriate authorities that homeless families admitted to public assistance institutions shall not be regarded as destitute persons, and so treated, but that a family shall be accommodated together, and not separated.

I have no power to issue such a direction. If my hon. Friend will give me particulars of any case in which a family was needlessly separated, I shall be glad to make local inquiries into it.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I have already submitted cases to his Department? Is he also aware of the anxiety these families suffer when, in addition to being evicted, they have to degrade themselves to the status of paupers before they can obtain accommodation?

I am indeed very anxious to avoid hardship and humiliation of this kind.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that some public assistance autho- rities will not proceed in these matters because they say that a man earning a decent wage is not in fact destitute, yet these people are unable to get any accommodation?

A public assistance authority is not entitled to refuse assistance to people in necessitous circumstances of that sort.

On whose authority do the families go to the public assistance authority?

I suppose it sometimes happens, if there is an eviction and no alternative accommodation, that it is physically difficult to accommodate the family together in a building, but that ought always to be temporary.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to publish the Report on Rural Housing from the Central Housing Advisory Committee.

It is expected that the Report will be published towards the end of the month.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the delay in bringing this forward is already leaving people in the countryside with the feeling that he does not mean business?

The delay in making the report has had no effect at all on the position in the countryside, because, as the hon. Member knows, there is no possibility whatever of legislation this Session.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements he is making to take over from the Service Department responsible the water supply at Broadwell Grove Camp in order to make it available for general purposes in the area as well as to the camp.

I am informed that the supply can be transferred to the Witney Rural District Council and I am communicating with them as to the terms on which it can be acquired.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made in the negotiations between the Nottingham Corporation and the Bingham Rural District Council for the provision of piped water in the rural district of Bingham.

I am informed that agreement has been reached between the two authorities for the provision by the corporation of piped water over the rural district and that the details of the scheme are now being prepared.

asked the Minister of Health when a decision regarding a water supply to the village of Luddenham, near Faversham, which has been awaited for many months, can be expected.

The scheme has not yet been formally submitted to me. I understand that the council are awaiting the observations of the Kent County Council, who are considering the question next week.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that at a recent meeting of the Luddenham District Council it was reported that he was responsible for holding up this scheme?

I would not be surprised at all.

asked the Minister of Health under what authority the Barrow Town Council removed by vote Alderman J. W. Herdman and Councillor J L. Best from all committees of the council on account of their political views; and if he will hold an inquiry into the grounds of this action.

Local authorities have full discretion in appointing and removing members from their committees and I have no power to intervene.

Would the right hon. Gentleman discourage this tendency which, if left unchecked, would lead to one party only in local government?

I have no power at all to intervene in a matter of this sort. Local authorities have full power.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say to what party the majority who excluded these two gentlemen belong?

As I have no power whatever to intervene in this matter, I have no interest in it.

Does the right hon. man know?

Does the Minister think he would exceed his duty if he expressed his opinion in this House that he regretted these acts?

Hon. Members are continually urging the Minister of Health to interfere with the prerogatives of local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what action he proposes to take to repay local authorities costs incurred by them in connection with the licensing of civil building;

(2) whether he will consider repaying the expenses of local authorities incurred by them when their own officials or employees carry out investigations and the presentation of cases in court, in connection with Ministry of Health Circular 8/47, dated 20th January.

The necessary work which local authorities are carrying out is closely linked with the execution of their housing duties and, after consultation with the associations of local authorities, I think that the arrangements for reimbursement which are set out in Circular 8/47 are appropriate to the circumstances.

But does not the right hon. Gentleman think that, now local authorities' powers are being progressively reduced and their expenses progressively increased, this is a great pity and that the Ministry ought to pay for what they want done?

The financial relations between the local authorities and the Exchequer will be dealt with in the revised block grant, and I advise the hon. and gallant Gentleman to await its publication.

Can the Minister say whether this particular item will be included in the block grant?

No particular item is included in the block grant. The block grant is designed to divide the financial burden between the rates and the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Health if he will take steps to ensure that county A.E. Cs. are consulted by the Boundary Commission, who are now considering the rearrangement of local government boundaries.

The Local Government (Boundary Commission) Regulations, 1945, leave entirely to the discretion of the Boundary Commission the question of the bodies with whom they will consult. I will, however, bring to the notice of the Commission the suggestion made by the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Minister of Health what deposit rates have been paid by the Co-operative Wholesale Society bank to local authorities during the past three years; and what increases or decreases there have been in the rates concerned.

The terms on which a local authority's moneys are deposited with its bankers are a matter for arrangement between the parties concerned, and I have no information on the point raised by the hon. and gallant Member.

Will my right hon. Friend issue instructions to all local authorities that, for the financial benefit of the ratepayers, they should bank with the C. W. S.?

