asked the Minister of Health if he has instructed local authorities to make a condition in building licences that electrical work shall be done by one of the supply companies now being nationalised.

No

asked the Minister of Health what is the value of the licences granted to enable repairs to houses to be carried out in Skegness where the work is not yet either completed or undertaken at the latest known date.

Licences for repairs to houses to the value of £11,000 were issued in the quarter ended 31st December, 1947. I regret that information is not available as to how much of this work is not yet either completed or begun.

asked the Minister of Health in how many cases in the past six months his regional officers have refused applications for licences to build farm workers' houses, approved by the county agricultural executive committee and rural district council.

I regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Minister of Health how many houses of the building programme, now under contract, are being held up due to lack of timber.

As stated in the reply to the Question raised by the hon. Member on 12th February, all houses for which approvals or licences have been given have timber made available to them when required.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in connection with the manufacture of aid to deafness apparatus, he can give some explanation of the delay; and whether he will give an assurance that this matter is not being delayed until 5th July, 1948, in view of the urgent need of this apparatus.

I do not accept the imputation of delay The design and manufacture of the aids and of the necessary testing apparatus have been pursued with all possible speed, but we do not expect to be able to begin distribution before 5th July.

asked the Minister of Health what steps will be taken to prevent foreigners, who come to the United Kingdom for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment, from obtaining such treatment without charge or contribution and at the expense of the British taxpayer.

None, but precautions would be taken in the unlikely event of abuse occurring.

asked the Minister of Health how many hospitals have received grants to enable them to maintain proper services pending the establishment of a National Health Service; which of these are in the West Riding of Yorkshire and what amounts have each received.

One hundred and eighty-nine hospitals in England and Wales have received grants to enable them to maintain proper services pending the establishment of a National Health Service but I do not think it would be in the interest of the hospitals themselves to give the details of individual cases.

asked the Minister of Education what happened to school milk delivered to schools during the recent holidays for pupils who had indicated their intention to attend in order to drink the milk, and had failed to do so.

Normally, the initial order is fixed in the light of previous experience and is adjusted daily to meet any

asked the Minister of Education what is the approximate number of individuals who have obtained grants from his Department under the Further Education and Training Scheme.

The approximate number up to 12th February was 53,800.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of American capital invested in the new industries developed in Scotland.

I regret that the information for which the hon. Member asks is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total number of successful prosecutions his Department have secured against footwear repairers for alleged overcharging under the Boot and Shoe Maximum Charges Order.

There have been 13 successful prosecutions under the Boot and Shoe Repairs (Maximum Charges)

asked the Minister of Education what are the latest figures of the number of classes in primary and secondary schools in England and Wales with over 60, over 50 and over 40 pupils, respectively; and how these figures compare with the numbers in 1946.

Following is the information:Order, 1944, which was last amended on 12th January, 1948, before being revoked and replaced by the Footwear Repairs (Maximum Charges) Order, 1948, which came into operation on 16th February. Local price regulation committees are at present investigating 134 complaints of overcharging between 12th January and 14th February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has had any progress report from the Working Committee set up by the Federation of British Industries to work out methods for achieving a reduction in the volume of advertisements by voluntary means.

The Committee have drawn up and presented to me a plan of action which my right hon. and learned Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I regard as workmanlike. We have accordingly agreed, provided that the scheme is endorsed by a comprehensive number of trade bodies and individual concerns, to give it a trial for a year. During this time the Federation of British Industries will keep me fully informed of the working of the scheme and of the results achieved by it. Details of the scheme have been published by the Federation today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is proposed to make any cuts in university grants; and whether he will make a statement.

I have seen these reports. No reductions have been made, and none are contemplated, in the rising scale of grants announced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Dalton) on the 10th March, 1947. The distribution of grant to individual universities is a matter for the University Grants Committee, but I have in this case ascertained the grounds on which the Committee arrived at the amounts allocated to Oxford University and in my view the treatment given to the University has not been other than generous.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will arrange that officers, retired from the Forces and now living in Canada, shall be able to have their retired pay remitted, and draw it from a bank in Canada on proving identity, instead of having to complete monthly or quarterly forms from the Paymaster-General.

