asked the Minister of Labour the number of employment agencies operated, respectively, by the National Association for the Employment of Ex-sailors, Ex-soldiers and Ex-airmen and the British Legion.

The National Association for the Employment of Ex-sailors, Ex-soldiers and Ex-airmen and the British Legion is each approved, subject to conditions, as an employment agency under the Control of Engagement Order. These conditions do not limit the number of branches.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that some 200 workers at Messrs. Stern & Co., refrigerator manufacturers, Hillington, Glasgow, have been dismissed as redundant, and that one of the reasons given for this dismissal is the incidence of high Purchase Tax on the manufactured product; and what action it is proposed to take to safeguard the livelihood of these men.

I am aware that workers have recently been discharged by this firm. So far as I know the redundancy is due to the lack of orders for the present type of smaller refrigerator but the firm are introducing a new design and are confident that its sales potential is large. By internal re-arrangement the number discharged was kept down to about 150. Some of these have already been placed in other employment and every effort is being made to find suitable work for the remainder.

asked the Minister of Labour in what way are men staying at a public institution assisted by local officials of his Department to find employment.

Where circumstances justify it my local officers go to the Reception centers of the National Assistance Board to register men for employment and to submit them to suitable vacancies. In other cases the men are referred to my local offices so that similar assistance can be given them to obtain employment.

asked the Minister of Labour how many people have been placed in employment through the Technical and Scientific Register and the London Appointments Office, respectively, since 1st January, 1948, to the nearest convenient date.

The numbers of people placed in employment from 13th January, 1948, to 11th October, 1948, were: through the Technical and Scientific Register, 1,763; through the London Appointments Office, 4,028.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of people registered as unemployed in Wallasey on 14th October, 1948, or the nearest convenient date.

One thousand, two hundred and sixty-eight males and 550 females at 11th October.

asked the Minister of Labour how many working days have been lost, respectively, through unofficial and official stoppages resulting from industrial disputes during each month since 1st January, 1948.

The approximate numbers of working days lost, owing to industrial disputes, during the first nine months of 1948 were as follow:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now give particulars as to quantities and description of the strategic materials required to be supplied by Great Britain for stock piling purchases by the U.S. authorities under the Marshall Plan.

The United States authorities have not required Great Britain to supply any specific quantities or description of strategic materials under the Marshall Plan.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the increasing number of builders carrying out major war damage repairs who insist on prompt periodic payment from their clients irrespective of the delay in recovering claims from the War Damage Commission, if he will take steps to ensure that the procedure by which interim payments may be obtained from the War Damage Commission will be simplified and details of wages and materials not demanded at frequent intervals.

As builders are well aware the War Damage Commission are prepared, where major war damage repairs are necessary, to agree beforehand the work to be done and the basis of contract, and, in such cases, instalment payments are made on receipt of a certificate by the claimant or his architect without detailed accounts

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the £50,000,000 recently made available under E.R.P. has been used for debt redemption.

By being applied in redeeming a corresponding amount of debt owed by the Treasury to the Bank of England.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the amount of tax collected from greyhound bookmakers week by week since the inception of the tax on 9th August last.

Exact figures are not available for separate weeks, but the average weekly amount has been about £60,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is prepared to abolish the Purchase Tax on wireless for bed-ridden invalids in the same way as concessions are given for wireless for the blind.

No. The concession for the blind was accepted by the House as an exceptional departure from the principles which govern this tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals have been made to him for an alteration in the administration of Purchase Tax so as to enable the retail distributive trade to obtain a rebate in cases where Purchase Tax paid by them cannot be recovered from the customer; and what decision he has reached regarding such proposals.

Numerous requests for such a rebate have been made, but it has been found impossible to devise a fair and workable scheme; and I doubt if one could ever be found.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the four funding loans are classified in Command Paper No. 7477 as unfunded debt.

Because they are dated stocks, and by a long-established convention, Government loans repayable on a fixed date are classified as unfunded debt.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the representative of the "Chicago Tribune" was excluded from his Press Conference in Washington at the beginning of October; and why the conference was abandoned.

