asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has approached the Port of London Authority to negotiate for the sale of the East India Import Dock, as this dock adjoins the Export Dock on which the Poplar Generating Station is being erected, and would be available for an extension of that station; and if his experts have examined the technical aspects of this site.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No," and the second part does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why he has declined to receive a deputation from the Taxi Fleet Operators' Federation on the subject of the petrol ration for London taxicabs; whether he is aware of the serious effect on the travelling public of the recent reduction in the petrol ration for London taxicabs; whether he is aware that whilst some of the larger operators are unable, for various reasons, to make full use of their petrol allocation, others have to lay up their cabs for considerable periods through lack of fuel; and if he will reconsider his decision.

The earlier representations of the Federation have been dealt with in correspondence, but in response to a letter dated 20th January I am arranging for a deputation to be received.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power on what grounds it is decided whether an applicant should have petrol for shopping purposes for one or two journeys per week; and whether he will consider instructing regional petroleum officers to allow all applicants sufficient petrol for two such journeys.

Where the circumstances justify the grant of an allowance of petrol for shopping, sufficient will, on the request of the applicant, be allowed for two journeys a week, provided the total does not exceed the maximum which may be allowed for domestic purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the amount of pension under his regulations that a widow of a retired police officer will receive where the marriage took place after retirement from the service; and in view of the fact that she will then automatically be deprived of any pension under the National Health Insurance on such marriage what arrangements have been made for her provision.

The Police Pensions Act, 1921, provides that a widow's pension shall not be payable from police funds unless the marriage took place before the husband retired on pension, and as police officers are excepted from compulsory insurance under the present Contributory Pensions Acts, the widow also could not ordinarily receive a widow's pension under those Acts. Police officers will, however, become insured under the National Insurance Acts next July, and the widows of such insured police officers, whenever the marriage took place, will be eligible for exactly the same benefits under those Acts as the widows of other insured persons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds the rent allowances and plain clothes allowances in police forces depend upon rank.

The Desborough Committee of 1919 recommended that the higher ranks of the police forces should receive higher rent and plain clothes allowances This has been accepted by all ranks and no representations on this point have been made to me by the Police Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, despite the introduction in the Metropolitan area of restricted streets where yellow bands indicate that car parking is not permitted, the police are continuing to take action against drivers of cars who, avoiding the restricted streets, park their cars in non-restricted streets; and whether in view of the misunderstandings which exist in this connection he will make a statement clarifying the present position.

It is the duty of the police to enforce the general law for the prevention of obstruction, and the prohibition of waiting in restricted streets does not entitle drivers to leave vehicles indiscriminately in unrestricted streets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his interview with the deputation that waited on him suggesting additional facilities for greyhound racing.

On Monday, 26th January, the Minister of Labour, the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland and I received a Deputation consisting of the hon. Member for Central Hackney (Mr. H. Hynd) and representatives of the National Greyhound Racing Society and the Provincial Greyhound Track Central Office who urged that the existing restrictions on betting on greyhound racing imposed by the Dog Racecourse Betting (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1947, should be terminated. My colleagues and I informed the Deputation that the production reports obtained indicated that the restrictions imposed last year had justified themselves, that meetings in normal working hours encouraged absenteeism and dislocated the transport of workers and that their resumption could not fail to have an adverse effect on production. We said that the Government would not feel justified in terminating the Act of 1947 and were, in fact, proposing to introduce a Bill to continue the restrictions beyond 30th June when the Act expires.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a report of the case of Mary Bamber, matron of a Manchester day nursery, who was recently convicted of stealing food intended for the children at the said nursery on or about 15th December, 1947; and whether any further action is to be taken in the matter.

I am aware of the facts of this case. But the question whether any further action or further criminal proceedings should be taken was a matter for the decision of those responsible for enforcing the law and I can find no ground for any action on my part.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the extent of British recruiting to the Arab Legion.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to prevent the cruelty arising from the use of live bait in hare coursing and all similar sports.

I regret that I can hold out no prospect of time being found this Session for legislation on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the ban on mid-week greyhound racing with electric hares, he will impose a similar ban on the coursing of live hares at the Waterloo Cup meeting at Liverpool announced for Wednesday, 11th February, to Friday, 13th February.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what authority the police take the fingerprints of persons after being bound over under the Probation of Offenders Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the police have the right to take photographs and fingerprints of all people who are taken into custody; and whether these may be retained even when the charge is not proved.

Under the existing law the police have no authority to take fingerprints or photographs except with the consent of the individual concerned. Where a person is committed to prison, either to await trial or after conviction, his photograph and fingerprints may be taken by the prison authorities in pursuance of regulations made under Section 8 of the Penal Servitude Act, 1891. If the photograph and fingerprints of an untried prisoner who has not previously been convicted of crime are taken by the police or prison authorities and the individual is subsequently discharged or acquitted by the court, these records are forthwith destroyed or handed over to the person concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the extension to bachelors and spinsters of the £50 Income Tax relief now allowed to widowers and widows who employ a housekeeper.

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate the Budget statement of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Anglo-Argentine trade negotiations.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury gave on 3rd February to a question by the hon. Member for Hornsey (Mr. Gammans).

