asked the Minister of Health whether provision will be made under his new health scheme for special hostels to cater for old age pensioners who are bedridden.

The care of all the aged who are sick will be a matter for the new health service. The care of those who need care but are not sick will be dealt with in further legislation.

asked the Minister of Health it he proposes to take any action to investigate the administration of parochial charities providing almshouses and other welfare services for the aged.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Sir S. Reed).

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered the Rowntree Report on the welfare of old people; and if any action is contemplated to implement the findings of that Committee.

My right hon. Friend is considering the recommendations in the report in connection with the proposed National Assistance Bill.

asked the Minister of Health how many extra nurses have been obtained this year as a result of his recent appeal; whether the present position is satisfactory; and what further steps are contemplated.

Over 1,000 persons, including 600 qualified nurses, assistant nurses and midwives have taken up employment in hospitals as a result of the recent appeal for part-time staff in London. Many more are needed and recruitment measures are being continued and extended.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that the five days given for the consideration, in his Department, of the representations which he had invited to his draft proposals for regional hospital boards in December, 1946, was sufficient; whether he is aware that no acknowledgment was received by Westmorland County Council to their criticisms of his proposals until five weeks after the publication of S.R. & O., No. 2158; and whether he will ensure that such treatment of responsible local authorities by his Department is not repeated in future.

My right hon. Friend reviewed personally all comments received. The resulting Order was published, with notices in the Press, on the day it was laid. This seemed a reasonable way of indicating the decision to all who had commented. No discourtesy was intended by the absence of separate replies to all by letter.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of scarlet fever were treated in hospital in Bristol during the periods 1921–30, 1931–41, 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945.

I regret that these figures are not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many houses, completed of under construction by local authorities, and selected sites for such houses, have recently been flooded; and where these are situated.

I regret that precise information as to numbers is not available, but where this has occurred all possible steps will be taken to deal with the situation as quickly as possible.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent he has delegated to local authorities the power to make a requisitioning order in respect of furnished accommodation when notice has been given that the tenant will be evicted at the expiration of the three months' protective period granted following a reduction of rent by a rent tribunal; and whether he will make this delegation general and inform all local authorities of the fact.

My right hon. Friend has delegated authority to requisition in twenty-five cases. He is not prepared to make a general delegation but will sympathetically consider applications made in individual cases.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that his Department have recently imposed a financial limit of £20 as the maximum amount of repairs or maintenance work which a local authority may carry out to requisitioned property without prior approval from his Department; that under present conditions local authorities find, in the majority of cases, expenditure in excess of this sum is involved and there is, therefore, an unnecessary delay in reletting properties; and if he will consider leaving the amount of maintenance repairs to requisitioned property to the discretion of the local authorities and increasing the financial limit.

My right hon. Friend has this under consideration and hopes to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Minister of Education the number of classes, respectively, with over 40 and over 50 on roll in the Cardiff schools; and how many emergency trained teachers have been appointed by the Cardiff education authority.

I understand that the number of classes with over 40 on the roll is 121 and with over 50 is 13, and that the number of emergency trained teachers appointed is 12.

asked the Minister of Education how many extra teachers will be required in Cardiff; and how many additional classrooms will be required when the school-leaving age is raised to 15 years.

I understand that 47 additional teachers will be required in Cardiff when the school leaving age is raised to 15. The number of temporary hut classrooms needed is 31: other additional accommodation will be provided by restoration of war damage and erection of schools for housing estates.

asked the Minister of Education what amendments have been made to the Burnham scale for teachers from emergency training colleges; why these alterations have been made; and whether similar concessions are contemplated for newly-qualified teachers in mitigation of the hardship imposed on many of them by one increment in every three years over 20 years' service.

No amendments have been made to the Burnham salary scales affecting teachers from Emergency Training Colleges, and the last part of the Question, therefore, does not appear to arise. If my hon. Friend will let me have further particulars of the point he has in mind I will look into it further.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is now prepared to recognise service in the Merchant Navy for incremental purposes for teachers.

