asked the Minister of Food how many retailers delivered B.U.'s collected by them to his Department, and how many did not do so, in the last three months for which particulars are available; in how many cases B.U.'s so delivered were counted in his Department; and what action has been taken by him where retailers did not deliver B.U.'s or where the number delivered was found to be deficient when counted.

I am afraid it would take too much inquiry to out the number of retailers who deliver B.U.'s to local food offices, but my Department knows of no retailer of B.U. foods who fail to do so. The proportion of coupons checked varies considerably according to the staff available at the time, although a minimum check is always carried out. If the value of the coupons is short the retailer is told and his next delivery of coupons is also checked. If it happens again or if the original deficiency is very heavy we investigate, and if the evidence is sufficient and the case is serious, we prosecute.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has any estimate of the present consumption of horse meat in Great Britain.

No.

asked the Minister of Food how many women are employed by his Department for the purpose of visiting housewives in their homes, asking them how they use their points and impressing upon them the merits of his Department's recipes; and what, in a full year, will be the cost of these activities to the taxpayer.

No one from my Department is engaged on this work. The market research agency which conducts the Points Food Survey on our behalf employs some 25 investigators. The cost in a full year, including clerical salaries and overhead expenses, is estimated at £29,000. The investigators are asked to find out whether housewives read our recipes, not to comment on them.

asked the Minister of Food what price per ton was received for the 2,986 tons of Irish seed potatoes landed at Preston and sold for stock feeding, and which cost his Department £14 10s. per ton; and what was the total loss to the taxpayer of this transaction.

119 tons were sold at 85s. per ton, 20 tons at 80s. and the rest at 75s.; the total loss involved in providing this essential reserve for late planting was £32,747.

asked the Minister of Food (1) how many tons of Danish potatoes have been landed in the last month at Plymouth;(2) how many tons of Cornish new potatoes have been loaded for Germany in the last month at Plymouth.

Eight hundred and twenty-one tons of Polish—not Danish—old potatoes which were in stock in Middlesbrough were shipped to Plymouth to meet demands from fish friers who do not use new potatoes. Seven thousand five hundred and fifty-two tons of Cornish new potatoes have been sent to Germany from that port.

asked the Minister of Food whether shopkeepers are now permitted to sell bananas freely to the general public.

No. Bananas at present may only be sold to the under 18's and to expectant mothers. But as announced on Monday, 14th June, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Epping (Mrs. Manning) we are making arrangements to give a share also to people over 70.

asked the Minister of Food in which areas milk retailers' associations have refused to allow housewives freedom of choice of milkman; and, roughly, what percentage of the population have been denied the opportunity of changing their registrations.

Milk retailers' associations in some parts of the country passed resolutions recommending their members to refuse new customers but I do not know how many did so. The recommendation will have been inaffective wherever Co-operative Societies retail milk. I will let my hon. Friend know, as soon as the figures can be collected, how far consumers have availed themselves of permission to re-register for milk.

asked the Minister of Food what are the value of the annual sales of National Dried Milk, the amount of the subsidy necessitated on annual sales and the cost and selling price per tin; and whether the expense of maintaining stocks in and selling from food offices is included in the cost.

The annual value of the sales of National Dried Milk for the year ended 31st March, 1948 was £1,423,000 involving a subsidy of about £4,088,000. The cost per 20 oz. tin is about 3s. 4d. which includes the expenses of maintaining stocks in and distribution from food offices. The usual selling price of the 20 oz. tin is 10½d. but supplies are provided free in approved instances.

asked the Minister of Food why his Department is employing a local technician in East Africa in the form of a white water-finding witch-doctor; and what wage he is paying for this service.

Neither my Department nor, I understand, the Overseas Food Corporation employ such technicians, but I understand that the services described in the Question are available from African consultants in Tanganyika for a fee of 1s.

asked the Minister of Food whether supplies of liquid milk can now be made available to the Llanwarne district of Herefordshire.

