asked the Minister of Works how soon he expects to place in the Library sketch elevations of the proposed new Colonial Office and a model showing this building and part of Westminster Abbey in juxtaposition.

I hope to be able to place sketch elevations and a model of the kind desired in the Library after the Summer Recess.

asked the Minister of Works if he has investigated the system of nominated middlemen stipulated in contracts for the erection of B.I.S.F. houses in Wolverhampton, about which the hon. Member for West Wolverhampton wrote to his Department on 28th October last; and what steps have been taken to correct the excessive distribution charges for housing components which this system imposes.

My hon. Friend's suggestion was that the facts should be reported to the Committee of Inquiry on the Distribution of Building Materials and Components, and this was done. The case will be considered in the light of the Committee's Report.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the information I supplied to him on this occasion is that the middleman's margin on taps, which cost 5s. 4d. to produce, is 3s. 10d.? Does he consider that this kind of margin is reasonable, and in view of the fact that several months have elapsed while the Committee have been considering this can urgent steps be taken to deal with and reduce these excessive margins?

The Committee have had this point before them, and when their report has been investigated I shall go further into the matter.

asked the Minister of Works when it is expected to release the Hans Crescent Hotel, at present used as a transit centre for European voluntary workers recruited from the Continent.

I regret I cannot give a date for the release of this hotel. So far, it has not been possible to find alternative accommodation.

Could the right hon. Gentleman assure us that every effort is being made to find alternative accommodation, as it seems wrong that this valuable accommodation should not be made available to the public?

Yes, Sir, we are making every effort we can.

In view of the great shortage of hotel beds in Chelsea and Westminster, is it really necessary for this training centre to be in London at all?

If we could get alternative accommodation we should do without hotels, but at present we cannot.

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House what these European voluntary workers learn at the Hans Crescent Hotel?

asked the Minister of Works whether he will now issue more licences for building maintenance repairs and minor works, so as to avoid unemployment amongst building workers in' particular areas; and in what circumstances such additional licences will be granted.

The White Paper on Capital Investment in 1948 drew attention to the necessity for strict control of this licensing so as not to impede the transfer of resources to more essential purposes. In future, therefore, if it appears that the restriction on new work will make more building workers available for maintenance, repair and minor works than would be employed at the former level of licensing the Regional Director of my Department will consult the Regional Controller of the Ministry of Labour about the possibilities of alternative employment. If the Ministry of Labour advise that alternative employment is available on essential work in the building industry or in other industries the level of licensing of maintenance, repair and minor works of a less urgent character will be restricted, so that the employment exchanges may offer the men employment on other essential work. If, on the other hand, alternative employment in essential work will not be available, additional licences for maintenance, repair and minor works will be issued.

Will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that there will be the closest consultation between the two Departments concerned, so that these remedies may be put in hand before the unemployment actually arises?

Yes, Sir. That will take place not only at the centre, but in the regional organisations as well.

Am I to understand from the Minister's reply that the unemployed building operatives will be directed to other employment in connection with the building industry?

No, Sir. I mentioned no such term as directed.

Is it not desirable that the local authority should be given more latitude, because the local authority on the spot can tell whether unemployment is rife or not?

Yes, Sir. As the answer implies, the local authority will be given authority to increase the licences in their area to absorb such unemployed as cannot be provided with alternative employment in essential industries.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a case, typical of many, in part of my own Division where there are houses now uninhabitable, which for £60 or £70 could be made habitable? The material and labour are readily available, but we cannot get licences.

The licensing lies with the local authority in the area concerned.

On a point of Order. I think that the Minister replied under a misunderstanding. The local authorities are limited. They would give the licences for them, but the Ministry of Works will not let them.

That is not a true statement of the facts.

It is.

The point is that in each of the zonal areas concerned, conferences are held with the local authorities, and the available labour in the area is apportioned among the local authorities, who have the power to license up to that limit.

Is it not the case that each local authority has been given a specific limit up to which it can spend, and that these limits are very low indeed and are causing the greatest possible embarrassment to local authorities all over the country?