Teachers who served in the Merchant Navy during the war beginning in 1939 receive salary increments for the time involved as this service counts as war service. Local education authorities may also at their discretion allow increments for previous service, other than war service, in the Merchant Navy; for example, if they consider that the service is likely to be of value to the teacher in carrying out his duties.

asked the Minister of Education how many local education authorities have exercised the powers granted under Circular 97 to appoint paid assistants for the purpose of supervising school meals; and what is the number of such assistants appointed to date.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which the late Minister of Education gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton (Mr. Morley) on 31st October, 1946, a copy of which I am sending him. No later figures are available.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that the maximum salary that men awaiting admission to emergency colleges can receive while being employed as temporary teachers is, in areas outside London, £228 per annum; and if he will take steps to increase this amount since most of these ex-Servicemen have families to support.

Men awaiting admission to emergency training colleges, who are employed as temporary teachers, are paid the salaries appropriate to these posts which have been fixed under the Burnham Scales.

asked the Minister of Education why there is delay in considering the application by the Llanwnda, Caernarvonshire, Young Farmers' Club for a grant towards the purchase, erection and maintenance of a hut secured by the club for approved youth service, when both the local education authority and the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs have expressed support for the application; and if he will expedite a decision in this case.

A grant has now been assessed, and the Llanwnda Young Farmers' Club has been informed.

asked the Minister of Education how many women have applied for training under the emergency training scheme for teachers; how many have been accepted; and how many still await their interview.

Up to 6th March last 16,249 women had applied for training under the emergency scheme, not counting those who withdrew their applications before being interviewed. Of these 7,225 had been accepted at that date, and 794 were awaiting interview.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give details of the number and type of craftsmen who have been trained in North Staffordshire under the resettlement and training scheme; and what number are still awaiting training.

The number of persons in North Staffordshire who have received training under the Vocational Training Scheme and the number awaiting training are as follow:

asked the Minister of Labour how many insured workers were registered as unemployed in Middles-brough on 13th January, 1947, and on 14th January, 1946.

2,030 at 13th January, 1947; 1,920 at 14th January, 1946.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the relatively small number of Poles in the Resettlement Corps who have been placed in employment, he will instruct managers of employment exchanges to urge employers who cannot find British labour to employ Poles.

The instructions issued to employment exchanges already provide for this.

asked the Minister of Labour the total staff employed at his Department's Resettlement Advice Offices at Darleon House, Darlington; the total salaries of this staff; and the number of applications dealt with during the last three months.

The answer to the first part of the question is two; to the second, £9 18s. per week; to the third, 1,080.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of workpeople employed in the cement manufacturing industry in December, 1945, and December, 1946.

The estimated numbers of insured persons employed in the cement, lime and whiting industries in Great Britain in December, 1945, and December, 1946, were 12,200 and 16,200 respectively. Separate figures are not available for cement manufacture.

asked the Minister of Labour what approximate proportion of the science places available at universities is reserved for nominees of the Service Departments.

I understand that approximately 20 per cent. of the vacancies in the engineering department of Cambridge University are available to serving regular officers of all three Services. The number of officers who attend other universities is comparatively small, and no vacancies are specially reserved for them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated total saving in annual interest charges through conversion during 1946 of British Government securities and municipal securities, respectively, which are quoted on the London Stock Exchange.

My right hon. Friend hopes to deal with this and other closely connected questions in his Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated total saving, in annual interest charges through conversion to lower interest rates during 1946, of loans of Dominion Governments, quoted on the London Stock Exchange.

£40,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is now in a position to reply to the following claims submitted to him by the National Executive Committee of the Civil Service Clerical Association claim for revised pay for established clerical and allied staffs submitted on 12th June, 1946; claim for parity of pay between permanent and temporary staffs submitted November, 1946; claim for improved pay for locally-entered staffs employed at Malta submitted on 6th September, 1946; and if he will undertake that decisions upon future claims of such nature will be more expeditiously made.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer of 11th March to the hon. Member for Drake (Mr. Medland).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to what extent, in view of Treasury letter TC 5/28, dated 13th March, 1928, a civil servant is debarred in his capacity as a private citizen from criticising the legislative or administrative policy of a Government Department in matters with which his own Department is in no way concerned.

I should regard as improper any public criticism by a civil servant of policy for which a Minister, whether of his own or of some other Department, is responsible.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why copies of the Gouzenko Report were ordered so late as 29th August, 1946; why so few as 2,000 were ordered; why the second order was for so few as 750; how many of these have now been sold; and whether more are on order.

