asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is proposed to inaugurate a system of native administration in the New Hebrides comparable to that now being developed in the Solomon Islands.

I regret that it is not possible to say if or when such a system of native administration can be inaugurated in the New Hebrides. Such a step would, of course, require the consent of the French Government. I am, however, studying what steps can be taken to improve the existing system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what development and welfare schemes are contemplated for the New Hebrides.

The New Hebrides are not eligible for assistance under the C.D.W. Act. In conjunction with the French authorities we are constantly doing what we can to improve the conditions of the people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what percentage of cocoa plantations in Nigeria and the Gold Coast is affected by destructive diseases; what steps are being taken to destroy the trees affected and to replace them by fresh plantings; and if he is satisfied that the large profits now being made by the industry owing to inflated scarcity prices are being used to extirpate plantation diseases and to secure efficient cultivation.

Precise figures for the percentage of cocoa in the Gold Coast and Nigeria infected with cocoa virus disease will not be available until the intensive cocoa surveys which are now being conducted in both territories have been completed. The area affected by the disease in the Gold Coast is estimated at about 10 per cent. of the total area under cocoa. In Nigeria, infected cocoa is estimated to amount to only 1 per cent. of the total cocoa area. The need for energetic steps to deal with the situation is fully realised by Government. The measures taken in the Gold Coast include an intensive survey to ascertain the exact distribution of the disease; the removal of all trees showing symptoms of the disease; and the maintenance of an inspection service to carry out reinspection and removal of fresh cases in treated outbreaks. In Nigeria, where the disease is less serious, an intensive cocoa survey is also in progress together with a cutting-out campaign. A substantial sum (£1¼ million) has already been allocated from cocoa profits for research into cocoa diseases by the West African Cocoa Research Institute and the Government of the Gold Coast is now considering financial measures to encourage the rehabilitation of diseased areas and the planting up of new areas to cocoa. As a preliminary step, the Gold Coast Cocoa Marketing Board has set aside a sum of £150,000 towards the cost of soil surveys.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what tonnage of fertilisers for agricultural purposes was imported into East Africa in the years 1938 and 1946, respectively; what were the types of fertiliser; and what progress has been made with the investigation of the phosphate deposits in Uganda.

Colony.	Year.	Super-phosphate.	Sulphate of Potash.	Sulphate of Ammonia.	Guano	Total. (Tons.)
Kenya	1938	*	*	*	—	1,727
	1946†	1,280	—	431	1,483	3,194
Uganda	1938		(Included in Kenya figures).
	1946	—	—	209	—	209
Tanganyika	1938	*	*	*	*	213
	1946	*	*	*	*	584
* Tonnage for each of these types is not available; of the 1938 importation into Kenya an unknown proportion was for use in Uganda.
† During 1946 usage was limited by scarcity of supply and to supplement imported fertilisers 6,408 tons of Uganda raw phosphatic rock were used.

As regards the last part of the Question, a geological survey of the deposits has already been carried out and arrangements are now being made to conduct a detailed survey of the grades of phosphates in them. A decision to develop the deposits cannot be taken until the results of field experiments with the rock phosphates are known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what policy is being pursued in respect of the Uganda Agreement of 1900; and whether he has considered representations to the effect that direct rule is being substituted for indirect rule in Uganda.

It is the policy of His Majesty's Government to continue their relationship with the Government of Buganda on the basis of the Agreement which has governed those relations since 1900. I have considered representations to the effect mentioned in the second part of the Question, but have been unable to find any evidence to support them. Indeed the whole policy of the Protectorate Government is directed to an increasing degree of devolution of responsibility to the Buganda Government and other local Government bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give an assurance that further consideration is being given to the future of Fouran Boy College; and if he is aware that the

The quantities of fertilisers imported into East Africa during 1938 and 1946 were as follows:question of the future status and scope of the college is giving concern to many West African peoples.

