asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can now state what steps he is proposing to take with regard to the applications for the extradition of Dr. Wladislaw Dering as an alleged war criminal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Dr. Wladislaw Dering was listed as a war criminal on three occasions by the United Nations War Crimes Commission; that charges against him have been preferred by the Governments of Czechoslovakia, France and Poland; and His Majesty's Government are satisfied that a prima facie case has been established against Dr. Dering that, as an assistant Medical Officer in charge of the Oswiecim concentration camp, he was responsible for the segregation and collection of Allied personnel for destruction in the gas chambers, and that in addition he participated in experiments on living human beings; and whether, in view of all these facts, he will, without further delay, arrange for the deportation of this person so that he can stand his trial as a war criminal.

It has been found requisite to make some further inquiries which will take a little time to complete.

In view of the very serious charges that have been made against Dr. Dering, including charges of having performed sterilisation and other experimental operations on a large scale, and in view of the fact that he has already been detained without trial in this country for a very long time, is it not eminently desirable that this matter should be judicially investigated without further delay?

That judicial investigation, as far as it concerns the establishment of a prima facie case, is going on.

In view of the fact that the Foreign Secretary informed the Polish Government on 27th April of this year that we were satisfied that a prima facie case was made out and that the man would be deported forthwith, can the Home Secretary say what are the reasons for a further investigation being required?

Yes, Sir. Some further rebutting evidence was submitted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long Colonel Tassoev was kept at Hammersmith police station; did he ask at the police station to see the Soviet Consul or state who he was; and was he taken to any other place from the police station before leaving the country.

Colonel Tassoev was at Hammersmith police station from 6th May to 20th May, when he was returned to the Soviet authorities. During that period, he was not taken from the police station to any other place. The police knew who he was. As regards the remainder of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave last Thursday to my hon. Friend the Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) and the hon. Member for West Fife (Mr. Gallacher).

Is the Home Secretary aware that the information which he has now given is at variance with what we have been told before, when he told us that this man was temporarily detained at Hammersmith police station, and that now he says he was there for 14 days? May I ask him why could not the Soviet authorities in this country have been informed that he was here and would be transferred to them?

This man came from abroad, and was returned to the place abroad from which he came.

Does the right hon. Gentleman recollect that, last Thursday, he gave an undertaking to the hon. Member for Farnham (Mr. Nicholson) that he would get into touch with the Foreign Secretary to consider the desirability of publishing a connected statement about this affair? May I ask him if the Foreign Secretary has been consulted, and who we are to recommend for the Nobel Prize for fairy stories—the Foreign Secretary or the Home Secretary?

I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend. There are no fairy tales about this, and this man is no fairy.

Has the Foreign Secretary taken into consideration the suggestion which I made to him last Thursday? Is he aware of the very prejudicial effect which the mythical fairy stories concerning this episode have had in Soviet circles and the Red Army, and will he see that a connected account is widely published?

I am carrying out the promise which I gave in answer to the hon. Gentleman last week.

May I ask if my right hon. Friend is aware that many persons in this country who are opposed to this individual still think that the Government story does not ring very well in the country, and is it not time that he made up a connected story to tell the country?

We are not endeavouring to make up a connected story. I am as anxious as the hon. Gentleman that the full facts shall be made known, but I did not come into the picture until 6th May.

Will the Home Secretary explain why the Soviet Embassy in this country could not be informed that a Soviet military citizen had been incarcerated for 14 days in a police station without a charge being made against him?

When aliens are landed in the circumstances in which this man was landed, it is not customary to inform the Embassy or Legation.

asked the Minister of Health if he will frame regulations or take other steps to make it compulsory for the vendor of a house built previously to 1939 to announce its 1938 value to the purchaser.

I have no power to make such regulations.

Can my right hon. Friend say what steps he proposes to take to deal with the inflated prices of houses for sale at present, and has he not received representations on this subject from national bodies?

This matter has been raised from time to time. It has been generally accepted that it would be almost impossible to frame laws which would prevent this mischief, and it is not wise to frame laws which can be disregarded by citizens. I believe that housing prices are now beginning to fall.

Does my right hon. Friend consider that the worst abuses in this matter might be obviated if the seller had to register the price last paid with the local authority?

I have no power to enforce that.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the worst abuses would be obviated by building more houses?

That is precisely what is happening.

asked the Minister of Health why the average cost of building the typical three-bedroom house, which was given by him as £980 on 5th March, 1946, is no longer available.

The £980 was a tender price. No reliable average figures of final cost are yet available.

Does that answer mean that the right hon. Gentleman is quite unable at this time to state the price of houses?

The price of the tender is not always the price which the house eventually costs, because there are almost invariably p.c. items which go up in price, and the final costs are invariably higher. I have got some final costs in mind, but I am not yet able to give a reliable figure for the country as a whole.

asked the Minister of Health whether, without requiring applications from individual local authorities, he will delegate powers generally to all local authorities to requisition the unoccupied portions of residential property offered for sale with part-vacant possession.

