asked the President of the Board of Trade what principles are being adopted with regard to the recent scheme forbidding the importation into this country of learned scientific and technical books except under licence; whether he is aware that the reduction of the importation of books under this provision is a serious handicap for scientific education and the development of science in this country; and whether he will review the matter at an early date with regard to allowing greater freedom of importation.

Owing to the large dollar expenditure involved it was necessary last September to revoke the Open General Licence for import of non-fiction books. Under the new arrangements licences are granted to prewar importers of learned scientific and technical books in English to bring in up to 100 per cent. by value of their prewar imports. I am, however, prepared to consider the issue of licences for limited additional imports of technical and scientific books in English from certain European countries. Similar books in foreign languages from non-English speaking countries are licensed freely.

asked the President of the Board of Trade for what reason have exports of copper sulphate been curtailed; and what steps he will take to increase them to their former level.

Exports of copper sulphate, which have been running during the first nine months of this year at an annual rate equivalent to approximately 90 per cent. by volume of prewar exports, have been limited by the import restrictions in force in some of our principal markets. My Department have taken, and will continue to take, all practical steps to press the Governments concerned to relax those restrictions so as to enable the United Kingdom product to compete on equal terms with those of other suppliers. In this connection I am glad to be able to announce that, at the recent meeting of the Anglo-French Economic Committee, the French Government agreed to issue import licences for a substantial quantity of copper sulphate from this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which countries have placed a partial or complete ban on the importation of British cars; and to what extent these restrictions are likely to prevent the British motor car industry from fulfilling its export target.

With regard to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 24th June. While these restrictions make increased sales more difficult in certain markets, it is too early to say what effect they will have on the overall target

asked the President of the Board of Trade for what reason the import of raw silk from Japan has been permitted to only one British firm; what is the name of that firm; and why other British companies are not permitted to engage in this trade.

Japanese silk is imported by the Government on behalf of the silk industry generally and not by private firms. The questions asked by the hon. Member do not therefore arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of hardwood timber were imported from Africa during 1945, and 1946; and how this compares with any two immediate prewar years.

Imports of hardwood from Africa during the periods mentioned were (in million cubic feet) as follows: 1937, 2 4; 1938, 2.2; 1945, 4.9; 1946, 5.2.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that 4,000 articles of underclothing have been sent recently to the City of Portsmouth as a gift from the people of Canada; and whether he will grant permission for them to be distributed by the Lord Hayor of Portsmouth, to those in need without surrender of coupons.

Yes. I am aware of this generous gift. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser) on 28th October, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the annual amount paid by the Government to subsidise fabric textiles under the utility programme; and whether any reduction in this expenditure is contemplated in view of the present emergency.

The utility cotton and wool cloth subsidies were estimated to cost £24,625,000 during the current financial year. Payments in the first seven months of the year have amounted to just under £10 million. As far as the second part of the Question is concerned, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget speech.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to implement the proposal to initiate legislation with regard to restrictive practices; and whether such legislation will be introduced during the current Session of Parliament.

Legislation will be introduced as soon as the demands on Parliamentary lime permit, but I am afraid it is not possible to give an assurance that time can be found for it in the current Session of Parliament.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, he has considered the recommendation of the Committee on the Patents and Designs Acts that all patents in respect of State-owned or State-subsidised inventions should be treated as a public asset and vested in a single central body, capable of estimating the potential value of the inventions concerned and of taking the steps necessary for the development and use of the inventions in industry; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes. If time permits, I hope to be able to introduce a Bill during this Session to set up a body to be called the National Research and Development Corporation which will have essentially the functions recommended by the Patents Committee.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what was the number of petrol applications, R (M. S.)1 forms, submitted in the months of December, 1939, December, 1946 and September, 1947; and the total number of civil servants employed in the divisional petroleum offices on those dates respectively.

