asked the Minister of Transport (1) the total number of bicycles carried by British railways in the last year;

As it is not the practice of the railway companies to segregate bicycles from other traffic in their records, it is not possible to state either the number carried or the amount paid in compensation for any damage which they sustained.

asked the Minister of Transport how the saving of engine miles by the reduction at passenger train services on the four main line railways has been utilised; and to what extent

Some cuts were made in passenger services to save coal, others to release locomotive power and line capacity for coal trains. It is not practicable to express the results in figures.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that there is no appreciable increase in light engine miles, which would indicate an increased wastage in engine miles?

I am afraid I cannot answer that question definitely. If my hon. Friend will put that question down, I will endeavour to give him the information.

asked the Minister of Transport in view of the restriction of summer passenger train services on the four main line railways, if the practice of advance booking of seats on certain trains will be continued.

I regret that owing to the reduction in railway services during the summer months, the reservation of seats on trains will, with certain exceptions, be discontinued from 16th June next, when the summer time tables come into force. The arrangements will be announced later.

Will my right hon. Friend say what the exceptions are, or will they be announced later?

They will he announced with the full information.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) the average number of people per hour over the whole week using the L.M.S. station at London Road, Manchester, between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.; and the railway company's staff which it is estimated would be required to keep the refreshment rooms open until 1 a.m.;

A census of passengers was taken on 15th April. Eight hundred and thirty-five passengers were counted between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., 350 from 11 p.m. to midnight, and 697 from midnight to r a.m. Two additional attendants have now been engaged and arrangements have been made for the refreshment rooms to remain open until 1 a.m. from today.

I am much obliged.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the refreshment rooms at the London terminal stations are not open during the night? Can he make some inquiries, especially in view of the coming holiday period, to see if it is possible to have refreshment rooms kept open all night, for the benefit of passengers who may have to wait many hours for their trains?

It is always more useful to have one's attention drawn to a specific case than to a general statement, which may cover a wide and unnecessary field.

Is the Minister aware that the whole refreshment service on the railways is utterly inadequate, not only in Lancashire but at all termini, and will he make it his business to have a special inquiry into the best means of serving the public with refreshments?

I am aware of that general deficiency. That is why we propose to nationalise the railways.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the L.M.S. Railway Company has reduced the ex gratia payments to retired servants of the old Glasgow and South Western Railway Company because of the increased pensions now being paid under the Government's national insurance scheme; and, as those pensions were granted by the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company prior to the passing of the Railways Act, 1921, and were for services rendered, what action he will take to ensure that the L.M.S. Railway Company carry through the obligations imposed by the Railways Act, 1921.

I am informed that no alteration has been made by the L.M.S. Railway Company to pension payments to men who retired from the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company, that is, before 1925. The second part of the Question, therefore, does not arise.

Is the Minister not aware that I have already supplied him with the information that these pensions have been reduced?

No, I am not aware of that. This is the information submitted to me. If my hon. Friend says that there is definite information to the contrary, I will personally look into the matter.

But I have already supplied the Minister with the information.

asked the Minister of Transport why the L.P.T.B. have given no reply to a submission from the Railway Workshop Staffs joint Negotiating Committee made three weeks ago.

I am informed that the London Passenger Transport Board were already considering a general submission from the bodies with which they are accustomed to deal, when a submission purporting to be on behalf of supervisory grades was received from the Negotiating Committee. The Board found it necessary to seek further information from the Negotiating Committee as to the staff represented by them.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has any information as to the extent of damage caused to public roads by the recent frosts; and what will be the cost of repairing them.

Information as to the damage which has been caused to the public roads by the recent frosts is not yet complete, but it is already clear that the cost of repairs will be heavy. For eight counties it is estimated at between £250,000 and £300,000.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that ex-Servicemen with 100 per cent. dis- ability pension can no longer obtain a reconditioned ex-Service motor car however deserving the case may be; and if he will reconsider his decision with regard to this matter which is causing hardship and concern.

The supply of surplus ex-Service cars suitable for economical reconditioning is steadily declining and there is still a long waiting list of disabled ex-Servicemen whose applications were accepted before the list was closed in November, 1946. It is not certain that cars will become available for all of these applicants and I cannot therefore agree to accept further applications and raise hopes which have little prospect of being realised.

