asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an assurance that no imports of hardwoods will be made from countries outside the sterling area which can be provided from resources within that area.

We shall certainly obtain as much hardwood as possible from the sterling area, but our hardwood requirements are increasing and we shall need to purchase additional quantities and specifications elsewhere.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why no breakfast cups are available for purchase in the home market.

All domestic pottery, including cups, is scarce on the home market. This is caused partly by shortage of labour and partly by diversion of production to exports. The industry must therefore make its resources go as far as possible by concentrating on those articles for which demand is heaviest, rather than by meeting a proportion of all demands at the expense of continuity of production. It has been found generally economical in productive resources to turn out the large teacup containing about 9 ounces rather than the breakfast cup containing 12 ounces.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many British citizens and foreign nationals, shown separately, have emigrated from the United Kingdom since VE Day to foreign countries other than their own countries; to the Colonies; and to the Dominions, respectively, showing each country or Colony separately.

British emigrants travelling direct by sea to places outside Europe numbered about 291,000 in the two years 1946 and 1947; the total of alien emigrants in this period was about 10,000. Figures for 1945 are not available. I give below such details as are available of the destinations of the emigrants who left the United Kingdom by sea in 1946 and 1947.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the figures for the last available quarter for the import of Canadian cotton frocks; and what is the reason for their import into this country.

3,754 cotton dresses valued at£3,902 were imported from Canada in the quarter ended 31st March last. These were imported under the Token Import Scheme which, as I said on 2nd March in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Barrow-in-Furness (Mr. Monslow) applies to Canada.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many motorists are at present receiving "E" coupons

Approximately one million.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if a standard allowance of petrol can be granted to voluntary workers such as J.P.s, members of councils, hospital committees, etc., who now only get just sufficient to enable them to carry out their duties.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for London University (Sir E. Graham - Little) yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the approximate proportion of criminals sentenced in the Metropolitan area since the end of the war who are deserters from His Majesty's Forces.

These particulars could not be obtained without an undue expenditure of time and labour. From information readily available, however, it is estimated that of the persons convicted of indictable offences in the Metropolitan Police district in 1946, approximately 1,050 were deserters, representing 4·7 per cent. of the total. I have no reason to think that the percentage has risen during 1947

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Oxford may expect an answer to his representations on behalf of Mrs. Harbrow of Oxford who desires to bring her mother, two brothers and sister, for a short stay in this country from Palestine on American dollars on their way to the United States; and whether he will expedite the matter in view of the approaching termination of the Mandate.

I wrote to the hon. Member about this case a few days ago. I am sorry that I was unable to reply sooner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that there have been many recent cases where his immigration officers have failed to carry out their duties with the necessary tact and courtesy; and if, in the interests of our reputation for hospitality in his country, he will insist on high standards being maintained in this work.

It is the constant aim of immigration officers to maintain a high standard of courtesy and consideration in carrying out their duties, and I am unable to accept the suggestion that recently there have been many failures. I am always ready and anxious to investigate specific complaints, and my inquiries about one incident which was the subject of a recent letter from my hon. Friend indicate that the information given to him, was mistaken.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) what is the average age of male European voluntary workers who have been permitted to enter this country;(2) for what period European voluntary workers are brought to the United Kingdom;(3) what agreement is required to be signed by a European voluntary worker before being allowed to enter the United Kingdom; and what are the main provisions of such agreement.

Information as to the average age of male European volunteer workers is not available. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the undertaking covering the recruitment of European volunteer workers from which it will be seen that they enter Great Britain without restriction as to period.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the disappointment amongst D.P.s in the British zones in Austria and Germany that so little is being done by the Ministry of Labour to encourage and maintain family life when selecting European volunteer workers by providing accommodation in the national hostels for married couples or women with children or by other means; what representations have been made to him in this connection by British representatives on the International Refugee Organisation; and what steps he is taking to effect any improvement in the situation.

