asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations why the Io-year Development Plan for Basutoland includes the construction of a new administrative centre valued at a sum of £16,000, four times that set aside for the training of African medical officers; and whether this sum will be spent instead on productive purposes.

This scheme, which was for the construction of an administrative centre in the mountain area, has now been abandoned, at least for the time being.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations why the expenditure proposed for the development of water and electricity supplies in Basutoland under the 10-year Development Plan is so largely concentrated in Mogen town, with only £12,625 allocated for district water supplies; whether he is aware that this will largely benefit European officials and traders; and what contribution towards the capital cost of the scheme is being made by consumers.

The water supply scheme at the headquarters of Basutoland at Maseru, which is now estimated to cost £68,000, is regarded as necessary owing to the growth of the town, which is expected to continue. The African population of the town considerably exceeds the number of Europeans. The assistance given under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act for this scheme will provide for the whole capital cost of the project and is an interest free loan, the terms of which are subject to review at the end of three years. It is intended to prepare a rating scheme providing for payment for water consumed. The allocation of £12,625 under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act for the improvement of water supplies at the seven district headquarters of Basutoland is considered adequate. A free grant of £5,440 from this allocation to provide improved water supplies at three of these headquarters has already been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he is aware that revenue derived from excess profits duty and trade profits, especially in Basutoland, between 1943 and 1946 went up from 55,430 to £76,570; and what steps are being taken to reduce prices.

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes." Prices in Basutoland necessarily depend in the main upon the prices in the Union of South Africa, and a system of price control was established during the war based upon that in force in the Union. The High Commissioner will be consulted about the present position.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the working of the various Maximum Charges Orders in force in Scotland, showing the number of successful prosecutions by his Department for breaches of these order; is he satisfied that the penalties provided by the law for such breaches are sufficiently great; or will he consider increasing them so as to stop profiteering of this kind in Scotland.

There were 107 convictions out of 111 prosecutions for price offences in Scotland during 1947; the answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative and the third accordingly does not arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what number of licences have been given to manufacturers of non-utility furniture, and of what value, last year.

Four thousand one hundred and forty. The licences comprised domestic and school furniture of all kinds, including woven fibre furniture, furniture made from metal or plastics and such minor articles as meat safes and linen boxes, office furniture and certain types of business equipment, canteen and church furniture and shop fittings. As far as domestic furniture is concerned practically all the licences were for the production of furniture from materials which arc not subject to allocation, or are not a limiting factor in the utility range, and are not suitable for use in utility furniture; the rest largely represent the provision that has been made for the small "working masters" to continue the exercise of their craft. No figures are available for the total value of the licences issued.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied with the progress being made with the pilot census being taken in High Wycombe; and is he will make a statement.

The progress so far made with the Pilot Census at High Wycombe is reasonably satisfactory. I should explain that High Wycombe is the subject of a very special experiment; whereas in the other areas where the pilot census is being conducted the forms are being issued to traders and returned by them through the post, in High Wycombe we are trying out the efficacy of the alternative method of personal canvass—that is to say, interviewers are going round visiting traders and taking forms with them; they are inviting traders to complete these and answering queries raised about the questions; where the trader cannot fill in the form on the spot the interviewers call back and collect it. If traders prefer, they can, of course, post the form back to the Census Office. The postal method is that used by the Canadian Census Office, while in the United States forms are collected by personnal canvass.This interviewing is being carried out by members of the Social Survey organisation, who have already collected about 20 per cent. of the forms issued. The object of the experiment is to obtain practical evidence on which a comparison can be made of the relative efficiency and cost of the postal and personal canvass methods of collecting the returns. A further modification was put forward at a recent meeting of traders in High Wycombe which would involve the active co-operation of the local Chamber of Commerce. We are waiting to hear their views on this point and shall be prepared to discuss with them details of any scheme they put forward.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is proposed to import further foreign furniture when the present £6 million limit is reached.

The current programme of furniture imports is being brought to an end even before the limit of £6 million originally approved is reached. We may, however, find it desirable in the course of our trading relationships to permit some imports of furniture, particularly if by so doing we can maintain or improve our imports of essential goods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to make a statement about the effects of the cuts in capital investment on the construction of factories in the Development Areas.

The review of factory building is not yet complete and to give partial information at this stage would be misleading. I must ask my hon. Friend to wait until I am able to make a comprehensive statement which I will do as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the dollar value of the import licences granted to the firm of R. M. Papelian Ltd. of Trico House, Edgware Board, N.W.2, over the last two years; and what type of articles was covered by these licences.

