Written Answers To Questions
Thursday, 17th April, 1947
Trade And Commerce
Motor Car Parts (Imports)
10.
asked the President of the Board of Trade of what kinds and quantities were the sets of parts of motor cars imported into the United Kingdom during 1946 and in January and February, 1947, which were wrongly included in the trade return as completed motor cars; what was their value; and from what countries were they imported.
These parts were needed to complete the assembly in this country of motor cars, which were otherwise of British manufacture. The assemblers could not make these parts, all of which came from France and amounted to 1,231 tons, valued at £224,000, in 1946 and to 316 tons, valued at £77,000, in January and February 1947.
Government Surplus Clothing (Distribution)
asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of those Government surplus goods which were saleable in drapery stores were allocated to the greater London area; what proportion went to large provincial towns; and what proportion went to country towns and villages.
There are no specific allocations of the kind indicated in the Question but the organisations through which the clothing is distributed were asked to see that their members distributed the goods fairly to their customers, subject to a request to favour the mining and industrial areas which were, in general, less well supplied than others.
Men's Clothing
13.
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the continuing shortage of large sizes of men's shirts, underwear and other garments; and what further steps he is taking to overcome that shortage.
As a result of the fuel shortage, there was a fall in the production of all types of men's clothing. Output is, however, being maintained at the highest levels which supplies of cloth and yarn permit and manufacturers are making a full range of sizes in shirts and underwear.
Molasses And Industrial Alcohol Control
14.
asked the President of the Board of Trade how many former employees or representatives of British Distillers Company are now serving on the Molasses and Industrial Alcohol Control.
Four, Sir; two male and two female.
Fiction And Juvenile Books (Import Restrictions)
19.
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to permit the importation of fiction and juvenile books from the Dominions without a corresponding quantity having to be imported from the U.S.A.
No, Sir. I regret that this is impracticable, as it would contravene our obligation under the United States Loan Agreement not to discriminate in our import restrictions against United States goods. The matter is somewhat involved, and, with the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate a fuller statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the statement:
1. There has been a certain amount of misunderstanding both in the United Kingdom and in other Commonwealth countries about the reasons for the restrictions which were introduced at the beginning of 1947 on the import of fiction and children's books from the latter. The following explanation may serve to put the matter in its proper perspective.
2. Before the war, there was no obstacle (either in the form of import duties or of import restrictions) to the free import of books into the United Kingdom. Total United Kingdom imports of books amounted to about million annually* , of which the U.S.A. supplied 60–70 per cent., Europe 20–25 per cent., Eire 10–15 per cent., and Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa (taken together) about 2 per cent.
3. During the war, shortage of shipping space as well as of foreign exchange made it necessary to apply import licensing to restrict imports of books from all sources very drastically. After the end of the war, however, an Open General Licence was issued permitting unrestricted imports of books from Commonwealth countries, in order to restore that free
flow of books from these countries to the United Kingdom which is clearly desirable. Owing to the heavy demand for books and to various factors which have limited the output of United Kingdom publishers, imports of books from other Commonwealth countries under this Open General Licence speedily grew to very large dimensions—over £800,000 do 1946* .
4. Towards the end of 1946, however. it became necessary to reconsider the arrangements for the import of books into the United Kingdom owing to the United Kingdom's non-discrimination obligation under the U.S. Loan Agreement. The U.S. Loan to the United Kingdom, it will be recalled, was made on certain conditions; one of these was that, on and after 1st January, 1947, the United Kingdom would not (subject to certain exceptions not here relevant) discriminate against the U.S. in its import licensing restrictions on any product.