The Minister has used the words, "I am not certain." Will he consider this matter all over again in the case of those men with 100 per cent. disability who wish to earn their living by utilising reconditioned cars?

I can assure my hon. Friend that I have given long, continuous and serious consideration to this problem with every desire to meet the need. The cars are not there and I do not think it is desirable to keep the people waiting in hope when I feel that there is no substantial prospect of meeting their wishes

asked the Minister of Transport when it is expected that work will be commenced on the proposed new section of the Bristol-Bath road to by-pass the village of Keynsham; whether the construction of a road bridge or a hydroelectric dam plus roadway over the River Severn has been considered in relation to the former project; and what modification will be necessary in the plans for the bypass road in either case.

I cannot say when work can be started on the proposed Keynsham by-pass. The plans are being drawn up with due regard to the proposed Severn Bridge, but are not likely to be affected by any proposals made for a hydro-electric scheme.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in the interests of road safety, he will initiate ex- periments with coloured surfaces for pedestrian crossings and, if they prove helpful, bring them into general use.

A number of experiments have already been made using coloured surfaces for pedestrian crossings and my right hon. Friend is at present reviewing the results.

Would my hon. Friend consider experimenting with the use of luminous paint for these crossings? It would, at least, enhance their visibility during the hours of darkness.

I rather doubt whether that is practicable, but I will certainly have it looked into.

Would the Minister consider selecting the colours red for danger, and blue for safety?

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the dangerous road conditions between the villages of Horton and Leek; that for many years the parish council have been trying to get his Department to use powers to acquire a private road for which toll is charged; and if he is prepared to make an immediate investigation into the parish council's requests.

I have already written fully to my hon. Friend on this subject. As I explained in my letters, I have no jurisdiction over this private road and no power to acquire it compulsorily.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this is a matter of paramount importance to these villagers who, for some 20 years, have been trying to get this toll road open and, since we are a Government of legislators and not antiquarians, will my right hon. Friend look into the matter?

As I have already told my hon. Friend, I have looked into it and have no powers to deal with the problem.

Who would have power?

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated cost of making a new arterial road near Windmill Hill between Horndean and Petersfield on the Portsmouth road; and why this work is being done at the present time when labour and materials are urgently needed for new housing estates.

A second carriageway, with footways, is being constructed on this stretch of the Portsmouth road, at an estimated cost of £100,000, in the interests of safety. Civil engineering labour only is being employed.

Is the Minister aware that this is the loneliest and least frequented part of the Portsmouth road, and what conceivable justification is there for spending labour now on this work when it is so urgently required elsewhere?

I do not think that that is the case. This is a rather heavily trafficked road and the present carriageway varies unduly. As a matter of fact, this extension is also to be used for certain road research work.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the recent safety experiments carried out on roads in Oxfordshire; and what further steps are being taken to introduce the system elsewhere.

Before the war the layout of a number of road junctions in Oxfordshire was improved with the aid of a grant from the Road Fund, and it is to this work that I assume my hon. Friend is referring. The principles adopted in the improvement of these road junctions are generally accepted and I have no doubt that, as circumstances permit, highway authorities will carry out similar work to secure greater safety on the roads.

asked the Minister of Transport how many officials, business men and missionaries, respectively, including members of their families, are awaiting sea passages to West Africa; and how long those at the head of each list have been waiting.

There are 1,630 men, women and children awaiting passage to West Africa, of whom 904 are classified as official and 605 as commercial passen- gers, and 121 as missionaries. In the official and commercial lists the longest wait has been since October, 1946, and among the missionaries since August, 1946.

What about business men?

They do very well

Do the figures show that the fifty-fifty division between officials, on the one hand, and business men and missionaries, on the other, needs adjusting, or is it absolutely fair?

One is always prepared to look into matters of this description and to adjust them according to varying circumstances when we are supplying civilian transport. In relation to the rest of the demand on shipping, I do not think that this particular route suffers unduly.

Does not the Minister think that, for once, hard working British officials in West Africa should have some slight priority for their wives and families to go out there?

We are indeed very anxious to meet that but, when the accommodation is so strictly limited, they cannot possibly have priority.

Can the Minister say how long these people on the waiting list are likely to remain waiting, and what steps are being taken to increase the amount of transport available so that they may be taken off the waiting list and given passage?