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he is aware of the hardship likely to arise from the operation of the London and Middlesex (Improvements, &c.) Act, 1936, and Acts incorporated therewith, since compensation payable thereunder is based on 1939 values; and whether he will seek means to alleviate this hardship by introducing legislation to bring the compensation terms more into line with present-day values as has been recognised in the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, and the Requisitioned Land and War Works Bill.

I have been asked to reply. The compensation payable on compulsory acquisition by a local authority is governed by the general law in force at the date of notice to treat. The 1939 standard did not apply where notice to treat was served before 17th November, 1944. Under Part II of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1944, compensation was based generally on 1939 values (with supplements in certain cases) where notice to treat was served on or after 17th November, 1944 and Part V of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947 substituted a basis of current restricted values where notice to treat was served on or after 6th August, 1947. These provisions apply to acquisitions under the authority of the London and Middlesex (Improvements, etc.) Act, 1936 as to any other acquisitions under general or local legislation by a Government Department or public or local authority, and I am not aware that any special point arises.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that many persons abroad sending gifts to this country appear to be ignorant of the fact that the recipients will have to pay Purchase Tax thereon and may be considerably embarrassed thereby, he will take steps to make the contents of Customs and Excise Notice No. 143 of June, 1946, better known overseas.

Yes.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what rights of appeal are open to a Crown servant if he is denied by the head of his Department consent to the publication of any work the subject matter of which is the technical subject of his specialisation.

Every civil servant has a right of appeal to the responsible Minister against decisions which affect him. It has not been found necessary to lay down any special appeal procedure to deal with the type of case referred to; nor am I aware that consent in such cases has been unreasonably withheld.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many posts there were at the most recent convenient date covered by either established or temporary officers in the following grades of the Civil Service: higher clerical officer, clerical officer, junior executive officer, and clerical assistant.

I am sorry to say that the figures requested are not available centrally.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what action the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies is proposing to take in regard to the winding-up of the superannuation fund of the Typographical Association.

None. The Chief Registrar has no power to prevent the winding-up of this fund.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the number of Statutory Rules and Orders now in force; and if he will issue a White Paper indicating the extent to which Parliament has surrendered its powers and functions by means of such Rules and Orders.

The information which the hon. Member seeks was regularly published before the war in the triennial indexes of Statutory Rules and Orders in force. Their publication was suspended during the war, but I am glad to be able to inform the House that there is now in the Press an index covering the Statutory powers granted by Parliament up to 31st December, 1946, and the Statutory Rules and Orders by which those powers were exercised up to 31st December, 1947. Subject to any unforeseen difficulties in printing and binding, the volume should be on sale by the middle of next month.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Estates Committee of the Birmingham City Council had 63,813 applicants for houses on its register on 3rd January; that thousands of those applicants are now living under conditions of congestion and misery; and what further steps are being taken by his department to expand house building in Birmingham.

I am aware that although substantial progress has been made there is still a large unsatisfied need for houses in Birmingham. New housebuilding will proceed to the fullest extent possible under the Government programme as set out in the White Paper on Capital Investment in 1948.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the number of eviction orders obtained in the courts in Birmingham, averaging 15 per week in recent months, and thus increasing the difficulties of the housing problem; and if he will adopt emergency measures to enable the Estates Committee of the City Council to provide accommodation for evicted families.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes." The local authority already have powers to requisition accommodation.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that 70 per cent, of the work entailed in building traditional type brick houses sanctioned in Grimsby has been completed; and, in view of the danger of unemployment, if he will now sanction the building of the 152 houses for which tenders were submitted and approved last July.

I have recently authorised Grimsby Town Council to invite tenders for 46 of these houses.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the desirability in the allocation of houses in industrial centres engaged upon production for export, of priority in favour of work-people who seek housing accommodation in proximity to the works in which they are employed.

The selection of tenants is a matter for the local authorities, subject to the requirements of Section 85 of the Housing Act, 1936. I feel sure that authorities in industrial areas take into account as far as possible the consideration referred to in the Question.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that repairs and extras to a house that was already in good condition, in the Gosforth area, cost £300, that after investigation the regional officers reported that much of the work done was not essential under existing conditions; and whether he will take powers to prevent any council issuing a licence for repairs beyond a given value without the approval of the regional officer of the Ministry of Health.

I am aware of this case and the attention of the local authority is being drawn to the need for restricting the issue of licences to urgent work.

asked the Minister of Health between what limits rentals for new houses and of prefabricated bungalows erected in rural areas are likely to be fixed; and what steps he proposes to take in order to ensure that rentals are not greater than agricultural workers can reasonably afford.

I would refer my hon. Friend to Section 85 (5) of the Housing Act, 1936, and to paragraph 33 of the Memorandum on Temporary Accommodation of which I am sending her a copy. Special subsidy is payable to local authorities in respect of houses for the agricultural population.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the high rents charged for the Airey house, which is preventing agricultural labourers from occupying them; and whether he will consider making a special grant to rural districts to enable the councils to bring the rents of the Airey house more into line with the rents now being paid by agricultural labourers.

A special grant is already paid under the Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1946.

asked the Minister of Health if he will publish for each county the numbers of new houses required for farm workers as shown by the survey recently made by the agricultural executive committees.

