asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that notice to quit has been served upon approximately 60 ex-Service men's families occupying married quarters at Queen Mary's Buildings, Stillington Street, London, S.W.I; and if he will assure these tenants that alternative accommodation will be found for them before eviction takes place.

Notices to vacate have been served on 40 ex-Service men's families in occupation of these married quarters as the quarters are required for regular soldiers and their families. The question of finding alternative accommodation is a matter for the local authority. I will certainly do anything I can to help the local authority, but I regret that I cannot give the assurance asked for.

Is not my right hon. Friend aware that many of these families were put into these buildings by his Department?

Yes, Sir. We put them into these buildings when they badly needed accommodation, but we warned them then that they would have to vacate the premises when their husbands were demobilised, in order that the buildings could be used for regular Service men, who also require accommodation.

Could the right hon. Gentleman say what the position is with regard to those people who are occupying married quarters at Territorial Army headquarters, drill halls, and so on? Are they to be turned out?

This Question deals only with ex-Service men's families occupying married quarters at Queen Mary's Buildings, Stillington Street, London.

Can my right hon. Friend say that, as far as he is able, he will see that after these eviction orders are carried out none of these houses will, in fact, lie empty waiting for new tenants?

Most certainly, Sir.

is not this another example of the universality of the tied cottage system?

Not entirely. Sir. We have got to house the families of Regular Service men, and where we have given temporary accommodation to others, I think it is only right that they should vacate the premises for those who have a prior right to them.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the form of attestation used for the re-enlistment of men on short-service engagement of three years is misleading, in that it implies that a soldier may buy his discharge within the first three months of his service; and if he will take steps to introduce a new form of attestation.

I do not consider that the form of attestation is misleading. It states that discharge by purchase cannot be claimed while a proclamation is in force requiring the Army Reserve to enter upon service with the Colours. Such conditions are still in force. To avoid any possibility of misunderstanding, however, recruiting officers have been specifically instructed to draw recruits' attention before attestation to the fact that they cannot at present claim discharge by purchase.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, quite apart from the case I sent him, I have since had two further cases of soldiers who have been misled by this form of attestation; is he further aware that soldiers are not legally qualified; that the clause is very badly drafted; and will he take steps to amend it, in view of the fact that it leads to a great deal of dissatisfaction among Service personnel?

Even if the clause is badly drafted, it reproduces the terms of the Army Act, for which the hon. Member must share responsibility.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that many soldiers who try to, and intend to, enlist are not lawyers and do not understand the Army Act; and will he take steps to redraft this clause in common sense language?

No, Sir. I have taken steps to draw attention to the point made by the hon. Member, and I think I can give him an assurance that the position will, in fact, be satisfactory in future.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the supply of British daily newspapers to B.A.O.R. is both irregular and inadequate; and if he will take steps to improve the arrangements for the distribution of British newspapers to units in Germany.

Every effort is made to send a regular and sufficient supply of British daily newspapers to the Rhine Army, and I am not aware that the existing arrangements are unsatisfactory.

If I bring some cases to the hon. Gentleman's attention, where the arrangements are not satisfactory, will he look into the matter?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many British troops now remain in North Africa; and to what extent these numbers are likely to be reduced in the near future.

Apart from Egypt, the only British troops in North Africa are stationed in Cyrenaica and Tripolitania. It would be contrary to practice to give the number of these troops. They are being reduced in proportion to the general run down of the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War why the claims of subconductor K. Shiebert, 5630077, in respect of employment in India, have not yet been settled.

The claims made by this warrant officer in connection with his Army service in India have all been settled to his satisfaction. The only outstanding claims are in respect of his employment as a civilian foreman in a clothing factory. These items are now the subject of correspondence with the Indian civil authorities, and I have enlisted the aid of my right hon and noble Friend the Secretary of State for India in order to settle the matter with the minimum further delay.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many cases raised by hon. Members in connection with soldiers serving, or having served, in the Indian Army are awaiting replies from the authorities in India.

This information is not readily available, and could not be obtained without a disproportionate amount of work, as records of cases raised by hon. Members are not maintained in my Departments classified by Commands.

asked the Secretary of State for War when facilities will be given to relatives of deceased Service men to visit graves overseas.

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make a statement on this matter, but I hope to be able to do so in the near future.

When the right hon. Gentleman makes his statement, will he state whether any financial assistance will be available to relatives who cannot otherwise afford to visit graves overseas?