We are doing all we can to arrange supplies of liquid milk for the families resident in the Llanwarne district of Herefordshire but because of the scattered nature of the communities considerable difficulty is being experienced in persuading the local producers to retail milk in the area. Some progress has been made since the hon. Member wrote to me on the matter and probably less than 20 families are still without liquid milk. We shall continue our efforts but these families can get National Dried Milk or Condensed Milk free of points on application to the local food office.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the owner of a block of fiats in Reading who recently applied to the Food Office in Reading for authority to purchase one cake of soap a fortnight to clean the entrance hall and staircases and who after making due application in writing and attending personally at the food office was advised to apply to the Wokingham food office and from there was sent on to an office at Bracknell was informed ultimately that after reference to higher authority it had been decided that no soap could be allowed for this purpose; and if he will take steps to ensure that owners of property in such cases are readily allowed to buy essential cleaning materials.

I am sorry that Air-Commodore Cresswell Turner was put to this trouble. We cannot spare soap for cleaning halls and staircases in blocks of flats, and he should have been told so when he first applied. Unrationed cleaning materials suitable for this purpose can be readily purchased.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will make a statement on the proposed transfer of submarines to the Royal Netherlands Navy.

His Majesty's Submarines "Tapir" and "Taurus" are to be lent to the Royal Netherlands Navy for a period of four years. "Taurus" was transferred on 4th June and the "Tapir" will be transferred on 18th June.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the sum paid in overtime rates to employees of his Department for the 1946–47 financial year.

During 1946–47 approximately £460,000 was paid in overtime to the non-industrial staff of the Admiralty. To provide similar information concerning the industrials would require a disproportionate amount of work.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many Royal Naval Auxiliary flying personnel volunteers have resigned, in view of the fact that they are having to give up their basic petrol for the purpose of travelling to Royal Naval air stations; and if he will immediately review the position.

No resignations have been received from officers of the R.N.V.R. Air Squadrons on this account.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the percentage of steel allocated to Messrs. Harland and Wolff, Belfast, and the percentage of steel allocated to shipyards in Great Britain with a similar tonnage; and why Messrs. Harland and Wolff, Belfast, are receiving less than half their requirements.

Particulars of steel allocations are confidential, but I can assure my hon. Friend that Messrs. Harland and Wolff are being allocated a fair share of the steel available for shipbuilding, and that their allocations are substantially more than half their requirements.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he is aware that the number of telephone lines available on the Coventry telephone exchange is inadequate for the requirements of the city, and will not provide the services necessary for the population and industries anticipated under the city's development plan; and what steps he is taking to overcome this shortage;(2) when he proposes to build a new telephone exchange for Coventry.

The resources of the Post Office in manpower and plant are severely restricted to meet the needs of the national export drive and I regret that Coventry, in common with other towns, cannot be provided for some considerable time with all the telephones it needs. A new telephone exchange is planned for Coventry but the site bought for this purpose is now required for the city's replanning and a new one will have to be obtained. Erection of the necessary building, and manufacture, installation and testing of the equipment, will take a number of years. In the meantime, the needs of industry and other essential users in Coventry will be met by two small new exchanges to be opened this year, and by an extension of the main exchange to its maximum capacity which I hope will be completed during 1950.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to recruit further Post Office staff to ease the difficulties under which Post Office workers generally are labouring.

In general, the Post Office has enough staff to meet requirements. If my hon. Friend has any particular place in mind, I will make inquiries

asked the Postmaster-General what steps are being taken to reduce the waiting period on telephone calls in the London area.

There has been a general improvement during the last six months in the time to answer telephone calls. I can assure the hon. Member that we shall not relax our efforts to secure further improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the parents of Sergeant Ralph Blackton Butler, No. 1577781 R.A.F.V.R., who was reported missing and is now known to be buried in Germany, will be granted facilities to visit their son's grave; and, as it is over 15 months since he promised to announce a decision by a committee of the three Service Departments, who were considering the matter, when that committee's report will be made available.

Details of the scheme for assisting relatives to visit war graves were announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War on 13th April. As was then stated, Germany cannot at present be included in the scheme because of difficulties about transport and accommodation; there is also much work to be done before the cemeteries are completed. It is hoped, however, that visits to Germany will be possible next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is satisfied with the standard of recent weather forecasts of his Department's Meteorological Department; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The great majority of the forecasts issued recently by the Meteorological Office have been substantially correct. The forecast of the week of fine weather at Whitsun and the forecasts for the Trooping of the Colour are examples. In the latter case, the forecasts were confirmed when thunderstorms took place in many parts of London; it is not possible, however, and perhaps will never be possible, to predict the exact place and time when thunderstorms will occur. I am satisfied that the staff of the Meteorological Office are fully qualified for the difficult task of forecasting. They are assisted and advised in their research work by the Meteorological Research Committee which includes many of the most eminent scientists in this field in the country. It will, however, be appreciated that the complexity of meteorological problems is such that substantial progress in the quality of forecasts in general must inevitably take some time.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the R.A.F. team in the International Gliding Competition will be using British-built sailplanes.

