asked the Minister of Labour how many European volunteer workers have arrived in this country during the past three months.

Ten thousand five hundred.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that there are a considerable number of ex-Service personnel of the age of 50 and over, particularly in the commissioned ranks, who are unemployed; and what steps are being taken to bring them into the drive for production.

Yes. The problem of these older ex-officers and other ranks is fully appreciated and every effort is being made to find them suitable employment.

asked the Minister of Labour when it was decided to vary the policy announced by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour, in the House of Commons on 22nd April, and to refuse to allow German prisoners of war, who wish to settle here as agricultural workers, to return home for the purpose of seeing their families before taking up residence in this country.

As already announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, it has been decided to extend to 1948 the scheme permitting German prisoners of war, who volunteer for employment as civilian agricultural workers to remain in this country for a temporary period. Hitherto it has not been found practicable to make arrangements for Germans who volunteer to remain here to be given leave to return home and visit their families, but in view of the extension of the scheme the matter is receiving further consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many prisoners of war have been repatriated from this country during the past three months.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which was given to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich (Mr. Stokes) on 4th November, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for War how much land now being used by his Department is suitable for growing potatoes; and if, in view of the serious potato shortage, he will release it for this purpose.

The maximum area of land held by my Department is already made available for agriculture, consistent with military requirements, and it is not therefore possible to release further land for the purpose of growing any particular crop. It is a matter for the tenant or the county agricultural executive committees to determine what area of land now under cultivation is suitable for growing potatoes.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements he is making with other appropriate Ministries adequately to accommodate the civilian employees of the War Department in the Larkhill and Bulford areas of Salisbury Plain; and to what extent the housing programme is to be augmented in that area.

My Department is responsible for housing only a limited number of key civilian employees, the nature or whose duties makes it essential for them to live within the perimeter of a barrack or camp, so that they may be available at all hours of the day and night. Some 200 quarters are to be built throughout the United Kingdom towards the requirements of quarters for these employees. I hope that this programme will be extended later. The housing of all other civilian employees of the War Department is a matter for local authorities. The numbers of civilians employed are notified to the local authorities concerned, who consider their applications with those of other civilian applicants.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many civilian motor drivers are employed by the Army now compared with a year ago, and at what weekly wage; and why these posts cannot be filled by Service drivers.

On 1st October, 1946, approximately 2,400 civilian motor drivers were employed by the War Department in the United Kingdom. The corresponding figure for 1st October, 1947, was approximately 2,700. The wages paid vary according to the district and the type of vehicle, between approximately 93s. and 108s. a week. The work can be done by either military or civilian drivers and it is the policy of the Department to use both. The shortage of military drivers has led to an increase of civilians. The civilian drivers are employed on duties for which military drivers are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what approaches have been made to the Bulgarian and Hungarian Governments with a view to purchasing tobacco from those two countries; and what quantities has each country available for export.

No such approaches have been made by His Majesty's Government. As regards the second part of the Question, no information is available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what offers of machinery have been made to the Roumanian Government in exchange for maize; of what types; and on what dates.

As was stated on 20th November by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Lewes (Major Beamish), His Majesty's Government are without official information both on the specific quantities of goods which might be made available to the United Kingdom and on the supplies which the Roumanian Government expect to obtain in exchange.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to increase the supply of industrial overalls, which are in short supply.

Increased supplies of overalls are dependent upon an increased supply of cloth. All practicable steps are being taken to increase the availability of cloth consistent with the attainment of the export targets for textiles.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider replacing the present docket system for soft furnishings with the coupon system, in view of the improvement in the supply position.

We are keeping this matter under close review but we are not satisfied that the time has yet come to take this step.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will add to the classes now eligible for permits to buy utility furniture and household furnishings single persons demobilised from His Majesty's Forces returning to live with relatives but desirous of furnishing a separate bedroom for the first time.

While I am not prepared to make an addition to the priority classes, this type of case is dealt with as sympathetically as possible on its individual merits.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of paper allocated to each type of paper user for the period November, 1947, to February, 1948; and what percentage increase or decrease this represents over the previous period and the consumption of each user in 1939.

Only approximate figures of consumption in the year 1939 are available and these were given for the

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the amount of the special reserve of paper for technical, scientific and general educational textbooks, administered by the Publishers' Advisory Committee; and what proportion this bears to the total amount of paper available to all publishers.

The special reserve administered by the Publishers' Committee amounts to 1,750 tons of paper for the current four months' licence period, of which at least 1,250 tons is to be used for educational textbooks. This special reserve is equivalent to 9 per cent. of the total allocation for books.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the available home supply of saucers does not keep pace with the supply of cups.

It was always customary before the war to produce more cups than saucers. During the war manufacturers were urged to train the saucers-makers left in the industry to make cups—the more essential article. Owing to the labour shortage the balance of production has not yet been restored.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations have been made to him by the Tourist and Holiday Board to increase the home supplies of crockery.

The British Tourist and Holidays Board have drawn my attention to the difficulties of hotels and catering establishments in getting adequate supplies of crockery. These difficulties are a reflection of the general shortages of crockery and I am satisfied that the hotel and catering trades are getting at least their fair share of the supplies available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state, in convenient categories, the amount of stocks of timber in Great Britain at the latest available date.

The hon. Member will find the latest available figures of the stocks of softwood, hardwood, pitwood and plywood in the October issue of the Monthly Digest of Statistics published by His Majesty's Stationery Office.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many officials have power to issue timber licences; which Departments require timber and apply for licences; and how many are consulted before licences are in fact issued.

Timber licences are not issued centrally. Timber is allocated by the Materials Committee of the Cabinet to all Departments who need it for the production purposes for which they are responsible and each Department issues licences for the acquisition and consumption of the requisite timber out of its own allocation. It is, therefore, for using Departments to decide what officials are to be empowered to issue timber licences. If the hon. Member desires, I will inquire as to the total number and let him know. It is not normally necessary for one Department to consult any other before it issues a timber licence.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many typewriters have been exported in the last three months to the latest available date; and what was their value; and during the same period how many typewriters were imported, and of these, how many were for Government Departments.

The number of typewriters exported during August to October, 1947, was 4,923, valued at £97,800. During the same period, 8,710 typewriters were imported. None of these imports were for Government Departments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many marbles were in each of the 1,700 cartons recently imported from America at a cost of 15,760 dollars.

4,320.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the agricultural machinery factory at Maybole is unable to supply the orders it has received owing to lack of supplies of timber; that it has in store a quantity of timber which is has been forbidden to use for the manufacture of agricultural implements; that it has many orders for farm carts which it cannot fulfil; and what steps he intends taking in the matter.

Yes. The timber in store is earmarked for use in the repair of railway wagons. Alternative supplies of timber have been suggested to the factory by the Timber Control area officer who will help them to find what is needed.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning if he is aware of the rate at which good agricultural land is being encroached on for other purposes, including building, Services training, opencast mining and planting by the Forestry Commission; and if he will set up a committee to go into the whole question of land utilisation with a view to ensuring that a correct balance is struck between the need for maximum food production at home and other national requirements.

Under existing arrangements any proposal for the diversion of land to non-agricultural use is carefully considered in the light of the views of the Ministry of Agriculture upon it. Special investigations are carried out where required, but in view of the wide diversity of the issues involved my right hon. Friend does not think there would be any advantage in adopting the suggestion in the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether upon the raising of the school-leaving age, he proposes to extend the time for the payment of children's allowances.

No special action is necessary. Under the provisions of the Family Allowances Act the new school-leaving age automatically applies except as regards children who had attained the old school-leaving age before the new age became operative.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he will give particulars of the number of cases of miners certified as disabled by nystagmus, dermatitis and pneumoconiosis in the East Midland region in 1936 and 1946, respectively.

The number of certificates of disablement given by examining surgeons under the Workmen's Compensation Act in this region for miners' nystagmus was 176 in 1936 and 173 in 1946. The corresponding figures for the scheduled disease dermatitis produced by dust or liquids are 30 and 263 respectively. The number of cases of pneumoconiosis certified by the Silicosis Medical Board in this region in 1946 was 14. The compensation scheme for the disease did not come into force until 1st July, 1943, but one case of silicosis was certified in 1936.

asked the Minister of Supply, in connection with the present drive to increase the export of machinery and machine tools from this country, what steps are taken to ensure that such exports are not achieved at the expense of British industry, the ability of which to increase its exports must depend to a large extent on obtaining new supplies of machinery and machine tools.

Export targets are fixed in consultation with the Government Departments responsible for the industries using the machinery and with the industries concerned. Full account is taken of the need to provide for the essential needs of British industry.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking to enable railway wagons to be unloaded during week-ends in order to secure a quicker turn round.

Special instructions have been issued to all railway goods staff, the unions are co-operating, "wagon chasers" are being employed, volunteer unloading squads have been organized, railway cartage is being strengthened and goods yards are working at week-ends. A special appeal has been made to all traders to co-operate.

asked the Minister of Food how many dollars were spent on the purchase of chewing gum in North and South America between 1st November, 1945, and 1st November. 1947.

No dollars were spent on the purchase of chewing gum in North and South America between the period stated. Import licences totalling £389,695 were, however, issued during the period in question for the import of chewing gum base from the United States of America.

asked the Minister of Food how many dollars were spent in North and South America in the purchase of silver hake between the 1st November, 1945, and the 1st November, 1947.

Separate figures for silver hake are not available as supplies of this fish were imported on private account, not by the Ministry of Food. No such fish has been imported from South America.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the haphazard way of delivering potatoes to merchants under their allocations does not enable them to clear the potatoes from the railway trucks and involves a demurrage charge of 1s. 3d. per ton; and if he will reimburse the merchants for the expense thus incurred.

It is not always possible to arrange that merchants' orders are delivered at regular intervals but when there is "bunching" of wagons for which the merchant is not responsible my Department will relieve him of demurrage charges.

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the further letter which has been sent to him, he will take steps to see that potato bags, whether belonging to merchants or the Ministry of Food, are used to the best advantage; and it he will make a statement.

Potato bags in the hands of the Ministry are used to the best advantage. We have no control over merchants' bags. The letter referred to by the hon. Member raises a number of points and I am replying to them in detail.

asked the Minister of Food if, when making allocations of potatoes to merchants, he will arrange for their transport and prompt delivery.

Following trade practice, the wholesaler takes delivery of railborne supplies from Ministry stocks at town railhead. Transport to his premises is arranged by him and an allowance is made in the Ministry's selling price based on average cost. When potatoes are

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any communication has been sent to members of the Palestine Police Force regarding their conditions of service in the future; and whether the pensions, etc., to which these men are entitled under the terms of their engagements will be safeguarded; and whether it is his intention to offer alternative employment to men with good records in the Palestine Police Force for service in some other part of the British Commonwealth.

No communication has been sent to members of the Palestine Police Force regarding their conditions of service in the future. Recruitment to the Force has now been suspended but exist-

asked the Minister of Food why the potato ration for Service personnel on leave is only half the civilian ration.

Service men and women on long leave may obtain the same quantity of potatoes as civilians. For periods of leave not exceeding 72 hours they get half the normal weekly allowance.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give figures showing the current retail prices, the retail prices in September and the retail prices in November, 1946, of turnips, parsnips and swedes.

My information is as follows:ing members will be retained on their present conditions so long as their services are required by the Palestine Government.It was announced in Palestine on 27th September that British members of the Palestine police for whom normal retiring benefits are provided under the Palestine Police Ordinance will be granted enhanced benefits on premature termination of service.Every effort will be made to find alternative employment in Colonial territories for members of the Palestine Police Force who apply and are suitably qualified, but owing to the large size of the Palestine Force and the relatively small British staffs employed in the Colonial Police Forces there is no prospect of any large number being absorbed in this way. There are, nevertheless, other possibilities which we are now exploring.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new houses of traditional and non-traditional construction it is proposed to allocate to each county and burgh in Scotland for the years 1947–48, 1948–49 and 1949–50, respectively; and on what basis such allocations are made.

