asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the water pressure and supply at the de Aston school, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, is inadequate; that during the last month there has only been one day of continuous flow; and if he will have the matter investigated and give the highest priority for the supply of labour and materials to put it right.

I understand that water pressure has been inadequate in Market Rasen since before the war and that the water company are taking steps to improve it. Any of the measures proposed requiring the prior approval of my right hon. Friend will receive sympathetic consideration.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the boys in this school have not been able to play their usual sports because the shower baths cannot work? The whole thing has been hung up for necessary materials. Will the Minister give the necessary priority a push, please?

If a scheme is submitted, it will receive sympathetic consideration.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary say whether it is a private company that supplies the water?

Not without notice.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to deal with the resolution from the Chatburn Parish Council on the question of inadequate domestic water supplies to the residents of Chatburn; and if he is aware that this village can only obtain supplies of drinking water after the needs of another village have been met, resulting in no water being available for the residents of Chatburn for periods of 60 hours.

I am not aware of the resolution, but I understand that shortages have arisen and that the Clitheroe Rural District Council are doing all they can to remedy matters.

If information comes to hand, will my hon. Friend give an assurance that the fullest inquiries will be made?

Certainly, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health what provision he is intending to make under the National Health Service Act for the general practitioner care of bargemen, caravan dwellers and other persons who are constantly changing their place of residence.

I expect that the provision will be broadly similar to that which now applies to insured persons who frequently change their residence.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the damage by floods at the Lea Bridge waterworks; what steps were taken to deal with the danger of a contaminated water supply; how many were affected and for how long; and whether danger to health has now been removed and the normal water supply entirely restored.

The whole works were out of action. Water supplied from other sources or carted was treated, and the public was advised by broadcasts and other means to boil it before use. The population affected was approximately 1¼ million, but piped supplies were made available within a short time for all but 350,000 of these. A piped supply is now being provided to nearly all the houses in the area, but consumers are advised as a precautionary measure to boil water used for cooking and drinking until further notice. Thanks are due to all those who gave such speedy and effective help.

Is the Minister aware that the tanks which took water out sometimes carried water which was fit for drinking purposes, and sometimes it was quite otherwise, and that should be cleared up? Further, have precautions been taken to see that if abnormal flooding recurs it does not again affect the filtering of the water?

I was not aware of the first point, but I will look into it. I think we shall learn such lessons as we can from our experience in this matter.

Can the Minister state whether he has consulted with the Minister of Fuel and Power to see whether additional fuel can be given?

How can they boil water without fuel and electricity?

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the disclosures in the report of a survey of charitable trusts in Great Britain providing funds for the accommodation, care and comfort of old people, published by the Nuffield Foundation, he proposes to set up an ad hoc committee to complete this inquiry and to make recommendations for the better use of these resources.

My right hon. Friend is proposing to discuss this matter with the Charity Commissioners in connection with the proposed National Assistance Bill.

Will the Minister treat this matter as urgent in view of the increase in the expectation of life and the necessity of putting these resources to better use in order to provide amenities for aged and ageing people?

I quite appreciate the importance of the subject

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there are many old charities—I am chairman of one myself—which operate under old deeds and need very little alteration to bring them up to date; and will he make the scope of the inquiry as wide as possible?

I would not like to prejudge. The matter is before the Charity Commissioners.

asked the Minister of Health how much money was raised in rates in England and Wales last year, and how much is expected to be raised this year owing to increases in rates levied by county and municipal authorities.

The estimated rate income for 1945–46 was about £221 million and for the current year, 1946–47, about £239 million. If the hon. Member has in mind the year commencing 1st April, 1947, I am afraid that information will not be available for a considerable time.

Does not the Parliamentary Secretary realise that this enormous increase in local government expenditure must increase our cost of production, and, therefore, impede or destroy our ability to compete in the markets of the world, and, therefore, vitiate the very policy laid down by the Government in their economic White Paper?

I am sure that all the expenditure of local authorities is really necessary.