These limits are settled by the zonal conferences, and the local authorities licence to the full extent of the labour available in the areas concerned.

indicated dissent.

It is no use the right hon. Gentleman shaking his head, that is the basis on which the zonal conference is worked.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman see that, although the zonal conferences may have a certain amount of money to distribute among the different authorities—and we do not dispute that—we dispute that the total amount of work distributed will absorb the labour and materials available in these localities?

As I have already pointed out, it is not on the basis of money that distribution is made. It is on the basis of available building trade labour in the areas concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that a number of former S.S. officers, Luftwaffe pilots, Nazi technicians and others have been able to travel surreptitiously from Germany to South America, in some cases with the organised assistance of political sympathisers with Nazism and Fascism in Spain; and what steps he is taking to check this traffic.

An attempt to smuggle to South America a team of 15 German scientists and engineers connected with the aircraft industry was discovered in November, 1947, and it is thought that the leader of the team and his secretary may have succeeded in reaching South America through Denmark before the conspiracy was unmasked. This is the only case of which my right hon. Friend has evidence but if my hon. Friend has information about other cases we will be very glad to look into the matter.

Can my hon. Friend say whether any further action has been taken, by diplomatic representations to the South American nations concerned, in respect of the team which he says did get through?

We are awaiting police reports from Copenhagen, and when we have these we shall see whether some protest might be appropriate.

Can the hon. Gentleman tell us for our own information how we can possibly travel surreptitiously?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what grounds the payment of long-service pensions earned by former members of the German Wehrmacht has been suspended; and whether he intends that the payment of such pensions shall recommence under the new bizonal administrative arrangements.

The abolition of Wehrmacht long-service pensions was ordered by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in May, 1945, and subsequently confirmed by Control Council Law No. 34, as part of the general Allied policy to destroy the German military machine. A scheme authorising the payment of maintenance grants in cases of special hardship to career military personnel was approved in principle last month by the Military Governors of the British and American zones.

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that the abolition of pensions in this way is a futile method of trying to destroy a war machine; secondly, it is not likely to command respect amongst the Germans as evidence of our sense of justice; and, finally, is he not aware that his argument is of the same class as those which the Nazis used about the Jews?

I cannot accept the implication in the supplementary question. I do not dispute that cases of special hardship did occur as a result of the action taken but, as I said in the last part of my reply, we have now worked out a scheme which we think will meet the cases mentioned here.

Can my hon. Friend say whether arrangements have been made to ensure that pensions are paid to officers and other ranks who were engaged in anti-Nazi activities?

I should not like to anticipate the terms of the scheme which before long will be published.

Does not the hon. Gentleman agree that these officers and men earned their pensions as soldiers before the war, and surely in every sense of justice are entitled to them? We should not expect the Germans to take away the pensions of our men.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will seek arrangements to ensure that purchases from Germany, many of which can be re-exported, shall not have to be paid for in dollars.

Trade between the sterling area and the Combined zone is in practice conducted on a sterling basis. Under the terms of the revised Fusion Agreement of last December, however, any adverse quarterly balance either way in excess of £1½ million is settled in dollars. This arrangement covers all trade between the two areas, including entrepôt trade.

Is not my hon. Friend aware that this makes it extremely difficult for British merchants to establish trade in Germany and elsewhere in the world, and that this appears to restrict still further the trade of this country and the chance of merchants earning a living?

I do not dispute that there is some force in that, but it is hard to maintain over a certain level that Germany should continue to accumulate sterling balances.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the "Westdeutsches Volksecho," of Dortmund, has been banned for six weeks; and if he can give an assurance that objective, factual criticism of the American and British administration is not now being suppressed in the Western zone.

The Communist newspaper "Westdeutsches Volksecho" was banned for six weeks for flagrant violation of the Control Council Directive No. 40. This is a quadripartite law designed to prevent the publication of statements aimed at disrupting unity amongst the Allies. Objective factual criticism has always been and always will be allowed in the British zone.

