asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a men tally deficient child living in the Colchester division, whose particulars were first sent to his Department by the hon. Member for Colchester on 9th December, 1946, is still not receiving institutional care; and whether, in view of the distressing circumstances of the case set out in the enclosures to the letter of 9th December and in subsequent correspondence, he will have inquiries made into the delay in this case.

I am aware that this child is still not receiving institutional care. Immediately upon receipt of the hon. Member's representations of 9th December, the case was taken up with the responsible local authority, but they have not been able to allot a vacancy in an institution to this child because of other more urgent cases on their waiting list.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give a report of the latest progress in preparing for the installation of a piped water supply in the area of the Halstead Rural District Council.

A local inquiry will be held when the proposed sources have been tested. One source has recently been proved to be satisfactory, and trial boring on another site will be commenced when the materials are delivered.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has as yet given guidance to local health authorities regarding their duties under the National Health Service Act, particularly in relation to the care of mothers, before, during, and after childbirth, and to the health visiting, home nursing and midwives services.

Yes. A Circular, No. 118/47, was sent to local health authorities on 10th July. The circular may be consulted in the Library, and hon. Members may obtain copies from the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths have occurred in this country following a blood transfusion; and whether, in all cases, the blood or donors is examined and passed as healthy before it is treated for use.

The answer to the first part is not known. On the second, while there can be no absolute guarantee from tests, all possible precautions are taken by testing every sample of blood before transfusion and by questioning donors about their health.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Southampton port medical officer of health cabled to the captain of the "Carnarvon Castle" telling him that all passengers must be vaccinated, although at the time it was not known whether the alleged case of smallpox in the ship was that disease or not and the case turned out to be chicken pox; and under what authority was the action of the Southamption port medical officer taken.

The port medical officer's reply to the radio message referred to in the Answer I gave my hon. Friend on 28th July requested that vaccination should be offered to all aboard who had not been successfully vaccinated during the preceding three months. The port medical officer took action under the Port Sanitary Regulations, the case having been reported by the ship's surgeon as smallpox, and having been diagnosed as such by the port authorities at Las Palmas.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Queen's Institute of Distict Nursing propose to remove from their roll the name of any nurse who accepts an engagement with a local health authority unless such authority is affiliated to the Queen's Institute; and, in view of the fact that this will mean the loss of benefit under the Long Service Fund, if he will take steps to make good this loss to any nurse affected.

I am making inquiries and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health how many protests he has received from local authorities regarding the inadequacy of the 38-hour working week of their clerical and administrative staffs.

One.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the procedure followed by his Department in considering applications for naturalisation.

An applicant for naturalisation is required to have certain statutory qualifications, namely, five years' Crown service or residence in this country or in His Majesty's dominions; good character; and adequate knowledge of the English language; and the intention to reside in His Majesty's dominions. No special pro- cedure is followed by my Department but careful inquiries are made to check these qualifications and to satisfy me that the applicant is one whose character and general background render him suitable for naturalisation.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will reconsider his recent decision to allocate 100 aluminium houses, which it was hoped would meet a local need at Stansted, to another authority outside the area of the Saffron Walden Rural District Council; and whether he took his recent decision after consultation with the North-West Essex Planning Committee.

The decision was taken after full consultation with the Ministry of Town and Country Planning, and I do not feel able, on the information before me, to alter it.

asked the Minister of Education if he will take steps to ensure greater representation of parents in the management of primary schools.

The constitution of the managerial body is governed by the instrument of management which is made by the local education authority for county schools and by me for voluntary schools. Co-operation between schools and the general body of parents can, however, be more effectively secured in other ways, for example, through associations of parents and teachers.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that 127 children over 11 years of age who attend St. Peter's and St. Paul's School, Ilford, live more than two miles away; and whether their cost of transport to and from school will be provided.

This matter has already been brought to my notice and I have it under consideration. I am at present in communication with the local education authority and I am not yet in a position to reach a decision.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of displaced persons who have arrived in this country in the past six months; how many have been placed in employment; and what is the average time taken.

During the past six months 19,000 displaced persons have arrived in this country under the official schemes, of whom 10,000 have been placed in employment. Information is not available as to the average period, but generally they are being placed promptly after the completion of the necessary formalities.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that young single women are being employed for house-to-house canvassing by the football pools industry; and what steps he proposes to take to stop this waste of woman-power.

I am not aware of this and I should be glad of details so that I can take the matter up.

asked the Minister of Labour how many people are now registered as unemployed in the South Wales Development Area; what are their age groups; how many are partially disabled; and how many are married women.