No, it is not the practice to publish returns of the agricultural executive committees. The estimates to which the hon. Member refers are estimates as to housing needs over the next few years and have been made on the assumption that all the additional labour estimated to be required for the agricultural production programme will as and when it is recruited require housing in new houses. They do not, as the Question suggests, purport to be estimates of the number of houses required for agricultural workers at the present time and it would be misleading to publish them as such. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and I are arranging for the war agricultural committees and the rural district councils to join together in framing realistic estimates.

asked the Minister of Health the reasons for reducing the number of houses proposed to be erected under contract by the Walsingham Rural District Council, Norfolk, in which district there are 844 applications for council houses, including 216 engaged in agricultural occupations.

There will be no reduction. There may even be an increase. I am simply asking the council not to give more houses to one contractor than he seems able to undertake.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that existing regulations governing the storage, display and handling of foodstuffs are adequately enforced to ensure that no avoidable risk is run of a repetition of the infantile paralysis epidemic.

Existing legal requirements in this field are very extensive, and local authorities know the powers they have got. Nor is there much evidence that epidemics of this disease are caused by methods of handling food.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of infantile paralysis were notified in 1947 and in how many cases was the diagnosis confirmed; how did this epidemic compare with any previous one; and if he is expecting a similar epidemic this year.

In 1947 primary notifications in England and Wales numbered 9,199. Corrections in diagnosis are expected to reduce this figure to about 7,350. The previous highest figure since 1912, when notification became compulsory, was 1,585 in 1938. I cannot prophesy about future incidence.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he has taken and intends to take to prevent an occurrence of an epidemic of infantile paralysis; and what research into the causation, prevention and treatment of this disease is his Department sponsoring.

It is not yet known what conditions cause such an epidemic, so that it is difficult to do more than take the general precautions I mentioned in my reply to the hon. and gallant Member on 7th August last. My Department and the Medical Research Council are investigating past outbreaks and trying to discover how the virus, which is known, is spread.

asked the Minister of Health when the promise made to the hon. Member for Stoke on 10th February, 1938, on smoke abatement is going to be implemented; if he will call for a report on the smoke pollution of the atmosphere and take early action to apply a modern policy of smoke abatement.

The reply to the first part of the Question is—"When the legislative timetable permits." On the second part, investigations are already proceeding, and such action is being taken as is possible in the present shortage of materials.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that certain local authorities are being refused permission to carry out works in connection with the provision and reconditioning of playing fields; and whether in view of the bad conditions caused by many years during which no work has been carried out on the fields, the necessary permission will now be granted.

I will look into any particular case of which my hon. Friend informs me, but I must remind, him of the difficulties at the present time.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to increase the accommodation in day nurseries for the children of working mothers in Great Harwood and Padiham, Lancs.

Proposals for three new nurseries—at Padiham, Rishton, and Clayton-le-Moore—for 100 more children are coming before the county council's February meeting.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has been able to arrange for a Braille watch to be made available for Mr. Sefton, of Newport, who has been unable to obtain one elsewhere.

Orders for Braille watches are being dealt with in strict rotation according to the date of application, and I regret it will be some months before Mr. Sefton can be supplied. In the meantime I am inquiring about the possibilities of getting his present watch repaired.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in the plebiscite of doctors now being held by the B.M.A., each doctor is required to disclose his identity on the ballot paper; and whether in view of the fact that many doctors interpret this violation of voting secrecy as an attempt to intimidate individual doctors, he will take steps to get a more accurate expression of the opinion of doctors on the question of their co-operation in the new National Health Service.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave last Thursday to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now able to announce the General Dental Service Regulations under the National Health Act.

Discussions with the profession are not yet complete, but I intend to make regulations embodying the administrative framework of the General Dental Service as soon as possible. In the meantime I am arranging to send to every dentist a memorandum giving an outline of these proposals.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that medical consultants and specialists, at a meeting at the headquarters of the British Medical Association on 27th January, rejected his proposals for a National Health Service by 766 votes to 11; and what action he proposes to take to make the scheme acceptable to the medical profession.

Yes. I think that it professional men and women were allowed, at these organised meetings of this kind, a little enlightenment as to the true facts of the new scheme, they would certainly find it acceptable to them.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in connection with the free hearing aid scheme, he will consider adopting the New Zealand system of supplying either a free aid or a grant towards the purchase of a more suitable commercial hearing aid.

No. I shall supply the free aids in the way I have already announced.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give an assurance that the doctors and dentists who enter the National Health Service and who publish scientific or clinical articles and books will be permitted to retain fees and royalties that their writings earn.

Both professions will in this respect be in the same position as they are now.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will place in the Library copies of the two documents issued, by agreement between him and the Medical Negotiating Committee, to all doctors in the country.

Yes. I have now done so.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent the premises of nationalised industries are exempted from the liability to pay local rates; and if he will make a statement.