Particulars of the number of applications in respect of private cars R (M.S.)1 Forms received in regional petroleum offices in the month of December, 1939 are not available. On the average of the period 23rd November, 1939. to 31st January, 1940, the number dealt with was probably of the order of 360,000 a month. The number dealt with in December, 1946, was approximately 135,000 and in September, 1947, approximately 375,000. As regards the second part of the Question, the number of staff employed at the end of the various months were: December 1939, 1,709; December, 1946, 1,735; September, 1947, 1,489.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, in view of the abolition of the basic petrol ration, he will take the necessary steps to withdraw completely the special allowance of petrol made to flying clubs.

No.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that allocations of petrol are still being continued to bookmakers in their business capacity; and whether he will take immediate steps to abolish the issue of petrol coupons to bookmakers or anyone engaged in gambling businesses.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes," and to the second part "No."

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why supplementary coupons, for petrol have been refused to Mr. A. J. Marks, of 5, Park Avenue, Hove, in view of the fact that Mr. Marks is engaged in travelling the country for the purpose of inspecting houses suitable for conversion to flats intended for occupation by middle-income groups; and whether an allowance can now be made since this work is a contribution to the housing problem.

I am having inquiries made into the case and I will communicate with the hon. and learned Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what redress or appeal has a motor cyclist who has been refused a petrol allowance by a regional officer, when such allowance is necessary for the worker to enable him to reach his place of employment owing to distance and inadequate bus service.

The applicant may ask the regional petroleum officer to reconsider the matter and in appropriate cases to refer the appeal to higher authority.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why investigating officers of his Department visited garages North of Inverness in August in a 16 h. p. Daimler; and if he will give an undertaking that no car of more than 7 h. p. will be used by investigating officers in future.

I am unable to trace that any officer of my Department was using a 16 h. p. Daimler car North of Inverness last August. Inquiries were carried out by an officer in a 10 h. p. car, and if the hon. Member has more precise information about the incident to which he refers, I should be willing to look into it. Generally speaking, the cars officially approved for use by my Department in Scotland do not exceed 12 h. p. but I am unable to give an undertaking that no cars of more than 7 h. p. will be used, having regard to the hilly nature of the country.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why the proportion of petrol imported from dollar sources in the first eight months of 1947 was 15 per cent. higher than in the 12 months of 1946 while the proportion imported from British Empire and Middle East sources was 21.7 per cent. lower.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the written reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwood (Mr. Chamberlain) on 12th November.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power to what extent the decision to withdraw the basic petrol ration is due to a shortage of tankers to bring fuel oil into this country.

The decision to withdraw the basic petrol ration was taken in order to conserve dollars, and not because of shortage of tankers, which is nevertheless serious at the present time.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will consider making the necessary amendments in S. R. & 0., 2021 of 1947 so as to permit people who still retain petrol acquired in respect of basic ration to use this petrol during Christmas week.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to S.R. & 0. 2058 of 1947. As I have said in reply to previous Questions on this subject, the time limit for the use of basic ration petrol was fixed after full consideration and I am afraid that I could not agree to extend it.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, having regard to the fact that in some parts of the sterling area there is no petrol rationing, and in others the scale is higher than in the United Kingdom, any approach was made to other Governments in the area, with a view to seeing if some overall reduction in petrol consumption could be effected in order that the complete abolition of the basic petrol ration in the United Kingdom alone might be avoided.

Commonwealth Governments within the sterling area were asked to secure a reduction of petrol consumption and although the action taken could not be uniform owing to differing circumstances, cuts have already been announced by a number of them.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what arrangements have been made by the National Coal Board to introduce fluorescent lighting on an' experimental basis into coal mines in this country; and whether he will give further particulars about its development.