My views remain as stated in paragraphs 14 and 15 of my despatch of 16th August last contained in Sierra Leone Sessional Paper, No. 5 of 1947, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House. While I recognise the strength of the local sentiment mentioned in the Question, I cannot contemplate the offer of assistance from Colonial Development and Welfare funds to provide a third University College in West Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the measures taken in the Seychelles, under a Copra Stabilisation Bill, to levy a cess on copra exports to create a stabilisation fund to be managed by trustees.

A Bill entitled the Copra Stabilisation Fund Ordinance was placed before the Legislative Council of the Seychelles in September but was withdrawn before the Third Reading in view of opposition from the unofficial Members of the Legislative Council. The Bill provided for the establishment of a fund into which there was to be paid a percentage of the amount by which the current export price of copra exceeded an agreed "basic price." Four-fifths of the fund was to be available to stabilise the price of copra should the market price fall and one-fifth for the welfare of labourers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the extent and what were the aims of the general strike which took place in Malaya on 20th October; and whether he has any statement to make.

The hartal held throughout the Malayan Union and Singapore on 20th October was sponsored by certain political organisations and the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce, as a protest against the Federation Scheme summarised in Cmd. 7171. Though the hartal was widely observed by Chinese, I am informed that the Malays, in general, took no part, and that there was little evidence of widespread enthusiasm even among the Chinese, many of whom were ignorant of the issues involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the recent appeals issued from his Department, urging the drastic restriction of import licences for British exports to the various Colonies, were issued without adequate co-ordination with the export industries in this country; and whether fresh instructions will be issued without delay to clarify the present situation and to reduce the damage which the recent order has caused to the smooth flow of planned production in this country.

The advice which led to the recent imposition of restrictions on the importation of goods from all sources, including the United Kingdom, into the Colonies was certainly not given without consideration of the effect on United Kingdom exports. Its general object was to ensure that the Colonies should live within their current income and, if possible, accumulate funds for use later when the goods which they require will be in easier supply. The intention was also to help reduce the pressure of demand on the United Kingdom so that the main efforts of this country may be the more effectively directed to producing goods for export to hard currency destinations. The question of what imports from the United Kingdom it is desirable to encourage has, nevertheless, been under further examination and revised instructions will be issued when that examination is complete.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of outstanding applications for installation of the telephone in St. Marylebone to the latest convenient date; and what is the present rate of installation.

Including cases in course of provision, there are about 300 outstanding applications for telephone service in the borough of St. Marylebone. The present rate of installation is also about 300 new exchange lines per month.

asked the Postmaster General what steps are being taken to improve the telephone service on the Vigilant exchange, where steady deterioration has taken place during the last 12 months; and when it is contemplated this exchange will be converted to the automatic system.

Regular samples of the service at Vigilant exchange show that apart from September last when there was a shortage of staff, there has been no general deterioration over the past 12 months. There should be a steady improvement as the newer members of the staff gain experience. Work has started on the building for the new exchange and the automatic equipment has been ordered, but I regret that it is not possible at present to say when the change-over is likely to take place.

asked the Postmaster General if he will abolish the wireless licence fee, in view of the fact that over 90 per cent. of the homes in the country have wireless, thereby saving a considerable number of man hours and much paper used in this detailed collection of tax which could be a general charge on the Exchequer.

No. The reasons for the Government's decision to continue the present system of licensing broadcast receivers were set out in the White Paper on Broadcasting Policy (Command No. 6852) and still hold good in essential respects.

asked the Minister of Food what steps the committee controlling the distribution of vegetables is taking to prevent tie-in sales of green and other vegetables with potatoes, now that potatoes are rationed.

Conditions of sale, whether imposed by wholesalers or retailers, are prohibited by the Food (Conditions of Sale) Order and are, therefore, illegal. Action will be taken against anyone who contravenes the Order. I will gladly investigate any attempts to impose a condition of sale on receiving particulars.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the resentment aroused among retailers by attempts in Covent Garden Market to impose conditions of sale in respect of supplying potatoes; and whether he will consider the introduction of a scheme guaranteeing shopkeepers their quota according to the number of customers they serve, irrespective of whether they make purchases of other more costly vegetables.