No R.A.F. team will be taking part in this competition. I understand that the British Gliding Association have invited two R.A.F. officers to join the British team and that these officers will be using the German-built gliders which they have been practising on in Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that the Southend Road, Hornchurch, which was closed by his Department during the war, still remains closed; and whether, in view of the fact that this road crosses the portion of the Hornchurch aerodrome, which is no longer in use, he will arrange for the public to have access to the road.

My Department has no objection to this road being re-opened. A great deal of work is, however, necessary to make it fit for public use and it is for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport to say when the work will be carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of Polish officers and other ranks who are being maintained by his Department at the latest date for which figures are available.

Seven hundred and ninety-four officers and 3,173 airmen and airwomen. These numbers are steadily being reduced as resettlement proceeds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department are taking to assist local authorities to obtain accommodation for chief fire officers and other individuals who are being appointed to county fire brigades.

My right hon. Friend regrets that the assistance which his Department can give is strictly limited but he would be glad to consider any suggestion within the limits of Government policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made by county councils in setting up county fire brigades.

The fire service was transferred to the new fire authorities including county councils, on 1st April as a "going concern" and is at present being operated by those authorities under the establishment schemes prepared by them under the Fire Service Act, 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is intended to deport to Germany the Ukrainian Labour Division which has been working here.

No final decision regarding the disposal of these men has yet been taken.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will now consider the restoration of the air service between Cardiff, Bristol and Southampton, in view of the inconvenience which its suspension has caused to a large number of people.

As I informed my hon. Friend on 5th November last year, the Cardiff-Bristol-Southampton service was withdrawn because of the lack of public demand and the consequent loss at which it operated. There is nothing to indicate that the service would be more widely used if it were now resumed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will make a statement of the executive functions performed at present by the Scottish Division of B.E.A.C.

I am informed by British European Airways Corporation that the manager of the Scottish Division of that Corporation is responsible to the Central Executive through the general manager, British Services. British European Airways Corporation officials in charge of stations in Scotland report direct to the manager of the Scottish Division. Administrative staff based at Renfrew cover the following functions: traffic, commercial and sales, supplies, personnel, aircraft maintenance, aircrew, catering and medical services. These branches are under the control of the manager of Scottish Division with general functional direction from the heads of branches at headquarters.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will state the terms of the agreement in the lease granted to the Cambrian Airways to operate the Cardiff-Weston air service.

The Air Corporations, more particularly the British European Airways Corporation, have received numerous applications from private companies to be allowed to operate on certain routes regular services reserved to the Corporations, their agents or associates under the Civil Aviation Act, 1946. Where the services are of a seasonal or special character and direct operation by the Corporations would lead to unjustified expense or diversion of effort in the present stage of their development, associate agreements have been granted under Section 14 (4) of the Act, provided the services are desirable in the public interest and ground facilities either exist or can be provided without substantial extra cost to the taxpayer. These agreements

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take to revise the present inadequate allowances payable to professional witnesses in criminal courts in the light of the recommendations of the Departmental Committee on the Witnesses Allowances Order, published in February, 1947; and when this review will be brought into effect.

The amounts payable under the existing Witnesses' Allowances Order are at present being reviewed in the light of the report of the Departmental Committee referred to by the hon. Member, and I hope that it will be possible to make an amending order within the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the inconvenience being caused to residents in Stafford Court, W.8, on account of the use of Phillimore Walk as a parking place for British European Airways buses; and if the police will arrange for a more suitable parking place to be allocated in a non-residential area.

I understand that Phillimore Walk is used by coaches for picking up and setting down passengers as part of a route approved by the licensing authority for public service vehicles, and any alteration of the arrangement is a matter for that authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the annoyance being caused to residents in Abingdon Villas, Kensington, W.8, on account of the heavy traffic at all hours of the day and night in connection with the new British European Airways Station which has been opened in Kensington; and if the police will take steps to divert this traffic through a non-residential area.