We increase the facilities whenever possible but the demand rather tends to grow instead of lessen.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps are being taken to improve the navigational aids in the approaches to Southampton.

The restoration of the navigational aids at the Nab Tower, which were reduced to meet war requirements, started last July when the radio beacon then operating was discontinued to allow work to be started on the new beacon. This new beacon will come into operation on 15th May. Work on the reinstallation of better lights and fog signals at the tower has also started and Trinity House are satisfied that, on the com- pletion of this work, the approaches to Southampton will be adequately marked. The Southampton Harbour Board inform me that the navigation aids within the area under their jurisdiction have always been maintained to the satisfaction of the interests represented on the Board, which include the Admiralty, Trinity House and the various shipping interests using the port.

In view of the mishap which occurred to the "Queen Elizabeth" last week, can the Minister say why so much time has been wasted in getting the navigational aids into full working order?

I understand that there is no suggestion that the mishap was due to the causes to which the hon. Member refers.

Does what the Minister said mean that the aids to navigation are not satisfactory now and that the criticisms which have been made against Southampton are, in fact, justified?

No, it does not mean anything of the kind. If the hon. Member will read my reply carefully, he will see that that is the case.

asked the Minister of Supply if the price control regulations limiting the prices of second-hand tractors have been observed at all the auctions held under the auspices of his Department.

Yes, Sir, except in isolated cases.

How can there be isolated cases? Surely, one law must obtain for Government Departments as well as private individuals at these auction sales?

That is so. There were one or two small slips and mistakes.

asked the Minister of Supply the percentage increases over prices current in August, 1939, which is permitted in respect of commodities therein specified by S.R. & O., 1947, No. 336.

About 145 per cent., Sir.

In view of that answer, will not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the explanatory memorandum is a rather modest understatement?

I prefer understatement to overstatement.

asked the Minister of Supply if his attention has been drawn to a misprint in the explanatory note of S.R. & O., 1947, No. 255; how many copies of this Order have been printed with this misprint; and what steps has he taken to correct it.

Yes, Sir. The word "long" was printed instead of "longer" in the phrase "now no longer applicable." The mistake was too trifling to justify reprinting the 5.000 copies issued.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the shortage of electrical steel which is needed, inter alia, for the manufacture of goods exportable to hard currency countries; and if he will increase the supply of such steel by importing it or allowing British firms to manufacture it.

Yes, Sir. It is hoped to expand United Kingdom production of electrical steel sheets by over one-third by the end of this year, and to import substantial quantities from the U.S.A., Germany and Belgium.

asked the Minister of Supply why, pending the completion of a fair contract for the purchase of virgin aluminium ingot, he is paying a provisional price to the British Aluminium Company which is not only well below their bare cost of production but well below the price at which the metal could be purchased in any part of the world today.

The provisional price is equivalent to the landed price of aluminium purchased under Government contract from Canada.

But surely that is not the price prevailing in Canada even when landed? Cannot the Minister pay a fair price as soon as possible?

A price is being negotiated, and pending negotiations being completed, a provisional price is being paid. The provisional price is the landed price from Canada.

asked the Minister of Supply how much oil-well drilling equipment has been delivered by Woolwich Arsenal to the British Oilfield Equipment Company; how much has been accepted by them as satisfactory; and how much rejected.

A considerable quantity of this equipment has been delivered and none of it has been rejected.

Can the Minister say whether this equipment has been put into service and if it has proved satisfactory in the oil lines?

That is the business of the purchaser and not of my Department.

asked the Minister of Supply the quantity of steel used in the manufacture of armaments, including warships, during 1946; and what quantity is it proposed to allocate for this purpose during 1947.

I regret that it would not be in the public interest to give details of this kind.

Although my right hon. Friend cannot disclose these matters, can he assure the House that every care will be taken to keep the quantity allocated for that purpose to a minimum and to see that none is used in the manufacture of obsolescent weapons?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that the efforts of the motor industry to give preference in the delivery of motor cars required by doctors have proved ineffective and that many doctors urgently in need of motor cars for their professional duties are unable to obtain them; and if he will consider, with the industry, enforcing a scheme of covenants similar to the scheme prohibiting resale of motor cars within 12 months, whereby motor dealers are obliged to give priority of delivery to such doctors.