Will the Minister place in the Library a copy of the particular issue of which he complains so that hon. Members will be able to see that it published nothing but factual material and factual criticism?

I am prepared to send the hon. Member a copy and if there is sufficient public demand for it I shall be willing to put one in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will issue instructions prohibiting British intelligence officers in Germany from threatening prisoners with the death of their wives in order to extract information from them.

No, Sir. I am informed that no instructions authorising such practices have ever been issued by any Government department.

In view of the statements made in the court last week by a British colonel that it is perfectly proper to threaten German prisoners with the death of their families in order to get information from them, will the Minister say whether that method is approved, and whether it will be adopted in this country also?

The method is certainly not approved; but I would not like to comment upon the statement in question, because the case is sub judice.

Is not my hon. Friend aware that the public are rather disturbed by a series of incidents in which British Service personnel have been involved in allegations of behaving badly towards Germans in Germany? In such cases, would he use his influence to bring the personnel concerned back to this country, where they can do no further harm in that direction?

That is another general allegation without supporting evidence, which I am very sorry that my hon. Friend has mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the most recent findings of visiting teams of experts on the nutritional state of the people living in the western zones of Germany.

Late last autumn, the members of the Combined Nutrition Committee reported that the state of nutrition of the urban population in the western zones of Germany had improved during the previous six months, though this does not, of course, mean that the standard is in the least satisfactory. Famine oedema was stated to be very rare and adult body weights had not declined. The findings of the Combined Nutrition Committee have been confirmed by a survey of representatives of the Medical Research Council carried out in November last.

Will the result of the survey carried out by members of the Medical Research Council be published?

The survey was made for the personal guidance of the Commander-in-chief and there is no intention of publishing it.

Would it not be of great interest to the public, in view of the disquieting statements that are received from many directions about the nutritional state of Germany?

I am not sure that the report is suitably produced and in a suitable form for publication. If further information is required on this matter I would be glad to make a reply of greater length at Question Time.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will arrange for the diplomatic documents covering the period from the occupation of Austria in March, 1938, to the outbreak of war to be published as soon as possible.

This question is at present under consideration and I am not yet in a position to make any announcement.

When the documents relating to the 1914 war were published, the first to appear was No. 13, dealing with the immediate period before the outbreak of war, and will the Minister consider the advisability of following that course in this case?

There are pros and cons in this, but we shall bear the point in mind.

Does not the hon. Gentleman feel that owing to the publication of the Austrian Chancellor's memoirs—the memoirs of Mr. Schuschnigg—the importance of publishing these documents is very great?

Yes, we have noticed that, and the fact that other versions are being published soon after the war is influencing us as to whether or not we should speed up publication as suggested.

In considering the matter, will my hon. Friend ante-date the period to include the report of Lord Halifax's secret mission to Germany?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of the frequent cases of abduction of Austrian citizens in the British zone by forces of the occupying powers; and what action he will take to put a stop to these attacks on civil liberties in Austria.

There is, of course, no question of the abduction of Austrian citizens from the British zone by British Forces, but my right hon. Friend has long been aware of the deplorable fact that abductions are taking place in Austria. Recently an important official of the Austrian State Railways who was due to attend an international conference at Geneva disappeared, and there have been further cases since. These abductions have always occurred either in the Soviet zone of Austria or in Vienna in circumstances in which the British authorities are, unfortunately, unable to intervene. We have, however, constantly striven, and shall continue to strive, to bring about the restoration of normal conditions of life in Austria.

Is my hon. Friend aware that these abductions are going on? Another one is stated in the Press today to have taken place. Cannot any stronger action be taken to prevent the continuance of these appalling affairs?

We agree that these abductions are taking place and are deplorable. The difficulty is to know what effective action we can take. As I have explained they do not take place in the British zone but in the Soviet zone of Austria and very often they are done in circumstances where intervention by our authorities is not possible. In those circumstances we find it difficult to suggest to the House an effective way of stopping it.

asked the Minister of Food what were the imports of Malayan tinned pineapples in 1938 and what quantity he expects to import in 1948.

