asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how and when it is proposed to invite applications for prize money from officers and men of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines.

It is proposed to invite applications for naval prize money after the Prize Bill becomes law. These applications will be made on a printed form.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty to what extent rates of pay and allowances, including subsistence allowance, differ for corresponding ranks in the Navy and in the

For the purpose of comparison, the following tables give the rates of pay for officers of the Executive, Air, Engineering, Electrical, Supply and Secretariat and Ordnance Branches of the Royal Navy, and for all naval ratings except artificers and artisans. The rates given for male officers and ratings are from the post-war scales introduced in July, 1946. As corresponding scales for the Women's Royal Naval Service have not yet been settled, the rates for women are from the present temporary scales. A complete list of the rates of pay and allowances of officers and men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines is given in the Appendix to the Navy Estimates, 1948–49 (pages 236–245).

asked the Postmaster-General the total number of Post Office Savings Bank books issued in respect of Service personnel, excluding Civil Defence workers, and the total amount, together with the amount of withdrawals up to the most convenient date.

Up to 1st May just over 6,000,000 books had been issued to Service personnel with total credits amounting to £355,700,000. Withdrawals from these accounts total approximately £320,000,000; but further deposits of some £61,600,000 have been made by the recipients.

asked the Postmaster General what the scope will be of the investigation recently started into the processes of the Post Office Savings Department; whether the investigation will cover the whole of the Department; whether appropriate staff associations have been invited to appoint representatives on the investigating committee; when it is expected that a report will be made; and to whom it will be presented.

This is a normal Organisation and Methods investigation which will cover the processes involved in the operations of the Savings Bank, with particular reference to the question whether an improvement in the present mechanised system is practicable. The present investigation is confined to the Savings Bank side, and it is being made by a team of Organisation and Methods officers of the Post Office and the Treasury assisted by Savings Bank officers. The staff associations have been informed that their views will be welcomed and they will be given opportunities to express them at convenient stages of the work. I cannot say when the investigation will be completed but the working party will report from time to time on particular aspects to the head of the Post Office Savings Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give any estimate of the annual cost in recent years of inter-departmental correspondence at normal postage rates.

I have been asked to reply. Records of inter-departmental correspondence are not kept, but the postage at normal rates for all postings by Government Departments is broadly estimated at £9,000,000 for the year ended 31st March, 1948.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that in the Unit Routine Orders, approximately one month ago, at No. 1, B.R. and S.D., R.A.F., Luneburg, B.A.O.R. 8, an order was issued to the effect that owing to the high rate of venereal disease in that Command, flight-sergeants and ranks below, had to be in their quarters by 23·15 hours; why warrant officers and commissioned officers are exempt from this order; and why 23·15 hours was decided on as the time for those affected by the order to be in their quarters

Yes. This order was issued following instructions from R.A.F. Headquarters in Germany to all R.A.F. units. These instructions require all airmen and N.C.Os. to be in their quarters by a time which allows them to return to camp immediately after local canteens, clubs and cinemas have closed down. This time varies from unit to unit; at Luneburg it is 23·15 hours. There is no wish to make unnecessary restrictions and officers and warrant officers are therefore exempted.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what improvements have taken place, as a result of his instructions, at Burtonwood R.A.F. camp; and what are the general conditions now prevailing there.

The N.A.A.F.I., two airmen's dining halls, and about 50 huts have been redecorated. A new sergeants' mess has been provided. The lighting has been improved in over 100 huts. Work on the surface drainage of the camp is still going on. The camp is not as satisfactory as I would wish and further improvements will be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of officers in the Air Training Corps; and also the number of boys to the last convenient date.

At the end of March, 1948, the strength of the A.T.C. included 3,500 officers and 42,75o cadets.

asked the Secretary of State for Air to what extent rates of pay and allowances, including subsistence allowance, differ for corresponding ranks in the R.A.F. and the W.A.A.F.; and if he will publish a table giving the corresponding figures for all ranks.