No, Sir. The motor in- dustry is honouring its undertaking to give preference to the delivery of cars required by doctors, while having regard to the claims of the other priority users, nurses and midwives.

While I fully appreciate that the motor industry is honouring its undertakings, may I ask if my right hon. Friend is aware that the supply of motor cars for doctors comes from the dealers and not from the manufacturers, and would he not arrange with the manufacturers that dealers enter into covenants with manufacturers to give priority to doctors who are in need of cars?

I have not had any complaints about this, but in view of what my hon. Friend says, I will certainly take it up with the industry.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the same acute shortage applies to district nurses as well as country doctors, and will he also take them into consideration?

Yes, Sir, but there are not enough to go round. That is the trouble.

Will the right hon. Gentleman also take into account the position of veterinary surgeons in remote rural areas?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in regard to midwives and district nurses, there is a scheme in force between the Ministry of Health and the industry which works very well, but that there is no such scheme for the doctors?

asked the Minister of Supply why the cost of aircraft bought in the U.S.A. for the use of British corporations can be announced, whereas the figures for British-built aircraft are not disclosed.

I do not think that this would be desirable.

May I ask how any Member of this House or any one in the country can properly assess the relative advantages of buying aircraft in America or this country if they are not to know the cost of British aircraft?

It is a long established rule that negotiations would be prejudiced by disclosure of prices when contracts with individual firms were made, and I would ask the hon. Gentleman not to press this.

It is not a question of a Government contract but the price for an article that a national corporation is paying. Why can we not have this information?

As I have explained, it has been felt to be prejudicial to the public interest to disclose the prices of articles purchased from particular firms—[HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"]—but I am quite willing to look into it.

Is the Minister aware that he could get the best built aeroplanes at the cheapest rate if he would set up a factory in Scotland?

Could not my right hon. Friend review the whole question of the issue of statistics and information on the production of civil aircraft so that the matter might receive the natural public interest that it deserves?

I will certainly look into it, but I must make the reservation that the public interest comes first.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will issue a general permit which will enable Members of Parliament to visit dumps controlled by his Department at any time without previous notice.

No, Sir; I am afraid that would not be practicable, but if hon. Members will let me know when they wish to visit a particular depot I shall be glad to make arrangements.

Obviously my right hon. Friend would do so and I thank him for it, but would he say why an hon. Member should not just drop in and look round?

Many of these dumps are small and in remote places with only an industrial staff and no means of identifying hon. Members, and I cannot see that any good purpose would be served.

Why should the right hon. Gentleman wish to drop an iron curtain over his dumps?

On the contrary, I have offered to let it up at any moment.

Would the Minister provide equal facilities for visiting "joints" as well as dumps?

Does not the giving of notice negative the purpose for which the visit is made?

What is the purpose?

asked the Minister of Supply when it is expected that the work of his Department will allow of a reduction in the staff of 194 men and 88 women employed in the Disposals (S) Department, Hans Mansions.

The staff will be progressively reduced during the present year.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware of the scarcity of light sections of mild steel, particularly of flats ⅛ in., 3/16 in., and ¼ in.; what is the cause of the shortage; and what steps are being taken to overcome it.

Yes, Sir. There is a very heavy demand and a serious shortage of semi-finished material, due largely to the difficulty of obtaining imports. We are doing all we can to improve the position, but I am afraid that no early relief is possible.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that so far as home-produced light sections are concerned, it is largely a matter of arranging the necessary incentives? Would he please consider the matter from that point of view?

I am sorry, but I do not quite appreciate the hon. Member's point.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the real point is that it pays the men at the moment to produce the larger sections to a greater extent than the light sections? Would he please look into it?

I will certainly look into it.

asked the Minister of Supply in view of the export of mining machinery during /946, if he will make a statement of the intentions in connection with the export of similar machinery during 1947, in view of the urgent need for immediate delivery to collieries of conveyor belting, cables, heavy electric motors, cutters and conveyors.

Full account will be taken of the urgent need of the collieries for mining machinery when the export quota for 1947 is fixed.

Does my right hon. Friend not agree that coalmining in this country is more important to our economy than goldmining is abroad, and would he see that none of our productive effort is diverted to goldmining in preference to coalmining machinery?