I feel unable to accept this suggestion.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that he has expressed his willingness to consider applications from local authorities for these powers? Why impose that condition instead of granting these powers generally?

Because these powers are conferred by statute upon the Minister of Health, and they are very wide and unusual powers. They were devolved by me upon the clerks to local authorities in exceptional conditions. The conditions are not now so exceptional, but where there are circumstances in which those powers could be used, I can be asked, and the powers can be exercised quickly.

Why has my right hon. Friend withdrawn from the clerks to local authorities the delegated powers to requisition vacant accommodation for housing purposes?

For the reasons which I have already given. It is not now necessary to exercise these powers as widely and as frequently as was the case a few years ago. Therefore, we can exercise them through the clerks to the local authorities by delegation.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to secure that before licences are given for the erection of houses by private persons the proposed elevations and materials shall be subject to architectural advice and approval.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to make it a condition of the issue of licences for private buildings that the houses shall conform to the standards and requirements of the Housebuilders Registration Council.

I would refer the hon. Members to Circular 34/47, copies of which I am sending to them. Local authorities will be reminded of the need to ensure a good standard of construction and amenity.

Is the Minister aware that if something much more effective than that is not done we shall have the same degradation of both town and country that occurred in the 100 years before the war as a result of Tory, Liberal and Labour misrule and bad taste? Why does not the Minister use the powers which he has, under Section 14 (3, c) of the last Town and Country Planning Act, to require local planning authorities to consult architectural opinion?

I shall bear in mind what the hon. Member has said. I shall be only too pleased to exercise such controls as are necessary to produce good housing standards.

Would the right hon. Gentleman say specifically whether these houses will have to conform to the standard specification referred to in my Question, which involves the giving of a certificate to that effect?

It is not intended to do that at the moment. As the hon. Gentleman knows, I have given every encouragement to the Housebuilders' Registration Council—rather more than was given in the past, I think. This is a matter for some discipline by the builders themselves, and by the local authorities, but if there are likely to be abuses I will certainly take action to prevent them.

When my right hon. Friend says that local authorities have power to require "good standards of construction and amenities," can he say whether "amenities" in that context includes decent design or merely refers to baths, h. and c., and so on?

I am afraid it does not include design. We have no Ministry of Fine Arts.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that his colleague the Minister of Town and Country Planning has ample powers of supervision and control of external appearance and design?

I am very glad to be able to welcome this urgency from hon. Members opposite to impose more controls.

asked the Minister of Health whether consideration has been given to the position arising on the death or bankruptcy of intending owner-occupiers referred to in paragraph eight of his Departmental circular 108/48, dated 25th June, 1948; and with what result.

A licence is personal and is not transferable. Where necessary, an application for a new licence to complete the structure would be considered by the local authority on its individual merits.

Would the Minister give consideration to the specific question asked here, because otherwise contractual difficulties of various sorts might ensue in the event of the circumstances referred to in the Question?

I will certainly consider that further.

asked the Minister of Education (1) whether he has now reminded education authorities of the standing instructions issued by the Ministry of Health and his Department that a teacher found to be suffering from active tuberculosis shall be suspended from teaching;

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a memorandum which has been issued reminding education authorities of the action to be taken when a teacher is found to be suffering from active tuberculosis. The memorandum does not require teachers to be medically examined at regular intervals after their entry into teaching service.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that it is extremely dangerous to rely on a medical inspection which may have taken place 15, 20 or 25 years earlier, probably without the assistance of radiography, and how does he propose to make his answer effective without regular medical inspections?

My hon. Friend will see from the memorandum that I am suggesting greater use might be made of mass radiography. But compulsion is a question, I think, which would need to be very carefully considered.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether more could not be done to encourage teachers to have examinations by mass radiography every five or ten years?

I think my hon. Friend will find that that question is raised in the memorandum.

Is the memorandum to be printed in HANSARD or made available in the Library to hon. Members?

It has been sent by the Ministry of Education to local authorities, but it could be put in the Library if desired.

Would the right hon. Gentleman put it in the Library?

Yes.

Would my right hon. Friend also extend that idea to doctors, nurses, milk attendants and all other people who are in very close contact with children today?

asked the Minister of Education if he will now make a statement on the effect on our schools' staffs of the award of special allowances to certain teachers, causing thereby in a large number of cases the payment of different salaries to persons equally qualified and of equal experience and performing similar duties; and if he will cause an inquiry to be made with a view to remedying this anomaly.