The Government would wish to make greater provision for accommodating the dependants of European volunteer workers, but the problem is one of exceptional difficulty owing to the general shortage of accommodation in this country. The International Refugee Organisation fully understands this position. The question, including the similar and connected problem of the accommodation of Polish dependants, is kept under constant review by a Committee under my chairmanship on which all the interested Departments are represented.

asked the Minister of Labour how many male European voluntary workers permitted to enter this country are 55 years of age or over; and what percentage this is of the total.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour how many German women he is planning to bring to this country; and whether he will give an assurance that these plans do not indicate a slowing down in the process of bringing female European volunteer workers to the United Kingdom under the Westward Ho Scheme.

No plans for this purpose have so far been finally worked out in terms of numbers but they would not prejudice the employment of women European Volunteer Workers brought here.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the numbers of men engaged in furniture production, who were registered as unemployed, at the Hackney and Shoreditch employment exchanges respectively, at the latest convenient date.

At 12th April, 141 at Hackney and 121 at Shoreditch.

asked the Minister of Labour what number of men are being trained at the labour training building on A27 at Paulsgrove, Portsmouth; and what is the cost to the State of training such men per head taking into account the cost of the building.

Sixty-eight men and women are at present being trained at the Portsmouth Government training centre in building trades, boot and shoe making, radio repairing, shorthand typing and tailoring. Additional classes are to be set up as soon as possible. Particulars of costs are not available for each centre, or for each class, separately but, apart from capital costs which are borne on the Vote for the Ministry of Works, the average overall weekly cost of training for the past year is about per head, inclusive of personal maintenance allowances. Incidental receipts from sales of products averaged about 5s. per head per week.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the highest figure of unemployment in this country, the date of same during the years 1945–46–47; the comparative figures for the years 1919–20–21; and the number of unemployed for the nearest date in 1948.

During the years 1945–47 the highest number of insured persons registered as unemployed was 1,874,000 at 22nd February, 1947, when the fuel shortage and bad weather severely restricted employment. In addition it was estimated that about 500,000 persons were stood off from employment but did not register. Apart from the period of the fuel shortage, the highest figure was 401,000 at 13th January, 1947. Comparable figures are not available for 1919 and 1920, but the highest figure for 1921 was 2,550,000 in May, 1921, when, however, employment was affected by the shortage of fuel resulting from the prolonged stoppage of work in the coal mines. Before this stoppage, the highest figure was 1,660,000 in March, 1921. The figure for 15th March, 1948, the latest at present available, was 299,000.

asked the Minister of Labour to state, in the usual categories, the numbers of employed and unemployed men and women in the Wycombe area for the latest convenient date; and the numbers of vacant jobs in the same categories unfilled at the same date.

The following table gives the desired information. Figures of employment are not available for any date later than mid-1947.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the total number of men and women in insured employment in the City of Portsmouth on 31st March, 1948, or the nearest convenient date, distinguishing between the various industries, trades, services and other principal occupations, giving some indication of the main occupations included in the classification "National Government Service"; and whether he will give similar particulars of those unemployed.

Statistics of the numbers of persons in insured employment can be

asked the Minister of Labour how many females of 65 years or more and males of 65 years or more have returned to work in the textile industry in the last six months.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now make a statement of the arrangements for financing imports into the United Kingdom from Canada.

The whole question is still under discussion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that parents of those who died on active service in Canada are anxious to visit their graves, but that the amount of money which can be taken for foreign travel is too small for a Canadian journey; and if he will therefore allow such parents to take some stipulated amount above the ordinary limit for such a visit at their own expense.

No foreign exchange is normally allowed for visits to Canada, but special provision is made for those wishing to visit the graves of close relatives. The amount allowed in the case of Canada is a maximum of£25 per head. The applicant will, of course, be permitted to pay his return fare in sterling in this country.

asked the Minister of Health the number of doctors in residence and practising surgery on Braunstone Estate, Leicester city and country.

I understand that no doctors are resident on the estate, but three have surgeries and at least 3o visit patients there.

asked the Minister of Health whether foreign practitioners serv- ing under the Crown in the Colonial Medical Service, are to be allowed to apply for permanent registration under the Medical Practitioners and Pharmacists Act, 1947, although not resident in the United Kingdom.