5. The import licensing arrangements under which books were freely admitted from Commonwealth countries, while imports from the U.S.A. continued to be drastically restricted, thus became inadmissible as from the beginning of 1947, and had to be altered, so as not to discriminate against books from the U.S.A. This could have been done in several possible ways. One would be to extend the Open General Licence to include books from the U.S.A. but owing to the book shortage and the heavy demand for books in the United Kingdom this would have meant spending anything from 5 to 10 million dollars per year on novels and children's books from the U.S.A.—a dollar expenditure which was clearly far more than the United Kingdom could at present afford. The second alternative was to place the import of books from other Commonwealth countries and from the U.S.A. on a quota basis, allowing each country to send to the United Kingdom the same percentage of its prewar exports of books to the United Kingdom. This, however, would have meant restricting imports from Commonwealth countries to a percentage of their relatively small prewar exports to the United Kingdom, taking no account of the growth of their publishing industries during the war. A third alternative was therefore chosen. In the case of technical, scientific and other non-fiction books, the Open General Licence was extended to include the U.S.A. as well as Commonwealth countries. The import of fiction and children's hooks, on the other hand, was regulated by a special arrangement. Under this, regular importers are enabled to import fiction and children's books without any limit of quantity, provided that 50 per cent. by value of their total imports is in due course re-exported. This does not mean that the importer has to re-export 50 per cent. of the number of copies he imports of any particular hook, or of the books he imports from particular countries; his only obligation is that, if he imports say 10,000 worth of books in all, he must in due course re-export half (by value) of these. In other words, if he can import £5,000 worth of fiction and children's books and subsequently re-export these, he can also import £5,000 worth (of any fiction or children's books he pleases and from any country he pleases) for sale in the United Kingdom.
6. It should be added that the foregoing arrangement applies in general only to books bound in stiff board covers; special restrictions have had to be placed on the import of paper-covered books in order to prevent comic, crime and "Wild West" magazines and similar periodicals, which the United Kingdom cannot at present afford to import at all, from being imported under the guise of paper-covered books.
7. It cannot be claimed that this arrangement allows as free an import of fiction and children's books from Commonwealth sources as could have been wished; it should however allow a substantial quantity of such books to be imported for sale in the United Kingdom and gives publishers in Commonwealth countries, who have expanded their productive capacity during the war and since, an equal chance of competing in the United Kingdom market with U.S. and other overseas publishers.
8. It will be clear from the foregoing that these restrictions on imports of books from other Commonwealth countries have been imposed, not in order to protect the United Kingdom publishing industry, but simply because the United Kingdom cannot, as yet, afford unrestricted imports from the U.S.A. and, so long as this is so, is obliged to place the same restrictions on imports both of U.S. and of Commonwealth books. Restrictions on the free interchange of books are undesirable as a matter of general principle; these restrictions are kept continuously under review, and it is intended to remove them as rapidly as the United Kingdom's foreign exchange position permits. It may be added that the Publishers' Association of the United Kingdom, while realising the necessity of these restrictions, has represented to the Board of Trade its regret that they have had to be imposed and its desire that they should be removed as soon as possible.
* Including also imports of newspapers and periodicals.
Charitable Bazaars (Clothing Coupons)
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has reconsidered his ruling that coupons must be surrendered for articles made from materials for which coupons have already been surrendered and which are offered for sale at sales of work; and what decision has been reached.
I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I have today given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton-on-Tees (Mr. Chetwynd).
Cloth And Textiles (Retail Margins)
23.
asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the present difficult circumstances, he is now in a position to make a readjustment in the margins of profit allowed in the retail drapery and household textiles trades.
I have agreed to review the retail margins on cloth and clothing which were recently reduced, in the light of the reduction in the clothing ration. Discussions with the retail associations concerned will be held in the near future. The retail margins on household textiles were not reduced and the discussions on these will now be resumed.
Requisitioned Factory, Gomersal
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, and for what purpose, full use is now being made of the 40,000 square feet factory, formerly occupied by Messrs. Greenwood and Batley, at Gomersal, near Leeds; and when he anticipates that this will be used again for production.
This factory is at present being fully used by the Ministry of Supply for storage of machine tools and will be required for this purpose until the end of the year. Its future use will be reviewed in good time.
Coal Industry (Training Facilities)
38.
the Minister of Fuel and Power to what extent training facilities for new recruits to the coalmining industry are being expanded; what is the present capacity of these facilities; what is the expansion programme; and what number of recruits to the industry the National Coal Board will be able to accept in the month of April.