Under the current Burnham scales the local education authority is given discretion within limits to determine the number of posts of special responsibility and the amount of the allowances. This provision, which follows a similar provision in the previous report, received the fullest consideration by the Committee and I see no grounds for a special inquiry.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in many cases these awards are automatically granted every year to members of the staff, and is he not also aware that greater use of these awards is now being made by certain local authorities to try to attract teachers into their employment, and do not these circumstances justify a full inquiry into these matters?

I would certainly not accept the first two suggestions made by the hon. Member, and, therefore, the third does not arise.

asked the Minister of Education how many camps were constructed under the Camps Act of 1939; the total cost to the latest convenient date; the purpose to which they are now being put; and the degree to which the accommodation provided is utilised.

Thirty-one camps were constructed in England and Wales under the Camps Act, 1939. The total capital expenditure incurred on them was £1,055,390; running costs are met from the revenue received from the letting of the camps. Twenty-nine are let to local education authorities for parties of children from schools maintained by them, one is used by an orphanage school, and one is occupied by the military. The effective period of occupation varies from nine to 11 months of the year, and the average number of children per camp during the year ended 31st March, 1948, was 177.

Does the revenue cover the whole of the capital cost as well as the sinking fund and maintenance charges? Is there any reason why the military should remain in occupation of a camp which was set up by order of the right hon. Gentleman's Department for the benefit of children, and to give them a place at which to have open-air holidays?

I could not give the answer to the first part of the supplementary question without notice. With regard to the second part, I will make inquiry.

In view of the importance of the camps in providing holiday facilities, will my right hon. Friend say whether the National Camps Corporation is still in existence? If it is not, will he consider its re-establishment?

It is in existence, and these camps are let by that Corporation. The fact that 30 out of 31 are being used by school children, and being used for 11 months of the year, seems to me to show that they could not make much more use of them.

In view of the figure of 177, the number actually using each camp on the average, could the right hon. Gentleman tell us what would have been the maximum number, or what percentage 177 is of the capacity of the camps?

When I have been given time to work it out.

Can my right hon. Friend tell us what steps are being taken to get the military out of the camp, and to make it available for the children?

I have already said I shall make inquiry.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will instruct local education authorities to give publicity in schools to the danger of children playing on uncleared bomb sites.

I am sure I can rely on the good sense of local education authorities and the heads of schools to give such advice when it is needed.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that only a low days ago a child was killed on one of these sites? As these sites are dangerous, will he give instructions to education authorities that they should do something about this matter?

Already, on two occasions, not instructions but advice has been given in this direction, and I am sure that this Question and answer will further the advice already given.

While it is important to warn children of these dangers, will my right hon. Friend use all his influence to get these bomb sites cleared as soon as possible?

asked the Minister of Education whether he will consider initiating special lectures in schools in urban areas with a view to combating hooliganism and vandalism.

Teachers are accustomed to help their pupils to develop good manners and civilised standards of behaviour, and I do not consider that any special action on my part is necessary.

Is not my right hon. Friend aware that there is a local authority in London which has initiated these special lectures with very good results, and will he encourage other local authorities to follow this excellent example?

I would not do anything to prevent them following a line of that kind, but if every experiment made in schools of a particular character is sponsored by the Minister, there would be no curriculum but just a lot of special subjects.

Will the Minister bear in mind that whatever the standard of behaviour in Bedford, there is no need for these lectures in Oldham?

Before the right hon. Gentleman attempts to give lectures against vandalism in those areas, will he give a lecture to hon. Members in this House? Has he looked at the telephone kiosks in this House?

I have no control over that, but I will consider it.

Is my right hon. Friend aware, with regard to the previous supplementary question, that my Question did not have its fount and origin in Bedford, but in London?

asked the Minister of Education why the provision and erection of Horsa huts is not up to the time and progress schedule laid down by his Department; what are the main reasons for this delay; and what action is being taken to increase the supply of huts during the forthcoming autumn when the full effects of raising the school-leaving age will be realised.

The provision and erection of Horsa huts is not up to schedule for the reason given in my reply to the hon. Member on 4th March last. The supply of huts is adequate but shortages of some items of equipment continue to delay completion of the work. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Works is doing his utmost to accelerate erection of the huts.

asked the Minister of Education (1) whether, in view of the fact that men now undergoing emergency courses for the teaching profession are unable to meet their own and family responsibilities under the present grants, he will consider a new scale to cover such full responsibilities;

Grants to students in the Emergency Training Scheme are based on rates recommended to me by the scholarship committees at the various universities and include extra allowances to meet the special needs of these students. I am at present considering whether the present scales are adequate, but I cannot yet make any statement. Meantime, I am always ready to consider any individual case of hardship and, if necessary, to increase the grant so far as I have financial authority to do so.

Can the Minister say how long the process of reconsideration is likely to last, and would he, in the meantime, send a copy of his answer to every college, so that all those people in financial distress will know how to secure redress?

