asked the Secretary of State for War how the 81,000 usable and repairable vehicles on Army Charge in Germany in June, 1947, have been disposed of.

Those vehicles which are immediately surplus to the requirements of the Army in Germany have been or are being handed over to the disposal authorities in the usual way. Up to the end of April approximately 90,000 vehicles held by Rhine Army at the end of the war had been handed over for disposal or reissued. The rest are being kept and where necessary repaired as fast as the capacity of the workshops and the supply of spare parts allow.

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps he is taking to alleviate the financial difficulties of British troops in Austria; and whether he is satisfied that the pay is sufficient to enable all ranks to buy necessaries of life in local currency, when they are unable to obtain sufficient of such necessaries through their units or from N.A.A.F.I. and welfare sources.

In stations where necessary expenditure is shown to exceed corresponding expenditure at home, a local overseas allowance is granted. Recent discussions with the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief have established that taking all considerations into account, including the availability of supplies from N.A.A.F.I., there is not at present a case for the issue of such an allowance in Austria.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning what the position is with regard to the proposed new town at Basildon.

I have consulted the local authorities who appear to me to be concerned, and they have all expressed support in principle for a new town at Basildon. The next step is to publish a draft Designation Order and this I hope to do within the next few days.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the functions of the Economic Information Unit; what is the purpose of the meeting called under its auspices for Friday, 9th July, at the Guildhall, to be addressed by him; and who have been invited to attend this meeting.

The Economic Information Unit exists to advise upon and assist in the process of making known to the public—with special concern for the needs of workers in industry—both the facts of the economic situation and the measures the Government are taking to deal with it. The object of the Guildhall meeting was to explain and emphasise the part women can play in national economic recovery and ask for the establishment of local recovery committees. Invitations were extended to Lady Mayoresses, Mayoresses, Lady Provosts, women representatives of urban district councils and women's voluntary organisations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of Defence Bonds were purchased during the last six months for re-investment at maturity of previous issues.

The savings figures record Defence Bonds purchased for cash, and it is obviously impossible to ascertain the sources from which the purchasers derive the subscription money. It may be assumed that the amount of Defence Bond purchases financed out of the repayment of maturing Bonds is small, since holders wishing to retain their investment in Defence Bonds will reinvest in the 2½ per cent. conversion issue. These reinvestments are not included in the purchases of Defence Bonds published as new savings by the National Savings Committee. I am circulating a table of figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT, which shows that out of the £88.1 million Bonds that matured in the six months between 1st November, 1947, and 30th April, 1948, £25.7 million,

3 PER CENT. DEFENCE BONDS, FIRST ISSUE.
Period.		*Total Maturities of 3 per cent. Bonds in period.	3 per cent. Bonds converted into 2½ per cent. issue.	Percentage of conversions to total maturities.
				Per cent.
22nd November, 1946 to 30th April,1947		£62,586,556	£28,830,760	46·1
1st May, 1947 to 31st October, 1947	…	£89,125,030	£40,458,455	45·4
1st November, 1947 to 30th April, 1948	…	£88,134,320	£25,741,340	29·2
1st May, 1948 to 30th August, 1948	…	£53,299,430	£16,265,340	30·5
		(Provisional)	(Provisional)	(Provisional)
Note.—The figures of total maturities exclude Bonds cashed before maturity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of registered medical students in England and Wales; and what number are State aided.

According to the latest information available there are 9,671 full-time medical students at Universities in England and Wales. 2,840 are directly State-aided. In addition, an unknown number hold local education authority major awards to which the State contributes through the educational grant.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what decisions have been taken as to development in Africa as a result of the Minister of Pensions recent tour there.

My hon. Friend's report on his tour did not in general call for immediate decisions on specific development projects. Its recommendations concerned the planning of the long-term development policy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the revised financial agreement recently concluded with Iraq.

I have not yet received the text, but it is proposed to publish it simultaneously in London and Bagdad in about a fortnight's time. I am in consultation with the Government of Iraq with a view to making details available in advance of publication of the text.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the financial terms of the recently concluded Anglo-Brazil Trade Agreement.

No. I have nothing to add, in general, to the terms of the Agreement as published in Cmd. 7438.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when copies of the National Insurance and Civil Service (Superannuation) (Schemes and Funds) Rules, 1948 (S.I., 1948, No. 1407), which came into operation on 2nd July, were obtainable from His Majesty's Stationery Office.

