asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now able to announce the new procedure under which the purchase by bonâ fide travellers of new tyres in replacement of those worn out will be facilitated.

I hope to make the necessary order removing the restrictions on the acquisition of new tyres before the end of this month.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent has the policy of increasing the supplies of men's and boys' wear in the shops been achieved to date; and how much material has been allocated for this purpose from the quotas of materials that were previously used to make ladies' garments.

Manufacturers of wool cloth for the home market have been pressed for some time to give preference to the production of cloths suitable for men's wear, and although I have no complete figures of the division of output between men's and women's types in recent periods my information suggests that a considerable transfer from women's to men's cloths is taking place. It will, however, take some time before the effects of this are felt in the shops.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of trade agreements concluded since 1st December, 1947, showing in quantity or value those goods and commodities which are to be imported and exported under the terms of each agreement.

Since 1st December, 1947, trade agreements have been concluded with Argentina, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.S.S.R. The agreements with Argentina and the U.S.S.R. have been published as Command Papers (Cmd. 7346 and 7297). As regards the other agreements, I am sending to my hon. Friend copy of the official statements which were issued to the Press at the end of each negotiation.

asked the, President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the recent completion of orders for additional shirts to meet the speed-up in the demobilisation programme, men's shirtings of substantial quantity may now be diverted to the home market.

The quantity of shirting diverted in recent months from home civilian production to the manufacture of demobilisation shirts has amounted to not more than about three per cent. of total current home supplies of shirtings. The effect of the end of this diversion on home supplies will be correspondingly small.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is prepared to permit the natural heirs or legatees of a victim of Nazi persecution who are permanently domiciled in the Dominions or in British territory outside the United Kingdom or in the U.S.A. to receive their net share of the property of the deceased now under the control of the Custodian of Enemy Property.

The question of the release of property in the United Kingdom to the non-resident heirs or legatees of victims of Nazi persecution is at present under consideration with other related matters, but I am not yet in a position to make a further pronouncement on the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the large stocks of certain types of foreign made furniture now lying in warehouses in this country and for which there is no effective demand; and whether he will consider reducing the docket value of this particular furniture to encourage its disposal.

The level of demand for all types of utility furniture is kept constantly under review. I see no reason at present for reducing the unit value of any kinds of imported utility furniture.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if members of the Diplomatic Corps who receive the usual diplomatic immunity have to pay Purchase Tax on furnishing fabrics for their use in this country; and if coupons are required for such purchases.

I am advised by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the appropriate Purchase Tax would be chargeable on such fabrics purchased in this country. As regards the second part of the Question, coupons have to be surrendered for rationed materials, but members of the Diplomatic Corps are given, through the Foreign Office, an allowance of coupons to cover the maintenance of their establishments in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the yardage given to manufacturers of three-coupon a yard wool dress materials for the May period, 1946, and for the May period, 1948.

The yardage of woollen utility cloths Nos. 210A and 235A which was accepted by manufacturers for production in the period March to June, 1946, was 858,000 linear yards, and the comparable figure for March to June, 1948, is 442,000 yards. A considerable part of the reduction is due to the reduction in the total wool utility cloth programme for women's materials between the two periods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to require that on any company prospectus where the name of a Member of Parliament appears as a director of such company with the letters M.P. after his name it shall also be necessary to state such Member's political party, if any.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the recent visit of the Chairman of the Cotton Board to the United States of America.

At my request Sir Raymond Streat visited the United States recently in his capacity as Chairman of the Cotton Board. His principal purpose was to investigate the possibilities of increasing British exports, but in addition he discussed many matters of common interest to the cotton textile industries of the two countries A return visit will shortly be made to Lancashire by representatives of the United States cotton industry

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much paper was issued for the production of the B.B.C Year Book for 1948, as compared with last year.