Machinery for our coal mines will come first.

asked the Minister of Works the total cost of the subsidy on housing borne on his Vote during the past year, exclusive of the figure of 4207,500 on Belgian bricks.

In addition to the subsidy in respect of Belgian bricks, special arrangements have been made for the supply of fletton bricks to Scottish local authorities for sale at the average ex-works price for Scottish bricks. This has involved a subsidy payment on my Department's Votes of £62,000 to date.

Will the Minister say why this information was not revealed before? Why is it necessary to put down a Question before these building subsidies can be brought to light?

This is included in the Department's Vote and, as far as I know, the information was given.

May I say, Mr. Speaker, to avoid ambiguity, that the Question I put down on the Paper specified Queen Elizabeth Tudor?

The answer to the Question is, "No, Sir."

The right hon. Gentleman is very difficult. Is he aware that this lady could make a good claim for being regarded as the greatest Sovereign this country has ever known? Is he aware that a Committee of both Houses, of which Lord Macaulay was a member, recommended that a statue be erected in these precincts; and that there exist today, as there did not in Lord Macaulay's time, several hon. Members of this House who would serve admirably as models for such a statue?

That is a matter of opinion. As far as I can see, there are other more notable omissions than Queen Elizabeth.

Should not this question be addressed to Madame Tussaud?

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the successor of Queen Elizabeth, King James the Sixth of Scotland and First of England?

If my memory serves me right, I said "No, Sir" to that Question some time ago.

asked the Minister of Works when the statue of General Gordon will be replaced in Trafalgar Square; and whether he has any further information regarding the statue of King Charles I.

The repairs to the statue of King Charles I have been completed and the statue will be restored to its pedestal in the course of the next few weeks. A decision about the statue of General Gordon will be reached shortly.

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean that there is some doubt about it, and does he realise the possible political consequences of preferring to put the first British Governor-General of the Sudan under a bushel instead of in a candlestick?

Will his head be on or off?

asked the Minister of Works if he will revise the regulation which requires that the value of the materials in a small building, such as a garden shed, which it is proposed to move from one site to another, must be included in the total cost, which has the effect of bringing the operation within the scope of licensing by the local authority.

No revision is necessary. It it is desired to move an existing building from one site to another all that has to be taken into account in computing the cost of the work is the cost of dismantling, the cost of transport, if any, and the cost of re-erection.

Does this also apply to the sale of new garages in concrete, steel, aluminium, and timber, which are being extensively advertised?

This does not apply to new erections, but to existing ones.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that the hon. Member for Maldon made representations to the Board of Trade on 14th January on behalf of the Witham, Essex, branch of the National Federation of Building Trades Operatives who were in urgent need of permits for vacuum flasks; that his Department, as agent for the Board of Trade, recommended on 4th February that the matter be referred to his regional officer at Cambridge, and gave an assurance that it would receive immediate attention; that the union branch secretary concerned applied to the regional officer on 24th February, but has so far received neither the permits, nor an acknowledgment of his letter; and if he will expedite the issue of these permits, and improve these arrangements generally.

The permits were issued on 26th March. I regret the delay which occurred in this case and the arrangements for dealing with such applications have been improved.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that these permits were sent When this Question originally appeared on the Order Paper, but that only four were sent instead of the 11 asked for? Are not all these workers equally entitled to these permits?

My information is that all were sent, but I will look into the statement my hon. Friend has made.

May I appeal to the Prime Minister to look at the purport of this Question, and to consider wiping out altogether the permits branch of the Board of Trade, which does not do anything besides create alibis and a lot of mischievous work for a lot of people who do not really matter to human society?

asked the Minister of Works if he will make a statement regarding the release of the Ardencaple Nursing Home in Middlesbrough.

A scheme for rehousing the Ministry of Labour staff from Ardencaple in part of the employment exchange, has now been agreed, and arrangements are being made to prepare the accommodation for occupation as quickly as possible. Ardencaple will be released as soon as the space is ready, which I hope will be in three or four months' time.

Will the Minister be good enough to keep an eye on these people, because I have had similar replies for two years and they will not leave without some kind of ejectment order being obtained against them? I hope my right hon. Friend will take some steps in time to see that they are got out of these premises.

