asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when he intends to release accommodation requisitioned at Broadwater Gardens, Shotley, Suffolk, which is required for civilian housing purposes.

As I recently informed the hon. Member in correspondence, I regret that I can hold out no hope of de-requisitioning this property.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there are 41 families in this particular village on the council's waiting list for new housing accommodation and the retention of this building is denying accommodation to 28 families?

For what purpose is this accommodation being held? Is there any alternative accommodation in the same area by the use of which this accommodation could be released?

I am not aware of the number of families on the waiting list for housing accommodation. These premises are occupied by W.R.N.S., for whom we cannot find alternative accommodation in the district.

Can the hon. Gentleman give no hope at all that this housing accommodation, which is civilian and has been requisitioned by the Admiralty, will not be released in the next year, or in two years? Has he no plans at all?

I cannot give any hope of early release, even in two years. The fact is that it has never been used for housing by civilian people, and it is essential for the accommodation of the W.R.N.S. Until we can find better accommodation, or similar accommodation, for the W.R.N.S., we cannot de-requisition it.

Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall try to raise the matter again at the earliest opportunity.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many ships carrying illegal immigrants to Palestine have been intercepted by the Royal Navy since VE-day.

Forty-eight, Sir.

Can the hon. Gentleman give any indication of the long periods at sea which this must have necessitated and the great strain which these boarding operations must have imposed on all concerned?

I am very happy to be given the opportunity of informing the House of something of what has been done by the Navy in these difficult times. I can say that the average monthly mileage of ships in the Palestine Patrol has been not less than 5,100 miles per ship. Several ships have served under very arduous conditions there, and I mention two, H.M.S. "Widemouth Bay," which served at sea for no less than 41 days out of 43 in 1947 and the destroyer, "Virago," which served at sea 52 days out of 56. I am pleased to be able to draw the attention of the House to what the Navy has been doing in connection with this matter.

In view of the characteristic manner in which the Royal Navy have discharged what, I am sure the whole House will agree, was a very onerous task, will the hon. Gentleman convey the thanks of the whole House to them for what they have done?

I will do that, certainly.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, since provision was made under the Appendix to the Navy List, page 93, paragraph 5 (f), for widows pensions in certain circumstances granted prior to 17th December, 1929, to cover the period of the first world war, when he will consider re-introducing these measures for retired officers re-employed in the second world war.

The future arrangements which will govern the award of pensions to widows of officers of the three Services are still under review, but this review has now reached an advanced stage and I hope that it will be possible to make a statement before very long.

Is the Minister aware that I raised this point over two years ago, and an assurance was given by His Majesty's Government, but in the meantime a constituent of mine has died, leaving a widow without a pension? Will the legislation proposed be retrospective?

I cannot deal with the question of retrospective legislation, as this is a matter which affects the three Services and until there is common agreement between the three Services and the Treasury, I cannot make an announcement in that direction.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he has now decided upon the scientific complement for the R.N.P.F.; what number of higher posts there will be; and from what date the staff will receive the new salary scales.

An interim post-war complement of chemists at the Royal Naval Propellant Factory, Caerwent, has been approved and the number of higher posts will be three. Scales of salary for these posts are under consideration.

May I ask the Minister when there will be any likelihood of putting an end to this very long drawn out affair which is under consideration? When will the end of this consideration come?

I am very happy to be able to say that we have made what might be termed rapid progress during the last month or so, and I am hopeful that the end will come along very soon, but I cannot give a definite date.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a number of temporary sorting clerks in Glasgow, aged over 55 years are being, or have recently been, dismissed; that they are being replaced by younger men; and what steps have been- taken to ascertain whether other work is available for the dismissed men.

Yes, Sir. Sixteen temporary men at Glasgow between 64 and 69 years of age, employed on indoor postal duties proper to be filled by the promotion of permanent postmen, are now being displaced by qualified postmen in accordance with an agreement reached in 1946 with the Union of Post Office Workers. I regret that no further suitable employment is available for the men in the Post Office, but the local Employment Exchange has been advised of the position.

How does it come about that the Government lend themselves to an agreement under which men who are perfectly fit but cannot take on other productive jobs are to be replaced by men who, otherwise, would be available for production?

The position is that, even if they were regular postmen, which they are not, they would retire at 60, though they are, in certain cases, kept on until 62. In regard to the position in Glasgow, we have Regular ex-Service men waiting for jobs in the postal service.