That will be part of the announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Brighton Corporation have entered into an agreement to purchase the Stanmer Park Estate from the trustees of the Chichester Estates; that this purchase should be completed by a certain date; when his Department will hand back the property; and, if they wish to retain part of it, when he will see a deputation, already chosen, from the corporation to discuss the derequisitioning in all its aspects.

I am aware that the Brighton Corporation are negotiating to purchase Stanmer Park Estate from the trustees of the Chichester Estates, but not whether this purchase is to be completed by any particular date. The question of derequisitioning Stanmer Park is still under consideration. It may happen that the War Department will have a requirement for a small part of this estate, but any such proposal would have to be considered under present arrangements by the Inter-Departmental Committee on Service Land Requirements. When I have had an opportunity of examining the final results of the present investigations, my right hon. Friend will inform the hon. Member when he can see a deputation.

Is the Financial Secretary aware that, as far back as 4th June, he was sent a letter stating that the corporation wished to meet him before the War Office came to a decision on this matter? Does he realise that this is a question of only 100 acres out of 5,000 acres? Would it not be quicker if the corporation were informed what are the requirements of the War Office, and then for the matter to be adjusted in a friendly fashion?

There is still a doubt whether we require this area or not, and I think it would be worth the while of the hon. Member to wait on the off-chance that we may not want it.

While not suggesting whether the 100 acres are required or not, will the Under-Secretary try to find out before any decision is made what 100 acres are most suitable to the War Office and also to the Brighton Council, because at the moment we are at variance on which 100 acres it should be?

I apprehend the hon. Member's point. I will ask my right hon. Friend when would be the most appropriate time to receive a deputation.

Why did the Under-Secretary refuse to see the corporation before coming to a decision? Would it not be better to see the corporation first?

I think we are talking about different decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for War if Group 57, whose release date is between 22nd August and 12th September, will be delayed in the case of men stationed in India.

So far as I can foresee, no Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he has any further statement to make with regard to the derequisitioning of Bellahouston Park.

asked the Secretary of State for War if any decision has been taken on the release of Bellahouston Park from military requirements, as the citizens of Glasgow are disturbed at the long delay.

Instructions have been issued for all that part of Bellahouston Park which is under the control of my Department to be derequisitioned at once.

In view of the agreement reached between the right hon. Gentleman's Department and the Corporation of Glasgow, does he not consider there is a moral responsibility on his Department to get the other Government Departments out of the park?

I will do what I can to induce other Departments to vacate their portions of Bellahouston Park, but I suggest that the hon and gallant Member also tries some of his powers of persuasion with the Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many nurses and sisters are still engaged in duties connected with the Army; how many of these are working overseas; and whether he will give an indication of the dates when nursing groups will be demobilised.

Two thousand five hundred and thirty-one, Sir, of whom 1,581 are serving overseas. The release of age and service group 54 is to be completed by 31st August.

Will my right hon. Friend agree that nurses and sisters should not be sent back if they have to go back for only two or three weeks?

I think it is uneconomic to send them back far overseas if they have a short period to serve, but I would remind my hon. Friend that in September we shall be 24 per cent. short of our total requirements, even if no further groups are released.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether camp regulations permit German prisoners of war at' Victoria Park to attend the weekly Fascist meetings held at the gate of that park.

There are no regulations forbidding prisoners of war to attend any public meetings which may be held in parks during their off-duty hours.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that his very excellent efforts to educate these German prisoners of war into the British way of life are being frustrated by allowing them to attend such meetings?

I should have thought that part of the education into the British way of life was to allow free speech, and to permit them to attend all meetings. I can only hope that their powers of discrimination will enable them to go along to more appropriate meetings.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will arrange for those prisoners of war in the Middle East who have experience in agriculture and who wish to volunteer for work in Britain on the same basis as their fellow prisoners already in this country to do this as their turn for repatriation comes round.

No, Sir. I do not consider this would be practicable.

Is my hon. Friend not aware that it is unfair for prisoners of war in the Middle East to be denied the same facilities for staying here to work in agriculture as are accorded these prisoners who are among us here?

It is not solely a question of those who wish to remain here, but of suitability. In the case of prisoners in this country, the farmers with whom they are billeted apply for their retention. That would obviously not be practicable in the Middle East.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, now that German prisoners are allowed to use public transport, he will relax the rule that they must not go more than five miles from their camp, bearing in mind that some camps are more than five miles from the nearest towns.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will reconsider the limited radius of five miles from camp that has been, and is still to be, allowed to prisoners of war during recreation hours; and whether commandants will be instructed to increase the radius where camps are more than five miles from a town.