Pending the settlement of the postwar scales of pay for members of the Women's Services, now under consideration, W.A.A.F. personnel are paid at rates equivalent to approximately two-thirds of the R.A.F. rates in force prior to 1st July, 1946, plus 1s. a day for officers and 8d. a day for airwomen. War service increments are also payable in respect of service prior to 1st July, 1946. Members of the W.A.A.F. are eligible for the same rates of allowances as the R.A.F. except for minor differences of outfit and clothing maintenance grants. With reference to the second part of the hon. Member's Question, a table of R.A.F. pay and allowances is contained in Appendices 1 and 2 to the Air Estimates for 1948–49, and I am sending him a statement giving details of the rates at present in issue for the W.A.A.F.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish the letter of intent signed by Britain pursuant to the requirement of the Economic Co-operation Act; and if he will publish all the correspondence with the U.S.A. Government which preceded the letter.

In answer to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday to the hon. and gallant Member for New Forest and Christchurch (Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre). There is no other correspondence with the United States Government on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will now publish the note of the Polish Government concerning the Polish Resettlement Corps in Britain, so that the reply of His Majesty's Government, the terms of which have been made known, can be studied in its correct context.

Yes. Following is the text of the Polish Government's Note to which the British Note, published on 5th May, was the reply.Warsaw. 1st April, 1948.YOUR EXCELLENCY,My Government, desirous of helping to liquidate as soon as possible all the problems which arose during the course of the war and which form an obstacle in the re-establishment of normal and friendly relations between Poland and Great Britain on numerous occasions approached His Majesty's Government with a request to carry out the speedy demobilisation of the former Polish Armed Forces under British Command.Taking into consideration the fact that the question of the demobilisation and repatriation of former Polish Armed Forces under British command was the subject of the Potsdam decisions, and remains a matter which greatly interests our two countries, my Government tried to secure the proper solution of this question through mutual agreement between our two Governments.2. In their note of the 20th May, 1946, His Majesty's Government communicated the fact that they had made their own decisions on the subject of the former Polish Armed Forces under British command, namely, the creation in Great Britain of the Polish Training and Resettlement Corps, which had as its task the facilitating of the transfer of Polish soldiers into civilian life.3. The attitude of my Government towards the question of former Polish Armed Forces under British command was expressed in M.F.A. Notes of the 14th February, 1946, No. 1465/46; the 2nd May, 1946, No. 329/3434/46; of the 4th June, 1946, No. 195/5247/46; the 8th August, 1946. No. 195/9656/46; the 15th April, 1947, No. GM/34/886 and in Notes from the Polish Embassy in London.In the above Notes and other statements my Government expressed their basic reservations towards the unilateral decisions of His Majesty's Government and stressed that the recruitment of the Polish Resettlement Corps was in collision with the existing law on Polish citizenship of 20th January, 1920.My Government also drew the attention of His Majesty's Government to the clearly detrimental consequences for the interests of the soldier masses, Polish-British relations and general post-war relations in Europe by the delay in the demobilisation of the former Polish Armed Forces under British command and the existence of the Polish Resettlement Corps.In their Note of the 8th August, 1946, my Government made a proposal to call info being, in place of the Polish Resettlement Corps, of another organisation in Britain for training for civilian life of these, soldiers who in the meantime had not decided to return to their country. However, this proposal was not accepted by His Majesty's Government.4. The course of events during the last two years confirmed fully the correctness of the forecasts and reservations of the Polish Government. Both the Polish Resettlement Corps and the hitherto not demobilised centres of the former Polish Armed Forces under British command, bound personally and financially with the political apparatus existing in Great Britain and beyond her frontiers, which is centred around the so-called "London Government," were used by certain factors for warlike agitation, development of propaganda based on slander against the return to Poland, and for the conducting of diversionary, subversive and intelligence activities directed against the Polish Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Jews, Arabs and British people, both civilian and military, have been killed in Palestine from 1st July, 1946, to the present date.

