asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he will now give details of the benefits provided to Service men and their dependants under the National Insurance Act, 1946.

Proposals relating to the contributions and benefits of persons serving in His Majesty's Forces will be the subject of regulations which will in the first instance be submitted in draft to the National Insurance Advisory Committee which will publish them and, after consideration, will report to me. The regulations will in due course be laid before Parliament and I would ask my hon. Friend to await their publication.

asked the Minister of National Insurance the number of pensioners receiving supplementary pensions at the Assistance Board Office in Romford Road, West Ham; how many of these are receiving discretionary allowances over and above the scales; and what is the highest and lowest amount of such allowances at present paid.

The number of supplementary pension cases current at the West Ham office of the Assistance Board on 3oth January, 1948, was 2,937. As, however, one supplementary pension is usually paid in the case of a married couple, the number of pensioners whose needs were included was about 3,470. At the latest dates for which the information is available discretionary additions to the normal scale rates were being made in about 40 per cent. of the cases, the highest addition being 13s. 6d. and the lowest 9d. a week. In addition between July, 1947, and January, 1948, grants for clothing, etc., amounting to more than £1,700, were made in 960 cases.

asked the Secretary of State for War for how long he proposes to retain the existing camp at Trawsfynydd, Merioneth.

This camp, which is built on War Department land, is to be retained permanently.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the effects of the late T/14716268 Dvr. G. R. Hampton, R.A.S.C., deceased 6th December, 1947, are still being held by the R.A.S.0 and A.C.C. Records, pending authority from the War Office to return them to his next of kin, and whether he will give instructions that that authority be immediately forthcoming.

The personal effects of the late soldier form part of his estate, and are distributable to the person or persons legally entitled. As the sum due to the estate from Army Funds exceeds £100 0s. 0d. it will be necessary for the relatives to produce letters of administration to establish their title. Strictly speaking, the effects should not be disposed of until the grant of administration is produced to the War Office. As, however, it appears that the parents are the only persons entitled to apply for the grant in this case, I have given instructions, exceptionally, for the effects to be released to them forthwith.

asked the Secretary of State for War where the deep shelter hostel operated by his Department is; by what means Service men are informed of the facilities provided; and what these are.

This hostel is at Clapham South. It is intended for emergency use only when the various Service Clubs are full. Service men and Service women are informed of the available facilities through the railway traffic officers at all main London stations, and through the various Service Clubs. There are beds and blankets available at the deep shelter for 2,500 men and 500 women, and a charge is made of 1s. per night per head. A canteen at the shelter provides tea, sandwiches and other light refreshments.

asked the Minister of Defence the number of aeroplanes, tanks, jeeps and armoured vehicles generally made available to the Arab countries since July, 1945, through the British Military Missions attached thereto.

The following have been supplied from this country: To Egypt: 34 jeeps, 38 scout cars, 298 carriers, 40 military aircraft. To Transjordan: 6o armoured cars. To Iraq: 15 Tiger Moths. To other Arab Countries: Nil.It is possible that, in addition, small numbers of some of the military items mentioned may have been supplied locally. These supplies are made in. accordance with Treaty obligations. There are no British Military Missions in Egypt or Transjordan.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he proposes to take any further action to spread the domestic and non-industrial electricity load next winter.

Yes. As my hon. Friend is aware, industry, through the staggering of hours and other means has made a large contribution towards spreading the demand for electricity from the peak hours to other times. The same methods cannot be applied to the non-industrial and domestic load and despite a great deal of voluntary help, this load has remained relatively stable during peak hours, and has even increased in some areas. I have therefore appointed a Committee, under the Chairmanship of Sir Andrew Clow with the following terms of reference:To examine and report within three months on:

asked the Minister of Food what was the quantity in gallons or other measure of teaseed oil imported into this country on the last shipment; to what firm or firms were import licences granted for it; in what proportion or proportions was it allocated; what were the names of the firms who received it; to what port was the oil consigned and discharged; and what refinery received the bulk.

Teaseed oil is imported under licence by private firms and is not allocated by my Department. I am therefore unable to furnish the information requested.

asked the Minister of Food whether the Bodinnar Committee made any recommendations about dealing in the black market in poultry; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter.

Recommendations on poultry were included in the Bodinnar Report and I shall make an announcement shortly covering this and certain other aspects of the Report.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will give the comparative figures of the prices of bacon, bread, butter, cheese, eggs, flour, margarine, meat, milk, potatoes, sugar and tea at 21st February, 1948, with the prices of those essential foods at 22nd February, 1947.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners were punished for offences in prison in Scots prisons in 1947; what were the offences; and what punishments were inflicted.