While considering that point, will the right hon. Gentleman consult the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and see if his policy is the same as that enunciated by his right hon. Friend?

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to receive the Report of the Royal Commission on Population Problems; and if evidence and submissions can still be forwarded.

I am informed that the Royal Commission on Population hope to complete their Report this year. They have now received all the evidence which they invited, but they will be pleased to consider any further evidence submitted to them.

asked the Minister of Health whether old people who are not National Health Insurance pensioners are entitled to hearing-aid hand sets or other similar devices; and, if so, under what conditions will these be supplied, regarding use, cost and return.

No, Sir, not until the National Health Service comes into operation. Meanwhile, public assistance authorities have power to help the necessitous deaf, and blind welfare authorities the blind deaf.

asked the Minister of Health why, while normally the signatures of two doctors are necessary to certify that a person is insane, in the case of persons in public institutions one certificate is held to suffice; and whether he will ensure that the occupant of a public institution is not worse situated in this respect than the ordinary citizen.

The number of medical certificates required under the Lunacy Act is determined not by the nature of the institution to which the patient is admitted but by the Section of the Act under which proceedings are taken. The Lunacy Act has, however, been amended by the National Health Service Act, and when this comes into operation the procedure involving the use of two certificates, which hitherto has applied only in the case of private patients, will be available in all cases if the relatives desire to avail themselves of it.

How many doctors are required to certify the Government of the right hon. Gentleman as insane?

asked the Minister of Health how many persons were certified as dying from tuberculous meningitis during the latest 12-month period for which fiures are available.

The number of deaths provisionally assigned to tuberculosis of meninges and central nervous system in the 12 months ended 30th June, 1946, was 1,724

asked the Minister of Health if he will inform the medical profession of the hospitals at which the Medical Research Council tests of streptomycin are being carried out, so that they can send patients who may possibly be of benefit to them for inclusion in the test series.

Appropriate hospitals and clinics in the areas in which the tuberculosis trial centres are situated have already been informed, and the particulars will be circulated more widely if it is found advisable to draw upon larger areas for the limited number of cases of suitable type with which it is possible to deal.

asked the Minister of Health when the Swale Rural District Council can expect to receive consent to proceed with urgently-needed sewerage schemes in the villages of Iwade and Conyer.

The council were authorised on 29th January to proceed with the scheme at Iwade, and to obtain tenders for the scheme at Conyer.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give, for the last available date, the numbers of men staying in casual wards and say how many of these are ex-Servicemen.

The number of casuals relieved on the night of 27th-28th December, 1946, was 1,193. I do not know how many of these were ex-Servicemen, but of all the casuals relieved in the quarter to 31st December, 37 per cent. were ex-Servicemen.

Is it not a fact that these figures show a considerable increase? Will the right hon. Gentleman say what steps he is taking to deal with this matter?

I do not quite follow what the hon. Member means I do not know whether these men were ex-Servicemen or not. Over this period, in most parts of the country, there was plenty of employment.

Is it not a fact that a date up to Christmas would not give a fair figure?

I do not think it does.

In order to be sure whether they are ex-Servicemen, are they asked for identity cards?

I will make inquiries.

Does "ex-Servicemen" mean men who at any time have served in His Majesty's Forces, or who served in the last war?

At any time.

asked the Minister of Education if he is now prepared, after further consideration, to permit the representation of the National Association of School Masters on the Burnham Committee.

This question has been discussed fully with representatives of the National Association of Schoolmasters, and further consideration has been given to it on several occasions during the past 12 months. After considering all the arguments, I can hold out no hopes that the constitution of the Committee will be altered in the manner suggested.

While congratulating my right hon. Friend on his new appointment, in which I think all hon. Members of the House wish him much success, might I say that his answer will not be regarded as satisfactory? Will he be good enough to look into this matter once again to allow what I think will he regarded as a justifiable claim on the part of the Association?

asked the Minister of Education if he will make a statement on the resolution of protest against the closing of 40 Lindsey village schools passed by the Caistor Rural District Council, of which a copy has been sent to him; and if he will reconsider the policy of centralising rural schools in the light of its unpopularity amongst the village population.

The resolution referred to in the Question has not reached the Ministry, nor has the instalment of the Lincolnshire Education Authority's development plan for the Caistor area. Apart from any action which may be taken on the plan under Section 11 of the Education Act, 1944, any proposals by the local education authority to discontinue the maintenance of existing schools will necessitate the publication of notices under Section 13 of the Act, and at that stage each case will receive careful consideration by the Ministry before approval is given.

Would the Minister say where the resolution has got to, since it was sent to his Ministry some weeks ago?

I have not the slightest idea.

asked the Minister of Education whether any difference is made in the value of university supplemental awards when the scholarship holder lives at home.