I will take legal action against any person against whom there is evidence that they have imposed conditions of sale. It is not possible to introduce a scheme guaranteeing shopkeepers specific allocations of potatoes. We will however remedy local deficiencies by sending supplies to recognised wholesalers in the district.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give the destination of the 13,000 tons of oils and fats which it is anticipated will be exported during 1947.

During 1947 we expect to have to export 6,970 tons of oil and fats to Mediterranean Colonies, 2,700 tons to Far East Colonies and Burma, 1,040 tons to African Colonies, 595 tons to Caribbean Colonies, 815 tons to Middle East countries and 990 tons to other Colonies and the Faroes. The total amount is under 2 per cent. of our consumption.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that many hospitals are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain blood donors for their blood transfusion service owing to the diminished food ration, and will he recommend that increased rations be given for a short period to those who give of their blood.

Special allowances of food are made to hospitals for donors after they have given their blood.

asked the Minister of Food if in staffing the Overseas Food Corporation he will consider the employment of suitable administrative and engineering officers who have had experience in India and Burma and who, owing to recent changes of policy, have been dismissed or have reduced prospects in those countries.

Under the Overseas Resources Development Bill it will be for the Overseas Food Corporation to appoint its own administrative and engineering staff. I have, however, already drawn the attention of the Chairman-Designate of the Corporation to the suggestion made by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Food whether, under the potato rationing scheme, it is permissible for the consumer to insist that he shall get his three pounds of potatoes in good condition and' without any material addition of dirt; and what instructions are being given in this connection.

asked the Minister of Food what arrangements he has made to secure that, when potatoes unfit for consumption are sold as part of the potato ration, such potatoes are replaced by others.

asked the Minister of Food what instructions he has issued to greengrocers concerning the replacement of potatoes sold to the public and found unfit to eat.

When selling potatoes for human consumption growers must exclude diseased tubers, soil and growth shoots. This year the crop is generally sound and clean and there should be little difficulty in complying with this rule, particularly as a tolerance of 6 lb. per cwt. is allowed to the grower and a further 1 lb. to the greengrocer.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in order to ensure that the potato ration is available to all consumers, he will arrange for proper allocation to retailers on the lines of the successful tomato allocation scheme.

I do not feel that the work involved in assessing retailers' entitlements of potatoes, on lines similar to those of the tomato scheme, would be justified for a scheme which, it is hoped, will be in operation only for a comparatively short time.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will reconsider and improve the new allocation of potatoes to fish friers, owing to the hardship caused to this industry, and to the public, by such a reduction.

I shall be happy to consider any new proposals that the National Federation of Fish Friers may make for sharing our supplies, but I am afraid it is not possible to increase the total quantity allowed to fish friers.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the fact that potatoes are now rationed, he will take steps to ensure that no mud or rotten potatoes are included in the ration.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the hon. Members for the Isle of Wight (Sir P. Macdonald), Kingston - upon - Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter), and East Renfrew (Major Lloyd).

asked the Minister of Food if he has yet come to a decision on the proposal to make the purchase of baby milk foods by holders of green ration books an alternative to the priority fresh milk ration for babies under 12 months rather than an addition to it, and thus leave more fresh milk available for other purposes.

Stocks of proprietary infant foods are not large enough, I am afraid, to enable us to guarantee supplies of a particular brand, as we should have to if people gave up the green ration book entitlement to liquid milk. I will reconsider my hon. Friend's suggestion when production of dried milk can be increased and stocks built up.

asked the Minister of Food if, when successive allocations of bananas to an area are insufficient to provide a pound of bananas for each green ration book holder, he will ensure fairer distribution by instructing greengrocers to supply, on the first day after the arrival of an allocation, only those green ration book holders whose unmarked books show they received none of the previous allocation.

