asked the Minister of Health if he will issue a circular advising local authorities that lists of persons awaiting prefabricated and other houses in their area should be exhibited at the town hall and any priorities indicated thereon.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Bingham Rural District Council are refusing to grant licences for the building of private houses; and if he will take steps to insist on their granting such licences in the proportion of one private house to five local authority houses.

The restriction was imposed by me and must for the present be retained.

asked the Minister of Health if he will recommend to local authorities that in all contracts which they place with private builders a clause should be inserted making it obligatory upon the contractors to recognise the tripartite agreement in respect of the employment of trainees.

I am afraid that such a clause would be neither practicable nor advisable in respect of a scheme which depends for success upon the full and willing co-operation of employers and employees.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered a communication, dated 8th May, from the Sutton Cold-field Borough Council, with regard to the numerous applicants refused building licences under the four to one rule, who consequently have applied for corporation houses and requesting modification of the rule in view of local conditions; and whether he will make a statement.

Yes, Sir. I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 26 of the White Paper on the 1947 Housing Programme. The numbers of private enterprise houses completed and under construction at Sutton Goldfield already exceeds the corresponding numbers of local authority houses, and the issue of further licences would be detrimental to the local authority's own programme.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state in detail the purposes for which he is using the 323 houses and 390 flats still held by his Department in the Kensington area.

These premises are held on my behalf by the local authority for housing purposes.

asked the Minister of Health (1) when the junior Member for Oldham may expect a final reply to his letter of 25th March, with reference to the Pennine View Estate, Oldham;(2) whether he is aware that the erection of 86 houses in the borough of Oldham, on the Pennine View Estate, is being indefinitely and unnecessarily delayed; and whether he will give the reasons for this delay.

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary has already replied. The difficulties have now been resolved and the contract is, I understand, near being signed.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that medical officers of health are advising that children immunised against diphtheria in infancy require only one booster dose on reaching school age to maintain their immunity; what one booster dose consists of; and what evidence he has that it will achieve the claim made.

I am advised that it is desirable that children immunised in infancy should have one reinforcing injection of toxoid on entering school, and again at the age of ten, since otherwise there is a tendency for immunity to diminish in certain cases. The beneficial effect of these injections has been shown by blood tests. A booster dose actually consists of half a cubic centimetre of alum precipitated toxoid or one cubic centimetre of toxoid antitoxin floccules.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that local authorities are not in every case serving formal notice of entry on the owner of land which has been compulsorily acquired as they are required to do by statute; and what steps he is taking to remind local authorities of their obligations in this connection.

I am aware of one case, on which I have had correspondence with the hon. Member, where a requisite notice of entry was overlooked, but I have no reason to think that such oversights are frequent or that local authorities need reminding of their obligations in this respect.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to bring about improvements in the existing arrangements for the education of children of R.A.F. personnel living in married quarters in the United Kingdom.

A local education authority has the same responsibility for making provision for these children as for all other children living in its area.

asked the Minister of Education if he is satisfied that the necessary equipment, furniture and textbooks have been provided for schools to enable them to take full advantage of the raised school-leaving age.

Steps have been taken to increase supplies of furniture, equipment and textbooks to meet the needs of the extra age group as they arise. There are bound to be some shortages at first but we are doing our best to help authorities to reduce them to a minimum.

asked the Minister of Education if he will take the necessary action to ensure that debts in the form of loans made by his Department to students, whilst undergoing training as teachers, are cancelled.

Loans are not made by the Ministry of Education. If my hon. Friend has in mind the loans made by local education authorities, the position remains as it was stated in a reply given on 10th June, 1946, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that, in many Kent County Council schools, pupils are supplied with only one exercise book per term for all subjects; and whether this is a general condition in schools or confined to the county of Kent.

I would refer the 1-on. Member to the answer given on 1st May, 1947, to the hon. Member for Chislehurst (Mr. G. Wallace), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Education whether, in view of the fact that certain classrooms at the South-West Essex Technical College will cease to be required for their present purposes at the end of this month, he will direct the Essex Education Authority to make them available to the secondary school pupils who were awarded places in the college, but are now housed at the old Commercial School in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, in accommodation with which he has expressed his dissatisfaction.