The B.B.C. have an allocation of paper for books which, in common with other book publishers, is based on their consumption prior to the institution of control. Book publishers are free to use their allocations for any books they choose.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what answer he has given to the resolution unanimously passed by the Lewes Chamber of Commerce concerning the abolition of the basic petrol ration, and expressing the opinion that the saving in dollar expenditure claimed would be offset by restoring part at least of the ration and reviewing the commercial allocations.

I have written to the hon. and gallant Member informing him that I have noted the resolution but am not in a position to add anything to the answer I gave on 5th February to a Supplementary Question by the hon. and gallant Member for North Blackpool (Mr. Law).

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why a petrol allowance has been refused to Mr. Walter Semple, Burn Grange, Ecclefechan, Dumfries-shire, who suffers from a physical disability, is carrying on a small garage which does not give him a livelihood and has applied to be allowed to run his Morris 8 h.p. car as a taxi in Ecclefechan where the county council representative states that there is need for additional hired transport.

The reasons why no allowance was granted in this case were fully set out in a letter to the hon. Member from my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, dated 27th February.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has instructed his regional petroleum officers to grant supplementary allowances of petrol for attendance at Divine worship when the use of public transport is not reasonably practicable; and whether, in such cases, there is any restriction in the number of attendances in respect of which supplementary allowances may be granted.

The normal rule is that the allowance should be sufficient for one attendance per week.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when the necessary petrol allocation is to be given to Mr. A. Morland of New Quebec Motors, and Mr. J. Moss of 62, Hannon Street, W.I, both ex-Service disabled persons who are suffering hardship because of the failure of his Department to give the necessary petrol allocation, and for whom application was made several months ago.

I regret the delay in dealing with these cases, in which the applicants are asking for allowances to enable them to carry on hire car businesses. The cases have been referred to the Ministry of Labour for advice and I hope that a decision will be reached shortly.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will arrange for fuel allocations to be increased in the summer period to allow consumers where- ever possible to build up reserve stocks for next winter period.

I will bear the hon. Member's suggestion in mind in fixing the house coal allocation for the summer of 1948, but the hon. Member will appreciate that not all domestic consumers have facilities for stocking coal.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, when an allocation of coal is made to a registered domestic consumer in respect of sub-tenants, he will issue the permit to the sub-tenant in order that the sub-tenant may purchase this supplementary allocation separately and, if required, from another coal merchant.

Householder and subtenant are expected to share supplies for the premises as a whole and the supplementary allowance is therefore usually granted to the householder. Where sharing arrangements are impossible the licence may be issued direct to the subtenant, who would normally be expected to obtain his supplies from the merchant already delivering to the premises.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are the recent coal exports to Switzerland; and what steps are being taken to increase them.

Coal exports to Switzerland were resumed last month and it is expected that shipments in 1948 will amount to at least 100,000 tons.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will state in regard to opencast coal production in Scotland and England and Wales respectively, the numbers of persons employed in excavation, handling and administration and the numbers engaged in the preliminary work of surveying, prospecting, etc.; and the respective costs per ton of coal produced.

There were 10,301 persons employed in excavating, handling and administrative work connected with opencast coal production in England and Wales in December, 1947, and 1,133 in Scotland. The numbers employed in surveying, prospecting, etc., were 723 and 277 respectively. As regards the second part of the Question, the costs of production for the nine months ending 31st December, 1947 (including the cost of removal and replacement of topsoil and overburden, and the extraction of coal) were 26s. 1d. per ton in England and Wales and 25s. 2d. per ton in Scotland. In addition, expenditure in respect of prospecting, royalties, and compensation, operation of screening and loading plants and stocking grounds, establishment charges and selling expenses, etc. (which cannot in general be broken down as between Scotland and England and Wales) is estimated to amount to 17s. 3d. per ton.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he is taking to make available the poles and other materials required by the Wessex Electricity Company for the extension of a supply of electricity to Cheselbourne, Dorset, where a supply is urgently needed in the interests of food production.