When an allocation is made to a particular area, enough bananas, including an addition for wastage, are sent in to give 1 lb. per head to all children under 18 and to expectant mothers, so that all shall have an opportunity of obtaining their share during the first three days. It would be difficult to carry the entitlement over from one allocation to the next.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the reduction in import of dried egg is a serious hardship to the housewife; what steps he intends taking to make up the reduction by an additional ration of shell eggs; and is he satisfied that the Egg Marketing Scheme is working satisfactorily.

I much regret that our dollar position involves a reduction in dried egg imports. Everything possible is being done to increase supplies of shell eggs both from home production and from any oversea source open to us. I am glad to say that an agreement has recently been concluded with Denmark for further shipments of eggs. I am satisfied that the egg marketing scheme enables us to distribute fairly the great bulk of our supplies of eggs.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to supplement the food rations of the working population in order to increase their resistance to disease and consequently to improve the productive output of export goods.

I am satisfied that under present circumstances the method of distribution which provides supplementary rations for a large number of workers is the best that can be done to provide different categories of people with their differing nutritional requirements.

asked the Minister of Food whether the difference between cost and market value of groundnuts produced under the East African Groundnut Scheme will remain in East Africa for the benefit of the colonial peoples or whether it is to be taken by the British Exchequer; or whether it is to be shared.

The sale of the groundnuts produced under the East African Groundnuts Scheme will be a matter for negotiation between the Overseas Food Corporation and the buyers, and I cannot anticipate the outcome of these negotiations. The hon. Member can rest assured, however, that full account will be taken of the declared policy of His Majesty's Government that the operation of this scheme will bring great financial benefit to peoples of the territories. The British people will benefit mainly through the increased supplies of oils and fats.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking in connection with the self-suppliers pig scheme to ensure that pigs kept by cottagers and other private individuals under this scheme are always slaughtered by humane methods; and whether he proposes to take any additional steps to prevent unnecessary cruelty.

A good proportion of self-suppliers' pigs are slaughtered at Ministry of Food slaughterhouses or bacon factories where humane slaughter is the rule. Self-suppliers who kill their pigs elsewhere, are, of course, subject to the Common Law as to cruelty to animals.

asked the Minister of Food, in view of the reduction in the sugar ration, how many tons of sugar have been exported from this country during the last six weeks; how many tons were shipped in the s.s. "Albatross," m.v. "Dynamo" and m.v. "Heron," and what was the destination of these ships; how many tons are lying in the London docks, St. Katharine's dock, West India docks, Victoria, Royal Albert and King George V docks, awaiting export; and how much of this is stored in warehouses and how much in the open.

During the six weeks ending 8th November, 1947, approximately 30,000 tons refined sugar were exported from the United Kingdom. None of this sugar was drawn from supplies imported for United Kingdom domestic consumption. No raw sugar was exported. About 3,500 tons were shipped on the steamers "Albatross" and "Heron," but nothing on the m.v. "Dynamo." The destinations were Persian Gulf and Italy. No stocks of refined sugar are held in the docks or warehouses mentioned, as refined sugar for export is supplied direct from the refineries. No refined sugar is ever stored on open sites.

asked the Secretary of State for Air why only about three weeks warning was given to families recently informed that they would not now be able to join their husbands serving in Japan.

I very much regret that these families were given dates of sailing which had to be cancelled within three weeks. This was due to a failure in my Department to inform those responsible for arranging sailings that the R.A.F. in Japan may be withdrawn earlier than had been expected. I will certainly examine very sympathetically any case which hon. Members may bring to my notice in which hardship may have been caused.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that there are a number of disused living quarters on aerodromes in Huntingdonshire, which could be used to house R.A.F. personnel and their families, who are at present occupying accommodation in requisitioned houses needed for housing the civilian population; and whether he will take steps to de-requisition all privately owned dwellings in Huntingdonshire.