As the vehicles concerned are not on service the operators are at liberty to use any route they may choose, but they use this route on police advice for general traffic convenience. The Commissioner of Police is, however, examining the possibility of re-routing the coaches after traffic peak hours.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that his recent announcement that men teachers in the national schools are becoming ten a penny, discourages further recruitment of men teachers; and whether, in view of the existing congestion in the schools by which classes of 40 are regarded as proper by regulations, he will issue another statement on this matter.

I regret that a casual remark of mine, intended merely to emphasize the difficulties in the supply of women teachers as compared with men, should have been torn out of its context and given undue importance. My plans for training sufficient teachers to meet the needs of the schools are fully set out in a circular to be issued this week. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of this circular.

asked the Minister of Education how many development plans have been submitted by local education authorities; which authorities have so far failed to submit plans; how many have been approved; and which are the authorities within this last category.

One hundred and thirty-seven local education authorities in England and Wales have submitted complete development plans and six authorities have submitted one or more instalments. No plans have yet been received from Bradford, Carlisle and Portsmouth. Following is the list of the 15 authorities whose plans have been approved:

asked the Minister of Education how many young workers between the ages of 15 and 18 are now released by industry and commerce for part-time education; and what is the comparable figure for the two previous years and for 1938.

The most recent figures available are those for the educational year 1946–47 during which 96,000 young workers aged 15, 16 or 17 were released by their employers for part-time education.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total value of seizures of dutiable goods entering Northern Ireland from Eire; and the amount realised from salvage sale of these goods for 12 months ended 31st May, 1947.

asked the Minister of Education how many men and women, respectively, are undergoing recognised courses for youth training and in which universities and university colleges; what are the comparable figures for the two previous years; and what arrangements are being made for the future training of such men and women, especially those over the age of 20 years and who are married, when the further education and training grants are no longer available.

The reply to the first part of this Question is given in the table below. The answer to the second part of the question is that the future training of youth leaders and community centre wardens is at present under consideration by a committee of officers of my Department and I propose to await their recommendations.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total number of personnel of the Customs and Excise Department employed on duties on the Border of Northern Ireland; the total cost of same and the total amount of the grant made to the Government of Northern Ireland for the services of the Royal Ulster Constabulary on Customs patrol for the 12 months ended 31st May, 1948.

There are 86 members of the Customs and Excise Department stationed on the land boundary of Northern Ireland, 14 of whom have recently been posted there. During the year ended 31st May, 1948, the total cost of services by the Department in connection with the boundary was approximately £47,000 and payments for Customs work performed by the Royal Ulster Constabulary amounted to approximately £68,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his intention in view of the continuing progress of inflation in the U.S.A., to seek to correct the disparity between British costs and world prices, in terms of sterling, through an upward revision of the pound-dollar exchange from 4.03 to 4.43.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for War how far remuneration to physicians and surgeons, with full specialist qualifications and experience serving in R.A.M.C., compares with the recommendations of the Spens Committee.

No exact comparison can be made between specialists in the R.A.M.C. and the civilian specialists with whose remuneration the report mentioned in the Question is concerned. The rates of pay and allowances of officers serving in the R.A.M.C. are set out in Appendix I of Army Estimates, 1948–49.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that large numbers of hungry dogs, which belonged to British Service personnel, have been observed in Palestine since the withdrawal of this personnel; how many requests from soldiers to take their dogs with them were made; and how many refused.

Until this month soldiers in Palestine granted licences by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries have been allowed to bring dogs home in troopships. Owing to lack of suitable kennel accommodation and for hygienic reasons, this concession has now been withdrawn, and soldiers are not allowed to bring dogs with them in troopships. I understand that 45 applications for licences from military personnel in Palestine have been received and granted since last October. I have no information as to how many requests have been refused since 1st June.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether rights of appeal for disabilities alleged to be due to peacetime service will be granted similar to those granted by his Department for wartime disabilities.

This matter is under active consideration, and I hope to make a statement in the near future.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what arrangements are made for Royal Naval Auxiliary flying personnel volunteers to receive petrol for fourteen days' annual training at Royal Naval Air Station, Culdrose; and why some applications have been refused and the commanding officer has himself received some petrol.

None, since alternative means of transport are available. I understand, however, that an allowance was made to one officer in response to an urgent appeal after his original application had been refused and we are making inquiries into the circumstances in which this allowance was granted.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the total number of ponies employed in coalmines in Great Britain; the number employed in the Durham and Northumberland coalfields in Scotland and in Lancashire; and the reasons for any disparity in the proportion of ponies employed to output in these coalfields.