Can the Minister say how long men have been employed temporarily?

My information is, seven years.

I am told that a number of them run from eight to 20 years, and that they are veterans of the First World War. Is that so?

I have no knowledge of that.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the delays in air mail from Pakistan; and what is the average time taken.

Air mails from Pakistan reach this country on average within three days of despatch from Karachi, and letters are delivered as soon as possible thereafter. If the hon. and gallant Member will let me have particulars of any cases where air mail letters appear to have been delayed in transmission, I will gladly have inquiry made.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what negotiations have taken place with the Irish air line companies regarding the purchase of Constellation aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

I am not in a position to make any statement beyond saying that B.O.A.C. have been authorised to submit a tender for the purchase of the five Constellation aircraft belonging to the Eire Company Aerlinte.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary give an assurance that a price no higher, and preferably less, than the latest will be paid for these aircraft? Can he also say, if they are purchased, on what routes they will be operated?

I would prefer that we did not proceed further with this Question today. The negotiations are delicate. In so far as the route is concerned, if they are purchased, they will be used in parallel with the Quantas service to Australia.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if British Overseas Airways Corporation still intend to purchase six Boeing Stratocruiser aircraft; when these aircraft are to be delivered; and how much has been paid on account.

The Government approved the purchase of these aircraft in 1946, and the contract subsequently placed by B.O.A.C. is still in force. The remainder of the Question relates to matters of management reserved to the Corporation.

While I cannot accept what the Parliamentary Secretary says, does he realise that it is common knowledge that the trial flights of the Boeing Stratocruiser have been most disappointing, and that one of the Swedish air lines is endeavouring to cancel its order? As there is a large sum of the taxpayers' money involved— about £2,500,000—will be explain what is the intention?

The intention is, so far as I am aware, for the continuation of the contract. I am not aware of the information which the hon. and gallant Member has given to the House.

When is it expected that these Boeing aircraft will be delivered, and is it not increasing the tremendous overhead costs of B.O.A.C. to carry maintenance for other aircraft?

The first delivery date was given as May, 1948. The present indication is that it will be in the early part of January, 1949.

Would the Minister consider advising the B.O.A.C. to purchase Scottish-built aircraft, and cannot arrange- ments be made for the Government to set up a factory for building them in Scotland?

Is the Minister aware that the Americans are not very keen to sell these aircraft to us? Will he seriously consider transfering this order from Boeings to Lockheeds for more Constellations?

Much depends upon the terms of the original contracts entered into.

As this matter concerns a very large sum of money, I beg to give notice that I shall endeavour to raise it on the Motion for the Adjournment at a very early opportunity.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he will direct B.E.A.C. to run a feeder air service with small aircraft daily between Edinburgh and Aberdeen to connect with the existing daily return service from Edinburgh to London.

No, Sir.

Why not?

Because the service which has been withdrawn was not patronised and was uneconomic.

Although we are all aware that the service did not pay for Dakotas, nevertheless, the suggestion is that small aircraft should be used as feeder aircraft between Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Cannot the Minister, therefore, reconsider the matter very carefully?

The only alternative is the D.H. 89, and I am informed that it would be equally uneconomic.

Is my hon. Friend aware that business people in the North of Scotland require a direct service between Aberdeen and London, and will he take steps to restore it?

They had the opportunity of showing their enthusiasm for a period of six months, and did not take it.

May I ask whether there was a service before nationalisation, and, in any case, will the Minister allow a private company to operate this much-needed service?

There was no prewar service. The question of operation by a private company is a matter for arrangement and negotiation with the Corporation under the appropriate Section of the Civil Aviation Act.

Does it come to this —that, as B.E.A.C. are unable to ran their services economically, and those who can are not allowed to do so, the result is that Scotland has to suffer?

It does not mean that at all. It does mean that where there is an alternative means of surface transport which is an effective competitor with air transport, the opportunities of profit are limited.

The original Question was whether there was to be a feeder air service, but we are now getting very wide of the mark.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation when B.O.A.C. proposes to start charter services between London and the Persian Gulf.

I am informed by the British Overseas Airways Corporation that the first of a series of weekly flights on charter to them left the United Kingdom for Bahrein on 9th May.

What was wrong, if anything, which is very doubtful, with the existing charter service run by a private company to Abadan?