No. There is only one R.A.F. station at Molesworth with suitable accommodation and this is being converted to married quarters. All surplus accommodation at the other airfields has either been handed over or is on offer to other Government departments. Apart from the properties in Godmanchester, about which the hon. Member has a further Question, my Department holds only one other privately owned dwelling under requisition; this is occupied by a Group Headquarters, and I cannot at present say when it will be released.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the acute housing shortage at Godmanchester, Hunts, he will de-requisition all houses occupied there by or on behalf of the R.A.F., thus releasing them for civilian needs.

Two of the five houses requisitioned by my Department at Godmanchester have recently been released. These are Island Hall, which I understand the local authority will probably take over for housing, and Corpus Christi House, which belongs to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. One of the remaining properties is in use as an R.A.F. Headquarters and is being kept for that purpose; the other two are to be converted to married quarters.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the highest and lowest release group so far reached by different trades in the R.A.F.

Group 64 and group 56.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that the recent announcements of release groups in the Service shows that by next March some trades will have only reached group 61, compared with group 75 in others; that a discrepancy of 14 groups will mean a difference, allowing for ages, of two years' service; and what steps are proposed to correct this discrepancy.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service announced on 14th October, 1947, the acceleration of releases in the first quarter of 1948 means a wider discrepancy between releases in different branches, trades and arms within each Service if operational efficiency is to be maintained. We are making a certain number of extra releases in the trades which are better manned than the average and this will result in a temporary widening of the disparity, which will be 14 groups in certain trades in March. I should make it clear that this has not involved any postponement of releases in any branch or trade, and that there is no change in the plan to release by the end of 1948 all those serving at the end of 1946

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that a number of the R.A.F. serving in Burma will have been conscripted for three years; and what steps he proposes to take to speed up their demobilisation.

Yes. There are National Service members of the R.A.F. in Burma and elsewhere who have served for more than three years. We shall, however, fulfil the undertaking to release by the end of this year all those who were serving before 1st January, 1944; and all those called up before the end of 1946 will be released by the end of 1948.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what are the numbers of officers, men and W.A.A.F.s at present serving in the R.A.F., and how many of each category are serving on National Service, Extended Service and Regular engagements.

The strengths of the R.A.F. and W.A.A.F. on 1st October,

—				Officers.	Airmen.	Total.
R.A.F.—
Regular Engagements	…	…	…	4,660	59,680	64,340
Bounty Scheme	…	…	…	Nil	18,820	18,820
Extended and Short Service	…	…	…	7,170	4,160	11,330
Non-Regulars *	…	…	…	12,720	180,490	193,210
Total	…	…	…	24,550	263,150	287,700

—				Officers.	Airwomen.	Total.
W.A.A.F.—
Fixed Term Engagements	…	…	…	Nil	1,790	1,790
Extended and Short Service	…	…	…	150	3,420	3,570
Non-Regulars†	…	…	…	550	14,890	15,440
Total	…	…	…	700	20,100	20,800
Notes:—
* Non-Regulars in the R.A.F. chiefly consist of National Service entrants but also includes volunteers who entered for other than fixed periods of engagements and who will go out of the Service under the release scheme.
† Non-Regulars in the W.A.A.F. chiefly consist of volunteers serving on "duration of present emergency" engagements. They will go out of the Service under the release scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what are the target strengths for the R.A.F. on 31st March and 31st December, 1948, and what proportion of these strengths it is anticipated will be serving on National Service engagements at each of these dates.

It is anticipated that the strength of the R.A.F. at 31st March, 1948, will be 263,000 and that about one-half will be National Service men. It is not at present possible to give figures for 31st December, 1948.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on which services the converted Junker 52's are being used.

None.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if, in view of the recent disruption of air services due to fog, he will consider installing equipment at airports, which 1947, were 287,700 and 20,800 respectively, comprising the following:will enable aircraft to take off and land in foggy weather.