The standard figure of maintenance for the holder of a university supplemental award, or of a State scholarship, is lower for a student who lives at home than for one who lives during term in college, hostel or lodgings. When the family income is small, an additional maintenance grant may be paid to enable the student to contribute towards the cost of his board.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that as a result of the acute shortage of students' housing accommodation, especially in London. a large number of students have to live at home and travel long distances, and that they are not only deprived of the great advantages of close connection with the student body, but also have to pay far more money than they would otherwise have to? Will he give this matter his attention, in view of the changed circumstances?

If cases can be sent to me, I will certainly look into them.

asked the Minister of Education if he will inform heads of direct grant schools which have preparatory departments that, in deciding the entries to the senior department for next September candidates from the preparatory department must compete on equal terms with candidates from grant-aided primary schools; and if he will instruct His Majesty's inspectors to see that this condition is observed.

The point raised by the hon. Member is already adequately covered by Regulation 44 (a) of the Primary and Secondary Schools (Grant Conditions) Regulations. I have no evidence to suggest that this regulation is being infringed, or that a special communication to the schools is necessary on the point.

If I provide my right hon. Friend with evidence that, in spite of the regulation, this is going on, will he take steps to inquire into the circumstances which I send him?

Certainly, Sir.

asked the Minister of Education if he has considered that a unanimous resolution has recently been passed by the southern division of the Surrey Education Executive, of which a copy has been sent to him, to the effect that the raising of the school age will so accentuate the shortage of places in secondary schools within the area that only half of the boys and girls over 11 years of age can be accommodated in secondary schools of any type; and what action he is taking in the matter.

Proposals by the authority to erect prefabricated huts to supplement the school accommodation in the Southern division of the county when the compulsory school age is raised, have been approved by my Department and every effort is being made to secure their provision on time. New secondary schools will be built as soon as labour and materials become available. As an interim measure, I understand the Surrey local education authority are considering whether some temporary reorganisation can be effected.

Will my right hon. Friend exercise the influence which he used to have over his old Department to see whether some special hutments can be sent and be congregated in one place, so as to make secondary accommodation for these young people?

I will keep in mind the experience I have gained, and see if it can be used.

asked the Attorney-General if he will state the number of cases in which courts of law have, since the end of hostilities with Germany, criticized the initiation or conduct of charges brought against private citizens by Government Departments.

On a point of Order. Is not this Question inadmissible for the reasons set out in paragraphs (23) and (28) on page 338 of Erskine May?

I did not exactly gather the point of Order. Do I understand it to be a submission that the Question is inadmissible?

I am suggesting that this Question is inadmissible for the two reasons set out on the page of Erskine May that I have mentioned.

What are they?

One is that it seeks information which is easily accessible in published documents, and the other is that it is trivial and vague.

I will have a look at the matter. I cannot answer off-hand. I had not really studied the Question in advance.

So far as the Director of Public Prosecutions is concerned, for whose prosecutions my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General is directly respon- sible, no representations have been received by him since June, 1945, criticising the inception of any prosecution. In four cases during that period his attention has been drawn to some feature of the conduct of the prosecution, and on each occasion full inquiry has been made and appropriate action taken. My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General is not responsible for prosecutions instituted on behalf of other Government Departments, but I am informed that as a general rule, no separate and special record is kept by the prosecuting Departments of comments made by the courts on the subject of prosecutions, and to ascertain the particulars asked for would necessitate a search of the file of every prosecution.

In view of the large number of such observations which are reported in the Press, will the Solicitor-General use his restraining influence on his more impetuous colleagues?

I do not accept the implication of the question that they are impetuous. They are most prudent and cautious.

Will the Solicitor-General see that the Departments of his colleagues follow the careful practice which he has described in regard to his own?

They invariably do.

asked the Attorney-General the names of the persons connected with the Divorce Division of the High Court who are at present considering the procedural reforms recommended in the Second Interim Report of the Denning Committee with a view to reporting thereon to the Lord Chancellor; when the report of these persons will be published; and whether such report will be referred to the Denning Committee for such observations as that committee may desire to offer.

There seems to be some misunderstanding about this matter. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General stated last week, the task of redrafting the whole of the Matrimonial Causes Rules in light of the recommendations in Part II of the Second Denning Report is a formidable matter. After consultation with my noble Friend, the President entrusted to Mr. Justice Hodson, Mr. Justice Barnard, Mr. Pereira, a Registrar of the Divorce Division, Mr. Pownall, a District Registrar and Mr. Skyrme, the Secretary of the Denning Committee, the task of drafting the new rules for submission to the rule-making authority, and they are still engaged on this work. Under these circumstances the second and third parts of my hon. Friend's Question do not arise. My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is anxious that the new rules should be published at the earliest possible moment.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will consider including German women among the aliens allowed to enter this country on a temporary basis as domestic workers in such cases where they have relatives in this country who need temporary domestic help, otherwise unobtainable, at times of confinement, illness, etc.