1,283 prisoners were punished for offences in Scottish Prisons in 1947. Particulars of the offences and punishments are shown in the following statement: —

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total loss sustained by this country by the terms of the recent Trade Agreement with Russia, including the waiving of repayment of nearly half of the £100 million credit granted to Russia in 1941, the reduction of the rate of interest on the outstanding balance from 3 per cent. to half per cent. and the extension of the period of repayment of loans from 7 to 15 years.

I have been asked to reply. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 27th January to questions asked by the hon. and gallant Member for New Forest and Christchurch (Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre) and the hon. Member for Belfast University (Professor Savory).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount was received from the sale of live stock, wearing apparel and all other goods seized by the Customs authorities on the land and sea frontiers of Northern Ireland in the year ended 31st March, 1947.

I regret that the information desired is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the net saving on the Budget of a capital levy at rates based upon the recommendation of the Colwyn Committee.

No. I cannot in advance of my Budget statement enter into issues of budgetary policy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that many trading concerns with heavy repairs deferred from the E.P.T. period still to be done will lose their allowance for E.P.T. if the repairs are not done before the end of 1949; and whether he is prepared, in present circumstances, to extend the time limit within which the repairs may be done and still qualify for E.P.T. allowance, and also the time limit for furnishing the schedule of particulars of repairs outstanding at the end of 1946 which expires on 31st March next.

Yes. I have carefully considered representations made on behalf of industry on this matter, and appreciate that in existing conditions the carrying out of repairs deferred from the E.P.T. period may have to be postponed for a much longer period than was originally expected. In view of this I think that an extension of the existing time limit within which the repairs must be done would be justified, and in order to reassure traders I take this opportunity of saying that I propose to include in the forthcoming Finance Bill a provision extending the time limit up to 31st March, 1952, subject to the requisite particulars of repairs outstanding at the end of E.P.T. being produced by 31st March next.On the question of this schedule of particulars, concerns will, by 31st March, have had 15 months in which to prepare the schedule and that should prove adequate in all ordinary cases. I recognise, however, that there may be a few exceptional cases, where it may be impracticable to furnish full particulars by the end of March, and to meet these cases I propose to include a provision in the Finance Bill giving the Commissioners of Inland Revenue discretion, provided a statement is furnished before 31st March next setting out such information as to the position as is available, to allow such further time as is necessary (up to 31st March, 1949) for production of the full particulars required. The provisions will also cover rehabilitation costs which are allowable for E.P.T. and rehabilitation costs of a capital nature which are allowable for Profits Tax and Income Tax subject to the like time limits.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to prevent dentists who have publicly expressed their opposition to the National Health Service Act to serve on the local dental committees set up under the Act.

None. I hope that on a closer acquaintance with the National Health Service dentists generally will recognise its merits.

asked the Minister of Health if, in connection with the new regulations for the performance of vaccination about to be issued, he will consider the desirability of arranging for the vaccination of infants to be inspected by the vaccinator on two occasions, the first, not earlier than the seventh day or later than the fourteenth day and the second, not earlier than the twenty-first or later than the twenty-eighth day, and, in the event of the development of abnormal results after either of these inspections, for particulars thereof to be immediately sent to his Department by the vaccinator, with a view to steps being taken, as far as possible, for the adequate treatment of the cases and for the prevention of the recurrence of such accidents.

As I indicated in reply to my hon. Friend's question on 23rd February, there will be no regulations in this matter. Inspection is part of the recognised medical practice in vaccination: and there will be arrangements for reporting any unusual complications of importance.

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the increase to local authorities in the overall cost of erecting houses both by direct labour and by contract, and the adverse effect upon the economic rent to be charged in consequence, which will seriously affect workers in the lower income groups, he will consider the necessity of immediately upgrading the Government subsidy in respect of housing.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday to the question asked by the hon. Member for Buckrose (Mr. Wadsworth), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been directed to the large amount of spent carbide sludge there is in the country; and whether, in view of the successful use of this in Algeria, he will endeavour to make arrangements for its use in this country on the land.

I am aware that a quantity of this material is available in the United Kingdom; it is used to a limited extent by farmers and comes with- in the scope of the lime subsidy. Apart from its cheapness it has little to commend it in comparison with other liming materials, such as ground limestone and ground chalk.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the whole-

Profit margins as such are not fixed for these goods by Price Control Orders. The margins prescribed are gross, that is to say distributors must find from them their expenses as well as their profits. Gross margins for the classes of goods referred to in the question are as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will relieve the shortage of woollen stockings in Swindon.

Supplies of woollen stockings in Swindon appear to be about the same as for the rest of the country; and while we are taking steps to improve supplies of other types of heavier stockings, I am afraid that more woollen stockings could only be provided for the home market at the expense of export business which we cannot afford to forego.