Yes. Much has already been done and improved equipment is being installed as rapidly as possible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he is aware that the County of Sutherland has no air services and that air communications are vital to the county; and whether he will undertake to establish a civil aerodrome at Dornoch.

My noble Friend is aware that the County of Sutherland has no air service, but he is advised that the potential traffic in the county is not sufficient to justify a service. To establish Dornoch as a civil aerodrome would involve heavy expenditure on acquisition, development and equipment, and in view of the economic situation, such development cannot be undertaken in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much aviation spirit has been used by civil aircraft in 1947; and how much has been allocated for 1948.

In the first nine months of 1947, consumption of aviation spirit in this country for civil purposes was 67,650 tons, including consumption by aircraft engine manufacturers. Consumption in 1948 may reach 130,000 tons but no close estimate is possible at the present time.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the part played by the Fuel Efficiency Committee of his Ministry in connection with the scheme for the allocation of coal to industry.

In drawing up the winter scheme of allocation of coal to industry, careful attention was paid to the recommendations of the Fuel Efficiency Committee. In particular the assessment of the requirements of individual firms, assumes that all practicable steps are being taken to secure fuel efficiency and therefore provides an incentive for this to be done. Moreover, the fact that stocks held by individual firms at the end of the summer were not taken into account in settling their allocations has undoubtedly given great encouragement to economy in the use of fuel by industry.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements have been made for British officers and other ranks in Germany whose wives are with them to have their children join them at Christmas.

Arrangements have been made for two parties of children to go to Germany at Christmas, one leaving on 20th December and returning on 16th January, the other leaving on 22nd December and returning on 20th January. In cases in which the father is expected to have a year's further service in Rhine Army passages will be at public expense for those children who have not previously had a return passage free. In other cases the cost of the passage will be borne by the father.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the present status of the 27 naval officers and 187 other ranks handed over by the Japanese at Singapore as German internees and treated by us as surrendered personnel up to their arrival in Liverpool on 21st July, 1946, on what they had been informed was a repatriation journey to Germany, and why are they still being held in this country instead of being treated like the Ueberfuhrten von Norwegen who were long ago returned under the Geneva Convention to their own country.

These men are held here as prisoners of war. My information is that no official promise of repatriation was made to them. All prisoners of war in the United Kingdom are repatriated according to a common plan and I see no reason for making an exception in these cases.

asked the Secretary of State for War how much longer it is intended to maintain members of the Polish Resettlement Corps at the public expense.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Hackney on nth November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give figures showing the incidence of indirect taxation upon the following items: a packet of twenty cigarettes, one pint of beer (bitter ale, standard), one ounce of tobacco, a cinema seat, price 1s. 9d., including tax, a football match admission ticket, price 2s., including tax, a lipstick, price 4s. 6d., a box of powder, price 4s. 6d., and a bottle of proprietary brand of whisky, price 25s. 9d.

I will give the figures, at the post-Budget rates of tax where there have been increases. On that basis the figures of incidence at the present moment are as follows:

• Cigarettes—About 2s. 8d. on a packet of 20 of the kinds sold at 3s. 4d.
• Beer—About 8d. a pint on beer of average strength.
• Pipe tobacco—About 3s. an ounce, but varying from one brand to another.
• Cinema admission, price 1s. 9d. including tax—8½d.
• Football match admission, price 2s. including tax—4½d.
• Lipsticks and face powder—125 per cent. of the wholesale value.
• Whisky (at the usual strength of 30° under proof) to be sold at 30s. per bottle—22s. 3d. a bottle.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the chief inspector in care of repayment claims founded on covenants asks for the fact of payments to be verified by inspection of the covenantors banking accounts: and if he will have this practice altered.

It is the duty of the Inland Revenue authorities to satisfy themselves as to the title of any taxpayer to claim repayment of tax and where the repayment is claimed under family covenants it is their practice to call for evidence to show that payment of the covenanted sum has in fact been made to the beneficiary.

asked the Minister of Supply what percentage of garden forks manufactured in this country have been exported during the past year.