This is a variation of an agreement which has been in operation between Skyways and B.O.A.C. since 1946, and is a rationalisation of services, including this private charter sponsored by the B.O.A.C. and the regular scheduled services.

Does it come to this —that, as soon as a private company makes a success and makes a profit, the Government come in and take the trade?

No, Sir. It does mean that, where there is an opportunity for rationalisation for the public good, the Corporation accepts the opportunity.

If it is possible to run a charter service between this country and Persia, why cannot it be done between London and Aberdeen?

The former route is a little more difficult.

Is another reason that we have not got a railway interest between here and Persia which we have to protect?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why Reinhard Bluhm, born on 31st July, 1920, near Danzig and taken prisoner by the American Army after being de-Nazified at Darmstadt, given the benefit of the Youth Amnesty and placed in Category 5, has now been re-classified in Category 3 without a trial; whether he is aware that this decision was promulgated over the signature of a British officer at 117 Mil. Gov., Hildesheim, with orders that he was not to be employed by any British unit; and that the British unit with whom this man was working was satisfied with his work and is anxious to re-employ him.

Bluhm was an officer in the S.S. for seven years and a non-commissioned officer in the Hitler Youth for four years. When the United States authorities became aware of his long Nazi record they quashed his exoneration under the Youth Amnesty. The German Denazification Panel in the British zone, which considered his case, decided, after consulting the denazification authorities in the United States zone, to place him in Category 3 on the grounds that he was politically exceptionally dangerous. Bluhm was given the opportunity of appearing before the Panel but did not do so. The Panel's decision was confirmed by the British authorities. It is clearly undesirable on security grounds that Germans whose political record is unsatisfactory should be retained in Military Government employment.

Can my right hon. Friend give the date on which the Americans quashed the release under the Youth Amnesty?

I am sorry; I have no information on that.

If I put a Question down, will the right hon. Gentleman give that information?

Certainly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give the text of the offending passages from the "Volksstimme" in Cologne, and the "Westdeutsches Volksecho" in Dortmund, which caused the British authorities again to ban these two German papers.

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

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that an arrangement has been reached that all opinions opposing capitalist restabilisation in the British and American zones have to be suppressed at all costs?

I do not agree at all. I just ask for decency, that is all.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the inquiry into the salaries of Northern Rhodesian civil servants, which inquiry was made about a year ago.

This report has been presented and will be published shortly, but I am not yet in a position to make any statement about it.

Can the hon. Gentleman say if this report is to await the consideration of the reports on other Colonies now being prepared?

No, Sir. It is actually in the printers' hands and we hope it will be printed within the next couple of weeks. It will then go by sea mail to the Colony concerned, and we hope it will be simultaneously published here and in the Colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that Europeans in Nyasaland pay a poll tax of £4 per annum; and if he will consider the introduction of a similar tax in Northern Rhodesia which would remedy the present position in which all Africans are subject to direct taxation but Europeans with incomes below a certain figure pay no direct taxation.

Legislation imposing an annual tax of £1 on all residents of Northern Rhodesia other than Africans was repealed in 1945. A Committee, including one African member, which reviewed taxation in 1946 did not recommend the reintroduction of this tax, and the Governor is of the opinion that there is no adequate reason for changing the existing system of taxation in this respect.

Would the hon. Gentleman see that the same principle, as far as practicable, is applicable to white settlers in Nyasaland and Rhodesia as is applicable to the Africans?

Taxation is a matter for the Government of Nyasaland and for the Legislative Council of Northern Rhodesia, and it is not desirable that we should interfere in taxation matters.

Have we not an obligation in this country to see that there is no differentiation against natives in their own lands?

We can always make suggestions, but our record in the past of interfering in taxation matters has not always been a happy one.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the report of the Trade Union Mission to Malaya will be published.

The report is still in course of preparation. I am not, therefore, able as yet to give the date of publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many locally recruited officers are serving in administrative position in Government service in the Federation of Malaya and in Singapore; and what provision exists for the holding of entrance examinations locally for the recruitment of Asiatics of the same standard as Europeans.

I am in communication with the Malayan Governments on this matter, and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I have the necessary information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in respect of the improvement of quality and the sale of West African groundnuts; and to what extent plans for the expansion of groundnut cultivation have been implemented.