Officers residing permanently in Canada may most conveniently arrange with the Paymaster-General for their pension to be paid through the British Ministry of Pensions Office at Ottawa by means of cheques issued by that Office. The total sum which they may transfer from this country in any given year will, however, be subject to the limits set by the normal exchange control arrangements for emigrants, in cases in which these apply.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what sum was paid in the financial year 1946–47 on account of air travel by Ministers and Government servants, distinguishing the amounts paid to the air line corporations showing scheduled services and charter flights separately and to the charter companies.

Excluding some journeys made on foreign air lines abroad and journeys in aircraft of R.A.F. Transport Command, details of which are not readily available, the sums paid were £9,521 and £249,233, respectively, made up as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent it has now been found necessary to curtail the plans of the universities for post-war extension, why no reference to this curtailment was made in the recent White Paper on cuts in capital expenditure, and what will be the consequences with regard to the reduced output of scientific manpower.

No reference was made in the White Paper on Capital Investment in 1948 to any curtailment in the plans for the expansion of the universities because, as my predecessor stated on 28th October last, it was hoped to carry out the programme of capital development to which he referred in March. Shortages of certain materials, particularly steel, may somewhat delay the carrying out of the programme.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when it is anticipated that the promise to introduce a Four Year Plan is to be implemented; when the targets for production are to be issued and is it intended that there shall be democratic mutual discussion with those engaged in industry.

As the Economic Survey for 1948 which will be published shortly will make clear, the difficulties and uncertainties of our immediate future are such that our planning must be as flexible as possible. It is not proposed, therefore, to publish any single comprehensive long-term plan at this stage and the second part of the question does not arise. It is, of course, the policy of His Majesty's Government to discuss all questions of this kind with the representatives of industry.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number and cost of the Public Relations staff at the Treasury on 1st February, 1947, and 1st February, 1948, respectively.

On the 1st February, 1947, this section consisted of two officers, costing £1,825 in a full year. As indicated by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for the Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke) on the 2nd February last, it has now been fused with the Economic Information Unit, which consisted on 1st February, 1948, of 16 officers, costing £17,935 in a full year.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the present size of the staff of the Civil Service Commission; and what are the respective, current average monthly rates of applications for, and appointments to, places in the Civil Service.

Its present strength is 978. In January, 1948, the Commission received 6,800 applications and issued 12,000 certificates of qualification for appointments in Government Departments.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what would be the additional annual cost of importing sufficient petrol to allow a coupon validity of ⅓ of a gallon, taking into account the extra supplementary allocated as a result of recent changes in the allocation for compassionate purposes.

The additional cost for 1948 of a basic ration with a coupon validity of ⅓ gallon per unit would theoretically be about £2,450,000 or 9,900,000 dollars.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will consider making a fresh approach to the problem of basic petrol by instituting a nation-wide and stringent driving test to be imposed on all motorists, both present and future, on the footing that a basic allowance would be made to all drivers who passed the test, thus providing an immediate partial solution of the basic petrol problem and at the same time raising the standard of driving throughout the whole country.

No. This would not be practicable.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what necessary domestic purposes are regarded as sufficiently urgent to justify a car being hired for a greater distance than 20 miles; if he is aware that this limit of 20 miles will cause serious hardship to people in remote country districts who frequently live more than 20 miles from the nearest large town which they have to visit for shopping and other domestic purposes, and if he will increase the limit.

The interpretation of the order is, of course, a matter for the courts. I do not think any serious hardship will be experienced through the application of this order, and I am not prepared to increase the radius.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he proposes to make a special allocation of petrol to American visitors touring this country by hired car in the coming summer.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that the order restricting the operation of private hire cars to a radius of 20 miles is causing serious anxiety to firms in Edinburgh that specialise in carrying American tourists to places of historic and scenic interest in Scotland, and what steps he intends to take to ensure that this method of earning dollars is not stopped.

The matter is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the petrol allowance of a hire car is only 60 gallons a month; and will he increase it to the 90 gallons a month allowed for a taxi.

The maximum allowance for a hire car is 67½ gallons per month. I am not prepared to increase it at the present time.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he expects to receive the report of the committee which is inquiring into the black market in petrol, and will its findings be made public.