Is it not a fact that the ratepayers get better value for their money than they do by any other form of expenditure?

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the hardship caused by the recent flooding in Lincoln; and whether he will arrange for financial assistance through the local authority to alleviate the distress caused by the flooding.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday last.

Does my hon. Friend realise that however generous the response to the public appeal may be, there is still a considerable amount of expenditure which the local authorities have incurred on administrative account during the flooding? Can that additional expenditure be met by considering a further assessment of the block grant?

I am well aware of that point. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer did promise, in the statement he made on Tuesday this week, to make a further statement next week which, I am sure, will cover the point.

asked the Minister of Health what instructions have been given to the local authorities whose areas are affected by the floods; and, in particular, whether he has authorised them to open up emergency hostels and rest centres, to arrange for communal meal services, and for emergency transport.

The inspectors of the Ministry are in close touch with Public Assistance authorities whose duty it is to relieve distress. The arrangements made by these authorities include the measures referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health what has been the saving to date, or the estimated saving for the year, by reducing the 100 per cent grant to municipal authorities in respect to day nurseries.

I regret that this information is not available for municipal authorities only. For all welfare authorities it is estimated that the saving in the financial year 1946–47 will be of the order of £1,250,000.

Does the Minister realise that, in order to make this saving, municipal authorities like Gravesend are having to close down their nurseries; and how does he reconcile this with the appeal of the Government for women to go into industry, in which case they must have a place in which to leave their children?

I ask my hon. Friend to appreciate that at present local authorities not only have the element of their block grant covering this kind of provision, as before the war, but they have also a special grant to meet this expenditure.

asked the Minister of Health if his regulations compel local authorities to include the Fair Wages Clause in any contracts in which a Government grant is involved.

Yes, Sir.

Is this further evidence of the policy laid down by the Prime Minister before he accepted office, that there should be regional controllers interfering with the independence of local authorities and the setting up, as the Prime Minister said, of regional commissars, on the Russian lines?

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish a list of the mining areas to which prefabricated houses have been allocated over and above their normal allocation; the numbers allocated to each; and the dates by which it is expected that the houses will be completed.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to provide additional housing accommodation in mining districts; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

A substantial house building programme is already in operation in mining areas. A number of these areas have been selected by the National Coal Board as areas of special need. All possible methods of increasing the amount of accommodation in these areas, including the provision of additional prefabricated houses, are being examined at conferences with the local authorities for the areas. As soon as these conferences have been completed my right hon. Friend will make a further statement.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary state whether local authorities are building four times as many houses as are private companies and individuals, and are they restricting building by private people to that rate?

I do not think that arises on this Question.

Would the Minister say whether the mining areas are the only ones to which special consideration is being given, or would he be able to give similar information in respect of areas vital to food production, if I put a Question to him?

That supplementary question raises an entirely different point.

asked the Minister of Health whether, having regard to the importance to the community of an efficient service of district nurse mid-wives, particularly in rural areas, and of the housing shortage, he will issue instructions to local authorities that, where no suitable house already exists, a house for the use of the district nurse midwife should be built in an area from which she can most conveniently carry out her duties.

Local housing authorities have already been asked in a circular dated 8th May, 1946, of which I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy, to make a special effort to assist midwives and district nurses to obtain suitable accommodation.

Is it realised by the Department that this is a matter of immense importance to rural districts, almost equal to the provision of water supplies and sanitation?

If the hon. and gallant Gentleman will read the Circular which I am sending him, he will see that as far back as 8th May, 1946, we realised the importance of this point.

asked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement on the progress of the manufacture of building blocks from china clay waste; and whether, in view of the importance of china clay for export, he proposes to make any special arrangements for housing the additional workers required by this industry.

China clay waste is used in the manufacture of concrete blocks in Cornwall and South Devon. Ninety per cent. of the 1,250,000 square yards of block produced annually in that area is made from this material. In reply to the second part of the Question, I am not aware that any special housing provision is required for additional workers in the china clay industry.