The numbers of British subjects killed in Palestine between 1st July, 1946, and 5th May, 1948, are as follows: —Armed Forces, 213; police, 77; other civilians, 28. No accurate figures of Arab and Jewish casualties during this period are available, but approximate numbers of those killed on both sides between the 1st October, 1947 and the 5th May, 1948, so far as is known to the authorities, are; Arabs, 1,400; Jews, 1,100.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken against the armed Iraqis who entered Palestine in truckloads over the Allenby Bridge on 2nd May.

No reports have been received by the Palestine Government of such an incursion.

asked the Minister of Defence whether the military responsibilities on Anglo-American commitments and interests connected with combined command problems of the last war have yet been discharged; and when it is proposed to wind up the Anglo-American Combined Chiefs of Staff Board in Washington.

No. The winding up of this organisation is not in contemplation.

asked the Minister of Food whether he can now say when the rationing of potatoes will be discontinued.

The restriction on sales of potatoes to the public came to an end at midnight, 30th April.

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the certainty of supplies under Marshall Aid, he will now permit bread to be served with meals in hotels, clubs and restaurants without it being counted as a main meal.

My right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot agree to do this at present.

asked the Minister of Food when he proposes to abolish bread-rationing; and if he will make a statement on bread supplies for the next six months.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Evesham (Mr. De la Bère) on 10th May, 1948.

asked the Minister of Food why he has decided to grant a licence to the Co-operative Society to retail milk in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, in spite of the decision of the local food control committee, unanimously arrived at, to refuse it.

My right hon. Friend recently decided that consumers should have a free choice of retailer. Where a choice does not exist an alternative retailer is being licensed, provided no building work or new equipment is necessary for the business. For this reason the Cambridge Co-operative Society was licensed in Sawbridgeworth, where there are many Co-operative members and at present no Co-operative retailer of milk. The decision of the food control committee to reject the application had been reached before it had been decided to give consumers a choice of retailer.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in connection with the National Milk Scheme for children under five years of age, he will state the total amount recovered on overclaims made by milk retailers between 1st July and 31st December, 1947; and the number of retailers included in this figure.

From 1st July to 31st December, 1947, the sum of £18,725 14s. 6d. was recovered from 449 milk retailers on overclaims under the Welfare Foods Service.

asked the Minister of Food how many inspectors are to be employed visiting the premises of cottagers and others registered under the Self Suppliers of Pigs Scheme and what is the purpose of these inspections.

The number of enforcement inspectors who are and will be employed on such visits will vary from time to time according to season and the circumstances in various parts of the country, so that it is not possible to give a precise figure. Inspections will be made to see that the regulations governing the scheme are being observed.

asked the Minister of Food (1) what was the total financial loss sustained by his Department as a result of transactions in swedes between the beginning of October, 1947, and the end of April, 1948;(2) what was the quantity of swedes for human consumption the purchase of which was arranged by his Department between the beginning of October, 1947, and the end of April, 1948; what was the highest price and what was the average price per ton at which contracts for the purchase of swedes were entered into; what was the quantity sold back to farmers during the same period; and what was the average price obtained by his Department for swedes in the case of those sold back.

The quantity of swedes purchased was 15,019 tons. Apart from a small quantity of selected swedes purchased at £7 10s. per ton, the highest prices paid were £7 per ton in England and Wales, and £5 10s. per ton in Scotland, the average price for all contracts entered into being £6 6s. 1d. per ton. Approximately 11,000 tons were sold back to the farmers with whom the contracts had been placed, at an average price of £2 19s. per ton and contracts for about 1,000 tons were cancelled with the consent of the farmer. Some part of the remaining 3,000 tons removed from the afrms and marketed at an average price of £2 16s. per ton may also have reached farmers for stock feed purposes. The total financial loss sustained by my Department on transactions in swedes during the period referred to, which may be regarded as the premium paid for insurance against the contingency of a vgetable shortage, is approximately £54,000.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the great demand in the locality, he will now reconsider his decision and grant a licence for a fried fish shop to Mr. H. Redman, of 20, Blackburn Road, Edgworth, near Bolton.