The weekly intake capacity of the five residential Centres operated by the Ministry of Labour on behalf of the National Coal Board has already been expanded on a four-week basis from about 300 to 410 and will be raised to about 630 in the course of the next 10 weeks. These numbers will be increased by about one-third as a result of the temporary reduction in the training period from four weeks to three. The Board are also themselves providing additional facilities for training adult entrants at their non-residential Centres, which have in the past few weeks been absorbing juvenile entrants at the rate of 400 per week and inexperienced adults at the rate of over 500 per week. There is no reason, so far as training is concerned, why the Board should be unable in April to deal with the same high rate of recruitment as in March, which averaged 2,540 per week.
Electricity Supplies
Authorised Undertakings
60.
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many authorised electric supply undertakings are situated in each of the 14 areas into which the country is to be divided as proposed in the Electricity Bill.
Following is the information:
| Electricity Board | Number of Undertakers |
| London | 48 undertakers and parts of 4 |
| South Eastern | 46 undertakers and parts of 4 |
| Southern | 41 undertakers and parts of 3 |
| South Western | 39 undertakers |
| East Anglian | 36 undertakers and part of 1 |
| East Midlands | 32 undertakers and parts of 2 |
| Midlands | 26 undertakers and parts of 4 |
| South Wales | 42 undertakers and parts of 2 |
| Merseyside and North Wales | 39 undertakers and part of 1 |
| Yorkshire | 48 undertakers and parts of 2 |
| North Eastern | 25 undertakers and part of 1 |
| North Western | 76 undertakers and parts of 2 |
| South East Scotland | 15 undertakers and part of 1 |
| South West Scotland | 21 undertakers. |
Additional Plant Capacity
61.
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what additional plant capacity in the electric power stations of the municipal and company-owned supply undertakings it is expected will be available by 30th November next to meet industrial and domestic demands.
Approximately 600,000 kilowatts.
Oil-Burning Plants (Fuel)
40.
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will give an overriding guarantee to those who have installed, or are willing to install, oil-burning plants as a substitute for coal-burning plants, both in industry and for domestic purposes, that the necessary oil will be available; and for what length of time, and at what price, such guarantee will be given.
The present oil supply programme provides for the fuel oil requirements of all consumers authorised to convert from coal to oil. Provision will also be made in programmes for future years to meet the fuel oil requirements of such consumers. It is not possible to give any undertaking with regard to prices, but every effort will be made to keep them at the lowest possible level.
Employment
Rossington Colliery, Doncaster (Ballotee)
47.
asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that Mr. Albert Jones, of Ramsey St. Mary's, Huntingdonshire, was, as a ballotee for the mines, sent to Rossington Colliery, Don-caster, in August, 1944, to receive training as a miner and remained there until September, 1946, when it was discovered that he was not a member of a trade union; that thereafter, though he reported daily, he drew no pay and was told his services were not required; that Mr. Jones has recently received instructions to report again for duty at that colliery although he is now becoming a skilled plumber; and whether he will relieve Mr. Jones of this obligation.
As soon as my inquiries are completed I will write fully to the hon. Member. I have, however, been able to ascertain that on 18th November, 1946, the colliers at Rossington Colliery indicated that they would refuse to work with Mr. Jones as he was not a member of the National Union of Mineworkers. The colliery management terminated his engagement on 23rd November, 1946.
Football Pool Staffs
53.
asked the Minister of Labour whether he has now come to any arrangement with representatives of the football pools with regard to their utilisation of labour.