As I stated in Washington, Press reports on this matter were based on a misunderstanding. No such Press Conference was arranged or contemplated; therefore none was abandoned, and nobody was excluded.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that although it is now three months since the Italian Government agreed to pay arrears of interest under its guarantee of the Austrian Conversion Loan 1934–59, no payment has yet been made; and whether he can make any announcement.

The Council of Foreign Bondholders have issued notices concerning the Consortium Bonds and the Bonds of the Maremmana Railway 'and the Royal Sardinian Railway. The Italian Government have made to the bondholders the offers which they undertook to make in respect of the Consortium Bonds and the drawn bonds of the Maremmana Railway. They have not yet made offers carrying out their undertakings in respect of the Royal Sardinian Railway Bonds or the arrears of interest on the undrawn bonds of the Maremmana Railway.As regards the Austrian Loan, His Majesty's Government understand that the Trustees have received a sum equal to the interest due on the British issue. The Trustees have no power to discriminate between the bonds of the different issues of this international loan. Payment to the holders of the sterling bonds is accordingly being deferred till the Trustees receive the sums due from the Italian Government in respect of the other issues. This matter is being pursued vigorously with the Italian Government, and I hope that an announcement may be made in about a fortnight.I deplore the delay which has taken place in these matters; I am in constant touch with the Council of Foreign Bondholders, and I have given them all the support I can with the Italian Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that Banks in the U.S.A. are giving only two dollars 60 cents in exchange for the £1 sterling instead of the official rate; and if he will make representations to the Government of the U.S.A. to stop this practice as it is damaging to our economy.

I am aware that sterling notes are dealt in in New York at prices different from the official rate in London. This arises from the prohibition on the import of sterling notes in excess of £5 into this country and I do not feel that it would be an appropriate matter on which to make representations to the Government of the U.S.A. The hon. Member will be aware that sterling other than notes is dealt in in New York at rates comparable with our own official rates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total maturities of 3 per cents Defence Bonds, excluding bonds cashed before maturity, during the period 1st May, 1948, to 30th August, 1948; and the amount converted into the 21 per cent. issue during the same period.

£51,640,330 and £15,617,550, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has now reached a decision about relief from development charge under the Town and Country Planning Act for those who wish to build a house for their own occupation or an additional factory on land which they own.

There is no question of exemption from development charge, but it has been decided that where an owner begins before 7th January, 1952, to build a house for his own occupation on a plot which he owned on 1st July, 1948, the Treasury scheme under section 58 of the Act will provide for a payment to him equal to the development value of the land for the erection of the house, and he will be able to set off the development charge against this payment. A similar arrangement for additional factories has been considered, but the difficulties are formidable, and it has not yet been decided whether such an arrangement can be made.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will ensure that in future returns like Command Paper No. 7371 there shall be separate statements of professional earnings, farmers' incomes, and shopkeepers' incomes, respectively, distinguished from the general sum of interest and profits.

The form of the returns mentioned by the hon. Member is being re-examined with a view to its breakdown.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will reconsider the decision to discontinue the milling of the edges of silver coins, in view of the convenience in recognising silver coins by blind persons by means of the milled edge.

No such decision has been taken or is contemplated.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will lay before the House the evidence which he put before the Economic Committee of the United Nations in Paris on 14th October, showing that the economies of the countries of Eastern Europe are being harnessed to serve the economic interests of the Soviet Union.

Yes. I have arranged for a copy of this speech to be placed in the Library of the House. The relevant passages are contained in paragraphs 11 to 18 inclusive. I have also attached a list of the sources of the information to which I referred.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that certain wage-earners are receiving demands for alleged under-deductions of P.A.Y.E. as long ago as 1944–45, amounting in some cases to more than £40; and how many such cases are now being handled by his Department.

