There are several Government Amendments. Does the Joint Under-Secretary wish to move them?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in order to increase the supply of waste paper and cardboard saved for paper mills, he will arrange for a few prosecutions under existing by-laws of persons throwing paper and cardboard down in the streets and public parks.

The by-laws to which the hon. Member refers are made by local authorities primarily to prevent litter, and I must leave any question of enforcement to them. I hope, however, that the public will co-operate in keeping paper and cartons for salvage purposes.

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that, according to official estimates one million tons of paper and cardboard is thrown down in the streets every year and lost to the paper mills, and £2 million is spent in picking it up; and does he not think that too high a price to pay for freedom—freedom to make a mess?

I agree that they are extremely high figures, and I hope that local authorities as well as the public will co-operate in the way the hon. Member suggests.

Will not the right hon. Gentleman do something about it?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any representative of his Department visited the Export Exhibition in Munich in the autumn of 1947 to examine particulars of the several types of wooden houses on exhibition, with a view to seeing if they are suitable for erection in this country.

A representative of my Department visited the Export Exhibition in Munich, but not specifically with a view to examining the suitability of German prefabricated houses for erection in this country, which is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health. Particulars of the houses concerned were, however, passed to the responsible Department, but I understand that they were considered unsuitable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to cut the clothing coupons; and by how much will they be cut.

As I warned the House on 27th January, when I announced the level of the clothing ration for the current period, if it should come to a choice for the next ration period between dollars and the home ration, we should have to reduce the ration rather than lose dollar earnings. No decision has, however, yet been made whether the ration will have to be reduced in the next period or can be maintained at the present level.

Is the Minister aware that recently his Parliamentary Secretary said that unless cotton rayon and woollen outputs were greatly increased next year, the coupons would have to be cut severely; and will he give as much notice as possible?

What my hon. Friend said—and I think the hon. Gentleman is referring to a speech made by him to the Retail Drapers' Association—was simply to repeat the warning which I gave to this House on 27th January. Certainly, we are keeping the thing very closely under review, and we should wish to make an announcement as soon as possible.

Is the Minister aware that just over a year ago his Parliamentary Secretary said there was every likelihood that the coupons would be increased?

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he is aware that the shipping trade with New Zealand, Australia, Canada and South Africa in wool dress goods and woollen coatings is decreasing rapidly; and whether, in view of the fact that there are large stocks in Britain, he will reduce the coupon value of these goods for the benefit of home consumers;

(2) whether, in view of the fact that the accumulation of woollen goods has got so large that several hundred thousand coats and dresses were recently offered to buyers from the Ruhr at job prices, and that in view of the scarcity of coupons and the high coupon value people in Britain were unable to buy them, he will reduce all 54-inch goods made of wool of every description to three coupons a yard, and reduce them to 12 coupons for each garment of made-up goods.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to him on 5th February and to the hon. Member for Mile End (Mr. Piratin) on 10th February.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that since those Questions were asked the situation has deteriorated? When will the right hon. Gentleman realise that the nationalisation—not nationalisation, but the State control—of these industries is ruining England?

We have not nationalised the shops, the mills, or the industries producing these commodities.

I withdrew the word "nationalisation" and said "State control."

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the increase in the cost of wool, wages and coal has so increased costs of production in the woollen goods trade that exporters are finding it increasingly difficult to sell abroad; and what steps he proposes to take to remove this difficulty.

I am aware that the costs of production of wool cloth have been increasing for some time past, but the principal factor has been the increase in the price of raw wool, and this affects foreign producers equally. Other costs have increased by only about 5 per cent. in the past year. I have no reason to suppose that the wool industry is in general unable to meet foreign competition, but in any case I trust that the industry will press ahead with its efforts to achieve the maximum productive efficiency, which will be the surest method of maintaining its competitive position.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these Questions are based on facts? Is he also aware that if he breaks the law of supply and demand, that law will break him, the Government and the country?

Yes, Sir, I know that these Questions are based on fact. The facts are that the biggest increase in cost has been the price of raw wool, which is completely uncontrolled, and follows the law of supply and demand, with the price being dictated on the world market according to the pressure of demand from this country and other countries.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that at the end of the war the British Government controlled the whole of the wool of the world, and that they have allowed it to be sold abroad at a cheaper price than it can be produced in our own industry?