The National Coal Board have undertaken investigations into the underground application of fluorescent lighting and experiments are at present concentrating upon its application to the coal face. Two types of installation are available. The first type is operated by the normal colliery electricity supply. Arrangements, originally started by the Ministry and subsequently taken over by the National Coal Board, have been made to introduce nine installations of this type in different collieries. The first is already operating at Chislet Colliery in Kent, and it is hoped that another will shortly be put in at Birch Coppice Colliery in Warwickshire. The remaining seven will be installed as soon as the manufacturers can supply the equipment. The second type of installation is pneumatic-electric, a system in which each lamp has its own air-turbo generator driven by the colliery compressed air supply. A pneumatic installation is now operating at Chislet Colliery.Preliminary results from both types of installation are encouraging, but they are essentially experimental. The present extended tests are designed to find the solution to certain technical, economic and operational problems. Once these problems have been solved, it should be possible to make a realistic assessment of the merits of fluorescent lighting at the coal face.Elsewhere than at the face fluorescent lighting has been in operation at the pit-bottom for some time in two collieries.

asked the Minister for Economic Affairs what plans exist for the increasing of our invisible exports.

Our invisible exports come from many different activities, the circumstances of which differ so greatly as to make it impossible to deal with them adequately by Question and Answer. Perhaps the hon. Member would put down a Question dealing with any particular activity which he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Polish men and women there are in Great Britain not gainfully employed; and to what extent they are being maintained from public funds.

This information is not available. If, however, the hon. Member has in mind the Polish Resettlement Corps, I would refer him to the replies given to the hon. Member for Tiverton (Mr. Amory) on 6th November, a copy of which I am sending him. Members of the Corps are maintained from public funds pending their absorption into civil employment or repatriation.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of able-bodied men registered as unemployed at each of of the following employment exchanges in South Wales: Garnant, Pontardawe, Clydach, Ystalyfera, Neath and Resolven.

The unemployment statistics compiled by my Department do not distinguish able-bodied men from others. The number of insured males aged 14–64 registered as unemployed at the employment exchanges in question at 13th October are given below. A large proportion of these men were registered as general labourers for light work. The figures also include the registered disabled suitable for ordinary employment: Garnant, 374; Pontardawe, 75; Clydach, 55; Ystalyfera, 419; Neath, 438; Resolven, 115.

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated number of workers in the building trades.

It is estimated that at the beginning of July, 1947, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of insured persons (men aged 14–64 and women 14–59) in employment in Great Britain classified as belonging to the building industry was 967,000.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement as to the number of women who have entered industry in response to the Government's appeal; what are the figures from each region; to what industries have they gone; how much the appeal has cost; and if he is satisfied with the result.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the Member for Newark (Mr. S. Shephard) 11th November. 1947.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the 12s. 6d. a week which he estimates to be the additional outlay on a four-in-family budget if the subsidies on rationed food were abolished is a net figure and includes the relief to be expected from reduction in taxation and savings in administrative costs.

No. The form and amount of any consequential reduction of taxation are too hypothetical to be allowed for. The administrative costs of the subsidies, as distinct from those of rationing and bulk-purchasing, are relatively small.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will undertake negotiations with the Egyptian Government with a view to obtaining a fair share of undecorticated cotton cake as part of the final negotiations regarding Egyptian sterling balances with this country.

I will bear this possibility in mind.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the average cost of providing answers to Parliamentary Questions, excluding the cost of printing.

Probably considerable, but it cannot be precisely calculated. It is mainly a matter of the time and labour of senior civil servants who are also engaged on other work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the case of Wilfred Booth (aged 47 years), previously manager of a Navy, Army and Air Force Institution, who died in Parkhurst Prison Hospital on 1st October from pulmonary tuberculosis as certified on the death certificate issued on 6th October; that on 18th September following anxiety expressed by his sister as to his health it was stated that he had been carefully examined and that no trace of malignant or tubercular disease had been found and that his general condition was regarded as fairly satisfactory; who carried out this examination; and whether he is satisfied as to its accuracy.

The statement to which my hon. Friend refers was based on a report of the principal medical officer of the prison, made after examining this man on 5th September. There was no failure to make a full and careful examination and at that date there were no clinical signs of tuberculosis. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing my sympathy with the relatives of the deceased.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women are at present serving sentences in prison; and what steps are being taken to provide them with constructive work which will contribute to our economic recovery.

