asked the Minister of Supply (1) what was the total production of rolling-mill products, showing separately that of bars and rods, during each of the first three quarters of 1947; and what amounts were retained for use in the United Kingdom, showing separately that allocated for the production of machine tools;(2) what reduction in iron and steel allocations to the machine-tool industry

DELIVERIES OF FINISHED STEEL.
Product					Period I 1947.	Period II 1947.	Period III 1947.
					Tons	Tons	Tons
Heavy rails and accessories	…	…	…	…	94,615	104,502	95,975
Plates	…	…	…	…	328,839	395,948	407,424
Other heavy steel products	…	…	…	…	249,108	311,141	283,361
Light rolled products	…	…	…	…	284,983	302,237	286,938
Ferro-concrete bars	…	…	…	…	30,435	41,274	41,885
Cold rolled strip	…	…	…	…	48,185	53,183	49,549
Bright steel bars	…	…	…	…	33,910	39,398	39,284
Sheet (other than stainless)	…	…	…	…	272,941	300,228	256,059
Tinplate etc.	…	…	…	…	150,449	164,984	147,565

Apart from the figures shown for ferroconcrete bars and bright steel bars there are no statistics showing separately deliveries of bars and rods.

EXPORTS OF FINISHED STEEL.
Product		Period I 1947.	Period II 1947.	Period III 1947.
		Tons	Tons	Tons
Heavy rails and accessories	…	20,866	30,859	21,480
Plates	…	29,800	28,192	19,057
Other heavy steel products	…	19,600	21,595	11,477
Light rolled products (including ferro-concrete bars)	…	17,340	27,229	20,966
Cold rolled strip	…	3,189	3,842	2,082
Bright steel Bars	…	1,885	1,610	1,163
Sheets	…	8,656	10,592	7,151
Tinplate	…	25,250	30,433	24,797

I regret that I cannot give details of the steel allocations made, or to be made, to individual industries. I can only assure my hon. Friend that in allotting steel full weight is given to the claims of the machine tool industry.

The following table gives details of direct deliveries to consumers of the main classes of rolling-mill products in the first three quarters of 1947:The following table gives the direct exports of the above classes of steel during the same periods:

asked the Minister of Supply if he will give details of the division of responsibilities as between his Joint Parliamentary Secretaries.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretaries deputise for me as the political head of the Ministry and, in so doing, divide their responsibilities broadly as follows:

asked the Minister of Works what is the amount of licences granted to Robinson and Cleaver's in respect of their shop in Bournemouth; and the purposes for which such premises are being used.

A licence authorising the expenditure of £1,674 was granted mainly for reinstatement of the premises for use as a retail drapery and clothing store after de-requisitioning. Most of this work was done by shop fitting specialists. In addition work has been necessary for the removal of blast walls and repairs to the main building of which these premises are part.

asked the Minister of Works what is the amount of the licences granted to the Barbeque Restaurant at Bournemouth; and the purposes for which such premises are being used.

During the past twelve months building licences authorising a total expenditure of £6,594 have been granted to make these premises fit for use as a cafeteria and restaurant following derequisitioning.

asked the Minister of Works what is the amount of the licences granted to Daniel Neal's in respect of their shop at Bournemouth; and the purposes for which such premises are being used.

A licence authorising the expenditure of £4,316 was granted mainly for reinstatement of the premises as a retail outfitting and shoe shop after derequisitioning. Most of this work was done by shop fitting specialists. In addition work has been necessary for the removal of blast walls and repairs to the main building of which these premises are part.

asked the Minister of Works why licences have been issued for the conversion of No. 3 Kensington Court as an annexe to the Milestones Hotel, South Kensington, in view of the fact that, apart from the expense and manpower required for the conversion, the demand for flats in the area is considerably greater than the demand for hotel rooms.

A licence for the minimum work necessary to convert No. 3 Kensington Court into an annexe to the Milestones Hotel was granted on the recommendation of the Board of Trade in order to increase much needed hotel accommodation in London for businessmen from overseas and tourists

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how much of the expenditure in dollars on petrol for cars used by members of the Control Commission for Germany is attributable to the use of such cars for official purposes; and how much for all other purposes.

About 87 per cent. of the petrol used by the Control Commission is for official purposes and 13 per cent. for recreation.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that no gratuity was paid on behalf of men who were killed in the War, but who had not served the regulation six months after a sentence had been imposed by court martial for desertion or some other crime; that some of these men had served for long periods before this lapse took place; and if he will reconsider the matter with a view to rectifying it.

Under the conditions of the Royal Warrant governing the award of war gratuities, a soldier who was found guilty of desertion or fraudulent enlistment forfeited previous service for war gratuity. If, however, he later rendered 12 months exemplary service before the end of the gratuity earning period, that is, before 16th August, 1946, he became eligible for restoration of the forfeited service and qualified for an award in respect of all the good war service rendered. The suggestion that in the case of a man who was killed in action before completing the necessary 12 months' qualifying service for restoration, the forfeited service should be automatically restored, has been put forward before, but there are difficulties in making such a concession. I am having the matter reviewed again, but it will be appreciated that it does not affect the Army only. The rule must be identical for all three Services. The period of six months referred to in the Question relates only to the minimum amount of reckonable service that any man must render in order to qualify for an award of war gratuity. It has no direct bearing on the particular Question now raised.