Under existing arrangements permits are not granted for German women to come to this country for domestic employment, and I do not feel that an exception can be made in these cases.

Can the Minister say why, if these women are known to be anti-Nazi, there should be any objection to their coming to this country?

I would not like to state all the reasons, but there are some who have suffered from Nazism to whom we are giving preference.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the general manpower shortage, he will now offer some inducement to German prisoners of war in Britain to defer their repatriation.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 19th November and that given him by the Secretary of State for War on 28th January.

Is the Minister aware that the reply of the Secretary of State for War, to which he refers, stated that no inducements whatever are being offered to German prisoners of war. Are we to understand from the Minister's reply that it is a matter of complete indifference to him whether or not this valuable source of labour dries up?

No, Sir. It is not a matter of indifference to the Government. There are others who are entitled to preference over the prisoners of war, and they will get it.

Will my right hon. Friend invite ex-prisoners of war to come to work in this country as voluntary workers under contract for a stipulated time?

No, Sir, not at this juncture.

Why not?

I have heard a good deal, during the last two or three, days, about finding work for the Poles. We will find work for them before we start finding work for some of these others.

Has it not begun to dawn on the right hon. Gentleman that there is a shortage of manpower of such a character that we can afford to take all these people?

Would it not be more desirable to bring some of our troops back from Germany?

asked the Minister of Labcfur how many persons are working in the civil aviation industry.

I regret that the information is not available.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the level of this industry as outlined by the President of the Beard of Trade some time ago is being maintained?

The trouble is that the hon. and gallant Gentleman looks upon this as a civil aviation industry. In fact it covers metal work, upholstery, coach work, electrical fittings, and so on. If the hon. and gallant Gentleman wants us to try to get a figure of the number of persons engaged in the collective industry we will try to get it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman try to give information relating to aircraft and aircraft engine manufacture?

I will try to get it. It will be very difficult, but I will try.

asked the Minister of. Labour (1) whether he is aware that, on 24th January, 1947, Mr. Taylor, the driver of a lorry belonging to Messrs. Bailey and Turner (Haulage) Limited, Worcester, was refused permission to load up with tomatoes ex ss. "Banadereos," at Canarf Wharf, West India Dock, because he had no union card; and although Mr. Taylor produced a completed application for joining he was still refused his load; that the Transport and General Workers' Union office at Poplar would not allow Mr. Taylor to join the union at that office and the lorry was forced to return to Worcester empty; and what steps he is taking to avoid a similar occurrence in the future;

(2) whether he is aware that on 23rd January, 1947, Mr. Bennett, a driver of a lorry belonging to Messrs. Bailey and Turner (Haulage) Limited, of Worcester, was refused permission to load up with tomatoes ex ss. "Banadereos" at Canarf Wharf, West India Dock, because his union card was out of date; that although Mr. Bennett offered to pay off the arrears immediately he was still refused his load and the lorry was forced to return to Worcester empty; and what steps he is taking to avoid a similar occurrence in the future.

I am aware of recent difficulties caused by the refusal of dockers employed at certain London wharves to load lorries manned by nonunion drivers. The action of the men was unofficial and I understand that the situation has now improved following appropriate action on the part of the union concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour the population of the city of Aberdeen, in 1919, 1939 and 1945, respectively; and what is being done to maintain it by discouraging migration to the South.

I am informed by the Registrar General for Scotland that the population of Aberdeen city was as follows: 1919, 167,000; 1939, 180,000; 1945, 161,000. With regard to the last part of the Question, it would be wrong to discourage unemployed workers in Aberdeen from taking up productive employment elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Labour how many factory inspectors were permanently attached to the Coventry district on 1st February, 1942, and 1st February, 1947.

Two at each of the dates in question.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will remove the Control of Engagements Order and the Essential Work Order from agriculture and thus encourage recruitment to the industry.

My right hon. Friends, the Minister of Agriculture and the Secretary of State for Scotland and I, are agreed that it is necessary to retain the Control of Engagement Orders as applied to agricultural workers, and we anticipate that it will be necessary to retain them until the end of this year. We are, however, agreed that the Essential Work Orders should be removed from the agricultural executive committees, and I am giving three months' notice of such withdrawal forthwith.

Can the Minister say whether this order applies to prisoners of war?

No; it applies to our own nationals who are covered by these orders.

Will the Minister go a little further and tell the House exactly why it is necessary? It is all very well to say that it is, but could we know why?

For very much the same reason that somebody is asking why we cannot have some of these people retained. We want to keep these workers on the land for as long as we can.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that, by reason of their fine war record, the farm workers of the country have earned their freedom?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement with regard to the treatment for taxation purposes of the expenses which have to be met by the occupant of the post of Prime Minister, having regard to the changed conditions since the salary of the post was fixed by Statute in 1937.