The suggestion made by my hon. Friends has already been widely applied, as Commands "have authority at their discretion to extend the five-mile limit specially to include a town or other area the prisoners of war may want to visit.

While realising that it has in fact been widely applied, may I ask whether my hon. Friend would not give a general ruling, since individual commandants vary considerably in severity?

No, Sir, we must take account of local conditions. If the hon. Member has a specific case in mind, we will look into it, but we ought to have this safeguard behind us.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the sentence of 12 months' imprisonment imposed on Werner Wetter, a 22 year-old prisoner of war, by a court martial at Droitwich, in respect of his association with a British girl; and whether, in view of its severity and the youth and good record of the prisoner, he will have it reviewed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the sentence passed by a court martial at Droitwich on Werner Wetter has yet been reviewed and with what result; and whether he will take steps to enable Werner Wetter to marry the mother of his child.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will review the recent court martial sentence passed on a German prisoner of war for improper association with a British girl, to make it passible for them to marry; and if he will revise these regulations affecting prisoners of war.

My attention has been drawn to the case referred to. The proceedings of the Military Court have not yet been received at the War Office, but as soon as they have been received they will be carefully examined. I am, therefore, unable to make a statement at the moment. As regards the last part of the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for West Wolverhampton (Mr. H. D. Hughes), I would ask him to await the reply which I am giving to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Epping (Mrs. Manning) and West Leyton (Mr. Sorensen).

asked the Secretary of State for War why his Department exercises sex discrimination against English women wishing to marry German prisoners of war, when no such embargo is placed upon marriages between British serving men and German girls.

asked the. Secretary of State for War whether a decision has now been reached respecting the possibility of German prisoners of war marrying girls in this country; whether German prisoners of war who become fathers of children born in this country will be given opportunity to meet financial obligations arising from their paternity by receiving adequate pay for their work; and if he will state the prisoner-of-war regulations respecting sexual associations.

On the question of marriage between German prisoners of war and British women, I would ask the House to await the reply to be given today by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to a Question by the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Renton) Prisoners of war regulations have hitherto forbidden prisoners to have sexual relations with British women. These regulations will now be amended to accord with the announcement to be made by my right hon. Friend. The pay of German prisoners of war is related to their status and the work which they do, and I do not see any justification for differentiation in that matter between those who become fathers of children and other prisoners of war.

Does that reply mean that the fraternisation rules in general, governing prisoners of war, are now to be amended to enable those of good conduct, who have been screened, to have normal human relations with the British public?

That is about right.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that considerable effort is being made to try to bring home responsibility to men for paternity of their children, in Germany and elsewhere? Does he not think that these German prisoners who have become fathers should be given an opportunity to earn money to carry out their financial obligations?

The difficulty is that while they are prisoners of war they are governed by prisoner-of-war rules. I hope that the men who undertake paternal responsibility—and the women— will understand that.

Does the right hon. Gentleman also apply that to our troops in Germany?

Yes, Sir. I hope that our troops thoroughly understand it, and also the German women by whom they have children.

Will the statement which is to be made deal with the important question of marriage? My Question deals specifically with people wishing to marry. I want to know whether the statement will deal with that point; otherwise we must pursue it now.

Yes, Sir. I said in my original reply that my right hon. Friend was making a statement today on the question of marriage.

Should it turn out that the Home Secretary's statement provides for relaxation of the marriage restriction, would my right hon. Friend bear in mind the desirability of amending the regulations which prevent British Service men from coming home from overseas, on compassionate grounds, to marry British girls?

That is another question.

rose—

We cannot continue on this Question for ever.

,—To ask 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.

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I will reply to Question 68. My right hon. Friend has considered, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, various questions which marriage between German prisoners of war and women in this country would involve, and he is anxious that the implications of such a marriage should be fully appreciated. As the law stands, the woman, if British, would lose her nationality on marriage to a German. No provision could be made for her to live with her husband who, as a prisoner of war, would have to remain in a camp or hostel under military control; and there could be no relaxation in his favour of restrictions applicable to other prisoners of war. Moreover, no undertaking could be given that the husband would be allowed to remain in this country when he would in ordinary course be due for repatriation. If, therefore, a prisoner of war makes it known that he wishes to marry a woman who is resident here, steps will be taken to see that the considerations which I have mentioned are understood by both parties, and if, nevertheless, they determine to marry, no obstacle will be placed in their way.