Copies of this report published in Canada on 2nd August, 1946, were ordered by cable on the day that His Majesty's Government approved a proposal to put them on sale in this country through the Stationery Office. This lengthy Canadian publication was very widely noticed in the British Press and it is always difficult to estimate the possible demand of the British public for any publication of another Government. All copies ordered have to be bought outright in Canadian dollars, and with the dollar situation as it is I am not justified in speculating on the high side and running the risk of a large number of unsold copies. The original estimate was thought reasonable at the time. The outstanding demand has now reached 223 copies. The order for 750 has now been increased to 1,250.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will arrange for the importation into the country of the maximum number of French films of quality for general exhibition, thus simultaneously raising the general level of public taste and saving dollars.

Full facilities are already available for the importation into this country of any number of French films which the British market can absorb; but the choice of films to be imported must rest with the industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why periodicals have recently been limited to 35 per cent. of their prewar paper consumption; and whether paper mills have been, and are being, supplied with enough coal to meet this demand.

Owing to the shortage of coal it has been necessary to reduce the amount of paper to be licensed for periodicals. In many cases even the reduced amount of paper may not be available and the publishers have been warned of this.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his Department intends to allocate scarce raw materials to industrial users in such a way that the maximum production of essential goods is maintained, even if this means the closing in some cases, of factories which are manufacturing goods considered to be inessential at the present time.

It is the practice to allocate scarce raw materials so as to ensure the maximum production of essential goods, consistent with other considerations, such as employment which must also be borne in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if instructions will now be given to artificial manure merchants that orders received after 31st January last for straight muriate of potash will now be executed; and if he will make arrangements for sufficient supplies of this essential manure to be made available for use this season.

In order that the demand for straight potash may be met to the same extent as the demand for potash in compounds, instructions were given in the middle of February that the bulk of supplies arriving between then and the end of March should be made available for straight use. The division of supplies due to arrive from April onwards is under discussion with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, the National Farmers' Union and the fertiliser trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he expects an early delivery from the U.S.A. of 10 × 38 tyres, suitable for farm tractors, or if steps have been taken to manufacture this essential tyre in this country.

A number of 10 × 38 tyres have recently been imported from the U.S.A. and further supplies at present on order are expected to arrive at any time. Steps have been taken to manufacture this size of tyre in the United Kingdom and production will commence as soon as the necessary moulds are available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the size of the regional pool of coal allotted to the East and West Ridings Regional Board for Industry; and whether he will arrange for this to be increased so as to permit the issue of supplementary licences to nationally important firms whose 33⅓ per cent. basic allocation only permits the equivalent of two days' working each week.

The pool available to the East and West Ridings Feel Allocation Committee for supplementing the basic allocation of firms engaged on production of special importance now stands at 19,500 tons. The size of the Regional pools is kept under constant review in the light of the supply position, but I regret that it is not possible at present to allocate additional coal to the pool for the East and West Ridings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new factories have been constructed in North Wales between 31st July, 1945, and 28th February, 1947; and the total of men and women now employed in those factories.

Three new factories and two extensions to existing factories were completed in North Wales between 31st July, 1945, and 28th February, 1947. These new factories are now giving employment to about too men and 240 women.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a schedule showing the placing of various industries in the categories used for fuel allocation.

Industrial undertakings receive a general basic allocation of 333 per cent. of their requirements. Beyond this the Regional Fuel Allocation Committees are given a wide discretion, subject to broad guidance from the Government centrally, in deciding how to distribute from the regional pools placed at their disposal supplementary allowances of coal. It is not, therefore, possible to provide a schedule showing the relative position of various industries, such as my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT, in respect of each convenient period since July, 1945, showing the quantity of British East African sisal purchased by His Majesty's Government and the average price per ton; the quantity resold in Great Britain and to each oversea country, respectively, and at what prices; why prices comparable with world market prices were not obtained from foreign purchasers; and what potential profit in hard currencies was thereby lost.

1. The quantities of British East African sisal, including tow, purchased by His Majesty's Government since July, 1945, were as follow:Production less local consumption:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if all industrial premises in North Staffordshire have now been derequisitioned.

Out of a total of 380 industrial premises (6.25 million sq. ft. in area) requisitioned in North Staffordshire for war production and storage, only 28 premises of 700,000 sq, ft. are still held under requisition Of these, 16 premises of 500,000 sq. ft. are being retained under storage with the consent of their owners, until they can be restarted in civil production; the balance, 200,000 sq. ft. is now being vacated and should be derequisitioned by June next.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has considered the case of an ex-miner who wished to return to the pit, particulars of which have been sent to him, who. because of the difficulties in obtaining tools, clothing, soap and extra food rations and delays and loss of time in securing these necessities, has preferred to return to unemployment benefit; and what action he is taking to minimise these inconveniences.