There is a general shortage of this kind of equipment which the Departments concerned are doing everything they can to overcome. Poles for the Cheselbourne scheme will be made available as and when delivery of the other materials is completed.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will now take steps to require the installation of sulphur cleansing plant at the new power station at Meaford in Staffordshire.

No, but the consent to the establishment of the Meaford generating station provides that the undertakers shall, if so required by the Electricity Commissioners at any time install plant for the prevention of the discharge of sulphur and its compounds into the atmosphere.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he expects to be able to table a draft of the regulations to be made by him and the Secretary of State for Scotland jointly under Section 55 of the Electricity Act, 1947 having regard to the imminence of the vesting date under the Act.

The preparation of these regulations in proceeding, but in view of the necessity for consultation with the trade unions and associations representing persons who may be affected, I regret I am at present unable to forecast when the draft regulations will be tabled.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he can make a statement as to the present position in regard to the proposed application of the London Power Company Limited to the Electricity Commissioners for consent to the further extension of the Battersea power station by the installation of 100,000 kws. of generating plant and associated boiler plant.

My right hon. Friends the Minister of Health, the Minister of Works and the Minister of Town and Country Planning, concur with me that there is no objection to the proposed further and final extension of the Battersea power station subject to the observance of the same conditions in regard to gas washing as were imposed in connection with previous extensions and I have informed the Electricity Commissioners accordingly.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will invite the Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth to meet to consider the gravity of the present situation in Europe and our present economic and financial difficulties.

While I recognise the value of a meeting such as the hon. Member suggests, I fear that it would not be practicable to arrange one at the present time. But the hon. Member may be assured that I and my colleagues are in close and constant touch with the Prime Ministers and Governments of the other countries in the Commonwealth on the matters to which he refers.

asked the Minister of Labour the weekly average number of cases dealt with by Resettlement Advice offices during 1945, 1946, 1947 and at the present time; what is the cost of the upkeep of these offices at the present time; and whether they are still considered necessary for the well-being of ex-Service men.

The average weekly numbers of inquiries at Resettlement Advice Offices during May to December, 1945, 1946 and 1947 were 21,277, 32,566 and 18,087 respectively. For January of this year the number was 15,154. The cost of these offices is estimated at roughly £190,000 per annum. The answer to the last part of the Question is in the affirmative.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that many firemen are being discharged from the National Fire Service to take effect from midnight, 31st March, on the grounds that they are too old at 40, and how he reconciles with national employment policy the fact that men, who have rendered valuable services for a number of years, should be considered redundant at this early age.

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the

asked the Minister of Labour how many operatives are still required in the textile industry in the spinning, weaving and finishing sections, respectively; how many of each category it is hoped to obtain by recruitment in this country; and how many by European Voluntary Workers.

I would refer the hon. Member to the discussion of labour targets for the textile industries in Chapter II of the Economic Survey for 1948.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Blackpool men and women, respectively, are unemployed; and if he will give the figures for the main occupations.

The table below shows the numbers of unemployed insured persons registered at Blackpool employment exchange at 16th February, 1948, distinguishing the principal industries.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether in view of the high Cost of shot gun cartridges, he will consider the necessity for the removal of Purchase Tax so that, through the agency of county agricultural executive committees, farmers and others can obtain, as during the war, permits to buy cartridges at a reasonable price in order to reduce the number of vermin that are damaging crops, etc., their numbers having considerably increased due to the existing high cost of cartridges over recent months.

The hon. Member will not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why he has refused the application of the parochial church council of All Saints Church, Compton Avenue, Brighton, for remission of Purchase Tax on the unit heater for the church, in view of the facts that the installation is urgently necessary, will save fuel and was planned before the tax was imposed.

The registered supplier has under the law to pay the tax, and there is no provision for exemption according to the circumstances under which a chargeable article is supplied.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in considering his coming Budget, he will consider lowering the Income Tax paid by the lower income groups of employees, in view of the larger contribution which they will have to pay in July in respect of National Insurance.