Is not the position that where prisoners of war who have been engaged in agriculture wish to remain here and farmers wish them to stay they are given permission, and will that apply to men who desire to marry?

No promise can be given with regard to the time when the prisoners of war are to be repatriated, and it would be improper to make a promise, that if a prisoner of war married a British girl he would be entitled to stay here.

Will the Minister relate what he has just said to the specific case mentioned in my Question No. 19 to his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, about which public opinion is most seriously disturbed?

If my hon. Friend is referring to the case which has received a great deal of publicity, all I can say is that the statement which I have just made and the conditions contained in it would be just as applicable to the person whom he mentions as to anyone else.

If a British girl marries a German prisoner of war who is subsequently repatriated to his own country, will she still be allowed to remain here if she wishes, in spite of the fact that as the result of the marriage she has become a German citizen?

The answer is that as a British-born subject she would be allowed to remain.

Can the Minister say how soon we may expect the promised legislation to enable a British woman to retain her British nationality if she wishes when marrying an alien?

I think that my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made a statement in August of last year about amending the law relating to the nationality of married women, but since conversation? are taking place with the Dominions on the matter, it is impossible to say at this stage precisely when legislation could be introduced.

Can my hon. Friend tell me whether my constituent must now make application to the Department to marry this man, or whether some step is to be taken through the War Office for the German prisoner to get into touch with her?

The precise procedure at the present moment I cannot possibly state. Having regard to the statement which has been made, I have no doubt that the lady in question will take the earliest possible and the proper steps to find out the right mode of procedure.

Cannot the case be reviewed in order that the girl may be able to take those steps?

That is more a question for the Secretary of State for War, because there was no breach of any regulation imposed by the Home Office. I suggest that the question should be referred to my right hon. Friend.

We cannot have all this passing the buck. Is my hon. Friend prepared to use his influence to have this disgraceful sentence of 12 months immediately quashed?

The concluding words of the answer which I gave were to the effect that no obstacle would be placed in their way in regard to matrimony. So, therefore, all I can say is, in view of the statement which I have made, that steps will be taken.

In view of the fact that the Secretary of State for War referred to the Home Secretary the point whether this sentence would be reviewed, can we now have a reply from one of the two Ministers concerned?

Does my hon. Friend think that stone walls and iron bars are obstacles to getting married?

So far as I have been able to follow the reply, there was no reference to one condition about which I would now like to inquire. Will steps be taken to ensure, in the event of the British girl wanting to marry the German prisoner of war, that he is actually available for marriage? I am raising the point because it actually arose in the case of a constituent of mine.

The availability of a spouse does not seem to arise out of this answer.

Is it not the case that if a marriage takes place in these circumstances, it must take place in prison, which is very undesirable, because if the prisoner is allowed out in order to get married the authorities cannot take him back into prison again? I would ask the Minister whether he will arrange for the marriage to take place outside.

That comment is nonsense.

While the original reply which the hon. Gentleman gave is obviously fully in accord with the existing rules and regulations, may I ask him if he will take account of the feeling of the House that the present practice needs to be looked into? Will he ask the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for War to review all these cases, and particularly will he look into the question of quashing this particular sentence?

In view of the statement which has been made, I should have thought it would have followed as a matter of course.

Does the part of the Minister's reply about placing no obstacle in the way of this marriage mean that the couple may marry in prison or out of prison? Where?

Answer.

On a point of Order. Owing to the fact that the Minister's—

Answer.

I think the hon. Member is raising some point of Order.

On a point of Order. Is there any means by which the House can get a reply from the Secretary of State for War to the Question put to him early in Question Time and deferred for later answer by the Home Secretary, but to which no answer has been given?

Perhaps I might be allowed to remind the House that the Question put by my hon. Friends was as to the sentence imposed upon this particular prisoner of war. I then said that the proceedings had not reached the War Office but that as soon as they did reach the War Office, I would look into them. The question answered by the Under-Secretary of State in his statement was upon an entirely different matter. He has given his answer, and I have said in my answer that we would relate our regulations to his answer.

As the Government have not come up to scratch in the matter of satisfaction, in answering this Question, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment upon the first opportunity, so as to make sure that we get an answer.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Polish troops in this country and the Polish Resettlement Corps are still receiving rations on the same scale as the British Army.