I have not found any reluctance on the part of members of colleges who have been in difficulties to write to me. I do not see the necessity for the suggestion.

asked the Minister of Education how many ex-Service men have been accepted for emergency training colleges and are still awaiting entrance.

The number of ex-Service men who have been accepted but not yet offered a place in a college was 8,577 on 24th June.

Will my right hon. Friend now consider giving some definite ruling, because these young men have now been waiting for something like two years? Only last night two of them came to see me here. One is earning £140 a year as a temporary teacher, and the other man, with two children, has been waiting for 2½ years. They both said that if the right hon. Gentleman could give a definite ruling that it is not much good their waiting, it would save a great deal of anxiety.

I am sending out a circular, pointing out the effect of our having had to increase the number of women to be taken into these colleges. In the cases which the hon. Member has mentioned, where they have been waiting for that length of time, I have no doubt a satisfactory answer can be given.

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is still his policy to bring about reductions in manpower in the building industry, the clothing trade, and the local government service as given in Table XXI of the Economic Survey for 1948; and whether he is satisfied with the progress made in the first four months of this year.

It has never been my policy to reduce employment in any industry. As is most clearly explained in the Economic Survey for 1948, the Government's policy is to reinforce the essential industries which are under-manned. The figures showing reductions in certain other industries given in the Economic Survey are merely forecasts of what was likely to happen, and are not objectives.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the changes in the distribution of labour in the first four months of this year, he is satisfied that the increases referred to in paragraph 186 of the Economic Survey for 1948 can be achieved.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 22nd June to a similar question asked by the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Beswick).

Is it not the fact that these were stated as objectives in the Economic Survey, and that according to the figures of the first four months of 1948 recruitment to the under-manned trades has not been up to the standard set by the Government? Will the Minister make a statement on what further steps he is taking to increase the recruitment during the next few months?

The answer to the second part of the supplementary question is that the information was given in the reply to the hon. Member for Uxbridge on 22nd June, which, sets out further figures.

Is it my right hon. Friend's policy to increase the number of workers employed in the building trade as far as Scotland is concerned?

That is quite another question.

asked the Minister of Labour why he has requested the co-operation of employees and trade unions in reducing the number of workers in the clothing industry; and if he will give an assurance that he will not direct such workers to do other work.

I have not asked any industry to reduce the number of workers they employ. What I have done is to ask employers in textile areas to facilitate the transfer of suitable workers to the textile industries. Compulsory directions are not being used under this scheme.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has recognised for grant aid scales of wages negotiated between the managements of blind workshops and the local authorities, on the one hand, and the recognised representatives of blind workers, on the other; why there has been delay in reaching a settlement of the wage scale; and what difficulties lie in the way of achieving agreement.

The payment which it is proposed to make to local authorities towards their costs in providing employment for blind persons is not related to any particular scale of wages. There is, therefore, no question of wage scales needing to be recognised. Their settlement is a matter for the parties concerned.

Could the Minister tell us whether there is any difficulty over duplication of responsibility owing to the duties laid upon local authorities under the National Assistance Act and those laid on his Department under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act? It is recognised that there are very great difficulties in implementing the national scales under blind welfare, so will my right hon. Friend look into the whole question?

As to the first part of the supplementary question, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that there is no difficulty between the responsible bodies in handling this question. With regard to the scales, there is some difficulty amongst the local authorities and those acting for the workers in coming to a decision, but that does not affect the grant made by the Ministry, which is made irrespective of rates of wages.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in finding employment for the West Indians who arrived here from the "Empire Windrush"; and whether there has been any difficulty in finding housing accommodation for them near their work.

Of the 223 West Indians who landed from the "Empire Windrush" and who were accommodated at Clapham, 148 have been placed in employment. Eleven are under submission and 49 await placing. There have been no difficulties in finding accommodation other than those normally encountered owing to the housing shortage.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the West Indians concerned, and those hon. Members who have been to the Clapham deep shelter to see them, have been greatly impressed by the patience and hard work of his official, who has worked and lived down that deep shelter day and night for a whole week on end?

In view of the rather unfair comments that were made about the attitude of the Ministry in certain quarters, I am very grateful to the hon. Gentleman for what he has said.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will set up a Commission of Inquiry on unofficial strikes, in view of their menace to the food supply and other necessities of life.

I do not think this is a satisfactory method of dealing with the problem, but the position is being explored.

Could not some simpler and more direct method of dealing with such emergencies be developed, instead of waiting until a critical situation arises in the country and then declaring a state of emergency? Is not an inquiry into the whole matter opportune just now?

I think most of that supplementary question is wide of most of the Question. These unofficial strikes do not come within the purview of the Ministry of Labour until the Ministry is approached by the organisations concerned, and while we are very much concerned about these continuous outbreaks of resentment against trade union authority, we are not in a position to intervene until we are asked.