At 14th July there were 34,063 insured persons, including 6,681 married women, registered as wholly unemployed, in the South Wales and Monmouthshire Development Area. In addition, there were 2,013 persons registered as temporarily stopped. The total included approximately 10,700 disabled persons suitable for ordinary employment, but excluded about 2,000 unemployed disabled persons requiring employment under sheltered conditions. The latest date for which a detailed age analysis of the numbers wholly unemployed was obtained was 16th June, when the figures were as shown below:

asked the Minister of Labour when he will reach a decision in the case of Mr. A. Caine, 63 Linden Gardens, Chiswick, who has applied for exceptional treatment as a disabled person in the granting of a supplementary petrol allowance to operate a private hire motorcar; and when he will notify the Minister of Fuel and Power of the decision reached.

I am awaiting a specialist's report without which I am not in a position to advise whether the proposed occupation offers good prospects of satisfactory resettlement.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in the re-employment at the collieries of partially-disabled miners in South Wales; and how many men partially disabled by injuries, nystagmus and pneumoconiosis have been re-employed this year.

I am informed that since the National Coal Board decided in March to re-employ as large a proportion as possible of ex-miners who have left the industry following incapacity, there has been a steady return to colliery employment in South Wales of men in this category,- but I regret that precise figures are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what industries are short of labour in Wales; and what are their estimated labour requirements at present.

At 11th June, 1947, the latest date for which information is available, the following were the industries in Wales for which the numbers of unfilled vacancies notified to local offices exceeded 250, separately for males and females and including juveniles:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what instructions are issued as regards low-flying aircraft over large crowds; and what action has been taken in respect of aeroplane, G-AJHW helicopter, which flew 20 feet above the crowd at Henley Regatta on Saturday, 5th July, 1947.

The flight of an aircraft over large crowds is subject to the provisions of Article 9 (2), b and c, of the Air Navigation (Consolidation) Order, 1923. As to the second part of the Question, the flight was undertaken with the approval of my noble Friend on the condition, among others, that the aircraft be flown in such a way that should the means of propulsion fail, a landing could be made without hazard to persons or property on the surface. I have no reason to believe that this condition was not observed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation upon what dates were B.S.A.A.C. and B.E.A.C., respectively, established within the meaning of Section 1 (4) of Part I of the Civil Aviation Act, 1946.

Both Corporations were established on 1st August, 1946, the appointments required under Section 1 (4) of the Act having been made on that day.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that U.S. citizens can buy British clothing in the U.S.A. without the use of coupons and that there is substantial advantage for this country in Americans coming and having their clothes made in this country rather than we should send textiles to the U.S.A. for making into such clothes there, he will, before the end of the current tourist season, simplify the present arrangements under which foreigners visiting this country may purchase British clothes and other goods with their own foreign currency.

I am having this matter examined further, but the difficulties are serious.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has beep drawn to the shortage of gaberdine raincoats for children, which may prevent many of them from attending school regularly in the coming winter.

Yes. The manufacturers have been specially asked to increase their production of children's raincoats, even at the expense of adult garments; the shortage is due to the scarcity of suitable cloth.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that a complaint preferred by Mr. D. H. Brocklesby, 27, Marsh Lane, Stanmore, to the local Price Regulation Committee (London Region), on 26th November, 1946, is still under investigation and a report is still awaited from the Central Committee of Accounts; and whether, in order to encourage vigilance on the part of the public in cases of infringement of the price regulations, he will expedite the inquiry.

Yes. I regret that the investigation of this complaint has taken so long owing partly to delay by the firm in furnishing the necessary particulars of costs and partly to the need for considering wider issues raised by the particular case. I expect to receive very soon a report on this matter from the Central Price Regulation Committee.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what stage has been reached in the allocation of a factory to Northern Coachbuilders, Limited, which allocation has now been under consideration for over 12 months.

This is not a case of allocating an existing factory, but of building a new one, and the specialised nature of the building, which discussion with the company showed to be required, delayed completion of the plans which have now been approved, subject to the possibility of some economy in the quantity of steel to be used.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why a recent offer of 15,000 standards of white timber in normal British building sizes for immediate delivery via Antwerp, providing sufficient timber for approximately 10,000 houses, was refused in view of the short age of timber in this country.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave on 17th July to the hon. Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) on a similar matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in the light of present conditions and particularly of the need for the maximum economy in distribution services, he will now reexamine the practice by which manufacturers fix minimum retail prices for their goods.