It is not the practice to give details of import licences issued to particular firms. It my hon. Friend has in mind imports horn dollar sources of any particular class of goods perhaps he would let me know and I will give him whatever information is readily available about licences issued for such goods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the American Cotton Manufacturers' Association recently presented to the Supreme Commander, Allied Powers, in Japan certain proposals regarding sales policies for Japanese textiles; what were the terms of those proposals; and what is the policy of His Majesty's Government regarding sales of Japanese textiles.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what quantity of petrol in a full year it is estimated will be saved by the operation of the regulation limiting the use of private hire cars to a radius of 20 miles.

I am informed that the American Cotton Manufacturers' Association has presented such proposals of which the main objective as regards exports are to permit sales for other currency than dollars and to exhaust the possibilities of what are described as natural Oriental and Colonial markets before trying other markets. In reply to the last part of the Question, the policy of His Majesty's Government is to ensure that Japanese textiles are produced and sold under conditions that do not give rise to unfair competition with our own products.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the tonnages of cargo shipping entering and clearing each of the principal ports of the United Kingdom in the years 192o, 1938, 1945 and 1947.

The following statement shows the tonnage of vessels that arrived and departed with cargo in the foreign trade at the principal ports of the United Kingdom during the specified years.

No estimate can be made. The purpose of the order was not primarily to save petrol but to ensure that hire cars provide the local public service for which their allowances are intended.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he hopes to reply to the letter of 1st December, 1947, from the hon. Member for Streatham in regard to a constituent's application for 10½ gallons of petrol per month for agricultural purposes.

I much regret the delay in replying to the hon. Member, but the regional petroleum officer has only just heard from the agricultural executive committee that they support this application. An allowance is now being granted.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why a country resident granted an allowance of petrol to cover his necessary journeys to his shopping centre is prohibited on such occasions from visiting a restaurant to obtain lunch or tea, seeing that such a visit does not, in itself, entail any expenditure of petrol.

No such prohibition exists.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, when considering the petrol needs for holiday purposes, he will bear in mind the contribution made to holiday accommodation by caravans and allow sufficient petrol for caravans to be towed to holiday sites by those using them.

I will bear the hon. Member's suggestion in mind.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many tons of oil were shipped from Brunei in 1947 and 1938, respectively; and what approximately was the amount of dollar exchange gained or saved by the sale of this oil in 1947.

Approximately 700,000 tons of crude oil in 1938 and 1,700,000 tons in 1947. The approximate f.o.b. value of the products obtained from this crude oil in 1947 was £6,250,000. Had the oil not been available a corresponding dollar expenditure would have been incurred.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many pit-head baths are now in course of erection; how many are in South Wales; and to what extent is the programme to be affected by the cuts in capital investment.

Twenty pit-head baths including two in South Wales are now in course of erection. The programme for 1948 envisaged that a start would be made on the construction of a further 100 including 10 in. South Wales. The programme is being reviewed in the light of the amount of labour available locally for this purpose, and for the building of houses for miners.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much coal was imported from U.S.A. in 1947; and what was the cost in dollars.

606,000 tons costing 6,444,000 dollars f.o.b. Freight charges amounting to 666,000 American dollars and 292,000 Canadian dollars were also incurred. The remaining freight charges were paid for in sterling.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that British inventors are keeping their discoveries secret or selling them to foreign countries because of the heavy toll taken by the Treasury; and, in view of the necessity for exports, if he will consider this matter when framing his Budget.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to his Question on this matter on with December last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the urgent need for recruits in the Metropolitan Police force, he will consider modifying the present high dental standards required to pass new recruits.

The dental standards prescribed for recruits to the Metropolitan Police have already been relaxed in some respects, and the Commissioner of Police is at present considering, in consultation with the chief medical officer and the chief dental surgeon, whether they could be further relaxed without prejudicing the high standard of physique required of a police officer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is anticipated that the report of the Royal Commission to inquire into the position of Justices of the Peace will be published.

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 5th February last.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has made investigations into the extent to which the recent increase of Purchase Tax on a wide range of medicines, drugs, toothpastes and other such goods connected with health and hygiene have resulted in increased demands on the National Health Service; or whether he will make such an inquiry at an early date.

I regret that reliable data for an inquiry into this matter do not exist.

asked the Minister of Health whether he intends to publish the report of the assessors appointed to investigate the training of nurses at St. Leonard's Hospital, Shoreditch; and whether a copy may, in any case, be supplied to the General Nursing Council and the London County Council for their guidance.

It is not the normal practice to publish reports of persons appointed to hear appeals on behalf of the Minister of Health and I do not think there are grounds for making an exception in this case. If the bodies mentioned by my hon. Friend ask to be supplied with a copy of the report I shall be glad to do so confidentially.

asked the Minister of Health what consideration has so far been given to the incorporation of dental technicians, whether or not employed directly or indirectly by dentists, in the free denture repair service contemplated under the National Health Act.