If hon. Members opposite are going to press me to re-impose control, I would naturally wish to give that careful consideration.

How much profit did the Government make from selling wool by public auction?

I should want notice of that Question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of British studio space is at present unoccupied; and what steps he is taking to bring this into use.

I take it that the hon. Member is referring to film studios. The unoccupied percentage of the stage space at British studios suitable for the production of first feature films is just over 8 per cent. The question as to what early steps can be taken to bring this space into use is one which I hope to discuss next week at the first meeting of my Joint Council for the production section of the film industry. In consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I am also exploring ways and means of affording improved access to finance for independent film producers.

Will the right hon. Gentleman, when he deals with that matter, also inquire into the extraordinary long time that films now occupy the floors of studios thereby holding up production and increasing costs?

The hon. Member is quite right. I have already informed the House that one of the next things I want to look into is the general question of studio costs, which is closely bound up with this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the volume of cotton textile exports in 1947 as compared with 1937, after weighting, in respect of fine counts.

The estimated volume of exports of cotton yarns and manufactures, other than apparel, in 1947 was 32 per cent. of that in 1937.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman consider it a sad commentary on the actions of the Government that since the war we have only 32 per cent. of 1937 production?

No, Sir, the cotton industry has taken a pretty long time to recover from the effects of concentration and the other measures applied during the war. We are looking to the industry for a much larger increase in 1948.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the appointment of Mr. E. Hartley to the British Cotton Buying Commission was arranged through the Ministry of Labour.

Under the Cotton (Centralised Buying) Act, 1947, such appointments are a matter for the Commission, and not for the Board of Trade.

Is it not a fact that the Paymaster-General gave an assurance to the Liverpool Cotton Employees Association that this appointment would be made through the Ministry of Labour, and does he not consider, if the appointment was not made through the Ministry, that it was a breach of faith as far as the Association is concerned?

I should require to look into the question of an assurance. It is the normal practice of the Commission to use the machinery of the Appointments Department of the Ministry of Labour.

Was it used in this instance?

I have made inquiries into this matter. As I have said, it is a matter for the Commission. In this particular case, as in many others, it was a technical appointment, and they had to look to the technical people available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, before issuing Statutory Instrument, 1948, No. 5, increasing the charges to be made by boot and shoe repairers, any consultation between his Department and the Incorporated National Federation of Boot Trades Association, Limited, took place.

No, Sir. The Board of Trade were then instituting proceedings against the Association for inciting their members to contravene the current maximum price order.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the secretary of the Central Price Regulation Committee admitted that the Order was a bad one, and while it was in force shoe repairers would have to work at a loss? What steps is he taking to ensure that Orders issued from his Department in future are fair to all concerned?

I have already explained some of the circumstances to the House. There was consultation with the Association at an earlier stage, and when the Order was amended, the various representations which had been made were taken into account.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action his Department takes to ensure that the provisions of the Merchandise Marks Acts are subscribed to by traders and others responsible for the insertion of advertisements in the Press.

Action is constantly being taken, thy publicity, explanation, advice, and warning, to ensure compliance with these requirements by traders and others. Where the public interest is involved, the Board are empowered to prosecute, and have done so on many occasions in the past. But it is open to any person to initiate proceedings for offences under the Merchandise Marks Acts, and we normally look to traders to watch their own interests in these matters. I shall be glad to consider any particular cases of contravention which my hon. Friend may bring to my notice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has any statement to make with regard to complaints from firms in connection with the Census of Production now being carried out by his Department; and whether he realises that the length of the questionnaires impose an enormous burden on hard-pressed businesses.

Most firms have completed, and returned without complaint, their 1946 Partial Census of Production schedules. Only a very small minority have, in spite of reminders, failed to send in their returns, and in some cases, have made comments on the length of the schedules. The questions are necessarily more numerous in schedules which cover many sections of a trade, but only a proportion need be answered by any one firm. I am satisfied that the work involved in completing the schedules is more than justified by the value of the information elicited.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that there are several hundred questions to be answered by each firm? Does he really think that he has a staff which can analyse and make use of all the information with which he will be equipped when these questions have been answered?