The premises of nationalised industries are not exempted from the liability to pay local rates. Provisions are included in the Local Government Bill, now before Parliament, whereby the Electricity and Railway and Canal industries will, after 1st April next, pay in lieu of rates appropriate lump sums for distribution amongst the rating authorities.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that on 11th December, 1947, his Department notified the Huntingdon Borough Council that the order for the compulsory purchase of Ambury House, Huntingdon, had been confirmed, and that the confirmation order has not been received by the council; and whether he will take steps to expedite the issue of the confirmation order, as the property is urgently required.

Yes; copies of the order have been sent to the borough council.

asked the Minister of Health when it is estimated a decision will be announced on the extension of the boundaries of the county borough of Sunderland.

The Local Government Boundary Commission have already announced certain provisional conclusions regarding the boundaries of the county borough of Sunderland. They stated, at the same time, that a decision regarding the northern boundary of the county borough must await the outcome of their investigation of the Tyneside area. This investigation was commenced in the autumn of last year and has not yet been completed.

asked the Minister of Education why his Department does not recognise as pensionable service broken periods of college training for men who volunteered in the 1914–18 war.

The matter is governed by the Teachers Superannuation Rules, 1926, which were made in full consultation with the representatives of teachers and their employers. The rules enable a training college student to reckon his war service in the 1914–18 war as pensionable from the day following that on which he would, in the normal way, have completed his course of training and been ready for teaching.

asked the Minister of Education when a decision is to be reached by his Department in respect of the request of the Nettsewell Church of England School managers to hand their school over to the Essex authority.

I shall give my decision when I have received the observations of the Essex local education authority whom I am consulting in accordance with my usual practice.

asked the Minister of Education if he will make clear the position with respect to increments of those ex-Service men who enter Emergency Training Colleges after March of this year.

I am glad to have this opportunity of announcing that I have approved the recommendations submitted to me by the Burnham Committees in regard to the salary scales for teachers in primary and secondary schools and in establishments for further education to apply from 1st April next. Under those recommendations a teacher's salary position is not prejudiced by reason of the fact that entry upon a course of training was delayed beyond 31st March, 1948.

asked the Minister of Education what action he proposes to take on the Working Party's recommendation that a National Advisory Council on Education for Industry and Commerce should be set up as soon as possible.

I have accepted in principle the recommendations in the Working Party's Report and I am taking steps to set up the Council without delay. I hope that the first meeting of the Council will be held towards the end of May. I expect to be in a position to announce the name of the chairman very shortly.

asked the Minister of Education what steps are being taken to provide for care and attention to children at school whose mothers are working in the cotton industry.

Local education authorities have been asked to consider providing for the care of school children outside school hours by means of play centres, and 11 local education authorities in Lancashire have made financial provision for this purpose. Of the schools and classes for children under five in Lancashire many are open during school holidays and for extended hours during term-time. School dinners are also available in all these local education authority areas.

asked the Minister of Education why recognition as a qualified teacher has been refused to Mr. Jack Green, of Shrewsbury, under paragraph 12C of Circular 30.

Mr. Green's case has been repeatedly and carefully considered, but in view of his record as a whole, and in particular his limited training, he could not be regarded as a qualified teacher without departing from the standards generally applied in other similar cases.

asked the Minister of Education when he proposes to publish a White Paper, giving the text of the resolutions passed at the second annual Conference of U.N.E.S.C.O. held at Mexico City

The programme and budget of U.N.E.S.C.O. for 1948, together with other documents about the work of the Conference at Mexico City will be published very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many Malays who had settled in Australia have been deported by the Australian Government; and if he will request the Australian Government to allow these men to stay and work in Australia, since a number of them are married to Australian women.

I have been asked to reply. I understand that no Malays who have settled in Australia and were admitted for permanent settlement have been deported. A large number of non-Europeans including between 50 and 100 Malays were admitted temporarily during the war, either as refugees or as members of the Allied Forces on the understanding that they would return to their own countries when conditions permitted, and repatriation of these is proceeding. Those already repatriated who had married Australian women have been accompanied by their wives on their return. The repatriation of these persons is a matter for the Australian Government, and it would not be possible for the United Kingdom Government to intervene in the manner suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what approach he has made or proposes to make to the Governments of India and Pakistan regarding the drawing-up of an agreement for the reasonable care and maintenance of British military and civilian cemeteries in India and Pakistan; and if he will make a statement on the subject.

I have been asked to reply. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 20th November to the hon. and gallant Member for Barnstaple (Brigadier Peto). Measures for the care and maintenance of British cemeteries are still under active consideration here and in India and Pakistan, where the United Kingdom High Commissioners are in consultation with the Government Departments and the ecclesiastical and other authorities concerned. The maintenance of War graves will remain the responsibility of the Imperial War Graves Commission. The United Kingdom Government are of course deeply concerned to ensure that graves for which they will be responsible are suitably maintained after 31st March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a table showing the output per man hour and the output per man year for 1938 and 1947 in the principal industries; and the amount of horsepower or kilowatt per person employed in the same industries for Great Britain, United States and the U.S.S.R.

I regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether having regard to the small number of clothing coupons for the next ration period, he will reconsider the possibility of issuing special coupons for household linen, such as sheets and towels.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for the Sutton Division of Plymouth (Mrs. Middleton) on 29th January.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why a priority licence for 9 cwt. of steel has been issued to a representative of a dispenser's manufacturing business whose name has been supplied to him, when that firm has no workshop or factory in the area.