Yes. I am appointing a Committee, of which I am glad to say that Mr. Lloyd Jacob, K.C., has agreed to undertake the chairmanship, to make a general inquiry into the practice of re-sale price maintenance. The full terms of reference and membership of the Committee will be announced shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which areas in Wales and Monmouthshire are designated as unemployment areas as distinct from development areas; and what special facilities and priorities are extended to such areas.

The list of unemployment areas in Wales and Monmouthshire comprises the following: Amlwch, Beaumaris, Holyhead and Llangefni in Anglesey; Bangor, Bethesda, Caernarvon, Llanberis, Penygroes, Portma-doc and Pwllheli in Caernarvonshire; Blaenau Festiniog in Merionethshire; Llanidloes in Montgomeryshire; and Aberystwyth, Cardigan and Llandyssul in Cardinganshire. With a view to minimising unemployment in such areas the industrial concerns therein receive the same preferential treatment with regard to allocations of raw materials as those in Development Areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what powers are given to local boards of management of trading estates; and whether he will consider increasing them

The estate companies are entrusted by the Board of Trade with the responsibility for executing works approved by the Board under the Distribution of Industry Act, 1945, including development of industrial estates, erection of factories, clearance of derelict sites for industrial use and the adaptation for peace-time industrial production of Royal Ordnance Factories and other surplus Government premises in the Development Areas. The estate companies are also entrusted with the management and maintenance both of these properties and of those acquired by them under arrangements made by the Commisisoners for Special Areas. All factory space made available to industry as a result of these activities is leased by the estate companies to tenants approved by the Board. These arrangements have been effective, but the relationship between the Board of Trade and the companies is kept under review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the date the Bootle Royal Ordnance Factory was placed at the disposal of the Board of Trade; and when will the factory be available for the introduction of new industries.

The Bootle Royal Ordnance Factory was placed at the disposal of my Department on 6th June, 1947, and the question of its future use is now under review. No decision on this point could be reached until the site of the Ministry of Supply's atomic energy plant had been determined and the effects of this project on the labour position in West Cumberland examined.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is satisfied that the National Coal Board are paying sufficient attention to local customs with regard to recognised holidays; and whether he will call the Board's attention to the desirability of recognising these customs so as to avoid legitimate discontent.

I am informed by the National Coal Board that the arrangements with regard to statutory or customary holidays in the coalmining industry are governed by a National Agreement of May, this year, between the Board and the National Union of Mineworkers. This agreement was framed to take particular account of local customs with regard to recognised holidays, the actual days in respect of each district having been agreed upon by both sides in each of the eight divisions of the Board.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the National Coal Board in Nottinghamshire do not allow private enterprise picking from dirt tips and that in consequence much good coal is now being wasted; and if he will draw the Board's attention to the desirability of reversing this decision.

I am informed by the National Coal Board that, because of the dangerous nature of the work and the need for special supervision, they prefer, in general, to make their own arrangements for the picking of coal from their tips. The quantities of coal available in this way are not usually large, and in Nottinghamshire, where the Board's own employees are engaged on this work, they are satisfied that coal is not being wasted.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if consideration is being given to the possibility of using Polish labour for the sinking of new shafts.

Yes. Where they are suitable, Polish workers will certainly be considered for work of this type.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the reason for delay in the supply of heavy section rails and hutch platforms, ordered in March last for the Fleets Colliery, East Lothian.

I am informed that the rails referred to are in fact light sections which are generally in short supply. The Scottish Division of the National Coal Board have arranged for a supply of second-hand rails and cast-iron platforms to keep Fleets Colliery going, and both items should be delivered next week.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will, in co-operation with the Minister of Transport, have a survey made in the mining areas where it is already known that mineworkers have to travel long distances from their home to the pithead, with the object of providing quicker and better travelling facilities for men travelling these long distances.

The possibility of improving miners' transport facilities is under constant review by the Regional Standing Joint Committees, comprising the Regional Transport Commissioners and representatives of the National Coal Board and the National Union of Mineworkers.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many opencast undertakings are now in production in the anthracite area of the South Wales coalfield; and what is the weekly output.

There are two opencast undertakings now in production in the anthracite area of the South Wales coalfield. Their average weekly outputs during the 17 weeks ended 23rd July, 1947, were 2,918 and 1,6o9 tons respectively.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will make a statement regarding the period for which opencast coalmining may be expected to continue in this country.