I have been through a lot of these forms myself. I think that some of the complaints about them have been grossly exaggerated. Certain of the forms include 628 separate entries, but involve filling in no more than 10 entries in the case of any particular firm.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that all these questions have to be read through, and that the firm in question has to make up its mind whether or not it has to answer them which means an enormous amount of time is wasted?

No, Sir, not when there are general headings indicating that blocks of questions do not apply to a particular industry.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that were it not for the fear of victimisation from the Board of Trade the remarks made by many firms would have been much stronger?

Does my right hon. Friend realise that his action is fully endorsed in the Conservative Party's Industrial Charter?

Has it not been said that at least one of these forms was sent out in order to train the right hon. Gentleman's Department in the collection of statistics, and not to obtain information?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what will be the total value of imports this year under the token import scheme, and what return this country gets in each case for allowing such imports.

I estimate that the total value of token imports in 1948 from the countries whose participation has so far been announced will be in the neighbourhood of £1.75 million. Token imports are accorded to these countries as part of mutually satisfactory trade arrangements which secure for the United Kingdom essential supplies of foodstuffs and raw materials, and entry into the overseas markets for our exports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to state the result of his discussions with the shoe manufacturers in regard to producing women's shoes of more varied and larger sizes.

I regret that the discussions referred to in my reply on 29th January have not yet been concluded. I will write to the hon. and gallant Member as soon as they are.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that this is one of the most uncomfortable and unjustified trials which women have to bear—that is, wearing and queueing in ill-fitting shoes? Will he encourage and instruct manufacturers to follow the example of the American and Canadian manufacturers and produce shoes of varying widths and sizes?

I am continually being requested by hon. Members opposite to instruct manufacturers on matters which have so far been regarded as matters for private trade arrangement. So far, we are hoping to be able to deal with these matters by way of encouragement.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that the small-footed women of England will receive at least as much consideration as the large-footed women of Scotland?

Yes, Sir.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that while this matter is under consideration feet are still growing?

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider the remarks of the hon. Member for "Taggs Island" to be quite in order.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what measures he is taking to secure, economy in the use of paper for wrapping in the shops, in view of the shortage of paper for export packing, and other important purposes.

I regret that it has been necessary to reduce considerably the allocations of paper for general wrapping purposes in the home market. I should be reluctant to re-introduce the wartime prohibition on the use of paper for retail wrapping, and I have decided instead to rely on the common sense and public spirit of everybody concerned. The trade associations have been consulted and will do their part. I appeal most strongly to the shops to use as little paper as possible and to the public to accept this inconvenience in the present difficult circumstances, and to offer all the help they can.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that shirts imported from Czechoslovakia are being retailed at 47s. each; and to what extent he controls the price and quality of these and other imported items of apparel.

There is no control of the prices charged by the manufacturers of these shirts or of the quality of their products. But the maximum margins which can be taken by importers, wholesalers and retailers of imported items of apparel are statutorily prescribed.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind the Government's policy of price control, and look into this matter?

Yes, Sir, but I have no control over the price of manufactured goods made in foreign countries.

Is the Minister aware that if there is a shortage of cheap Czechoslovak shirts, there appears to be no shortage of Czechoslovak shifts?

Can the President of the Board of Trade assure the House that it will not be possible to sell Czechoslovak made shirts at a price which undercuts shirts made in this country at proper wages and under proper conditions?

There has been no complaint of undercutting. All the complaints have been that the price of imported shirts has been far too high.

Is the Minister aware that shirts of no exceptional quality are being sold within a mile of this House at the apparently exorbitant price of £2 10s. each, and does he not think that there is useful ground there for inquiry and investigation?

I would like my hon. Friend to let me have particulars.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what petrol he intends to allow to visitors from overseas during the summer months.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) whether he has now made a decision regarding the lifting of the ban on hired cars travelling more than 20 miles, in order to enable foreign visitors to be met at their port of entry and motored to their destination;

(2) whether he has now decided to increase the allowance of petrol for overseas visitors, and by what amount the allowance will be increased.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is yet in a position to make a statement in regard to the lifting of the 20 miles restriction in the case of private hire cars engaged by American and other tourists from hard currency areas.

I have agreed, in principle, with my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade, that increased allowances should be made to overseas visitors who bring their cars with them or purchase cars in this country for subsequent export, and that special arrangements should be made to enable such visitors to use hire cars freely. The details are still under discussion with my right hon. Friend and also with the interests concerned.