Is my hon. Friend aware that production could be increased and additional houses built, and that it would relieve the necessity for importing other bricks with the result that it would assist the building programme generally?

If my hon. Friend will send me details, I will gladly look into the matter.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the calamitous position which this industry is in through lack of fuel, and will he press the Minister of Fuel and Power and the President of the Board of Trade on this point?

asked the Minister of Health whether the 1947 targets of 240,000 permanent and 60,000 temporary houses have been broken down to the various regions; if he will state the allocations of these targets to the different regions; and, in making these allocations for London, whether consideration was given to the character of London's housing problem in view of the amount of bombing that London received.

As regards the first parts of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 25 of the White Paper on the Housing Programme for 1947. The answer to the last part is "Yes, Sir."

Can the Minister give the information to the House through the OFFICIAL REPORT and, in the course of giving it, could he say what was the basis upon which the figures for London were provided, because they are about one-seventh of the total? Is he satisfied that that corresponds to the London population and London's needs?

In reply to the first part of the supplementary, it is quite impossible to give the detailed local distribution of the programme until we have all the returns, which will not be until towards the end of April. In regard to the second part, I ask the hon. Gentleman to appreciate that in London, very particularly, a substantial proportion of the labour force is employed on the repair of war damaged dwellings.

Would the Minister say whether any real importance any longer attaches to the total target figure of 240,000 houses?

asked the Minister of Health what has been the result of his Department's review of the house-building programmes of the various local authorities in Norfolk; and if he will indicate the reasons advanced by Ministry officials for reducing the number of houses to be built this year.

My right hon. Friend hopes to publish this information for Norfolk and the rest of the country with the housing return for March. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to paragraph 22 of the White Paper on the Housing Programme for 1947 and the circular to local authorities on the subject—of which I am sending him a copy.

In the cutting down of any housing programmes, will the Minister give due regard to the programmes of rural authorities who want to build solely for the accommodation of farmworkers?

That fact is taken into account in all the zonal conferences.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will explain the purpose of the zonal confer- ences now being held on housing; and why the Press and local builders are excluded from these meetings.

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 23 of the White Paper on the Housing Programme for 1947. The conferences are informal and the figures discussed are provisional. A statement is usually issued to the Press when a conference is concluded. The local figures, when agreed, will be presented to Parliament in the monthly housing return and will be made available simultaneously to the Press.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the fact that the Press and local builders are excluded from these conferences in some areas, is leading to fears that what is intended here is not to obtain local information as to housing conditions and advice from local builders, but to ensure that local authorities do not deviate in any degree from the policy of the Government? If this policy is good, is there any need to withstand publicity?

There are no grounds for such a fear. The conference is one of local authorities and not a conference of builders.

Mr. Smith.

Can the Minister—

The other Mr. Smith.

Will the Minister confirm that the figures which emerge from these conferences are agreed and not imposed?

Yes, Sir.

This Mr. Smith—[Laughter.]

Can the Minister assure the House that it is not the policy of His Majesty's Government to exclude the Press from important conferences?

These conferences are not conferences of the kind where one would normally expect the Press to be present. They are essentially committee discussions of a highly involved, detailed and intricate character. The findings of such committee discussions will be made public.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, so far as the Eastern area is concerned, in the notification given to local authorities of the conference an order was made telling the local authorities that they must delegate powers to the representatives attending the conference and that those delegates must have the full authority to vote? Is this not a gross overriding of the right of delegation of local authorities?

I do not think so. If we want to call representatives to concert action, we must allow them to take action.

asked the Minister of Education what are the reasons for the delay in dealing with the correspondence from Mr. Ellingham, 4, Brookside, Orpington, Kent, particulars of which have been sent him.

I have explained the circumstances to the hon. Member in correspondence. The delay which I regret, was largely due to the difficulty of obtaining a full account of the contribution collected by the local education authority.