The Committee will report before the end of next month; whether it will be in the public interest to publish all or any part of the report must depend on its contents.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the amount of diesel oil which it is planned to import in 1948; how much of this will be used by motor-buses and coaches; and whether he will state the corresponding figures for 1947.

The Trade and Navigation Accounts show that imports of gas oil, which includes diesel oil used by motor-buses and coaches, amounted in 1947 to about 1,600,000 tons. Subject to supply and tanker availability it is proposed to import about 1,800,000 tons of gas oil into the United Kingdom in 1948. The level of consumption of diesel oil by motor-buses and coaches is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport but I am advised that consumption in 1948 may be slightly below the 1947 figure of 520,000 tons.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if a special licence is required to enable a motorcar to be driven for repairs to a neighbouring garage, not upon the route for which petrol has been authorised.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what action should be taken by the owner of a motorcar or motorcycle in need of repair and capable of moving by its own propulsion, in order to proceed legally to the selected garage for repair.

Normally the terms under which allowances are granted are such as to permit journeys to neighbouring garages where repairs may be carried out, though not to any garage however far away.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are the regulations dealing with the allowances of petrol to Service men on leave, including leave from overseas and demobilisation leave.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter) on 6th November, 1947.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many applications for supplementary allowances of petrol were granted and refused during January, 1948; how many were on hand at the end of the month; and what savings in petrol are now being achieved.

During January, 1948, 368,321 applications for supplementary allowances of all kinds were granted, of which 50,558 were first applications; 10,528 were refused and 50,600 remained on hand at the end of the month. The number of appeals outstanding at the same date was 14,935. Deliveries in bulk by the Petroleum Board to garages and large consumers averaged 74,000 tons a week in January compared with 73,000 tons a week in December. Deliveries in January are normally greater than those in December and it is estimated that but for the withdrawal of the basic ration and the other economies, deliveries in January would have been about 94,000 tons a week. The net saving in January appears therefore to have been about 20,000 tons a week. This is at an annual rate of just over one million tons per annum, which at current prices would cost 47 million dollars—nearly £12 million. The total savings in petrol from 1st October, 1947, to 31st January, 1948, are estimated at nearly 250,000 tons, which would have cost £2¾ million or 11 million dollars at current prices.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company have recently been pumping back oil into their wells as they cannot find a market for it; and whether he will make a statement as to the amount of oil obtained from this source.

I am aware that the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company have recently been pumping oil back into their wells. As I explained in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston on 20th November, this is not due to lack of markets but to the present serious deficiency in tanker tonnage. With regard to the second part of the question, the net production of crude oil by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in 1947 was approximately twenty million tons.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware of the general complaint as to the quality of coal delivered in recent weeks in Caernarvon from the Gresford Colliery; and will he cause steps to be taken to improve the quality delivered in that area forthwith.

No complaint has been received by the regional house coal officer, but if the hon. Member will bring any specific complaint to the notice of the North-Western Division of the National Coal Board, it will be investigated.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he has taken to prevent the distribution of explosive substances with domestic coal.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for South Paddington (Vice-Admiral Taylor) on 12th February.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the serious damage caused by mining subsidence in the district of Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham; and whether he will issue a direction under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, obliging the National Coal Board to take effective remedial action with regard to all cases of mining subsidence for which they have some responsibility.

I am aware that as in the past a certain amount of damage is being caused by mining subsidence in this district. The National Coal Board are taking action to repair any surface damage caused by their underground workings or to pay compensation, where they are legally liable to do so, in accordance with the existing laws of support. The question of any alteration in the existing legal position will be considered in due course in the light of the report of the Mining Subsidence Committee, which is now sitting.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are the standard rates of wages paid to miners and surface workers; and the rates paid during the comparable period following the 1914–18 war.

Standard rates of wages in the coalmining industry vary from district to district and also according to occupation, and the best basis for comparison is provided by the average weekly cash earnings of all wage-earners. In the third quarter of 1947, the average weekly earnings (excluding the value of allowances in kind) of all wage-earners in the industry was £6 5s. 10d. The corresponding figures for the third quarters of 1920 and 1922 (that is, before and after the termination of Government control) were £4 9s. 7d. and £ 2 5s. 3d. respectively. Information about the earnings of surface workers only is not available for 1920 and 1922. The average earnings of these workers in the third quarter of 1947 was £4 19s. 5d.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many resignations from the National Coal Board he has received; and when he intends to make an announcement on this subject.