I am informed that the termination of certain training courses at the College this month will not release classrooms, since the students attending those courses have been occupying rooms which happen to be available during given periods. One laboratory will become available for the use of the secondary school, but apart from this the only effect will be a slight easing of the accommodation difficulties at the College.

asked the Minister of Education why no reply has been received from his Department by Mr. Boulton, honorary secretary of the Biggin Hill and District Ratepayers' Association, concerning buildings in Jail Lane; Cudham, particulars of which have been sent to him; and if he will expedite the release of these buildings.

The camp buildings in question are required by the Air Ministry and cannot be released for school use. Mr. Boulton was informed on 28th November last that it was unlikely they could be released and he has now been informed that the local education authority is considering the erection of prefabricated buildings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider an increase in the allocation of paper for trade periodicals, in view of the fact that ex-Servicemen returning to technical trades are handicapped by being unable to procure them as subscription lists are full.

I regret that the supply position does not enable any increase to be made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in view of the shortage of paper for the publication of books, and especially of educational text books, why paper was supplied for the publication of a book called "Today's Cinema," a copy of which has been sent him.

The publication in question is a periodical and as such is permitted to consume up to 40 per cent. of the amount of paper used in the 12 months ended 31st August, 1939.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the results of the recent Anglo-Soviet trade discussions.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Collins) on 12th May.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what quantity of hides and skins were purchased in the Argentine in the last six convenient months; what was the average c.i.f price; at what figure will they be invoiced to tanners in the United Kingdom; and what is the cost price for similar hides purchased in the U.S.A.;(2), when the Government proposes to stop subsidising and control of leather and hides; and what is the estimated cost of this subsidy during 1946 and 1947.

I do not consider it would be in the public interest to give figures of our recent purchases of hides and skins. The cost of the subsidy on leather and hides in the financial year 1946–47 is estimated at £7.8 million and for the financial year 1947–48 tentatively at £12½ million. I am at present unable to say when the subsidy or control will cease.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, to what extent preparations for the British Industries Fair were impeded by the actions of certain trades union officials; and what steps does he propose taking to avoid a repetition at similar fairs and exhibitions sponsored by his department in the future

Preparations for the British Industries Fair were not impeded by any action on the part of trade union officials and the second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise. I should, however, like to express my thanks to the many trade unionists who by their special efforts made it possible to open the Fair on time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the monthly imports, in weight and in value, respectively, of raw cocoa from Venezuela during each month of 1946 and 1947, for which figures are available.

Particulars of the only imports of raw cocoa from Venezuela during 1946 and the first three months of 1947 are given below:

asked the Minister of Labour if it is the policy of his Department to encourage part-time evening work in textile mills.

In view of the acute shortage of workers and the urgent need of increased production, I am sure there are many cases in which women might well render part-time service by working in textile mills in the evening.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will estimate the approximate number of female domestic servants in Britain at the latest convenient date by comparison with the number shown in the population census of 1931.

I regret that this is not possible.

asked the Minister of Labour the approximate number of persons in clerical occupations as indicated by national registration at the latest convenient date.

Statistics of the number of persons in clerical occupations are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the reason for the recent change in the chairmanship of the National Advisory Council on the Employment of the Disabled.

I regret to say that Viscount Ridley has asked to be released from the chairmanship of the Council as he has been advised, for health reasons, to reduce the amount of his public activities. I am very pleased to be able to announce that my right hon. Friend has appointed Major Sir J. B. Brunel Cohen as chairman in his stead.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the official statements made by Abdul Mejuid Eadu Pasha on behalf of the Egyptian Government for the settlement of sterling balances due to Egypt were previously agreed with His Majesty's Government.

Hall: No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what countries counterclaims against sterling balances have been submitted.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave him the day before yesterday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now state with what countries negotiations for the settlement of sterling balances will take place before 15th July, 1947.