Registration is conditional on residence in the United Kingdom and these practitioners cannot be registered under the Act while serving abroad. If they subsequently take up residence it is open to them to apply.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that doctors covered by Section 3 of the Medical Practitioners and Pharmacists Act, 1947, who have served in Government Departments abroad are still unable to obtain forms of application for registration from the General Medical Council; and whether he will take the necessary action to ensure that such forms are made available.

I am informed that the General Medical Council will be sending the forms to these practitioners almost immediately.

asked the Minister of Health what representations he has received from the Lancashire County Council as to the urgent need for providing proper institutional treatment for mentally defective children at present in Public Assistance mental wards; and how many such children are so placed in Lancashire.

The Council has expressed concern that a number of these children have still to be cared for in the mental and general wards of these institutions, and every effort has been—and is being—made to transfer them to specialised institutions. Inquiry last year showed 156 children so situated, of whom, so far, 17 have been able to be moved to mental deficiency institutions.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will furnish figures showing the trends in regard to the death rate and the chief notifiable diseases, compared with the most satisfactory statistics for prewar years.

Following is the answer:

asked the Minister of Health what is the reason for the continued delay in securing sanatorium treatment for Mrs. Ridehalgh, of Streatham, who is suffering from tuberculosis and whose condition has become much worse since 13th February.

As the, hon. Member knows, I am advised that this patient's condition would not justify taking her out of her turn on the waiting list that the shortage of nurses has created.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the successes achieved by a surgeon at St. Louis, U.S.A., in the cure of Parkinson's disease; whether these methods are being studied by the British medical profession; and what progress has been made.

I am advised that the methods are known in this country and are not new, but that present experience does not justify their general adoption.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that as a result of the recent closing of several maternity homes in the High Wycombe area many expectant mothers have to make difficult journeys to the nearest clinic several miles away; and if he will take steps to improve the situation.

Yes. I have approved an extension to the Borough Council's maternity home, on which work should begin shortly, and the County Council are urgently considering further provision at Amersham.

asked the Minister of Health how many people were employed in the regional offices of his Department on 30th June, 1947; on 31st December, 1947; and how many are likely to be employed on 3oth June, 1948.

The numbers at 30th June and 31st December, 1947, were, respectively, 1,258 and 1,217. At the 30th June, 1948, it is estimated that the number will be 1,36o. These figures do not include certain services such as blood transfusing which are due to be transferred to the regional hospital boards.

asked the Minister of Health how many dwellings were provided in England and Wales in 1919, 1920 and 1921, respectively; and how many war damaged buildings were repaired in each of these years.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Spen Valley (Mr. Sharp) on 30th October, of which I am sending him a copy. No statistics are available in respect of war damage repairs but war damage was, of course, very slight.

asked the Minister of Health whether the authorisation of more housing work at this time is prevented by a shortage of materials or a shortage of manpower.

Authorisation of more housing work is already being given.

asked the Minister of Health what are the essential materials, the shortage of which is causing the holdup of housing estates already under construction.

Houses are now being completed in large numbers but if the hon. Member will let me have particulars of any schemes which are being held up, I will have inquiries made.

asked the Minister of Health what limit is imposed by him on the amount that local authorities may spend upon the erection of approved prefabricated, or partially pre-fabricated houses in addition to the cost of land, roadwork, and services.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a circular I have issued to local authorities setting out the current arrangements.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent he proposes to terminate contracts for the manufacture of Airey houses on grounds of economy, and whether he will negotiate with those factories which claim that they can afford to produce these houses without a subsidy.

I will consider any proposals on this subject which are submitted to me. But the future of all non-traditional systems is now dependent on their ability to compete in cost with traditional construction.

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the fact that the local authorities at Witney have conveyed to his Department their support of the plan to convert a building on Woodgreen Witney, into 16 dwellings he will reconsider his decision and allow work to proceed.

No communication of the kind has yet been received.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the ample supplies of various qualities of bricks, he will permit some aesthetic choice to those who are building agricultural cottages by allowing an appropriate excess in building costs over£1,3oo where quality bricks are used.