No, Sir.

Do I understand that these men are now on the same ration scale as civilians?

They are not on exactly the same scale of rations, because military rations are not easy to reduce to terms which are comparable, but they are on a similar scale.

Do these men pay for the rations they receive?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War what will be done with the 5,000 Polish troops who will neither join the Polish Resettlement Corps nor return to Poland.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 10th June.

asked the Secretary of State for War how the cost of pay and allowances of £54 a month on an average each for the 5,000 Poles still in uniform and on Service pay in this country compares with the cost in pay and allowances of a group of British Service men of comparable rank.

My hon Friend is under a misapprehension. The average monthly cost per head of pay and allowances for members of the Polish Land Forces in this country is only a small fraction of the figure mentioned in the Question. Generally speaking, the pay of members of the Polish Land Forces is lower than the pay of British Army personnel with comparable rank and length of service.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that I worked out the figure of £54 on the basis of an answer he gave me last week, in which he stated the total pay and allowances and number of Poles on Service pay in this country?

I guessed that my hon. Friend had done that, and that is why I gave him this answer. The difference between him and me is that he has worked out this sum wrongly.

With due respect to my right hon. Friend, may I remind him that I have done the sum right? He gave figures of £240,000 and about 6,000 Poles, and it was a matter of simple arithmetic. Where does the extra money go?

I think my hon. Friend used the wrong method in arriving at his answer. The total sum which I mentioned in my previous answer does not relate only to pay and allowances of recalcitrants; it covers many others.

My right hon. Friend said "generally speaking." Can he give us an instance of where members of the Polish Armed Forces are paid more than members of our Forces?

Not without notice, but, generally speaking, they are paid appreciably less.

Will the right hon. Gentleman work out a method of getting these men back to Poland, and thus save a lot of money?

I have worked out a method, but, unfortunately, so many do not want to go 'back to Poland.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed workers, men and women, registered at the Liverpool and Bootle employment exchanges were sent to employers outside the Liverpool and Bootle areas during the months of April, May, and June this year; and how many of those sent to employers returned home having been less than one week at the work they were sent to, or had not started work.

During April, May, and June this year, 3,135 men and 359 women, registered at employment exchanges in Liverpool and Bootle, were transferred to work in other areas. Of these, 168 men and 33 women are known to have returned home within a week, or did not actually start work.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is considered in the area that the authorities are not selective enough, and that some of those who are sent away are bound to return?

The hon. Gentleman will be interested to know that 3,300 people stayed on the jobs they were sent to, and that only 33 women and 168 men came back during the three months.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Poles have been placed in employment since 1st January, 1947; and how many of these have been placed in coalmining and agriculture, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of Poles in this country who have already taken up work in the mines and in agriculture respectively.

23,746 Poles have been placed in civilian employment, all but 461 of whom have been placed since 1st January; 2,042 of these have taken employment in coalmining, and 3,936 in agricultural work.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that, as far as possible, these Poles are being placed in essential industries which are in serious need of male labour?

Yes, Sir. The most essential industries at the moment are mining and agriculture, and the numbers coming in are increasing. There are over 2,000 actually in the mines, 956 in training, and the training output is about 300 a week.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Poles who have gone into the mining industry have been allowed to join the miners' union?

Not without notice.

asked the Minister of Labour how many foreign workers imported from Central Europe have been placed in employment since 1st January, 1947; and how many of these have been placed in textile, agriculture, and hospital services respectively.

Of the 6,330 European volunteer workers placed in employment from 1st January, 1947, to 30th June, 564 were placed in textiles, 2,268 in agriculture and 1,836 in hospital work.

Can my right hon. Friend do anything to speed up the placing of these workers in the cotton industry, which needs them so badly?

Yes, Sir, I am doing what I can, but it must be recognised that this is one of the most difficult of all problems. These people have to have some capacity for the work, and must be trained, and a major problem is the making of camps available from which they can get to and from work in a reasonable way.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many of those in the textile industry are in spinning and how many in weaving?

Offhand I cannot, but I will gladly get the information and send it to the hon. Member.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many displaced persons wish to work in this country instead of staying in Germany?

Not without notice, but we are bringing over everybody who desires to come here.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to ascertain the total number of disabled unemployed in the country; and, when these figures have been obtained and examined, what steps he is taking to provide employment within physical reach of these disabled men.