In view of the imperative need for a higher output of coal, the Government have decided to extend the present programme of opencast coal working, which is due to expire at the end of 1949 until 1951. It is hoped that this will enable contractors to plan the large extension of their operations which will be needed if output of opencast coal is to be raised above the present level of 9–10 million tons and also to purchase and bring into use the considerable amount of excavating machinery which we have been able to order in the United States of America for delivery during the next year or so. The Government recognise that it would be impossible to shut down opencast working suddenly at the end of 1951 when production will be running at a high rate and operations will therefore continue on a gradually diminishing scale for the following few years. The Government hope that with removal of uncertainty regarding future prospects, all concerned with opencast coal will make a determined effort to secure a largely increased rate of production and to sustain it at a high level over the next few years.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what was the output of coke for the months of May and June, 1947, respectively, from each of the gas undertakings at Plymouth, including the Devonport undertaking; what allocations are supplied from these sources; and what is the amount of the monthly allocation in each case.

The net output of coke from the Plymouth and Stonehouse Gas Company in May, 1947, was 284 tons and in June, 1,500 tons. The output from the Devonport undertaking in the same periods was 949 tons and 1,204 tons respectively. Particulars of the allocations are not immediately available but will be supplied to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if supplies of household coal and boiler fuel to coal merchants during the summer months will be adequate to enable them to meet all demands from their customers for stocking up to the permitted quantities.

No. The supply position at present is such that all consumers cannot expect to receive the maximum permitted quantities of house coal and boiler fuel for the summer period.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether in order to ensure a more equitable distribution of available supplies of domestic fuel, he will make a regulation that where premises are registered with a gas light and coke company for coke supplies and also with a coal merchant for house coal, the coal merchant must not supply any Group 2 fuel without a permit from the local fuel overseer.

This is one of the questions relating to boiler fuel supplies now under consideration. I will let my hon. Friend know when a decision has been reached.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what proportion of their allocations of domestic coal for the six months ended 28th April, 1947, was actually received by each of the coal merchants in Grimsby whose allocation exceeded 10 tons per week.

The following statement gives the information asked for by my hon. Friend in respect of merchants whose allocation exceeded 10 tons a week for the six months ended 28th April, 1947.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are the weekly allocations of domestic coal to each of the depots in Grimsby; and what is the number of registrations at each of these depots.

The following is the number of registrations and weekly allocations of house coal at each of the Grimsby depots for the present summer programme May to October, 1947, inclusive.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many owners or drivers of lorries who took part, with their vehicles, in a demonstration on Saturday, 26th July, at Blackburn and Darwen against the Transport Bill have been reported to his Department for improper use of petrol; and if he will give an assurance that he will not sanction any prosecutions in respect of this demonstration.

The answer to the first part of the question is 18 owners and 6 drivers. The question of prosecution for misuse of petrol is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what percentage of the electricity generated in Great Britain in 1946 was produced, respectively, by the agencies of coal and coke, oil, and water; and what were the corresponding figures for the year 1945.

The following statistics are the only ones available:—

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he has investigated a method of utilising the flow of rivers for the purpose of generating electric power without the use of any fuel, of which he has been given details; and if he is prepared to facilitate its development so that this potential source of power may be fully exploited.

Numerous schemes for generating electricity by utilising the water flow of rivers have been received and examined by my Department, but I am unable to identify the scheme to which the hon. Member refers If full details are sent to me I will have this particular method investigated.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the Wessex Electricity Company have applications lodged for licences for 4,000 poles needed to carry out extensions to the electricity supply, chiefly to farms where it is urgently needed in the interests of food production; and when he expects that his Department will be able to issue the necessary licences and allow the electricity supply companies to proceed with their development programme.

The supply of poles is much below the demand, but an allocation recently made to my Department will enable me to deal forthwith with more than half of the priority requirements of the Wessex Electricity Company, to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now publish as a White Paper the treaty negotiations carried on in 1939 between the United Kingdom and the U.S.S.R.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many people are employed in the censorship of civilian correspondence in the British zone of Germany; and when it is proposed to discontinue this censorship.

Three thousand, eight hundred and ninety-two. It is not proposed at the moment to discontinue censorship, although the numbers of persons engaged in it are being progressively reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give the amount of penicillin provided per month by the Control Commission for use in the British zone of Germany for venereal and non-venereal cases, respectively, three months ago and also at the present time.