INCIDENCE OF VENEREAL DISEASE AMONG BRITISH TROOPS DURING THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED 30TH JUNE, 1947.
Annual rates per 100 strength.
—		Officers.	Other Ranks.	Women's Services.
United Kingdom	…	0·4	2·8	1·0	(e)
British Army of the Rhine	…	1·9	16·8	1·2
Central Mediterranean Force (a)	…	1·8	13·3
British Troops in Austria (b)	…	1·2	15·2
Middle East Land Forces (c)	…	0·6	3·0	Not available.
Far East Land Forces	…	4·1	13·9
British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Japan) (d)	…	1·6	30·9
(a) Includes Austria up to the end of 1946.
(b) Estimated annual rate based on the first 6 months of 1947
(c) Includes Malta and East Africa from 1st April, 1947
(d) The number of British troops in this Command is small: accordingly the percentage rate is liable to fluctuate considerably.
(e) Officers and other ranks: separate figures for the two categories are not available. As far as is known, however, there were no cases among officers of the Women's Services during this period.

asked the Secretary of State for War in which overseas commands accommodation is provided at present for the families of other ranks of the British Army; and how many families have applied to proceed overseas but have not yet been granted permission.

Accommodation is provided at present for the families of other ranks of the British Army in the following overseas Commands:—British Army of the Rhine, British Troops in France,

asked the Secretary of State for War the percentage of officers and men, respectively, in every command of the British Army at home and overseas who have been treated for venereal disease during the past 12 months, and the comparable figure for the women's services.

The information asked for, so far as it is available, is shown in respect of the 12 months ended 30th June, 1947, in the following table. The figures in this table, which are derived partly from provisional returns, may be subject to some revision later. The figures represent infections reported, and may therefore in some cases include more than one report regarding the same individual; accurate information as to the extent to which this has occurred is not readily available.British Troops in Austria, British Element Trieste Force, Middle East Land Forces, Gibraltar, Far East Land Forces, North Caribbean Area, South Caribbean Area, West Africa. The information asked for in the second part of the Question is not readily available, because applications for families to proceed overseas are originated by the husband in the overseas Command.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are made to enable parents and relations to visit the graves of soldiers who have died in B.A.O.R. since the end of the war.

As I indicated in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter) on 4th November, I regret that owing to accommodation and transport difficulties it is not yet possible to arrange visits to graves in Germany. This applies equally whether the soldier died during the war or since.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the discussions aimed at providing a co-ordinated and economic Fire Service for the West Riding of Yorkshire; and what action he is taking to ensure that there is such co-ordination.

No proposals have been submitted for a voluntary combination of the area of the county with those of the county boroughs, but the question whether the Fire Service arrangements are satisfactory will be considered in relation to the establishment schemes which the authorities are to submit by the end of this year.

asked the Minister of Food why the original allocation of dried fruit to a retailer remains unaltered whether or not his sugar registrations, on which the allocation is based, increase or decline; and what steps he will take to remedy a situation where some retailers have an excess and some an inadequate supply of dried fruit.

The distribution of dried fruit primarily by reference to sugar registrations was adopted merely as a convenient administrative arrangement to ensure distribution approximately according to population. It is not, however, rationed along with sugar but is independently controlled under the points rationing scheme. Since 1943, when the present scheme of distribution was introduced two re-issues of dried fruit unit vouchers have been made to compensate for movements of population caused by the war, and it is hoped to make another shortly.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish in the official records the names of all local authorities which have increased the rents of their houses, giving the numbers in each case, since June, 1945, together with the minimum and maximum increase of rent; and when the Government is likely to permit private owners of properties to have the same right as local authorities to increase their rents which are required to cover the increased cost of repairs, maintenance and management that today is costing approximately three times prewar.

I regret that the information referred to in the first part of the Question is not available and I do not consider that I would be justified in calling for a special return in order to collect it. As regards the last part of the Question I can hold out no prospect of early legislation to amend the Rent Restriction Acts.

asked the Minister of Health when the revised specified standards of materials and stresses and strains regarding public services and housing accommodation will be published.

If the hon. Member will let me have particulars of what he has in mind, I will be glad to let him have the information.

asked the Secretary of State for Air as representing the Secretary of State for Burma, what is the cost of the Rolls-Royce car to be presented by His Majesty's Government to the first President of the Burma Union; and how much of the cost will be paid by the British taxpayer.

The cost of the Rolls-Royce car to be presented will be approximately £4,500. The whole of this cost will be borne on the Burma Office Vote.

asked the Minister of Defence the number of agricultural workers now serving in the Armed Forces.

Exact figures are not readily available, but it is estimated that there are roughly 23,000 officers and men in the three Services who are covered by the Ministry of Labour classification "Agricultural Trades."