I have asked the National Coal Board to look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why, in the list of priorities for the supply of coke, places of entertainment take priority over schools; and whether he will relegate places of entertainment to a lower place upon the list.

There was never any intention that places of entertainment should take priority over schools and steps have been taken to make sure that this is clearly understood.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will place the domestic coal allocation on a coupon-rationed basis.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of widespread misunderstanding, he will arrange for a clear statement to be broadcast on the matter of domestic fuel supplies, including the standard amounts to which householders are entitled and the position in regard to carry-over as between successive periods.

Clear statements as to the maximum quantities of coal which are permitted without licence have been repeatedly published in the national and local weekly papers. Deliveries within the maximum depend on the supplies received week by week from the collieries and there is no standard amount to which consumers are entitled. It is not possible to allow any general carry-over of undelivered balances from one restriction period to another, but in exceptional cases where hardship would otherwise arise, the local fuel overseer has power to authorise an extra supply.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what scientific estimate has been made of the respective merits of gas and electricity in the provision of heat for cooking.

So far as I am aware, no precise scientific estimate has been made on this question, which in practice is complicated both by the wide variations in methods of using cooking appliances and by the different efficiencies with which gas and electricity are obtained from coal.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why there is up to a fortnight's delay at local fuel offices between accepting a medical certificate justifying a supply of coal in cases of illness and notifying the fuel supplier.

Such delay would be quite unusual, and I should be glad if the hon. Member would send me particulars of any cases which may have come to his knowledge.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what allocation of paper he is making for a new monthly journal to be issued under the auspices of the National Coal Board.

The publication which is in contemplation will be the official journal of the National Coal Board, and the Stationery Office will provide paper for it on a repayment basis.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give a schedule of the various coal pits in the Lepton, Grange Moor, Mirfield, Gomersal and Birkenshaw areas of the West Riding of Yorkshire, showing the number of men employed, the pit-head baths and cooked-meal canteen facilities provided; and what prospects there are of an early extension of these facilities.

I am sending my hon. Friend the information he asks for.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the functions of the Combined Coal Board in the U.S.A.; who are the members of such a board in addition to Britain and the U.S.A.; and how far are such functions related to the activities of the European Coal Organisation.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind the Washington Coal Committee. This Committee, in cooperation with the London Coal Committee, is concerned with the allocation of coal from the U.S.A. and Canada to overseas destinations not normally supplied by this country or the U.S.A., i.e., to consumption points in South America, Africa, the Middle and Far East, and certain countries in Europe which remain outside the ambit of the European Coal Organisation. In addition, to the United Kingdom and the United States, Canada is a member of the Committee. The Washington Coal Committee, in allocating the total U.S. exports makes provision for the detailed allocations for European Countries recommended by the European Coal Organisation, as approved by the U.S Government.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether his attention has been drawn to the quantities of hard coal, brown coal and electrical power exported from the Ruhr to France, Belgium and Holland during the 18 months ended 31st December, 1946; whether any attempt is being made to secure some hard coal from the Ruhr for use in the United Kingdom; and whether river and sea transport can be arranged.

I am aware of the exports to which the hon. Member refers. As regards the second part of the Question, the whole of the existing coal export available from the Ruhr is already allocated through the European Coal Organisation to European importing countries.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what, under the new arrangements which are to start on the first Monday in May, will be the average weekly cash earnings of underground and surface workers, respectively, taking into account allowances in kind, cost of baths, welfare levy including the additional extra day's pay and 16 per cent. bonus based on an annual production of 200,000,000 tons a year.

The information asked for by the hon. Member is not available.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that many holders of E coupons, granted for business purposes, have been prevented by the weather from travelling on the business in question and will have to make up the distance in the ensuing period; and whether he will, in the circumstances, extend the validity of E coupons due to expire on 31st March.

These coupons are issued for four monthly periods and the quantity allowed is assessed in accordance with the essential journeys the applicant can show it is necessary for him to perform during the period There is, therefore, no need to extend the validity of coupons issued in respect of a previous period.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will now make a statement on the future of the Petroleum Board.