An expert visited West Africa last year to study ways of improving the quality of groundnuts by preventing deterioration in store. He has now returned to Nigeria with a team of chemists to carry out large scale experiments. The sale of groundnuts will be put into the hands of local marketing boards as soon as possible. A representative of the West African Produce Control Board is now in West Africa advising on the technical problems involved. Apart from a possible further expansion of peasant production, I am now considering, in consultation with the local Governments, the recommendations of the West African Oilseeds Mission which will be published before the end of the month. These envisage increased groundnut cultivation on a mechanised basis. Soil and water surveys of suitable areas have already been made.

Is there any store of groundnuts undisposed of in West Africa? If so, for how long has it been there? Can it be used in some way in the near future?

Very large stores have been accumulated at Kano. According to my last information, we have 280,000 tons awaiting transit; and there are about 50,000 tons in Gambia, which will be moved in a short time. The reason for our inability to move a large quantity of groundnuts as quickly as we should like from Kano is the shortage of rolling stock on the railway. We are dealing with that situation. I think 20 engines are now on the way.

Can the hon. Gentleman give an assurance that rolling stock is not diverted from West Africa to East Africa, because it is desperately needed for the existing requirements?

I can give that assurance.

Will it not have a very depressing effect upon producers if they see these continuing accumulations without any hope of their disposal? Is it not a waste of time to talk about expansion of cultivation in such circumstances?

Accumulation only arises during the season, and when the season is over the groundnuts rapidly decrease in store. We are tackling this matter with great energy, and are getting the engines and wagons out there. The difficulty has arisen because of the war.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether there is a full complement of the chemists needed?

We have sent a team out. I have not heard any more.

Can we take it that as much attention is given to the extension of this industry in West Africa as is being given to it in East Africa?

Yes, certainly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the approximate number of children in the West African Colonies receiving education, respectively, in mission and non-mission primary and secondary schools; and how many teachers there are with and without adequate qualifications.

I have asked for the information from West Africa, and will send it to my hon. Friend as soon as it is received.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the widespread complaints of the quality of the Danish beef being sold in the shops; and what action he is taking.

I am aware that there have been some complaints. Danish beef does not rank with the best of our supplies, but none that has been issued was unfit for consumption. We are giving the Danes all the help we can to secure an improvement in preparing the meat, and any which is not suitable for the ration is issued for manufacturing.

Is it not a fact that this cow beef was sold to this country by the Danes only for manufacturing purposes, and that they have objected most strongly to its being sold for any other purpose, because of the bad name it thus gives to Danish products generally?

No, not at all. It was quite understood that this was going to be used for the ration.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement as to what is the purpose of Statutory Instrument No. 886 of 1948.

The new regulation has been made to permit the importation of carcases of mutton and lamb from which a lymphatic gland has been removed. Our regulations as now amended are in line with those in the Southern Dominions and other exporting countries where such meat is used in the ordinary course for human consumption.

Am I to understand that this Order does not apply to beef?

Experts tell me that it can be found in beef, but it very rarely is; it is generally found in mutton.

Can the Minister tell the House what steps are taken in the way of inspection of these carcases in order to make quite certain that they are fit for human beings to eat?

Yes, Sir. I am only too prepared to reassure the House. A very careful inspection is made, and I understand that the prescapular, superficial inguinal, supra mammary and precrural lymphatic glands are all removed. In addition, if a state of emaciation is found and the glands are affected, then the carcase is destroyed.

Is it not a fact that the steps now taken by the Minister have been urged upon him for many months past by the Dominions and other people interested in increasing the meat supply?

I was with the hon. Gentleman in Australia in 1945, when we examined some of these carcases, and I took a special interest in the matter then. We wanted to be quite sure that this complaint was not communicable to human beings, and that is why we have delayed in making this amendment.

Can my hon. Friend say what steps are being taken to let the people know that this kind of meat is being supplied to them in the butchers' shops? Will districts have it imposed upon them without their knowledge?

I have already made it clear that the meat that will be used will be quite as sound as any other meat that has not had the lymphatic gland removed from it.

asked the Minister of Food for what reasons fresh meat has been exported from the United Kingdom during the last 12 months; and whether he will name the countries of destination not specified in the trade returns.

The bulk of the meat exported was for consumption by our Forces overseas, for ships' stores in the Channel Islands and for the civilian population. In the case of Belgium meat was bought and owned by that country, but was stored in the United Kingdom. The countries of destination not specified in the trade accounts are: Malta, St. Helena, Falkland Islands, Burma, Palestine, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Hungary and Austria. The quantities sent to most of these places were very small.