I will do my best.

asked the Minister of Works whether his Department, or the local authority, gave the licence for 1,198 of reconstruction work on the property The Headlands, Moor Road, West Didsbury; and whether this is a usual amount for such reconstruction work on a private house.

The licence was issued by the local authority. The amount of the licence was agreed by the local authority after inspection and was the minimum considered necessary having regard to the size and condition of the property.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that the housing programme of the Ramsey Urban District Council is being seriously delayed through lack of roofing tiles; and what steps he will take to expedite delivery to the contractors concerned.

Yes, Sir. Arrangements have been made which should result in tiling being resumed immediately.

asked the Minister of Works whether, in view of the increasing importance of food production in this country by all who can take part in it, he will consider making rabbit netting available to those cultivating smallholdings and gardens on the certificate of the A.E.C's.

My officers are already prepared to authorise the issue of wire netting for this purpose when supplies are available.

Can the Minister give any idea when the supplies will be available?

No, Sir, I am afraid I cannot; that is a matter for the Ministry of Supply.

asked the Minister of Works how many hotels, large houses, small houses and flats, respectively, in the London civil defence region are at present requisitioned by the Government; and how many of each category have been released for use as dwelling accommodation since 30th September, 1946.

Government Departments hold on requisition in the London civil defence region 40 hotels, 854 large houses, 409 small houses and 1,479 flats. The in- formation required by the second part of the Question is not immediately available but I will arrange for it to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture why no action was taken for 36 hours after his Department had received a report on 29th March of the discovery of a Colorado beetle on spinach purchased at a London store; and what steps he is taking, in view of the increased imports of vegetables from the Continent, to ensure that immediate action is taken in such cases in the future.

The report of this discovery was made by telephone on the evening of Saturday, 29th March, during a period when the flood situation in the Fens was most menacing, and was unfortunately directed to an officer of my Department concerned with flood precautions. This error, which is regretted, occasioned a delay of some two hours, and steps are being taken to avoid similar errors in future. The beetle was, however, collected by the police later the same evening for transmission to the Ministry's laboratory for identification. Subsequent action when, as in this case, a Colorado beetle is found on imported produce is directed towards ascertaining the origin and distribution of the produce and examining the remainder of the consignment, and involves inquiries of salesmen and others concerned with the importation and distribution. Such action was taken in this case at the earliest possible moment after the beetle had been identified at the laboratory.

Can the Minister say what was "the earliest possible moment" in this case? Was it longer than 36 hours, because a beetle, or several beetles at large, can do a lot of damage in that time?

As I informed the hon. Gentleman, the delay was only two hours, not 36.

But it was much longer by the time it was identified in the laboratory.

The inspection was only delayed by two hours, after which the police were able to receive the Colorado beetle, which was immediately transmitted to the laboratory.

There may have been 700 others in the same consignment.

Only one was reported, anyway.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, in view of the need for increased food production and of the fact that agricultural workers have no canteens, he will consider, with the Minister of Food, the possibility of authorising county A.E.Cs. to institute mobile canteens to provide cooked meals for farmworkers.

The possibility has been considered on several occasions but as indicated by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food on 8th July, 1946, in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Woodbridge (Mr. Hare), we have been driven to the conclusion that a mobile canteen service for farm workers would be impracticable.

Is the Minister aware that the only solution of this unfair position is that extra rations should be allowed to the farm workers direct, instead of these fantastic schemes for canteens?

I do not agree that they are fantastic.

Is the Minister aware that during the floods there have been considerable numbers of mobile canteens circulating amongst the flood workers? What is the objection to doing the same thing for agricultural workers who will be working under very much the same conditions in similar scattered areas?

As the hon. and gallant Gentleman is aware, agriculture is a widely scattered industry, and it would require a very large number of floating canteens to provide the service indicated. I am afraid the loss of manpower would be almost equivalent to the gains we could get in food production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers in East Anglia are still experience- ing delays in receiving their supplies of seed potatoes from Scotland; and what steps are being taken to overcome such delays.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport arranged with the railway companies as far back as 24th March that the highest possible priority should be given to movement of Scottish seed potatoes, and they are at present being delivered to growers in England and Wales as fast as they can be dressed out of the clamps. 1n the week ended 5th April the quantity of potatoes moved from Scottish farms reached the record figure of over 28,500 tons, and deliveries are being continued at this level. The effect of the earlier paralysis of seed dressing and transport must, however, inevitably continue to be felt. There is enough once-grown seed to meet all demands that cannot be supplied from Scotland or Northern Ireland, and growers who are ready to plant, and cannot get delivery of Scottish seed might be well advised to accept such alternative supplies.