As recently announced, Mr. J. C. Gridley has tendered his resignation from the National Coal Board as from 31st March. He has informed me that his resignation is not due to any difference of opinion on policy or any other matters, but solely on account of personal considerations. I have accepted it with much regret.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that some 3,000 out of a total of 4,000 trainees for the coal mining industry in Scotland during the past year disappeared after the completion of their training, taking with them in the aggregate 3,000 pairs of boots and 78,000 clothing coupons issued to them by the National Coal Board; and what steps he proposes to take to stop malpractices of this nature in the future.

I am informed by the National Coal Board that, contrary to reports which have appeared in the Press, of 4,379 inexperienced adult recruits who completed training in Scotland in 1947 only 255 failed to report for work at the collieries. These men were issued with a safety helmet and a pair of safety boots each at the commencement of training, but were not issued with clothing coupons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the widow of a police officer who remarries and whose new husband predeceases her cannot regain her police widows' pension; and as this directly discourages remarriage, if he will remedy this and other anomalies.

The hon. Member is misinformed. The Police Pensions Act, 1921, provides for the resumption of a police widow's pension in such circumstances if the police authority are satisfied that the pension is necessary for her support, and I contemplate that similar provision should be included in the regulations to be made under the new Police Pensions Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in fixing the rate of pension for widows of police officers, he will remember that in most cases these women have acted as unpaid telephone operators and assistants in other ways for years, and that county police work could only be carried on with difficulty if this unpaid labour were withheld.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average span of life of police pensioners after retirement.

In recent years the average period after retirement during which Metropolitan Police pensioners have drawn pensions has been, 22 years, 8 months. Information with regard to other forces is not available.

asked the Secretary. of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the Russian publication of British Treaties with Hitlerite Germany and the British publication of Russian Treaties with the same Germany, he will cause the treaties of both sides to be publishes in parallel order, forming a single publication.

His Majesty's Government are unaware of any Russian publication of Anglo-German Treaties of the Hitler period nor have His Majesty's Government published any Soviet-German Treaties relating to the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proposals were made by the British Government or the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in 1937, to the then Chancellor of the German Reich, regarding the possibility of Britain as well as France joining the Berlin-Rome axis.

As far as His Majesty's Government are aware, no such proposals were made.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of foreign domestic workers admitted to this country on his Ministry's permits; whether they are all instructed in English and in their own language as to their rights under the prevailing rationing schemes; how many of these workers have returned to their homes before the expiry of their permits; and how many of these workers have been admitted to hospitals during the period of their permits.

The total number of permits issued in respect of foreign domestic

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of persons registered as unemployed at the local offices of his Department in Caernarvon-shire on the last convenient date.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of men and women in insured employment in the city of Portsmouth at the present time, distinguishing between the various industries, trades, services and other principal occupations; and if he will give similar particulars of those unemployed.

Statistics of the numbers of persons in insured employment are not available for any date later than July, 1947. The figures for Portsmouth for that date were supplied in reply to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend on 6th November, 1947 [OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 443, Cols. 231–2]. The numbers of insured persons registered as unemployed at the Portsmouth Employment Exchange at 12th January, 1948, were as follow:—

The numbers of insured persons registered as unemployed at 12th January, 1948, were as follow: Bangor, 177; Bethesda, 72; Caernarvon, 486; Conway, 66; Llanberis, 161; Llandudno, 143; Penmaenmawr, 84; Penygroes, 237; Portmadoc, 222; Pwllheli, 437.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of persons registered as unemployed on 1st February, 1948, at Treorchy, Tonypandy, Ferndale and Porth Exchanges.

At 12th January, the latest date for which figures are available, the total numbers of men and women registered as unemployed, exclusive of registered disabled persons classified as unsuitable for ordinary employment, were as follow: Treorchy, 1,147; Tonypandy, 1,221; Ferndale, 791; Porth, 788.

asked the Minister of Labour upon what grounds a decision has been arrived at precluding disabled ex-miners of 55 years of age and over from obtaining employment at any of the Grenfell factories.