Approximately 35 per cent.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why the booklets Fuehrer Conferences on Naval Affairs are not on sale at the Stationery Office.

The Admiralty considered whether to propose that these documents should be placed on sale, but came to the conclusion that the work involved in producing a version suitable for this purpose would not be justified in the present manpower situation.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state the amounts and cost of oil fuel and petrol consumed by the Royal Navy in the year ended 30th June, 1947, and give an estimate of the amounts to be consumed in the year to 30th June, 1948.

During the year ended 30th June, 1947, the Royal Navy's consumption of oil fuel and petrol was:

		Tons.
Motor spirit	…	44,100
Aviation spirit	…	34,700
Oil fuel of all kinds	…	2,202,000

The estimated consumption during the year ending 30th June, 1948, is:

		Tons.
Motor spirit	…	27,000
Aviation spirit	…	25,000
Oil fuel of all kinds	…	1,662,000

I regret it is not possible to give the value of these quantities as it is not in accordance with usual Government procedure to disclose information which might lead to the revelation of prices tendered by contractors.

asked the Minister of Works what is the cost of the houses being erected under the supervision of his Department on behalf of the Ministry of Supply for the accommodation of scientific workers employed at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell and their families, at Abingdon, Wantage and Chilton in the county of Berkshire; how many of these houses, both of prefabricated and orthodox types, have been completed and how many are now in course of erection.

The total estimated cost including site works is £1,174,558. Two hundred and five houses have been handed over, and 347 are in course of construction.

asked the Minister of Works how many buses and charabancs have been requisitioned to transfer workers from different parts of Berkshire and the neighbouring counties to work on the Atomic Energy Research Establishment site at Harwell and the satellite housing sites; what is the weekly cost of this transport, and of this figure how much represents the hire of vehicles and how much wages of the drivers, etc.

No buses or charabancs have been requisitioned for this purpose, but 23 buses and 77 coaches have been hired to carry workmen daily from their collecting centres, mainly the labour camps at Kingston Bagpuize and Grove, to and from work. The hiring charge of £3,200 a week includes the wages of the drivers.

asked the Minister of Works what arrangements have been made by the Government to assist the contractors engaged on work at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment site at Harwell and on the satellite housing sites by providing accommodation for workers brought from Ireland and elsewhere; what is the extra allowance paid to these workers over and above the district wage rate fixed under arrangements between local authorities and. the Ministry of Health; and when is it anticipated that these camps and hostels can be closed down as the number of persons employed on the sites is reduced.

Camps have been provided at Kingston Bagpuize and at Grove (near Wantage). The whole of the labour employed at Harwell, and the satellite housing sites, receives payment and allowances in accordance with the Working Rules of the National Joint Council for the Building Industry, as issued from time to time, except that in the case of Harwell itself the Council has agreed to an exceptional margin of ½d. per hour over the standard rate of payment for the district. It is not possible to state when the camps and hostels can be closed down.

asked the Minister of Works how many civil servants are still engaged in assessing the value of iron railings taken for scrap during the war; and by what process the assessment of value is reached.

Twenty-one civil servants are at present engaged, in a full-time capacity, in negotiating compensation settlements for gates and railings requisitioned during the wartime scrap campaigns. The basis of assessment of compensation is that provided by paragraph 4 of Defence Regulation 50B.

asked the Minister of Works to whom persons desiring to acquire secondhand Army huts for the purpose of providing Youth Centres and other social works, should apply; and whether he is aware that repeated applications have been made for the use of such a hut in the borough of Ipswich.

Application may be made to the Regional Disposals Officer of the Ministry of Works, but if priority is sought the application should be endorsed by the Department concerned with the social work. The demand for surplus hutting so much exceeds the available supplies that it may be some time before even a sponsored application can be met. I cannot trace the Ipswich case to which my hon. Friend refers, but if he will let me have details I will look into it.