Is the Minister aware that any ordinary business delaying correspondence like this would be "broke" in a fortnight, and that the delay in dealing with correspondence is making this Government bankrupt? Indeed it is bankrupt now.

asked the Minister of Education whether, having regard to the present inadequacy of school buildings and shortage of teaching staffs, and to the urgent need of recruits for industry, he will consider the possibility of permitting children who, at 1st April, 1947, will be more than 14 years of age to leave school if their parents so desire; and whether he will permit this concession to remain in force until such time as more buildings and more teachers become available and the need of industry for recruits is less urgent.

This would involve an alteration of the existing law and I do not propose to make any such change.

Ought not the parents to have some say in a matter of this kind? What benefit will accrue to children who are attending overtime in overcrowded and understaffed schools?

I do not think that assumption will be borne out. In any case, parents' rights have always been restricted with regard to the age at which children should leave school

asked the Minister of Education whether he is now in a position to indicate his policy in regard to State scholarships and other awards in 1947 for the purpose of enabling students to follow university careers.

Yes, Sir. It has been decided to increase the number of State scholarships in 1947 from a maximum of 360 to a maximum of 750. Steps will be taken to ensure that the increased number of awards are distributed fairly among the universities and university colleges. At the same time scholarships to a maximum of 100 will be offered to enable suitable students from establishments of further education, particularly those following part-time courses, to enter on full-time university courses. There will also be scholarships up to a maximum of 20 available to enable students of mature age who have shown special ability to follow a university course. Details of the procedure to be followed in regard to all these awards have been worked out with the co-operation of the universities and are being announced today. I rely on local education authorities to maintain and, where necessary, extend their present provision of major awards, and on this basis the new arrangements will materially extend the opportunities for university education.

While I thank the Minister for his welcome reply, may I ask if he could give the cost of this?

I cannot give the exact cost, but it will be in the neighbourhood of £300,000.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if any of these scholarships apply to the training of doctors and dentists?

Yes, Sir, as they always have done.

In the case of the welcome provision for students of mature age, is it contemplated that maintenance allowance will be given to the wives?

Yes, Sir, and families where families are involved.

asked the Minister of Education whether visits by schoolboys to courts of justice are part of the educational curriculum in civics laid down by his Department; and what steps he has taken to see that consideration is given to the suitability of the cases to be heard.

Details of the school curriculum are primarily a matter for the school authorities. I should, however, regard such visits as generally unsuitable for pupils under the age of 16 and even for pupils over that age consideration would need to be given to the suitability of the case to be heard.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that at the very sordid murder trial in Winchester six local schoolboys were accommodated on the Judge's bench?

That was without my authority and is something over which I have no jurisdiction.

asked the Minister of Education what further progress has been made toward securing adequate accommodation for the school population in Essex during 1948 and thereafter; to what extent huts will be provided and are to be made available to the Essex Education Committee; and what is the estimated in crease of school population in Essex for 1948 compared with 1946.

Accommodation under the scheme for raising the school-leaving age will provide 244 class or practical rooms. In addition to this and other temporary hut accommodation, instalments of three new schools are in course of erection, plans of nine others have been approved, and plans of two more are being considered by the Ministry. The primary and secondary school population in Essex totalled 171,780 in January, 1946, and is expected to rise to about 187,000 by September, 1948, as a result of changes in the birthrate and in the school age. Housing developments will cause a further rise, and an instalment of the additional school accommodation needed on this account has been included in the authority's immediate building programme.

Is the Minister aware that despite the earlier part of his answer, the Essex education authority is extremely perturbed? Has he not been able in some measure to allay their fears and overcome their difficulties?

I think so, and I am anxious that the perturbation should find expression in acceleration.

In view of the special difficulties of accommodation in the next year or two, would my right hon. Friend ask the education committee to consider modifying or delaying their rather drastic policy of closing down and concentrating small village schools, except where such schools are grossly obsolete and insanitary?