With all the more important countries concerned negotiations have either been concluded, or are now proceeding, or will soon be resumed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that former employees of the West Ham Corporation Tramways, compulsorily transferred to the L.P.T.B., have been excluded from participation under the Pensions (Increase) Act; and what action he proposes to take to have these men included under this Act.

the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1944, does not apply to the persons concerned; and no application has been received from the London Passenger Transport Board for enabling powers under Section 5 of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1947.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, in view of the fact that the price of staple foods has risen by 22 per cent. and industrial wages by 65 per cent., he will make drastic reductions in the amount paid by the taxpayer in food subsidies and thus allow the law of supply and demand to operate.

I have nothing to add to what I said in my Budget speech.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many "We Work or Want" posters have been displayed; and what is their cost to the taxpayer.

About 7,250, at a cost of £11,000.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will issue weekly a statement showing in detail the disposal of the weekly production of deep-mined and opencast coal.

The disposal of the production of deep-mined and opencast coal is already shown by the detailed figures of consumption and stocks, based on returns from consumers, which are published monthly in my Department's Press Report and in the Monthly Digest of Statistics. My hon. Friend is, however, considering whether weekly figures can be published but because of the substantial, and often misleading, fluctuations to which weekly figures of this kind are subject, their publication each week might not be desirable.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power approximately how much of the total quantity of motor spirit imported during the three months January to March, 1947, was used for private pleasure motoring under the basic rationing scheme.

According to the latest information published in the Trade and Navigation Accounts the total quantity of motor spirit imported during the three months January to March, 1947, was 318,427,000 gallons. The quantity made available as basic rations for private cars and motor cycles during the same period was 68,000,000 gallons; it is not possible, however, to say how much of this quantity was used for private pleasure motoring.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the Government's proposals with regard to German prisoners of war and British women in this country who wish to marry.

There are various questions in connection with this matter on which I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, and I am not at present in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered the Report of the Committee on Electoral Registration; and whether he is now in a position to make a statement about the legislation to enable wives of serving officers and men resident overseas to vote at parliamentary elections after 15th October, 1947.

I am not at present in a position to add anything to the answer I gave to the noble Lord on 10th March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a reminder issued by the U.S. Embassy to citizens of the U.S.A. who lost their U.S. citizenship by voting in political elections in foreign countries during the war has been brought to his notice; what is the position of such U.S. citizens as regards voting in the United Kingdom; and whether he will take steps to prevent any persons who are not British subjects from voting in any future elections in this country.

The law already provides that a person who is not a British subject may not vote. Some persons, however, who by the law of a foreign country possess the nationality of that country are at the same time British subjects by British law, and as such are entitled, if otherwise qualified, to vote at elections in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average weekly cost of maintaining a prisoner in His Majesty's prisons.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. W. J. Brown) on the 31st October last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners there are now in Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum; how they are graded; what curative treatment is applied to them; how cures are tested and registered; how many releases have been made during the last 20 years; what were the ages of those released; and how many of them afterwards relapsed into crime or lunacy or both.

There are at present 822 patients in Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. The allocation of patients to the appropriate part of the Institution, their treatment and the degree of liberty which they can be allowed within the Institution are decided in the light of the mental condition and history of each individual patient. The methods of treatment adopted are those employed in other mental hospitals, and include occupational therapy, electric convulsive treatment and, in appropriate cases, psychological treatment. During the years 1927–1946 inclusive, 381 patients were discharged; of these 37, three of whom had been charged with fresh offences, were subsequently re-admitted to the Asylum. Seven of those released during this period are known to have received treatment in other mental hospitals. I regret that the other information asked for is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to arrange for the issue of a summer uniform for the Metropolitan and provincial police.

A sub-committee of the Police Council is at present examining the question whether any changes should be made in the standard patterns or materials, of police uniforms, and I am not yet in a position to say whether the committee is likely to recommend any changes. The practicability of making any immediate changes will also be affected by the extent to which materials are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now permit police officers who served with the Armed Forces during the war to volunteer for service with the reserves of those Forces.