I would remind my hon. Friend that under Section 27 of the Finance Act, 1946, the larger contribution to which he refers will be allowed as a deduction in arriving at the assessable earnings.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of medical students at present studying at medical schools.

Thirteen thousand three hundred at the beginning of the academic year 1947–48. This is the latest date for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in Dartmoor Prison assisted the authorities during the recent disorders there; are those prisoners being kept in Dartmoor and how are they being dealt with either there or elsewhere; and will he give details of the punishments imposed on each of the prisoners who were involved in those disorders for their part therein.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "None," and the second part does not therefore arise. As regards the third part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Lang) on 12th February, in which particulars were given of the punishments awarded against the 22 prisoners who appeared before the board of visitors. I give below details of the punishments awarded by the Governor against the 28 prisoners dealt with by him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the arrangements under which wives granted maintenance orders against their husbands obtain their entitlements; and if he will make a statement about the enforcement of payment when money is withheld by the husband.

I have no reason for thinking that any general alteration of the law is called for as regards the enforcement in England and Wales of wife maintenance orders made by courts of summary jurisdiction, who in the last resort have power to commit the husband to prison if his failure to pay is due to wilful refusal or culpable neglect, but I should be glad to consider any point of difficulty which the hon. Member may have in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider making a special dispensation to allow retained men in local fire brigades to serve as borough and rural district councillors.

I am advised that this matter is governed by Section 59 of the Local Government Act, 1933. The statute confers on me no power to exempt any class of person from the provisions of this Section.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the present pay of probation officers is adequate and is likely to encourage further recruitment for this service.

Yes. The present salary scales for probation officers have been in operation for 15 months. They compare favourably with those for professional social workers in other fields and for teachers, and I have no reason to think that they deter suitable recruits from entering the service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the extravagant expenditure by the National Fire Service and of the burden this will mean for the county councils when they take over the service on 1st April; and whether he will reduce the number of cars for the use of officers before they have to be taken over by local authorities.

The answer to the first part of the Question is "No," and to the second that no local authority is being asked to take over any car that it does not want.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local authority fire service schemes have now been submitted to him for approval; what is the manpower and cost involved; and what were the comparable figures of manpower and expenditure on fire prevention in these areas in 1938.

Schemes have been submitted by every fire authority except one and on the basis of these schemes it is estimated that the operational requirements of the fire brigades will be approximately 18,000 whole-time and 19,00o part-time men. It is not yet possible to make an accurate estimate of the cost. As explained in the answer which I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend on 16th December last, statistics in respect of 1938 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered the objections of the Malton Urban District Council to the draft establishment scheme under the Fire Services Act, 1947, so far as it relates to Malton; what action he has taken thereon; and whether he is aware that, whilst the prewar annual cost of the fire services for the town was £337, under the proposed scheme it will be £3,000 per annum.

I gave full consideration to the objections submitted by the Malton Urban District Council and the observations of the county council thereon. The county council recommended that the present arrangements should be continued for the time being and I decided to approve the scheme on that basis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been drawn to the practice at Homelea Remand Home, Booths-town, of depriving boys of their pudding, and other meals, as a punishment for getting their sums wrong; and if he approves of this practice.

My attention was drawn to a Press report to this effect, and immediate inquiry was made. I am satisfied that no such practice exists.

asked the Minister of Health when the Solihull Urban District Council will receive a reply to their letter of 27th October in respect of the Squatters' Camp, Elmdon.

I regret that the council's letter was mislaid, but an answer has now been sent.

asked the Minister of Health if he will introduce legislation to amend the Rent Restrictions Acts so as to give the owner of properties an increased rent commensurate with the increased cost of repairs.

I can hold out no prospect of early legislation to effect this amendment of the Rent Restrictions Acts.

asked the Minister of Health when the Rochford Rural District Council may expect a reply to their letter of November, 1947, with regard to water supply for that rural area.