The steel authorisation form, not, I may say, a priority licence, was issued to the office of the company concerned. The factory where the steel is fabricated is some distance away. I am writing to the hon. and gallant Member giving him a more detailed explanation of the facts of the case.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to find suitable tenants for the Government factories at Oldmison and Banwell, Somerset, which will be vacant in the near future.

Particulars of these factories have been brought to the attention of all Government Departments likely to have a use for them and several important industrial concerns in need of additional space have been invited to consider them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare has received no reply to his letter of 10th January asking the President to see him, and, if possible, trade union representatives of the workers employed at the two Government factories near Weston-super-Mare, in order that they might be told what steps were being taken to find suitable users for those factories when the present tenancy expires in a few weeks time; and whether he is willing to arrange such a meeting as soon as possible.

I regret the delay in answering the hon. Member's letter, but he should by now have received the reply which was sent to him on 31st January in which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary offered to see him about this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, due to the closing of certain foreign markets, lace stocks are accumulating at Nottingham to the embarrassment of manufacturers; and if he will authorise the release of the stocks to the home market.

A number of countries, including the United States and Canada, are willing to import lace, and the opening of other markets which are at present closed to our exports is an important objective of our bilateral negotiations. It would be against the interest of the export drive to allow lace to be supplied on the home market at the present time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what negotiations are proceeding for the purchase of timber from non-dollar countries; and whether he can hold out hopes for the supply of timber for house building.

Negotiations for the purchase of softwood timber are in prospect with most of the European supplying countries, the next few months being the normal season of the year for such negotiations. With regard to the supply of timber for house building, I would refer to the White Paper on "Capital Investment in 1948" (Cmd. 7268) from which it will be seen that the programme is to be reviewed in the summer in the light of the amount of timber which we are likely to import this year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the overseas market for wool dresses coat fabrics and similar goods has dried up, of which particulars have been sent to him, and in view of the fact that there are large stocks waiting to be cleared in this country and which the public badly need, if he will reduce the coupon value of this range of goods.

Although traders may in a few cases be unable to dispose immediately of certain types of wool cloth for export, it would be far from true to suggest that the overseas market for wool dress and coat fabrics have dried up. In these circumstances I am not prepared to stimulate the supply of these cloths to the home market by reducing their coupon pointing.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the percentage increase in the price of leather to the boot and shoe repairers consequent upon the withdrawal of the subsidy.

The increases vary with the type and quality of leather, but all the available information on the point is being collected with a view to the amending order governing footwear repairs which I hope to make before the end of February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many of the ten special factories promised for disabled miners in South Wales had been completed on 31st December, 1947; how many workers were provided with employment in these factories; how many workers will be employed when all these factories are in production; and how this compares with the number of unemployed miners in South Wales certified with pneumoconiosis.

One Grenfell factory at Llwynpia was substantially completed by the end of the year. The tenants are moving in but are at present only employing a few workers. As I said in the course of the Debate on Welsh Affairs on 26th January, I hope the remaining factories will be ready in the next few months. The total employment which will be provided in all ten factories, when they are in full production, is estimated at about 2,000 persons, a minimum of 50 per cent. of whom will be drawn from the Disabled Persons Register. There are 3,723 unemployed miners in South Wales who are certified with pneumoconiosis. It is expected that a considerable number of these will find employment opportunities in the many other factories including the Remploy factories which have been erected or are in course of erection in the South Wales Development Area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that many of the new industries in the South Wales Development Area are experiencing difficulties in obtaining supplies of raw materials; that as a result considerable numbers of workers have already been dismissed; and if, in view of the serious unemployment problem in the area, he will give special attention to this matter.

I am aware that new industries in the South Wales Development Area as in other parts of the country are in some cases having difficulties in obtaining supplies of scarce raw materials, but my information does not support the suggestion of my hon. Friend that considerable unemployment has been caused thereby. I am keeping this matter under constant review and although it may not be possible in present circumstances to meet all requirements, preferential treatment will continue to be given to firms in Development Areas within the limits of the materials available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the future of No. 2, M.P.R.D., Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees.

As my hon. Friend is aware agreement was reached in principle for Morris Motors Ltd., to take over this factory when the work for the Ministry of Supply comes to an end. The firm have, however, now decided not to proceed with their application and efforts are therefore being made to find some kind of suitable alternative work which can be fitted into these premises.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the necessity of capturing overseas markets, he will consider the advisability of assisting small manufacturers of high grade goods in metal, leather and pottery work, by setting up machinery for the purpose of pooling their goods and thus ensuring suitable quantities for export.

The facilities and services at present available to the small manufacturer for marketing goods are generally adeuate and are producing satisfactory results. The Board of Trade is always prepared to discuss with manufacturers the advantage of forming groups among themselves.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of all the Development Areas in the country, specifying any that have been so declared during the past three months.

The areas scheduled under the Distribution of Industry Act, 1945, are the North-Eastern, West Cumberland, South Wales and Monmouthshire, and Scottish Development Areas (of which a full description is contained in the First Schedule of the Act) and the Wrexham and South Lancashire Development Areas (of which a full description is contained in the Distribution of Industry (Development Areas) Order, 1946). No areas have been declared Development Areas during the past three months.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will have inquiries made into the staff now employed as ratefixers, clerks and shop foreman's assistants at the C.I.E.M.E., "Foxbury," Chislehurst, with a view to directing them to productive work.

No. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the work undertaken by the staff of C.I.E.M.E. at "Foxbury," Chislehurst is essential and that the numbers employed are the minimum necessary for its satisfactory performance.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the handicap suffered by exporters in packing goods manufactured in the United Kingdom for overseas markets, due to the shortage of steel strapping; that this steel strapping, urgently needed at home for packing for export, is being exported abroad; and what steps he is taking to alter this unsatisfactory position and to increase supplies.

The allocation of steel to manufacturers of steel strapping has now been increased, but it is not yet possible to meet demands in full. I am informed by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade that small quantities of steel strapping are being exported in order to maintain our imports of foodstuffs and raw materials.

asked the Minister of Transport how much petrol and diesel oil, respectively, has been allocated to buses and coaches in the current period; how much was allocated in the equivalent period a year ago; and whether he will give separate figures for buses and coaches on scheduled services, and those not on scheduled services.

During the twelve-weekly rationing period ended 23rd December, 1947, fuel coupons were issued to bus and coach operators to cover: say, 16 million gallons of petrol, and 33 million gallons of diesel oil. The issues during the corresponding period in 1946 are calculated at: 17½ million gallons of petrol; 29⅓ million gallons of diesel oil. Separate figures for buses and coaches on scheduled services, and those not on such services, are not available.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that many people are frequently left behind on the last buses leaving Bath for country towns; and whether it is possible that these last buses could be duplicated.

I am informed that the bus company duplicate nearly all the last journeys and that the only complaint they have received relates to Saturday, 24th January, when no crew was available to take a relief bus to Frome.

asked the Minister of Transport the number of accidents reported on the road from Uxbridge to Beaconsfield during the past three years and the number of deaths and permanent injuries incurred resulting from this accident; and whether he will consider the introduction of a 30-mile speed limit between the Denham cross roads and the Beaconsfield cross roads and the introduction of traffic lights at the Denham cross roads and the Gerrards Cross cross roads.

The particulars of accidents reported on this stretch of road during the past three years are:

—	Reported Accidents.	Killed.	Seriously Injured.	Slightly Injured.
1945	81	6	11	43
1946	96	1	12	53
1947	181	3	23	75
Total for 3 years	358	10	46	171

As regards the second part of the Question, I am making inquiries and will circulate a statement in HANSARD as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport how much petrol and oil are being used monthly to convey Fletton bricks by road to the S.W. and Midland areas where local brickmakers have already 29 million bricks in stock; and if he will take steps to put an end to these unnecessary journeys.

The stocks and distribution of bricks are matters for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works. I have no particulars of the amount of fuel used to convey Fletton bricks to individual areas or destinations.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in order to conserve dollar expenditure on petrol, he will consider granting an extra allocation of coal to the railways on the condition that they run special trains in connection with football matches and similar events, and thereby reduce the demand for long-distance motor-coach excursions.

This matter is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport how many unserviceable locomotives and wagons there were in Britain at the end of the war; how many there are now; and how many new locomotives and wagons have been made since the end of the war for use in Britain.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 26th January; Vol. 446, Col. 93], supplied the following statement:The number of locomotives under or awaiting repair was 3,362 on 1st June, 1945, and 3,273 on 27th December, 1947. The corresponding figures for wagons were 122,745 and 160,666 respectively. Between the two dates, 1,623 locomotives have been built or taken over from the Ministry of Supply, and 70,225 new wagons constructed.

asked the Minister of Transport how many of the wagons lying at Garelochhead have been moved since 1st November, 1947; how many of these were repairable; how many beyond repair; and what proportion of those moved were in worse condition owing to delay and exposure than when they were deposited at Garelochhead.

One hundred and four. All have been repaired and put into traffic and no additional work was involved as the result of exposure or delay.

asked the Minister of Transport how many tankers have been employed in bringing diesel oil to this country during 1947; and how many will be required to carry out this task during 1948.

Expressed in terms of the standard large fast tankers, the equivalent of about 13 ships in continuous service was required to transport diesel oil to this country in 1947. It is estimated that approximately the same number will be needed for this purpose in 1948.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the continued flooding of the Ebw River on the Newport—Cardiff Road, which rose to about two feet during the recent floods, preventing all traffic on the main road; that this is caused by the silting in the river bed from colliery refuse and washing sludge; that the floods are of increasing frequency and severity, rendering surrounding land unfit for any form of agriculture; and whether he will appoint an inspector to hold an inquiry.

I am fully aware of the flooding from the River Ebbw which occurs in the area of the Newport—Cardiff road. On 28th May last the Monmouthshire County Council applied to me to set up a catchment area and board to deal with this and other problems in the district, and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2 (2) of the Land Drainage Act, 1930, I consulted the four other local authorities concerned. I am still awaiting the final decision of two of the authorities. If all five authorities can reach agreement on the proposal I will deposit my draft order for setting up the catchment area without delay. The first essential, in my view, is to secure the widest possible measure of agreement, and I do not feel that the holding of a formal inquiry would serve any useful purpose at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Jews and Arabs, shown separately, have been arrested for carrying arms since 1st November, 1947; and how many such are still under arrest.

