asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now able to settle the claim of the Stevenage Urban District Council for damage to The Avenue, Stevenage.

I regret the delay in dealing with this claim. Special arrangements have now been made as a matter of urgency for it to be settled at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for War when Mr. R. J. Turner, 133, Penrhyn Road, Far Cotton, Northampton, who was demobilised on 8th November, 1947, and was issued with a clothing ticket VVV8823, may expect to receive his demobilisation suit from No. 2 Civilian Clothing Depot, Infantry Barracks, Fulford, Yorkshire.

A civilian suit of the type chosen by Mr. Turner has now been sent to him. Supplies of this particular suit in the size required have only recently been received from the manufacturers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of engine room artificer apprentices under training at the latest available date; and the number advanced to cadet (E) during 1947.

On 30th January last, 528 engine room artificer apprentices were under training. Two engine room artificer apprentices were appointed to Naval Cadetships (E) during 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what constitutional changes are projected for Sierra Leone; whether these have been fully discussed in the Legislative Council, the Protectorate Assembly and the District Councils; and whether he is satisfied that ample time was given for due consideration of these proposals before a final decision was taken.

No final decision has yet been reached, but proposals are under consideration for reconstituting the Legislative Council so as to substitute an unofficial for the existing official majority, to increase the proportion of elected as against nominated members and to give the Protectorate a larger representation on the legislature. Proposals to this end were originally published locally on 12th August, 1947, and were very fully discussed with the unofficial members both of the Legislative Council and the Protectorate Assembly, although no actual debate in either of these bodies was held on them. The proposals were also given wide publicity through the local press and broadcasting service and were explained to the District Councils, from which the members of the Protectorate Assembly are drawn.Following these discussions certain modifications have been made and it is intended that the proposals as modified should shortly be published locally with a view to discussions by the Legislative Council and the Protectorate Assembly. There will thus be ample further opportunity for the local expression of opinion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the rate of import duty on various types of motor cars in Nigeria.

The present rate of import duty on motor cars and motor lorries, whether imported, assembled or in parts to be assembled is £5 per vehicle. To this duty is added a surtax equal to one fourth part of the duty otherwise chargeable which makes the total of duties payable £6 5s.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plan has now been prepared for the economic and social development of the Island of Socotra; and what are the general lines of same; and the amount he proposes to allocate from the Colonial Development and Welfare Fund for the purpose.

Owing to difficulty of communications and shortage of staff it has not so far been possible to formulate or execute development plans for the Island. It is considered that in present circumstances better use can be made of the existing allocation under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act in other parts of the Aden Protectorate. The fisheries of the Island will, however, share with the Protectorate generally in the Colonial Development and Welfare Research Scheme now in operation, for which £16,500 has been allocated, and will benefit from the newly created Fisheries Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the number of foreign markets at present closed to British exports and the consequent piling up of goods for export in warehouses in this country, he will take all possible steps to free the channels of trade with the Colonies.

No obstacles are placed in the export of goods from this country to the Colonies, except those which are required by the balance of payments position either of this country or of the Colonies concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when Mr. T. A. E. Layborn of 14, Pall Mall, S.W.1, may expect to receive an answer to his letter of 7th October, 1947, of which reminders were sent on 7th November and r8th December, and postcard acknowledgments from the Export Promotions Department (reference 36383 / 47), stating that the letter is receiving attention, were sent on 19th October and 19th December.

I very much regret that this correspondence has been mislaid. If Mr. Layborn will be good enough to send a copy of his original letter to me, I will see that it receives immediate attention.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the factors contributing to the shortage of methanol; and when, and to what extent, increased supplies will be available for the manufacture of formaldehyde, urgently required by the plastics industry.

The shortage of methanol is due mainly to rapidly increasing demand overtaking existing manufacturing capacity, but there has been some loss of production during the winter months due to difficulties with power supply. Additional supplies of methanol for the manufacture of formaldehyde can, however, be expected in the near future as the result of efforts on the part of the producers to secure maximum output from their plants.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, in view of the serious flooding of the River Blyth in Suffolk with the growing menace to the countryside, including the large area of agricultural land, he has now consulted with the other Ministries concerned on the scheme submitted to him by the East Suffolk Rivers Catchment Board and is prepared to accept this scheme.

The scheme is very costly in relation to the area that it would protect. My Department has agreed to the execution of limited works to prevent an extension of the area threatened by flooding but does not at present feel able to sanction the major scheme of works.