I very much regret that cases of this nature have arisen owing to shortage of staff and pressure of work in Tax Districts, but I am afraid that information as to the number of such cases is not available. I will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible about the particular case on which he has written to me.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of private motor vehicles, and the value thereof, imported under diplomatic licences since 1st January, 1946, to the latest convenient date.

Four hundred and eighty-eight private motor vehicles of an estimated value of £271,000 were imported by foreign diplomats during the period 1st January, 1946, to 15th October, 1948.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what ranking a foreign diplomatic representative must hold to be granted a licence to import a private motor vehicle.

Heads of Missions and Counsellors, Secretaries and Attaches to Embassies and Legations of countries with which reciprocal arrangements exist are allowed to import private motor vehicles without any import licence, subject to restrictions as to resale. Other foreign diplomatic representatives require import licences and their applications are dealt with in the normal way.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will give the total amount of subsidy, grants, etc., given to the various industries for each year since 1938–39.

I will circulate a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT showing the

asked the Economic 'Secretary to the Treasury if he will now give the exact reference for his quotation on 16th September (c. 366) from the "Economist," that the British wage earner, by one hour's work, was earning more food than any other wage earner in the world.

In this speech the Economic Secretary was referring to the issue of 14th August, 1948, page 250, col. 1, paragraph 3.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, in view of the fact that post-war credits are payable only to men over 65 and women over 60, he permits the amount of a younger taxpayer's post-war credit to be used as a means of wiping out alleged under-collections of tax.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to figures for the last three years? I do not, however, think that the time and labour involved in extracting similar figures for all the years back to 1939 would be justified by the usefulness of the result, particularly in view of the special conditions of the war years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the Dominion of Canada.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to what I said in my speech yesterday.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many copies of the monthly review entitled "Bulletin for Industry," have been issued for September, 1948; and what was the cost to the taxpayer.

Nine thousand copies. The cost of printing was £22, which includes 2½ per cent overheads for His Majesty's Stationery Office, while the cost of distribution was approximately £8.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is intended, under the terms of Section 70 of the War Damage Act of 1943, to introduce fresh legislation to deal with those cases which affect public utility undertakings; and when a Bill will be introduced.

Yes. It is hoped to introduce legislation at an early date during the present Session to deal with undertakings to which Section 70 of the War Damage Act, 1943, applies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there is a shortage of cigarettes in the villages of Healaugh and Newton Kyme in the West Riding of Yorkshire; and whether he can give an assurance that these two villages and neighbouring villages will receive a fair proportion of available supplies.

The distribution of cigarettes is not controlled by the Government, but I am making inquiries with a view to ensuring that the particular villages mentioned by the hon. and gallant Member receive their fair share of available supplies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the policy of His Majesty's Government regarding the export of goods to countries in Eastern Europe.

It is the policy of His Majesty's Government to encourage the flow of trade in both directions between the United Kingdom and all countries, including those of Eastern Europe, at the highest possible level. The extent to which it may be in the United Kingdom interest to export to any particular country depends on the importance of that country as a source of supply and whether our trading and financial relationships with it are developing satisfactorily.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the position regarding the talks relating to the extension of the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement of 1947.

Talks are continuing, but I am not yet in a position to report to the House in detail.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the total output of rayon dress material is allocated to retail traders and to manufacturers, respectively, for making up into finished articles.

Rayon dress material is not allocated. The proportions reaching retail traders and makers-up are governed by normal trading relations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what undertaking he has given to permit a poundage charge on trade carried out on a mutuality club basis: whether he proposes to make an order permitting such poundage; and what poundage he proposes to allow.