We imported 1,696,251 cases in 1938. I cannot estimate imports for 1948, but the total production of the area is not expected to exceed 40,000 cases, for all markets.

Can the hon. Lady assure the House that the reduction in the supplies we are likely to get this year, as compared with before the war, is not due in any way to a shortage of tinplate?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that there is a big market for tinned pineapple, as he will realise, and that many countries are willing to pay very big prices for it. When that market is satisfied we are prepared to take any surplus.

asked the Minister of Food how many tons of turnips of last year's crop have been purchased in the Newcastle area by the three agents, Messrs. Maw, Gilroy and Todd; what were the prices given; what quantity is still undistributed; what quantity has been offered back to farmers; and at what price.

2,435 tons were bought at a price of £7 per ton. None of these supplies has either been moved to store or distributed and arrangements are being made for the reserves created to be dispersed. Under these arrangements, growers have the option of being released from their contracts or of repurchasing the supplies of deliverable swedes bought. I understand that some 80 tons have so far been sold in this area at a price of £3 per ton.

Is the Minister aware that State purchase and the regulations issued as to the lifting of and storing of swedes and turnips are a laughing-stock among distributors and growers, and are causing great loss to the taxpayer?

No, Sir. The purchase of these swedes was a measure of insurance against a shortage of potatoes. Any loss incurred is, in my opinion, a premium that has to be paid for that insurance.

asked the Minister of Food why his instructions to lift and store turnips inside warehouses were cancelled; and on whose advice.

As my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member on 23rd February we arranged for some swedes to be stored as an emergency reserve. Since the emergency has not arisen, we cancelled the arrangements for storage.

Is not the hon. Lady aware that swedes keep best in the ground, and that I can repeat here my supplementary question to the previous Question?

The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes, Sir," and that is why we are keeping them in the ground.

asked the Minister of Food how much sugar is being allocated to the brewers of beer during the current year; and what proportion this bears to the amount used by this industry during the year ended 30th June, 1939.

During the current year the allocation of refined sugar, invert sugar and glucose to the brewing industry will amount to 65,750 tons representing approximately 66 per cent. of the usage of the industry during the 12 months ending 30th September, 1939.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the proportion of sugar allocated to the brewing industry is greater than that allocated to the soft drinks industry? Does she consider that that is desirable in the national interest?

We allocate sugar according to the demand. I think my hon. Friend will agree with me that as beer is less potent today we can forgive a little greater allocation of sugar.

asked the Minister of Food what quantity of Norwegian shrimps have been imported into this country during the last four weeks; for how many more weeks will such importation continue; and if he is satisfied that the importation of foreign shrimps will not operate to the detriment of our own shrimping industry.

There have been no recent imports of Norwegian shrimps, but in the four weeks ended 6th March the trade has imported 88 tons of Norwegian prawns. We have agreed that imports up to 25 tons a week may continue at least until 30th June next. I am told that there is a ready demand both for these prawns and for British caught shrimps, and I do not think that the imports are harmful to the British producers.

asked the Minister of Food what was the consumption in Great Britain for the first half of 1947 in pounds per head per annum of each of the kinds of food shown in Table XXVIII; and what was the daily intake for the first half of 1947 of each of the items shown in Table XXIX of the Economic Survey for 1948.

As the answer is rather long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is yet in a position to make a statement on the possibility of increasing the feedingstuffs ration and of varying its basis.

I am not yet in a position to add to the answers I gave to my hon. Friend and the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash (Colonel Ropner) on 1st March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will cause to be published the profit and loss accounts of the Monmouthshire War Agricultural Executive Committee.

I presume the hon. Member has in mind the annual income and expenditure accounts which all county agricultural executive committees were required to prepare for 1946–47 and subsequent years. The accounts for 1946–47 are now being examined but to decision as to publication has yet been reached.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say if there is any conceivable reason why the public should not know whether these war agricultural executive committees are making a profit or a loss? Can he give any reason whatever why that knowledge should be denied to the public.

