asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that if the present rates are maintained it will take a further 18 months to repatriate all the German prisoners of war at present held in the United Kingdom and a further 4½ years for those held in the Middle East; and whether he will improve these rates of repatriation.

Yes. The rate of repatriation of German prisoners of war from the Middle East is being increased from 2,500 to 5,000 per month with effect from 1st July. No change is contemplated in the rate of repatriation from the United Kingdom. If these rates are maintained all German prisoners of war will be repatriated by the end of 1948.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether in view of the evidence given at the trial to the effect that he was not the moving spirit in his association with a British girl for which he has been sentenced to 56 days' detention, he will review the case of Paul Herlach, No. 38 German prisoner-of-war working camp, Rultun, Denbighshire, with the object of reducing or remitting the punishment imposed.

I am not in a position to comment on this case as the proceedings of the Court have not yet been received at the War Office.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent the recently-announced relaxation of restrictions on German prisoners of war is being applied to those in the Middle East.

The announcement which I made on 24th June applied only to prisoners of war in this country The possibility of extending these concessions to prisoners of war in the Middle East is being considered.

asked the Secretary at State for War if his attention has been drawn to a document, reference No. M42, which was circulated from Sarafand on 2nd May, 1947, by the adjutant of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, with instructions that it should be read by all officers and later made available for reading by other ranks, which included statements prejudging the findings of the United Nations Fact Finding Commission on Palestine; and whether he has any statement to make on the circulation by officers of political opinions on a matter which is sub judice.

I have no knowledge of this matter but am making inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are in operation to provide that practice firing from the shore batteries at Bovisand Fort and Lentney Fort is restricted to those hours when such firing will not be of danger to fishermen at work in that area.

No practice firing is carried out from Bovisand Fort. Firing is not permitted from Army guns at Lentney Fort unless the danger area is clear of all vessels except the target launch. It is stopped immediately a vessel enters the danger area. Adequate radar and visual watch is maintained over the danger area and safety launches patrol its boundaries.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many tenants of W.D. houses are now under notice, and what steps are being taken to provide alternative accommodation for these people prior to their being evicted.

There are about 1,100 married quarters now occupied by unentitled civilians and where these quarters are urgently needed for the families of Regular soldiers, notice to vacate is being given. Where possible I am helping local authorities to provide alternative accommodation by making available any hutting surplus to Army requirements and by giving as long notice as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to make a statement upon the provision of improved facilities for visiting war graves abroad; and what financial assistance will be made available.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to the hon. and gallant Member for Stockport (Wing-Commander Hulbert)

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he has considered the request from the War Office for a clearance to enable them to purchase Atcham Airfield, near Shrewsbury, for permanent postwar use; and when this clearance will he given.

No, Sir; but more limited proposals of the War Department have been made and are under consideration.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning when he expects to be able to report to the House the result of his promised investigations as to the elimination of harmful and unpleasant products from the gases produced by oil-fired furnaces.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to Questions on 10th June. I then said I was satisfied from advice I had received that sulphur and other noxious fumes could be eliminated, but that in order to ensure that the design of the necessary plant was satisfactory a pilot gas-washing plant was to be constructed. This plant has now been designed and construction will take six months to complete. I am advised that the results of this experiment should be available in about a year's time.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if, in framing the National Assistance Bill, he will ensure that any further financial help given in respect of any disease, over and above the benefits payable under the National Insurance Act, will not be confined solely to those cases where recovery is probable and where such payments are likely to he of economic benefit to the State.

I cannot anticipate the terms of the National Assistance Bill but my hon. Friends and I will certainly consider sympathetically the course urged by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour hy he has not instructed the British Government delegates to the forthcoming conference of I.L.O. to oppose acceptance of the credentials of the Greek trade union delegates not recognised by the World Federation of Trade Unions.

I know of no grounds on which I should have been justified in instructing the United Kingdom delegates to challenge the credentials of any member of the Greek delegation to the International Labour Conference at present meeting in Geneva. A complaint against the credentials of the Greek workers' representative was lodged with the Conference from another source and was referred for consideration and report by the Credentials Committee. The Credentials Committee unanimously rejected the complaint. This report was unanimously noted by the Conference in plenary session this morning.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that large numbers of men in Liverpool, registered as disabled persons, are unable to obtain suitable light employment; and whether he intends to set up a training establishment or factory for them.

Yes. On 19th May, 1947, the number was 2,221. Training facilities are provided at the Government Training Centres at Aintree and Speke. The Disabled Persons Employment Corporation is providing special factory facilities as soon as possible to employ the most severely disabled. Also the Sir Robert Jones Memorial Workshops have recently been re-opened and will provide employment for at least 100 severely disabledmen.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the serious shortage of domestic staff in hotels and boarding houses; and whether he will approach the Minister of Labour to see what steps can be taken to remedy this shortage, having regard to the importance of the tourist industry in Scotland.

I have not myself received any representations about the shortage of domestic staff in hotels and boarding houses, but the problem is, of course, well-known. I am assured that the Ministry of Labour fully appreciate the importance of the tourist industry and are doing all they can to assist, including the initiation of a publicity campaign in areas where there may be women available for seasonal work in the holiday resorts both in Scotland and in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of men employed and the weekly cost of building the new road on the Forestry Commission lands in the Bin forest, near Huntly; whether he is satisfied that up-to-date equipment is being used; and what are the length and width of the road and the total estimated cost on completion.