Is the Minister aware that the sooner he arranges the details, the better, because these foreigners want to make their plans?

The details are a little complicated, and we must have a little more time.

Will the Minister consider extending this concession to foreign visitors who cannot afford to bring their own cars or to buy cars in this country, and does he realise that in the case of visitors from hard currency countries their expenditure on petrol would be of substantial assistance to our exchequer?

There are very great difficulties in preventing abuse in a system of that kind.

Will the Minister also consider the home user?

That is another question.

Will the Minister arrange for the British Information Service in the United States to make this fact known as far as possible?

Yes, Sir.

When the Minister says that he will make it easier for foreigners to hire cars, will he give the people who hire out the cars more petrol, so that Britishers may hire cars when they want them?

That is one of the matters under discussion.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many of the staff of his Ministry are employed as inspectors investigating the misuse of petrol by motorists.

Eighty-four inspectors are employed on all forms of enforcement work—including the investigation of the misuse of petrol by motorists.

Will the Minister undertake, when he restores the basic petrol allowance, to get these people into productive work as soon as possible?

I have already explained that they deal with all forms of enforcement work. Their number has not been increased since the abolition of the basic ration.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in order to permit people to get to their work in country districts with less delay, he will authorise petrol allowances for motor cycles for this purpose in all cases, whether public transport is available or not.

No, Sir. In present circumstances allowances cannot be granted where alternative means of transport are reasonably practicable.

Will the Minister bear in mind that the motor cycle is extremely economical in the use of fuel, and its use makes a tremendous difference to people going to and from work in the time saved, and also saves public transport?

The difference in saving between motor cycles and small cars is not nearly so great as the hon. Member seems to suggest.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why regulations were issued by his department preventing the use of the smallest electric motors at the "Daily Mail" Ideal Home Exhibition; and why the Ministry's stand, No. 78, broke the regulations, and had three electric motors permanently running, although the next door stand, the Petroleum Information Bureau, under private enterprise, was refused the use of electric motors.

No regulations were issued by my Department about the use of small electric motors at this Exhibition. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

Is the Minister aware that many exhibitors wanted permission to have electric motors on their stands, and were refused; and that the fact that this stand is the only one that has electric motors working is creating a bad impression and setting a bad example?

What the organisers of the Exhibition may do about permitting or not permitting electric motors to be used is not my affair.

Can the Minister say why his stand is the only one that has permission when no one else has got permission?

I understand that they regard it as essential to the exhibit.

rose——

We cannot go on arguing this one point.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much was spent on the Ministry's stand, No. 78, at the Ideal Home Exhibition; and why, at 12.30 p.m., on 4th March, no attendant was present to explain the purpose of the stand, which was not apparent.

The total cost of this stand was approximately £5,500, of which £2,000 was for site hire and £3,500 for design, construction and erecting. With regard to the second part of the Question, a Commissionaire is always on duty at the stand, and a member of the Ministry's staff is in occasional attendance. I should have thought that the purpose of the exhibit, which is to indicate the relative consumptions of various types of domestic electricity appliance, was made abundantly clear by the explanatory captions.

Is the Minister aware that this is the only stand in the exhibition that does not permanently have an attendant on it?

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether hire-car firms are permitted to undertake journeys in excess of 20 miles in cases where definite arrangements for these journeys had been made prior to the publication of S.I. No. 386 of 1948.

Regional petroleum officers have been instructed to grant licences for journeys up to 31st March where they are satisfied that definite arrangements were made for the journey before 1st March.

Would if not have prevented confusion in this matter if some such provision had been incorporated in the Order?

Does the right hon. Gentleman recall that he gave me a written answer last week in which he said that no estimate could be made of the saving of petrol? Is it a fact that no petrol will be saved? Is this another order made on psychological grounds?

In saying that no estimate could be made, I did not mean that there would be no saving. There will be some saving, but it is impossible to say what it will be.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the National Coal Board has been making purchases of firewood logs in the Lancashire area at prices above the controlled prices; and what steps he is taking to enforce his order.