Repairs to dentures in the National Health Service will be carried out under the supervision of registered dental practitioners undertaking to provide general dental services who will no doubt employ dental technicians. I have drawn the attention of the dentists' organisations to the importance of ensuring that repairs are done promptly.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is yet in a position to make any further statement with regard to the early introduction of legislation amending the Rent Restrictions Acts, in view of the hardship created to many tenants by recent judicial decisions.

No.

asked the Minister of Health what was the number of licences granted to estate owners and farmers to enable them to erect cottages for farm workers, and the number which qualified for the Government subsidy, in the years 1946 and 1947.

The information referred to in the first part of the Question is not available. As regards the second part, 176 houses were approved for subsidy under Section 3 of the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1938 (as amended), between April and December, 1946, and 232 houses in 1947.

asked the Minister of Health if he will allow the East Coast seaside resorts, to which money was advanced during the war to overcome wartime difficulties, to retain substantial sums of the moneys advanced and thus enable such resorts to meet the high re-instatement costs.

There is no justification for treating coast towns more favourably than other towns which suffered war damage.

asked the Minister of Health why Mr. Gibbs, of Broad Oak Farm, Kexby, Yorkshire, a dairy farmer, who completed a new cow house for a tuberculin-tested herd two years ago, is still unable to obtain a supply of water although an application covering the supply of water was submitted by the Derwent Rural District Council in 1945.

The premises cannot be served until a water main is extended. Proposals for the extension and a number of other extensions were submitted by the rural district council in November last, but it was necessary to obtain further information, which the council have not yet furnished.

asked the Minister of Education whether it is his intention to provide for facilities for the celebration of Animal Welfare Week during the first week in May following the custom prevailing before the war.

No.

asked the Minister of Education (1) what standards are applied by the principal of Chelsea Physical Education Colleges in determining which applicants for admission to the respective colleges shall be interviewed by him;(2) the number of first choice applications for admission received by the principal of Chelsea College of Physical Education; the number of applicants interviewed; and the number accepted for admission in 1948.

I am informed by the Eastbourne local education authority who administer the Chelsea College of Physical Education that 164 applicants for admission in September, 1948, gave this College as their first choice. 102 were interviewed and 42 were accepted. Those applicants were selected for interview who appeared to be the best candidates on the record of their academic and physical attainments and on the strength of the reports received from their school authorities.

asked the Minister of Education whether his attention has been called to the complaints of farmers about the increasing damage done by school children to farm property; and whether steps can be taken to bring this matter to the notice of local education authorities for suitable action.

No. I am sure that without any special action on my part local education authorities and teachers are already sufficiently alive to the importance of avoiding damage to farm property.

asked the Minister of Education what are the main reasons for delay in erecting H.O.R.S.A. huts.

The main reasons for delay in erecting H.O.R.S.A. huts are those common to all building work at the present time, namely, shortage of labour (including skilled technical staff for the preliminary work on plans and contracts), and shortage of essential materials and components.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he proposes to take to remedy the deficiences of accommodation in infant schools due to the increased birth rate during the years of war.

It is the duty of local education authorities to include in their building programmes proposals for any additional accommodation that may be necessary, and they are fully aware of this problem to which attention was drawn in Circulars 145 and 155.

asked the Minister of Education what is the result of the application made by the hon. Member for London University in the case of a teacher, Mr. C. A. Bentley, whose claim to have fulfilled the conditions, and qualified for a pension, was denied.

Mr. Bentley's case has been reviewed and further particulars of his employment have been supplied by the London and Surrey Education Authorities and by Mr. Bentley himself. In the result I am now satisfied that the conditions for the grant of a pension can be regarded as fulfilled. Formal notification will be sent to Mr. Bentley shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps are being taken to economise in the expenditure of dollars by diplomatic and consular services in the United States.

After a preliminary survey by the Head of the Administrative Departments of the Foreign Office and a senior inspector of the Foreign Service, the latter was appointed Minister in charge of the Administrative Section of the Embassy at Washington in April, 1947. There he has been reviewing all Foreign Service expenditure in the United States, including rents, numbers of staff employed, and other incidental expenses. My right hon. Friend is accordingly satisfied that Foreign Service expenditure in the United States will be reduced as much as is practicable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what discussions he had with the representatives of the British growers of fruit, flowers and vegetables before entering into a trade agreement with the Netherlands, in order to ensure that the importations of horticultural produce allowed under it will not be to the detriment of British horticulture.

Producers were not specifically consulted during these negotiations but I am generally aware of their views and I am satisfied that the importations of horticultural produce allowed under the agreement will not be to the detriment of British horticulture.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he proposes supplementing the policy adopted as the result of the Report of the Bodinnar Committee, by making regulations to alter the allocation of feedingstuffs for pigs, so that such feedingstuffs shall be issued in proportion to the number of pigs sold to the Ministry of Food for either pork or bacon.