In May, 1947, the issues from official sources, in mega units, were: for venereal disease cases, 1,271, and for non-venereal disease cases, 100. An additional 2,000 were issued from non-official sources for non-venereal disease cases. For issue in August, 5,000 mega units will be available from official sources.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will investigate the responsibility of the Passport Control Officer, Berlin, or other officials in Germany, for the long delay in enabling Fraulein Liselotte Heuer, the fiancee of a British ex-Service man, to come to Britain; and if he will now expedite her journey.

Action in this case has been delayed by Miss Heuer not complying with the relevant instructions. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State wrote to my hon. Friend on 11thJuly saying that when the authorities in Germany received the necessary papers the issue of travel documents would be expedited. Inquiries are being made, and I will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the breach of contract involving certain officials of the Control Commission in Germany making political statements and propaganda among their own subordinates and the German people directed against His Majesty's present Government; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made with the object of cancelling the appointments of such individuals.

I am not aware of any such breach of contract. If my hon. Friend will give me particulars of the cases he has in mind I will certainly investigate them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what prospects there are of obtaining tinplate from Germany during 1948; and whether it is proposed to use strip mills which are at present idle.

As far as can be seen at present there are no prospects of exporting tinplate from Germany during 1948. None of the strip mills available in the combined zones is entirely idle; all are working within the limits of restricted fuel and power supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what basis it is intended that compensation should be paid to farmers in the British zone of Germany dispossessed of part of their holdings under the expropriation proposals.

Under the new Draft Ordinance on Land Reform, which is now being prepared, the question of compensation will be left in the hands of the Land Governments with certain safeguards for foreign owners.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the British delegate at the Security Council of U.N.O. did not vote for the cessation of hostilities between the Dutch and the Indonesians.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Mr. Valentine Lawford, representing Great Britain on the Security Council of U.N.O., proposed that the Security Council should drop the Indonesian question, pending further inquiry; why, instead of supporting the lead of the Australian and Indian delegates in their call for a cessation of fighting and resort to arbitration, Britain abstained from voting in favour of the resolution; and why Great Britain failed to support the stand of U.N.O. which brought about the end of the fighting in Indonesia.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the reply made yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to a similar question by my hon. Friend the Member for Grimsby (Mr. Younger).

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many piggeries are derelict or only partially used owing to the policy of restricting the provision of feedingstuffs for pigs.

I regret that the information is not available

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the production of milk at the dairy farm of Shipton Grange, Shipton-by-Bening- brough, Yorkshire, is being jeopardised through the decision of his committee to refuse the application for Herbert Krueger, a German prisoner of war, to be employed as a civilian farmworker on this holding; and if he will reconsider this matter with a view to maintaining milk production on this holding.

My information is that a European Volunteer Worker with milking experience can be supplied to this farm, and I do not feel justified in interfering with the decision of the committee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that, in view of the prospective fuel shortage during the coming winter, speculators are buying estates in all parts of the country with the object of felling all standing timber and obtaining a high price for it; and whether steps will be taken to control indiscriminate felling of this kind and the price at which the resultant timber is sold to the public for burning

I have no evidence of what the hon. Member describes; and I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the Question on this subject by the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. Haire) on 4th August, 1947 The prices at which fuelwood may be sold are controlled by the Wood Fuel Prices (Wholesale) Order, 1946, made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power.

asked the Minister of Pensions when the solicitor acting for the late Mr. J. W. Feek, reference B12/M2/5205, may expect a reply to his letter of 25th June; whether he is aware that, in the meantime, the widow and children are on public assistance; and whether, having regard to the post mortem findings, he will now admit this claim.

A reply was sent to Mrs. Feek and to her solicitor on 6th August following receipt of post-mortem findings. As our medical advisers are unable to certify that Mr. Feek's death was hastened by war service, my hon. Friend regrets he is unable to authorise a grant of pension I am not aware that Mrs. Feek and her children are on public assistance. She has been advised by my Department to apply for a contributory widow's pension.

asked the Minister of Pensions when a final decision will be made in the case of Mr. H Hanlon, 141 Lennox Street, Lozells, Birmingham.

This case was before the Pensions Appeal Tribunal on the 21st February last, when it was adjourned for fresh evidence. The appeal was returned to the Tribunal on 31st July, and is being listed for hearing at an early date.

asked the Minister of Works why no consultation with the Harrogate and District Regional Planning Committee was held prior to the development carried out by his Department in Oatlands Drive, Harrogate; whether he is aware that the completed building offends against amenity and town planning principles; and what action he proposes to take.