I think that within the figure mentioned there is reasonable scope in the choice of bricks.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now able to make a statement on the scale of the housing programme for 1949.

Owing to the faster rate of completion of houses and in order to obtain continuity of building, additional approvals have recently been given. Final figures for the revised housing programme cannot be given until we see more clearly what the timber outlook is likely to be.

asked the Minister of Health why the public is asked to choose their doctor now under the National Health Scheme when it will not be known until the 5th July which doctors have decided to enter the scheme.

The full list of doctors entering the scheme will not of course be known until 5th July, but some are already doing so. In any case doctors' lists of patients should be made up before the scheme starts, so that individual doctors may settle for whom they will be responsible and may be remunerated for the full number from the start, and patients may have a doctor ready to look after them.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will make arrangements with the Central Office of Information to offer services of speakers to organisations and bodies who require information about the provisions of the National Health Service Act.

I will consider it, but I hope that those actually engaged in the new service, such as members of regional hospital boards, executive councils and local health authorities, will be willing to help in this way locally.

asked the Minister of Health when the arbitration regulations to be made under Section 9 (8) of the National Health Service Act, 1946, will be made.

The National Health Service (Apportionment and Transfer) Regulations, 1948, were made on 27th April. These Regulations include a provision for arbitration in respect of disputed transfers under Section 9 (8) of the National Health Service Act, 1946.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities have, since 14th January, submitted plans for alternative accommodation to replace health centres, whose provision is indefinitely postponed by his Circular, No. 3, 1948; and in how many instances has he sanctioned individual plans.

As I explained in reply to the hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr. Platts-Mills) on 15th April, Circular 3/48 did not "indefinitely postpone" all provision of health centres. Some local health authorities are already preparing proposals for providing health centres in accordance with the guidance given in the Circular. I do not understand the hon. Member's reference to "alternative accommodation."

asked the Minister of Education (1) what he proposes to do about the case of Mr. A. Humphries of 46, Town Furze, Headington, Oxford, who, as a result of asking for an increase of educational grant, owing to the fact that his wife was pregnant, has had deductions amounting to£100 made from his current payments: and whether he will give some undertaking that similar conduct will not be pursued by his Ministry;(2) why no notice was taken of a letter dated November, 1946, by Mr. A. Humphries of 46, Town Furze, Heading-ton, Oxford, informing the Ministry, in accordance with the terms of the educational grant, that his wife had started work, and why it is now proposed to penalise Mr. Humphries as a result of the negligence of the Ministry in taking no notice of this letter.

The sum which has actually been deducted is£46, representing an overpayment of£26 in the session 1946–47, and£20 in the current session. In view of the hardship which may be caused by making the whole deduction from one instalment my right hon. Friend is now arranging to make a further payment of£30 to Mr. Humphries at once and to recover this amount from future instalments. I greatly regret my Department's failure to take note of the information supplied in 1946, which was due in the main to the very heavy pressure of applications at that time from men and women coming out. of the Forces. I hope that recent improvements in the administration of the scheme will avoid any repetition.

asked the Minister of Education whether he has now considered a petition sent to him on 14th April by parents of children residing in the Norwood Green district of the Borough of Heston, Isleworth, protesting at the inadequate accommodation provided at the Norwood Green junior and infant school; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

My right hon. Friend is aware that there is pressure on the accommodation at this school. Proposals were put forward by the authority last year for the erection of a double classroom hut but no huts were available then. I understand that new proposals are to be submitted by the authority and these will be most sympathetically considered.

asked the Minister of Education how many education authorities have included provision for comprehensive secondary schools in their development plans; and in how many cases are such schools to be housed on a single site.

To extract this information from the development plans would involve an amount of time and labour which cannot be justified at present.

asked the Minister of Education what new building in connection with education has been undertaken or carried out since the passage of the Education Act, 1944; and how much of this represents the provision of hutments of temporary character and how much the erection of permanent new schools.

Since the beginning of 1945 my Department has approved building work, excluding war damage repair and the removal of A.R.P. shelters to an approximate total value of£51,500,000. Of this total about£23,500,000 relates to projects in Ministry of Works standard hutting.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what time has been saved in turn-round of shipping, and what increase per month in tonnage of freight has been achieved, now that the congestion at the port of Beira has been satisfactorily cleared up.