A count is taken each month of the number of disabled persons recorded at employment exchanges as unemployed. On 19th May last the number was 64,754. Special steps are taken to put disabled applicants in touch with suitable employment, or to give them vocational training if that is required For the severely disabled special provision is made by the factories of the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation.

in view of the large figure given by the Minister and of the considerable uneasiness throughout the country on the question of the employment of the disabled, will the Minister, at an early-date, make a more comprehensive and detailed statement on this matter, which affects nearly everyone in the country?

I hope that it will be possible to do what the hon. Gentleman asks, because this is a very interesting piece of work. The total number of persons on the register is 700,000, and 64,000 is not a large proportion of that number, but far too many to be left without any work. The problem is to get special factories built to take these workers.

Does not this large number show that the Act of 1944 is not working very satisfactorily?

It shows quite the contrary. The number is so small as to show that the Act is working very effectively.

Is the Minister aware that the work being done is very greatly appreciated indeed and is very important, but as there is some evidence that it is not being done with all the speed with which it could be done, will he pay special attention to the speedy employment of disabled persons in factories where they are most needed?

That is the problem, and the main reason which is holding up the job.

asked the Minister of Labour how far the absorption of 3 per cent. of disabled men by industry, whether State-owned or private enterprise, has been implemented; and to what extent the 3 per cent. or any proportion thereof that have been absorbed are disabled men taken on as new employees, or existing employees who are now to be regarded as disabled men.

Employers on the whole are carrying out their obligations to employ 3 per cent. of disabled persons. The number of persons registered as disabled who were in employment at 19th May was about 700,000. I know that many of these obtained their employment as a direct result of the statutory provisions, but I have no information as to the precise number.

Does not the Minister realise that in cases where Government or non-Government employers are taking into account those employed before, 3 per cent. is really an illusory figure, and does not mean that 3 per cent. of the new unemployed are being absorbed?

It was fair that many employers who had taken back their badly disabled people should be permitted to count them in the quota number, and I know of an industry where the proportion is as high as 15 per cent. of the firm's employees; in Government service, about 4½per cent. Speaking generally, the employers have played the game in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the reasons why the Housing Advisory Committee has not met since July, 1945.

Since July, 1945, the Scottish Housing Advisory Committee has met on three occasions, namely. in December, 1945, March, 1946, and July, 1946, and has submitted three important reports, the last of which was published in April of this year. I hope to avail myself of the Committee's services on further inquiries as occasion arises.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why there has not been a meeting of the Zonal Conference recently?

Not without notice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school camps are conducted as Scottish National Camps Association, Limited; where they are located; and if he has any plans to relate them to agricultural training, nature study and seasonal agricultural operations in the future.

School camps are conducted by the Scottish National Camps Association at West Linton in Peeblesshire, Gorebridge in Midlothian, Abington in Lanarkshire, and Aberfoyle and Meigle in Perthshire. When pupils are in residence their studies' are modified to take account of their surroundings, and advantage is taken of the opportunities for outdoor studies, which have included, as well as nature study, visits to farms, mills and the like and the observation of seasonal agricultural operations. Pupils have also taken an active part in the cultivation of the vegetable gardens at the camps. Further developments on these lines are contemplated, but as the camps are best suited for pupils under 12 years of age, the provision of agricultural training in any formal sense would not be appropriate.

In view of the fact that some 50,000 will be required for the potato harvest in Scotland this year, would the right hon. Gentleman consider next year the organisation of these camps with a view to particular regional necessity?

That would not be ruled out, but only children over 13 can be employed for potato lifting, in accordance with the recent Bill which has been passed by this House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the foreign currency involved in the conviction of a Maltese, named Messina, for offences against the Defence Finance Regulations during the war was ever surrendered to the authorities.

Yes, Sir, in September, 1946

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of currency made available for expenditure by British travellers for commercial and non-commercial purposes, respectively, since the introduction of the basic travel ration and in any recent period.

About £8 and £11 million, respectively, in foreign exchange in the year ending October, 1946, and about £5 and £7½ million in the following six months.

Can the Chancellor say how much of this was available for expenditure in hard currencies?