The total number of horses employed underground at coal mines in Great Britain at 30th June, 1947, the latest date for which figures are available, was 21,013. The number employed in the Durham coalfield was 7,747, in Northumberland 2,691, in Scotland 246 and in Lancashire 7. The disparity in the proportion of horses employed in relation to the coal output of these coalfields is due to the differences in methods of working.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much coal was cut by machinery in Scotland in 1947, or the latest year for which figures are available; what percentage of total Scottish output this constituted; in how many Scottish mines were coal cutting machines installed; and how many machines were in use that year.

Of the total output of deep-mined coal raised and weighed in Scotland in 1947, 19,773,000 tons or 85 per cent. was cut by machinery. In the week ended 13th December, 1947, there were 238 mines at which coal cutting machines were installed. The total number of machines was 1,653, of which 1,229 were in use during the week.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much coal was conveyed by machinery in Scottish mines in 1947, or latest year for which figures are available; what percentage this was of total Scottish output; at how many Scottish mines conveying machines were in use; what was the total number of such machines; and how many of this total were power-loaders and gate-end loaders.

Of the total output of deep-mined coal raised and weighed in Scotland in 1947, 15,884,000 tons, or 68.3 per cent., was mechanically conveyed from the working face. In the week ended 13th December, 1947, there were 127 coal mines at which conveying machines were installed. There were 1,825 conveyors installed, of which 1,541 were in use during the week. In addition, there were 58 power loaders and 76 gate-end loaders installed, of which 33 and 56 respectively were in use.

asked the Minister of Supply what decision has been reached on the question of the Clyde Estuary site for an integrated steel plant or what is the reason for the delay; and when he expects a decision will be made.

No decision has yet been reached. The long-term plans for the future of the steel industry in Scotland may have far-reaching effects and the thorough examination of the various proposals at present in progress necessarily takes some time.

asked the Minister of Supply what quantity of scrap metal has been brought here from Germany.

The total quantity of scrap metal brought here from Germany up to 31st May, 1948, is 857,602 tons.

asked the Minister of Works how many workers in the building and civil engineering industry in Scotland are engaged on the construction of new houses, the repair and maintenance of housing, new schools, hospitals and social building, agricultural building, the building of new factories, the hydro-electric scheme and other major civil engineering projects, commercial building and the maintenance and repair of existing buildings.

The numbers of workers engaged on the various types of work, including those employed direct by local authorities, are approximately as follow:

asked the Minister of Works what was the respective price and estimated cost per house of 900 superficial feet in 1938 and for the most recent convenient date, of each of the

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the average of inferior grass and derelict land which he estimates could be brought into full production; and what active steps are being taken to reduce the acreage of unproductive land.

County agricultural executive committees are responsible, as my agents, for ensuring, either by advice or by the powers delegated to them under the Agriculture Act, 1947, that agricultural land under their jurisdiction, and other land which is capable of agricultural use, is used to the best advantage having regard to the alternative uses for the available resources of labour, machinery, etc. It is impossible to estimate the acreage which is still capable of improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new hospitals have been approved in Scotland since the end of the war; on how many is work in progress; how many have been completed; and when it is expected that the remainder will be completed.

One new hospital has been approved since the end of the war. This is a maternity hospital at Hawkhead, Paisley, which will provide 100 beds. I hope that work will start very shortly and

Prices vary according to locality and the cost per house varies, in addition, according to type of construction and specification. The following figures must therefore be regarded as lying within a wide range of variation.that the hospital will be completed in about four years' time. In addition, some large houses and other suitable premises have been converted or are being converted into hospitals or annexes to existing hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new maternity beds were supplied in Scottish hospitals in 1945, 1946 and 1947, respectively.

The number of new maternity beds provided in hospitals in Scotland during 1945, 1946 and 1947, was 46, 168 and 86, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new T.B. beds were supplied in Scottish hospitals in 1945, 1946 and 1947, respectively.

No new buildings have been provided in the year referred to, but in 1947 300 more beds were brought into use in existing hospitals.

asked the Minister of Defence what is the relation of the British Joint Services Mission to the Anglo-American Combined Chiefs of Staff Board in Washington.

The Heads of the three Services in this mission are the British members of the Combined Chiefs of Staff.