I regret the delay which has occurred, but there were several features about the District Council's proposal which call for an examination in greater detail than usual. A reply has now been sent.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet come to an agreement with Stockton Rural Council over the supply of water for residents a: Whinney Hill and farms in the neighbourhood.

The Stockton Rural District Council have submitted a comprehensive scheme part of which I have approved at an estimated cost of £3,753; the remainder is being considered by my technical advisers.

asked the Minister of Health if he will amend Regulation 29, in respect of mental health officers under the National Health Service Act, so as to give the same treatment to all mental health officers with regard to their previous service, in view of the unfair discrimination which the regulation makes between staffs of the mental hospital service and certified institution service.

No. I am, however considering whether it will be possible to amend the basis as regards the officers of mental deficiency institutions so as to enable them to get a just measure of benefit in respect of their future service.

asked the Minister of Health where the 31 deaths from post-vaccinal encephalitis during the six years of war are shown in the Registrar-General's Statistical Reviews.

Of the 31 deaths from post-vaccinal encephalitis mentioned in my Chief Medical Officer's Report for the period 1939–44, one has not so far been traced in the records of the Registrar-General. The remainder are, or will be, shown in the Registrar-General's Statistical Reviews (Part I) as follows:

asked the Minister of Education (1) the number of medical students whose fees are paid wholly, and partly, from public funds;(2) the number of medical students at present receiving maintenance grants from public funds.

At present 2,540 grants for medical students from my Department are current. Of these, 2,509 provide for the payment of full fees and a maintenance grant, six for a maintenance grant only, three for full fees only, and 22 for part fees only. Local education authorities also give grants to medical students, but figures for these are not available.

asked the Minister of Education in the case of teachers taking supplementary or third year courses, what income will be taken into account in assessing the students' contribution for fees and maintenance.

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind teachers who take up teaching work after their initial training and then later on wish to take a recognised supplementary or third year course. In all such cases, tuition is free, and the question of a contribution towards boarding costs is considered in relation to the teacher's income, if any, during the actual academic year in which he is taking the Course.

asked the Minister of Education what is the present scale of maintenance allowances recommended by him to local education authorities for children above the compulsory school leaving age receiving full time education at aided or maintained schools; and if he is satisfied that this is adequate at the present time.

I have not laid down any such scale; each local education authority formulates its own. I am, however, reviewing the whole question.

asked the Minister of Education what would be the cost of raising the scale of maintenance allowances for children above the compulsory school-leaving age receiving full-time education at aided or maintained schools, to that now operating in the case of major university awards.

I am sorry that the information is not available. I do not think the two things can properly be compared.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what steps are being taken to establish small industries, such as farming and textiles, in Basutoland, in view of the large emigration from the territory.

As the result of measures taken to improve farming methods in Basutoland there was last year an exportable surplus of maize for the first time in 16 years. Three demonstration farms were established in 1943; they are managed by Basuto farmers under supervision. Thirteen thousand vegetable gardens are in production under the control and advice of the Agricultural Department of Basutoland. A home industry organisation was set up during the war, mainly to develop the spinning and weaving of wool at local centres. Satisfactory progress is being made with this scheme, which is financed by the native authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations why the Development Plan for Basutoland makes provision for only five African medical officers at present, in view of the need for doctors and the prospect of eventual replacement of Europeans by African doctors in Government service.

The Basutoland Development Plan provides for the expansion of medical services which is at present thought to be practicable in view of the limited sums available under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, and of the need for expenditure on other projects. The training of Africans as doctors is an essential part of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he is aware that the expenditure figures for 1941–46, published in the Basutoland Annual Report, show heavy expenditure on the Resident Commissioner for pensions and gratuities in proportion to other expenditure; and what steps are being taken to reduce the cost of administration.