On 4th November, 1947, there were in the prisons 14,211 men and 864 women, of whom about 90 per cent. would be serving sentences. The majority of prisoners are employed in the manufacture of clothing and equipment for the prisons and other public departments, on the prison works services and farms, and in the domestic services of the prisons. Others are employed on work of public utility outside the prisons, such as agriculture, land reclamation, and clearance of A.R.P. structures. I have under consideration the question in what directions this employment can be extended so as to ensure that the labour of prisoners is used to the best advantage both of their own training and of the national interest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by whose authority motorists desirous of attending the rally in Hyde Park on 23rd October were misdirected by the police, who prohibited cars from parking in previously agreed positions, and informed a number of motorists bound for the rally, that it was cancelled or banned.

The police had instructions to facilitate the attendance of motorists taking part in the rally, without impeding the normal flow of traffic, and these instructions were carried out. Complaints that the police had acted as suggested in the Question were investigated on the spot in the presence of a representative of the organisers of the rally and proved to be without foundation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of administration of the Commissioners of Church Temporalities in Wales for the last financial year; what is the amount of property and other assets they now have to deal with; and what compensation is payable to the paid Commissioners and their staff on the disbandment of their office.

Administrative expenses for the year ending 31st December last were £10,933. Assets still to be dealt with total £24,292; compensation to remaining staff will cost £10,554. No compensation is payable to any of the Commissioners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recruits have entered the Metropolitan Police Force since the 1st August, 1945; how many of those recruited in this period have left the service; and what is the approximate cost of training a recruit at the present time.

Three thousand five hundred and twenty-four; 622; and, so far as the Metropolitan Police Force is concerned, about £46.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to amend the law by which children born in Britain to aliens are British subjects, while in many cases they also retain the nationalty of one or both parents.

No.

asked the Minister of Health how many new houses have been erected and completed in the borough of Swindon since July, 1945; and on how many more has construction actually begun.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Monthly Housing Return.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has approved the scheme of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to build 600 agricultural cottages in the North, Midland and Western areas; and what assistance he is giving the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in order that they may make an immediate start with this agricultural housing programme.

This long-term house building of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners has been discussed with my Department. Work will begin on a number of the cottages as soon as the local labour position allows.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the widespread belief, even among building operatives themselves, that house building will come to a standstill after the lapse of about a year; and if he will reassure the public by issuing a full and up-to-date statement on the matter.

No, and I see no reason for this misapprehension. I would refer to the statement made in the House by my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Economic Affairs on 23rd October, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the Circular which I issued to local authorities on 29th October.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total number of rural houses recommended to be built by the recent agricultural executive committee survey in England and Wales as essential for agricultural production; how this differs from the existing schemes in rural areas; and what percentage of these rural houses it is proposed to erect in the reasonably near future.

I regret that I am unable to supply the information referred to in the first two parts of the Question as the results of the survey are not yet available. As estimates are received the extent to which demands can be met will be discussed as a matter of urgency with the local authorities concerned in the light of local resources and existing commitments.

asked the Minister of Health how many aluminium bungalows for miners have been made available for the mining areas; how many are to be erected in South Wales; and what factors govern their allocation to the various local authorities.

6,779 permanent aluminium bungalows have been allocated to mining areas, and of these 1,115 will be erected in South Wales. These bungalows are allocated to local authorities where there is urgent need for houses for special classes of workers.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the claim of the Borough Council of Walthamstow on 15th October that a person wishing to repair his own house must first apply for a building licence, since the value of his own work, added to the value of the materials used, might raise the cost of the repair above the statutory £10 limit; and whether he will issue a circular to stop such discouragement of individual initiative.

I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph (2) of Circular 8/47 issued on 20th January, 1947, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health under what circumstances he has rejected the appeal of Mr. Maurice Foxley, of Long Lawford, Rugby, to be allowed to build by his own labour, supplemented by part-time labour, two cottages, with materials already in his possession on land he owns, one cottage being designed for a miner and one for an agricultural worker.