I have arranged for this licence to be issued.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will arrange that emigrants to the U.S.A., whose application to enter that country had been accepted by the authorities prior to his reduction to £1,000 of the amount emigrants may take to the U.S. but who had not then applied to the Bank of England for permission to take the full £5,000, shall be entitled to take up to £5,000 in capital over the next four years on the old terms provided that they apply to the Bank of England in the immediate future.

No, but the same concessions apply in the case of the U.S.A. and other countries outside the sterling area as were mentioned in the Chancellor's reply on 6th May to the Question of the hon. and gallant Member for North Blackpool (Mr. Low) about Canada: the old terms apply to emigrants who can show that they were financially committed before 9th April, in the expectation of being able to take out the amounts then allowed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the total number of letters and communications to citizens sent out by the Inland Revenue Department during the financial years 1946–47 and 1947–48.

No record is kept of the number of letters issued to the public.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to him concerning the disparity in taxation charges on the greyhound racegoer as compared with the horse racegoer when using the totalisator service; if he will explain the reason for this discrimination; and what action is contemplated.

I have received certain representations in the sense referred to by the hon. and gallant Member. As to the reason, I would refer to my Budget statement and the Budget statement of my predecessor when he introduced the Pool Betting Duty.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate cost to the country of the concessions on tobacco and cirgarettes to old age pensioners; and what would be the estimated cost of similar concessions to disabled ex-Service men and women in receipt of a disablement pension.

The total value of the 2s. Tobacco Duty relief tokens at present issued to pensioners who qualify for this relief is about £7½million a year. On the same basis, the cost of extending the concession to ex-Service men and women in receipt of a disablement pension would be about £3 million, if the necessary machinery could be set up, which is I fear not practicable.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why price increases in men's youths' and boys' utility apparel have been permitted by. S.I., 1948, No. 756.

These increases were due to three factors; the increases in the prices of utility wool cloths last August and November, which in turn were due to the higher cost of imported raw wool; the higher cost of cotton linings following the removal of the cotton cloth subsidy last January; and, to a small extent, a wage increase agreed before 4th February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the maximum price of P.V.C. sheeting has been increased by S.I., 1948, No. 765.

The increase from 7s. 4d. to 7s. 10½d. per square yard in the retailers overriding maximum price for sheeting which is neither printed nor processed and which weighs not more than 12 oz. a square yard is wholly due to the increase in the rate of Purchase Tax to 66⅔ per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will postpone the proposed destruction of stocks of deteriorated East African pyrethrum until the possibility of utilising it through a new process is fully investigated.

The destruction of surplus pyrethrum flowers was agreed with representatives of the East African Government and growers. The East African High Commission has been asked to report regarding the new process for treating pyrethrum flowers and as to the desirability of suspending further destruction pending the result of their investigations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that the Duchy of Cornwall now propose to enclose the Newtakes of Bear Down, Longford Tor, Rowdermill, Galler, Acherton and Standon on the Forest of Dartmoor; that during the period for which the Admiralty and the War Office used Peter Tavy Great Common as exercise ground and firing ranges, cattle from the district were grazed in these areas; and in view of the decision to continue to use Peter Tavy Great Common what action he proposes to take to prevent enclosure of these lands so that they may be available for cattle from Peter Tavy Great Common.

The area of land known as the "Newtakes" mentioned has been let by the Duchy of Cornwall to agricultural tenants for well over 100 years, and I understand that there is no proposal to alter the position. Any question of grazing remains a matter for agreement between the commoners of Peter Tavy Great Common and the tenants of the "Newtakes."

asked the Minister of Supply whether research work in connection with the development of gas turbine aero-engines is regarded by His Majesty's Government as activity vital to the security of the State; and what special precautions have been adopted to preserve British supremacy in this field.

Yes. Normal security precautions are taken.