Yes, Sir. I have seen representatives of the Football Pool Promoters Association, the members of which employ at least 95 per cent. of the total numbers employed by pool firms. The number of full-time workers involved is not more than 25,000 of whom 17,000 are in Liverpool, an area where there is considerable unemployment. Of this total 30 per cent are married women and 25 per cent. are women under 18. Eight per cent. are men, of whom one-fifth are disabled. The numbers, therefore, who could readily be transferred to more productive work, having regard to the labour demands in the areas concerned, are not large. Member firms of the Association have now agreed to arrangements under which they will not in future engage single women between the ages of 19 and 40 until the local office of the Ministry has had an opportunity of offering them any more essential work that may be available. They have also agreed to employ disabled men to the maximum practicable extent. With regard to their existing workers they will, by arrangement with the Ministry of Labour, facilitate appeals for them to volunteer for transfer to other important work for which labour cannot otherwise be found, such as cotton mills or nursing. Under these arrangements the local offices of the Ministry will have effective opportunities for influencing the employment of those actual or potential employees of these firms who might reasonably be expected to take other work more in the national interest. I am most grateful to the firms concerned for the co-operation they are affording me in this matter.
Disabled Persons Employment Corporation (Factories)
asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made by the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation Limited; how many disabled persons are now being employed; and what developments will be secured by the grant from his Department of £1,750,000, during 1947–48.
The Disabled Persons Employment Corporation has now six factories at Bridgend, Longton, Salford, King's Norton, Edinburgh and Bermondsey. Three hundred and thirty-three severely disabled persons were employed in these factories on 19th March, 1947. Plans are in hand for the setting up of a further 98 factories to employ about 8,900 severely disabled persons. It is hoped that 13 of these will be opened by the end of 1947.
asked the Minister of Labour if he will give a schedule of the factories and workshops already established in the West Riding of Yorkshire by the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation Limited, showing the type of employment, the numbers employed, and the developments proposed during 1947.
No factories have yet been established in the West Riding of Yorkshire by the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation Limited. The following schedule gives the current programme which is to be completed as soon as possible.
| Location | No. of workers | Proposed types of employment |
| Leeds | 100–150 | Woodworking |
| Light mechanical assembly | ||
| Finishing products | ||
| Leeds | 100–150 | No final decision |
| Huddersfield | 100 | Leather work |
| Light mechanical assembly | ||
| Woodworking | ||
| Finishing products | ||
| Castleford Pontefract | 100–150 | No final decision |
| Wakefield | 50–100 | Woodworking |
| Light mechanical assembly | ||
| Finishing products | ||
| Halifax | 40 | Electrical blanket manufacture |
| Bradford | 133–200 | Light mechanical assembly |
| Leatherwork | ||
| Weaving | ||
| Electrical blanket manufacture | ||
| Sheffield | 200 | Light mechanical assembly |
| Leatherwork | ||
| Finishing product, | ||
| Sheffield | 50 | Saw manufacture |
| Mexborough | 50–100 | No final decision |
| Rotherham | 50–100 | No final decision |
| Barnsley | 133–200 | Woodworking |
| Light mechanical assembly | ||
| Finishing products |
Shop Assistants, Portsmouth
asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of men and women, respectively, employed as shop assistants in the city of Portsmouth at the latest convenient date, together with the numbers unemployed.
Information is not available as to the number of shop assistants in Portsmouth, but at July, 1946, there were 3,900 insured men and 4,100 women in all occupations in the distributive trades including clerks, transport workers, etc.;, as well as shop assistants.; At 10th March, 1947, there were 19 unemployed men and 91 unemployed women registered at the Portsmouth Employment Exchange as applicants for employment as shop assistants.
Aliens (Conditional Residence)
67.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that many aliens resident in this country are still permitted to reside here only upon the condition that they de not undertake paid or unpaid employment; and whether he will, in all cases, cancel this condition.
It is a general principle of my right hon. Friend's policy that if a foreigner is allowed to reside in this country for a substantial or indefinite period he ought not as a general rule to be prevented from taking employment. There are, however, cases where the foreigner represents that he is coming only for a temporary visit and it is right as a measure of precaution to make it clear that he is not being admitted with a view to taking employment.
National Finance
Sterling Balances
56 and 57.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the total value of goods shipped to Egypt from 1st January, 1946, to 31st March, 1947, against sterling balances held by Egypt in this country;(2) the total value of goods shipped to India from 1st January, 1946, to 31st March, 1947, against sterling balances held by India in this country.