The number of men at present employed in the Bin Forest on road scheme work is 195, at a weekly wage bill of approximately £780. Road making machinery is in very short supply and little is at present available for use at this forest. The total length of extraction roads visualised is approximately 30 miles, specifications will vary but the principal routes will be 10 feet wide with passing bays. The total estimated expenditure on completion is £64,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps he proposes to take to relieve local authorities of the additional financial burden which will fall on them in respect of houses now in course of construction which must remain incomplete and unoccupied as a result of the policy intimated in D.H.S. Circular No. 21/1947;(2) what steps he proposes to take to relieve local authorities of any additional financial burden which may fall on them in respect of any further houses which may be started in schemes already approved by the Department of Health for Scotland and which, as a result of materials not being available, cannot be completed within 12 months after building has commenced.

The object of the housing programme for 1947, is to expedite the completion of houses which will accordingly become rent producing more quickly than would otherwise be the case. I cannot agree, therefore, that additional financial burdens will fall upon local authorities because of this policy. As a result of a recent review, which took account of the rise in building costs and the reduction in the rate of interest on housing loans, I reported to the House last week that I had decided to continue the rates of contributions current at 30th June. 1947, for houses completed during the year after that date.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will draw the attention of all pensioners entitled to the recent increases under the Pensions (Increase) Act that it is necessary for them to make individual application, as many pensioners appear to be unaware of this provision.

Yes, Sir. This is being done.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to agreements made by the Ministry of Health whereby employers became responsible for paying old age pensions, of equal value, to those enacted by Acts of Parliament and by which agreements the Government's financial contributions were not paid to the general fund for pensions; and whether old age pensioners drawing their pensions from such approved schemes will be included in the tobacco prices concession now proposed for State old age pensioners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the considerable dissatisfaction felt by large numbers of temporary clerical workers in the Civil

I must ask my hon. Friend to await my statement on the new Clause which I have put down for the Finance Bill on this subject.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will give an analysis by staff groups of the total number of non-industrial civil servants on 1st January and 1st April, 1947, showing separately men and women.

Following is the reply:Service, in consequence of their being required to perform the same work as permanent officials for substantially lower pay; and if he will take steps to remedy this state of affairs

Broadly speaking, these differences of pay represent differences of qualifications, and this seems to me to be reasonable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many of 118,747 German prisoners of war employed in agriculture at the end of April it is estimated will be employed in agriculture in August next.

I expect that the number of prisoners of war working in agriculture in Great Britain at the end of August will be about 120,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will investigate the facts set out in the particulars already supplied him, showing that fruit crops on property requisitioned to the Bucks A.E.C. are being taken away by the late tenant of the committee, who was installed by them, and by an official; and whether he will take appropriate action.

I have investigated the statements made in the particulars supplied to me. No fruit has been taken away by either the late tenant or an official of the Committee without payment. A total of 80 lb. of strawberries of poor quality and condition have been sold off the land, the majority to villagers. Some of the strawberries were purchased at the same price by the late tenant and by the official referred to. I do not consider any further action is necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the strike of lorry drivers working under the Kent A.E.C. because they were asked to work between their journeys in the morning and in the evening when they carried prisoners of war to and from work; in what counties it is the custom to leave lorries and drivers idle while the prisoners of war are at work; and, in view of the shortage of manpower in the country at the present time, if he will remedy this state of affairs.

As regards the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of yesterday to a Question put by the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. E. P. Smith), and as regards the latter part, to my reply to Questions put on 5th May by the hon. and gallant Member for Tiverton (Mr. Amory) and the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Baker White).

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that 5184732 Staff-Sergeant S. L. Spiller, R.A.P.C., was notified in March this year that his war gratuity had been deposited to his credit in Post Office savings and that up to the present date he has not yet received the deposit book, it having apparently first been sent to the wrong unit and then lost; and what action is being taken to put this matter right.

A bank book in respect of the war gratuity and postwar credit due to Staff-Sergeant Spiller was despatched to him from the Savings Department on 27th February to the address given to the Department. The non-receipt of the book was notified by Staff-Sergeant Spiller in May, and the necessary inquiries preliminary to the issue of a duplicate were completed on 7th June. I regret that there was at that stage some delay in the treatment of the case; but a fresh bank book was sent to Staff-Sergeant Spiller on 30th June, and I understand that it has been received by him.

asked the Minister of Transport, why Spanish salt was supplied to the Works and Highways Department of the Brentford and Chiswick Borough Council for use against snow on local roads next winter; and whether no British salt is available for this purpose as has been the case in previous years.

I have been asked to reply. Supplies of British salt are restricted. Only a negligible quantity of rock and soiled salt unsuited for any other purpose, can be made available this year for use against snow on the highways. For this reason all local authorities were advised in May last to obtain supplies from importers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if he is aware that production costs in the Japanese cotton textile industry are considerably below those in the U.S. cotton textile industry; and if he will ensure that in future purchases of Japanese cotton textiles made from the U.S. Commercial Corporation the price paid will not be based on current U.S. prices.

I am, of course, aware that normally Japanese costs are lower. I cannot say on what basis any future purchases of Japanese cloth will be possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of white Italian marble has been imported since the war for the manufacture of gravestones and other memorials; and whether, as there are ample quantities of local stone available for these purposes in this country, he will discourage the bringing here of material which, when erected, is out of keeping with its surroundings.

Between July, 1945, and the end of May, 1947, 6,132 tons of rough or sawn marble and chippings have been imported from Italy, for use in memorials and for building. As regards the second part of the Question, there is a shortage of labour, and supplies of home produced stone are not sufficient to meet the demand.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give details of the modifications he proposes to make in the Token Import Scheme.

In common with the rest of the import programme the Token Import Scheme has been under review. It has been decided that the existing arrangements should continue but that in view of the balance of payments position no further requests can in general be entertained either for additions to the Token Import List or for further countries to participate.