Although my Ministry is not required, by statute, to consult the local planning authority, it is our normal practice to do so in regard to new buildings of importance. The building referred to in the question is a temporary hut which has been crected on a site previously occupied by old sheds in the grounds of the requisitioned Oatlands School, Harrogate. I have, however, arranged for my officers to get in touch with the planning committee and discuss their objections and to see what can be done to meet them.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that tenants of allotments in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens have received notice to quit this autumn; and whether, in view of the general food shortage, he will take the necessary steps to enable these people who have helped the "Dig for Victory" campaign to retain their plots of land.

I am not aware that notice to quit has been served on any of the allotment holders in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The allotments policy in the Royal Parks is at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what in crease in the amount of land under cultivation for padi has there been in British Malaya during the 12 months ended 31st July. 1947.

The increase is 26,000 acres, the respective figures being 790,000 acres during the 1945/46 season and 816,000 acres during the 1946/47 season.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he is taking to ensure that prefabricated houses of the type now being erected at Kuala Lumpur will be built at Singapore and at other towns in British Malaya, in order to relieve the acute housing shortage.

I am asking the Governors of the Malayan Union and Singapore for reports and will write to my hon. Friend when I have their replies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what compensation or pension is paid to the families of policement and members of the public who are killed in British Malaya whilst attempting to apprehend armed criminals.

As the information available to me may not be complete I am communicating with the two Governors and will write to my hon. Friend when I have their replies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered a petition from Police Headquarters, Hong Kong, concerning the conditions under which police officers from police forces in the United Kingdom were transferred to Hong Kong; and whether he is considering the amendment of these conditions.

I have not yet received from the Governor either the petition or his comments on it. He is no doubt awaiting a decision on the proposals which he submitted recently for clarifying the pensions position of certain of the officers concerned. Those proposals are now under urgent consideration in the Home Office and in my Department and a decision should be reached in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there are any plans for the establishment of a Government secondary school in Northern Rhodesia for Europeans; and whether he will adopt the principle that no child shall be excluded from such Government-aided schools on racial grounds.

No detailed plans have yet been formulated for the further development of European education in Northern Rhodesia. It is at present customary for European children from Northern Rhodesia to obtain secondary education in Southern Rhodesia or the Union of South Africa. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Harrow on the 25th June.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether in view of the further fatal accident in Bedfordshire when a youth was killed by exploding ammunition at Sandy, he will take immediate steps to see that the ammunition dumps in this county are speedily removed.

This ammunition is part of a large Field Storage Depot, which is being cleared of ammunition as fast as possible. Provided no hold-up of rail wagons or other unforeseen circumstances arise I hope that clearance of the ammunition will be completed by the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a statement which will take account of the widespread concern and the formal objections already made about the proposal to acquire permanently for Army training purposes 10,000 acres of common land to the South-West of Coniston Water in the Lake District.

The future permanent use of this area is a matter which will be considered by the Inter-Departmental Committee on Service Land Requirements, and until that Committee have completed their consideration, which will take into account any local objections and the effect on amenities, I am unable to make a more detailed statement.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will arrange for 14768051 Lance-Corporal P. Marsh, Headquarters Platoon, 51 Company R.A.S.C. (G.T.), age and service Group 60, to be returned to the United Kingdom in order to be released in Class B to take up his studies in September, 1947, at King's College, Newcastle, where a vacancy is reserved for him.

All applications for the release of students in Class B have to be forwarded to the War Office through the Ministry of Labour and National Service. No such application has been received for the release of this non-commissioned officer.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any attempt was made to secure from Allied Governments, supplied with stores and equipment from Army ordnance depots since the termination of mutual-aid agreements, approval to the submission and speedy check by them of bulk accounts, and with what results; who will be debited with the cost of over 100 clerks who have been employed continuously on the work of making detailed issue vouchers for these stores for over a year; and when he proposes stopping this misuse of manpower.

Wherever it has been possible to use broad methods to evaluate the stores issued to Allied forces, for example, when the stores issued could be related to the standard scale of equipment for a recognised type of unit, bulk accounts have been submitted to and accepted as a basis of settlement by the Allied Governments concerned. Approximately four-fifths of the total sum so far claimed has been dealt with in this way, thus avoiding the employment of about 100 additional clerks who would have been needed if detailed claims had been prepared. Nevertheless, as explained in my answers to my hon. Friend of 16th and 29th July, it was decided that repayment vouchers should be prepared at ordnance depots in respect of all the stores issued, to serve as the means of evaluating miscellaneous issues incapable of broad assessment and as documentary support for any bulk accounts which might be challenged on details by the Governments concerned. In fact, as was foreseen, recourse to these vouchers has frequently been necessary during the course of negotiations with the Governments concerned in order to corroborate contested elements in the bulk accounts. The cost of the clerical labour employed on these transactions together with other overhead costs, is recovered from the Governments concerned by means of a percentage addition to the basic cost of the stores sold. In view of the importance to the national exchequer of the £50,000,000 claimed from the countries concerned, I cannot accept the suggestion that the manpower employed has been misused.

asked the Secretary of State for War why there has been so much delay in investigating the complaints about A Platoon, 15 Tank Transporter Company, R.A.S.C.', B.A.O.R., which were brought to the attention of his Department on 27th May by the honourable Member for Spen Valley; and when h will be satisfied that the men's grievances have been removed.

My hon. Friend will by now have received a reply to his letter. I regret that it was not possible to reply sooner, but he raised a number of points which I was anxious to investigate fully.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in connection with promotions in the T.A., it is proposed to give any instructions to commanding officers indicating to what extent promotion should be given to those who will be in reserved occupations and not available in an emergency.

I understand that it is not at present possible to forecast which occupations may become reserved, and at what ages, in any future emergency. No instructions are, therefore, being given to commanding officers.

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the effect of the drought in Canada on the prospects of the wheat harvest, he is taking steps to make good the anticipated reduction from other sources.

I have seen reports of the anticipated effect of drought on the Canadian wheat harvest but the first official estimate of production will not be issued until 13th August. So far as wheat is available in the world and our currency resources permit, my right hon. Friend will take every step to secure a full supply of wheat for this country.

asked the Minister of Food how the anticipated total of £392,000,000 to be spent on food subsidies during the current financial year will be distributed between commodities.

Following is the answer:

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the unsatisfactory quality of much of the meat now being distributed to butchers in the South Kensington area, resulting in both hardship and waste; and what action does he propose to take to remedy this state of affairs.

The quality of meat at present being distributed to butchers in South Kensington is not below that for London as a whole and I cannot agree that much of the meat is not of satisfactory quality.

asked the Secretary of State for Air, with regard to the rate of deductions made to an officer's retirement pay for each year short of 20 years' service, why such deductions are heavier in the case of officers invalided from the Royal Air Force, compared with other Royal Air Force officers with the same amount of service.

Officers who retired after less than 20 years' service are not eligible for retired pay unless they are invalided. There is no question, therefore, of invalided officers being treated less favourably than other officers.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what progress is being made in setting up an education advisory committee for the R.A.F.

The Air Council have decided to set up an Education Advisory Committee for the Royal Air Force, with the following terms of reference:

To keep under review the educational policy for the Royal Air Force and to advise the Secretary of State for Air on such matters connected with education in the Royal Air Force as they think fit and upon any educational questions referred to them by him.

asked the Post master-General whether he will take steps to provide a more adequate service of pillar boxes on the Efford Housing Estate at Plymouth.

I am looking into this matter and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will make a further statement about the complaint by the Maker Parish Council on the alleged oil pollution in Cawsand Bay.

Yes. Information has now been received from the Maker Parish Council that the alleged oil pollution in Cawsand Bay took place on 23rd May last. In view of his interest in the matter the hon. Member will be glad to learn that none of His Majesty's ships were operating in that area on that date. It is clear, therefore, that the Royal Navy were not to blame.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the number and aggregate tonnage of merchant ships finally allocated to the United Kingdom as reparations; and what policy has been adopted with regard to the disposal of these ships.

Apart from six vessels obtained as scrap, the number of ex-German merchant ships allocated to the United Kingdom is 89, of 350,000 tons gross. Of these vessels seven are not yet completed and four have become total losses. Seven ships of the passenger type are being retained for trooping service and one of special construction for use as a cable ship. One ship has been transferred to Newfoundland and the remainder have been, or will be, disposed of to United Kingdom buyers.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will take the required steps to get those engineering firms now engaged in the production of mining machinery and spare parts placed on the Priority List No. 1 for the supply of steel, which is so essential.

The highest priority is already given to the supply of materials for the manufacture of mining machinery.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware of the shortage of agricultural small tools; and whether he will include on the list of priorities for steel such tools as scythes, bagging hooks, bill hooks, hedge slashers, digging forks and spades.