Yes, Sir. The acquisition of supplies of wood fuel at more than controlled prices is not an offence under this Order, but the general question of the enforcement of the Order is under consideration.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that it is an extremely bad example, whether the National Coal Board can get round the Order or not, to pay about double the controlled price for firewood logs?

I would not accept the figure given by the hon. Member, but the National Coal Board have expressed their regret to me. One of the difficulties about the Order is that those who buy the fuel do not know whether the regulations are being broken or not.

What a confession.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the number of coal-cutting machines and the number of conveyers in use in the mines of Great Britain during 1947 and how this number compares with 1946.

The annual return showing the number of coal-cutters and conveyors in use in 1947 is not yet available. The figures for Great Britain for the week ending 14th December, 1946, were: coalcutters—7,376, conveyors—10,966. These figures may be compared with 7,121 coal-cutters and 9,658 conveyors in use at the corresponding date in 1945.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will state the number of accidents, fatal and nonfatal to persons employed below ground during 1947 and the causes of the accidents and the separate figures for West and South Yorkshire, respectively.

As the answer contains a statistical table, I will, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that there is insufficient anthracite in Crediton to meet the ration; and will he take steps to increase supply of anthracite.

There is no guaranteed ration of anthracite, but I have taken steps to increase supplies at Crediton, where the demand has recently increased considerably with the result that a temporary shortage has occurred.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he has considered a resolution sent to him from the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom, deploring the recent increase in price in bunker coal and the continued rise in the price of oil fuel; and what steps he proposes to take as a consequence.

Yes, Sir. As I have stated on a previous occasion the Government regard the price of bunker coal as a matter for determination by the National Coal Board in the light of commercial considerations. The price of oil fuel has risen because of a general increase in world oil prices over which I have no control.

Will the Minister bear in mind that the cost of transport enters into our export costs, and if he can keep down the cost of bunker coal it will help us?

I appreciate the point.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House how many times the cost of bunker coal has risen since before the war?

Not without notice.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will now remove the control which prohibits a person changing his or her coal merchant.

The possibility of removing this control is being constantly considered, but I regret that it is not yet practicable to do so.

Is the Minister aware that in cases where a dishonest coal merchant has given short weight the customer is still not able to change his merchant? Will the right hon. Gentleman bear that point in mind and reconsider the whole matter?

It is possible for a consumer to change his merchant, with the permission of the local fuel overseer. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind I should be glad to look into it.

A case was reported in the Press last week.

Would my right hon. Friend try to control this regrettable manifestation of private enterprise?

asked the Lord President of the Council if he is aware of the long delay in the issue of registration forms for doctors under the General Practitioners and Pharmacists Act, 1947; and when he anticipates that these forms will be ready for distribution.

I have been asked to reply. This is a matter for the General Medical Council, and I understand that in the case of the great majority of doctors who have expressed an intention of applying for registration under the Act the necessary forms were despatched by the end of last month.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that there are some doctors who have served in our own Forces and who gave valuable services to their country and have been waiting for a year to get employment in this country?

That question hardly arises out of the original Question, because the Act was not passed until 18th December last, and it took some time to get the forms printed. A number of forms was necessary, and the forms are now going out at a considerable rate. If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind I shall certainly look into it, because I am exceedingly anxious that these men should have justice done to them as speedily as possible.

With regard to the young doctor who has recently been demobilised, does he wait until the form is sent to him or does he apply for it, and to whom does he apply?

I do not know whether the hon. and gallant Member is referring to the doctor concerned under this Act. He can, of course, apply to me or to the General Medical Council.

Do I understand from my right hon. Friend's answer that the forms have now gone out to all those who applied for them?

Yes. I said that in the great majority of cases in which doctors have applied, the forms were despatched before the end of last month.

asked the Minister of Health approximately how many hospitals have not yet been told whether or not they are to be taken over by the Minister on 5th July; and whether he will say by what date they will all be informed.

I have advised all hospitals which appear to me liable to be taken over. I am now deciding, with the help of the regional boards, which hospitals it would be proper to disclaim.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it is intended to terminate the appointment of Mr. S. C. Leslie as Chief Economic Information Officer.

There is no question of terminating this appointment at the present time.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that on 23rd June his right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council sought to justify the payment to this gentleman of the same salary as that paid to the head of the Civil Service on the grounds that it was a purely temporary appointment, and how permanent does an appointment have to become before it ceases to be temporary?