No application for a civil building licence has been made by Mr. Foxley to the appropriate local authority. His proposed cottages have not yet been designed, and he has been advised to consult an architect.

asked the Minister of Health why the owner of a house that is requisitioned by a local authority is not paid compensation at the rate of the standard rent of the house.

The compensation paid to owners of requisitioned houses is determined under Section 2 of the Compensation (Defence) Act, 1939, as amended by Section 45 of the Requisitioned Land and War Works Act, 1945, and is assessed broadly on the basis of the rent which a tenant could reasonably be expected to pay during the period of requisition under a lease granted immediately before the requisitioning.

asked the Minister of Health how many applications for reduction of rent were made to Rent Tribunals established under the Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act up to the summer of 1947; in how many cases rents were ordered to be reduced; and in how many cases, where rents were ordered to be reduced, was the landlord concerned an owner-landlord or a tenant-landlord.

16,235 references were made to Rent Tribunals, of which 4,571 were invalid or were withdrawn before a decision was reached. 10,789 references were decided and rents reduced in 7,714 cases. I regret that the information asked for in the last part of the question is not available.

asked the Secretary' of State for the Home Department whether the issue of petrol to the special constabulary has been ordered to be withdrawn; to what extent this will increase the great burden on the regular police force; and whether extra cars are to be issued to the police to take the place of cars voluntarily used for this purpose by the special constabulary.

Special constables who use their cars on authorised police duty will still be able to obtain petrol for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the water supply schemes of the Chesterton Rural Council, Cambridge, which have been provided at considerable expense, are held up owing to the difficulty of obtaining pipes; and will he take steps to provide a speedy solution of the difficulty.

I am aware that considerable difficulty has been experienced in the Chesterton Rural District Council area, as elsewhere, in obtaining lead and copper pipes for making house connections to mains which have recently been laid by the Council. These materials are in very short supply but I am seeing whether anything can be done to expedite delivery.

asked the Minister of Health when his Regulation 33B lapses; if it is his intention to reintroduce it; or what does he intend to put in its place.

The regulation expires at the end of this year. I do not propose to substitute any other compulsory powers, but to encourage the use of persuasion to bring contacts under treatment.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on the result of his negotiations with the representatives of the medical profession on the terms and conditions of service under the National Health Service Act, 1946.

The time to decide that is when the discussions are complete.

asked the Minister of Health how many smallpox cases there are in Great Britain at the present time.

I can answer only for England and Wales. My information is that there are no cases at present.

asked the Minister of Health if the transfer of Haybrook House, Pewsey, Wilts, to the Wilts County Council can be expedited as the council purchased the place in August, 1946, and because it is urgently needed for the use of patients now placed in overcrowded quarters elsewhere.

I have written to my hon. Friend as to the details of this case.

asked the Minister of Health what number of persons by categories it is estimated will be employed full time upon valuation by the Board of Inland Revenue when the Local Government Bill is in full operation.

It is provisionally estimated that the permanent staff needed by the Board of Inland Revenue for rating valuation work will be about 1,700, of whom approximately half will be clerical staff.

asked the Minister of Health what number of persons by categories were employed full time upon valuation for rating in England and Wales in each of the years 1934–1938.

I have no information on which to estimate these figures.

asked the Minister of Education how far the Emergency Training Colleges for Teachers are understaffed; and what action is being taken to fill the vacancies and so relieve the other staff.

Emergency Training Colleges are generally well staffed. I know of only two cases, including the one to which my hon. Friend has drawn my attention, in which there has been any difficulty in filling vacancies reasonably quickly. Vacancies as they arise are filled by appointments made by the local authority concerned, with the assistance of the Ministry where this is needed.

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that the Cornwall County Education Authority has refused to pay the fares of children from Perranporth attending Truro Secondary Modern School on the grounds that they could attend overcrowded senior classes at Goodhavern; that fares are paid in the case of one child, whose parents removed from Middlesex on the grounds that she had attended a secondary modern school before coming to Cornwall; and will he intervene to insist that all pupils making the daily journey to Truro receive equal treatment in this matter.