The Vote for the Resident Commissioner's Department in Basutoland has been considerably increased by the cost of living allowances adopted in 1942. There has been no marked increase in the cost of pensions and gratuities. Every effort is made to secure efficiency and economy in the Administration; but my hon. Friend will understand that the development projects and social services have inevitably meant an increase of staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether the increase between 1936 and 1946 in the number of Europeans in Basutoland is among officials, traders or others.

The preliminary census figures for 1946 show that the European population of Basutoland has increased by 244 over the last ten years. In the same period, the number of European Government officials, most of whom are married and have children, has increased by 27. It is not possible at present to state the exact increase in the numbers of European traders and missionaries in the Territory.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations when the subscriptions made to the Defence Service Officers Provident Fund, subsequent to 1st April, 1947, with interest to date will be repaid to the ex-Indian Army officers concerned; and if it is intended to pay interest to these officers in respect of their total subscriptions to the said Fund, in view of the delay in repaying their money.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air explained in answer to a question on 8th February, there has unfortunately been considerable delay in the payment of these balances. I am glad to say, however, that there is now a prospect of better progress, and a number of payments have, in fact, been made. The rules of the Fund provide that interest shall be credited up to the end of the month preceding that in which payment is made, but not beyond six months from the date on which the account is closed.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether his attention has been drawn to the refusal of Kalat to join Pakistan; and whether it is intended to offer, without prejudice to Kalat's relationship to the Dominion, a treaty of friendship and/or alliance to the Khan.

My attention has been drawn to a Press report that Kalat has refused to accede to Pakistan. I have no reason to believe, however, that negotiations have come to an end. I understand that a standstill agreement is in force.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many European British subjects now wishing to leave India are unable to do so through lack of means; and what steps are being taken to evacuate them from India, and meanwhile to relieve them of the plight which many of them are suffering owing to destitution.

The United Kingdom High Commissioners in India and Pakistan have authority to pay for passages home for destitute European British subjects who are domiciled in the United Kingdom. The arrangement is similar to that made for distressed British subjects in foreign countries. By 31st January, 659 applications for assisted passages had been received. Of these 129 had been approved, 149 withdrawn, 73 rejected and the remaining 308 cases were then under examination. There has so far been no difficulty in finding shipping accommodation for destitute persons. There are several private charities and funds available in India and Pakistan for the relief of destitute Europeans, including the funds of ex-Service associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many fiancées of Canadian and other Dominion Service or ex-Service men have been assisted to go overseas; whether any record exists of the number of women with affiliation or maintenance orders against Canadian and other Dominion Service or ex-Service men; and what further efforts have been made to secure agreement with the Canadian Government to enable these orders to be operative in Canada.

The Australian Government have provided passages for 689 young women from the United Kingdom who are going out to marry Service and ex-Service men in Australia. The New Zealand Government have provided passages for 635, the South African Government for 263. I have no information about the number who have gone to Canada; they have, in any case, received no financial help from the Canadian Government.I regret that it would not be possible without great labour to find out how many women in this country have been granted affiliation or maintenance orders against British Commonwealth Service or ex-Service men. The records are kept in individual courts all over the country and there is no central record. With regard to the enforcement in other Commonwealth countries of maintenance and affiliation orders made in the United Kingdom, there is nothing which I can add to the reply given to my hon. Friend by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 2nd February.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is satisfied that the supply of batteries for deaf aids is now sufficient; and whether he will give an assurance that it will be sufficient after 5th July next.

Apart from a temporary shortage of one type of battery which should be remedied by the end of the month, supplies are at present adequate and there should be no difficulty in meeting future demands.

asked the Minister of Supply whether, in view of the constantly rising price of cartridges, he will consider fixing a price control for those articles, which are essential in the interest of agricultural production in order that vermin may be kept down.