During the period 1st November, 1947, to 31st January, 1948, 290, Jews and 281 Arabs have been arrested for carrying arms in Palestine. Of these 48 Jews and 78 Arabs are still detained.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Jews and Arabs, shown separately, have been killed or wounded as a result of British Army intervention since 1st November, 1947; and how many British citizens have been killed and wounded during the same period.

Details of Jewish and Arab casualties in Palestine during November last are not immediately available. From the 30th November, 1947, to 1st February, 1948, the reported casualties were:

Arabs:
Killed	427
Wounded	1035
Jews:
Killed	381
Wounded	725

It is not possible to say how many of these casualties were due to military action, but it is known that the proportion is quite small. With regard to the second part of the Question, 56 British subjects were killed and 181 were wounded during the period from 1st November to 1st February, 1948.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken by the Palestine administration to stop the infiltration of armed Arabs from Syria and the Lebanon.

The Syrian and Lebanese frontiers are manned on the Palestine side by troops and police. It is the policy of the Palestine Government to do everything possible to prevent armed bands from entering Palestine territory from neighbouring states, but owing to the nature of the frontier it is not always feasible to ensure continuous control over all possible points of entry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to give any information about the motives behind the Leopard murders in Nigeria.

Investigations over the past two years have established that 97 murders are attributable to the activiies of the Leopard Society. Their classification by motive was as follows:

Revenge	19
Jealousy	17
Dispute over dowry	16
Dispute over land	9
Non-payment of debt	6
Dispute over succession to children and property	6
Refusal to allow sexual intercourse	4
Dispute over ownership of property	4
Dispute over "Esusu" Society contributions. (A form of mutual benefit Society)	2
Dispute over inheritance of widow	1
Concealment of another murder	1
Non-apparent	12
Total	97

It is, however, possible that the real motive behind all the murders is ritual, and that the personal motive is secondary to this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent the Game and Forest Reserves Commissioners in Nyasaland are responsible for the development and planting of potential new forest areas as well as conservation of existing forests; whether an annual programme of planted acreage has been formulated; and what sum of money it is intended to allocate for this purpose.

I am consulting the Governor, and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as I have received his reply.

asked the Minister of National Insurance how many miners were certified to be suffering from pneumoconiosis and silicosis in each of the division operated by the National Coal Board during 1947.

The number of certificates of disablement or suspension on account of pneumoconiosis issued by the Silicosis Medical Board to coal miners during 1947 was 3,724. I regret that separate figures for the divisions of the National Coal Board are not readily available, but I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the distribution of the cases amongst the various Regions of my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what new developments are anticipated in the deep-sea fishery industry of Mauritius.

A survey of the Mauritius and Seychelles fishing banks has just commenced. The survey will provide the information for deciding what new developments should take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government will give all the support in their power to enable Finland to resist attempts from outside to weaken the guarantee that she has given under Article Six of the Treaty to secure to all persons under Finnish jurisdiction the enjoyment of human rights and of the fundamental freedoms.

No case has yet been brought to the notice of His Majesty's Government of any attempt from outside Finland to persuade the Finnish Government to weaken the guarantee given under Article Six of the Treaty. His Majesty's Government have, however, learnt that the Finnish Government recently agreed to hand over to the Soviet authorities 30 persons of alleged Soviet nationality. Fifteen of these persons (of whom 13 are Estonians) are being handed over to the Soviet authorities under the terms of Article Nine (1) (b) of the Peace Treaty as being persons of Soviet nationality who have served in the German or Finnish armed forces against the Soviet Union or who have otherwise acted as traitors. The remaining 15 are being repatriated under the terms of Article Ten of the Armistice Agreement as being Soviet citizens held as prisoners of war by Finland. His Majesty's Government continue to take an active interest in the arrest and repatriation of such persons with a view to satisfying themselves that no breach of Article Six of the Peace Treaty is committed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many Government Departments have officials working in Japan; how far they come under the authority of Sir Alvary Gascoigne; and how many of them were in Japan before the war.

Apart from the Foreign Office, which provides the diplomatic, commercial diplomatic and consular staff of the United Kingdom Liaison Mission, the following Government Departments have officials working in Japan: the Admiralty, the War Office, the Air Ministry, the Ministry of Labour, the Board of Trade, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Works. The representatives of all these Departments are, for local purposes, directly under the authority of Sir Alvary Gascoigne.In addition, the Board of Trade and the Trading with the Enemy Department are represented by a Reparations and Restitution Mission, the head of which refers to Sir A. Gascoigne personally for guidance on matters of policy; and the Treasury Solicitor's Department is responsible for a team of law officers who represent this country at the trials of war criminals. The latter are naturally independent of the control of Sir A. Gascoigne.Sir A. Gascoigne himself had experience of Japan before the war, as had eight of the senior Foreign Service members of his staff. Of the representatives of other Government Departments directly under his authority, I am informed that nine out of a total of 16 were in Japan before the war—mostly in unofficial capacities—and of the remaining officials to whom I have referred at least two also had experience of prewar Japan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, what in the light of recent developments in Iraq is now the position of the R.A.F. Levies (Iraq).