On 2nd July.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what investigations have already been initiated by the Government Organisation Committee; which have been completed; and what changes in organisation have been effected as a result of the recommendations made.

The main purpose of the Government Organisation Committee is to ensure that the work of overhauling the machinery of Government is carried on effectively. This is a continuous process and does not lend itself readily to itemised description. It may, however, be appropriate on occasion to announce the starting of a particular investigation. Thus, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced on 26th February the appointment of an Examiner of Controls. With regard to the last part of the Question, any important change affecting the House or the public will be announced.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how long a civil servant has to serve abroad for him to become eligible for deduction of Income Tax at local rates; and how this compares with similar cases affecting the Armed Forces.

Liability to tax under Schedule E is not affected by the length of service abroad either in the case of civil servants or in the case of members of the Forces.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many copies of the Royal Commission's Report on the Canadian Spy Trial have arrived in this country; and how many copies have now been sold.

The Stationery Office has received 4,443 copies for sale purposes and has sold 4,116.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the Purchase Tax of 33.3 per cent. on educational equipment bears especially hardly upon nursery schools depending on Montessori and similar instructional apparatus; and, as the teaching staff in these schools is inadequate and in order to avoid additional handicap to teaching, if he will consider the removal of this particular tax.

I have been asked to reply. Educational equipment generally is not chargeable with Purchase Tax but I am aware that some kinds of taxable articles are bought for educational purposes. It would not be practicable to exempt them from tax on those grounds.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the actual income, amounting to £363,856,000, from the ownership of land, houses, etc., assessed to Schedule A in 1945–46 is derived from site values.

The proportion of the annual value relating to the site is not separately ascertained for the purpose of assessment under Schedule A

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the conclusion of a Monetary Agreement between this country and Norway.

An Agreement between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Norway was signed on the 9th July and came into force on that date. The text of this Agreement which replaces the Supplementary Monetary Agreement of 27th June, 1947, will be presented to Parliament in due course.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what were the arrangements for taking currency out of the United Kingdom for emigrants before 9th April, 1948.

Before 9th April last emigrants to countries outside the sterling area were allowed to have transferred to their new country a maximum of £5,000 per family, payable in four equal annual instalments. I will send the hon. Member a leaflet giving further details.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of steel exports are covered by bilateral agreements; and from what date.

Our trade agreements up to the present date cover about 46 to 47 per cent. of our steel exports in 1948.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent ferrous wire is covered by bilateral agreements; and from what dates.

Our trade agreements do not normally specify particular types of steel. The only exception is the recent agreement with Brazil which includes an estimate of the quantity of ferrous wire to be supplied, representing about 1 per cent: of the total amount of wire we expect to export in 1948.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will facilitate the purchase of shirts, size 18 collars, as they appear to be unobtainable in the shops.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Perth and Kinross, Western, (Mr. Snadden) on 14th June, and would add that the attention of the trade has been drawn to the need for making a due proportion of larger sized shirts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what facilities exist in this country for manufacturing wood-pulp; how many factories are now in operation; and how the present capacity of the industry compares with that of the peak war years.

There are only three mills which can produce wood-pulp in this country, all of which are in operation. Their total capacity is the same as it was before the war, and is as great as it was during the war years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what practical steps the Government propose to take to facilitate and encourage the promotion and development of travel by citizens of the United States to and within this country under the terms of Article VI. 1, of the Economic Co-operation Agreement, Command Paper 7446.

We are already doing our best to develop our tourist trade with the United States and will continue to do so. If the hon. and gallant Member has any specific proposals to make I shall be very glad to consider them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if every step is being taken, in view of the need for conservation of dollars, to implement supplies of tobacco from non-dollar sources; and in particular if he will endeavour to increase the supplies of tobacco leaf from Greece.

Tobacco manufacturers are buying as much suitable tobacco as possible from non-dollar sources. With regard to supplies from Greece, United Kingdom stocks of Greek tobacco are at present adequate to meet demand but if manufacturers wish to purchase further quantities sympathetic consideration will be given to their requests for import licences.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any British manufactured jet aeroplane engines have been exported to Russia.