The following are the latest figures available:
| Trade: | |||||
| (£million, 6th January, 1946–28th February, 1947). | |||||
| — | India | Burma | Egypt | Other M. E. Countries in Sterling Area | Total |
| U.K. Imports (c.i.f.) | 82·6 | 1·1 | 17·5 | 12·9 | 114·1 |
| U.K. Exports (f.o.b.) (including re-exports) | 96·2 | 12·5 | 28·2 | 34·3 | 171·2 |
| Excess of Exports | 13·6 | 11·4 | 10·7 | 21·4 | 57·1 |
| (£ million) | |||||
| Sterling Balances: | 31st December, 1945 | 31st December, 1946 | Decrease | ||
| India, Burma and Middle East | … | … | 1929 | 1883 | 46 |
| (From Table 30 of Cmd. 7099). | |||||
Treasury Chest Stations
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury where Treasury Chests are now in existence; by whom they are operated; from what sources they derive their revenues; and for what purpose these are expended.
There are at present five Treasury Chest Stations in action—those at Bermuda, Ceylon, Gibraltar, Malta and Jamaica. (Formerly there were stations at Hong Kong and Singapore which came into enemy occupation during the war and have not since been reopened.) The Chests are operated by the Treasury Chest Officers, who are normally the. Army Command Paymasters. The Treasury Chest is a capita] fund of £700,000 (fixed by Statute) placed at the disposal of the Treasury for the purpose of supplying funds for the public service at certain places abroad in order that the provision of funds for the Fighting Services at those places may be in the hands of one man (the Treasury Chest Officer) under the direction of the Treasury instead of being dealt with separately by each of the Services. Currency is raised locally by the Treasury Chest Officer by telegraphic transfer or by bill of exchange on London or, e.g., by taking over, against adjustment in London, available funds of the local Government, which may be seeking remittance. But as no expenditure may be charged finally to the Fund all payments to or advances from the Treasury Chest stations abroad are subsequently adjusted in London between the Treasury and other Departments concerned. Any profits on exchange made by the Treasury Chest Fund are surrendered to the Exchequer, and any losses are covered by Vote of Parliament
Italy (Financial Agreements)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the financial Agreements with Italy have been signed.
Yes, Sir, three Agreements have been signed in Rome today. These are a Sterling Payments Agreement, an Agreement regarding certain post-liberation debts and claims, and an Agreement on the release of Italian assets in the United Kingdom and payment of prewar debts. Copies of these Agreements are being made available in the Library of the House and they will be published as a White Paper shortly.
Police College (Entry)
68.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the recommendations of Cmd. 7040 allow for the sufficiently early entry into the Police College of able young men whose training and abilities qualify them for ultimate positions of leadership and responsibility in the police force.
The College is primarily intended to improve the standards of efficiency throughout the police service in the ranks of Inspector and above, and not merely to select potential chief Officers of police. It is, however, clear that if the senior posts are to be filled by promotion from within the service it is essential that a proportion of outstanding young men should be sent to the College. My right hon. Friend accepts the view of the expert Committee which considered this matter that the proposed period of qualifying service is not too long, but this is clearly a matter which will have to be watched in the light of experience.
Holloway Prison (Unused Building)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the unused hall in the grounds of Holloway Prison cannot be used by Borstal girls now in the prison who have inadequate accommodation for recreation.
This building was constructed as a workshop, but it has not been possible to use it for any purpose during the winter, because heating is not yet available. It is at present being used for educational classes and recreation both by Borstal girls and also, at separate times, by other inmates of the prison.
Prisons And Borstal Institutions (Judges' Visits)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of visits paid by His Majesty's Judges of the High Court to prisons and to Borstal Institutions, respectively, in the United Kingdom during the five years ended 31st March, 1947.
I regret that this information is not available.
Education
Paper Supplies (Allocation)
75.
asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to increase the allocation of paper to schools.