These factories are being let to employers as ordinary industrial undertakings, and I understand that at the first factory to be opened at Llwynypia the employer does not propose in the initial stages to recruit above the age of 55. But there has been no general decision to exclude disabled ex-miners of 55 years of age or over from the Grenfell factories.

asked the Minister of Labour what number of persons have left Wales, voluntarily or otherwise, in search of employment during the last six months of 1947.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons that have signed the Disabled Persons Register at the Treorchy, Tony-pandy, Ferndale and Porth Exchanges.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the large numbers of registered disabled persons unemployed, he will consider taking powers, under Article 10 (2b) of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, to introduce increased percentages for the compulsory employment of registered disabled persons in those industries which could be expected to absorb more than the standard 3 per cent.

This suggestion, which involves difficult questions of demarcation, has been considered on a number of occasions but it was not thought opportune to introduce it in the early stages of the scheme. I am seeking the considered advice of the National Advisory Council on the Employment of the Disabled.

asked the Minister of Labour how many disabled men are registered as unemployed in the following places, Kilmarnock, Galston, Newmilns, Darvel; and how many of these men are ex-Servicemen.

The information requested is not available in respect of Galston and Darvel; but the numbers of registered disabled men unemployed on 19th January, 1948, at Kilmarnock and Newmilns which cover the Galston and Darvel areas are as follow:

The following are the numbers of registered disabled persons recorded as unemployed on 19th January last at the employment exchanges named:

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of insured workers

asked the Minister of Labour what is the approximate number of individuals who have obtained grants, from his Department under the Further Education and Training Scheme.

The Ministry of Labour and National Service has made 30,458 awards under the Further Education and Training Scheme up to 31st January, 1948.

asked the Minister of Works the number of workers employed in Scotland on Government building for which he is responsible in June, 1947, and the number to be employed on such work at June, 1948, in Scotland in accordance with the proposals set out in the White Paper, Capital Investment in 1948, Command 7268.

The number of workers employed in Scotland on Government building for which I am responsible was approximately 2,700 in June, 1947. I cannot say how many will be so employed in June, 1948.

asked the Minister of Works the number of workers employed in Scotland on building under civil licences for which he is responsible in June, 1947, and the number to be employed on such work at June, 1948, in Scotland in accordance with the proposals set out in the White Paper, Capital Investment, Command 7268.

The number of men employed in Scotland on work requiring a licence from my Department is estimated to have been about 18,000 in June, 1947. I cannot say how many will be so employed in June, 1948.

asked the Minister of Works if he can augment the supply of grip elbows and T-pieces required in electrical installations, the lack of which is holding up many housing schemes near completion.

I am not aware of a shortage of these items, but, if the hon. Member will supply me with particulars of any case he has in mind, I shall be glad to enquire into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what restrictions exist on exports from East Africa to the Belgian Congo, for payment in Belgian francs.

There are no restrictions in Colonial territories in East Africa on exports to the Belgian Congo of local commodities which are surplus to local requirements. All such exports have to be paid for within six months in sterling or East African currency from a Belgian account or in Belgian or Congolese francs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what lighters and tugs have been transferred from Tanga to other East African ports during the last twelve months; and if he will give an assurance that the lighters and tugs at present in Tanga are sufficient to prevent any hold-up from this cause of sisal awaiting shipment at Tanga.

Three lighters and one tug were withdrawn for repairs. I am assured that sufficient craft will be maintained at Tanga to ensure the shipment of sisal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action has been taken to implement the recommendation, in the Nyasaland Post War Development Plan, that Central Africa should produce more tobacco.

Grants have been made under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts to meet the cost of an experimental scheme for growing flue-cured tobacco at Kasungu in Nyasaland and to finance the Nyasaland General Agricultural Experiment Station which will be particularly concerned with improved methods of growing and curing tobacco. An expert is at present on a visit to Central and East Africa to investigate the possibilities of increasing the production of certain types of tobacco. Discussions with the United Kingdom Manufacturers about the possibility of their taking more Empire tobacco are proceeding.