In view of the fact that there are more houses approved than can be finished expeditiously new tenders are at present being approved only for

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will put in hand the consolidation of the Statutes relating to Death Duties which date from 1796–1947.

Though I fully appreciate the desirability of such consolidation it is not possible to undertake it in the immediate future.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what authority

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the usual notice which was issued to tailors and other traders concerned informing them of the additional tax which they will have to pay to the Revenue when the Finance Bill becomes law. They need immediate and precise information so as to enable them where necessary to adjust the price to their customers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if a Minister or a Ministry official has to ask Treasury permission before chartering an aeroplane or using a Service aeroplane.

Ministers of Cabinet rank may use their discretion in particular cases in chartering aircraft. Treasury permission is required in the case of officials. Service aircraft may be used by Ministers or officials of the Service Departments at the discretion of the Air Ministry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any statement to make on the conclusion of a Monetary Agreement between this country and Sweden.

A Monetary Agreement between His Majesty's Government and the Swedish Government was signed on 24th November. It comes into force today and replaces the Supplementary Monetary Agreement of 14th July, 1947. It provides a new mechanism for payments between the sterling area and Sweden, and should facilitate the further development of Anglo-Swedish trade. The text of the agreement will be presented to Parliament and copies will be available in the Vote Office today.

asked the Prime Minister when the remaining volumes of the Official History of the War of 1914–18 will be issued and whether it is possible to give a more complete Order of Battle as an appendix as the ordinary reader does not as a rule have a copy of the separate Order of Battle volume.

Of the four remaining volumes three are in proof and it is hoped to publish two of them next year. The outline Order of Battle appendices which these volumes will contain could be expanded only at the cost of delaying publication and adding unduly to the bulk of the volumes.

asked the Minister of Works what is the total number of properties at present in occupation by Soviet Missions in the U.K.; and if he will give a list of such properties.

I have been asked to reply. It would be difficult to give complete and reliable details regarding premises occupied by Soviet or other foreign Missions in this country, since there is no obligation on a foreign Government to inform His Majesty's Government when leasing premises in the United Kingdom for official purposes.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) what is the output in tons per man employed in the licensed mines compared to the output in tons per man under the National Coal Board;(2) whether he will give the difference in output per man for the licensed mines as compared to those run under the National Coal Board.

Comparable figures for 1947 are not yet available, but in 1946 O.M.S. (overall) (excluding mines at which minerals other than coal were also mined) amounted to 0.99 tons at the pits now operated under licence as compared with 1.03 tons at the pits now operated by the National Coal Board. These figures underestimate the superior productivity of the latter mines, for the figure of 0.99 tons for the mines now operated under licence is inflated by reason of the fact (1) that it is based upon the number of persons employed and thus ignores working proprietors (a relatively important element at these pits) and (2) that many Of these pits possess no facilities for screening and washing, their output being either sold as raised or screened and washed at neighbouring pits.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when the hon. Member for Northampton is likely to receive a reply to his letter dated 18th September regarding an application for petrol allowance for a motor cycle for Mr. R. A. Folwell.

My hon. Friend will by now have received my reply to his letter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make an allocation of steel to the Nuffield Organisation to start the manufacture of agricultural tractors.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him yesterday.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many officials are on the pay rolls of the war agricultural executive committees; to what extent their number is being reduced as a result of the decline in the labour forces on farms caused by the return of the German prisoners; and whether he will dispense with a large number of these officials with a view to filling the 60,000 gap in agricultural workers foretold for the coming year.

County war agricultural executive committees employ 3,400 technical and administrative staff and 6,600 clerks and typists. The replacement of prisoners of war by European volunteer workers, Poles and other types of civilian labour will increase rather than diminish the work of committees, and no reduction in the number of staff is possible on this account.