Bearing in mind the late start which these deliveries necessarily bad this season, will the right hon. Gentleman keep a careful watch on this matter so as to ensure that Scottish supplies arrive in time for planting?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the transport of Scottish seed potatoes has the highest possible priority and will, I hope, continue down to the end of planting time.

Is the right hon. Gentle man aware that Scottish farmers are very anxious to get their seed potatoes away to England but have been held up by lack of transport? I know it is all right now.

Of course they were held up because they could not dress the potatoes, but transport is now available for them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the brand known as "Majestic" seed potatoes is most widely used in East Anglia, and in fact, that these potatoes are not being sent by rail at all but by boat? Is he further aware that it takes some three weeks to get delivery on a farm in East Anglia by this method as opposed to five days by rail direct? Will he, therefore, do all he can, in view of the particularly difficult circumstances, to see that these potatoes are sent by rail and not by boat?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we are very anxious that the seed potatoes should be delivered, and that the Ministry of Transport has provided the highest priority, whether by rail, road or sea.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider obtaining the removal of the great green woodpecker from the list of protected birds, in view of the fact that it is a great enemy of bees, damages timber and also because its old nests offer shelter to grey squirels and jays.

No, Sir. I am advised that the green woodpecker does much more good than harm, and that it would be folly to remove it from the list of protected birds.

Has the Minister has any personal experience of the less desirable qualities of the great green woodpecker?

No, but I am credibly informed that the great green woodpecker is largely insectivorous, feeding on weevils and other injurious larvæ of many kinds. It is especially fond of ants and woodlice, which alone would make it worth preserving.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is the only living thing in the British Isles which has been able to preserve its sense of humour under this Government?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will institute a public inquiry to determine the cause and prevention of flooding in the valleys of the Lea and the Stort.

With my hon. Friend's permission I propose to answer this Question in general terms. My Department is in close touch with the flood situation in all areas, and is collecting all possible evidence as a basis for future policy and planning. Engineers will no doubt be asked to present detailed reports to their catchment boards as soon as they are free of their present urgent preoccupation with the reinforcement of river banks and the dispersal of water from the flooded areas, and I shall ask boards to present full reports to my Department. After these have been studied, together with the reports of my own officers and have, where necessary, been discussed with the boards concerned, it will be possible to consider whether any form of inquiry, either generally or in any particular case, is necessary or desirable.

Is the right hon. Gentleman still intending to place these boards under the Transport Commission?

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that, His Majesty's Government having accepted the principle that these floods all over the country have been a national disaster, it is only right that the House should have an opportunity of debating the matter at the earliest possible moment?

The hon. and gallant Member should address that question to the Leader of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will reverse his decision against the employment of German prisoners of war as lorry drivers to transport their fellow prisoners to and from their agricultural labours in Kent; and if he is aware that his refusal to agree to the utilisation of the prisoners in this capacity has added considerably to the housing shortage in Ashford, Kent.

County war agricultural executive committees are under instructions not to employ prisoners of war as lorry, drivers where British drivers are available. As regards the second part of the Question, the Kent committee occupy one house in Ashford as a hostel for their drivers. Every endeavour is being made to find alternative accommodation so as to enable the premises to be released, but I should not be justified in attempting to solve this problem by sanctioning the displacement of British by prisoner labour.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the appropriate trade union is opposed to the employment of prisoner lorry drivers and, if so, will he represent to them that there are at present 850 families unhoused in Ashford, Kent, who urgently need this accommodation?

Those 850 families could not be placed in that particular house.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that I understand that?

I am sorry if the hon. Gentleman thought I was flippant in any way about my answer, but he referred to 850 families, whereas I had referred to only one house occupied by these drivers. I am not sure what the attitude of the trade union is to the prisoners driving lorries, but what I am concerned about is that prisoners shall not be used if British labour is on the job.

Where prisoners are employed, is it not possible to give instructions that they shall work, and not stand about?