I am not yet in a position to make any further statement about revision of the existing system of feedingstuffs rationing. The recommendations of the Bodinnar Committee will be taken into consideration in this connection.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why the claim of the Come Fishery Company in respect of damage to the oyster fishery caused by the explosion of mines in the River Colne during the war has not yet been settled.

This claim has involved difficult problems of law and valuation which have been responsible for the delay in negotiating with the fishery company. The Admiralty expect, however, to be in a position to make an approach to the company during the present month, when it is hoped that a satisfactory outcome of the matter will be possible.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now make a statement as to the publication of the remaining volumes of the official history of the was of 1914–18.

The volume describing the end of the 1918 campaign in France and Belgium will be published on nth March. The Passchendaele volume will follow later this year. The two remaining volumes will be published as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he will give further information with regard to the purchase of land for Heathrow aerodrome under the headings of the various dates on which the Government purchased the land; who were the vendors; and what was the price paid per acre.

A list showing the vendors of land so far purchased by the Government for London Airport (Heathrow) is being sent to my hon. Friend. Pending the completion of the numerous purchases to be made at Heathrow, it would not be in the public interest to state what prices have been paid for the land.

asked the Minister of Supply whether the billets available for the manufacture of electrode wire, and now being produced in the United Kingdom are being used for any other purpose; what is the nature of the special technique which cannot be expanded to meet present demands; whether there is any shortage of electrode wire-drawing capacity; and when he estimates that United Kingdom produced supplies will meet the demands of United Kingdom industry.

A high-grade carbon steel of a rigid specification requiring high purity is needed for electrode wire. Similar high quality carbon steels are required for other important purposes, such as the production of colliery ropes and wire for armoured cables. Owing to the particular quality specifications, production of such steels involves foregoing the production of much larger tonnages of ordinary commercial quality steel and is hampered by contamination of scrap resulting from the war. Measures are, however, being taken to expand the production of the high grade steels needed for wire and to supplement this temporarily, in the case of electrode wire, by special electric furnace production. There is no shortage of wire drawing capacity for these wires and it is hoped that, with the aid of the supplementary production of high grade steels, the output of wire will meet the most essential demands by mid-1948.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that a meeting of the Nairobi African Advisory Council recently commented on the inadequacy of the African police available; and what steps are contemplated by the Government to increase and extend this police force.

Yes. Provision has been made for an increased establishment of African police. Further training, and more accommodation and other facilities are also being provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now make a statement about the cause of the riots in connection with the eviction of squatters from Kowloon.

On 5th January, as a necessary precaution against the threat of fire and disease, some 54 wooden huts were dismantled in the area known as the Walled City of Kowloon, after eviction orders had been made by the Court, the occupants being offered sites elsewhere. On 7th January, a party of Chinese officials from the neighbouring Chinese province of Kwantung visited the Walled City, and one of them addressed a crowd under the Chinese flag. At the same time exaggerated and misleading reports appeared in some sections of the Chinese language Press in Hong Kong.Thereafter, in defiance of the Court's order, a number of huts were illegally re-erected on the former sites. Police sent to move them on 12th January were attacked on their way to the Walled City by a heavy barrage of stones from a crowd of over 100 persons. The disorder thus started by organised resistance to the police in the execution of their duty was I regret to say, inspired partly, if not wholly, by the activities of the Chinese officials to whom I have referred, and the misleading and exaggerated reports in the Chinese Press.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what extra-territorial rights have been granted to the Chinese Government by the Government of Hong Kong; and for what purposes.

The Hong Kong Government have recently granted to the Chinese Customs permission to establish centres within Hong Kong for the assessment and payment (at the option of the Hong Kong exporter) of Chinese import duties and also liberty to enter upon and patrol certain Hong Kong territorial waters. The grant of these rights has been agreed to by His Majesty's Government as part of special measures for the suppression of smuggling between Hong Kong and China.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many food ration cards should have been issued in Malaya recently; and how many were actually issued.

There is no system of national registration in Malaya, and I am therefore unable to say exactly how many food ration cards should have been issued. Preliminary census results in the Federation of Malaya show an estimated population of 4,877,678, but this figure

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what changes are contemplated in the administrative arrangements for Brunei.

I would refer the hon. Member to the written reply which I gave to the hon. Member for The Hartlepools (Mr. D. Jones) on 2nd March.

asked the Postmaster General if he can give any relevant comparable figures, showing the amount of business and volume of letters handled by the Eastcote sub-post office and the Ruislip Manor post office in, say 1930, 1938 and 1947.

I assume my hon. Friend refers to the offices known as Field End, Eastcote and Victoria Road, Ruislip. I regret that particulars of business for 1930 are not now available, but particulars of some of the main items for 1938 and the year ended 31st March, 1947, are given below. Ordinary letters are not handled at either office.