Mutuality club trading is a form of check trading, and poundage is intended to cover the costs of collecting instalment payments in respect of checks. The charging of poundage is prohibited by the Check Trading Orders, 1942 and 1944, but a practice has become widespread, though not universal, whereby customers employ and pay servants of the check trading companies to collect their instalments. This seemed an undesirable state of affairs more especially as these collection charges are not subject to any Statutory control. My right hon. Friend accordingly decided that the right course would be to allow poundage to be charged at a controlled rate and at the same time so to strengthen the orders as to prohibit the payment or acceptance of any other collection charges whatsoever. The rate will be 1s. in the £, which was the amount ordinarily charged before the war. My right hon. Friend is satisfied, after an inquiry into the trading results of a representative group of check traders and after considering the representations made to him, that this is no more than adequate having regard to legitimate costs. An order giving effect to this decision will be made very shortly. From what I have said I think it will be clear that this does not involve any addition to facilities for buying goods on credit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied that the supply of clothing, boots, Wellingtons and other commodities necessary for agricultural workers is adequate in Beccles, Bungay and north Suffolk; whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into cases of alleged shortages brought to his notice; and if he will ensure a more equitable distribution of these goods.

I have no information which suggests that there is inequitable distribution of the goods which my hon. Friend mentions or that supplies in the districts he mentions fall below those to the country generally; but I have asked for an inquiry and will write to my hon. Friend when it is complete.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the report of the Engineering Mission to Canada will be published.

The question of the preparation and publication of the report of the Engineering Mission to Canada will be considered on the return to this country of the members of the Mission.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the shortage of overall cloth for civilian use is to some extent due to the reluctance on the part of the manufacturers to make utility drills for the home trade because the ceiling prices are too low and they receive better prices for the same goods in the export market; and, in view of the fact that the reduction in supplies of overall cloth is causing hardship in the Lancashire cotton area, if he will reconsider the allocation.

We are aware of the shortage of overall cloth on the home market. Our aim is to maintain supplies at the maximum level consistent with the achievement of our export target for cotton goods. As the House is aware, it is necessary to reduce supplies to the home market in order to stimulate exports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the supply of mining timber is derived from home sources; how the price of home-grown props compares with that of similar imported props; and what plans he has made to ensure that a fair proportion of future requirements will be obtained from home-grown material.

At present about a quarter of our supplies of mining timber comes from home sources. For details of comparative prices, I would refer the hon. Member to Statutory Rules and Orders 1947 No. 95 but, on a rough average, home-grown pitwood costs at the pits some three-fifths the price of the imported pitwood, though the two products are not always strictly comparable. We are anxious that, subject to forestry considerations. as large a part as possible of our pitwood needs should be met from home woodlands, and ways and means to this end are under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many factories have been completed on the North Tees Industrial Estate; how many are under construction and what will be the approximate dates of their completion; and whether all the factories have been allocated.

Two factories are almost complete and the tenants have begun to move in, and four more have reached the stage at which tenants could take up partial occupation. The remaining four factories are well under way and unless there are unforeseen obstacles should all be ready for occupation by early summer. Three factories and part of a fourth have not yet been allocated.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the demand on the home market for simple decorated pottery, and of the increasing difficulty of selling the medium and cheaper grades abroad, he will consider, in the near future, a complete or partial relaxation of the present regulation against the sale of such pottery in the home market.

The purpose of the present restrictions on the supply of decorated ware for the home market is to maximize our exports, and we could not relax them unless we were certain that exports would not suffer thereby. The possibility of a partial relaxation for plain coloured ware has been discussed with the British Pottery Manufacturers' Federation within the last fortnight, but they have advised strongly that even this would lead to the diversion to the home market of goods that would otherwise be exported. We are still examining the possibility of allowing certain articles of plain coloured ware which are not exported in any quantity, to he sold at home, but can hold out no hope that any relaxation which may prove to be possible will extend to the main articles of domestic use, such as cups and saucers and plates.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications he has received, and what was their value to the latest convenient date, for pottery to be treated as frustrated exports.