No. The authority exercised their discretion to treat the child from Middlesex as a special case because she had been attending a secondary school there. Any further extension of the concession to children to whom special circumstances do not apply would lead to the overcrowding of the Truro schools: the Truro Girls' Secondary School is already full.

asked the Minister of Education whether in view of the fact that the last Burnham Committee report on teachers' salaries accentuates the differences between amounts paid to men and women, and also, by treating older children as higher financial units, lessens the incentive to become teachers in infant schools, he will decline to implement the report.

I am not able to announce my decision on a report which has not yet been submitted to me.

asked the Minister of Education (1) how many children are drinking free milk each day in schools; their ages; and whether any arrangements are made for preventing waste or disposing of surplus milk;(2) how many meals were supplied to school children during 1943, 1944, I945, 1946 and 1947; and if the plans to extend school meals to all children are to be affected by the crisis.

I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table giving overall figures for children taking milk and meals at Grant Aided schools from 1943 to June, 1947. Statistics by age groups are not available. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of Circular 119, paragraphs 13–15 of which deal with the disposal of surplus milk and the importance of avoiding any waste. Special measures have been taken to emphasise the importance of these instructions. The pace of the school meals programme must inevitably be affected by the general restrictions on building industry and the shortness of supplies of canteen equipment.

asked the Minister of Education if he will state the approximate cost of supplying milk to schools during 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946 and 1947; and if he is satisfied with the present scheme.

As the answer to the first part of the Question involves a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT giving the information for which my hon. Friend has asked. The answer to the second part is in the affirmative.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that no provision has yet been made for the supply of meals to the children attending Hillesley Church of England School; if he will take steps to expedite their provision; and pending the completion of

I am looking into this matter and will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give the number of schoolchildren receiving free dinners, dinners on payment and no dinners, respectively; and the number of schools providing free dinners, dinners on payment and no dinners at the last available date.

In June, 1947, there were, in round numbers, 330,000 children in grant-aided primary and secondary schools who received free dinners, 1,990,000 who had dinners on payment, and 2,460,000 who did not receive dinner at school. Dinners were being provided at nearly 25,000 out of 29,000 schools or departments, free or on payment according to the needs of the case.

asked the Minister of Education whether school dinners will now be available free of charge.

No. My hon. Friend will see from the table I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT in answer to Questions No. 107 and 108 that we still have a long way to go in extending the facilities for school dinners before they can be made free. In the present circumstances I cannot estimate how long it will take to complete this programme.

asked the Minister of Transport why petrol is still available for motor coaches hired by private parties who could equally well reach' their destination by train; and how such provision is reconciled with the abolition of the basic petrol ration.

Because motor coaches are complementary to train services, and are relatively more economical in fuel consumption than private motor cars. Nevertheless, the position is being carefully watched.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated cost of the petrol which will be used in a year by the additional buses and coaches being operated to meet the additional traffic resulting from the abolition of the basic petrol ration.

No reliable estimate can be made.

asked the Minister of Transport if he intends to continue to grant petrol for pleasure purposes to buses and motor coaches now that the basic petrol allowance has stopped.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Collins) on 30th October.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that on the weekend of 1st November, 700 pedigree Lincoln sheep, part of a livestock consignment of £80,000 for Russia, were kept waiting two days in unsatisfactory, temporary accommodation because the sheep pens at Tilbury Docks were filled with Ford motor spare parts; that a certain number of sheep were rejected as a consequence; and if he will see that adequate arrangements are made for the shipment of perishable goods and so encourage all breeders to assist in the export drive.

I understand that the purchasing agents were satisfied with the arrangements made and that the rejection of a few sheep because of poor condition was not the result of an unsatisfactory lairage. The facilities at the ports for shipment of perishable goods are generally adequate.

asked the Minister of Food if he will relax the necessity of giving up coupons for soft soap required for medical purposes.