As my right hon. Friend informed the House on 6th May, in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Monmouth (Mr. P. Thorneycroft), 55 gas turbine engines of types not included in the secret list and available for export generally, have been exported to Russia in fulfilment of contracts signed in August, 1946, and March, 1947. Delivery of these engines was completed by January of this year. There have been no deliveries of gas turbine engines to Russia since that date.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the campaign for greater cleanliness, it is intended to make a larger supply of towels available for factories and offices.

The campaign which the hon. Member presumably has in mind is that concerned with cleanliness in handling food. Supplementary coupons for towels are already issued for workers in the catering and food trades, as well as for those in factories and some other occupations. Supplies of towels are not sufficient to allow these arrangements to be extended to offices.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the cinema at Bromyard, Herefordshire, which was destroyed in the blizzard of March, 1947, cannot be rebuilt owing to the necessary licences being refused; that this means that there is no cinema within 13 miles of Bromyard, resulting in expensive motor coach journeys to adjoining towns; and whether he will now reconsider his refusal.

This licence and a number of similar ones have been deferred in accordance with the decisions on capital investment in 1948, as set out in the White Paper, Cmd. 7268. I would refer the hon. Member particularly to paragraph 86 of Appendix A. We have reviewed the decision on the Bromyard case but are not at present prepared to reverse it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what increase has taken place in the production of sodium compounds, in particular of soda ash, since the beginning of 1948.

There has been an increase of about 6 per cent. in the output of soda ash since the beginning of 1948. There are a large number of other sodium compounds and if my hon. Friend would let me know in which of these he is interested, I will try to let him have comparable information.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many factories have been completed in the development areas since the beginning of 1948; and how many are still in course of building.

One hundred and seventeen new factory buildings and extensions (5,000 sq. ft. and over) were completed in the development areas between the 1st January and 31st May, 1948. Five hundred and thirty-seven were under construction at 31st May, the latest date for which figures are available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there is still a shortage of thick knitting wool of good quality; and what further steps he is taking to make good this deficiency.

The average monthly production of handknitting wool for the home market in the first five months of this year was slightly higher than the average for the last six months of 1947 and supplies in the shops are slowly improving. I have no information to suggest that thick knitting wool of good quality is in shorter supply than other types of handknitting yarn. The shortage of wool handknitting yarns is mainly due to shortage of labour in the spinning mills. Every effort is being made to increase the labour force and thereby to increase production, but handknitting yarn is a very valuable export and further increases in output must go largely for this purpose.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the Grenfell Factory nearing completion at Trecynon, Aberdare, will be ready for occupation; what work will be provided for disabled persons; and how many are likely to be employed.

This factory should be complete in September. It has not yet been allocated but is designed to provide employment for between 100 and 150, of whom at least 50 per cent. will be disabled persons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the 65th Report of the Comptroller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks is not being printed.

The Comptroller General's Annual Reports for the years since 1939 have been presented to Parliament in typescript because of the need for economy in the use of printing capacity. Copies are available for inspection by the general public in the Patent Office Library.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of agricultural machinery, including tractors, exported to the United States in the last 12 months; and what percentage this represents of our total production of such machinery.

The latest available figures for production are up to March, 1948; exports of agricultural machinery (mostly tractors) to U.S.A. in the 12 month period April, 1947, to march, 1948, were valued at £943,000 and represented nearly 2 per cent. of total production in the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will rescind the refusal of a licence to build a hut to Mr. D. Watt, of 4, Pennywell Road, Edinburgh, 4.

This matter is the subject of an appeal to me under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, 1947. I am arranging for a local hearing and I cannot, therefore, express any opinion at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to resolve the present deadlock between his Department and the representatives of the Scottish chemists.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what grounds his negotiations with chemists in Scotland for entry into the National Health Service have broken down.

I am glad to say that I reached an understanding with the representatives of the Scottish chemists on 1st July, and that the chemists have been providing pharmaceutical services under the new National Health Service Scheme since its commencement on 5th July.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will present the Economic Survey for Scotland.

The White Paper on Industry and Employment in Scotland will be formally presented today and copies will be available in the Vote Office tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the increasing alarm felt by many allotment holders in Scotland at their insecurity of tenure; and whether he is yet able to make a statement on this subject.