The position is at present unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when No. 7958 Section Officer P. F. B. Curtis, who was released from the W.A.A.F. on 18th June, 1946, may expect to have her account and Income Tax liabilities settled.

The pay account of Section Officer Curtis was settled in 1946 and this settlement covered the Income Tax liability for her period of service in the W.A.A.F.

asked the Attorney-General if he will introduce legislation providing that any period during which, owing to circumstances directly or indirectly connected with the operation of Defence Regulations, building on land is not permitted, shall be excluded from the prescriptive period of 20 years under the Prescription Act, 1832.

I presume that the hon. Member has in mind particularly the prescriptive right to light, and I would refer him to the answer given by my hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General to the hon. Member for East Middlesbrough (Mr. A. Edwards) on 21st November, 1946. So far as I am aware, very few instances are likely to arise, and no substantial case for legislation has been made out.

asked the Minister of Food under what agreement with his Department the flour milling industry is at present operating, and whether any matters still remain unresolved with regard to earlier agreements made in respect of operation from 1939 onward, what payments have been made to the industry additional to those mentioned in his written reply on this subject on 9th July of this year, and whether the amount of profit element due under agreements operating from 1939 onwards has yet been determined.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th December, 1947; Vol. 445, Col. 427], supplied the following information:Following upon negotiations between the British Millers' Mutual Pool, Ltd., representing the flour milling industry, and the Ministry of Food, the Millers' Remuneration Agreement has been renewed to 28th August, 1948, on the same terms as for the year to 30th August, 1947. Continual progress is being made towards settling millers' financial accounts, but for various reasons, it is not yet possible to determine the exact profit element in respect of any Control year, as all accounts for each year have not been agreed. Total payments made to millers on account of flour milling, including an as yet undetermined element of profit, during the year to 31st August, 1947, were £51,300,000.

asked the Minister of Food, how many bakers drew subsidy during last year in respect of sacks of flour used for bread making, how many loaves his Department estimates are baked from a 280 lb. sack of flour, and at what basis the rate of subsidy is calculated.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th December, 1947; Vol. 445, Col. 428], supplied the following information:The number of bakers who have received bread subsidy during the past twelve months has averaged 17,200 per 8 weeks period of claim. The number of 1¾ lb. loaves produced from 280 lb. of flour is approximately 216. The bread subsidy at present is at the rate of 6s. 3d. per 280 lb. of flour used for England and Wales and 6s. per 280 lb. for Scotland and Northern Ireland. The rate of subsidy is calculated from time to time so as to yield a net profit to bakers of 5s. per sack of 280 lb. of flour used for bread sold at controlled prices

asked the Minister of Food what it is now estimated the subsidy on flour and bread will amount to during the course of the current financial year, how much of this will be accounted for by payments to stabilise the price of flour and how much by payments to bakers. To what main uses, other than the baking of bread, flour is at present put, and what proportions of the supply during the latest convenient period were put to each use named.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th December, 1947; Vol. 445, Col. 428], supplied the following information:The estimated cost of subsidy on flour and bread including wheat acreage payments during the current financial year

is £84,500,000, of which approximately £76,500,000 is the estimated cost of stabilising the price of flour and £8,000,000 the estimated cost of the subsidy paid direct to bakers. The main uses of flour, other than for the baking of bread, and the proportions of each to total usage are estimated as follow:

	Per cent
For cake and flour confectionery	10
For Domestic Use	7½
For Caterers	6½
For Proprietary and other bread not subject to subsidy payable to bakers	4
For Manufactured Foods and Cereal Filler	4
For Biscuits	3
	35

asked the Minister of Food whether he will arrange that in issuing licences to self suppliers to kill pigs he will arrange for local food offices to enclose a leaflet indicating what arrangements exist for humane slaughter in the immediate vicinity.

I am instructing my local officers to seek this information from the local authorities concerned. Where it is provided the food executive officer will send it to applicants for licences to slaughter pigs.

asked the Minister of Food if in view of the increase in wage rates for staffs of hotels, etc., which are to operate from 1st March, the maximum prices allowed for meals will now be reviewed.

I have discussed the existing maximum price for meals and the effects of the increase in wage rates from 1st March with the catering trade associations, but I have not felt able to agree to any increase in the maximum price at the present time.

asked the Minister of Food the total imports and the total consumption of maize used as animal feed in 1947.

Imports of maize into the United Kingdom during 1947 amounted to 481,000 tons. The total quantity released from Ministry of Food stocks during 1947 was 371,000 tons. Of this quantity animal feed requirements accounted for 217,000 tons and the balance of 154,000 tons was allocated for the manufacture of starch, glucose and cereal breakfast foods.

asked the Minister of Food if as a result of the devaluation of the French currency he proposes to reduce the controlled price of imported French wines.

Nearly all the wines remaining to be delivered from France under arrangements made in 1947 are still table wines, which are not subject to agreed maximum retail prices. Arrangements for further imports of French wines in 1948 are not yet complete and the effects of the devaluation of the French currency will certainly be taken into account.