This is a matter within the discretion of the individual police authorities, but since the end of the war it has not, in general, been practicable to permit police officers to volunteer for reserve service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that, under arrangements recently announced, the fire brigade at Ludham, Norfolk, being no longer a primary cover station, is to be deprived of its towing vehicle and of a large part of its equipment, and that these changes reduce the effectiveness of the fire-fighting arrangements in this and similar agricultural districts below what is reasonable and necessary; and if he will take steps to alter this.

Ludham has never been a primary cover station, but during the war fire-fighting equipment was supplied for emergency purposes, some of which is now being withdrawn, leaving a light pump for first aid work. The village is afforded protection against fire from a fire station at Martham and I am advised that this arrangement is fully adequate, having regard to the fire risks in the district.

asked the Minister of Supply why the price of second-hand Morrison shelter tops, offered for sale, has been increased from £12 10s. a ton to £15 10s. a ton during the last month.

The increase is designed to bring the price of this material into relationship with that for equivalent new steel plates.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the idle factory space and machinery at Barr and Stroud's works at Anniesland, Glasgow; and what steps have been taken to find work for this establishment.

Yes, Sir. I am aware that this firm can undertake more work and we have done our best to help them, both by direct orders and by the introduction of firms who might be able to make use of the capacity.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the extent to which residents in Norfolk and other large counties, including, especially, workers living in the country and working in the towns, and many agricultural labourers, are dependent upon bicycles as their means of transport; that the reduction in steel supplies to the cycle industry will be a serious matter for these country dwellers; and if he will endeavour to ensure that the production of bicycles for use in this country is maintained.

Yes, Sir. We fully appreciate the problems referred to and have in our allocations given due regard to them, but the steel at our disposal is limited.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will estimate the total indebtedness of the African cocoa farmers; and what steps are being taken to reduce it.

There are no available data on which I could estimate the total indebtedness of African cocoa farmers at all accurately though there is general agreement that it is considerable. In January of last year the Governor of the Gold Coast appointed a Committee to investigate this problem and to consider remedial action. I hope to receive their recommendations soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, with a view to economy in constructional and maintenance costs of landlines and other advantages, any consideration has yet been given to the gradual installation of a post office radio-telephonic system in the case of widely-separated areas in the African Colonies; and what conclusion has been arrived at.

The use of radiotelephony is being fully considered by the African Governments in connection with their plans for the development of telecommunications, but no general conclusion can be stated, as the relative merits of wireless and land lines have to be compared in each individual case. Apart from the question of cost, the use of radiotelephony is restricted by the limited number of frequencies available and by interference and lack of privacy. Radiotelephony is, however, being used in a number of cases. The needs of outlying areas for communications services, whether by telegraph or telephone, will also have to be balanced against the needs of other sections of the Colonial communities in the light of the total funds available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what education and health services are available for the people of Obetim district of the Kwale Division of Warri Province in Nigeria; and what steps are being made to improve them.

I am asking the Governor of Nigeria for a report and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as it is received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the estimated profit of £22,000,000 obtained by the West African Produce Board from the sale of cocoa, produced chiefly in the Gold Coast, he proposes to revise the allocation to the Gold Coast of £3,500,000 to be provided by the British taxpayer under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts

I should like to correct the estimated figure I gave the House on Wednesday, 7th May, from £22,000,000 to £20,000,000. Of this the share capital to the Gold Coast will be between £12,000,000 and £13,000,000. These accumulated trading profits are not available for the general purposes of the territories concerned but are held in trust for the producers and are intended to be used for purposes of benefit to them, especially price stabilisation, as set out in the recent White Paper on West African Cocoa Marketing I have no intention of revising the Gold Coast's allocation of the funds available under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts.

asked the Minister of Food if arrangements can be made whereby wooden containers now coming into this country with foreign vegetables and fruits are allocated and sold to British growers who are not allowed to purchase timber to make their own.

The containers from abroad become the property of the final purchaser of the contents, who is usually the retailer, and I am afraid it would be uneconomic for my Department to have a scheme to gather them up from all the shops for allocation to growers. The growers or their agents are, of course, free to make their own arrangements to purchase these containers. If the hon. Member knows of any grower who is unable to secure the containers he requires, and will let me have particulars, I will look into it.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will consider giving to adolescent children an extra ration of fat and sugar, in view of the fact that it is at this time in their life that they most need it.