I do not think any school will be, closed down until extra provision has been made to accommodate the children.

asked the Minister of Education what is the policy of his Department with regard to junior technical schools under the Education Act, 1944, and the forthcoming raising of the school age; and what will be the duration of the courses and the age of entry.

I would ask the hon. Member to await publication of the Ministry's forthcoming pamphlet on "The New Secondary Education," which will deal with the points he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Education in how many areas allowances for posts of special responsibility have not been paid; and whether the West Riding of Yorkshire is one of such areas.

I am not aware of the number of areas where these allowances have not actually been paid by local education authorities. My agreement to the general arrangements for such payments in 1945–46 to teachers in primary and secondary schools has been notified to all authorities except 15. Yorkshire (West Riding) is not one of the exceptions but I have reason to believe that this authority has not yet made the payments. Definite information relating to technical colleges will not be available until local education authorities have submitted certificates relating to teachers' salaries for the year 1945–46.

Could the right hon. Gentleman do something to speed up these remaining areas? It is two years since the Burnham scale award. There will be another one soon.

We have prodded them on several occasions, and maybe this will be a further prod.

asked the Minister of Education if he will make a statement about the deductions made from the vacation earnings of students who are in receipt of Government grants.

This matter, which concerns other Departments as well as my own, is under consideration, but it is not yet possible to make a statement in the matter.

Will the right hon. Gentleman try to hurry up this statement? He said he would three or four weeks ago, and the Prime Minister gave a sympathetic reply, and the Easter vacation has now started

I am aware of the necessity for speeding this up, and I ought to be in a position to make a statement immediately after Easter.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise the gross hardship this imposes on those who have to pay their board and lodging during the vacation, and when they have earned something to pay for it, they have to hand 50 per cent. to the Minister of Education?

It was because I realised that there was a hardship that I promised to look into it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he will relax the restrictions on import licences, which prevent new firms from developing activities overseas.

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the issue of import licences to new importers. In those cases in which goods can be imported under an open general licence, there is no limitation and the goods can be imported by anyone. When goods can be imported only under individual licence, the grant of licences to new importers must depend, in general, on the total value of such goods we can afford to import.

When considering this matter, would my right hon. and learned Friend consider the privileged case of the ex-Serviceman who is looked upon as a new importer although he is experienced in that business and wants to start business "on his own"? Would he consider relaxing restrictions on account of such ex-Servicemen?

I have to bear all these matters in mind, of course, but one must not be unfair to the old importers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many clothing coupon books were issued in 1946 to replace those said to be lost or stolen; how many were subsequently recovered; and what precautions are taken to ensure that books which have been replaced are not used.

The number of civilian clothing books issued during the 12 months ending 27th December, 1946, to replace those lost by individual holders was 421,815. In addition, approximately 60,000 were replaced by means of coupon vouchers. About 30,000 were subsequently returned. Apart from these books, which were returned voluntarily, it is not possible to ensure that books which have been replaced are not used.

While not desirous of establishing a large new criminal class, may I ask if the right hon. and learned Gentleman does not think that some steps should be taken to ascertain where there is real delinquency involved in these big numbers, and take some preventive steps?

Such steps are already taken. It is only in cases where there is loss by burglary and fire that the replacement is automatic.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider increasing the amount of coal allocated to paper mills who are finding difficulty in maintaining even their present low output of paper.

I am aware of the difficulties which many paper mills are now experiencing in view of the present level of their coal supplies. The allocations to paper mills will be kept under review in the light of the supply situation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to prevent a shortage of milk bottles arising because of the curtailment of deliveries of soda ash to the bottle manufacturers.

I have asked the glass container manufacturers to concentrate so far as possible on the production of milk and other priority bottles, and I am glad to say that, despite the shortage of soda ash, the output of these bottles has so far been maintained at a fairly steady rate, although supply has not caught up with the increased demand. I hope that the manufacturers will be able to maintain this rate at the expense, if necessary, of the output of bottles of lesser importance, but I would like to stress, in addition, the urgent need for consumers to handle these bottles with care and return them as soon as possible.

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that unless some urgent action is taken to make more soda ash available soon, the supply of bottles will fall off fairly soon?

I appreciate the difficulty about soda ash, and we have it well in mind.

Would it not be possible to provide that full milk bottles will only be exchanged for empty bottles?

It might be possible to make that provision, but it might also be very inconvenient.

Is it not a tact that certain of the large bottle manufacturers have had to close down because of the shortage of soda ash? And does the right hon. Gentleman realise that, unless these bottles are forthcoming, the milk retailers will have to go back to unhygienic methods of distributing milk without bottles?

I am not aware of any such factories closing down; in fact, the average rate of production has gone up since the end of last year.

Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman bring the attention of the Minister of Food to the supply position of milk bottles, to see whether something could not be done to avoid the wastage that is going on?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the Newsprint Supply Company's Rationing Committee has decided not to restore pre-crisis paging to the large provincial newspapers, although this concession has been granted to the national and provincial daily and evening papers; and, in view of this discrimination, if he will take steps to ensure that the supply company accord equality of treatment for all newspapers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will remove the cuts recently made in the size of local weekly newspapers on account of the fuel crisis, since a similar restriction has been lifted from the daily and evening newspapers and the weekly newspapers are read by a large public for their local news.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the reply given on 24th March to the hon. Member for The High Peak (Mr. Molson). The basis on which newspapers are rationed has been revised in order to simplify the position and remove certain anomalies which existed.

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that this desire to remove anomalies has created fresh anomalies whereby the pre-crisis cuts which have been restored to the large daily national and provincial newspapers and some of the smaller weekly newspapers at higher prices have been denied to the larger weekly newspapers, with consequent extreme inconvenience to agriculture and farmers and contrary to strict justice? Will he please have a look at it again?

I have examined this matter with Lord Layton, and the position is that certain preferential treatment which some of the papers enjoyed before has been taken from them to make it more uniform over all the papers.

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that the use of the local weekly newspaper is different from, and as important as, national newspapers?. Is not this really discrimination against them?

Provincial newspapers are now getting a much higher proportion of their prewar amount than other national newspapers.

Is it not a tact that the reason why there is no newsprint available and there is a scarcity in this country is due to the Government's refusal to allow money to be spent in buying from the large amount of newsprint which is available elsewhere in the world?

The question here is not the amount available but the proportion available.

What is the position of those excellent local papers which appear two or three times a week and which on present allocations seem to have fallen between two stools?

I am afraid I cannot say in these precise cases, because I am not aware what the position is.

Is it just to draw a parallel between the national newspaper and the small local paper appearing once a week which derives most of its revenue from advertising and consequently is obliged to shut out most of its local news if it is to survive at all?

Obviously different considerations apply to them and that is why they get a different supply of paper.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply I propose to raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible moment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an estimate of the increased output of coal which would be required to run our industries to their full capacity where labour, plant and raw materials are available.

As I explained when opening the Debate on the Economic Situation on 10th March, we are at present planning the distribution of coal supplies during the six summer months on the basis of an estimated total output of 89,000,000 tons during that period. We estimate that an average increase of about 10 per cent, above that figure should enable us to achieve full industrial production.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will estimate the approximate percentage of capacity of manufacturing industries which is being lost, due to the shortage of coal.

The effect of the coal shortage varies substantially between industries and between different firms in the same industry. I am afraid therefore that it is not possible to give any estimate of the extent to which industry as a whole is working to less than capacity.

Is the Minister aware that it would be economic to purchase coal or oil at almost any price rather than that industry should run on short time?

It is the policy of the Government to import any coal they can and turn over as much plant as possible to burning fuel oil.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the demand for more tractors and other farm machinery to be allocated to the home market; and whether, in view of the necessity of speeding up home production, he is prepared to cut exports to meet this demand during the next six months.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the arrears in spring cultivation and the shortage of both agricultural machinery and spare parts, he will prohibit the export of agricultural machinery until the end of April.