As my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, measures have been taken to regulate the flow of shipping to and from the port of Beira. As a result, vessels are no longer delayed as they were in 1947. In March, 1947, the total imports and exports amounted to 114,929 tons. In March, 1948, the figure was 165,615 tons—an increase of well over 40 per cent. I hope this increase may continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what steps have been taken to obtain a quota of the redundant repairable railway wagons in this country so that they may be modified for use on the Rhodesian railway system.

I am sorry to inform my hon. and gallant Friend that there are no redundant railway wagons in the United Kingdom which could be repaired and exported overseas. All the wagons on our railways which are fit for repair are urgently required in the United Kingdom.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that owners of cars on standard petrol only are to be allowed a licence rebate, he will make a similar concession in respect of the wireless licence for the wireless sets installed in cars.

No. A broadcast receiving licence entitles the holder to listen to authorised broadcasting stations for a certain period. The licence charge is not based on the number of times the receiver is used, or, if the set is fitted in a motor car, on the number of miles the vehicle travels.

asked the Minister of Transport upon what grounds it was decided to cut the allocations of petrol to commercial users by an amount of 10 per cent.

The recent 10 per cent. cut in allocations of petrol to goods vehicles was decided upon because of the necessity for saving imported fuel and having regard to present traffic requirements. At the same time the Russell Vick Committee included this cut among their recommendations.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning when he proposes to confirm the compulsory purchase order made under Section 2 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1944, in respect of certain land in the City of Portsmouth for which application was made in June, 1947, and in connection with which a public inquiry was held in September, 1947.

In view of the present restrictions upon capital expenditure on the purchase of land it has been necessary to ask the City Council for certain further information. My right hon. Friend understands that the Council will shortly be furnishing this information, and will reach a decision as soon as possible after getting it.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning when he proposes to make a declaratory order in respect of war damaged areas in the City of Portsmouth, in connection with which a public inquiry was held in November, 1947.

This declaratory order covered just over 50o acres and has required a good deal of investigation. My right hon. Friend hopes, however, to issue his decision very shortly.

asked the Prime Minister if he will set up a Royal Commission to inquire into and report on the workings of the National Coal Board; and what is the extent of the loss which falls on the British taxpayer.

The answer to the first part of the Question is, "No" as regards the second part, under Section 1 (4) (c) of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946, the National Coal Board are required to direct their policy to securing that their revenues shall not be less than sufficient for meeting all their outgoings properly chargeable to revenue account on an average of good and bad years. No part of any loss which might be incurred by the Board in a particular year would fall on the British taxpayer, since losses in one year are to be made good in later years, and meanwhile are financed as necessary either out of reserves or out of temporary borrowings authorised under Section 27 of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if reports of quarterly conferences of the Scottish Economic Conference, including the secret session, will be made available to Parliament and the public.

I propose, after each meeting of the conference, to make a statement to the Press outlining any matters of public interest discussed as I did after the first meeting. The work of the conference will be described in the annual review of Scottish Economic Affairs which I hope to present to Parliament in June next.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will arrange for the appointment of a comprehensive committee comprised of representatives of the building, contracting and building material industries to examine the proposals in Capital Investment, 1948, and the Economic Survey, 1948, in relation to these industries and report on the effects on the scale of reconstruction originally envisaged in the report on training for the building industry, 1942; and whether any better alternative plan can be adopted to the one proposed by the planning committee.

I have been asked to reply. Comprehensive machinery already exists in my Department for consultation with the building, civil engineering and building materials industries, and the effect of the White Papers has by this means been fully discussed with their representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of Jews and Arabs, respectively, who have entered Palestine since 3oth November, 1947, stated under categories of men, women, and children under 16 years of age.

These statistics are not in my right hon. Friend's possession, and I regret that in existing circumstances their compilation, so far as available, would involve disproportionate labour for the Palestine Administration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the number of Jews and Arabs, respectively, who have been prevented by the British administration from entering Palestine since 30th November, 1947, stated under the categories of men, women and children under 16 years of age.