Seventy-one applications to a total value of some £97,000 had been received by the end of October.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is in a position to make a statement on the immediate position of clothes rationing.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Darwen (Mr. Prescott) yesterday.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what was the average price at which the Government purchased tung oil prior to July, 1947; the price at which it was subsequently sold to paint manufacturers; the administrative costs of these negotiations; and the profit the Government made on them;

Final figures are not yet available but it is estimated that from the date of commencement of public purchase up to July, 1947, the average cost ex warehouse was about £246 per ton. Up to the close of the trading account the cost of administration, interest, etc., was about £7 per ton, and the average profit 28s. per ton or about one-half of one per cent. over the whole period. The accounts and balance sheets of the Trading Services conducted by Government Departments, together with the Report of the Comptroller and Accountant-General thereon, are published annually, and the trading accounts in respect of tung oil will be included therein, although the details of this item will not be shown separately.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is now the export target for 1949 at which the Government are aiming.

The House will recall that on 17th September when my right hon. Friend referred during the Debate on the Address to the new export targets for the end of 1949, he expected that the overall target would be of the order of 160 per cent. of the 1938 volume. On 25th October he announced that the new target for the end of 1949 is 155 per cent. The sum of the targets for the principal groups of export industries is at present almost 160 per cent., but making allowance for the possibility that shortfalls in some industries may not be balanced by surpluses in others, the overall target has been rounded off to 155 per cent. In this, we have followed the procedure of the 1948 Economic Survey. Discussions are proceeding with individual industries and it may be necessary to make a number of adjustments before the full list of individual targets is published at the end of this year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what he is doing to alleviate the unstable position of many light industries in Scotland which are in increasing trading difficulties owing to the incidence of Purchase Tax on their products and the increasing costs of production and are compelled to dismiss many of their workers; and whether he is aware of the growing concern of the working people in the industrial areas in Scotland at this menace to their livelihood.

I am not aware that there is any general instability in light industry in Scotland. But with the end of the seller's market for consumer goods certain firms, not only in Scotland, have experienced difficulties which have led to the dismissal of workers on a small scale. I am hopeful, however, that the work-people displaced will be absorbed in industry essential to the national recovery.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much timber there is in the timber yards in the Stafford area.

Records of timber stocks are not maintained on a county or town basis.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent British export figures contain the sale of surplus war material and similar capital item articles.

regret that the information desired by the hon. Member is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether clarification has been reached with the Administrator of the European Recovery Programme as to the possible effect on British export trade of the obligation resting upon him to refuse delivery to countries participating in the Marshall Plan of any commodities which go into production for redelivery to any non-participating country; and what arrangements will be made to publish a list of such commodities

Discussions with the United States authorities are still taking place. No decision has yet been taken about the form of any pubic announcement which might be found to be necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the inconvenience caused to the agricultural community owing to the shortage of Hebden cord fustian breeches; and what steps he will take to increase their supply.

Home market supplies of all types of cotton cloths have fallen in recent months as a result of the diversion to export. The reduction in cloth supplies for these breeches has however been proportionately less than that in most types of cloth. Production is still insufficient to meet home and export requirements in full and I regret that home market supplies cannot be increased at present.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that by virtue of higher prices, Purchase Tax and increased cost of overheads, small businesses are finding their financial resources insufficient; and what steps are proposed to alleviate this position.

I am not aware that the factors to which the hon. Member refers are creating difficulties for small businesses which are not shared by other sections of the community.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether His Majesty's Government will afford full facilities and assistance to enable British industry to be well represented at the Canadian International Trade Fair to be held in Toronto on 30th May, 1949.

Yes. The Board of Trade will assist United Kingdom exhibitors as it did for this year's Fair.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that textile firms are increasingly hampered in the export market by virtue of exchange controls and other import restrictions; and what steps His Majesty's Government are taking to assist them.

Yes. The reasons for the difficulties vary from country to country and our ability to assist depends upon the circumstances in each case. One of our chief aims in trade negotiations is to secure the removal or relaxation of restrictions against imports of United Kingdom goods of all kinds including textiles, and wherever appropriate we press for this as energetically as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that British exporters to the Argentine have frequently to wait as long as six weeks for permission to transmit the money already paid by the importer; and if he will take steps to remove this obstacle to our overseas trade.

Yes. I am aware of these delays and representations have already been made about them. The Argentine authorities have given assurances that all sterling permits will be honoured and we shall continue our efforts to get the periods of delay reduced.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much cotton stocks are now held; and what was the price, in convenient categories, paid for them.