Paper supplies for schools in common with other users will benefit from the recent increase in the basic allocation of coal for the industry. In addition, while the fuel restrictions continue, the paper mills have been asked to give priority to certain essential requirements, including school supplies. When the allocations for the next licensing period are being decided, I intend. to ask for a bigger allocation for schools, largely because of the raising of the age.
Canton Secondary School, Cardiff (Restoration)
76.
asked the Minister of Education if he is aware of the conditions under which the Canton secondary school, Cardiff, is having to work; and what steps are being taken to provide proper accommodation for the pupils.
The present unsatisfactory conditions at Canton secondary school are due to the partial destruction of the premises by enemy action during the war. Plans for the restoration of the first floor rooms have been approved and certificates for materials in respect of an instalment of the work have recently been issued.
Nursery Schools
78.
asked the Minister of Education how many residential and nonresidential nursery schools of all types were in existence on 1st January, 1947, in Great Britain; and how many he estimates will be in operation on 1st January, 1948.
The nursery school returns for January, 1947, are not yet quite complete, but those so far received show about 370 nursery schools of all types in England and Wales. Of these, none is recognised as a residential nursery school, but the figure includes a few residential homes in which the educational side has been recognised as a day nursery school. It is not possible yet to give an estimate for January, 1948.
State Scholarships
79.
asked the Minister of Education what steps are taken when examining candidates for State scholarships to investigate qualities other than those which can be assessed by written examination.
State Scholarships are awarded to boys and girls recommended by the eight approved Examining Bodies on the results of the Higher School Certificate Examination, and, so far as I am aware, no steps of the kind referred to by my hon. Friend are taken.
Part-Time Teachers
asked the Minister of Education if he will inquire into a case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a school teacher with eight years' teaching experience, engaged by the Brentwood County High School in April, 1946, who took up her duties in the following September but has received neither remuneration nor travelling expenses and whose headmistress can obtain no reply from his Department; and if he will rectify this position.
Last December the Authority inquired about the salary of the teacher referred to, who had been appointed for part-time teaching service in this school in September, 1946. No reference to travelling expenses was made. The salaries of part.-time teachers are not prescribed by the Burnham Reports and are for determination in the first instance by local education authorities. The Authority concerned with this particular case were so informed.
S-W Essex Technical College
asked the Minister of Education how many members of His Majesty's Forces are at present receiving training or instruction at the South-West Essex Technical College and School of Art; how many are taking rehabilitation courses; how many ordinary and special subject classrooms, respectively, are at present occupied by these courses; what is the present number of students receiving training at the college under the Emergency Training Scheme; and how many classrooms do they occupy.
According to my information 50 members of His Majesty's Forces are at present receiving instruction at the institution in question, occupying four classrooms full-time and one part-time. These students will complete their course at the end of next month. In addition 80 persons are understood to be taking special rehabilitation courses occupying two classrooms full-time and six classrooms and three special subjects rooms part-time. The number of students receiving training under the Emergency Training Scheme is understood to be 132, occuping six classrooms and two special subjects rooms.
asked the Minister of Education whether he is satisfied that all the children awarded scholarships since March, 1941, to the South-West Essex County Technical School are being afforded the same facilities as those attending the other county high schools in the same area in regard to accommodation, equipment, etc.; or whether, in view of the announcement that equality of educational opportunities and facilities is to be given to all children after 1st April, 1947.; he will take steps to rectify the position.
I am not satisfied with the accommodation at present available for the majority of the children attending the South-West Essex Secondary Technical school. Adequate facilities for this school cannot be provided, however, until it becomes possible for the Local Education Authority to build an entirely new school. In the meantime, the Authority intend to carry out improvements to the premises at present occupied by the school and their proposals are being dealt with as quickly as possible.
asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the need for co-operation between parents, teachers and local education authorities, he will take steps to have rescinded the instructions given by the chairman of the governors of the South-West Essex County Technical School refusing recognition of a voluntary association of some boo parents.