Between 3oth November, 1947, and 7th April, 1948, 8,259 men, 7,090 women and 4,947 children were diverted to Cyprus. Figures regarding Arabs are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of buildings which have been destroyed by the military authorities in Palestine since 30th November, 1947, on the grounds that they had been used for sniping purposes; what steps are taken to prevent needless destruction before these demolitions are carried out; and whether any compensation will be granted to innocent owners of buildings that had been forcibly occupied prior to their demolition.

Information regarding the numbers of buildings demolished is not available. My right hon. Friend has no doubt that care is taken to avoid unnecessary destruction of property. Palestine Defence (Emergency) Regulation No. 119, under which action in these cases is presumably taken, makes no provision for compensation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many British citizens have emigrated to the Colonies in 1945, 1946, 1947 and 1948, showing each colony separately; and what steps he is taking to effect a speed up in this rate.

I regret that the figures asked for in the first part of the Question are not available. As regards the second part, no special steps are being taken to encourage emigration from this country to Colonial territories.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether the recent readjustment of pensions for veterans of the 1914 war will also affect veterans of the Boer War and other previous wars.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind the provision for special hardship allowance, which was recently extended to partially disabled, pensioners of the 1914 world war. As the majority of those pensioners of earlier wars who are in receipt of pensions at world war rates are now over 65 years of age, it is unlikely that they are still in the employment field. The allowance will, however, be paid to any pensioner still employed who fulfils the conditions specified in my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Tiverton (Mr. Amory) on 20th April, 1948.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now cause to be published as a White Paper, or in other appropriate form, a full account of the negotiations between His Majesty's Government and the Soviet Government on the subject of Soviet citizens who are the wives of British subjects.

No. I gave a very comprehensive account of the negotiations in an Adjournment Debate in this House on 13th August last and my right hon. Friend does not think the publication of a White Paper would add anything of value to the information already given.

asked the Minister of Agriculture on what basis services rendered by other Departments, such as the Ministry of Works or the Post Office, to the Forestry Commission are accounted for in the Forestry Commission Annual Report.

All expenditure by the Forestry Commission is made from the Forestry Fund, and any work performed on behalf of the Commission by another Government Department is paid for from the Fund. Such payments are included m the accounts of the Forestry Commission in the same way as all other expenditure.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether, in view of the disputes current between many local authorities and the Electricity Commissioners, as to the harmful effect of unwashed sulphur smoke on areas near power stations and as to the best method of its abatement, he will instruct the Committee of Industrial and Scientific Research to investigate and report.

Measurements of sulphur pollution in the air are being made by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in many parts of the country, including areas near power stations, and some information is already available on the effect of sulphur on buildings and vegetation. The Department is already trying to find methods of removal of sulphur from the flue gases of power stations which would be less costly and troublesome than those at present in use. The problem is not an easy one and a quick remedy cannot be expected.

asked the Secretary of State for War upon what dates in the present calendar year have notifications of awards of the Territorial Efficiency Medal appeared in the "London Gazette"; what is the total number of awards announced since 1st January, 1948; how many claims for these awards are outstanding and at approximately what rate are they being dealt with.

No notifications have appeared nor have any awards been announced since the beginning of this year. Some 10,000 claims are outstanding. They are being dealt with at the rate of 50 or 60 a day.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will arrange to notify by post those who have qualified for the Territorial Efficiency Medal, instead of requiring them to search through the "London Gazette," which is available only to those who have access to certain public libraries, to see if their application for this award has been granted.

Those who have qualified for the Efficiency Medal are informed personally as soon as their claim has been established and again when it has been published in the "London Gazette," the date of the "Gazette" being specified.

asked the Secretary of State for War how long after an application for an award of the Territorial Efficiency Medal has been made should an applicant wait before assuming that his qualifications for the award have been adjudged to be inadequate.

As the number of applications received is very large, and each case is dealt with in strict rotation, it may be as long as 18 months before an application is dealt with. All applicants will be informed of the result of their applications, whether or not they are approved.