Stocks of cotton held in the United Kingdom by the Raw Cotton Commission at the end of September were about 207,000 tons. I cannot give information about the price at which purchases have been made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what stocks of industrial diamonds are held in the United Kingdom; if he is satisfied that they are adequate to the requirements of British industry, especially in the sphere of technical modernisation; and what steps he is taking to ensure that such stocks are maintained at a consistently high level.

Information as to the size of stocks of industrial diamonds held in the United Kingdom is not available. The distribution of diamonds to all parts of the world is centerd in the United Kingdom. I am satisfied that the stocks are maintained at a high level in relation to the requirements of British industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of diamonds has been sold to the United States Government by Messrs. Industrial Distributors (Sales) Corporation in accordance with arrangements concluded under the Marshall Plan agreement; what was the value of this purchase; and how was payment for it made.

I cannot give details of the quantities or value of the diamonds recently sold to the United States Government by Industrial Distributors (Sales) Limited. Payment is being made from the sterling fund deposited by His Majesty's Government in a special account as the counterpart equivalent of the value of supplies furnished to the United Kingdom under the grant by tile Economic Co-operation Administration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied that the best use is being made of home-grown woodland thinnings, with a view to savings of imported timber.

The use of home-grown thinnings undoubtedly saves imports. They are at present used for pitprops and, to a limited extent, for pulping; the greater proportion of our supplies of pitwood, pulpwood and woodpulp however, still comes from abroad.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will publish details of the industrial staffs of Government Departments under the same headings as those under which civil staffs are shown in Command Paper No. 7522.

These are as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present monthly cost of the British Military Mission in Saudi Arabia and of the Air Mission in Iraq.

The monthly cost of the British Military Mission in Saudi Arabia is £4,083. There is no Air Mission in Iraq.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish in full the note of the Polish Government of 17th September, 1948, relating to the case of Dr. Wladislaw Dering, and his reply thereto.

It is not the practice of His Majesty's Government to publish diplomatic correspondence except by agreement with the Government concerned. The text of the Polish note of 17th September has, so far as I am aware, not been published and my right hon. Friend does not propose to publish his reply.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the serious shortage of fencing wire and barbed wire in Scotland; if he is satisfied that Scotland is receiving a fair share of the total supplies available; and what steps are being taken to increase supplies.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Mr. N. Macpherson) on this subject yesterday.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the shortage of tools in Scotland, especially of tools used in the building trade and certain edge tools; and what steps are being taken to increase supplies.

I was not aware of any general shortage of builders' tools and builders' edge tools in Scotland. If the hon. Member has evidence of a shortage in a particular area, and will let me have details, I will draw the manufacturers' attention to it.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is now prepared to discontinue the transport of workers from Wales to the supply depot at Pontrilas, Herefordshire, as local ex-Service men are anxious to obtain employment.

This matter is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the shortage of five-pronged muck forks, particularly among farmers in Lancashire; and what steps he will take to increase the supply.

Five-pronged forks are at present being manufactured on only a very small scale. The possibility of arranging for substantially increased production is being discussed with the industry.

asked the Minister of Works what progress has been made in the building of the Remploy Factory at Jarrow; and can he give a provisional date as to when the factory is likely to be completed.

A site has been selected on land owned by the Board of Trade and leased to the North East Trading Estates, Ltd. The Company will build the factory and let it to the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation. Work is expected to start next month and the factory will, it is hoped, be ready for occupation in about 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that it is the wish of the families of the six members of the R.A.F., A.F.O. W. Ross McNaughton, F.O. Rowland Tibbs, P.O. Howard F. Edmunds, Flight-Sgt. John Hague, Sgt. Charles Higgins, Sgt. Alfred Supkovitch, that their bodies should continue to rest in the cemetery at Saint Germain la Ville, Marne; that the view of the families is supported by the mayor of the town, M. E. Appert; and if he will take steps to see that the War Graves Commission respect these views and do not transfer the bodies to another cemetery or to another grave.