I am not in a position to add to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member on this subject on 6th April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is his intention to set up an Allotments Advisory Committee for Scotland.

No. I have the benefit of direct advice from allotment holders and other interested parties and I do not think that anything would be gained by setting up an intermediary body.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that, because of the coming into force of the Health Act, local authorities in Scotland are reducing their staffs of doctors; and if he will issue a circular making it clear to all local authorities that the new Act does not relieve them of their responsibilities for health services and that no wholesale reduction of staffs should be made.

Apart from the transfer of hospital and other services to the Regional Hospital Boards, I am not aware that local authorities are reducing their public health medical staff. But medical officers employed in providing general practitioner medical care under the old Poor Law are no longer required, because this has been replaced by the facilities offered to the whole population by the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the fact that a number of Outdoor Medical Service doctors in Glasgow have had their services dispensed with by the Glasgow Corporation with no assurance of further employment; and whether under the circumstances he will endeavour to find employment for these displaced doctors under the National Health scheme.

I understand that, out of 23 doctors formerly employed whole time in the Outdoor Medical Service, eight have accepted other employment and two more are about to be offered posts. Of the other 13, seven have entered general practice in the city, and it is open to the remaining six to enter general practice in an where there are not already sufficient doctors. Compensation can be claimed in respect of any loss of emoluments resulting from the termination of the service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland who is now in charge of farming operations at Ballinaby Farm, in the Island of Islay, which was requisitioned by the Department of Agriculture in 1943; and if the latest accounts in respect of the farm can now be furnished.

In November, 1947, the management of Ballinaby Farm was taken over from the South Argyll Agricultural Executive Committee by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland. The publication of accounts will be resumed next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the demands upon existing housing accommodation in Edinburgh made by the staffs of nationalised undertakings and Government Departments he will consider giving additional facilities to the Corporation for the provision of new accommodation.

Everything possible is being done to provide additional accommodation for Government Departments in Edinburgh which will permit the release of private houses at present occupied by them. At the end of last year, however, I authorised the Corporation to start up to 300 additional new houses during 1948 and I shall extend this authority as soon as this seems justified by the progress made with houses now under construction.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) the number of houses under construction by the Scottish Special Housing Association in counties and large burghs in Scotland;(2) the number of houses in the counties and large burghs in Scotland for which contracts have been made by the Scottish Special Housing Association, but where building operations have not yet been started;(3) if new contracts are to be made by the Scottish Special Housing Association to build houses in the counties and large burghs in Scotland, in 1949 and 1950.

6,383 houses are under construction by the Scottish Special Housing Association, and 558 are contracted for but not begun, in counties and large burghs in Scotland. The Association will be responsible for substantial additional programmes of houses for miners in 1949 and 1950. These houses will be built in areas selected by the National Coal Board and will be sited in counties, large burghs or small burghs as may be most convenient.

asked the Minister of Labour in what industries the men who were discharged from the Polish land forces for refusing to rejoin the Polish Resettlement Corps, or to be repatriated, have been placed by his Department.

The number of men concerned is only between four and five hundred, and information as to the industries in which they have been placed is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that Dr. Arpad-Osgyani and his wife, admitted to England as voluntary workers, and now waiting at a collecting centre to be employed as farm or textile workers, would be wasted in that employ, as Dr. Osgyani has been physician-director of a State hospital in Hungary and for some time in 1945 acted as physician to the R.A.F., while his wife was in charge of cooking in the officers' mess and, as they both wish to be employed in the capacities for which they are qualified, if he will inquire into the matter.

I am having inquiries made and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour on what basis awards are made to law students by his Department; why the amount is £23 a year less than for law students attending universities where awards are made by the Ministry of Education; and whether he will now take steps to remedy this anomaly.

The awards made by the Ministry of Labour and National Service under the Further Education and Training Scheme to law students are in respect of professional training in a principal's office, and are calculated on the same basis as all other awards made by the Ministry of Labour. Awards made by the Ministry of Education are larger because they are calculated in relation to university costs. I see no reason for altering these arrangements.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will consider amending the Pensions (Navy, Army, Air Force and Mercantile Marine) Act, 1939, the War Pensions and Detention Allowance Mercantile Marine Scheme, 1941, and the Pensions (Mercantile Marine) Act, 1942, so that merchant seamen who suffered aggravation of organic disease through war service shall receive treatment no less favourable than that accorded to men in the Navy, Army and Air Force.