I am anxious to see helpful co-operation between parents, teachers and local education authorities in all matters affecting the educational service. Neither the Education Acts nor the Ministry's regulations govern the recognition by school authorities of parent's associations and the precise arrangements for securing effective cooperation must be settled locally according to the circumstances in the area concerned.
Students' Grants (Government Decision)
asked the Minister of Education whether he will now make a statement about the deductions made from students' grants.
In order to encourage students to undertake work of national importance which will not conflict with their studies, it has been decided that no deductions shall be made from their grants on account of earnings from employment which is not a regular part of the approved course of studies. Similarly, in order to encourage students' wives to undertake such work wherever possible, it has been decided to ignore the first £80 of their earnings in assessing the students' grants and to take into account only one-half of any sum in excess of that figure. In the case of married women holding an award as students, the husband may ordinarily be expected to be responsible for the wife's maintenance and, accordingly, the present practice will continue in respect of maintenance grants under which one-half of the husband's earnings are taken into account; as regards tuition fees, it has been decided that they shall be paid without regard to any earned income derived from the husband's employment. These arrangements have been made in consultation with the Ministry of Labour and National Service, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Scottish Education Department.
National Insurance
Unemployment Fund (Balance)
80.
asked the Minister of National Insurance what is now the total amount standing to the credit of the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
At 12th April, 1947, the balance of the Unemployment Fund was about £443,300,000 on the General Account, and £11,900,000 on the Agricultural Account.
Dental Benefit
81.
asked the Minister of National Insurance if he is aware of the inconvenience caused to panel patients by their inability to get dental treatment owing to the prolonged dispute about dentists' fees; and if he will make a statement on the subject.
As the House was informed at the time, agreement on the payments to be made for National Health Insurance work was reached with the Joint Advisory Dental Council of the profession towards the end of last year. In accordance with that 'agreement, the Council advised, and continues to advise, members of the profession generally to resume the practice of accepting insured persons for treatment in accordance with the Dental Benefit Regulations. My right hon. Friend is aware that a number of dentists who have given treatment under the Regulations in the past have not yet followed this advice of their negotiating body and he is sorry that because of this insured persons in some areas are still having difficulty in obtaining dental benefit. But the general position is improving steadily, and he thinks he must leave it to the Council to continue their efforts to secure a satisfactory service for insured persons in all areas under the terms of the agreed settlement.
Permanent Houses (Local Authorities)
asked the Minister of Health how many and what types of permanent prefabricated houses and how many other permanent council houses have been completed in the past year by Kettering Borough, Burton Latimer, Corby, Desborough and Rothwell Urban Districts, and Brixworth and Kettering Rural Districts, respectively; how many of each category were, at the beginning of this year, if prefabricated houses, ordered but not completed and, if others under construction; how many of each category were included in the council's housing programme for the next two years; how many in each category are now to be built this year or next; and what type and what numbers of any additional permanent prefabricated houses are available to he ordered by any of these councils for delivery and erection this year or next.
I would refer my hon. Friend to the monthly housing returns. I hope to publish the 1947 programmes for each local authority with the return for March.
Palestine
British Residents (Security Restrictions)
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in what respects, by what authority and why the Palestine Government restricted the freedom of British residents in Palestine in addition to restrictions applicable to the inhabitants generally; when these special restrictions will be removed; and, meanwhile, what arrangements have been made to mitigate hardship and the dislocation of business.
British residents in Palestine are in general required to reside and work within the security zones. The authority for the restrictions imposed is Defence (Emergency) Regulation No. 133A, which empowers the High Commissioner to instruct the Chief Secretary to serve on any person or class of persons such directions as may be deemed expedient for securing their personal safety. The restrictions placed on British residents are designed first, to secure their safety and, secondly, to ensure that Security Forces are not hampered in their work of maintaining order by an undefined commitment in respect of British residents who are liable to be selected for attack or abduction. It is impossible to say when these restrictions will be removed; they are under constant review, and will be modified or removed as soon as security conditions permit. It has already been possible to allow certain minor relaxations. Every effort is being made to mitigate hardships and dislocation of business by such measures as the provision of police escorts for essential journeys.