Yes, and there is no intention that the bodies of these officers and N.C.O.'s should be transferred from the graves where they now rest.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the price in 1939 of linseed oil was £22 per ton when purchased by private enterprise, while it now costs £185 per ton when purchased in bulk by the Government; and if he will explain the reason for this great increase in price.

The reason is the general increase in world prices of all oils and fats, due to the fall in supplies of both animal and vegetable oils and fats in most parts of the world as a result of the war.

asked the Minister of Food (1) if we will give the comparative figures for the years 1938 and 1947 of the amount spent weekly on essential foods by the average person;(2) if he will give the comparative figures for the years 1938 and 1947 of the cost to the public of essential foods.

It is estimated that household expenditure on basic foodstuffs in 1938 was approximately £760 million, or about 6s. 1¾d. per head of the population. The comparative figures for 1947 were £791 million and 6s. 3d., respectively. These estimates cover bread, flour, carcase meat, offal and canned corned beef, bacon and ham, fresh, frozen and cured fish, butter, margarine, lard and compound lard, sugar, liquid milk, cheese shell eggs, potatoes and tea.

asked the Minister of Food what proportion of the domestic egg supply is estimated to be reaching shops.

is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the domestic egg supply since the poultry census figures do not include birds on holdings of less than one acre. On a very approximate estimate about one-half of the supply is reaching the shops, the greater part of the balance being consumed by the producers or disposed of direct to consumers under the regulations of the domestic poultrykeepers scheme.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he will now state the amount due in National Insurance contributions to the latest available date: and the amount actually received.

As 1 stated in reply to the hon. Member on 21st September, I regret that such figures are not available. I would add that owing, among other things, to the day-to-day variations in the number of contributors as a result of sickness, unemployment and other factors, it is never possible at any particular moment to make an exact comparison between the income due to and actual receipts by the Fund.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether the National Insurance Advisory Committee are considering the special position of seasonal workers in agriculture in relation to unemployment benefit under the new Act; and whether steps will be taken to ensure that such workers will be able to draw benefit this winter.

I have recently referred to the National Insurance Advisory Committee for consideration and advice the whole question of additional conditions for the receipt of benefit under the new Act by seasonal workers generally. Meanwhile I propose to amend the existing regulations so as to enable a seasonal worker in agriculture to receive this winter as a transitional measure not less than the number of days of unemployment benefit he would have been entitled to had the special agricultural scheme which operated up to 5th July, 1948, still been in force.

asked the Secretary of State for War what increase in strength has resulted from the recruiting campaign for the Territorial Army.

Figures of Territorial Army recruiting during October will not be available for about 10 days.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many British soldiers are being held prisoner in Palestine by the Jews and Arabs, respectively; how many were previously posted as deserters; and whether steps will be taken with regard to extradition or otherwise.

I cannot say how many British soldiers are held as prisoners by the Jews or Arabs as it has not yet been possible to obtain this information from either side. The question of what extradition arrangements might be applicable is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give an estimate of the cost of postage involved in correspondence to and from the Ministry of National Insurance which now passes free on His Majesty's Service if the cost were paid in postage stamps in the ordinary way.

The cost of postage at ordinary rates on the correspondence referred to for the period 5th of July to 30th of September, 1948, is estimated at £500,000. In accordance with the normal practice, the actual cost of handling the correspondence chargeable to the National Insurance and Industrial Injuries Funds will be recoverable in cash and the cost of handling the remainder of the correspondence will be regarded as a service rendered without charge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what applications he has received for licences and certificates for the use of animals in naval atomic weapon trials, in accordance with the provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876.

None.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning if he is aware of the proposal to allocate part of the Padiham Heights, near Sabden, for industry; whether his Department was consulted on this matter; if he is aware of the wide feeling which exists against such a proposal; and what steps he will take in the matter.