The War Pensions (Mercantile Marine) Scheme, made under the Acts to which the hon. Member refers, already provides compensation for merchant seamen, similar to that granted to a member of the Royal Navy, where there is aggravation of an organic disease as a result of the special risks or conditions arising from the war at sea. For disease arising from the normal conditions of civilian employment at sea and not due to these special war risks or conditions, the ordinary provisions for compensation in such employment apply and I should not be justified in recommending any alteration of this position.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the considerable length of time before customers are attended to at the Blythe Road Post Office Savings Bank; and if he will take steps to arrange for additional staff to be drafted there in order to remedy the situation.

There has been some congestion in the inquiry office at the Headquarters of the Post Office Savings Bank, mainly owing to the concentration of callers at lunch time. Such steps as are practicable will be taken to improve the position.

asked the Postmaster-General how many ordinary letters, registered letters, parcels and newspapers were sent from Great Britain in January, 1948; and how many of these letters, registered letters, parcels and newspapers were sent to the U.S.S.R.

As regards the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the particulars furnished in my reply of 21st of April on this subject; as regards the second part, the estimated traffic figures are as follows: Ordinary letters, 33,500; Registered Letters, 1,500; Parcels, 2,900; Newspapers, 21,000.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is the practice for all negotiations in regard to a proposed shared telephone service to be conducted by officers of his Department; or whether such negotiations are left to the proposed sharers.

It is the practice for negotiations in regard to shared telephone service to be conducted by officers of my Department. Where service can only be provided by agreement with a subscriber not under obligation to share and negotiations would be seriously delayed owing to staff shortage, the applicant is asked by the Post Office to approach the proposed sharers.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he is aware that exaction of the full weekly National Insurance contributions may bear hardly on part-time and out workers; and if he will so frame the regulations as not to discourage these kinds of employment.

I have no power to make regulations varying the weekly rate of contributions according to the amount of work done. The incidence of the contributions upon part-time workers was, however, considered by the National Insurance Advisory Committee in their review of the draft regulations relating to classification. In their report, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member, the Committee, whilst not recommending an immediate change in the proposed provisions for disregarding part-time employment, expressed the view that the question should be reconsidered in the light of experience. I accepted this recommendation and the regulations now before the House were made accordingly.Outworkers who are not employed under a contract of service are classified as self-employed persons. The Committee also considered their position, and recommended that the regulations should not be amended so as to transfer them to the class of employed persons. This recommendation

—			Births.	Vaccinated.	Exempted.	Postponed by Medical Certificate.	Died Un-vaccinated.	Percentage Vaccinated.
1945	…	…	687,165	278,453*	253,752	5,105	23,782	40·5
1946	…	…	823,627	342,996†	281,730	6,138	27,646	41·6
* Exclusive of 1,733 infants insusceptible to vaccination.
† Exclusive of 2,766 infants insusceptible to vaccination.

The number of infants neither vaccinated nor exempted cannot be positively stated, though some approximation may be deduced from the above figures.The only particulars for the year 1947 yet available are as follow: Number of Births (provisional)—886,799; Number of children under 14 successfully vaccinated—475,445: Statutory declarations of conscientious objection—283,417. The last two figures may include some children born before 1st January, 1947.

asked the Minister of Health if he will inquire into the case, details of which has been submitted to him, in which a house built especially for the requirements of medical practice and owned by the West Ham Council, is being

asked the Minister of Health what were the numbers in 1945, 1946, and 1947 of infants born, infants dying before vaccination age, infants vaccinated, infants exempted, and infants neither vaccinated nor exempted; and what was the percentage of vaccinations in each of those years.

The figures in respect of the years 1945 and 1946 as returned by vaccination officers are:offered to the highest medical bidder, irrespective of other claims; and whether, as this essentially involves selling a medical practice, he will make a statement.

This is a new house and no question of the sale of a medical practice arises.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what action he has taken to ensure that the 2,500 public footpaths, diverted under authority of the Defence Regulations, have now been restored.

Local authorities are the bodies primarily responsible for the protection of public rights of way, and they were duly informed when the relevant Defence Regulation was revoked. At the same time farmers were told that they should restore the footpaths that previously existed.