I do not need to tell the hon. Gentleman that these accounts will be dealt with by the Public Accounts Committee, so that the public will be aware of what is happening.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will endeavour to cause German prisoners of war who work on farms to make their working hours conform as nearly as possible to those of the ordinary agricultural workers, and so avoid the need for overtime payments to other workers who have to fit in with the prisoner of war working arrangements.

County agricultural executive committees have standing instructions to do everything possible to ensure that the hours of work of German prisoners coincide with the normal hours of work of farm workers.

Does not the Minister know that this is not being carried out? If he will come into Kent he will find that there is half-an-hour's difference between the time the German prisoners and the ordinary workers arrive? Can he correct this?

I know that in Kent a decision on hours was taken after consultation with the National Farmers' Union and Workers Union, and the decision reached after those consultations applies all over Kent.

That is not happening. There is half-an-hour's difference between the times at which the German prisoners and the ordinary workers arrive. Will the Minister put this right?

I understand that the contrary is the case.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what proportion of the prisoners of war remaining in this country are being allocated to individual farmers; and what to the farmworkers pools being organised by his agricultural committees.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the number of prisoners of war allowed to remain in this country to the nearest convenient date; and what is the quota allotted to each of the three Ridings of Yorkshire.

In England and Wales up to 6th March, 14,952 German prisoners of war had been given civilian status as farm workers and 865 as domestic workers in German civilian hostels. Of the farm workers, 8,578 were in private farm employment and 6,374 in the employment of Agricultural Executive Committees The numbers of German civilian farm workers allocated to Yorkshire are: East Riding 338, North Riding 162 and West Riding 502.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that farmers like to stick to the men they know and the men who know all about their work, and, having regard to this, is not the proportion in the farmworkers' pools rather too large? Would it not be better to let individual farmers enter into engagements with individual prisoners on a bigger scale?

My hon. Friend must be aware that we have never stood in the way of that happening.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when he expects to publish the report on the storage treatment of daffodil bulbs for forcing.

No such report is being prepared for publication at present.

In view of the fact that these bulbs can be forced in the open without any cost and that it would save importing mimosa blooms from France, will the right hon. Gentleman hurry up the report, which is eagerly awaited by a large number of people?

I understand that at the recent demonstration at Gulval a large number of farmers were present. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we shall keep growers in touch with developments.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is satisfied that full use is being made by farmers of the available services of the W.L.A. and E.V.W.S.; and whether he has received any representations from C.A.E.C.s that the number in hostels already exceeds the demand.

I am anxious that committee labour should be more fully employed all the year round and also that farmers should take more Land Army members and E.V.W.'s into their own direct employment. As regards committee labour, local adjustments are made from time to time in consultation with committees, but in view of the demands of the agricultural expansion programme, I do not regard the number of committee workers as excessive.

Does the right hon. Gentleman's reply mean that he is not satisfied that full use is being made? Also, would he answer the second part of my Question whether he has had any representations made to him by the county agricultural executive committees?

I am quite satisfied that in some areas, particularly Westmorland, farmers are hesitant before they take members of the Women's Land Army, which I regret. That applies to many other areas. I hope that farmers will see the wisdom of using existing Women's Land Army labour, because unless they do so, they may be very short of labour in the summer.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, in view of the disbandment of the present Poultry (Stock Improvement) Advisory Committee, if he will state the number of meetings held; the percentage of attendance at those meetings; and whether any report will be made available of the work in which the committee was engaged.

The Poultry (Stock Improvement) Advisory Committee was appointed for a period of three years, and has recently been re-constituted. Eight full meetings were held during the period, with an average attendance of 83 per cent., in addition to 27 meetings of subcommittees, on whom the detailed work devolved. The Committee is a standing advisory committee, and reports are not necessarily published, but information of progress is given from time to time and a new poultry stock improvement plan drawn up by the Committee is being published shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will confer with the Minister of Works with a view to expediting the granting of licences for timber for barns and other farm buildings, since at the present time, even when the county war agricultural executive committees have inspected and recommended there is a protracted delay.