No decision has yet been taken regarding the future of the Petroleum Board.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he is taking to ensure the continuance of a gas supply to the borough of Helston.

The gas works belonging to the Helston and District Gas Company is in a bad condition and the company cannot raise the necessary finance to put it right. While the maintenance of the supply of gas is the company's responsibility, my Department is seeing whether there is any help they can give.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has met a deputation from the Rugby League; and if it is his intention to allow mid-week matches to be played commencing at 6 p.m. and later.

The Rugby League were represented at the meeting which I had on 11th March, but I did not think it necessary to trouble the league to send a deputation to London. In reply to their representations I have told the league that the Government would not wish to raise objection to mid-week matches in cup and league competitions or matches which are annual local events provided that they are not likely to attract as spectators members of the public whose normal half-holiday is on Saturday or who would normally be employed in production at the hour of the match.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he contemplates introducing early legislation to implement that part of the Report of the Committee on Procedure in Matrimonial Causes which recommends giving to the magistrates power to make payments greater than £2 per week for a wife and 10s. for a child.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Wimbledon (Mr. Palmer) on 13th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Dorothy Grange has yet been removed from St. Helena's Home, Ealing.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to take steps to amend the Children's Act, 1933, so as to prevent children in need of care and protection being sent to remand homes to which children found guilty of offences are committed.

When children of different ages and character are in the same remand home specially careful arrangements are required to prevent contamination; and it is also desirable that, whenever practicable, use should be made of more than One remand home for classification purposes; but the method of classification proposed by the hon. Member would not be satisfactory, because some of the children and young persons most likely to contaminate others are found amongst those brought before the juvenile court as in need of care and protection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Deparment whether he is aware that in certain counties constables are required to scrub floors and clean windows of the police stations; and whether, in view of the deterrent effect this may exercise on recruitment, he will consider issuing a circular advising local police authorities to get such work done by the proper cleaning staff.

Where such cases are brought to my notice they are taken up with the responsible police authority. The practice does not appear to be so prevalent as to need a circular on the subject from the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when His Majesty's Government propose to place before this House their proposals for bringing into affect the recommendations made in the Curtis Report.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on the 24th March in reply to a Question by the junior Burgess for Cambridge University (Mr. Wilson Harris).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police constables and sergeants under 30 years of age are employed on internal duties at Scotland Yard.

Three sergeants and eight constables.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many sergeants in the Metropolitan Police force are filling the posts of station sergeants without the additional pay of that grading.

There are 18 cases in which station sergeants' duties are being performed by sergeants who do not draw temporary duty allowances because they are not employed for continuous periods exceeding two weeks, the period necessary to qualify for this allowance; a number of these vacancies will shortly be filled by promotions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he is detaining in Brixton prison Mr. B. Fisz, an alien who was resident in this country before the war, who volunteered first for civil defence work and then at the age of 18 years, for the R.A.F., who served in the Armed Forces under British command for five years and seven months with an excellent record and whose whole family were murdered in Poland during the war.

This man, with another Pole, was convicted of receiving stolen property and in addition to being sentenced to a term of imprisonment was recommended for deportation. He has been detained while inquiries were being made regarding his antecedents and his associates. I have now decided to release him subject to special restrictions in order to enable him to make his own way out of the country as an alternative to deportation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he is detaining in Brixton prison Mr. M. Lipschitz, who was born in 1917 in Petrograd, who is the holder of a Nansen passport, who has been resident in this country since 1938 as a refugee from Nazi oppression, and whose volunteered service in the British Army was rejected on medical grounds, the result Of his internment in the Sachronheusen concentration camp by the Nazis.

This man was sentenced to a month's imprisonment and recommended for deportation in December last, and on his appeal to quarter sessions in January the sentence and recommendation were confirmed. Since the sentence expired he has been detained pending the completion of arrangements for enforcing the deportation order which I felt it my duty to make against him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign persons have permits to reside in this country on condition that they do not undertake any paid employment.

Separate statistics are not kept of the number of foreigners to whom leave to land has been granted on condition that they do not take employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were on duty in and around the approaches to the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday, 18th March, on the occasion of the Anderson-Phillips fight; whether he is aware that the decision under British Board of Boxing Control rules caused a public demonstration at the end of that fight; and if he will warn the board that they must discontinue the operation of the colour bar rule at their boxing matches, as its retention will cause a breach of the peace.

There were 27 police officers outside the Albert Hall but none inside, and there was no demonstration sufficiently serious for the police to intervene. I understand that the trouble arose from a difference of opinion between the crowd and the referee on the merits of the boxers. I have no jurisdiction over the British Boxing Board of Control.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether admission to an approved school is conditional on vaccination and immunisation being undergone.

No, Sir.

asked the Scretary of State for the Home Department by what authority D.L.G. 373 has been sent to all justices of the peace; and what penalties are incurred if a justice of the peace refuses to complete and return the questionnaire.

I understand that the hon. Member is referring to a letter sent by the chairman of the Royal Commission on Justices of the Peace to all justices of the peace asking for their co-operation in the work of the inquiry by filling in and returning to the Commission a form of questions the replies to which will be tabulated for statistical purposes required by the Commission. There is no question of penalising justices who do not complete and return the questionnaire, but it is hoped that all justices will be willing to give their assistance to the Commission in its work by furnishing the particulars requested.

asked the Minister of Works what was the value of building labour expended upon shops and multiple stores in the Penrhyn and Falmouth division; upon what basis permits are issued as between dwelling-houses and business premises; and what authority has the primary responsibility for decisions reached.

The value of licences issued by my Department in 1946 for building work to shops and stores in the Penrhyn and Falmouth area was £10,742. The proportions of the labour force in that area allocated to housing and non-housing work, including business premises, are 60 per cent. and 40 per cent. respectively. Licences for non-housing work are issued by my Department where the cost exceeds £100 and by the local authority where the cost is below that amount.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that the local authorities at Lostwithiel, Cornwall, have been waiting many months for windows for 10 houses, of which details have been forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Bodmin; that these windows have been repeatedly promised; that the interior woodwork of the houses is being considerably damaged; and that four of these houses were ready in December and six could now be occupied if windows could be obtained; and if he will now make a supply available.

The difficulty in obtaining these windows was brought to the notice of my Department in January. When specific promises of delivery then obtained from the makers were not fulfilled, arrangements were made for windows to be supplied by another maker who will despatch within fourteen days of receiving the formal order with complete particulars of requirements.

asked the Minister of Works how many experimental houses, completed or under construction and selected sites for such houses, have recently been flooded; and where these are situated.

None of the experimental houses or sites in the programme being carried out by my Department has been flooded.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when he will announce a decision in regard to the claim for improved pay for locally-entered staffs employed at Malta, submitted to the three service Ministries on 6th September, 1946.

As regards the claim addressed to the Admiralty, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. W. J. Brown) on 26th February. The report from Malta there mentioned has now been received and is under examination. It should be possible shortly to hold the necessary inter-departmental discussions, to be followed by a communication on all three claims to the Staff Association concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will arrange to make available to the House copies of the communications between the Japanese Ambassador in London and the Japanese Government in Tokyo in 1939–40, which have been put in evidence by the British and U.S. prosecution in the war crimes trial now being held in Tokyo; and, generally, whether any reports of these proceedings will be made available to the House.

I am asking the United Kingdom associate prosecutor at the Tokyo trial of Japanese major war criminals to send me, for the use of the House, copies of the documents referred to by the hon. and learned Member. Owing to the difficulties of transport between here and Tokyo only one set of the transcripts of the proceedings of the trial has so far been received in London, but I have asked for a duplicate set, to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, at the Conference of Foreign Ministers at Moscow, the British representative will propose that economic, financial, military and police assistance to Greece should be furnished and supervised by U.N.O. when British assistance comes to an end.

The United Nations are not in a position to provide immediate practical assistance in any of these fields.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning what is to be the constitution of the local public inquiries which are to be set up on military training areas; what are to be the qualifications of the chairmen of these inquiries; whether any persons have been selected; and when the inquiries will be held.

The public local inquiries referred to will in each case be held by a person experienced in public affairs to be appointed by the Minister of Town and Country Planning as soon as possible after the publication of the White Paper promised in the Prime Minister's statement on 25th February, 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of Lister and other A.A. generators, at present held in ordnance depots and A.A. Command; how many requests were received for these during the fuel crisis; and how many have actually been issued.

It is not in accordance with practice to disclose how many of any specific kind of military equipment are held. Requests were received for 358 generators, all of which were granted.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster the average calorific value of food received per day by Germans in the British zone during January, 1947.

As I stated in my answer to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Penryn and Falmouth (Mr. King) on 22nd January, the weighted average of the rations in the British zone, including those of normal consumers, heavy workers, nursing mothers and others, but excluding supplementary meals to children at school, was 1,750 calories per day in January. The corresponding figure for the food received was about 1,670 calories per day. The deficiency of 80 calories should be made good by the end of this month.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why a young woman, particulars of whose case have been sent him, has been employed by the Control Commission for Germany about 12 months and received full pay during that period; and why she has now received an increase in pay of 15s. per week although she has been living at home and has never done any work for the Control Commission.

No particulars have leached me except a newspaper cutting making a general allegation but giving no name or other details. I am unable to trace any case of the kind described by the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many employees of the Control Commission are still in this country and have been on the pay-roll of the Commission for three months or longer without being asked to report for duty; when he intends to release these workers and thus enable them to enter other employment for which they are urgently needed; and what is the position with regard to the clothing allowance and coupon allocation issued to such workers when they first entered the employment of the Commission.

On 15th March there were in the United Kingdom 275 recruits to the Control Commission for Germany who had been on the pay-roll since 31st December, 1946, or earlier and who could not be called forward to Germany in view of accommodation and other difficulties. Owing to changes in the functions and organisation of the Commission and consequent cuts in establishment few of these will now be needed. One month's notice of termination had been sent to 223 before 15th March. With regard to the last part of the Question, a recruit who has to be discharged without going to Germany is required to return any unexpended portion of the clothing allowance and coupon allocation.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that members of the Oldham branch of the A.T.C. have to make purchases of equipment at one shop only; and what is the reason for this provision.

No, Sir. There is no such order, and the three A.T.C. squadrons in Oldham inform me that their purchases of equipment are not restricted to one shop.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many officers and other ranks are now serving sentences both at home and abroad.

The following officers and airmen of the Royal Air Force are serving sentences of more than 21 days:

asked the Minister at Pensions how much of the total annual costs of disablement awards and additional allowances in 1946 represented disablement awards and how much additional allowances.

At 31st December, 1946, the annual cost of disablement awards was approximately £38,250,000 and of additional allowances £12,750,000. The latter figure includes about £3,000,000 in respect of allowances paid to men undergoing approved treatment.

asked the Minister of Food how many local food offices now operate under the control of his Department; the approximate total of the staff employed; to what extent is the work of such offices being reduced or increased and for what reasons; what checks are made to ensure that excessive staffs arc not held after the initial need for them has disappeared; and what reductions are contemplated during the next few months.

There are 1,213 local food offices and 473 sub-offices. The number of staff employed in these offices on 1st March, 1947, was 29,710, counting part-time workers as a half. These offices do work for the Registrars General, and for other Government Departments, such as the issue of clothing ration documents for the Board of Trade, in addition to their food control duties. The volume of work naturally varies with the changing supply and distribution problems. I can hold out little hope of a major reduction while the general food situation remains difficult. Also, in the next few months there is bound to be a temporary increase while the new ration books are being prepared and issued.On the other hand, divisional food offices and headquarters alike are continually on the watch against inefficiency and over-staffing, and I have recently appointed a special committee to examine possible economies in manpower—for instance, reductions in the actual volume of work undertaken, the better deployment of staff, the mechanization of certain processes and any other means of releasing staff while maintaining the Ministry's service to the public. It is impossible to give any estimate of the saving which may be effected in these ways.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to increase the allocation of rationed and unrationed foodstuffs to the coastal areas of Kent during the coming holiday season.

The existing arrangements are sufficiently elastic to ensure adequate supplies of food in holiday resorts. Retailers, caterers and hotel keepers may obtain increased supplies of rationed foods on supplementary permits; they are also granted extra points credits for the purchase of additional supplies of points-rationed foods. The method of distribution of certain ingredients for cakes, pies and so on takes account of the seasonal influx of visitors. A number of unrationed foods are not allocated by my Department and traders will no doubt make their own arrangements as usual.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any information about the recent epidemic of distemper during which many valuable dogs died; and whether the animals had been inoculated against the disease.

There has been an epidemic of distemper in recent months, such as occurs periodically, but as the disease is not required to be notified, I have no precise information of its extent. As regards the last part of the Question, I regret that I have no particulars.