Illegal Carriage Of Arms (Death Sentences)
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will publish details of the number of Arabs who have been found guilty of carrying arms in Palestine this year, sentenced to death and hanged; and the number of Jews who have been found guilty of the same offence during the same period and how many have been hanged; and what are the comparable figures for 1936–39.
The last full year for which figures are available is 1946. These, with the comparable figures for 1937–39, are given in the table below:
| (a) Cases tried by Military Courts. | |||||
| Found guilty of carrying arms | Number sentenced to death in 1946. | Number of executions carried out. | |||
| Arabs | Jews | Arabs | Jews | Arabs | Jews |
| 198 | 98 | Nil | 22 | Nil | Nil |
| From 11/11/37 to 31/12/39. | |||||
| 519 | 77 | 182 | 4 | 108 | 1 |
| (b) Cases tried by Civil Courts. | |||||
| In 1946. | |||||
| 58 | 10 | Nil | Nil | ||
| From 11/11/37 to 31/12/39 | |||||
| 46 | 1 | Nil | Nil | ||
New Public Library, Colchester
asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that promises repeatedly given in Parliamentary answers by his Department to restore the premises of the new public library, Colchester, now occupied by the Manpower Board and the fuel office have been broken, with damage to educational institutions in the county; and if he will rectify the position.
The Manpower Board will be moved out of the premises in the next few days and the space they occupy will be released. I had hoped that it would be possible to move the food office to the old Public Library, but the Colchester Town Council prefer the existing arrangements to continue until other accommodation can be provided.
Mass Radiography (Schoolchildren)
asked the Minister of Health when he expects to be able to extend to all schoolchildren the benefit of the mobile X-ray units for detecting chest troubles at an early stage.
Mass radiography is steadily increasing and will be extended to more children as apparatus and staff become available: but present experience suggests that it is of more value at school-leaving age than before.
Army Cadet Force (Officers' Uniform)
asked the Secretary of State for War what allowances are now granted for purchase and maintenance of uniforms to officers of the Army Cadet Force.
No cash allowance is made to officers of the Army Cadet Force for the purchase and maintenance of uniform, but they are given free issues and replacements of the following articles of uniform: One battle-dress blouse, one pair of battle-dress trousers, one headdress and badge, one pair of anklets, one great-coat.
Agriculture
Wool (Marketing)
asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give details of the operations involved in the purchase and sale of home-produced wool by his Department; whether purchases are made in small lots from individual farmers or from dealers; what determines the purchase price; and why he anticipates a trading loss of £1,100,000 during 1947–48.
In order to allow further time for the consideration of long-term plans for improving the marketing of home-grown wool, the Government have decided that wool produced in the United Kingdom (other than wool grown in the Orkneys, Shetlands and Outer Hebrides) shall be requisitioned for one further year. On this occasion, however, the Order will be made, not by the Board of Trade as hitherto, but by myself and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Home Affairs, acting in conjunction. This new Departmental arrangement is intended only as an interim measure; and every effort will be made during the ensuing months to lay the foundations of a permanent organisation which will be capable of handling all British wool from 1948 onwards. All growers will be required during 1947 to deliver their wool to merchants nominated by my Department as authorised collectors; this follows the procedure of previous years.
In reply to the last part of the Question, I may say that for the purpose of this year's estimates it was assumed that the 1946 level of prices would be maintained. These prices are in excess of the probable selling values, less the costs of collection and marketing. It is expected that, as during the war years, the final result of the year's trading will involve a loss.Notes
Poultry Breeding Stock (Export)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if any action is being taken by British consuls in Switzerland and other European countries to assist our export trade in poultry breeding stock, hatching eggs and day-old chicks on the lines now being adopted by the U.S. Consulate in Berne to encourage the demand for U.S. poultry stock.
If the hon. Member will give me particulars of the measures for encouraging the export of poultry breeding stock and hatching eggs that he wishes to be adopted, I will give sympathetic consideration to the matter.