I understand that a proposal to erect a lime-crushing plant on Padiham Heights was considered by the County Planning Committee on 13th August and 10th September and that a notice of refusal of permission was sent to the applicants on 23rd September. In the circumstances I do not think any further action is necessary.

asked the Minister of Health how many alien medical practitioners and dental practitioners, respectively, have been admitted to practice in this country since 1st January, 1948; and how many persons from both these classes have been admitted to service in the National Health Service since its inauguration.

The number of medical practitioners enabled to practise in this country by virtue of registration in the foreign list of the Medical Register under the Medical Practitioners and Pharmacists Act, 1947, since 1st January last is 932, of whom all but 85 had previously been temporarily registered. The number of dental practitioners registered in the foreign list of the Dentists' Register this year is 37. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that many young consultants, as in an example submitted to him, are undergoing severe financial privation owing to the delay in the payment of their remuneration for three months, during which time they have had to pay interest on overdrafts at their banks; and whether he will take measures to prevent repetition of this delay.

Certain regional hospital boards (as in the case referred to by the hon. Member) were unable, owing to initial staffing difficulties immediately after the appointed day, to pay specialists before the end of September. I see no reason why this difficulty should continue: the Board concerned in the case referred to are now paying monthly or quarterly at the wish of the specialist.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give instructions to Regional Hospital Boards that advertisements for senior specialist staff should appear in the medical Press and not in the lay Press only.

Regional Hospital Boards are required by Regulation 5 (1) of the National Health Service (Appointment of Specialists) Regulations, 1948 (S.I. 1948 No. 1416) to advertise vacancies on the specialist staff of hospitals in two or more professional journals. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind where this has not been complied with I shall be glad to make inquiries of the board concerned.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Government are proposing to introduce legislation to facilitate improvements to existing houses and a revision of existing rent control legislation in the light of the present cost of maintenance and repair.

I would draw the attention of the hon. Member to the announcement made in the King's Speech.

asked the Minister of Health what was the condition in regard to vaccination of the cases of smallpox arriving on the seven large vessels from India between January and June, 1946; of the cases of smallpox on the 14 similar vessels that arrived on which cases of smallpox had occurred and been landed en route; of the patients from 31 vessels arriving with cases of chickenpox on board; of the cases of chickenpox from 21 vessels that had been disposed of prior to arrival; why were the chickenpox cases disposed of prior to arrival; whether the chickenpox cases that were landed into hospital en route were landed because they were severe; and whether there were any deaths of cases from ships, either of smallpox or chickenpox, landed en route.

The information asked for is not available in my Department, and I do not feel that I would be justified in going to the very great trouble (involving, amongst other things, inquiries abroad) and expense in order to try to obtain it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what practical steps have been taken to implement the proposals of the Swinden Commission for the reform of local government in Mauritius, which were upheld by a Select Committee of the Legislature which reported in December, 1947.

On 24th February, 1948, a motion was adopted in the Legislative Council of Mauritius, whereby the Council took note of the Report of the Select Committee of the Council of Government appointed to examine Mr. J. B. Swinden's Report on Local Government. This course was adopted since it was felt that it was proper that consideration of the Report should be deferred until it could be undertaken by the newly constituted Legislative Council, which first met at the beginning of September under the amended Constitution. I am asking the Governor how the matter now stands, and will communicate with my hon. Friend again when I receive the Governor's reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied with the action taken by the Legislature of Bermuda as a result of his despatch of March, 1947, on the need for an extension of the franchise, the introduction of direct taxation and a revision of trade union legislation.

I hope shortly to inform the Governor of my views on the recommendations which have been made by the Joint Committee of the Legislature. Meanwhile I am unable to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Mile End (Mr. Piratin) on 22nd September.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action was taken by the Government in British Guiana to put pressure on the sugar workers during the recent strike to join one of the two established trade unions.

It is the policy of the Government of British Guiana to encourage workers to join the recognised trade unions and to discourage the establishment of a multiplicity of unions, but no pressure of any kind was put by the Government on the workers to join any particular union.