Certain medicated soaps may already be obtained without coupons against a doctor's certificate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that there is a shortage of vacuum flasks in West Cornwall for fishermen who need hot drinks in winter weather; and what steps he is taking to remedy the shortage.

Yes. The shortage affects all parts of England and Wales. As my right hon. Friend indicated in answer to a Question on nth November, the distribution of one well-known make of vacuum flask is controlled by means of priority permits. Of these about 45 per cent. of the fishery allocation goes to the South-West of England, and applicants must wait their turn for flasks as for other scarce goods.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what quantities of petrol are at present being stored on disused areodromes in Huntingdonshire.

About 1,100 tons of petrol are stored at the R.A.F. Station Graveley, which is equipped with F.I.D.O., and the petrol has been kept there for use in emergency. There are no other stores of petrol at disused aerodromes in Huntingdonshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that at Bishop's Court Aerodrome, County Down, on reduction of M/T driver personnel, the services of a disabled ex-Service man who has carried out the duties for 20 months are being dispensed with, while non-ex-Service men are being retained; and whether he will take steps to rectify this.

By agreement with the trades unions, discharges on redundancy are broadly governed by the "last in, first out" principle. This principle applies to ex-Service men, and also to disabled persons, since my Department employs a higher percentage of disabled persons than that stipulated in the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944. I regret that I cannot make an exception in this case to the agreed rules, which apply to all Government establishments.

asked the Minister of Defence if he is aware that the amount of petroleum products consumed by the Armed Forces during the year ended 30th June, 1947, was about four million tons, made up of 1,065,000 tons of motor spirit, 304,000 tons of aviation spirit, 72,000 tons of lubricating oil, 2,507,000 tons of gas, fuel and diesel oil, and 62,000 tons of kerosene; and whether he will state the total dollar expenditure involved and the dollar expenditure in the case of each category of petroleum product.

The fuel oil and aviation spirit were purchased from British companies for sterling. The bulk of the motor spirit and other products was obtained either through the Petroleum Board (by whom the supplies from whatever source are pooled) or, in the case of some theatres abroad, from British oil companies, and it is not possible to say what proportion of the Services' supply represented ultimate dollar expenditure.

asked the Attorney-General what action the Government proposes to take in regard to the recommendation contained in paragraph 89 of the report dealing with alternative remedies, which has reference to the doctrine of common employment.

The Bill to amend the law relating to personal injuries which it is intended to introduce at an early date, will contain a proposal for the abolition of the doctrine of common employment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what requests for financial assistance have been made by the organisation entitled "The Barbados Youth Movement" to the government of the Colony; and why no official recognition has been accorded nor grants made.

No such requests have been received by the Barbados Government. The Governor reports that the Social Welfare Officers did their best to assist the organisation, but that in the light of the full reports from these officers, it has been decided that in present circumstances no official encouragement should be given to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will publish the Canadian offer to Newfoundland either as a White Paper or in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

I am arranging for a copy of the document to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when Marga Haarestrick of Hanigsen 298, Lehrte, 20 Hanover, the fiancée of Mr. Joseph Pinson, of 10, Countess Road, Northampton, is expected to arrive in England.

Miss Haarestrick should arrive towards the end of this month or early in December. The exact date depends on the travel facilities available and Miss Haarestrick's readiness to travel.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many medical stations are functioning in the Protectorate, and how this compares with the number in 1945; and what steps are being taken by the Government of Sierra Leone to fill the urgent need for doctors.

Excluding mission establishments, the Protectorate had eight hospitals and 17 dispensaries in 1945. During 1946, owing to shortage of staff, three hospitals were placed temporarily on the footing of dispensaries and four dispensaries were closed. According to the information available in the Colonial Office, two hospitals are still closed. A general revision of salaries in Sierra Leone has since come into effect and the recruitment of medical officers is improving. Five have been recruited during 1947, leaving four vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many doctors are now working in the sleeping sickness campaign in Sierra Leone; and how this compares with the number working in 1945.

Two doctors are now working in the campaign as compared with three in 1945. It is hoped to restore the approved establishment of three doctors by recruitment.