It becomes permanent when it is made permanent, and that has not been done.

Is the Financial Secretary aware that the figure at which this particular gentleman has been appointed, which is entirely outside the scale of standards of remuneration given even for highly placed civil servants, has caused a great deal of dissatisfaction throughout the whole range of the upper Civil Service, and will he bear that in mind?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state, in extension of the particulars set out in Table 14 of Cmd. 6707 of December, 1945, the percentages of the national income expended for each of the years 1945, 1946 and 1947, on war, consumption, and net non-war capital formation at home and abroad, respectively.

As the answer contains a number of figures in tabular form, I will, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the value of consumer goods purchased in the United Kingdom at 1938 prices per head of the population for the years 1945, 1946 and 1947, respectively.

The value of personal expenditure on consumers' goods and services at 1938 prices was estimated, in table 26 of Cmd. 7099, at £3,938 millions and £4,296 millions in 1945 and 1946, respectively. A comparable figure for 1947 is not yet available, but will be published in the next White Paper on national income and expenditure.

Can my hon. Friend say when that White Paper will be published?

It is usually published at the time of the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the abuse that is occurring in the printing trade as a result of purchase tax being charged only by those printers whose annual turnover is over £500 of taxable printing; and whether he will take steps to adjust this.

The position is not such at the present time as to warrant the drastic step of abolishing the £500 exemption limit, but the matter will be kept under review.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that the small printer is at a very great advantage and that he is undercutting the larger printer, which is causing very much dissatisfaction, because the larger printer usually employs trade union men?

There is no very real grievance if what my hon. and gallant Friend says is, in fact, true. But if the limit were lowered, it would cause great difficulty to a large number of small people and we should need a large staff to collect the tax.

Arising out of the original answer, will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that most people on this side of the House wish to give the advantage to the small man?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take powers in the next Finance Bill to accept 1946 Treasury 2½ per cent. stock at par for Death Duties where the holders of 3 per cent. local loans accepted this stock on conversion on the strength of the former Chancellor's expressed determination that Government stock would be on a 2½ per cent. basis, since when a 3 per cent. Transport stock is being issued and the Treasury 2½ per cent. has fallen to 80.

No, Sir.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give a reason for this refusal?

There are a very large number of reasons. The question is simply riddled with fallacies, and if I spent the time of the House in answering them all now it would take up considerable time. If the hon. Gentleman cares to see me afterwards, I will give them to him then.

Would the right hon. Gentleman in future try to avoid putting out a stock from the Treasury which falls 22 points in a very short time?

Would not the Minister consider reverting to the previous policy, which would be more convenient and give greater satisfaction to the local authority?

Would the Minister consider allowing the original subscribers to this 2½ per cent. loan to use it for the purpose of Death Duties since they have already lost 20 per cent. of their investment?

Will not the Financial Secretary simply say that it is undesirable that the Chancellor should make such misleading statements which involve the public in great financial losses?

It is not true to say that the Chancellor made any such offers or any such promises.

The whole thing is thoroughly unsatisfactory.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the letter sent to him from the national co-operative authority stating that the cooperative movement is working out a schedule of price reductions which they will voluntarily introduce; and what answer he has given.

My right hon. and learned Friend was very glad to receive the letter from the Parliamentary Committee of the Co-operative Congress promising reduction in the prices of a number of commodities, and he has replied expressing his appreciation of the Congress's action.

I should like to ask my hon. Friend, first, whether he proposes to take any steps to encourage other traders to follow this example; and, secondly, whether he will ensure through his colleagues a greater distribution of goods for the co-operative societies so that they may reduce prices to the consumer?

The co-operative movement have given a very fine lead in this matter, and we must wait to see if the other parts of industry will follow it.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury why Statutory Instrument 386 of 1948, which purports to have been presented on 26th February, 1948, and to come into operation on 1st March, 1948, was not available in the Vote Office on 5th March.

The Instrument was published and on sale on 1st March, but by a regrettable breakdown of the usual machinery for delivery it was not available in the Vote Office until the hon. Member's Question called attention to the omission, for which I apologise to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the total sum receivable by way of pension and children's allowances by the widow of police constable Edgar recently killed in the execution of his duty.