I have already agreed to arrangements which are being made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries to meet the exceptional needs arising out of the present emergency. Leading manufacturers of agricultural machinery in shortest supply are giving the greatest assistance possible to the home market by diversions from export up to the end of April.

Is it a fact that we are now exporting twice as many agricultural tractors as we did during 1938, especially last year when the need at home was so great?

I would require notice of that question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the short coal supplies to the cotton industry are interfering with the minimum clothing needs of the nation and what urgent steps are to be taken to deal with the position and avoid the danger of the present inadequate numbers of workers in the industry being seriously depleted.

I am aware that during the last two months there has been a serious loss of output in the cotton industry owing to fuel shortage. As I informed the hon. Member for Royton, in answer to a similar question on the 20th March, coal allocations to the cotton industry are being kept under constant review in the light of the supply situation and my hon. Friend may rest assured that we shall do our best to arrange an increase just as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the collection of waste paper has fallen by half since 1942.

The decline in waste paper collection has been due principally to the non-recurring nature of wartime collections of books and records, to labour and transport difficulties of local authorities and in some degree to public apathy. As I explained to my hon. Friend the Member for West Leicester (Mr. Janner) on 24th March an inter-Departmental Committee has been set up to consider what steps can be taken to improve collections.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that there will be a substantial increase in the waste paper collection when the 600 Socialist newspapers get going?

asked the President of the Board of Trade the names of the British delegates to the forthcoming United Nations Conference on trade and employment.

I myself propose to lead the United Kingdom delegation at the forthcoming second session of the Preparatory Committee of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Employment at Geneva and to be present at the opening meeting on 10th April. The Secretary for Overseas Trade will also be a member of the delegation and will be present on that occasion. He will be at Geneva when the presence of a Minister is required. I hope to be present myself for discussions of major importance.

I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT particulars about the composition of the delegation, which includes, in addition to representatives of various Departments, representatives of Newfoundland, Southern Rhodesia, Burma, Ceylon and the Colonial Dependencies.

Will representatives of the Association of Empire Traders be welcomed as observers?

An arrangement is being made with the trading community which will be more convenient, I think. A committee will be in continual session in London and they will have information passed to them from Geneva.

Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman have some mercy on the shorthand writers?

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the announced restriction of summer services upon the railways, if he will refer to his Staggered Holidays Committee the question of workpeople and managements arranging holidays this summer from mid-week to mid-week and hotels and boarding-house establishments to arrange mid-week to mid0-week bookings in order that travel congestion might be reduced to a minimum.

This question has already been discussed with members of the committee from time to time, but such arrangements could not be enforced, and I do not think that any practical purpose would be served by asking the Standing Committee to consider the point further now. People have to a great extent already planned their holiday dates for 1947.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that last year there was considerable congestion on the railways during the holiday period and in view of the reduction by 10 per cent, this year, unless something of this nature is established, congestion on the railways this summer will be appalling? Will my right hon. Friend look into the matter again, because it is very serious and needs reconsideration?

On the other hand, one has to bear in mind what confusion would arise for industrial establishments if there was to be a break in the middle of the week for some, and at the end of the week for others. After consideration, we do not think such a scheme would be practicable.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will announce any removal of restrictions on the employment of foreign domestic servants.

It has recently been decided that the issue of permits in respect of foreign domestic workers for private households shall no longer be subject to restrictions based on the type of household, and the number of staff already employed.

Good.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Italians are now employed in iron foundries in this country under the scheme announced by him on 15th October, 1946.

No Italian foundry workers have yet arrived in this country, but 220 have been selected for employment, and arrangements for their journey are now being made by the Italian authorities.

In view of the fact that the Minister of Labour announced the scheme as long ago as last October, can the Parliamentary Secretary explain the delay?

Yes, Sir, I think it is fairly obvious. We have no control over the Italian Government and differences have arisen in Italy, not here.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary say whether there have been any objections received from trade unions as to employment of these Italians in this country?