I regret that the supply position does not permit of any increased ration of fats or sugar at the present time, but I can assure the hon. Member that I am fully alive to the special needs of the adolescent.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the increasing number of persons to whom olive oil has been recommended but find it impossible to obtain; and what further steps are being taken to make it available.

All the olive oil available is reserved for distribution through chemists, and will be until distribution can be substantially increased. The importers are trying to obtain supplies but I regret that the amount available is still very small.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken by intensive research or official experimentation to see whether jute or other analogous fibres, local or otherwise, can be developed in East or West Africa and in the West Indian Colonies.

The possibilities of cultivating jute or other analogous fibres in the Colonial Empire are under further examination. Research and experimentation, if needed, will be founded on the outcome of these investigations. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a memorandum recently prepared on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what quantity of mahogany was exported from the British West African Colonies and British Honduras

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of British nationals employed in all capacities at camps of the Polish Resettlement Corps in this country.

Nine hundred and forty-four military personnel, 182 fulltime civilian staff, and 124 part-time civilians are employed by my Department at Polish Resettlement Corps camps in the United Kingdom. The number of staff, if any, employed other than by the War Department, for example by N.A.A.F.I., is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the hon. Member for Moss Side may expect a reply to his letter

The exports in cubic feet are as follow:of 14th April, 1947, concerning the case of T/ 3711763 Driver C. Hennessey.

My hon. Friend will by now have received a letter about this case.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will take immediate action to settle the compensation claim of Mr. Willie Dawson, 732, Bradford Road, Birkenshaw, near Bradford, the liability for whose accident on 25th May, 1946, whilst working with the R.A.P.C. at Bradford, has been admitted by his Department; and what action is being taken to give permanent employment in the Bradford area to Mr. Dawson, who has had 25 years' employment in the Civil Service.

Liability under the Government scheme of compensation for injury was admitted by my Department and hurt pay under the scheme was authorised on expiration of Mr. Dawson's full sick pay. So far as I am aware no further compensation-is due. Further inquiries are, however, being made into his case to verify that this is so. I understand that Mr. Dawson is at present in full employment with the Ministry of Labour and National Service at Bradford. The question of his establishment is, therefore, now a matter for that Department.

asked the Minister of Works why a permit has been granted to build a racecourse at Farnham with wooden stands capable of holding 30,000 spectators, in view of the shortage of building trade workers and building materials especially timber.

No building licence has been granted, nor has the use of timber been authorised, for the building of a racecourse at Farnham.

asked the Attorney-General (1) if steps are to be taken to carry out the recommendations of the Legal Education Committee, Cmd. 4663, 1934;(2) if the committee appointed by the Lord Chancellor's Department, in May, 1938, to consider the proposed Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, has reported.

The recommendations contained in the Report of the Legal Education Committee fell under two main heads (1) in Part A thereof, that a Standing Advisory Committee be set up to perform the functions enumerated in paragraph 21 of the Report, and (2) in Part B, that a Committee be set up to consider the proposal for an Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. As respects the recommendation in Part A, the functions enumerated in paragraph 21 are being satisfactorily performed by the Council of Legal Education in relation to the Bar examinations and by the Council of the Law Society in relation to examinations for solicitors. These two Councils are in a position to maintain liaison with the Law Faculties of the Universities on the subjects to be taken at professional examinations and the courses of study involved, and to co-ordinate the teaching of particular subjects. The Councils advise on the exemptions for professional examinations to be attained by students who have Qualified in University examinations and they are also available for consultation by Government Departments or official committees interested in legal education, and for advising generally in such matters. In the circumstances no useful purpose would be served by setting up an Advisory Committee.The recommendation in Part B of the Report was implemented by the appointment in 1938 of the Committee to which the hon. Member refers in his second Question. This Committee has not reported. It suspended proceedings in February, 1940, and has not yet resumed operations, having regard to the urgent need for reconstructive activities in other (Erections and to the Government's legislative programme, the time is inappropriate for the resumption of the Committee's operations or the setting up of an Institute of Advanced Legal Studies should such a course be recommended.