The supply of certain types of agricultural small tools is limited partly by the shortage of steel, but also by lack -of skilled labour in the industry and by the shortage of suitable timber. Special priority is given only to programmes directly contributing to the expansion of fuel and power resources, but the hand tool industry will continue to receive the maximum allocation of steel which can be made available under present conditions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the proportion of ex-Service students to those coming direct from school in the universities, giving separate figures for each university and university college.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT 9th July; Vol.

asked the Minister of National Insurance, why Mrs. Sarah Priestley, 35 Ramsden Street, Liversedge, Yorkshire, pension No. 35508571, who formerly received the 10s. old age pension in her own right and recently the 26s. pension, has now had this reduced to 16s.

According to the records of the Department Mrs. Priestley's old age pension was originally awarded in right of her husband's insurance. The appropriate rate of increased pension payable to her on this basis since 3rd October, 1946, is 16s. per week and weekly payments are now being made to her at this rate. A pension order book at the 26s. rate was issued in error to Mrs. Priestley in January last and accepted by her in the belief that she was entitled to pension on her own insurance. Recent investigation has not revealed that the necessary insurance conditions for the award of such a pension are satisfied by Mrs. Priestley and a decision to this effect was sent to her on 2nd August. But in all the circumstances it is not proposed to require Mrs. Priestley to repay the amount overpaid to her while she was receiving payments at the 26s. rate.

asked the Minister of National Insurance, when he expects to be able to reach a decision in the case of 24535724, Mrs. M. E. Holcroft, 13, Bowker Street, Radcliffe, who first applied for her pension in January, 1947.

Mrs. Holcroft's claim to an old age pension was admitted on the 26th July, and she now holds a current pension order book at the 16s. rate. Arrears of pension remain to be adjusted in the light of a claim from the local authority in respect of outdoor relief paid while Mrs. Holcroft's claim to pension was under consideration.

asked the Minister of National Insurance, when he expects to be able to reach a decision in the case of Mrs. A. Mather, 6, Balmoral Avenue, Whitefield, who first applied for her pension in January, 1947.

A pension order book at the 26s. rate, together with an order for the amount of the arrears due, is in the hands of the local area officer of the Assistance Board for delivery to Mrs. Mather.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is proposed to adjust pensions and sick pay benefits of civil servants, teachers, the Armed Forces, police, firemen, local government officers and other State servants when they become eligible for retirement pension and sickness benefit under the National Insurance Act, 1946.

Yes. Under existing arrangements, State servants have, in general, been excepted from national insurance for pensions and sick benefits, and have received equivalent benefits as part of their conditions of service. The new national scheme, however, will be universal and having regard to the substantial contributions to be paid both by employers and employed persons under that scheme, it is clearly necessary that occupational schemes for pensions and sick benefits should be reviewed both in relation to the total payments to be guaranteed to the beneficiaries, and with regard to the contributions from the employer, and in many cases from the employed persons also, which are necessary for maintaining the additional benefits under the occupational schemes. Section 69 (4) of the National Insurance Act accordingly enables occupational schemes for the provision of pensions or other benefits to be modified when the national scheme comes into force.The Government, therefore, propose that the Superannuation Act pensions of future entrants to the established Civil Service, and the retired pay and pensions of future entrants to the regular Armed Forces should be adjusted when they reach the age at which they will be eligible for the national insurance retirement pension so as to avoid duplication of benefit under both an occupational and the national scheme. The reduction in occupational pension will not exceed the standard rate of national insurance retirement pension for a single man, viz. 26s. a week, and will be correspondingly less when the occupational pension is only in respect of part of the individual's normal working life. Existing; established civil servants and regular members of the Armed Forces will retain their eligibility for present scales of occupational pension in addition to any National Insurance retirement pension for which they may qualify as a result of their contributions. Broadly similar action is proposed in regard to the contributory pension schemes of the other services referred to in the Question, except that in these cases the contributions of employers and employee would both be adjusted to take account of the reduced occupational pension that will be available to future entrants. It is proposed that those already within such pension schemes should be given an option to continue on the present basis of contribution and benefit.Similar considerations apply to sick pay, and the Government accordingly propose that rates of sick pay in the Civil Service and the other civilian services should where necessary be adjusted; both for existing staff as well as for future entrants to ensure that sick pay when added to sickness benefit or injury benefit under the National Insurance Act does not exceed ordinary pay. It is not, however, proposed to adjust rates of sick pay or ordinary pay on account of any disablement benefit under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts which the individual may be receiving.Consultations are taking place with representatives of the local authorities and of the staffs concerned on the application of these principles.