None of this is necessary in regard to the sterling areas, which were excluded from the beginning. The greater part would be in what we customarily call hard currency areas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he has now considered the evidence sent him of the price at which the pound sterling could be bought at the Chase National Bank in New York; and if he will make a statement;

The evidence which the hon. Member has sent me refers to the price of sterling notes abroad, whereas my answer to him last Tuesday referred to the price of sterling on bank accounts, in which the vast majority of transactions are settled. The price of sterling notes abroad is usually below the official- rate, because, except for the £20 allowed to travellers, these notes may not legally leave or enter the United Kingdom.

I can see the Minister's point, but would he in future place in the Statistical Digest the price which anyone has to pay for an English pound in the places I have named, according to the bank and also in the black market, because there is a great reflection on our credit with the rest of the world if that is allowed to go on without an answer from the Chancellor.

No, Sir, I would rather not publicise this information, which is in our hands, of course, because it might put ideas into the heads of people who otherwise might not think it worth while to purchase British sterling notes abroad. I think that if the hon. Gentleman thinks it over, he will realise that it would not be very advantageous.

Is the Chancellor aware that, as I understand it, it is quite legal for a non-resident coming into this country to have a certain amount of pound notes, and that these are quite legitimately acquired at a discount rate?

I said nothing to the contrary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider extending the arrangement' whereby arrears of Income Tax can be set off against postwar credits for 1945–46 so as to include postwar credits for previous years.

No, Sir. I am afraid I cannot adopt this suggestion.

Would the Chancellor consider hard cases, especially that of a constituent of mine who thought he was receiving allowances and is now being charged Income Tax on what he understood was free of tax money?

The difficulty is that we adopted this plan, as I explained last year, as a quite exceptional measure not on its merits, but in order to ease the heavy pressure of work in the tax office, and merely to save labour, and it would not be desirable to extend it because that would give preferential repayment of postwar credits to persons who are in arrears with their Income Tax, which, I would not wish to do.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Civil Service (Approved Associations) Regulations, 1927, are still in force, or on what date they were repealed.

They were repealed on 4th July. 1947.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman two questions: first, does he realise that in the 13 months that have elapsed between the repeal of the 1927 Act and last Friday, civil servants remained subject to all the alleged disabilities imposed by Section 5 of the 1927 Act; and, secondly, is it the Government's intention to replace the regulations which he has now revoked by any others.

The answer to the first part of the question is that this was a very disputable question of law.

indicated dissent.

It is no good the hon. and learned Gentleman shaking his head, because it was, and I say that because we had conflicting legal opinions offered. In any case the Government's intention when abolishing the tyrannical Trade Disputes Act, 1927, made it abundantly clear that any trade union which wished to affiliate with the Tory Party could have done so.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the specific point that has now arisen in view of which he revoked these regulations last Friday was brought to the Government's attention during the Debates last year, and the statement of the law then given from these Benches was never disputed by the Law Officers of the Crown.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the grievance of retired civil servants because the recent increase in their pensions only represents a small percentage of the recent increase in the cost of living; and whether he anticipates it will be possible in due course to make a further increase in these pensions, so that they bear a closer relation to the present value of money.

The Pensions (Increase) Act, 1947, which became law only last February, substantially improved the rates of increase authorised by the Act of 1944. I can hold out no hopes of further concessions.

is the Financial Secretary aware that, although it is quite true that the 1947 Act somewhat improved the position of pensioners because of the amount of increase given to them both under that Act and under earlier Acts, it still leaves them worse off than before the war, because of the great increase in the cost of living; and does he think that is right treatment for old servants of the Crown?

This matter was discussed in the House—the hon. Gentleman was amongst those who took part—and the decision of the House was that the Act as amended was just and fair in all circumstances. I can hold out no hope whatever of reopening the matter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if married women terminating temporary Civil Service employment through domestic reasons and having completed seven years' service will be paid a war gratuity similar to women becoming redundant.

No, Sir. The Superannuation Acts only authorise payment of a retiring gratuity after seven years' service to temporary Civil Servants discharged on redundancy or as part of a re-organisation of the Department by which economy can be effected.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that women retiring through domestic reasons have the same grounds for equality as those who are retiring for reasons of redundancy?

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many temporary clerical officers in the Civil Service are to be given permanent established positions without examination; and what percentage of the total number of vacancies does this figure represent.

4,500 temporary clerks between the ages of 30–50 are being selected to fill 15 per cent. of the vacancies for established clerical officers which have accrued during the war years. In addition, as a separate operation, 10,000 temporary clerks are to be selected from those with five or more years service to fill posts which have hitherto been graded as temporary and which are now being given established status.