Increased manufacturing costs and purchase tax have affected the price of cartridges, but we are at present considering whether there should be further price control.

asked the Minister of Supply (1) how many cars and how much petrol are allocated to the Ministry of Supply offices in Chislehurst; what is the daily mileage of the cars; how many people use them daily; and in view of the withdrawal of the basic petrol allowance, whether he will assure the House that the preferential treatment accorded to the users of these cars is necessary;(2) how much petrol is allowed for cars CYE 197 and FYY 502 at the Ministry of Supply offices at Chislehurst; to what use these cars are put; what is their average daily mileage; and what is the average number of people who use them daily.

Fourteen cars and 25 vans are at present being used by the Inspectorate of Electrical and Mechanical Equipment and the Inspectorate of Fighting Vehicles at Chislehurst. Their average petrol consumption is about 65 gallons a day and the daily mileage about 1,375. Between 30 and 40 people use the cars daily. The amount of petrol used is kept to a minimum and I am satisfied that the cars and vans are not used unnecessarily. The two vehicles to which the hon. Member refers are general service vans included in the total of 25. They use about 3.2 gallons and 1.3 gallons a day, and their average daily mileage is 34 miles and 23 miles, respectively. They are used for the carriage of heavy goods, such as gauges and tools, needed for the servicing of Farnborough Test Station and other Engineering Inspection Establishments in the London area, and of mail from "Oakwood" to Bromley Post Office, as no other transport is available. The vehicles are not normally used for the transport of passengers and usually carry only a driver and a labourer. They are, however, used, whenever possible, to carry about 10 disabled ex-Service members of the staff between the office and Chislehurst each day, as no public transport is available.

asked the Minister of Food if he will take steps to control the price of bird seed; or if he will state the reasons why this cannot be done.

No, the administrative effort would be out of all proportion to the advantages secured.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what date a survey of bush density in the Kongwa area was carried out; and with what result.

I have been asked to reply. A ground reconnaissance of several different parts of this area was undertaken by the Wakefield Mission on 8th and 9th August, 1946, accompanied by technical officials of the Tanganyika Government and by the only European farmer with knowledge of local conditions. For this purpose traces had previously been cut through the bush. As a result of this reconnaissance the mission were satisfied that this bush could be cleared by mechanical means. Since the beginning of work on the Kongwa area the ground has, of course, been continuously surveyed ahead of clearing operations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when it is anticipated that the duties of members of the Palestine Police Force will terminate; and by what date all members of the Force will be returned to the United Kingdom.

On 15th May, 1948, when those members of the British section of the Force who have not already done so will leave Palestine. Certain individual members of the Force may, however, volunteer to remain for temporary service with the Army in order to facilitate the withdrawal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many wives of members of the Palestine Police Force killed in Palestine during 1947 are in receipt of pensions; how many parents of such men are in receipt of pensions; how many applications from parents have been refused; and what is the total cost to the British taxpayer.

Two British and seventeen Palestinian widows of Members of the Palestine Police Force killed during 1947 are receiving pensions, and fourteen British and five Palestinian mothers are likewise receiving pensions. Three applications for pensions from British mothers have been refused on the ground that they were not dependent upon their sons. The total cost of the pensions is £1,544 annually, and in addition non-recurrent payments of death gratuities to the estates of officers killed amounted to £25,267 during 1947. All these payments have been made from Palestine funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of prefabricated houses, permanent and temporary, under construction, under contract, and completed respectively; and when will the temporary housing programme be completed in Scotland.

The following table shows the state of progress of the programme of permanent non traditional houses at the end of February. In addition, out of a total allocation of 32,156 temporary houses, 3,642 were in course of erection and 25,914 had been completed at that date. It is hoped that the tem-

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will publish a table showing a typical day's rations consumed by other ranks in the Army during any day in any month in 1938, showing the calorie value of each item and explaining to what extent it was possible for other ranks to supplement such a day's rations.

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 12th February, 1948; Vol. 447, C. 123) supplied the following information:—I regret to find that the records now available of purchases of food by units in 1938 are not sufficient to enable me to produce a typical day's ration. The messing cash allowance was based on a standard ration as follows: